Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Brussels Real Estate Dreams














I have been planning to move for a while now - that meaning more then a year. I haven't looked much but then I saw this place in the heart of the city minutes away form Saint Gery and I remembered just how badly I am bored with my current place. The Antoine Dansaert street and its surroundings may be popular with tourists but they are also artsy a bit of a lower Manhattan of Brussels. Design stores, fashionistas, interior design labels, architects and who knows who else share this area with some pretty decent restaurants and a bunch of good bars so it is a nice place to live despite the noise, lack of parks and constant flow of traffic and tourists. Architecture is a definite plus with a handful of renovated late baroc and secession townhouses and apartment buildings that make it very European. To live so close to the main drinking place of Brussels wouldn't necessarily be such a premium but the fact that I could probably convince myself to go out far more often would. Regardless of the apartment I should be doing that as I am getting a bit of a bookworm mixed with a workaholic and a bit of a couch potato. Well the last one should be discarded from the list given the numerous gym hours I have to punch in to prepare for the Brussels half marathon that will take place on May 28th. Coming back to the house finding issue, it would be lovely to change the neighbourhood, the atmosphere and thus the mood and the attitude it comes with. I have spent almost two years in my place and that is as many years more then I should have. A place with high ceilings, a really working fireplace - as opposed to the beautiful but crap one in my apartment - a real view with people and close to action would be nice. Given that the only advantage of my current place is that is large enough to have people coming over for the odd party and family ad friends visiting, I will not miss Woluwe St Pierre. Posted by Picasa

L'archiduc reloaded














As previously mentioned I spent many a night in this place listening to jazz or simply chatting with friends. I rarely passed it during day time and this relaxed couple sharing a bier and a talk in front of this Brussels establishment chough my attention. Posted by Picasa

A Railway Station for Two














This coincidental "couple" in a Dutch railway station has reminded me of the empty hours. Long idle waiting for something to happen, for somebody to come, for yourself to do something or simply for your transport. There is so much to love and hate about these waiting times. Time to kill, time to think, to remember and regret, to hope and dream. Listen to music, text message friends, write a few lines, make a mental note, check a newspaper, read a book. Then is the knowledge that eventually things spring into motion. Trains come, telephones ring, books finish, people die, rain stops, lovers leave, kids come home. We move on and little we think about this railway station stop and the people we inadvertently shared it with or the passing looks we got from other fellow travellers. Posted by Picasa