This is the city we met in, back in 2002 on a class field trip. It was nice to go back there together again. Although this time we actually did get to do some site-seeing...the first time it was all just class related stuff at the EU HQ. We took a bus there (Eurolines), and it was only 16 euros round trip each (on the train its about 40 r/t). It takes about 3 hours to get there with traffic.
We had a beer on the terrace of the restuarant where we first met (the White Rose/Rose Blance/Witte Ros), which happens to be on the Grote Markt, the main town square with beautifully decorated buildings. We posed for pictures in front of Manneken Pis, the fountain of the little boy peeing...where 5 years ago we started talking. And we happened to come across the Irish pub we all went into as a group 5 years ago, where we continued to talk to each other. We went to the Atomium (the atom-looking thing pictured below!)...which was neat from the outside, but inside was actually nothing special. we went in the different balls, and you walked between them on steps or escalors. It was built for the1958 Worlds Fair. Its 335 ft high and each sphere is 60 ft in diameter!! Made for some neat pictures.
We also ate many delicious Belgian waffles (with whipped cream or chocolate), and I had 1 cherry beer and 3 raspberry beers over the course of 2 days.
We stayed in a youth hostel that was a great location, but otherwise was not so great. I am biased now, I'm sure...but this place had no character, the beds weren't comfortable, the breakfast was very basic, and the people weren't that friendly. They gave you two basic white sheets that reeked of bleach, and a woolly blanket, without a separate cover for the blanket...which means it had been used by others before me w/o being washed. That is rather unhygienic and kinda of gross. My throat hurt the whole time I was there, partly because I think of the very intense smell of bleach. The hostel also closed at 1am; and between the hours of 10am and 2pm, you are locked out. I should have considered this 1am close time when I booked it, as the reason we went to Brussels was to go to a Dave Matthews Band concert at the Forest National, on the south side of Brussels. We missed the last 2 songs of the encore because we were concerned about timing...listen to Dave for 2 more songs, or sleep on the street. The logical people we are, we decided to leave early to make sure we got on the tram back to the center in time before it closed. we got back with 25 minutes to spare.
The concert was awesome! Probably the best Dave concert I've been to, and this was the 4th one. I went to a concert in Milwaukee in 1998, Dallas 2000, Alpine Valley (WI) 2003, and now Brussels. The last time DMB was in Europe was 1998. This was indoors, so the lighting and sound was great! The bass from the drums is amazing. And since DMB isn't quite as popular in Europe as the states, this place, with seating for 7000 or so...only maybe 4000 showed up. We sat down for the opener (Tom Morello of Rage against the Machine and Audioslave); I thought everyone would stand up at their seats when Dave would come out, but they didn't. So after the 3rd song, we ditched the seats and went down to the floor so we could dance. I mean, how can these people not stand up and dance in the presence of Dave?? It was really fun. And we were about 100 ft from him!! That's the closest I've ever been to the one and only Dave! This was the playlist:
(Still Water) - Don’t Drink the Water - When The World Ends - Grey Street - Dream Girl - Crash Into Me - Jimi Thing - The Maker - Louisiana Bayou - Sister + - #41 * - Satellite * - Crush - Down By The River - Stay (Wasting Time) - Ants Marching - encores: - So Damn Lucky + - American Baby Intro - Two Step
Show Notes: * Tom Morello + Dave Solo
Ah, listening to DMB brings me back to my college days. ;-) Of the brighter, carefree years of being young and a student. Now its reality check time.
When we were on the Grote Markt on Monday night, taking pictures and just taking in the beautiful night, there was a group of about 6 girls playing music on a 'boom box', who were having a bachelorette party for their friend Romy. The even lit something on fire, and the popped open a bottle of champagne and put the first out with that (and drank some of it too!). There was also a couple standing in the center of the square for a very long time, embracing each other. I figured something was up. When one of the bachelorette girls walked by them, the girl said, can you take a picture of us, he just asked me to marry him. It was so sweet. What a special night at the Grand Place.
More pictures can be seen at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/caclabots/sets/72157600291289598/
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