Greetings from Brussels!

I am finally on a different continent! I had a pretty non eventful flight, if you discount the fact that it was insanely cold and my luggage was opened enroute (they even broke one of the zips!) and I still dont know if anything is missing...but there is nothing I can do now...so I shall deal with it when required. I still have my passport- so thats good :P Anyways, so got to Brussles on time and the first thing that struck me was the emptiness in the airport! Its so small and there is hardly anyone there! I met a Brazilian girl who goes to grad school in Brussles and she helped me figure out the French a bit. But other than that, it was smooth sailing!

I took the train, then a subway to get to the place where I am crashing for the night. And the train ride reminded me sooo much of India! When I looked out of the window, it was as if I was staring at certain parts of suburban India-though the architecture is different, the houses seem to have the same worn out paint, the walls have graffitti and out of nowhere spring up fancy glass buildings with signs like 'Microsoft', 'Sony' etc Weel, this was enroute to Brussels, which in itself is very different. The interplay of modern buildings with the older creations is quite striking, which I will imagine to be the case in most of Europe.

I spent the majority of day just walking around Brussles, downtown and residential, in boots...NOT a good idea. But its was cold...and it was fun...I realized how expensive everything is in Europe...a piece of quiche was 5.00 Euros!!! I saw an add for human rights in Kashmir at a subway stop...pretty cool. And I saw ING everywhere!! Its amazing...like the Dunkin Donuts in Boston- you will never know where you are if you are next to an ING...I found the crowd in general very different from back in Boston- a lot more Europeans (well..I guess I am in Europe :P), but also a lot more Northern Africans and Central Africans and Middle Eastners and a lot fewer Indians and Asians...it was interesting making conversation with starngers. Most seemed very helpful too!! I met someone from Chechnya too-neat!

But best of all, I saw some amazing architecture...it was surreal- walking around with map and a camera and around this cathedral and hearing music coming from inside the building...
Well...I am done with the day...I know its pretty lame on a friday night. All the tarvelling and the getting ready to travel is catching up...Will probbaly head out to Bruge tomorrow morning and then to Lillie. Will not be taking my laptop, so the entries might have to wait a bit..maybe not... Yay travels!!