Rainy Days, Mondays, and the Best Brussels Experience

I traveled to Europe for the first time in the first week of December 2019 and stayed for about ten days. The first week was dedicated to professional work as a media person for a youth leadership conference (which you can read right here). This is important for context, because I never would have had the opportunity to travel to Europe without my writing.

After that event, I was pretty much free. It felt liberating to explore a new place where nobody knew who I was or dictated what I did. After a few more days in Amsterdam, where I regretted being too exhausted to visit the Christmas Market, I spontaneously traveled to Belgium with my newfound friend from Indonesia, Kezia, whom I met during the conference. She wanted to visit the chocolate factory, and though I was supposed to visit my cousin in Germany for three days, I decided that exploring another Schengen country was a better opportunity. We left Amsterdam for Belgium on Sunday night.

It was a huge mistake.

We arrived in Brussels (because the bus tickets there were cheaper than the ones for Antwerp) around 2:30 am and planned to leave that same day. We couldn't explore the nightlife and went straight to the Van Gogh Youth Hostel to regroup. The night receptionist thought I was moving to Europe because I brought three pieces of luggage; I also had my backpack and another bag with me. I told him it was my friend's - she bought a department store. The only consolation was being in a place where Vincent Van Gogh allegedly worked.

We arrived in Brussels, cleaned up a bit, and slept. We woke up around 8 in the morning and had to take a full bath (because we're Asians and we'll take a bath no matter how cold the weather is).

We got out at 9, took the map, and went outside to get Kezia a new, larger luggage to fit all her things in. I bought her medium-sized luggage to fit my stuff in when we got back home. We intended to go to the chocolate factory.

While on our trek, we passed by Belgian chocolate shops, but I told her our destination was the chocolate museums. It was raining. According to the hotel map, there would be a free city tour at the Grand Place around 13:30 since we missed the last one at 10:00. My friend said we should skip the tour and go to the chocolate factory instead, after I helped her pack.

So it was done.

I helped her pack in the locker room, booked another night's stay (I like being solo, so it was 10 euros more expensive), and asked the reception where and how to get to the chocolate museum.

Lo and behold,

It was closed.

They're open on Sundays but closed on Mondays.

There was another chocolate museum/factory open, so I thought we could go there, but my friend booked the earliest bus back to Amsterdam (at 16:00, so we didn't get a chance). She said I could go, but I was tired and disappointed at both of us for not researching whether Belgium is a good place to be on a Monday.

So instead, I went up to my new room, which was huge, spacious, had a great view, and really looked like a place where Van Gogh would have breakthroughs.

I considered going out, but it was rainy, and I didn't want to go out while it was raining and cold. So instead, I slept for about an hour, intending to grab some convenience store dinner and go exploring.

Still, I wasn't feeling up to going out: part of my brain couldn't register that I was alone in a new city where Uber was my only means of safely getting to my destination, because I could get lost using trams. I asked friends who had been here (or were in Belgium as well) for recommendations and meet-ups. All their answers were negative. So instead of wasting more time, I finally decided to make the most of my last night in Brussels. I left my hostel around 19:00, booked an Uber, and went to the Christmas Market. After seeing it, despite my brain barely registering it was real and I was there, it still felt like a dream.

After getting what everyone was getting (fries), I took a few pictures around the Christmas Market and went to find Delirium Café.

Many of my friends recommended it because Belgium is famous for its chocolates and beer, and Delirium Café allegedly has 3,000 beers, according to one friend and Trip Advisor.

In which I've proven that I suck at reading maps or trusting technology.

I never needed to use Google Maps or navigation before since I usually know my way around places. It's foolhardy not to explore potentially life-saving applications on your phone, a lesson I learned then.

I downloaded my location on Google Maps when I walked into a street with free WiFi (thank goodness for Europe's free WiFi spots). It was only by accidentally pressing buttons that I discovered the navigation feature. By then, I was getting frustrated with Google Maps, which only showed how far I should walk or satellite images of the places I had to pass. For someone who is directionally challenged and whose fingers were too cold, I was feeling rather frustrated and hopeless. And no, I didn't buy an EU SIM card because my Philippine SIM was roaming, and I figured it was enough. I planned to leave the Christmas Market, find Delirium, and assuming the place had WiFi, book an Uber once I'd had my fill of beer or buy some to bring back home.

By 20:30, I didn't know which way to go. I hopelessly followed other tourists, even finding myself in a mini-supermarket way outside the Christmas Market just to search for WiFi or shop. The mini-supermarket didn't have anything I was looking for; all they had were Ferrero Rochers and tiny chocolates. I was tempted to ask other people, but I didn't want to admit I was lost or risk getting more confused. I also found something I thought was Delirium but turned out to be just a series of bars and stores (the store was already closed) bearing the pink elephant Delirium logo. That frustrated me even more because I knew one of the most popular bars in Brussels wouldn't be closed that early!

After that, I went out again intending to go back to the street where I had once found WiFi (which was near the gay bar). Only when I found a large group of Filipinos did I feel relief. I asked them if they knew where Delirium was or if they were going there. Apparently, they were going to the gay bar (where we were just outside of), but one girl told me to follow the direction of the lights on the buildings. There I would see the Grand Place, and Delirium is just behind Grand Place. I thanked them and hesitantly parted ways, as they were going to stay where they were to catch up with their friends.

There was WiFi until I reached Grand Place (and finally got used to my navigation app). It was really, really grand. At that moment, I wished I had gone there sooner, even when it was raining earlier in the day. Even the Christmas Market was open around 12:00, but I was tired and dejected earlier.

The sight of the Christmas tree, the nativity scene, and the light show made me stay about half an hour more at the Grand Place. After which, I commenced seeking out Delirium Village.

Which by then took me another 2 hours of walking around in circles because I had no WiFi and had no clue if my navigation was working properly (it was, and I was just stupid). Again, when I instinctively went back to the street where I had been (and a shop was offering free WiFi), I told my cousin that I was lost in Belgium trying to find Delirium. I sent her my exact location and she told me not to give up and to check out Manneken Pis since I was close by anyway.

The light show was reassuring, so after unsuccessfully finding Delirium, I explored Grand Place a bit more and took many pictures. I went out again trying to follow my navigation for Manneken Pis (which I passed like 3 more times because I thought Delirium was close by).

I got farther and farther away and was actually closer to a metro station 20 minutes away from Delirium. With no WiFi, I knew I had to go back to Manneken Pis. I dared not walk farther away and just went back to where I was before. I did see interesting graffiti while lost.

Months before I even received the letter that I'd be in Amsterdam, I had a dream where I was walking alone. It was really cold, but it wasn't snowing. My feet hurt, and I felt like I was in that one episode of Spongebob where they were in the unfamiliar depths of the ocean. I felt that way—out of my depth; my feet ached walking the cobblestone path, and the only things lighting my way were the street lamps with a yellow glow. I didn't get to finish the dream because I tried to wake myself up. I just knew that in that dream, I kept pushing on because the alternative might not have been pleasant.

As I was walking further away from Manneken Pis and the Grand Place, it seemed like my weird dreams of walking alone under the streetlights had come true. I was lost, alone in a city. Cold, probably having a delirium looking for Delirium.

The taste of victory.

I was already feeling more and more hopeless and might have gone inside the bar just in front of Manneken Pis, which was also its namesake. But Delirium was my goal, and I didn't want to regret not going there. Finally, I decided to go back to Grand Place and even if my navigation stopped speaking for 10 minutes, I'd still follow it to see if it was actually working. Again.

Before 23:00, I finally found Delirium Village. I went inside and took pictures. The outside was packed because, for some reason, people liked drinking outside, so the inside didn't have many people that night. I felt better roaming around and taking pictures of the place. Some of my photographs were blurry because I couldn't feel my hands and I was really tired.

After a bit, I ordered a little Delirium Red. Having only eaten (and not finished) some fries for dinner, which was already 4 hours ago by then, I didn't feel wholly confident to order a large glass of Delirium Red. But oh my, when I first tasted it - it tasted like victory - sweet, smooth, and the best drink I've ever had, after hours of walking trying to find what was actually just close by.

Serendipitous Meeting.

After a bit of exploration inside Delirium Café and its connecting bars, I was about ready to buy some bottles and go back to my hostel. I was set to leave at 9 in the morning to meet my cousin in Germany, after all.

So I asked the bartender if Delirium bottles were for sale. At that time, there was only one other patron, who seemed to be friends with the bartender. When the bartender dropped the bottle he was practicing with, I went forward and asked if the Delirium beers were bottled and sold in the place. It turns out, they're only there for draft, but since it's popular, I could buy it anywhere in any convenience store in Europe. They only sell other bottled beers in Delirium.

At this point, perhaps sensing I was a lost tourist, the other patron came up to me and gave me helpful pointers on choosing beer. All were unfamiliar to me, so I listened to her explanations on the sour ones, the sweet ones, and her personal choices (the sour ones). Later, I introduced myself and she introduced herself. She was very bubbly and kind, even pouring out her beer in a glass for me. I asked for her contact details because I had finally found a friend in Brussels!

Much later, she asked if I wanted to stay at Delirium Café or go to the other parts of Delirium Village. She did give me a fair warning that she doesn't know her limits and if I don't feel comfortable, I should tell her and she'd make sure I got back home safe.

It was my last night in Brussels.

I had just made a new friend.

I said yes.

So we went out, talked, drank some more (most were discounted or free).

What I thought would be a waste of time in Brussels easily became one of the most memorable nights of my life.

Meeting new friends.

After a bit, I knew I would be really hammered if I didn't eat dinner, so I asked her where I could buy decent (non-fries) food because that turned out to be disappointing. She accompanied me to a deli. Again, she asked if I completely trusted her recommendations even in meals, and I said yes. It was one of the most filling dinners I've had in the last 36 hours, and the people at the shop were all great.

The deli is just about 2 minutes away from Delirium Village and they have the best wraps ever. It's worth the money, and I didn't go hungry until I reached my destination in Germany about 23:00 the next day.

We stayed and talked a bit longer, and then went back to Delirium Village, staying until closing time. It was the most surreal experience I've ever had.

To think that if I had come around 3 am Monday, I never would have met any of them and I would have only spent 30 minutes because 4 am was closing time. If I had come earlier than 23:00, I would have gone back to my hostel earlier and never would have met my new friend. So I suppose getting lost had a perk after all.

So, if you seem cool and harmless enough, you might just be in luck to find a tiny and strange woman who would introduce you to a new side of Brussels. One full of interesting people that would welcome a complete stranger into their fold and ensure they're back home safe.

THE BRUSSELS EXPERIENCE TURNED OUT TO BE NOT SO BAD EVEN ON A MONDAY

The entire Brussels experience, especially after that night, showed me a side of the world where our differences don't matter; only great ambiance, insightful conversations, and even better liquor do.

Thank you, Brussels. Thank you, Delirium. Most of all, thank you, Team Rogue!