Well,
It had to happen eventually. You all are aware by now that we are departing Belgium tomorrow and ironically this is also my first post to the blog. As we pack our belongings and I work diligently to finish off the French wine collection that was so carefully assembled over the last 2.5 years, I thought it was necessary to reflect a bit on the adventure.
To a committed type-A control freak, Belgium remains a bit of a wonderful conundrum even after two-plus years. I have learned to accept a few degrees additional randomness in my life whether it is the ever changing weather, sudden closing of a store due to "holidays", my total ignorance of local events or the mysterious police ticket that requires countless visits to the local (and exceedingly friendly) precinct to resolve. I have no doubt that I will quickly re-acclimate to life in America but also know that I will soon find the occasion to reminisce how it was "done in Belgium". It is a given that the first time a bubbly American server comes to my restaurant table and introduces themselves as "hi my name is xxxxx and I'll be your server" I will long for a surly Belgian "professional" who demands that I order the absolutely delicious specialty of the night, serves the correct wine for my meal without asking and perfectly times the main course so that it does not arrive on top of the appetizer - all with no expectation for a tip.
It would not be appropriate to leave Belgium without some kind of list. For those of you who have spent any time here you will recognize the following. You know when you've been in Belgium too long when ...
-You always stop your car for traffic from even the tiniest little road from the right.
-You consider breaking the speed limit normal, and honk and flash at people who don't.
-You catch yourself ordering a "Supplement Frites" with every single dish you have in any
kind of restaurant.
-You give other foreigners lectures on the difference between fake and real monastery-
produced beer.
-You don't drink the last two centilitres of a Westmalle trippel.
-You never wear any colour brighter than dark green. You automatically assume anyone
who does is either:
a. Dutch
b. Scandinavian
c. American or
d. Extremely rude
-Just one day without rain even in July and August can make you happy.
-You consider it normal that even the train to and from the airport has announcements in
both Dutch and French, but not in English. You don't react when all the foreigners storm
out of the train at the announcement of Brussels North when coming from the airport.
-You think it looks nice when the type of pavement tiles in front of each house are
different, and you don't mind falling over lopsided tiles occasionally.
-You take dog-shit on the pavement as just another challenge on you daily walks.
-You keep three colours of bin-bags for different kinds of waste, and remember which days
to put out which kind of bag on the pavement in front of your house.
-You have given up on any sensible political discussion on the language divide in general
and the Brussels Capital Region and the future of Belgium in particular.
-You consider it perfectly normal when the names of towns on road signs change from
French to Dutch and vice versa every 5 or 10 kilometres of motorway.
-You have understood that the hassle of monthly visits to the municipality to obtain papers
or residence permits is reserved for recently arrived foreigners who move every 6 months,
and you therefore don't complain over your own annual visit where you wait in line for an
hour or two.
You know what I am talking about!
I am thankful for the opportunity to have worked and lived in Belgium - for the opportunity to experience a new country, a new culture and a new way of looking at life. I can honestly say that my eyes have been opened a bit wider and that I am better for the opportunity. That said, I am most thankful for how wonderful Belgium was for Jill. I will miss the reports of who was met on the daily dog walks (we miss you Max), what European vacation is in the queue, what treasures were acquired on the shopping expedition and what "local" she engaged in another round of CHARADES.
Thank you Belgium and thank you Jill for another wonderful chapter in our life.
Foxy sleeping on my lap during dinner - she really misses going to resturants with us.
My dessert - yummy yummy
The guys preparing the food
My shrimp in garlic and butter
The walls were coved with tiles
Saturday night before we left we had tickets to the ballet. It was the first time for both of us attending a ballet. It was good but both of us were very tired and the stage lights were so hot we thought we were going to die. 
My ballet outfit. I could not find the shoes I wanted to wear so I settled for my boots. (only the second time I have worn a dress in Beligum - it was pouring and cold that night and we had to walk a ways back to the car after. I looked at it this way I will not have to walk in heels on the cobbles again for a long time ) 
If you can believe this...I bought these in Brussels right before we left in a snow storm. The man thought I crazy wanting to look at sunglass in a snow storm. I will get a lot of use out of them in LA.
The organ grinder came to our neighborhood on the 6th of December. It may be corny but I liked when he came though our hood. 
These are my treasure that I got in Koln. I'm not a big fan of the whole house thing, but for some reason I really like this one. You are suppose to put incense in the house then it comes out he chimney. 
cheese, olives and nuts spread with some kind of brandy drink - yes there was dancing after lunch - not to mention very fast speaking spanish. 
When we have stayed in Paris for NYE we stayed just north of Harry Winston by the police station. The circle is the Champs-Elysees. Just down from Harry is where I got my Louis purse.
This is a ad stating the skating rink is open at Place Sainte Catherine. I will miss the ads in Europe very much they are very created and don't worrying about the political correctness. (however some days you see nudity when you least expect it)
One reason I like them is they have dutch and french on them - very Belgium - and perfect treasure to take home. 
Bonus they had a tea mug - so come and visit me in LA and have a coffee or tea in a cool glass. 
We had our first in-n-out burger. Oh are we going to have culture shock moving back...the lady showing us around didn't even think twice about going through the drive-through. We had our burgers specially wrapped to drive and got these place mats for our laps then we were good to go! Lord Help Us.
My favorite dog in Athens...she liked hanging out in the closet and digging on the bathrobe. 
The guy in the green sweater is one of the tourist we saw at dinner on Saturday -actually all 3 of them were there. (temple of olympian zeus acropolis in the fore ground)
