Globalization sucks....

Okay, maybe it doesn't suck.
As some of you know I'm in Brussels (Belgium for those of you geographically challenged, small country in Europe for those of you challenged beyond simple country whereabouts), and because of a meeting on Monday in the Netherlands I'm staying put over the course of the weekend. Yesterday, Saturday, I felt worse than a bag of spanners and decided to stay put in my hotel room, nap and catch up on email work etc. Today, being Sunday and reasonably fine outside I decided fresh air and shopping would do me some good.

So, I perambulated my way around Brussels city center with map in hand and camera for true tourist effect. I hada nice clear mission to get some presents for friends back home, including something unique and interesting and "belgian" for my beloved.

Unfortunately, and here's the reason for the title of the post.. the USA has got so great at not making anything itself and simply importing stuff, that all the best stuff I can get back home in Seattle. Godiva for example.. there was a big Godiva shop in Brussels, being Belgian chocolates you'd better expect it to be, but, it was no bigger than the one in Bellevue Square, two blocks from where I live and sold all the same things at pretty much the same price. Fashion, jewellry, chocolates, everything.. uniquely belgian, widely available at home.. grrrr

Eventually I gave up, grabbed a taxi and in terrible terrible french asked for somewhere that would have stuff I can't find at home (I probably said something completely different).. anyway, worked out, the guy took me to the dead posh boutique mall.. I managed to find various gifts and extortionate prices, but at least I'm done.

Anyway.. I hate globalization.
Hmph.

Sundays, and the Long Dark Teatime of the Soul.

Next to Tuesdays, Sunday is one of my lease favourite days. I don't know what it is but you can always tell when it's a sunday. I'm sure there are people cut off from the world, with no calendar, trapped on some tiny island somewhere with no hope of knowing what time or day it is.. and they'd still know when it was sunday, just something in the air. Douglas Adams once referred to Sunday at around about 3pm as the "long dark tea time of the soul" and I'm inclined to agree. There was a character in Hitchhikers, an immortal who travelled the universe insulting people because Sundays had driven him mad and there was nothing better to do. When you've had as many baths as you can take, watched as many terrible black and white WWII films...

In my case, today does at least have a purpose, it's just one that I despise. I'm going to Brussels this week, nice city but sadly all business and my chances of seeing the place are nil, following that I'm in Amsterdam. Plus side that does mean I get a weekend in Europe at a loose end without any idea where I really want to be.. im thinking maybe car hire and Southern France or Northern Germany (big difference I know..). Anyway, that does mean Sunday is lost to last minute "Oh crap I haven't prepared any slideware" and packing my suitcase. Packing for a week is a novelty for me, I'm usually stuffing any old junk into a suit case for only a handful of nights, this time I'm going to be away for 8 nights!

No doubt horrible ironing boards will be waiting for me.. and numerous travel disasters (I land in Brussels on a Tuesday!). So wish me luck...