Mostly, I try not to blog about the negative things here ... mostly. But sometimes I'm so very very appalled that one of 'those' posts appears here and usually, when I wake in the morning, I take it down again ... anger over.
Wednesday night and I was out wandering in the city. A kiwi friend was in town from Brussels and we went out for dinner then onto a cosy old jazz bar here. We talked endlessly and somehow the glasses were constantly full, in that lazy 'not really paying attention' kind of way.
Thursday morning was the awakening.
I had a little Miss 3 to get off to kindy and then I had to get myself on a train to Brussels for work and I wasn't feeling superb.
Belgium's Burger King equivalent saved me - or one of their bacon burgers eaten at South Station Brussels made me feel more human.
A long day at work with much laughter and an endless to-do list before heading home.
And so there was the refunding of very expensive train ticket incident but there was also a phone call from the conference organiser. My photographs of the Israeli ambassador and a group of British women were urgently required for the Jerusalem Post ...
I had just missed what would turn out to be the last tram for 20 minutes and it was pouring down in the city.
Home by 8pm, eating dinner, sorting photographs, sending them, phoning to say they were on their way, preparing for Gert's children to arrive, tired.
Today is another day, of heavy rain showers, hail, the possibility of snow and a second attempt at a train ticket refund. I just imagine how it will go ... that amount of money in the morning, are you an idiot?
10 comments:
What's with the expesnive train ticket incident? You book a wrong train?
Jeruzalem Post, sounds splendid, no? :) Next trip, Isreal? :P
Long story but a friend had been about to throw out Thalys tickets to Paris and offered them to me - leaving lunchtime today.
Paris seemed like a nice idea until I realised they were 100% refundable, so phoned friend and let her know. She's away so I was doing the refunding on my way home from work last night and she'll pick it up when she's back.
Sigh, so I have to go back to the station this morning. This was the polite offer I made last night to stop the office chick speaking so badly of me in Nederlands. I was too tired to fight about it then ...
Wish me luck.
You should go the the international ticket office and there you can argue in English -I reckon that's your strong point :D.
Darling, that was the international ticket office. We did everything in English, it was only when she was being an insulting cow (as we call it back home in NZ) that she used Nederlands, presumably imagining I wouldn't understand.
Anyway, went back today, nicer man but lost 10% because I didn't get there in time.
Aw, u used darling for the first time :D I'm getting to you, ain't I ;)
Yea, we kinda believe nobody understands Dutch and we can say mean things behind their backs/in their faces -that's the advantage of speaking a lesser known language in this world. Good to see you got some money back, 10% loss isn't that bad.
I love the cow insult you just used in that comment Di. Not used here in the US much, but it's potent.
The 'darling' was the raised eyebrow one, affectionate but ya know ;)
My friend will be pleased to have the money back - thank goodness she didn't throw them in the rubbish bin eh wot.
I'll have to find a lot of beauty to post in the days ahead to make up for 'the cow' comment, furiousball but yes, potent, I think it accurately summed up this woman's behaviour.
Grumble mumble grouch ... :)
Belgium and its 'customer service', it's not a marriage made in heaven.
I still often get angry when some brain dead employee (who probably got his job by having the appropriate political party card, often employed by the state) treats me like I'm a retard.
On "angry blog post": don't erase them, they pull a crowd over at my blog! ;-)
For some reason, 'the attitude' I run into here happens less in NZ because they often begin from the point where the 'customer is always right' and work from there ... as in America. Here, you're a criminal from the outset and my first 'discussion' about wrong change given to me left me stunned and amazed ... and furious.
Gert had given me a specific note, we both knew it, it was a big deal back then but the shop assistant was having none of it. At that point I thought it was a 'foreigner special' but have since realised it all and everybody.
Sigh ... oh well, at least we have good parties to attend, eh wot Peter ;)
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