The end has come

I lost steam on this blog. I'm not sure that blogging is for me. It's too public. Maybe some day I'll pick it up again. But for now, I am taking a nice long hiatus. It was good, regardless, to have a record of my life and times in Brussels.

And now, the obligatory "miss and not-miss" lists (this is mostly for my memory's sake):

Miss:

1) The Well and the Christian community here - it is like nothing I have experienced before, most probably because it is set in such a religiously apathetic part of the world, so that makes you tight.

2) The beer, and the affordability of it. I won't know how much I'll miss it till I've left! American and British ales and lagers will never taste the same.

3) The availability of fresh bread, the bubbly water, the waffles, the frites, the pastries, the chocolate, the french and flemish cuisine, our favorite "thai alley," our local German place that fed us lots of wiener schnitzel.

4) Cafes and brasseries: a la Mort Subite, a la Becasse, la Porte Noir, Cook and Book, le Fauborg, O'Reilly's, Kitty O'Sheas, le Falstaff, and so so so many others. I will miss each of you and the good times you gave me.

5) Park Cinquentenaire and Square Ambiorix. Countless fun times in those places: frisbee, playing with kids, picnics, museums, chilling in the evening light. I will miss them sorely.

6) Cheap public transportation. 'Nuff said.

Won't miss:

1) The lack of customer service, just about everywhere. The locals are just beginning to realize what an asset this can be to their businesses. But mostly, people just put up with rudeness and get on with their lives. Occasionally, this is charming, but usually it's quite irritating.

2) ATMs that don't accept international debit cards. An endless source of frustration for tourists and expats alike.

3) Badly organized supermarkets. Delhaize is generally an exception to this, but it is also more expensive. My local GB gave me vertigo because of its gently lilting floors and shelves lined every which direction.

4) The languages - as good as it is for me to get out of my comfort zone, I will be happy to be able to speak English freely again!

5) People who don't get out of your way when you're exiting the metro train! Why, why, why?

6) Gray walls and dirty streets. Brussels, you can be so much prettier! You've got all that Art Nouveau stuff going on. Why not enhance it? Why are you still building gray buildings?

That's all folks. That's la vie dans Bruxelles.