kein Bezug in Brüssel

so, here is my first official couch surfing experience. i'm not one for expectations, but everything was as good as i had hoped. Garry was a great host. it was sooo nice to get out of the academic world. not only that, he's a cameraman for a public news station and we matched at a lot of points on my photojournalism side.

we started a non-tourist tour at a market. note: go when the farmers are closing up because they will practically give away vegetables. Garry bought about 2 kilos of mushroom for 3€. i was later an assistant in slicing them all and putting them in the freezer.

the snow kept coming. the streets were covered and all i had was slightly too big pair of boots with no traction. though Garry commented that Brussels was not usually so quiet, it added quite an element in the photos. i was prompted to come again during warmer weather.

the photos from the park across from the palace are my favourite. there is something about parks in urban areas that i enjoy. it is obviously a manufactured setting, but it speaks a lot about the city. insert conversation with Francesco about how fabricated things can say just as much, if not more, than being candid. somehow i think it is unfair to try and judge a person on characteristics that are often out of their control. why not appreciate what they willingly share?

enough crap. yeah, so my head was somewhere else in Brussels. Garry described me as mysterious, but i suppose that isn't the worst reference to have on my Couchsurfing profile. i think i really needed the break from classes. speaking so much English was very strange to me; caught me off guard, almost as if i forgot who i was. i was too used to being the dumb American in Germany.

despite me being spaced out and Garry sick from Copenhagen, i managed to try a bunch of Belgian beers and wonderful food, as well as sight-seeing. cheese with celery salt is a great partner with beer! i was also very keen on being in the heart of a city. there was an edgy feel that i was missing in Tübingen. a success for sure. it was great meeting new people, exchanging music and whatnot.

i will definitely be setting aside more time for travel. still a lot of places on my to-see list. liebe Grüße!