Halloween weekend

Well, I went to visit Parliament on Wednesday which was very interesting.  They only let the visitors into a very limited amount of areas (3), but the stuff they allowed us to see was interesting enough.

We saw the reception area (nothing remarkable), then we went into this over look balcony thing that overlooked this area:

Then we went into the most impressive room of the building (that we were able to see) called the Hemicycle.

There was actually a meeting going on at the time, something about satellite weather predicting techniques or something.  I was busy listening to my guided tour headphones!

So that was interesting.

Thursday morning I got a phone call from the school asking if I could substitute for the day, so I went in.  It was a good day.  My 2nd class was a room of 4 year olds.  The situation was hilarious, but I somehow let go of my inhibitions and ended up sitting in a circle guiding them in song.  Funny quote - we had just finished singing Row Row Row Your Boat and I thanked them for being very good singers when a little boy turned to me and said, "But you forgot the part about the crocodile!" haha, it was funny.  The next day was the day I was anticipating to be my first day.  It also went well.  My last class had 60 students in it.  They were a handful, but it was nice to be able to conduct again.  So in summary, this new job of substitute teaching is challenging, but rewarding at the same time.  I think even though I was just there for a few days, some students improved their playing and I hope they will remember some tips I gave them about balance and listening.

Friday (the same day with the class of 60) I woke up feeling very sick.  Well, not very sick but sick anyway.  I still feel like it today, so I suppose it's a cold that will have to be slept out.  Luckily I brought vitamin C with me so I'll be taking that and drinking lots of water.  I have no one else to blame but myself for this sickness though.  I shook the hand of someone who was sick and forgot to wash my hands afterwards.  Wait.  That wasn't what this paragraph was going to be about.  It was going to be about the fact that last night (Friday night) I went to Delhaize (the grocery store closest to the house) and bought 2 pumpkins!  David carved one last night because it was his first pumpkin and he was excited.  Today, Natacha, David (he'll carve another one) and I are going to carve some more.  I've said here many times that Halloween is new here, so this is all very exciting for them!  It was exciting for me too, because I've realized that the last time I carved a pumpkin was about 3 years ago.  Last Halloween I was in Korea (I celebrated, but didn't carve a pumpkin), the year before that I was in teacher's college (again, celebrations sans pumpkin) and the year before that would have been the last time I carved a pumpkin.  How fun!  So here's a picture of David's pumpkin:

And finally, here are pictures of me helping and looking as scary and halloweenesque as possible:

I'll update later in the weekend with news about how Halloween actually went!  (If kids were out etc.)

Have a great weekend everyone!

European Parliament

Ok, so today I'm going to the European Parliament for a tour.  I tried last Friday, but they only have tours at 10am on Fridays, so I couldn't go.  Today I'll go at 3 and hopefully they will be able to do one.

The complex of buildings is called the Espace Léopold, here's a picture

That's all.  Bye bye.

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger

That's the name of the movie I saw yesterday.  It was directed by Woody Allen.  It wasn't a movie I'd choose to see myself, but after watching it I've decided that I like it.  It was a little frustrating at times, and lots of story lines were left with lots of open ends, but I guess that leaves it up to the viewer to think about what might happen to the characters afterwards.

Anyway, here are some pictures from my recent travels.

These are actually pieces of the Berlin Wall.  

Then I went to the European Parliament in hopes of taking a tour... it was Friday, and Fridays are the only days they don't do tours at 3pm.  Alas, I'll have to go another time.

Picture of the European Parliament building

Another picture of the Palace Royale.

This is a tower built by a guy named Wim Delvoye.  He's a weird controversial artist who's work includes tattooing pigs and making a machine that takes in food and produces... well, anyway... Here's the story about the exhibit I saw that day.

This is a garden that is part of what is called the Square Meeting centre.  That link has a video and the video has a few pictures outside before it goes into the events centre.

In 1618 or 1619, this statue was installed.  It's a very famous statue of a boy peeing into the basin of the fountain.  It's called the Manneken Pis.  The first time I saw it, he was dressed up.  They sometimes put different clothes on him.  So this is the original statue, but he is seen everywhere in the form of key chains, pencil sharpeners and bottle openers.

Here's an example of a copy of the Manneken Pis.  He's looking very Belgian here, eating a waffle wearing the flag.

Belgium is known for its chocolate, and for good reason.

Then I went to the Catherdral of St. Michael and St. Gudula.  That website has nice pictures.  It was interesting.  They had a section beneath the sanctuary that was from the 13th century (I think).  It showed the original ground level entrance to the church!  The St.s after which the church is named (St.s Michael and Gudula) are also the patron saints of the city of Brussels.

On the weekend, I met some very nice people from Paris.  (The real Paris, not Paris Ontario).  Here is my new Parisian friend Sophie in the Grand Place posing with typical Brussels sights - a muscle and a french fry!

This is very close to the garden that was a few pictures ago.  It's actually in the same square.  It's a clock that has a series of bells (11).  I was there just before 5:30 (as you can see), and at 5:30, the bells ring - rather loudly - and play a nice song.  The 12 statues are important figures in Belgian history.

I had this salad after the movie yesterday.  It was very very tasty.  It might be a good competitor for my number one salad spot and that currently belongs to a salad from the Outback Steakhouse.  This one had a huge amount of goat cheese, and honey and sweet nuts and other types of deliciousness.

That's all for now.  Today is Tuesday and I'll find something entertaining to do.  Whatever it is I decide to do, you can count on pictures to come!

Hope everyone is well!

3 weeks

Well, it has been 3 weeks since I departed for Belgium.  Yesterday we didn't end up going to the museum.  Well, that's a lie.  We went, but closed at 8 and we got there at like 7:54.  Sigh.

On the weekend, when I went to the North Sea, the part of Holland I saw was a place called Cadzand Bad.  Here's a more detailed view.

We were on that big area there in the middle.  To the right (past the grey line) is the Netherlands.  That small area right there would be Cadzand Bad.

Today, I'm very excited.  I googled "things to do in Brussels".  The first link that came up was 

10 Things To Do in Brussels Besides Drinking Beer

.  Now, I've done lots of the things that they suggest already, but number 9 I haven't done... visit the European Parliament.  I'm excited for that.  Right now, Belgium doesn't have a government.  That's a different topic... one that I don't completely understand, but the Flemish and French sections of the country are disagreeing and somehow they haven't got a government right now.  It's been that way for about 3 months now, and they are expecting it to go until Christmas or maybe longer.

Anyway, that is what I'm doing today.  The tour starts at 3pm, and I should be there 15 minutes before that.  So, before the tour I'm going to go practice piano and that's about it!  I'm not quite sure what's on the agenda for this weekend, but I'm sure whatever it is will be fun.

Today's weather - grey skies, cold.  This is the Belgium I hear about!

Pictures from the weekend

Well, here are some pictures of our journey to the North Sea on Sunday!

 Well, this isn't of the North Sea, but it is of my burger I had at a Flemmish McDonalds.  It was delicious.  They called it the CBO (Chicken, Bacon and Onions) I called it good.

We went to a natural reserve that had lots of birds.  Here are the storks.

Then we saw a raptor.

Kidding, it was an owl.

If you look closely, you can see his dinner!

Look at me I'm touching the North Sea!

And finally, I'm labeled, just in case you weren't sure I was there.

Well.  Today is Thursday and we have been going to museums every Thursday because they have a program in Brussels called "Nocturnes" which is every Thursday night, and they're usually discounted or free admission.  They have different museums open every Thursday and it's really a good program.  I implore you to click on the link above, or here to check it out!  Here is what we've done so far:

October 7, Jean Massart Botanical Garden (Université libre de Bruxelles Museums)


October 14, Schaerbeek Museum of Beer

October 21 (today), I forget, but I'll tell you later when I update!

The first night was okay, it was all in very scientific French so I didn't understand most of it, but the grounds were nice and it was nice to go for a walk around them.

The beer museum was very interesting!  There were bottles and bottles lined up on the walls and it reminded me of my relative Harry's house - he has lots of bottles too, I think he would have just loved it there!

Today on the agenda - do some laundry, then go to the Halloween store (They just got Halloween here, so I have to educate them on the traditions and what not)... I will practice cello, and piano.

Then I'm not sure what I'll do.  There are some things I still really want to take pictures of.  There are 2 pieces of the Berlin Wall in Brussels, and I always see them when I go on the 95 bus.  It is interesting.  Right what else... I think that's all for now.  I haven't been called in yet for a day of substitute teaching.  I'm very much looking forward to next Friday when I'll be able to teach 3 music classes.  They are all instrumental and band classes which is my cup of tea!  It's just like someone fashioned a job that was made for me.

Ok.  I'm starting to wonder if all of the grey skies and gloomy weather people complain about here is codswallop or not, as it's again very sunny and the only clouds in the sky are the contrails left from planes that have gone by.  Actually yesterday it poured rain and I had to carry a very heavy / awkward item back from Ikea.  I was a sad sad man by the time I got home.

Alright, time to get my day started!  The laundry is the washing machine, so I will stick around here for a bit and then head out.  Bye now!  Hope everyone is doing well!

Job.

Yay!  I have a JOB!  I know I've only been here for 2 weeks, but I felt lazy and jobless, so finally I have a job and I'm very excited for it.  I am a substitute teacher with the International School of Brussels!  It's a challenging, well paying job and I hope it goes well.  My first day for sure is next Friday, although with substitute work they can call me at any time to ask me to come in.

Exciting!!!

Now, for the rest.  This weekend was fun, on Saturday I ended up back at the Palace of Justice, then at a birthday party.  It was fun, and they had pizza.  But not store bought or delivery, it was home made!  It was kind of a buffet style - really cool!  There were lumps of dough that had been pre-measured so you'd take one of them, then you'd put flour on the table and roll it out with a rolling pin, then add whatever toppings you wanted (there were cheeses, meats, veggies, pineapple and lots of other stuff).  Then you'd bake it and have your own home made pizza!  How fun!

Sunday was a nice day.  Me, David and Annick went to the North Sea.  We went to this natural reserve which had a lot of birds (owls, storks, etc.) which was fun to see.  Then we went to the beach.  Oh, the whole time we were close enough to see Holland!

By the end of the night, Annick decided that she would lend me her cello for the amount of time that I'm in Brussels too, so now I have a cello!!

In conclusion, I now have a cello, and a job.  Exciting times have befallen me.

Next set of pictures...

K, continuing from my last post... here are some more pictures of after I left the Palace of Justice.

Another WW monument

The Royal Conservatory!!  Very exciting...

A garden / church.  Nice picture opportunities here

This garden is called the "Garden of Sculptures"

We've all tried to get that one spot on our backs we just can't reach.

"... I KNEW I shouldn't have looked at that basilisk!"

Very strange and confusing statues... / sculptures... / whatever you'd call them.  There are 3 upside-down ones in total

This is the building in which the Musical Instrument Museum is found.  That will be my next excursion.

The Royal Palace.  When the King is in town, the flag is up.

Across from the Royal Palace is Brussels Park - a very big park that's nice to wander around in.

Those were my adventures yesterday.  Like I said, today we're going to the Palace of Justice again because there are guided tours.  (They will probably be in French, but at least I'll be able to go around in a group and see cool things rather than wander aimlessly through the building).

Tomorrow we're going with Annick somewhere in Belgium.  If the weather cooperates, we'll be going to the coast of the North Sea.  We were going to go to the Menin Gate to see the last post ceremony, but we have to return to Brussels before that happens, so we'll save that trip for another day.

Alright, that's all for now.  I charged up my camera after the battery died yesterday (so sad), so I'll be taking lots of pictures as usual!  Hope everyone is having a nice weekend!  Bye!

2 weeks

Well, it's Saturday the 16th and I've been here for 2 weeks.  What has happened since Wednesday when I last updated... well, I took some more pictures of the Grand Place (the big square in the centre of town)

 This is of the most expensive hotel in Brussels.

That weird building is called the Atomium.  It was built in 1958 for the World Fair.  I will end up there one day, but for now it's just pictures from afar.

Crazy scary elevator from one level of the city to another

The following pictures are from a HUGE building called the Palace of Justice.  It was designed to diminish every other building around it and to make you feel tiny and insignificant next to the power of the law.  It works.  The building is terrifyingly intimidating.  But amazing at the same time.

So I went there, then I went for a walk down the street across from the Palace of Justice.  We're going back today to tour.  The goal is to end up at the top at that dome.  I'll post more pictures when I get back.  Right now, we have to go or we'll miss the tour!

Many more pictures to come...