Wallet experiment: Day 2
Consecutive days of wearing the same 7's jeans and Northeastern Sweatshirt: 5
Getting up after 3 hours of sleep was crazy tough. My body was just seemingly
becoming adjusted to the time difference and now I think I have
confused it all up again. We prepared everything last night so this
morning all we had to do is get dressed and pull ourselves out of bed.
We got into the cab Liv's father ordered us last night and we were off.
Liv's father took care to make sure we had a cell phone the cab could
call us in case anything went wrong and also left the business card of
the taxi company in Loyd's shoe. He was incredibly helpful, what a
great guy.
becoming adjusted to the time difference and now I think I have
confused it all up again. We prepared everything last night so this
morning all we had to do is get dressed and pull ourselves out of bed.
We got into the cab Liv's father ordered us last night and we were off.
Liv's father took care to make sure we had a cell phone the cab could
call us in case anything went wrong and also left the business card of
the taxi company in Loyd's shoe. He was incredibly helpful, what a
great guy.
The cab RACED through the early morning London Streets, averaging about 40
miles per hour the entire way. We arrived to the station a full 50
minutes before it left. Amazingly, that was exactly how long we needed
to get through security and border patrol. The station itself was
immaculate, with leather seats and modern tables everywhere. It had a
very open feeling even with the thousand or so people going in all
different directions. Very cool. We boarded the train and we were on
our way. The Euro Star is actually the first high-speed train I have
ever been. I was amazed by how smoothly it glided through the London
and surrounding areas. There was not a single bump even though we were
going around 180 miles per hour. Pretty amazing stuff. Both Loyd and I
slept most of the way.
miles per hour the entire way. We arrived to the station a full 50
minutes before it left. Amazingly, that was exactly how long we needed
to get through security and border patrol. The station itself was
immaculate, with leather seats and modern tables everywhere. It had a
very open feeling even with the thousand or so people going in all
different directions. Very cool. We boarded the train and we were on
our way. The Euro Star is actually the first high-speed train I have
ever been. I was amazed by how smoothly it glided through the London
and surrounding areas. There was not a single bump even though we were
going around 180 miles per hour. Pretty amazing stuff. Both Loyd and I
slept most of the way.
We arrived in Brussels around 9 AM and found a locker to store our stuff
in. Loyd decided it would be a good idea to get inside. The resulting
video is hillarious. Its tough not being able to post your pictures and
videos immediately, as I am so used to.
in. Loyd decided it would be a good idea to get inside. The resulting
video is hillarious. Its tough not being able to post your pictures and
videos immediately, as I am so used to.
We spotted a tall building near the station and decided to go check it out
to kill a few hours. We had to wait until noon to check in to our
hotel. As we headed that way we noticed a huge flock of pigeons
feasting, it was an opportunity that couldn't be missed. I dared Loyd
to run through the birds and he obliged, that video is even funnier
than the locker one. I was crying I was laughing so hard.
to kill a few hours. We had to wait until noon to check in to our
hotel. As we headed that way we noticed a huge flock of pigeons
feasting, it was an opportunity that couldn't be missed. I dared Loyd
to run through the birds and he obliged, that video is even funnier
than the locker one. I was crying I was laughing so hard.
The Palace of Justice building was stunning, with a black on gold dome at
its peak. The Palace also provided a great lookout point over the city.
You could see from one end to the other. It really made you realize
just how small the city of Brussels is. I was told that Brussels is a
city that can be toured in one day, from the looks of it - that
couldn't be more accurate.
its peak. The Palace also provided a great lookout point over the city.
You could see from one end to the other. It really made you realize
just how small the city of Brussels is. I was told that Brussels is a
city that can be toured in one day, from the looks of it - that
couldn't be more accurate.
We headed back to the station to get our packs and head for the hotel. We
decided that every place we stay we are going to do an episode of Cribs
so the tradition has officially begun. The room itself was small but
clean. The TV in the room was the smallest I've ever seen but in the
video we shot I talked it up, with hillarious results. As soon as we
finished that, we passed out for a good 3 hours. We clearly were
exhausted.
decided that every place we stay we are going to do an episode of Cribs
so the tradition has officially begun. The room itself was small but
clean. The TV in the room was the smallest I've ever seen but in the
video we shot I talked it up, with hillarious results. As soon as we
finished that, we passed out for a good 3 hours. We clearly were
exhausted.
Once we we woke up we headed out to explore the city. The street names in
Brussels are some of the hardest to follow, as street names change
every block (including the street you are walking down). The great part
about Brussels is that it is so small, as we weaved into the Grand
Place Grote-Market we realized we had crossed about a quarter of the
downtown map in 15 minutes. Cool stuff. The architecture of the
buildings around Brussels is incredible. I must have snapped closed to
150 pictures in only a few hours. We walked through the Parc de
Bruxelles and towards the Palais de la Nation. On our way, we spotted a
BMW 7 series that was hydrogen powered. Amazing, its only emmissions
were some droplets of water out of the back.
Brussels are some of the hardest to follow, as street names change
every block (including the street you are walking down). The great part
about Brussels is that it is so small, as we weaved into the Grand
Place Grote-Market we realized we had crossed about a quarter of the
downtown map in 15 minutes. Cool stuff. The architecture of the
buildings around Brussels is incredible. I must have snapped closed to
150 pictures in only a few hours. We walked through the Parc de
Bruxelles and towards the Palais de la Nation. On our way, we spotted a
BMW 7 series that was hydrogen powered. Amazing, its only emmissions
were some droplets of water out of the back.
We headed out of the downtown area towards the Parc de Cinquanteaire. It
was a long walk down a NYC-like street, with non-stop office buildings.
The park and museum on it's grounds are amazing. We also checked out
the EU buildings and I read up about how Brussels is a major city for
the EU, with the EU Parliament being located there.
was a long walk down a NYC-like street, with non-stop office buildings.
The park and museum on it's grounds are amazing. We also checked out
the EU buildings and I read up about how Brussels is a major city for
the EU, with the EU Parliament being located there.
On our way home, we went through some side streets and ran into a small
Mercedes dealership. There were only 2 cars on display, one Maybach 57S
which runs for 450,000€ and one SLR McLaren Roadster that runs for
527,000€. The salesman was on the phone as we walked in, he put the
phone down for a second, looked us up and down and went back to work.
Guess two guys in jeans and t-shirts arent what he would consider has
his ideal customers. Too bad, his loss - he just lost a sale! ;)
Mercedes dealership. There were only 2 cars on display, one Maybach 57S
which runs for 450,000€ and one SLR McLaren Roadster that runs for
527,000€. The salesman was on the phone as we walked in, he put the
phone down for a second, looked us up and down and went back to work.
Guess two guys in jeans and t-shirts arent what he would consider has
his ideal customers. Too bad, his loss - he just lost a sale! ;)
We continued to weave through the small city streets. We saw a huge crowd
of people snapping pictures away at the end of one of the streets so we
decided to check it out. What they were snapping pictures of is the
Manneken Pis, a fountain of a small child peeing. Interesting. I need
to look it it's significance at some point.
of people snapping pictures away at the end of one of the streets so we
decided to check it out. What they were snapping pictures of is the
Manneken Pis, a fountain of a small child peeing. Interesting. I need
to look it it's significance at some point.
On our way back to the hotel we realized we hadn't eaten in 7 hours. We
looked for a decently priced place to eat but couldn't find one. We
decided to start being backpackers and grab some food at a grocery
store. The result? Two microwaveable cheese burgers (Loyd's), 4 small
baguettes, a bag of cheese cubes, a bag of onion rings and a yogurt
(mine). We also picked up 4 Stella Artois, in cans nonethless. Total
price? 11€. Not bad! We ate and for the first time that day felt
satisfied.
looked for a decently priced place to eat but couldn't find one. We
decided to start being backpackers and grab some food at a grocery
store. The result? Two microwaveable cheese burgers (Loyd's), 4 small
baguettes, a bag of cheese cubes, a bag of onion rings and a yogurt
(mine). We also picked up 4 Stella Artois, in cans nonethless. Total
price? 11€. Not bad! We ate and for the first time that day felt
satisfied.
We decided to go out to a bar and had gotten a recommendation to a place
called Delirium. We asked a few locals for directions and got some
interesting questions about what we actually wanted to do. No, I dont
want to go to a strip joint and no I don\t want to go to some sleaze
discoteque. In the end one guy sent us the totally wrong direction.
Luckily I had check out a map and had a basic idea where we had to go.
We figured it out in the end, Delirium cafe was packed with people and
you are greeted at the door by their Guinness Book of World Records
award for having the most beers on hand - 2,004 different variations.
Craziness.
called Delirium. We asked a few locals for directions and got some
interesting questions about what we actually wanted to do. No, I dont
want to go to a strip joint and no I don\t want to go to some sleaze
discoteque. In the end one guy sent us the totally wrong direction.
Luckily I had check out a map and had a basic idea where we had to go.
We figured it out in the end, Delirium cafe was packed with people and
you are greeted at the door by their Guinness Book of World Records
award for having the most beers on hand - 2,004 different variations.
Craziness.
We met some girls from Ohio at the bar and shared a few drinks. The night
was pretty chill but still a good time. On our way home we spotted a
builing that practially was doing dance moves with its color changes.
We took some video of it and named it the Tetris buildng. We ended the
night with a Euro-wastey call to Meg. It was an awesome day and night.
So now we are off to Amsterdam, can't wait to find out what is waiting
for us there
was pretty chill but still a good time. On our way home we spotted a
builing that practially was doing dance moves with its color changes.
We took some video of it and named it the Tetris buildng. We ended the
night with a Euro-wastey call to Meg. It was an awesome day and night.
So now we are off to Amsterdam, can't wait to find out what is waiting
for us there
2 comments:
Aviad, your travel journal is AWSOME!!!! I love reading it and wait impatiently for the next installment. A couple of comments – have you noticed the big cathedrals? You will see them everywhere you go. Did you know that Brussels is one of the diamond capitals? I have family there, Ha, you did not know that…. Also, if you make it to Strasburg you will see the second main seat of the EU with interesting modern architecture.
Keep BLOGGGGGGINNNNGGGGGGGGG.
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