[Photos taken 14 March 2024, posted online 29 July 2024. Finnur’s fifty years old today!!]
Back in Covid-times a “small English indie band” (as per Nick Cave) named Radiohead released a bunch of live concert recordings to entertain the bored masses. I’d never been much of a fan, but a fewoftheconcerts grabbed my brain, and to this day I have about four of them “on call” depending on the type of project and energy I need at work.
Also in Covid-times, out of boredom it seems, two Radiohead members (Messieurs T. Yorke and J. Greenwood) got together with a jazzy drummer (Mr. T. Skinner) and formed The Smile.
In late 2023 they announced a tour, and on Black Friday, I decided to take advantage of low airfares and hotel discounts, and booked myself a solo-trip to Brussels to go see The Smile!
Being a “sensible person” I’d planned to fly out on a Friday morning, go see the concert that evening, before flying back early Sunday, but Icelandair had other ideas! They cancelled the Friday flight, and moved me to the Thursday flight instead, which in retrospect, was a lot more sensible!
Thursday 14 March 2024
Just a typical middle-aged-woman about to travel solo to see a concert in Brussels!
The local credit card companies have been so successful at selling cards that allow access to the Icelandair Saga Lounge, that the lounge now forbids buying guest access on Thursday mornings.
As the morning wore on, the lounge filled up with more people than I’ve ever seen there.
The sky getting lighter at 7 am, as we boarded.
Defrosting in progress.
About three hours later we were descending towards Brussels.
All-electric-cars were plentiful on the ad-platforms while walking to the airport exit.
Taking the train downtown.
I found the correct bus, and it wound its way towards my hotel. I’d walk past that man on a horse later.
I chose my hotel, The Moxy, mostly because it sat on the bus line straight to the concert venue!
Looking behind me.
The entrance was almost hidden, but I found it.
The hotel was “hip”, almost painfully so.
My room!
Clever furnishings, that wall mount was a clever way to store clothes flat against the wall.
Clean bathroom.
The view from my window. I think I saw one apartment with a person in it, other than that it all felt rather lifeless.
I found the gym in the basement, and was immediately too lazy to use it.
I found a cafe on the corner, yum!
People sitting outside, how novel for this Icelander coming from winter!
The Strava recording of my walkabout focused on the Royal Quarter.
A house being gutted, minus the front facade.
Impressive!
A very shaped tree.
Cute streets. I stumbled onto a couple of streets that were very African, apparently the neighborhood is called Matongé, but I seemingly didn’t take any photos there?
A wedgy building.
I found a main-street, full of people, and buses.
Scooters.
Colorful alley.
Buildings getting fancier.
A flower-shop injected some color and good smells.
The Place Royale, with the man on horseback visible in the distance. The light-fixture was impressive!
It’s hard to convey just how big that painting is. It must have cost an absolute fortune!
I don’t know my iconography well enough to understand what the hen is doing there?!
Another huge painting!
Fancy frocks hidden away behind bars.
On of the big statues outside.
Looking downhill from the church-steps.
The Royal Palace, I think it was closed to public visitors due to maintenance.
The “road” in front of the palace is hard to understand. Cars just sort of drive along it, there are no road markings, so you have no idea what’s going on, and where to cross, so people just seem to cross wherever.
Pretty red floor. Just inside I met other Icelanders! I wasn’t expecting to speak to people so I hope I didn’t come off as too rude when my communications module took a while to load…
A proper organ over the entrance.
Windows explained.
The walls looked in need of some maintenance.
Back at the hotel I found some comics-inspired decorations.
