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Welcome to my travel log! You will find here a lot more than in the travel reports, stripped from political correctness. Enjoy! 
May 02, 2009 02:00 PM A quick visit to Brussels
Obviously, I could not avoid going through Brussels this weekend, but I was not planning to spend any time there. However, we kinda lost inspiration what to do in Ghent, which was very quiet on Sunday, so we decided to hop to Brussels to see if there was more action. And it was. Surely for the capital of the country, we saw plenty of people there. We sat at one of the pavement cafes in the old town, which offered free wifi internet, and set up my friend's new netbook. I was impressed actually how well the small laptops worked in the wireless internet environment, and how powerful battery it had - 10h and how efficient it was! Then, we went to tease the touts on the 'restaurant streets', as we were actually not planning to have dinner yet, but as the sun was going down, it was a good idea for entertainment. Eventually, after wandering about the old town, and getting almost entirely frozen (I had to buy a jumper!), we made a strategic decision to sit down at one of the restaurants, I had used to eat when I had been a regular visitor to Brussels, under a heater and try some seafood pizza. It was good!
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May 01, 2009 02:00 PM In Bruges - a lovely place for a fairytale?
This was my second time in Bruges (Brugge). I was very disappointed with the weather forecasters, who promised cloudless sunny aura and they lied. The sky was full of heavy grey clouds and it was rather chilly for strolling without at least a light jacket. But the city did not disappoint. It was full of visitors, which might be a slight drawback for photographers, who'd prefer people not entering the frame totally unannounced... but otherwise lovely and clean. My friend and I sat down in one of the Brasseries at the main square and ordered steaks. They were good! Every now and again the sun was peeking from behind the clouds but for such short moments that it was actually more annoying rather than anything else. We wandered about the city's narrow cobblestoned alleys, squeezing in the crowds, trying to soak the atmosphere. I am now sure that Bruges reveals its fairytale side only very early in the morning, and long after sunset, when it is more than just a pretty town, and when the eeriness of the narrow alleys and canals is at its best, fitting perfectly with the centuries old architecture.
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May 01, 2009 02:00 PM Ghent (Gent) - there is plenty
My friend managed to confuse me saying that the city could be really boring (particularly on Sundays) but also that it was a great place indeed. There is in fact a lot to see and do in Ghent. I would risk saying that that it is a larger version of Bruges. It has great architecture, canals, a few pretty squares, grand mansions, and a very mysteriously looking castle. It is large enough to warrant at least a couple of days to explore, and its nightlife (both in the heart of the old town and around Overport) is vibrant and diversified. During the day, it can get really busy with people browsing the shops, but in the evening, the crowds descent to many pavement cafes and bars to catch their breath, lounge on the armchairs enjoying their sundowners. The street lights come up and the city shifts its image slightly. It becomes quieter and more mysterious.
In the night we obviously went out. The bars were packed! One of them Bar Des Amis was one of the best. It attracted a great mix of crowd and played delightful music from the 1980s and 1990s.
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Apr 30, 2009 02:00 PM London to Brussels on Eurostar
It has been a very long time since I was on Eurostar. In fact, the train was still departing from London's Waterloo Station (if not a sarcastic then at least ironic name for a station for French travellers coming to London from Paris...), very convenient for my home. It was in the summer of 2007. Now, the train departs from a magnificently restored St Pancras station in the northern part of central London. Not very convenient for my home anymore, as I need to change underground lines at least once. However, the journey time on the actual Eurostar train has been reduced by almost half an hour since, so I am not going to lose too much time as a consequence of the change over.
I was actually contemplating of taking a plane from London to Brussels instead, but the airlines were not asking for much less and the journey would have taken much much longer from any airport other than London City for me. If I travelled from Luton or Stansted it would have taken at least twice as long than on a train and if I taken a plane from Heathrow, it would have taken me about an hour longer, plus all the cost of the train (the highest in Europe!) - this just did not compute well.
Recently, I have seen that Eurostar have published a guide how to purchase a return ticket from London to Paris/Brussels for £59... It is worth to check their website sometimes.
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Apr 29, 2009 02:00 PM Belgium 2009 - the plan so far...
For now, having monitored weather forecasts, I think that apart from Ghent, where I will be based, only Bruges, Lille (France), Brussels and Antwerp look like viable options for this short trip. Saturday looks very promising for all those destinations, but Sunday is foreseen to be sunny only in Bruges and Lille (France). Monday, according to some meteo services, will be cloudy in Ghent with 25% chance of precipitation; sunny in Bruges with 20% chance of precipitation and the same in Brussels with 5% less chance for rain; and Antwerp will apparently see sunshine with some clouds that with 35% of probability may produce rain. What should I do then? The only place I have not yet visited is Lille, so maybe I should go there on Saturday morning and then spend the evening in Bruges before returning to Ghent for Saturday night fever of nightlife... Then on Sunday I could just relax in Ghent and on Monday check out some places in Brussels until my train departs for London. I wonder what my friend would like to do...
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Apr 28, 2009 02:00 PM Ghent - when I come...
As I arrive in Ghent, what should I do there? Last time I ventured to the city it was July 2007... I wandered around the crowded old town (there might have been a carnival there, or something), had lunch in one of the restaurants on the main square, and then did some shopping. I did not stay for the nightlife, so perhaps this is what I should definitely do this time round. I also did not go on a canals cruise, despite weather welcoming... I do not know. Well, I guess it all depends on what my friend, whom I will be visiting, will have in plans for me. But there are still a few places in Ghent that I would like to explore a little bit more. Like the castle for example.
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Apr 27, 2009 02:00 PM Belgium, it's been a while
Between 2000 and 2002, it was over a 100 times that I passed through the Brussels airport and visited Belgium on seriously countless occasions. Then, I thought it was bit tiring, but now I think it was one of my greatest experiences. Anyway, then between 2003 and 2005, I was again in Belgium on many occasions, mainly Brussels, where I used to run training courses as part of my job. I went to Belgium for pleasure only a couple of times. First time in 1992 to see my friend studying in Antwerp, and then in 2007 to see my friend in Ninove. Now, it appears that this weekend will be my third time. And it will be Ghent.
This is going to be a long weekend, as Monday is Bank Holiday in the UK. I am still undecided what, apart from Ghent, to see in Belgium. There are a few options. One lies outside Belgium, actually...
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Apr 25, 2009 02:00 PM Bellagio (IT) - Lake Como, again
I missed the opportunity to photograph the sunset the day before. I was rushing to a super market to buy a lawnmower, but I did notice that the sun was setting in a complete different place in the sky. In the autumn and winter, the sun appeared to be setting behind the mountains still on the Italian side. Yesterday, the sun was setting behind the mountains on the Swiss side. Although there were a few clouds around, it might have been a nice shot. I am not sure if the spot from wich I wanted to take the shot was going to be any good - given the changed position of the sun - but obviously there is nothing to talk about - I did not take it anyway.
Weather changed dramatically for Sunday. In the morning it was very cloudy - quite a nice cloud movement between the mountains actually. But later in the day, it started raining and it was not that pleasant to walk around anymore. I went to see a local castle on the top of the hill, but because of bad weather it was closed. Bad luck. So, there was only time to go and eat some more home-made ice cream and drink nice wine... indoors.
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Apr 24, 2009 02:00 PM Varenna (IT) - Lake Como, again
Fortunately, weather at the Lake Como, was not bad at all. There were clouds but the sun managed to peek from behind them and the temperature climbed to about 20C. This was much better than I expected, or rather was told by the multiple weather forecasts. Varenna did not change much since the last time I saw it, but many more visitors came wandering around. Probably because it was a public holiday, and weather permitting, the Italians decided to eat a little more ice-cream from places they normally do not visit. The legendary gelateria, at the old harbour of Varenna, was open and I could indulge on the pistacchio and tiramisu flavours!
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Apr 24, 2009 02:00 PM Lezzeno (IT) - Lake Como
I went to Lezzeno to see where my friends will have they wedding reception later this year. It is a very nice hotel in this small village by the lake with a restaurant's terrace overlooking the wooden beach and the most famous villa of the lake at the other side. There was not much to do Lezzeno rather than to admire the views, unless one was into water sports like waterskiing, waterboarding, or... swimming. The Lake was still rather cold. The mountains' peaks were still covered in snow and the warm day only created an illusion that it might be fun to dip in the lake. I only saw a few kids trying waterboarding and water scooters, but they had proper attire - thick wetsuits on!
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