Quick Update

I'm in Brussels, I arrived late this afternoon by train from Amsterdam where I met Dennis. We very nearly didn't meet each other which would've sucked as I could hardly keep my eyes open on the train, which would've meant I would probably have been robbed blind, or something to that effect. Beside the safety of travelling with another person, his company is always welcome as he's just good people.

My day started quite early, or late, not sure at this point, but lets put it this way, I was drinking vodka and eating pickled herring until almost 4 in the morning when I rushed back to the mini hotel, showered, finished packing, bought some water for myself and James, who was in a piss drunk alcoholic slumber and didn't stir regardless of the noise, and then walked out to meet my cab at 5. I was driven to the airport, deposited, after a brief argument over the cab fare, a matter of 50 rubles, but I was told 500, he wanted 550, oh well, I loose, or something like that.

Then it was wait until the airport is unlocked, register, wait, walk through security, wait, get on plane, pass out for 10 minutes, seats are bloody tiny on the tupelovs. From there it was the Moscow shuffle when I landed from Shermitiva 1 to 2 and then through passport control where I watched a man successfully bribe a passport official with something like a watch or bottle, made my gate with just minutes to spare following a hard time getting water as I was beyond deyhydrated. The next flight from Moscow to Amsterdam, 3 hours, was much more pleasant, bigger leather seats, and no one sitting next to me, I slept most of the way.

Got through passport and customs, met dennis, discovered my shaving cream had eruped in my cheap bag which was killing my back so I said fuck it, I can afford a rolly thing, so i bought an ultra sleak little carry on samsonite on wheels, my hands are thanking me, that thing had no straps, and with 2 liters of vodka, a carton of Gallouise cigarettes and conference clothing, it has just made my life bliss, even though I paid way too much!

Brussels, well, first impression, lots of graffitti, not unlike amsterdam... which I saw briefly after a circular train ride because the 2:30 from the airport to Brussels was cancelled due to tecnical malfunction, so we got there, then turned around and caught the righr train back to brussels. Anyway, we had a fabo dinner of French food, I had lobster bisque, snails in burgundy and sweet breads with the most divine holindaise sauce I've ever had... brilliant. I think I'll go back there. Reminds me a little of the basque restaurant in Montreal, The Pyrannease, which I fellin love with in November.

Currenly, I'm trying to catch up on some email, uploading photos... YES LOTS OF PHOTOS go FLIKR, and then having a bath and passing out... more thorough posts and impressions later.