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  Brussels, Belgium
Friday, October 3, 2008

Hello everyone!

Here we are in Brussels, Belgium! We arrived here by train this afternoon, transfering through Lille, France and Tournai, Belgium. We spent an eventful few days in

Paris and northern France, and though they were very nice and eventful, I can say that I am VERY glad to be OUT of France for good!

(Incidentally, this is my THIRD time writing this entire thing. I wrote it out completely twice already and clicked "save" and the computer logged out on me! I am very

frustrated but I will try to remember everything I had written.)

An example of the experience we had in France:

After arriving in Paris on Monday, we decided to spend Tuesday sight-seeing and running around the city. We've both been here before, so we don't need alot of time

to get reacquainted. Should be a nice, easy-going day, right? I mean, how much could go wrong?...

First, we head to the Canadian Embassy to enquire about voting in the upcoming federal election. Naturally, the embassy is located way on the other side of the city.

So, awesome, we'll take the métro! The ticket machine only accepts coins, and as neither of us have enough coins for a carnet of 10 tickets, we'll just buy singles for

now. No problem, we'll buy a carnet next time and just pay the 1.60 per ride fare this once. Got out at the station, can't find the embassy. We can barely even get out

bearings out of the incorrectly-marked exits. Finally, we found it. We discovered that before even voting; we have to apply to vote, and they'll send us a voting package.

Two problems with this: we don't have European addresses and Alex doesn't have any picture ID with an address on him.

So, we leave the embassy, resigned to the fact that now we have to go to an internet café to book our next hostel so we have an address, all the way back to the hostel

for Alex's health card, and then to the post office to photocopy everything, before even returning to the embassy. We located a post office on the same street as the

embassy; so we copied my driver's license and Alex's passport. Then we decide to use the internet café near the hostel, since we have to go there anyhow. Back to the

métro. Got off the train at the right stop and looked around. No Alex. A quick scan of the millions of Parisiens says he is not there. I looked around the station a bit, but

decided he must have missed getting off the train for some reason. I waited for four returning trains before deciding he wasn't there and just heading to the internet

café in the hopes he'd be there.

Luckily, he was! Phew! We instantly made an emergency plan for future times. We got a computer, hastily looked up a hostel and booked it for five days, to be sure we

were here when the package came. Then, we walked back to the hostel to get Alex's doculents. Not so fast. Upon entering, the front desk receptionist tells us we can't

go upstairs because we are on lockout and the bedrooms are closed for cleaning. After the lengthy discussion and argument, which naturally included three staff

members (as our many arguments always did), they allowed only Alex to go up.

Fine. ALL the way back to the embassy. Long métro ride #3. Only, the consular services desk is now clsed for lunch, and will re-open at 2 pm, and even then, we can

only see them if we have an appointment. We left the embassy feeling very frustrated, and decided to go for a walk along the Seine. Not as peaceful as you'd think.

Although it was fairly nice, we were met by a con girl while crossing a bridge, who was trying to convince us we'd lost a ring (or something). Luckily, Alex recognized

the con and we walked hastily away, but it felt very creepy thereafter.

We had lunch at a nice café in the Latin Quarter. This was one of the high points of the day. It was delicious, authentically Parisien, and not overly pricey. I ate a

croque-monsieur.

We decided then to return once again to the embassy. We were lucky, since the people there were very nice and allowed us to submit the applications anyway. Yahoo!

Finally something accomplished! Then, we took a nice walk south of the Seine, and saw Les Invalides, the Latin Quarter, the Assemblée Nationale, and other things.

This was marred by another Paris Ring trick attempt, but Alex told the woman off with audible swearing, so all was well.

Then, we decided to tqke q four-hour FREE walking tour through Paris. The idea is that you go on the tour for free and are welcome to leave without paying, but they

want you to assess the value of the tour and tip whatever you think it's worth. We were on an AMAZING tour, including three other people from Winnipeg, one of whom

taught at CJS until the year before I did. Our tour guide, Gianny, was very funny and personable and really ,ade us a part of the tour. The four hours just flew by! It was

alot of fun! Another high point in the day!

Qfterwards, we were supposed to meet Alex's sister for dinner, so we took the métro to her apartment and tried phoning. Unfortunately, her phone wasn't working

properly and we couldn't reach her. We tried many many times and finally gave up and went to eat by ourselves.

Anyways, that was our crazy day. Wednesday, we took a couple great day trips out to Chartres cathedral and Versailles palace. Versailles was great, but they had these

terrible nouveau art pieces, right in the middle of the grandest rooms! Even the Hall of Mirrors! It was so awful!

Then, yesterday, we went out to Normandy in northwestern France and saw Juno Beach, where Canadian soldiers landed on D-Day. It was very rich history and the

museum there was extraordinary.

Anyways, we are in Brussels now and are hoping to meet up with Ken who we met in Luxembourg, so I have to go!

Take care in Winnipeg! October has hit with a very cold grip here, so I hope for better things for you!

Wayne

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