Saturday, January 26, 2008

A little of this, a little of that

It's been an interesting week ...

Did I mention that last week's postponed job interview happened yesterday? I will have to wait till next week to hear but I'm hoping.

More than that though ...it was grand just being out there and wandering again. I adore Brussels.

The day of the interview and we woke at 6.30am. I was catching the 8.30 from Antwerp to Brussels, until we heard the news that my tram line wasn't running due to strike action by the mechanics ...

So I showered fast and caught a bus into Central Station around 7.30am, prepared to wait there if I was too early but no, I arrived to the news that the 8.30am train to Brussels was already running 15 minutes late so ... I jumped on the 8.02.

Bowing to a variation of something akin to delhi-belly of Thursday, I had traveled without breakfast, fearful really. But what else is there to do in Brussels North station if you're almost one and a half hours early for a job interview.

I located my tram line then kicked back with a koffie verkeerd and warm croissant.

I enjoyed the interview, then popped in to catch up with a friend living in Sint Gillisvoorplein. I loved the area, possibly helped by the fact that there was a market going on but the area just had a really nice feeling ... reminiscent of Istanbul really.

I had a hearty onion soup with crusty chunks of bread for 2.50euro at a brasserie on a corner, a place I need to go back to one day.

Finally I met up with v-grrrl and we caught the train home, talking and continuing to talk right through into today.

Party tonight, the apartment is a work in progress ... I clean a little, talk a little.

Tot ziens from the kiwi in Belgie

9 comments:

furiousBall said...

You day sounds so much more cultured and interesting than mine... let's compare...

I woke up finished a UML diagram for a client, started a fire, went to the library, and then stopped off at the post office.

See I didn't use the words "croissant" or "verkeerd". I'm not even sure what that second one is but it sounds delicious.

Di Mackey said...

But furiousball, you always make me feel like a dilettante compared to you.

Koffie verkeerd is just a caffè latte - a milky coffee :)

And quite frankly, your day sounds like a good one. Started a fire ... we don't do that here, they don't have open fires, I MISS IT, post office sounds good, specially if there was cheques or mail, and UML, it's outside anything I understand of the world since I'm a student of literature and largely useless ;)

Anonymous said...

You got out of your appartment, geesh that's more fun than I had for over weeks. Studying is not a nice time consuming activity.

I think you have been in more neighbourhoods of this teeny weeny country than most Belgians.

Yea, we don't do bonfires anymore. They are prohibited by law. Only with permission of your council I think you still can organise one, but mostly this is for summer camps only.

*waves to V who is bound to read this too*

Di Mackey said...

She waved back and laughed in a good way ... wanting to know how your braincells are, sure that you need to wipe some out with this party tonight.

I'm thinking of making a map, marking off all the neighbourhoods now. I've been on all the main highways in Belgie now :) Need to get more thorough.

Anonymous said...

Hi Di (to me it still is pronounced the Italian way ;-) )
Thanks so much for the party, it was great to meet you in person... We had a great time and hope to see you all soon!!

Anonymous said...

Oh, the party folks are up already. We want a party post!!!

Di Mackey said...

It was a good night, wasn't it Paola - thanks to the lovely people who came. Looking forward to seeing you both again.
De ;)

Manic ... I'm so tiredddddddddd. We cleaned up this morning, after a late night and then I did a fun family portrait and have been dragging myself around since. I can't write about the party yet, it was 'that' good and I'm 'that' tired. Soon, I promise.

Mlle said...

yay for Brussels... I think St. Gilles is my favorite neighborhood in the city... when you go to Ruth's... try to imagine how many trips it took us up those stairs to move her in :)

Di Mackey said...

Oh grief, Mlle ... it was 'interesting' just getting myself up those stairs. What a pity I couldn't help you guys ... hehehehe ;)