Day 14; Tienen - Brussels - Calais (F); August 1, 2003 (Friday)

I was getting already fed up with the whole thing and to be honest I did not like Belgium any more. Yesterday was crazy, and when I though I have to stay in that country for another 2-3 days...

Cities looked completely deserted, no shops, nothing. I was wondering where people were buying food there (?)

I have decided to cycle to Brussels - around 50 km, and catch train to France from there.

Nevertheless I still had to get to Brussels. I just followed the map using very local roads with minimum traffic. Later on when I was getting close to the city roads became busier.

On the way nothing really happened until Brussels. What I liked was entry cycle route into the city. Special route among the trees that was going for miles.

Brussels

Brussels wasn't nice to me.

Again if you do not speak French, they ignore you. I finally stopped a bloke in a tie and he spoke in some civilized language. I had to get to Central train station.

I am going downstairs to metro, trying to buy ticket for me and the bike. Cannot do it using machine, I am going to the booth and trying to explain that would like to pay for the bike.

After some time I realized that in Brussels you cannot take bicycles into metro! Capital of EU!

Can you believe it?

I ignored it, and paid only for myself.

I had to travel only few stops.

At the station I am waiting to the information counter for ages. I get the list of trains and ask for ticket. Now they say, I cannot buy it here because if I have the bicycle I have to go either to south or north station. What?! She tried to explain me something that at central station there no suitable platforms for bikes. Yes I saw suitable one on south station, that was a bloody joke. Well, there was nothing I could do. I had to get to south station (apparently closer).

If you do not know the city it is not so easy. I asked taxi driver and he somehow directed me. So I had to cycle through centre of Brussels, which I wanted to avoid.

I got myself on the train to Gent...

...and from there to Lille and finally Calais. 

In Gent I was lucky. When I was taking this picture, two young guys (soldiers I learnt later) ask me where I was from. We started to chat. They really helped me later carrying the bike through stairs when I was changing the train. I had to run between the trains.

Distance: ~60 km by bike
Average speed: no idea