The Future is Europe {Brussels}

At the end of August we went to Brussels for a weekend. It's really easy flying aways for just a couple of days from Manchester and it helps having friends scattered all over the world! 

We started the trip with an evacuation from the boarding hall that brought a 4 hour delay on our flight. 1 hour flight. 4 hour delay. because somebody smoked in the airport bathroom. 

Anyhow, by 3 o clock in the morning we were at our very sleepy friends house, he was so kind to arrange a taxi for us , by that time we missed the last bus to town, and surtout wait for us!

We were lucky enough to have sunny and warm days until the very last hour there, and we were able to walk around the whole time.

Being a Political Science alumni I was eager to walk by the European Institutions, but I guess being an old and grumpy and (almost) British grownup let the magic fades away a little. Do we still believe in this? Who does? If there was a referendum like in the United Kingdom in all the other countries , what would win? I never thought brexit had a chance, and yet here we are. 

There was a lot of food involved in a two day trip. Street food fish that tasted like gourmet Michelin restaurant, huge roasted pork shank for dinner, and infinite chocolate and waffles store windows to stare at.

 

Belgium is the country of Tin Tin, and he is everywhere: the walls graffiti reminded of him and even people just walking around!

People standing in line to take a picture of a little pissing man. 61 cm of bronze that officially symbolise the sense of humor of the people there, and, according to Wikipedia, their independence of mind. A pissing man. OK.

Goodbye Brussel! Goodbye Parliament! Always in the hope that YOU will BE the future.

What I've Learned This Week |Thirteen|

One. 

Despite the fact that in the office we’re all adults, my pears went missing from the fridge the other day. Who takes other peoples fruits? When you work about two seconds away from many different supermarkets? It was really sad.

Two. 

I need help with my addictions: my Phone. Food. Coffee. Help. Help. I asked M to point out when he notices I’m on too much, but most of the time, my husband is not with me. I spend two hours commuting, and it would be enough time a day to be scrolling scrolling and scrolling, right? Wrong. For some reason the other night I ended up watching “The ten best cheap American beer ranked” on youtube. I don’t even like cheap American beer.                                                    

For coffee…I’m going caffeine free for about a month every now and then and it works, and I feel wonderful. I’m off for a couple of days, with headaches and bad night sleep but after I sleep better and longer. It also didnt’ really help being in Italy for 4 days after months of bad British coffee. Look at this beauty.

Three. 

I’ve always been a morning person, expect maybe for a regression between 22 and 23 when I was working at night and therefore sleeping until noon.                                                                             

But lately, I’ve been setting my alarm clock thirty minutes before I actually need to be up. At home I do random things during those thirty minutes, and I even manage to go to the gym before work once. I want to try and keep it up. The only problem is that I want to zonk out by 10,30…

Four.

For the second time,i.e. always, we’re going to miss the Manchester Pride Weekend. It’s supposed to be amazing! And the town it’s preparing so well for it! even the trams are decorated. I know it’s very probably just cheap marketing but it gives me such a good sense of openness and civil sense of right.

Happy Weekend Everyone! Be Proud!

Four Seasons in a Day {Peak District}

We decided to go for a hike before the days became too short and dark.

Invited a bunch of people, drove there for about an hour and started out trail.

We experienced summer sun, wind you could lean on without falling, light breeze and pouring rain.

England!

Manchester's Sun

In July something wonderful and rare happened. 

It didn't rain one bit for 18 straight days.

EIGHTEEN.

This has never happened in the history of northern England!

(I'm not sure that fact is historically correct but it sure felt like it)

British people were going mad. People were wearing swimsuits to work.

Nobody was in in the office on a Friday afternoon.

Immigrants from southern Europe were about to take over.

It all ended, of course, but it was so good until it lasted!