So, to jolt myself out of my Brussels rut I'm thinking of allowing myself a local trip this weekend (assuming no extra work comes up).
Because we at the Pinolona editorial office aim to please, we will make it a photo reconnaissance trip (read 'easy post'), so pick the one you would be least indifferent to seeing pictures of:
- Ghent................. 30 mins
- Bruges................about an hour
- Amsterdam.......2 hours ish (read 'I don't really know but if you forget to get off at Antwerp that's where you end up')
... or should I simply stay here and take pictures of la belle Bruxelles (is Bruxelles plural? Or even feminine? If only I cared enough to look it up) en automne?
Gosh I do love the blog. It's like the yes-no-maybe ball all over again...
Left my beloved Kraków now to set up in Brussels but this is by no means the end of my adventures with Polish. Linguistic confusion and cross-cultural misunderstandings still abound. I'm an interpreter, a translator, a musician, I'm learning to cook again and I miss my dog. I think that's got it covered, more or less.
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16 comments:
Definitely Bruxelles or Bruges. Pinolona's parents passed through there once. Pinolona's dad remembers it well since Pinolona's mum had ignored his advice to pack an overnight case as a result of which he had to carry two weeks' holiday clobber up 3 flights of stairs - he needed the holiday after that. Sadly it is the only thing he can now remember about Bruges, apart from from being in a school play called something like "The Bells of Bruges"!
I vote for anywhere but Bruges. I went recently with my mum and have now looked at the five hundred pictures she took of our day out - I don't think I can take any more.
I'm anti-Bruges too actually, I heard it was a bit of an anti-climax.
Personally I'm rooting for Amsterdam - I'm starting to get bored and I feel the need to get into trouble, but I've already been shopping twice this week and my freezer compartment isn't big enough for a decent bottle of vodka.
I have this vision of the Netherlands as a den of exciting sin full of home-grown weed and very tall Dutch boys...
I was told by a likely drunk Belgian at a hidden little bar in Bruges that Ghent is the place to be in Belgium. Something along the lines of being more authentic with less tourists and a big student population. Keep in mind this conversation happened in very broken French... which he wasn't very keen on using in the first place (or even admitting he knew it).
Anyways, my mission is to go to Ghent next time I enter the land of the trappist beer.
Dad you've already told me that story :)
That's true, I was in Ghent for work yesterday and it looked really cool from the bus...
I consider it a discrimination against ex-communist countries that Poland is not an option.
And try to think of a better excuse than you're planning a short weekend trip only. :)
You linked your Polish blog!!! awesome :))) must continue with mine...
Bruges is ok - I liked it more than I expected; don't really feel the need to go back though.
Ah, tall Dutch boys... :) I'd go to Amsterdam if I were you!
How does one pick where to go? Aren't cobbled streets/churches cafes the same in all cities?
What is different about the place except that it isn't where you are now?
Obviously I am not a traveller, I would go somewhere that I have a real interest in, like Spain if I was learning Spanish etc. Otherwise for me it is just a long way to go for coffee!!! :-)
Anon. Sigh. Yes it's true, it is just about having coffee in a different place. But I like that - I quite like coffee and I think atmosphere contributes to its taste in a big way.
No, basically I'm just bored and restless and looking to get into trouble. I will find a Couchsurfing meeting or hang out with some people in a youth hostel or something... anything to change the game a bit. I'm bored. Oh did I already mention that?
Yes, you did:) Big corporation syndrome.. :)
Wyderka, I don't work for a big corporation :)
I would probably be less bored if I did.
However one of the translation agencies I work for is always pushing for discounts and faster deadlines and then I feel a bit like a cog in a big corporate machine.
Or like I may as well give up, tell the project managers just to put it through Google Translate and go and get a job in McDonalds.
You promised some pictures...
Next time try Gent. It's got some great gothic architecture and it's more "authentic" then Bruges. Antwerp has some cool stuff too, but I find it to be a bit overwhelming.
ah - I have a friend in Antwerp (she's at www.katyshomeontheroad.blogspot.com) so I get to hang out there quite a bit, since it's only half an hour away.
I've been to Ghent a couple of times for work and it looked good from the bus window :) so I'll try it out, thanks for the recommendation! next time, next trip...
inda - see above!!
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