Travelling Around Brussels

This week I will explain my experiences travelling around Brussels.

Walking

Good old walking gets me where I need to go most of the time. I am fortunate to have a small grocery store right across the street from me, and the Parliament is a convenient 30 minutes away. So, I am never dependent on the public transportation if I decide not to use it. This is fortunate for me, in consideration of strikes and other transportation hindrances.

Sight seeing: The world of Brussels is generally very pallid - at least at this time of year. Gray skies, gray buildings. However, when it does brighten up, the buildings possess a different hue and it is quite a beautiful area. I prefer to walk to my destinations simply so I can admire all the different shops and observe the way of Belgian life.

My walk to the Parliament: I leave early in the morning so I can arrive at 9 a.m. The mist of the rains or snows of the night before permeates the air. A light sprinkle of moisture spreads itself across me, and the sun will shine if I am fortunate. Almost every day, however, I am met with a breeze that brushes my face like the graze of a shard of ice.

I pass a man or woman carrying a bag of groceries, and someone will pedal close to me as they pass by. Sometimes public workers will be found tending to the weeds taking over the cracks in the cobblestone streets. I raise my hand across the sensor that stops the traffic to go across the street to my bus stop.

At the stop, people gather around the small sitting shelter for about 10 minutes before the bus arrives. Everyone generally keeps to themselves, and I often people-watch as I wait for my bus to come. I find an assortment of people - some are Eastern European, others Middle Eastern; Belgian; French; every once in a while I will identify an American. All age groups take the buses.

If I decide to walk, I will pass by small clothing stores; stores that do not open until night; speciality stores, such as for cameras or china; auto shops; pharmacies; bread shops; restaurants. I love passing by the primary school because the kids are so energized and ready to start their day. As at the bus stops, few people I go by smile or raise their eyes - everyone is intent on passing by unnoticed and/or staying lost in their thoughts.

There is this bridge that I pass over, and it is beautiful to look down from it and watch Brussels in its hussle and bussle. My feet are now used to the uneven streets and natural faster walking speed of my fellow pedestrians.

Thirty minutes later, fully awake and adjusted to the temperature, I will turn a corner - Place Luxembourg to my left and the entrance to the Parliament to my right. It is a unique area of Brussels to work. Place Luxembourg gets hopping late at night, especially on Thursdays. During sunny middays the restaurants in the Place open up and place tables outside under canopies. Countless women and men dressed in an array of businesswear traverse across the streets and in and out of the Parliament building. It is at the Parliament where one will find the most wide assortment of people and nationalities.

Bus

As previously mentioned, my walk to the Parliament takes some time, but it is quite nice. However, when the rain meets the Belgium windchill, and I am in a skirt, it's time to use the public transportation.

Tickets: I generally purchase a ticket weekly, since I do not ride the bus all the time. Nevertheless, after working late into the night, it is safer to take the bus. At almost every other stop I can find a ticket machine. I can also purchase a ticket from the bus driver.

Boarding: When boarding the bus, I have two options: I can either scan a pass against a little red box which recognizes the pass, or I can insert my ticket in an orange box which takes my ticket, time stamps it, and then spits it back out at me. I can (and people often do) board the bus without a pass. I choose not to pay the 100 Euro fine I would be obligated to pay if I was caught and use a ticket.

Destinations: There are some buses (such as the 23, 24, and 25) that take you along the same way back and forth. This is not always the case. For example, my bus, the 95, is the only one that goes by my residency and straight to the Parliament.

Metro

In the metro systems I have found some of the most eclectic people of Belgium.

With the system, I can get to several locations somewhat efficiently.

Tickets: The tickets I purchase for the bus can also be used on the metro. There are also ticket boxes at the metro stops.

Boarding: After putting my ticket through the same orange box that is in all of the buses, I can pass through and use the metro system.

Destinations: Because it is a subway system, I often do not see what I am passing. Occasionally it will rise out of the ground at a few stops and I can view the area. Recently I thought it would be fun to take the metro to a random stop and explore the town. I went to a town called Stockel, the pictures of a park below:

During all my explorations and journeys, if I decide to go somewhere new, I always try to establish a route back to where I came before I leave. With winding streets and similar buildings, it is rather easy to get lost in an area of Brussels that one is unaquainted with. The precautions are just as important as the adventure. But the adventures are always worth it.

I LOVE MY JOB

At this point, I am now very well-acquainted with Belgian life. I feel totally at ease traveling through it, and I think my job is pretty amazing.

Something I love to do is read, and research things extensively for hours upon end. And guess what? That is exactly what my job is. I have the most up-to-date information on European Union reactions and actions to global issues. I am provided with information that is purely informative, which is refreshing compared to having to decipher the truth out of some U.S. papers. I get to converse with coworkers that are as different from me as night and day. However, we are still able to agree on almost everything when it comes to political policies, and we are not even of the same political orientation. Here in Europe they have enough common sense to work together and advance as a collective community. If only that was the case back at home! We have had conversations ranging from Uranium-238, to Jane Austen, to policies on immigration, to how much the world will ultimately integrate. I think I am in intellectual heaven.

Right now I am focusing on the EU's macroeconomic policies towards its member states, non-member states such as South Korea and the U.S., and its own development. It is very interesting to study the power struggles that occur between the member state representatives, as some such as France and Germany occasionally take stronger intergovernmental approaches and disregard the supranational dealings of the EU, much to the MEP's discontent (an MEP is a member of the European Parliament).

Now I am going to explain (to the best of my knowledge, derived from questioning of coworkers and reading), how the European Union is arranged. First, it is important to note that the European Union was not based off a particular political model. It is unique. Secondly, it was not suddenly created to stand as it does - it was an incremental political system that grew and changed as necessary.

Here is the breakdown, alluding to U.S. institutions for better explanation:

European Union (the whole U.S. government)

3 Policymaking branches:

European Parliament: has a President (like the Speaker of the House). Acts most similarly to the House, directly elected by people, based on population). Members are called MEPs, most similar to Congressmen.

Council of Ministers: has a President (like our Vice President). Acts most similiarly to the Senate, 1 representative per member state, chosen by being a government minister, 27 seats total). Members are called....Council members? Ministers? I am not sure still.

European Commission: has a President (like our President). Acts most similarly to our executive branch, 27 representatives, has less executive power compared to the U.S., accountable to the EP).

There is a strong balance of power between these three groups - no one has the true final say, it is a cooperative effort to get bills passed - which happens most of the time. MEPs, while elected by their nations, sit as representatives in their supranational political parties.

Then there is this group, which is equally as important as the groups above but acts as an advisory group, not an implementing, leading group:

European Council: They are the heads of state of all the member states, their own president, and the President of the Commission. It would be like all 50 U.S. governors convening together to see if they like the direction the U.S. is going in and advising policy agenda and strategies.

Finally, there are the non-governmental groups:

Court of Justice: It encompasses the whole judiciary branch. There are three sub-courts: the European Court of Justice, the General Court, and the Civil Service Tribunal. The latter two are subordinate members due to the Lisbon Treaty.

Court of Auditors: It is not a judicial institution, as the name implies. Rather, it ensures that taxpayer funds from the budget of the EU have been correctly spent. They provide an audit report each financial year to the Council and Parliament. This is how the Parliament judges the Commission's handling of the budget. It gives proposals on financial legislation and anti-fraud actions.

European Central Bank (Federal Reserve): It is the central bank for the eurozone (states which have adopted the euro). They control monetary policy and aim to maintain price stability. It is at the center of the European System of Central Banks, which encompasses all EU national banks as well.

Well, there is a very simple explanation of the EU. It has been most compared to Germany in terms of similar political systems. I will explain more about the EU in later postings. And now, I best get back to my research assignment!

2nd Week of European Parliament and Brussels

I am really starting to get used to living here in Brussels. A healthy portion of the people speak French, and while it was confusing at first, the language is starting to become more familiar. It is also getting warmer here, which is very nice.

This week has been full of coffee, meetings, and late-night work. And coffee.

So, here is a daily day for Ashley. I wake up early, and have some breakfast and tea. Sometimes I cook eggs - but they cook differently than back at home! I am having difficulties having them not turn into globs.

I then walk for about 1/2 hour (longer if in heels, owwww) to the European Parliament. There is a bus system that can get me there in 10 minutes, but I really like getting the exercise and seeing everyone get going for the day. I start work between 8 and 9 a.m., spending about the first hour going through emails. After that I look through a really extensive calendar to find out what the most important meetings are for my political group, the EPP group. The EPP group is a center-right political group, and it is the biggest political group in the EP. My every day agenda varies - sometimes I will go to back-to-back meetings, and other days, like today, I will do assignments and research on foreign policy instead.

On the days I have to go to meetings, I have a lot of fun trying to find the meeting room. There are numerous floors and elevators that go to various places. Sometimes I just take an adventure and take a different elevator or escalator to see where it takes me.

It is interesting to watch these different cultured leaders work together. Ways of acting and speaking vary. However, emotions and knowledge are universal. Oftentimes the members of the group, and especially the Parliament, will start bickering with each other. However, overall they get along very well, given all their differences.

Things of note this week: a bank robbery happened last Friday. 8,000 Euros were stolen. Security has been heightened and new regulations are being discussed.

Prince Charles came by. He spoke at the Low Carbon Prosperity Summit. I was really bummed I couldn't see him.

Also, today I went to a meeting for Miriam Sapiro, our Deputy U.S. Trade Representative. She spoke on the further elimination of trade barriers. It was interesting to watch an American ambassador speak from a European perspective.

After work I walk home around 6 p.m. and prepare dinner - I have been having fun experimenting on French recipes...experimenting being the operative word. :)

This weekend I plan on going down to southern Belgium to check out WWI and WWII remnants. I am really excited to go.

Roma!

You are probably expecting a more detailed blog entry of my first week of work, as opposed to what is below. However, I think my trip to Italy deserves attention for this one entry.

On Wednesday, the idea of heading to Rome began germinating in my mind. Ever since my 10th grade Humanities class, I have been fascinated with Italian art and architecture. I love the perfection of the collonades, their resistance to the years, and their symbolic representation of the idealism of Roman conquering and might. My favorite artist is Bernini. He created the Baldacchino (the great gold-pillared structure seen in pictures below), which is placed over the tomb of Saint Peter. Therefore, besides being eager to try out the Italian way of living, I certainly had a drive to see specific things.

When I learned that I could in fact do this trip, I immediately began reserving a place to stay and a ticket. You are probably wondering - why did Ashley do this so impromptu? Well, to answer your potential question, I find in life that if you do not embrace a chance, it may not come again, or in a pleasing form. It was perfect timing, as my internship work has not really started to speed up yet. So, carpe diem!

My journey began with me running off of about 2 hours of sleep, as I had been working hard in preparation for my departure the night before. However, the adrenaline in me was enough to keep me thoroughly awake. I went to the train station that is adjacent to the Parliament building, and befriended a man who was later able to guide me through the process of leaving the Brussels-Midi station for the Charleroi airport on a bus. People are very helpful in Brussels – it is hard to get lost when you can easily ask for assistance.

Throughout this departure, I was constantly nervous. I knew that every action I did could make or break my success in the venture, and I have limited help with getting to where I need to go on time. However, I was fortunate, and my foresight and intuition got me safely to where I needed to go. When I arrived at the airport, I was grateful I had left earlier than I previously thought necessary - there was a huge queue waiting for me. After much navigation through security, I was able to board the plane safely.

On the plane, I became good friends with a nice Irish couple. I talked with them about nationalism and their home country. Ironically, they were traveling to Italy to make a business deal with someone from Utah, so they asked me a lot about our culture. I really liked talking to them. After I got off the plane, the woman was kind and, like a surrogate mother, insisted that she purchase my bus ticket to the train station that was near my hostel and make sure I was heading in the right direction. Thus, I was able to enjoy my trip with them to the station as well. From there, I started navigating through the streets of Rome for my hostel.

I have never stayed in a hostel. Despite my efforts of staying at one, I must still stay that. When I finally found myself at the address of my hostel, I found “Friendship Palace” to be nonexistent. Well, so much for friendship. And palaces.

Meanwhile, I promised my parents I would contact them when I arrived safely at my new residence. I found there was a problem with this.

My cell for whatever reason would not let me make phone calls to America.

I headed back to the train station, where I knew I would have a high probability of finding a phone booth. My eyes finally alighted on a phone, but then I found myself in another predicament. It only accepted phone cards.

And I could not find a phone card machine.

I wandered around the station for several minutes, attempting my calls a few more times in case it was simply a bad connection (it was not, my phone just did not like Italy-U.S. calls apprently). I ultimately reached the point that I was going to look for the Information office. However, I wanted to take a second glance at the phone booth. I walk up to it, and still can see that I cannot use it.

Then, out of nowhere, this old man walks up to me, and starts putting a phone card in the machine, asking for me to provide him with the number. I am able to call my parents, and I am relieved I can at least take their worries away, which was more pressing on my mind than finding a place to stay. I paid the man for the card, and started looking for a branch that would take me to the Spagna – the station located right at the Spanish Steps, which is where I ended up staying.

It is nice to say I have a lot of moments like those – where someone miraculously comes out of nowhere and helps me. I am not sure if Americans are as helpful to Europeans, but… I definitely like European people.

Once I found my hotel, I was able to fully embrace Rome.

Below are over 100 pictures of where I went. SPOILER WARNING: if you want to experience these things on your own, I would advise you skip over them.

I loved this view.

Hundreds of shoe stores.

I loved this golden glow at sunset.

Okay. This is probably the best dessert I have eaten in my life. 5/5 stars for the gelato.

Mmm. So good. :) It was topped with potatoes and rosemary.

I wonder how many people get turned away for this.

The ceiling was so detailed.

The Holy Door.

You probably cannot read this, but it basically says that I must climb 320 steps after taking the lift to reach the copula. It was hot and congested when I was doing it, and its not even the time of year for major tourism...

Stairs, stairs...

Hi Baldacchino!

I loved how the light would stream in through the windows.

So green.

The "Pieta," one of my favorite works of Michaelangelo, second only to "David."

I was so thrilled I was seeing all of this, you have no idea.

My favorite angel, the Archangel Michael.

This thing is...HUGE.

I loved the flow of the marble...after doing rock sculpture myself, I can fully appreciate the skill and luck required to make such a masterpiece. This is "Truth," by Bernini.

The guys in the gladiator costumes cracked me up.

Let's take a swim, shall we? Not.

I went on a field trip! ...I just did not have the yellow hat. Hello Pantheon.

The tiramisu was good . . . but I wished I had another gelato instead.

Trevi Fountain. I made a wish. :)

A load of people were trying to sell things on the street.

I wanted to take it home. And all the others I ran across.

All right. So there are these people that dress up as statues, and randomly move. One genuinely made me jump.

Beautiful ruins.

They were everywhere.

Colosseum.

Looking out on the last night from the Spanish Steps.

Rome. The pure memory of the sun falling on this golden city makes me feel happy. The city is very enticing. My eyes could not help eagerly soaking in the clear blue skies, complimented by the green grass and carefully tended, towering shrubs. And the music! It flowed as if history was immortal. It was so natural and old. I loved the stark white buildings, pure and strong. The food was of course fantastic as well.

However, Rome, from my two-day perspective, is not all light. It is also a city whose future is based off of the revenue of the past. A strong undercurrent of constant solicitations and suffering prevails this geographical heaven. For the tourists, who are generally financially secure, the state of Italy does not affect them. However, for the locals, it is a constant battle for a street corner and your euro. The pillars and walls are tagged. Their eyes have suppressed emotion for so long they only look at your shadow as it passes before them – you are just another soul that they can beg from. They see no human in you, just a symbol of a means for getting along. I wanted to smile at a lot of people, but that would simply be translated as a false customer to them as I would have to turn down their instant offer.

So - it is not quite heaven. But elements of it are.

It is a chiaroscuro city – it has its light and dark shades, elegantly and sometimes abruptly brushed into its revered portrait. And it is a classic representation of human struggle alongside highest human perfection.

This trip was amazing and enlightening. I am very glad I took the opportunity.

Work tomorrow! =)