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June 8th 

I arrived in Brussels around 6am on June 8th. I only slept a few hours on the bus, meaning I've hardly slept at all in the past 3+ nights. This day in my memory is a bit of a blur, I just remembering being exhausted. I arrived at the Nord train station and needed to make my way to Midi where I was going to store my luggage and eventually catch a shuttle to the air port later in the day. The Nord station is actually the old and the new station combined. The old station is a classic train station with a great hall and stairways to the train platforms. The new station, which is build next to and around the old one is a gigantic building with multiple layers where you can either catch trains or buses. They were doing construction on both stations and it took me a little while to figure out just which staircase I needed to take to get me to the platform I needed to be on. The new station also seems very empty, there were a lot of long empty cordons, and actually had quite a few people who looked like they were living there. The great hall in the old station was probably the only real interesting thing about both stations, it was also the only place in both stations that there were actually benches to sit on. I remember sitting on a bench for awhile just looking at maps and trying to make sure where I needed to go. This was also where I saw this bit of construction.

It reminded me of a Lead Pencil Sculpture. Eventually I found the train that would take me to Midi station and I made my way there. I had absolutely no plan on what I was going to do with my 7 or so hours I would be in Brussels this day. One thing I wanted to find was an internet cafe so I could confirm with Carmel just where we would be meeting up. Once at Midi I eventually found the luggage lockers and was able to stuff my large bag in one of the lockers. I would only be taking my small back pack with me to Budapest as a checked bag was around 40 euros or something. I also found a corner off to the side where I could change my shoes and socks, although I'm sure a lot of people heading to work that morning in Brussels saw some large bearded man standing in a corner with no shoes and socks.

The Midi station is a little bit nicer then the Nord although it is a bit more confusing as it has lots of long hallways that some just seem to dead end. I did manage to find where I would eventually catch the shuttle to the airport and then decided to just wander around the neighborhood for a few hours. I don't really remember having any sort of destination in mind I just figured I would walk in one direction for awhile then maybe see something and turn then maybe turn again. I found myself taking pictures of just some of the strange or interesting things I saw.

I'm not really sure how I managed to fill the day but through just wandering I spent 6 hours or so just walking around the Midi station. I remember going back to the station once or twice but then I would just head off in a new direction. Eventually I just sat and waited for the shuttle. I was completely wasted by now, so much walking and so little sleep i hardly remember that afternoon. I remember on the shuttle ride they showed some sort of vampire ninja movie or something, I don't really remember. I just remember that it was a long ride. The Brussels Charleroi airport is nowhere near Brussels. The airport mostly exists for the budget airlines and seemed fairly busy. I had to wait a little bit in the terminal for then to start checking for my flight which gave me some time to find a place to check my internet and confirm with Carmel on a meeting place in Brussels on the 10th. I remember getting my boarding pass and going through security and then buying a coffee and finding a place to sit. I think while I was waiting I managed to nod in and out of sleep for a bit and when I came to they were already boarding for my flight. I got in line and eventually made my way to the plane. I found myself a window seat and settled in. The whole time on Ryanair flights they are trying to sell you something. They give you no food or any frills, there are also advertisements everywhere. It's cheap for a reason, but it will get you whee you need to go. I remember just after we took of and looking out the window at the country side that I noticed something interesting. You could see little bunches of towns and it looked as if the houses were pushed and crammed as close to the streets as possible. It made for a cool effect to see all these tightly bunches houses with fields around them. 

I arrived in Budapest late in the evening and remember thinking that I was on my way to a bed, I just needed to figure out how to get to it. I knew where my hotel was and I knew which buses and trains would get me there. I just needed to focus and take the right ones. I managed to take the right bus to the subway, then got on the subway and got off at the right stop, but then the tram I needed to catch that went right by the hotel was either not running that day or it was just too late in the day. Either way I needed to walk, which was about 2.5 miles. It was a nice night and the neighborhood was a mix of houses and apartments with lots of shops and restaurants. It felt a little bit like walking down highway 99 in Lynnwood or Everett. I was completely wasted from the past long three days but I new I was heading to a bed and I could sleep for as long as I wanted. My first impression of Budapest was one of a little bit of a daze. The things that stand out the most in my mind from that night was the bus ride to the subway station which took us through a neighborhood that seemed to have a lot of prostitutes just walking around half naked, although it was a bit warm that night so it may just be the local custom. I don't remember walking into the subway station, my first memory is that of the door slamming shut, and when I say slamming it was like it was crashing closed with a loud band. I then remember having to grab for a handle as the train took off. I then remember having to hold on the whole time as the car rocked back and fourth. It was also really loud, this is what I remember. Once I got to the hotel all I remember is finding the room and then being happy I had a bed to sleep in and a toilet I didn't have to search for coins to use. I would finally get some much needed rest.