BIG, BIGGER, EU

The European Parliament

I think that the best way to start writing again is to just pick up exactly where you left, no excuses, no explanations. What excuses could I give, anyway? That my life has become a kaleidoscope of changes, that I keep bumping my head on the bunk bed, that I'm constantly taking decisions I'm not sure I want to take? No, no excuses. Instead, let me tell you about heart of the heart of Europe: the European Quarter in Brussels. 

Big, Bigger, EU

The very centre of the European district is the Schuman roundabout. You can get there straight from the airport, and from every part of the city by train, bus and, of course, the tube. The underground station is by all means the ugliest one in Brussels (believe it or not, they tend to be quite pretty), which does not cease to amaze me, as this is the very station that receives all the VIPs. The Commission and Council are right there, their huge buildings waiting to impress and intimidate you as soon as you leave the underground. Fancy men and women, speaking every language you can possibly imagine, move around quickly, expertly, sporting their suits and dresses, never taking off their badges. They have quick coffees and croissants, and disappear behind the big doors of important buildings, inaccessible for regular, badgeless, mortal individuals like yours truly. It's big, it's bigger, it's EU.

Ghost town

The European district in the morning is absolutely bustling with life. The crowded underground spits out thousands of people (the Commission alone employs 25 thousand!), who hurry in all directions, chat animatedly, stop for a quick breakfast at one of the many cafes... All in all, your typical morning in the busy city centre. Go to the very same places after 6 pm or on a day when the Commission in closed, and you will be shocked at how the hustle and bustle of this neighbourhood gives way to something completely opposite - the streets seem abandoned, the cafes and restaurants don't even bother opening, all is calm, all is quiet... Strange, cold and unsympathetic. The big buildings tower over this ghost town, patiently waiting for the holiday to end.

Go green!

Le Cinquantenaire

Contrary to what you might be imagining by now, this area is not ugly. There are many beautiful old buildings which have been adapted for offices, and if you feel like a stroll after work, you are very close to two lovely parks: Parc Leopold and the famous Cinquantenaire. They are both worth a stroll, and they both boast more than just trees and grass. Parc Leopold is home to the Museum of Natural History, while Cinquantenaire hosts the Autoworld (car museum) and the Royal Museum for Art and History. You can also go up the Triumphal Arch (built by king Leopold II for the fiftieth anniversary of the creation of Belgium - hence the name of the arch and the park) and enjoy very nice views of Brussels. I personally like having lunch in the park - a very nice change from the monotony of the office.

Night life or Networking?

Although basically everything in close vicinity of the Commission closes around 6 pm, you can also go out in the European district. In order to do this, however, you must take a walk towards the Parliament and visit the famous Place Luxembourg or, for the ones in the know, Place Lux. The many bars there (including a shabby Polish one) open their doors to all kinds of Eurocrats, ranging from the very bottom of the food chain (les stagaires or interns) to prominent officials. Place Lux is the place every Thursday, and it is also considered a good place to meet the right people and work on your career. So if you're in need of some good nightworking, I mean, networking, make sure you pass by.

Apparently, the city of Brussels now insists on animating the European district. People are invited to buy flats in the area, shops are encouraged to open, new European buildings are being placed in different parts of the city - all in all, Brussels is trying to change this strange European ghetto into a normal neighbourhood. As I get out of the underground at Schuman every morning, I tend to think that they are still very far from it. But that's okay. This way, I have a story to tell.