The European Tour 2011

Day 1 - Pittsburgh to Dulles Airport to Brussels Airport, then to Maastricht, Netherlands.

After dropping the dogs off at camp, I headed to the airport for my 2:30pm flight.  It was no problem getting parked and thru security, except for having to drag my heavy bags around.  The flight to Dulles was uneventful.  No damage at Dulles after the recent earthquake shook the area, and Hurricane Irene was still several days away, so I made it out on time for the second leg of my journey - D.C.  to Brussels.  Go figure, the plane was seriously cramped - a sardine can with wings!  Nearly 8 hrs. on this leg, and wouldn't you know that I couldn't even sleep much.  We arrived in Brussels at 7:30 am local time (6 hrs ahead of east coast time) and the fun began.  Fortunately, my bag made it on the same flight, so off I went to to find transportation.  I had the name of a limo service that Barry's company uses, but that never got fully arranged and the airport didn't know who they were.  With no working phone and no computer, I couldn't look them up either.  Of course, I was too tired at that point to realize that my iPod had wifi, and could probably connect into the airport network.  Oh well!  I went to look for a bus to the hotel, but none was listed, so I asked the info desk for the best way to get to Maastricht.  They told me to take the train and gave me the transfer point.  Sounded easy enough.  Ha!  

First I had to get down two flights to the airport's basement - floor (-1) (yes, they actually use negative numbers to label the floors).  You would think this would be easy, but no!  Of about 8 elevators, only 3 seemed to be working, and only 1 seemed willing to go to the basement.  Combine that with a whole lot of people going up and down with masses of baggage, and it was a mess.  I get downstairs to find out that the ticket machine only takes cash.  I haven't changed any money yet, and there was no ATM on this level, so up I went to the arrival level again.  I get enough Euros to hold me over, give up on the elevators this time, and squeeze my bags thru the barricade around the escalators (they obviously didn't want big bags or carts on there).  Back in the basement, I find that the ticket machine isn't working.  The other one is tied up, so I look around and finally find a ticket counter.  I swear that wasn't there the first time I looked!   Now, I have to find the right train.  Not so easy to do when everything is in Dutch and French, but I found it.  Getting on the train required climbing up several steep, narrow stairs - quite a chore with three bags.  Once on, you could either go up or down (double decker train)- again on steep narrow stairs.  I finally made it to a seat, nearly out of energy at this point.  

The trip to the transfer point was quick enough.  When I got out, I found myself in the basement level of the station at Leuven.  My sleep deprived brain finally found a listing with the train schedule, and after several minutes staring at it, I found what appeared to be the train to Maastricht.  Problem was it didn't leave for 90 minutes!  I looked around for a bathroom (or WC here in Europe), since I was going to need one soon.  Funny how we take this luxury for granted here in the US.  No bathroom in the station, but they indicate one is upstairs on the platform level.  So I drag my bags up the escalator, and find that the WC is actually outside in the city center, and that you have to pay to use it.  Great!  Apparently, this is the norm in this part of the world, so fair warning if you should travel there.  Good thing I had some change from the train ticket!  Of course, I'm on the wrong side of the platform at this point, and there is no escalator back down, so I hauled my bags down the stairs and back up the other side.  It felt so good to sit down, but the wait was horrible.  Just before the train was due, the sign indicates the next train on that track is delayed.  Good thing I figured that out, because they moved my train to another track.  So, back down the stairs and up the other side again!  The train finally came, and after about another 90 minutes, most of it listening to a couple of students from Scotland yack, we arrived in Maastricht.  I'm so weak  by now, that I can hardly get my bags off the train!  The hotel says it is a 4 minute walk from the station toward the city center, but which way is that?  Let's look at the map.  Of course it's in Dutch, so I have to stare at it for awhile before my brain kicks in and I can comprehend what I'm seeing.  Straight ahead, it says, so off I go, dodging pedestrians, bicycles, mopeds, cars and busses - not easy to do when you feel like the walking dead.  Four blocks later, there is the hotel.  Oh, thank God!  Once in the room, I burst out in tears from shear exhaustion!  It's after 1pm, I'm hungry and sore, and I probably stink, so I take a long, hot shower.  Forget food!  Sleep is more important!

Barry called about an hour later to say he was running late - he had to drive down from Rotterdam and was stuck in traffic - guess that’s universal.  No problem!  The bed was still calling me, but I only slept about another 2 hrs before I was ready to go again.  Jet lag is a funny thing.  I read my book until Barry got back, then we headed to dinner.  It was a little cool out, but refreshing.  My brain was still a little numb, so I really don't remember much, other than the streets were crowded and there was a festival going on in the city center.  Cities in Europe revolve around their centers, much like our downtowns, only more well defined, and generally the oldest part of town.  The cafe's all have outdoor seating, and this is the place to be at mealtime.  We had dinner at an Argentinian steak house called Gaucho's.  I don't eat meat very often, but this seemed like a good time to do so.  The filet was outstanding!  Meals in Europe are not like here.  Waiters generally don't bother you unless you call them, and if you don't ask for the check, you'll never get it!  No one is in a hurry at meal time.  They will let you sit there all night if you want to.  But since the jet lag was catching up to me, we cut it short and headed back to the hotel for some much needed sleep.  Day 1 is over.

< previous

next >