Brussels Stories

After a week of searching for an apartment, we selected a place close to the EU centre (by the Berlaymont building). Its small and quiet, but located close to a few very neat areas of the city. It has a balcony off the living over the street, 13 foot ceilings, windows from floor to ceiling and a loft in the bedroom and a large terrace out into the back courtyard about 50% the size of the rest of the apartment. It is finally available today after 2 weeks of having to wait for it to free up. The guy we are taking over the apartment from has decided not to move his stuff out till the end of the month, so all we have had to buy is bed sheets and towels. This gives us 10 days to get everything else we need, which is great 'cause Ikea is closed today.

Everything is closed on Sundays, this even includes gas stations. Though we end up stumbling upon giant markets, flea markets, in random large parking lots. Sunday is very much a family day. Though the city seems shut down, everywhere is very busy with people walking and cycling. Its as though the city turns in to a park 1 day a week.

Some transit lines are also unavailable on Sundays, which has left us a bit stranded at the hostel on the weekends the last 3 weeks. During the rest of the week, the buses are unreliable, the schedule posted on the bus stops is actually a guide; +/- 20 min.

The government lottery is sold only on the weekends by girl guide and cub scout type groups. These kids hang around the streets all morning with yellow lottery jackets on hawking the lotto. Girl guide and cub scout type groups seem very popular, there is always a troop of kids around.