Yesterday, I participated in a fantastic walking tour around Brussels. I learned some great things-like Manneken Pis is the main symbol of the city. What, or who is Manneken Pis? Is it the statue of the little boy pissing. And near the grand plaza downtown, the Manneken Pis is displayed for all to see. And nobody knows why he is the symbol of Brussels. The tour guide said that he was crowned the king of brussels at age 2, and HIS father placed him in a tree when the enemies attacked, and he used to only weapon at his disposal to attack the enemy-he pissed on them. Thus he is the symbol of Brussels. I also learned that Belgium independence was inspired by an opera. Begium was under Dutch rule, and a large audiance was watching an opera on a coup of a country due to a tax, and because of this opera, Brusselites we're inspired to raise the same coup for Belgium.
In the afternoon, I went looking for a camera store for a piece of the camera I had lost-a small piece which is used as a rubber eye piece. I went looking high and low for this store, looking on different streets, asking directions, acting in the compulsive manner I tend to do, and eventually I found it. And they didn't have the peace.
After this, I went back to the hostel for a nap, and then went out on the town and wandered around the beautiful historic district. I was actually going to see a movie at an art house cinema. The movie had a title like "Pigeons on the Line". I asked the front desk at the theatre if the movie was in English-they responded no-It was in Swedish-with French and Dutch subtitiles, and it seems like they tried to make me feel like an idiot for asking if the movie was in English. But the title was in English, I bought up-no titles don't make sense in Swedish-only English was their response.
Then back at the hostel, the only person working at a late hour only spoke Spanish. A group of girls wanted to use the computer, which didn't seem to be working, and asked the Spanish-speaking guy. I thought I would help translate to Spanish-it turns out they didn't need my help-the girls we're from Mexico.
