I still don't know what I was waiting for, and my time was running wild. A million dead-end streets and every time I thought I'd got it made It seemed the taste was not so sweet (Changes - David Bowie)

A true Bowie classic.  Originally on the classic Hunky Dory Album in 1971 I guess once again, this song impacted on my early teenage years .... well that and Wuthering Heights and look at the love life there!  I thought the lines I used for this blog were quite poignant and as always, enjoy!

Thursday afternoon:  There are so many good things about living in London and one of them is that I can catch a tube from just down the road and be at St Pancreas station in twenty minutes.  St Pancreas is such a beautiful station.  If you have never been there I would strongly advise you go along to have a peak. It is such fine example of Victorian architecture as well has home to some fabulous shops.  As I had only booked this little jaunt a few hours earlier, first stop was to go and collect my tickets.  That done and dusted it was time to tick things off the bucket list.  My ex and I were going to do this trip, today it was me on my own and that was just fine.  Many years ago I watched an episode of Holby City and Connie Beauchamp was leaving the series and it panned to St Pancreas station as she was waiting for the Eurostar.  She was at the champagne bar and I said to myself (and my ex) that I was going to do that one day.  Today was that day.

The champagne bar runs virtually the length of the platform.  Today it was freezing but I did not care, it had to be done.  I chose the Champagne Breakfast which consisted of a glass of really lovely champagne.  To be honest, I am not normally one for champagne, but this was gorgeous. Along with the champagne there was eggs Benedict and a selection of pastries all washed down with a pot of tea.  Pricelss (and reasonable under the circumstances).  I sat there thinking that I could really good used to this (I wish).  It was such a great start to my little break and certainly one of my better ideas.

Soon it was time to check in for my train. I have been wanting to go on Eurostar for years but being stuck up North it was quite difficult to do because of the journey from North to South before you start.  I had booked a seat with a table and took my place and soon we were off.  It was strange seeing places I recognised, The Queen Elizabeth II bridge at Dartford, Ebbsfleet Station which is really in between Swanscombe and Northfleet. I got quite nostalgic when I went past parts of Gravesend I recognised and the chalk landscape.  It is strange the things that remind you of your childhood.  Chalk was always plentiful and all that is being missed by children now. 

Soon we were under the tunnel and in France and I just sat back and enjoyed the journey. There was some snow in northern France and the journey was narrated by a maths lesson with children being taught, of all things, BODMAS. The train stopped at Lille then on to Brussels.  Here I changed trains. The gap between the trains in Belgium is really huge, especially if you have little legs and a dodgy foot (still).  I found the concourse and looked at the board.  So many towns, places, adventures.  Finally, found something that looked like Bruges that was leaving in two minutes.  My tiny little legs got a wiggle on and there I was on a commuter train out of Brussels.  The trains were double decker and I cannot for the life of me (well apart from the bridges and their height) wonder why we do not have those trains here.  I love going to places where everyone speaks a different language to you.  I guess London is like that. The ticket inspector come along and I handed her my ticket and just smiled, as  you do.  She did look very smart in her uniform of a fitted jacket, trousers, scarf and bowler hat.  The language was very strange, a mix between Dutch, German and French.  The good thing about having a knowledge of one of these languages is you can make a guess of what is being said, especially when reading things.

I just love the sheer excitement of travel.  The thought of getting lost excites me, the excitement of meeting new people makes me just smile.  It is like a huge adventure into the unknown.  Travelling alone is wonderful.  I know I keep saying it, but everyone should do it just once. When I mean alone, I mean alone. Not in a tour, group or a couple.  Just you, your thoughts, your fears, your excitement ...... just you.

The train terminated at Bruges and off I got into the dark and wet of the night. I did not have a clue where I was going, but then do I anyway?  I just followed people towards the old buildings.  I finally got good old Google maps up on my phone and much to my surprise I was literally a few metres away from my hotel.  My first impression of Bruges, albeit in the rain, was that it was stunningly beautiful.  My hotel was lovely. I could not believe my luck as my whole trip had really not cost me much, but will cost me even less next time as I will book it early and do it all myself.  I had a single room, comfy bed, tea and coffee making  facilities, which is always a bonus. A TV with BBC One and Two, great shower and it was warm.  I soon unpacked and was off out to have a mooch around.
I decided to  to book breakfast for the next morning, it was 12.50 Euros, around £9.60.  I am always cautious to do this being a vegetarian but thought why not.  I went out and it was still raining.  There was hardly a soul around.  The lighting was very sparse and the roads were cobblestoned. It was like a scene from a Disney fairytale.  However, I really was not expecting to meet any Knight in boxers let alone armour.  My first impressions, apart from the Disney thing was if I put on a pound with every chocolate shop I passed by the end of five minutes I would be a stone heavier.  Bruges is chocolate heaven. There are so many shops. Unbelievable.   I found a little restaurant not too far from my hotel.  To be honest, by now I was exhausted.  I had not got to bed until turned two that morning as I was booking the trip and now it was, with the hour difference, around eight.  The restaurant was very quaint and I ordered mussels in white wine, chips (this is the local dish) and a beer.  A huge steaming pot of mussels was soon delivered and to say I enjoyed them, and the beer, would be an understatement.  I finished it off with a waffle, another local dish.  By now I was so tired and full so paid my bill, which I have to say, was not cheap.  It appears that food is quite expensive in Belgium but beer and chocolate is cheap!  I made my way back to my little room (me and little rooms) and was soon safe in the arms of Orpheus ...... no I never copped off, research your Greek mythology!



Friday Bruges:  Well after all the rain of yesterday I awoke to a beautiful, blue sky morning.  Showered and down to breakfast. It was OK.  Not as good as the breakfast when I went to Berlin but there was enough there to get me through. I sat reading my book and eating and planning my day. I did not have a clue about Bruges so this was the ideal time to do some research.  Back to the room to get Beatrice and sunglasses and I was off.  It was much busier this morning than last night but my first impressions were the noise of the horse drawn carriages clip clopping along the cobblestone streets and the church bells ringing.  It was such a beautiful morning.

I decided to take one of the boat trips along the canals.  Bruges is known as the Venice of the North and a I can see why.  The canals are beautiful.  The trip cost eight euros and apart from two whinny, middle classed, spoilt boys in the queue behind me, it was great.  Note to self: do not book annual leave ever again when it is school holidays, you have been there, done that one!

After the trip I walked around, taking in the architecture and atmosphere and then went to the little tea room opposite my hotel for a cup of coffee and a waffle.  I just love sitting, watching people go about their business.  I decided, as I was near to my hotel, to go back and leave my camera and have half an hour . . . . because I could.  I spent time looking on Google to see what there was else to do.  Then I saw it.  I left the room and went to the Half Moon Brewery which was literally across the road from my hotel.  For eight euros (there is a theme here) you are taken on a tour of the only remaining brewery in Bruges.  It was so interesting. The guide really was informative.  There was about 16 of us on the tour and it took around 40 minutes.  Some of the steps were, with my bad foot, challenging.  But I had a word with myself and just go on with it.  We ended up on the roof, looking at the most stunning views of Bruges.  The tour ended up in the bar/restaurant where you had a free glass of their beer which is called Bruges Zot, which translated means Bruges Idiot.  It was really lovely.  For all of you who know about beer this was not pasteurised as they keeps some back just to serve in the bar.  It was so nice, just sitting there, reading my book, which by the way was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo which is brilliant, drinking beer.  I had two pints, or whatever they served it as. I did feel rather relaxed shall we say and decided that I would not eat out as it was expensive and that I would take some food back to my room.




By now it was around 6.30pm so I grabbed some food, which to be honest, was not brilliant and was, in my opinion over priced and went back to my room. I spent the evening reading my book and eating the occasional chocolate that just happened, and I do not know how, to end up in my room.

Saturday Bruges, Brussels and London:  I was awoken in the night by the torrential rain but managed to get back to sleep.  The alarm clock woke me. I showered and threw my few things into my suitcase.  As usual, I had taken far too much with me. Checked out the hotel and made my way back to the station. It was a grey morning.  I had to wait 20 minutes for the train to Brussels and when I arrived there I then thought, oh what shall I do now?  This is the woman who used to plan everything down to the last detail.  I went for a coffee and then went to check out the trams.  I could make head nor tail of it. Then I had a brainwave. I went to the train ticket office and asked if I could use my Eurostar ticket to catch a train to Brussels Central.  I could.  Brussels has three major stations (they probably have more).  Brussels North, Brussels Central and Brussles Midi or it is called South, or Zuid.  How many names.  Flemish is really a strange language and I noticed in Brussels how they spoke what I recognised as French. 

Bruges from the top of the Brewery

Bruges from the top of the Brewery

I caught a train to Brussels Central (one stop) and walked straight into a demonstration.  What is it with me.  However, on the plus side, there were some rather hot looking police officers.  Every cloud.  I followed every one else and ended up at the Grand Palace.  Wow!  It was so lovely.  I had a look around and went to buy some more chocolates to take home as I had scoffed the ones the night before.  I got chatting to a woman there who was Flemish but had lived in Bermondsey, just down the road from where I am living now.  We had a good old chat and I am sure she gave me more chocolates and charged me less. Went for a cup of coffee and sat watching the world go by. Quite content.

Made my way back to Brussels Central and on to Brussels Midi, South or Zuid - you choose.  Checked in at the Eurostar terminal and then onto my train and I was off again, across Belgium, then France then under the tunnel and back in my home county of Kent.  Before I knew it, I was back at St Pancreas where my little, on the spur of the moment adventure had started.

Called in Wasabi and grabbed some Japanese food and then caught the tube and a few stops later, there I was home.  I really had a fantastic time.  Just to do something like that on the spur of the moment.  No planning. No idea where I was going. It was great.  I loved the Eurostar and I will be definitely doing it again. The question is to where?  Case unpacked and washing on and I spent a quiet evening catching up on chores and TV programmes.




Sunday:   No meditation group for me this morning. I need a lazy day and not to be woken by the alarm.  Stripped the bed and ironed my clean bedding and made my bed up. Did some chores around the flat (more about that later) then nipped out to get some food and to go to the library to get the next in the Stieg Larsson series of books.  Quiet day but that was what I needed to be honest.

Brussels

As always, with my love x