"Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time" Jim Rohn

My Day Living Off 3.50 Euros

I had arrived in Brussels at 10pm. I took a taxi to my friend Jerome's best friend's apartment. His name was Feranmi. I got to the appartment and he wasn't there, but thankfully minutes later he arrived. We talked a bit to get to know each other a bit more, and then he asked me if I wanted to see the movie Moving Up on his laptop. He had a whole library of movies in his computer. We spent the night watching the movie and smoking a joint...a good way to welcome me to Belgium...

The next morning, Feranmi had to leave to go to work. I was still in bed, but he had left me his appartment key as well as an extra cellphone with calling credits (he is such a nice host!). He also provided me with a map of brussels in case I got lost. I got up at 10am excited about my day. When I left the appartment, I decided to go to an ATM since I only had 3.50 euros on me. Once I got to the nearest ATM, I found out that my bank had blocked my card, because the night before I tried to take out money, but entered the wrong PIN three times.

So...I was stuck with no money, no way of getting back in the appartment (because Feranmi did not have an extra key for the front door of his building), and a whole day ahead of me. I decided to go to an internet cafe to see if I could arrange something there. Cost: 1 euro for one hour

I was feeling really hungry so I bought this piece of bread at a market. Cost: 1.90 euros.

I was now set, full of energy to go venture into the city...only that I had no more money for public transportation, so I walked...45 minutes! I got to the center of the city doing my touristic thing, taking pictures. I tried to do as many free things as I could. One thing I found odd about Brussels: their most famous monuments are a boy peeing, a girl peeing, and a dog peeing in three different locations around the city...

I attempted to call my bank using the cell phone Feranmi gave me, but the credits expired after 4 minutes of talking! Near 4pm, I decided to walk back, hoping that Feranmi would be back from work. On the walk back, I noticed a homeless woman with her child, crying...Cost: 0.40 euros. I know the child was for extra pity, but I couldn't help myself.

Feranmi wasn't showing up for a while so I just decided to buzz everyone in the building hoping someone would open the front door. Someone did! Once I got in the appartment, I pulled out my other bank cards and went to go buy as much food as I could for a big hearty supper.

Feranmi got back at 7pm, and I made us pasta and meatballs with bread. He had some chicken wings that he prepared and we feasted while watching Indiana Jones, then smoking a joint...to digest...

My Belgian Tasting Day

The next morning, I had lots of money to go do everything I wanted to do the day before. I first took a guided tour of the EU parliament, learning about the politics of this system. I then went to go try Belgian fries by trying a "Mitraillette" (according to Feranmi's suggestion). It was a sub with meet and fries inside, and a "special" sauce that was just delicious! I then went to this bar called Delirium. This bar entered in the Guiness book of records for offering the largest selection of beers (2004) local and international. I obviously had to try a trappist beer. A Trappist beer is a beer brewed by or under control of Trappist monks. Monastery brewhouses, from different religious orders, existed all over Europe, since the middle-ages. From the very beginning, beer was brewed in French cistercian monasteries following the Strict Observance. For example, the monastery of La Trappe in Soligny, already had its own brewery in 1685. Breweries were only later introduced in monasteries of other countries, following the extension of the trappist order from France to the rest of Europe. The Trappists, like many other religious people, originally brewed beer as to feed the community, in a perspective of self-sufficiency. Nowadays, trappist breweries are more commercial in order to serve the higher demand. The suppervision of only one trappist monk is required to label a beer "trappist". Some of the profits still fund their works, and for good causes.

I had tried the Chimay blue. It was probably the best beer I have EVER tried...and it was 9% alcohol! One bottle made me kind of tipsy...I looked through there menu of beers (which kind of looked like a dictionary!). I wanted to see if they had Cusquena. I would have liked to drink a bottle and reminisce of my time in Peru, but alas they did not have it!

My next destination was the chocolat museum where I got to try Belgian chocolats! After the long day, I went back home thinking I was going to leave to Paris that night, but Feranmi arrived a little late, and I couldn't catch the last bus. So we decided to have another night where we feasted like kings on a delicious lemon sauce that he made, more chicken wings, shrimp, and rice. We watched a Van Damme movie (Universal Soldier), as well as talked about past life experiences and anecdotes, while smoking...you guessed it...a joint to digest...

The next morning, Feranmi drove me to a spot near the bus station. He was an amazing host, and I really feel that I got along with him so well, and in such a short time! It was unfortunate that I could not spend more time with him, but I will probably see him some time in the future when I return to Belgium.