Letting reality sink in

Well, today I ordered my first baby-related item: a nursery rhyme book from amazon.co.uk.
And because it caught my eye and I remember it fondly from my own childhood, I added to it the hungry caterpillar book.

So, before clothes or toys, a pram or a bed, bottles or pacifiers... I've bought my child-to-be some books. I guess that says a lot about a) how much I love books and b) how completely unprepared and blissfully naïve I am about the whole concept of bringing a child into this world and everything it entails.

On a slightly more realistic note, I got around to contacting an architect and builder to ask for a quote for the work that needs to be done to our place before it is even remotely ready to receive the new baby. Hopefully I can get that kick-started over the next few weeks and have everything finished well in time for the summer.

My bump has now made an appearance and although I can still button up a couple of pairs of trousers, I am pretty sure it won't last much longer. I am now mentally preparing to boldly go where I've never been before and visit a maternity clothes store. Or maybe I'll stick to H&M's maternity section?

I've put on 2kg/4.4lbs since the beginning of pregnancy (I'm almost 18 weeks on now) and I'm desperately trying to keep that number down - although you wouldn't think so judging by the amount of food I'm consuming. However, I've managed to keep it all fairly healthy so far and am drinking record amounts of water. Can you see my halo? lol.

Yesterday I had an amazing experience: a one hour long, luxurious massage. Not the first time I get a massage, but this one was particularly good and I felt so relaxed afterwards. Must try and make another appointment next month.

The rest of the week was nothing special, all work and flaking out in the sofa. I did go out on Tuesday night with two ex-colleagues to a yummy restaurant and was actually quite naughty, although no alcohol means I saved a few hundred calories compared to my usual night out.

Next week I'm off to see the Australian Pink Floyd in concert and am really looking forward to it! I've seen them 3 times before and love them! Okay, they're not the real deal, but they come pretty damn close. It's a pity baby can't hear yet as it would be in for some great music otherwise ;)

A weekend in Bristol

Just got back from a really nice weekend away with Anne. We went to Bristol by train (first class, hehehe) and spent 3 days there.

Friday was quite rainy but we got lots of walking done, visited the Clifton Suspension Bridge and spent a few hours at Bristol Zoo... I just love the animals :)
Then had a gorgeous dinner at a random Greek restaurant. If you're in Bristol, check it out, their food is divine: Entelia.

Saturday was gorgeous and we took the train to Bath for the day and completely milked our 2 for 1 sightseeing bus tour tickets. The tour guides on the busses were so nice and gave us lots of interesting info we wouldn't have had otherwise. I treated myself to fish & chips for lunch, but got the healthy-ish option of cajun grilled salmon instead of fish in batter, which was yummy. I of course absolutely adore chips with malt vinegar, so no healthier option there, ahum!

Saturday night, after relaxing back at the hotel for a few hours, we went out to The Shed for drinks on the the terrace overlooking the river Avon, followed by a really nice dinner. I had the Scottish smoked salmon
followed by a thaï green vegetable curry. Yummy :)


Today we took day passes for the ferries and went up and down the river all day, stopping off at the SS Great Britain, the one thing I absolutely wanted to see. It was really, really worth it, absolutely amazing! I love maritime history, especially stories about ocean liners, so I was in heaven. The museum and the ship are beautifully presented and there is just so much to see and read about... and of course the ship itself is the highlight of the tour. I am completely awestruck by how well it has been restored and how amazingly the interior has been reconstructed to give us a glimpse at how it must have been in those days. I even got quite emotional walking through the 3rd class quarters. This is a picture of the engine room:

I wonder if any of my ancestors immigrated to New Zealand on that ship, as there were quite a few Armstrongs listed in the passenger records. I will ask my mum next time I speak to her... Also, the whole visit to Bristol was a bit of a pilgrimage for me as it is where my mum went to university, so it was really strange discovering the city and imagining her living there all those years ago (well, about 40!).

We finished off the day with a nice late lunch on a sunny terrace overlooking the water and I actually got a bit of a sunburn. So now after this really nice weekend I'm back in London for the last 3 days of my trip and wondering what to do with the time I have left as the course is over and I don't have any other obligations... I think I'll try and get a ticket for Priscilla Queen of the Desert or Mamma Mia and maybe go to Tate Modern. Fill up on culture before heading back to Brussels ;)

Weekend in Bruges

I'm just back from a lovely romantic weekend in Bruges, without doubt the prettiest town in Belgium, and thought I'd share some pictures.

We arrived yesterday afternoon and went for a long walk in the town, through the shopping streets, before relaxing in front of an open fire in a local pub with a nice Belgian beer.

We had a really yummy dinner then headed back to the hotel to enjoy our "junior suite" :)

Today after breakfast we headed back into town and took a boat ride on the canals that run all through the town centre. It still amazes me how the houses can stay standing after hundreds of years of wear and tear from the canal waters.

Bruges really is a beautiful place to visit, even on a cold day like today... the houses are all so quaint and every corner you turn offers a post-card shot.

A walk in the woods

I went out to the British supermarket in Kortenberg today. It's a 20 minute drive from where I live, so I don't get out there too often, but when I do it's like Christmas :)

I love British food, British brands, the homely feeling I get when I pick up a packet of oatcakes or a jar of Sunpat peanut butter (imagine I live without those things on a daily basis here!) and I do treat myself when I get out there. Walking into the store is like travelling back home :)

I was also interested in trying out some of the WW foods I'd read about on the 5+ WW board, and they had a really large selection, which was cool. I got a packet of WW naan bread and a jar of WW korma sauce, so will try those out tomorrow for dinner.

On the way back home from the store, I have to drive through some woods, and today I really felt like getting out and going for a walk, so I did.

Walking in the nature isn't something I get to do a lot here in Belgium, which is a pity as I enjoy it so much. But the reality is that there just aren't that many green spaces where you can take a walk and clear your head with no one else around. In fact, if you take my imaginary list of the "Top 10 Things I Hate About Belgium", number one would be the fact it's so over-populated (other items being their apparent inability to queue and the fact they eat their chips with mayonnaise instead of vinegar).

I grew up in Shetland... a place where you can go for a 3 hour walk without seeing a soul. You can sit on a rock and look out to sea and rebuild the world without anyone bursting your bubble. It's heaven. Here, the moment the sun comes out, it's as if every acre of forest or field is immediately populated by 5 families complete with pushchairs and dogs and a bunch of people on horses...

Misanthropic remarks aside, I guess I just find it difficult to feel "at one" with the nature around me when I'm sharing it with 20 other people...

Luckily today it was still really cold, so I only ran into 1 pushchair family, 2 people on horses and a couple of other lonely wanderers while I was out.

The walk was worth it though, and I find the woods in the winter emit a special kind of energy, with the majestic trees standing proud and barren amid a blanket of brown leaves... it was really quite beautiful.

I also managed this spooky Blair-witch project-type picture of myself... lol

Eating out: Skievelat

Last night I met up with some friends at the Skievelat, a "brasserie" type resto-bar near the Sablon. We had a few drinks, dinner and then some more drinks and had a really enjoyable evening. I love the atmosphere at the Skievelat, with loud music and dimmed lights, and the fact they serve delicious, cheap food and know how to make a mojito.

Tom's One Man Show

Tonight I went to see "J'ai jamais compris", a one man show by a friend's brother.

The friend, who I went to high school with, has spent the last few years developing a career managing and producing upcoming comedians. His brother Tom has the same bug and recently wrote his own show. It was a really good evening, fun show and opportunity to catch up with friends I don't see enough of.

He has a few more dates planned, and I would definitely recommend going to see him!

http://tom.mediamorphose.com/

The Votes on stage in VUB Kultuurkaffee

Last night the Votes performed in the VUB Kultuurkaffee, the center of student life for VUB students.



The Votes are a pretty new group - they started rehearsing about a year ago - but they've got really catchy songs and hopefully they'll go a long way.

You can check out their Myspace page to listen to their music: www.myspace.com/thevotes

Oh, and the drummer is my husband-to-be, but that doesn't mean I'm biased ;)

It was really nice being back in a student setting, weird as that may seem. The untidiness and lack of formality were so refreshing and brought me back to a simpler time, when playing card games and drinking beer were top priorities on your agenda.

I especially enjoy the way students dress. Well, I guess I still dress like that. Not really caring what you have on, as long as it's comfortable and doesn't smell too bad, lol.

Student life was perfect for me. I never went to lectures, preferring to spend my days chatting and playing cards, either in the Campouce or the Foyer, or on the lawn outside the library on a nice day. I'd basically arrive around 8, as I had to pretend I was going to class for my dad. On most days there'd be a steady flow of regular friends to chat with, and games of whist for mental exercise. Some days one of the "Cercles" would organise a "TD midi-minuit", or drinks and music from noon to midnight. Great opportunities for drinking games, passing out and arriving home drunk for dinner.

I just wish I'd chosen a more inspiring subject. Business School was nothing for me. I was attracted by the diversity of topics, but truthfully, none of them managed to captivate me. I would probably have spent more time in the auditorium if they had.

I'd love to go back to university. I'd study Psychology. And hang out in the Campouce playing cards. Of course, I'd basically be 12 years older than the other students in my year and I'm not sure anyone would be interested in hanging out with me, lol.