Brussels - on my own...oh dear...

Dear all

Well, here I am after my first week of traveling alone. And boy, have I got
a lot to report. I got very nervous as I was leaving my mother at the airport
in Moscow. She told me , no matter what, just to stay calm and remember that I have options.

The two weeks spent traveling across Russia was a massive learning experience. I felt connected to my Russian ancestry and plan to return and see more.

So I got on the plane to Brussels, and actually managed a snooze. Arrived in Brussels and went to tourist information and asked for a hostel. To my dismay I was told every hostel in the city was full due to the Euro2000, a big soccer event. I did not even know it was going on but people were flocking there from all over the world to support their teams.

So I tried to phone the one number I had, and could not get through. I began to panic. I thought of my moms last words and stopped to have a cigarette and calm down. Met these Norwegians who had come for the soccer. they found a room in the city center but it cost double what I had budgeted for. I had to take the option, I thought I´d leave the next day or something. It was a great room. So we walked around the town a bit. Saw the Grand Place, a big square, many hooligan soccer fans all over.

The next day I reached Jan (a friend of a friend) on the telephone, we had never met, he said he could put me up for two nights. That evening I went with the Norwegians at their insistence to a soccer game. It was Norway vs Yugoslavia. I felt bad because they lost but they took it well. I met up with Jan at the station in Brussels as I had gone to Leige for the game. I now understand the madness for soccer and other sports , when you are actually sitting there amid all the action you cannot help but get involved. Also its the only time when  it does not matter how big your army is, or the state of your economy or government, each country is equal when they get on that field and it comes down to pure talent and dedication.
I never expected that bit from Belgium.

Next day Jan showed me around Brussels. I saw the city hall, the big churches, Jan Van Eycks famous painting, the Mannekin Pis etc. It was 30 degrees. I went to the royal park, girls were swimming in a fountain with all their clothes on. Couldn't resist and after jumping into my bikini, climbed into the fountain. Did not expect that one either. Then we just lay in the park, enjoying the sun like all the other people. Apparently that sort of weather is unusual for Belgium.

I have been very friendly and have not had a problem meeting people. I find the Belgians to be open, tolerant and friendly people. Also they are easy to
approach. I had dinner at Jans friends place as we watched Belgium being
humiliated in the soccer, oh well, shit happens. Went to sleep early as I had a busy day planned.

Jan took me the next morning to a place where I could hitch hike. I got a ride to Gent within a minute. Met up with Natalie, Jan's sweet lesbian sister who lives there. She took me cruising around on her motorbike. Small but charming place. Nice architecture. We went to a river out in the country to have a swim and relax from the intense heat.  Next I continued hitchhike to Bruge. Wow, what a spot. Its really like out of a fairytale book. Bells tolling, old cobbled streets, elaborate gothic churches. the whole place is medieval. I sat in park admiring my surrounding and just sending and receiving love energy waves. Absolutely awesome. Of course, met some locals to hang out with...

I took a train back to Gent where I met up with Natalie, we went on her bike back to Brussels. I was tired and read an intro to Nietchze before I went to bed. Found his theories rather interesting.

So,  I had a ticket to Frankfurt booked  for 6am the next day. I dropped my backpack at the train station and decided I would party all night and go straight to the station, so I could sleep on the bus. I met up with Frederic, a local I'd met,  and missioned  with him for a bit. I was in luck as there was a festival happening that night. Frederic left at 10pm and I hit the party alone. The entire Grand Place Square was packed and so were the streets. Easily 10 000 people were wandering around. I saw a amazing performance called Strange Fruits. These people climb and strap themselves into 10 foot poles and sorta fly and dance in the air. So graceful and special. Hard to explain, but I have never seen anything like it.

After that the rave part of it really got going. Took me awhile to get into the music but when I did I could not stop. It was jazzy, funky house. Thank the goddess for my learning some street smarts in Johannesburg. As I caught a guy with his hands in my bag and the zips already open. My wallet and passports were in there. If I had noticed a few seconds later it would have been too late.

I met an amazing woman who had an entire conversation with me using only hand signals. She was wow. She gave me the hat she had on and a flower she had just picked. A yellow carnation that I wore in my hair the entire evening. I looked like a real gypsy.

I thought Europe was supposed to be safer. What nonsense. There are just as many criminal element types here. The party was awesome and I had a blast. The real problem began when the party ended just before 4am and the metro station only opened at 5am. I had over an hour to kill on the streets. I had no idea how dangerous it would be.There are a lot of really aggressive Moroccan men. I was actually terrified as they kept approaching me and following me. I tried screaming at them, asking them nicely to be left alone and even running. It was a nightmare. Just tried to make sure there were other people around., which was difficult as the streets were seriously emptying out.

I was so frazzled that I walked right in front of a car and almost got myself run over. Thank the goddess I was not raped or worse. Man, I was really scared. It was such a dangerous situation. I never realized the streets of Brussels could be so dangerous for a woman alone. Well, the entire evening taught me a huge lesson...

With total relief I finally got to the train station. Had to wait an hour and then got onto the Euroline bus. Slept nearly all of the way to Frankfurt. I had a warm reception from my family here. My uncle Boris picked me up at the station and his wife and daughter made me feel immediately at ease.
We went to their friends house for dinner. Played some cards and just chilled.

The following day , Sophie,  my cousin and I went to Heidelburg. We saw the castle there and walked the streets. Very romantic place with the ruins of the castle nestled in the forests of this valley, with the river running alongside. Exhausted by the time we got back.

Next I'm going to Budapest, then Vienna, then Prague and then the Love Parade in Berlin. Europe here I come.

I'm going into really unchartered territories, and have no friends in the next few spots so could be a challenge to make it on my own. I think I'm up for it however...

Love, light and blessings
Michal