BRUSSELS

Wednesday 27 January 2010

I flew from Seattle to London and boarded the Eurostart to Brussels. Incredibly smooth and fast the Eurostart goes under to North Sea for about 20 minutes and emerges in Calais.

From London the Eurostar goes thru many tunnels before reaching the coast, and I had to ask to find out when we were actually in the Channel. I was not disappointed as I saw exactly what I had expected to see – complete darkness!

In Brussels I stayed in BB close to the huge Basilique de Koekelberg (fifth largest Cathedral in Europe) very close to where I lived for many years. As a matter of fact I saw the Cathedral being built and had never been inside!

I really like the outside of the Cathedral, but was somewhat very disappointed with the inside. It is huge, and from the inside looks like a terribly empty huge space. In addition, the scarce stained glass windows are few and made out of a mixture of classical theme and modern themes. The whole cathedral looks like a failure to achieve a certain theme or identity.

In the other end, you can climb inside and reach a viewpoint about 160 ft above ground, from which there are very nice view of the city.

In Brussels I visited some of the favorite sights, the Grand’Place, the architectural marvels created by the a movement called “Art Nouveau” in 1893 by the architect Victor Horta. His private house is now a museum.

My most important experience in Belgium was a visit my mother’s side part of the family, my cousin Simonne, two of her children and her grand ‘children..

A short history of Belgium

Belgium, as it stands today, is a relatively young country. The Belgian Kingdome, following an upraising, was founded in 1831 by the unification of two provinces: Wallonia (French) and Flanders (Flamish).

Both provinces had been part of the Hasburg empire until 1792. They were then ruled by Frances until1815 until they became part of Netherlands until 1931. During this last period the capital alternated between Hague and Brussels.

The Revolution started in August of 1830 and eventually the Belgian Kingdome was born with Leopold of Saxe-Coburg as its first regent. Its progressive constitution recognized:

The equality of all the citizens before the law

Freedom of Assemby and Freedom of Opinion

Separation of Church and State

However, as the result of the cultural dominance of France in the 19^th century, the country was still internally divided in language as well as in its economy.The most important branches of the industries were located in the south (Wallonia)

This situation totally reversed after the Flamish gained a majority in the government.

Today, the prosperous North resents having their tax money supporting the largely depressed South, and there is a move the separate the country in three parts, each with its own government: The North, the South, and Brussels.

Find the size of Belgium on a map to realize how short-sighted this view is !!

I also visited two other cities in Belgium: Gand (a medieval city), and Liege: the site of an ultra modern train station and of a school that I attended when I was very young – Ecole D’Armurerie (a school where I learned to make shoot-guns!!).

Seattle

THE PIONEER BUILDING

Seattle 6 january 2010 (testing the system!)

Dear family and friends

A few weeks ago I moved from my friend’s house in Kent to a brand new Youth Hostel on King Street In the heart of Chinatown. I left my friends house to avoid the possibility of getting stranded in a flooded Kent Valley.

This Youth Hostel is one of the very best ones that I have ever stayed in. The location (close to Downtown and the King Station) could hardly be any better. I am on an Extended Stay status and I share a room with the son of Indian parents, Pulu. He is doing some work ( software related , naturally!) with the First Avenue’s Starbuck . Not a terribly hot assignment, but all the coffee you can possibly drink!

Pulu and I are a shinning example of how different people can getting along. He, a nite person, me, a day person! Pulu is the fastest “falling asleep in ‘no-time’ person” I have ever met. Our beds are feet away from each other, and yet, I can be talking to him, and by the time I get to my bed, he is already asleep. Staying in this Youth Hostel for an extended time has been a unique experience. I have met some very interesting people in and out of the hostel. Let me introduce you to some of them:

Steps away from the hotel (corner of Fifth and King) is a tavern which is open early in the morning to late at night. The tavern’s customers consists mainly of homeless people and people who work occasionally for a “Temporary Work”agency. This (I guess) is a good place to get warm after spending a nite outside! I met one of the tavern’s manager who is staying in our hostel. He used to work there but took time off occasionally to go gambling in last Vegas. He finally decided to quit this job and to move to Las Vegas. He gave up is apartment and left. A while later, the owner of the tavern asked him to: please, come back! So, he came back and settled in the Hostel. Jimmy is not very tall, weights about 130 pounds and claim he can break any of the fights that occur in the tavern. He looked at me, pulled out a policeman’ baton from his pocket and swung it in front of my face. Thrust me, I would not like to mess with him!

Another interesting character I met in the hostel is a women that had a very interesting story of getting in trouble with the Swiss’ Border Guards. According to her, she left Switzerland, went back in with an expired visa and was arrested when she left the country again. She claims that, because of that, they took all of her money. After she claimed she would make a fuss about it, they told her she would be charged another few thousands dollar??!! I questioned her and she had a ready answer for every question. You can probably guess the rest of the story; she eventually asked me for a loan that she would pay back immediately after she could get hold of some money she had in a bank, but had problem getting access to!! The African Con Game?)

Recently , a group of about 25 South Korean English teachers registered in the hostel. They are here to improve their English teaching skill thru observation and tutoring. They are here until they have to go back to their teaching job in South Korea, in about three weeks. Some of them carry so much luggage that one would thing that they are moving here permanently!

A more moving story is my encounter, on the early morning of Christmas Day, around Pionner Square, of several families that drove down to distribute food to the homeless people. Apparently they do this each year. They collect as much food and gift as they can, and then drive down to the Pionner Square area for distribution. What a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas!

Love and Peace - henri

Seattle 6 january 2010 (testing the system!)

Dear family and friends

A few weeks ago I moved from my friend’s house in Kent to a brand new Youth Hostel on King Street In the heart of Chinatown. I left my friends house to avoid the possibility of getting stranded in a flooded Kent Valley.

This Youth Hostel is one of the very best ones that I have ever stayed in. The location (close to Downtown and the King Station) could hardly be any better. I am on an Extended Stay status and I share a room with the son of Indian parents, Pulu. He is doing some work ( software related , naturally!) with the First Avenue’s Starbuck . Not a terribly hot assignment, but all the coffee you can possibly drink!

Pulu and I are a shinning example of how different people can getting along. He, a nite person, me, a day person! Pulu is the fastest “falling asleep in ‘no-time’ person” I have ever met. Our beds are feet away from each other, and yet, I can be talking to him, and by the time I get to my bed, he is already asleep. Staying in this Youth Hostel for an extended time has been a unique experience. I have met some very interesting people in and out of the hostel. Let me introduce you to some of them:

Steps away from the hotel (corner of Fifth and King) is a tavern which is open early in the morning to late at night. The tavern’s customers consists mainly of homeless people and people who work occasionally for a “Temporary Work”agency. This (I guess) is a good place to get warm after spending a nite outside! I met one of the tavern’s manager who is staying in our hostel. He used to work there but took time off occasionally to go gambling in last Vegas. He finally decided to quit this job and to move to Las Vegas. He gave up is apartment and left. A while later, the owner of the tavern asked him to: please, come back! So, he came back and settled in the Hostel. Jimmy is not very tall, weights about 130 pounds and claim he can break any of the fights that occur in the tavern. He looked at me, pulled out a policeman’ baton from his pocket and swung it in front of my face. Thrust me, I would not like to mess with him!

Another interesting character I met in the hostel is a women that had a very interesting story of getting in trouble with the Swiss’ Border Guards. According to her, she left Switzerland, went back in with an expired visa and was arrested when she left the country again. She claims that, because of that, they took all of her money. After she claimed she would make a fuss about it, they told her she would be charged another few thousands dollar??!! I questioned her and she had a ready answer for every question. You can probably guess the rest of the story; she eventually asked me for a loan that she would pay back immediately after she could get hold of some money she had in a bank, but had problem getting access to!! The African Con Game?)

Recently , a group of about 25 South Korean English teachers registered in the hostel. They are here to improve their English teaching skill thru observation and tutoring. They are here until they have to go back to their teaching job in South Korea, in about three weeks. Some of them carry so much luggage that one would thing that they are moving here permanently!

A more moving story is my encounter, on the early morning of Christmas Day, around Pionner Square, of several families that drove down to distribute food to the homeless people. Apparently they do this each year. They collect as much food and gift as they can, and then drive down to the Pionner Square area for distribution. What a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas!

Love and Peace - henri

Seattle 6 january 2010 (testing the system!)

Dear family and friends

A few weeks ago I moved from my friend’s house in Kent to a brand new Youth Hostel on King Street In the heart of Chinatown. I left my friends house to avoid the possibility of getting stranded in a flooded Kent Valley.

This Youth Hostel is one of the very best ones that I have ever stayed in. The location (close to Downtown and the King Station) could hardly be any better. I am on an Extended Stay status and I share a room with the son of Indian parents, Pulu. He is doing some work ( software related , naturally!) with the First Avenue’s Starbuck . Not a terribly hot assignment, but all the coffee you can possibly drink!

Pulu and I are a shinning example of how different people can getting along. He, a nite person, me, a day person! Pulu is the fastest “falling asleep in ‘no-time’ person” I have ever met. Our beds are feet away from each other, and yet, I can be talking to him, and by the time I get to my bed, he is already asleep. Staying in this Youth Hostel for an extended time has been a unique experience. I have met some very interesting people in and out of the hostel. Let me introduce you to some of them:

Steps away from the hotel (corner of Fifth and King) is a tavern which is open early in the morning to late at night. The tavern’s customers consists mainly of homeless people and people who work occasionally for a “Temporary Work”agency. This (I guess) is a good place to get warm after spending a nite outside! I met one of the tavern’s manager who is staying in our hostel. He used to work there but took time off occasionally to go gambling in last Vegas. He finally decided to quit this job and to move to Las Vegas. He gave up is apartment and left. A while later, the owner of the tavern asked him to: please, come back! So, he came back and settled in the Hostel. Jimmy is not very tall, weights about 130 pounds and claim he can break any of the fights that occur in the tavern. He looked at me, pulled out a policeman’ baton from his pocket and swung it in front of my face. Thrust me, I would not like to mess with him!

Another interesting character I met in the hostel is a women that had a very interesting story of getting in trouble with the Swiss’ Border Guards. According to her, she left Switzerland, went back in with an expired visa and was arrested when she left the country again. She claims that, because of that, they took all of her money. After she claimed she would make a fuss about it, they told her she would be charged another few thousands dollar??!! I questioned her and she had a ready answer for every question. You can probably guess the rest of the story; she eventually asked me for a loan that she would pay back immediately after she could get hold of some money she had in a bank, but had problem getting access to!! The African Con Game?)

Recently , a group of about 25 South Korean English teachers registered in the hostel. They are here to improve their English teaching skill thru observation and tutoring. They are here until they have to go back to their teaching job in South Korea, in about three weeks. Some of them carry so much luggage that one would thing that they are moving here permanently!

A more moving story is my encounter, on the early morning of Christmas Day, around Pionner Square, of several families that drove down to distribute food to the homeless people. Apparently they do this each year. They collect as much food and gift as they can, and then drive down to the Pionner Square area for distribution. What a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas!

Love and Peace - henri