Sunday, July 4, 2010

summer trip : DAY 07

Sunday, July 4, 2010
ACROSS THE BORDER

Today was our last day in Paris. Just like the past two days, it was sunny. We checked ourselves out of the hotel at about 10.15 am. As always, we rode a metro from the nearest station, Les Gresillons. We reached the main station, Gare du Nord early at 12.00 pm. The train we booked was supposed to be leaving Paris at 2.45 pm. So we just waited and waited and waited ‘till we bore to death. I was very grateful to have brought along a novel. I already finished reading ‘Kot Putih.’ So this novel entitled ‘Home’ was my last inevitable choice.


At about 2.10 pm, we hurried to the platform announced at the board. The train was opened for passengers. The journey from Paris to Brussels took just about an hour. They are two neighboring cities. Upon arrival, we asked for the city map at the tourist centre at the main station, Gare du Midi. It was quite a relieve actually when the officer blew out English words as I kept on seeing Flemish or German, if not French words on any hanged signboards. The Belgians themselves don’t actually have their own language. The country is roughly divided into three regions based on the language spoken in each region. Majority speaks Flemish as in Dutch. Then the French while a small part of the east side of the country uses German.

There was supposed to be a shuttle to take us to the hotel. Unfortunately, we couldn’t reach the hotel’s number given. So based on the city map given, I lead the others to the hotel we were supposed to be staying through our staying in Belgium. It was quite easy actually referring to the map given. So we reached the hotel without any difficulties.

I read some review in the internet on Hotel Van Belle, the hotel we would be staying. They were mostly negative. Some even labeled the hotel as horrible. So I didn’t really expect too much from this hotel. I was thinking of an old unconvincing hotel. When we arrived on the street where the hotel is located, I had a glance on a huge hotel. But I kept on searching for maybe a smaller building which could be this Hotel Van Belle. Then one of the girls pointed on the first building I doubted before. Yeah! The name of that red building is Hotel Van Belle. The astonishment didn’t just break there. We entered the hotel and I was once again surprised with the size of the hotel which is unexpectedly huge. It has a number of public areas downstairs. I couldn’t really confirm it is lounge for it is too overfurnished for a lobby.

Oh and yeah, my room was numbered 205 while my room back in Hotel F1 in Paris was 105. That was kind of ironic isn’t it? We would’ve to pay another 5 Euros for the wireless internet service. Realizing the fact that I’ve been draining my money out of my pockets for the past few days, I rationalized not to pay the extra money for the extra facility. No matter. Breakfast was included in the bills. That sounded good. Heh. There would also be a free shuttle service from the hotel to the centre of the city. But sadly, it started at 6.00 pm and ended at 11.00 pm daily. What a waste since we planned on leaving the hotel for a walk around the town as early as 9.00 in the morning. The moment I entered my room, I flashed a room in a hotel in Vienna. I couldn’t recall the name of the hotel (I think it was Zipper or something), but it had the same design as this one. To be concluded, the hotel did just enough efforts to unexpectedly mesmerize me.



I can’t believe I wrote too detail in describing the hotel. Well, there was nothing much to be told yet. We didn’t plan anything upon arrival on this first day in Brussels. I just lied on my bed through the long evening. Prepared myself a bowl of instant noodles and a mug (a brand new one with ‘Paris’ wrote on it) of mushroom soup, I fancied myself with my lappy, finishing the daily journals through the trip.


to be continued...

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