Brussels – As I see it everyday on my way to office

It has been just more than a week that I am in Brussels. My office is on Rue Montoyer and my house on Quai du Batelage. It is like 3.1 kms away. From the day 1, I decided to walk to and from office back home. Below are the glimpses of my daily walk from home to office and back home.

From the day I have been here, I have never seen the footpath dry. It is always wet. Brussels is one of those countries in the world where it rains all the 12 months of the year. Maybe the rain also constitutes and plays its active part in keeping the city clean. The Drainage system is quite good.

The traffic control system is so well synchronized. Even the pedestrian signals!! Of course, all forms a part and parcel of the same control system.

I step out of the house at around 45 mins past 7 AM. Get down from my house on the 13th floor, and start my routine walk to office. I reach my 1st pedestrian signal. I just have to make sure that I start there just when the pedestrian signal turns green. If so, I am more than sure that I need not bother about the next signals and that I will get through them quite easily. I do a brisk walk. It is neither too slow nor too fast. The pedestrian signals are well synchronized for a decent brisk walk.



I pass by the commercial places of Central Brussels. The Shopping malls to the restaurants. It is quite early in the morning when I am passing by them. Just about 4/5 mins to 8 AM. Parents taking the children to school. So cute and lovely looking kids in their uniforms. Of course some good looking girls and handsome guys walking by my side briskly to get to their office. Be in Girls/Guys, I wonder what is the secret of their figure? Even when they look quite old by age! They are far way better than our Bollywood/Regional film Heroes and Heroines by looks.



So many cars and taxis on the road! I have not been to any other country except US and mostly only NY most of the time. But, I have not seen Mercedes Benz and Audi Cars as Taxis every before. I know the stretch limo and the normal limo service that exists almost everywhere and is one of the services for the Business Class customers offered by most of the airways. But Benz and Audi as Taxis! And as normal Taxis!! I guess very few places!!

Then, I get to the one of the longest Roads that I need to walk to get to my office. So picturesque the place is! Makes us feel as though god took some time out to decorate this city so naturally beautiful.

Then, I realize that its already 15 mins past 8 and I need to stop appreciating the beauty and walk faster to get to office on time. Everyday is different. Everyday, you see different people, everything different. You are bound to stand by and watch the place unveil in the morning.

By this time, I get to almost closer and now, have to pass by the American Consulate and Embassy. This is one of the places here in Brussels where the security is very high/tight. Everyday I see a set of new corps there. Everyday, I need to show them my Office ID Card and I need to tell them “I’m passing by to office”.
There is corps standing on the either sides of the street of the consulate/embassy with police vans that are always in the “ignition on” state. Wonder why they waste so much of fuel when people are so worried about the exhaustion of the Natural Resource? And I wonder who is paying for the extra security here? US/Belgium? I think it is certainly the US.

I cross by the consulate and then, suddenly, many cards coming from down and then you realize, there is also an underpass there. I think there are 2 underpasses to be precise. This helps in regulating the traffic so much. Even then, there is this usual traffic jams during the peak hours as it happens in any other city of the world. I think the whole planet is “cursed” to have traffic jams during the peak hours [:P] or maybe its us who have made our world this way. So many cars, bikes, cycles; obviously when all of them are heading to offices at the same time, jams are bound to happen.



Oops, I again enter into these pedestrian crossings now. If in the course of me appreciating the beauty, have maintained my “brisk pace”, I surely am gonna get green signals. That’s when I realize if I have been overly involved in appreciating the beauty (nature/girls) around me or if I have also maintained my pace while doing so.

And here I’m on Rue Montoyer in no time. It’s a long walk all down the Rue (Road/Street in French) to get to my office. If I have maintained my pace all the way, it takes me a full 40 to 43 mins to reach office. I am usually the 1st one in my team to come in, and get seated in my desk! I hope people do not assume that I am there for a long time now!!

And then, back to the same pool of shit(work)!!! Catch u later at 5 PM Brussels!!