"TGV meeting" Région de Bruxelles-Capitale Travelogue by Norali

After some days of hesitation (due to some responsibilities and program planned ahead), I could finally confirm my attending to this meeting. Sorry I-G, I didn't feel the urge in subscribing in the meeting calendar. Twas a small group so thought a simple advice was enough. We were six in total..

Strange enough, it's not the first time that I met up for some hours but it was the first time in a train station. Plus, this Midi-Zuid station is one I am not really used to. Once again, I sticked to my "(I'd better) Give it a try and WHOLEHEARTEDLY" motto.. and fun was the result.

Yet, the early hours of the day was a bit hectic. Some unforeseen important things to do...then I warned Ian-Grace ze organizer, about the delay. Also, had some problems while catching the metro.. incidentally booby-trapped, fell, had a small cut on my thumb but could manage to attend it.

So, I arrived like half an hour late at the meeting spot: Sam's café.

I found there the bunch around an already "messy" table... with cameras, cards, bits of waffles. Hmmm.. cold waffles. Who could eat that? haha

Aaah! I also noticed some fuschia heart-shaped balloons as part of the luggage. How fun!

My memory of my arrival was Geisha_Girl credo "We want you! We want you!" haha. Same words when she, I-G and Christian waited for me to confirm my attending.

So I took seat and could enjoy the chat, sharing drinks (warm chocos and coffee) and most of all, the warm waffles... yes, the warm ones.

Ian-Grace was a very efficient organizer. She sure pampered us there. Us were: the whirling couple (Rochelle and Christian), Gini, Ian-Grace ze organizer, Steve and myself.

We started by chatting while signing cards (I was the last one to sign). Sometimes, the announcements in the station overpowered our conversation but we had some good laughs. Quite after some time, Steve left for work. Too soon. Also, I-G was fetching for some waffles, warm drinks. Don't like to advertize about Haagen-Dazs but they had the rightly sealed packing to keep those waffles warm.

Steve, Christian, Rochelle, Gini

Funny enough, I talked with Christian about what he knows about Madagascar. He had visited my country for one month.. Soon, it turned out into a dialog, Ian-Grace, Rochelle and Gini starting their own chat... One big reason to that: we ended up speaking French and talked about something proper to Madagascar, a bit of his homecity and French atlantic coast.

Christian, does whisky replace Lariam for malaria prevention? Seems, yes.. according to his acquaintances in Madagascar..

We could talk about our travel plans (not that I have some firm ones).. but it was some time for Ian-grace and Rochelle to settle some points for Ian-Grace's SF trip (April) and Rochelle and Christian's to SE Asia (was it that?)... Some VT meets en perspective already?

Like in many of our European meets, lots of languages spoken here. Our visitors heard Dutch, English, French and, even some Philipino (I think)... Oh well.

Btw, Steve is the perfect Brussels guy imho (Oh.. I know he is a Gentenaar). His French is flawless so is his English.. and he is born Flemish (Dutch- speaking). If he had German then he would be the perfect Belgian. I had already said that somewhere, no?

Off course, VT meet means pictures.

The "posers" (I-G) :))

Aren't they cute?
Wave a camera and the "posers" would instantly place themselves for some composition... "Posers" is not a pejorative term, for me.

I was quite impressed by the plans of this whirling couple. They managed to visit four cities in less than a week. I found that terrific.

Here enjoying the pose with beer and "ice cream" for Rochelle. I already offered her to taste other flavours of this ice-cream when she will return here... I am afraid though that two hours wouldn't be enough to taste some "bières artisanales".

Still remember Rochelle's tales (and our jokes) on their trip to A'dam... Well, what can I say... "Bring your man to A'dam and you'll know much more about him"... hahaha
A'dam with the RLD, the coffeeshops... Seems this guy was not a neophyte in some local customs there. I am not telling which one ;-)

That was fun.. 2 hours in a train station.. quite cold and windy (!) though... Some time to meet new faces (in flesh, that is). But again, the "known" face I don't have chances to meet often with has left too soon.


*****To be continued*****