Day 126

A couple days ago the snow and the cold came back to Brussels.

 

  

Today I am home, took the day off :) Still have one more day off to enjoy next week.

I was suppose to be writing cover letters for job applications, but my Word has been having some kind of problems for a few months now and I can't seem to fix it :( it keeps freezing and complains that it's still looking for some printer...

Yesterday I went back to Start People and finally registered. Now I just have to send my CV via e-mail every two weeks and hope to get lucky real soon.

The streets are still a little white and there's ice all around, but there are rays of light breaking through the grey clouds, hitting my face :)

Weekend :) 

On reading matters: finished (re)reading Harry Potter in Portuguese (how awful was that translation some times) and am currently reading The Shinning and hoping it won't creep me out and let me sleep. 

 

Machine Head live (videos)

Here are two videos I made during the concert:

 

Machine Head at Forest National/Vorst Nationaal

Last Friday,  after spending the whole day in a meeting/conference that I had been organising for the last three months, I had a little pearl waiting for me: Machine Head were playing right here in Brussels and I could not resist and got myself a ticket a few weeks ago.

I came home after the meeting, so tired, checked B for the trains and then went to rest for a bit.
For some reason, I got the idea that the train was at 19.12 instead of 19.06 so.... I arrived there a little too late to get that one. The next train was only at 19.39. Went to sit in the waiting room and not long after a homeless person, who unfortunately smelled really bad, sat right next to me. I didn't want to get up all of a sudden, to be rude, so I stayed there for another five minutes, not inhaling, just breathing through my mouth and then decided to just get up and wait the rest of the time standing somewhere else.

My train arrived on time (several trains were late that evening) but, suddenly, when we reached Forest I realised I was not at Forest Est, I was at Forest Zuid/Midi, in the middle of the factories!!!! It was quite dark already and there was almost no one to be seen... I went to talk to the security guy and asked him for help, because I couldn't seem to find the way out. "You should take the tunnel and then turn right". "That tunnel over there", I asked. And he said yes, so I tried that tunnel that went under the rails. When I came out on the other side, I could only see more factories and no way out. I walked towards the first building where there was still light on and another security guy. I went in and asked for help - he was one of the rudest persons I have EVER met! He turn to me and said "I don't work for the train company, I don't have to tell you anything about trains or buses. This is private property" etc etc. Again, I asked him for help and he replied to me the exact same way, gesticulating a lot... I didn't want to be as rude as him, so I just turn my back and walked away, leaving him to continue directing his rudeness... Is it that hard to help someone, even if they are on private property?!

I face palmed and thought to myself "I really get myself in the most awkward situations sometimes".

Walked back to the first security guy, who was very nice once again, but he was still unsure about the direction. Luckily, when he was leaving his little "house" to help me, a lady was coming from one of the factories and explained to me how to get out and that I was really close to the centre, 5-minute walk.

Note: If you ever want to take the train to go to Forest National, make sure you type Forest EST, so you don't leave any space for mistakes.

The 5-minute walk was more like a 15-minute walk, but I didn't really care. I was just happy not be stuck in the middle of the factories in the dark any more.

I finally arrived to the venue around 20.20. And then I realised - oops, the doors opened at 18h and not at 19h, which means the bands started at 19h and not at 20h and the second band was already finishing their performance by the time I arrived. Face palm again! I was really out that day! :) I have been to so many concerts and I don't recall ever mixing the timetable, but I honestly just really wanted to see Machine Head, so I guess I got what I wanted. No All Shall Perish and no Hatebreed for me then. 

Machine Head started playing at 21.00 and played until 22.45.
It was a brilliant concert as usual, they are definitely one of my favourite live bands. The set list was quite mixed, new and older stuff to please everyone.
It's the third year they tour with The Blackening album and for me it was the third time I saw them - once each year in three different countries :) First Germany, then Portugal and now Belgium. In each one of those times their performances were amazing!

Here's a "couple" pictures :)

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

The only downside was that during my favourite song, Halo (the one before the last, Davidian as usual), I wasn't really paying attention to my surroundings and I think a guy might have jumped, fell on the guy next to me, who then fell on me and elbowed my nose. I was lucky, because he hit the bone and not the cartilage - if he had hit my cartilage that hard I am sure it would have broken in a very nasty way. Anyway, didn't broke, was just swollen for a few days and, after all, it was a metal concert so... I knew what I was going for :) (sorry, it's a Portuguese expression).

Thank you Machine Head!!

No weird events to report on the trip back home :)

Note: If you're interested in going to a concert at Forest National, there are several options, being the fastest getting a train at Central Station. It only takes 10 minutes and drops you at Forest EST, less than five minutes walking from the venue. Normally, though the timetable may change depending on the days, the last train leaves at 23.06 and concerts normally finish on time so people have enough time to get to the small train station and catch the last train.

Ireland (last post)

There is not much more to write about my stay (of course, there's more pictures and a couple more bars, but I think I already posted enough).

It was lovely, I had a great time and will be forever thankful for the hospitality girls!
Will try to go back some day, for warmers days.

Last photos, at the airport:

 

 

Lacuna Coil at The Academy (Dublin)

During this trip, I also got a bonus: Lacuna Coil were playing there on the 29th and my friend was already planning to go anyway.

I had seen them at least twice before, at Wacken (crowd of about 70.000) and M'era Luna (15-20.000), but this time it was nice to see them at a tiny cute little venue (that room could take about 650 plus 250 up on the balconies).

It was a great concert!

 

Here's a few photos as well:

 

  

  

  

  

 

Ireland - Dublin City

 On Friday we spent the day visiting Dublin. We hopped on one of those tourist buses, went to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells, visited the Dublin Castle (a little different then what I expected, I might say), saw several expositions on the Chester Beatty Library, check Dublinia & the Viking World just next to Christ Church,... First it was nice and sunny, but during the day, special after three o'clock, it started getting cold and rainy. It was a nice day walking around, seeing the city.

 

  

The Spire

Trinity College

 

Dublin Castle:

 

 

  

Christ Church:

 

 

  

 

GPO

 

Ireland - Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough

My friend took Thursday and Friday off, so we would have time to do some sight-seeing.

On Thursday we drove through the Wicklow Mountains, so I could see the country side. It was cloudy and cold, but it was beautiful up there. We kind of got stuck on Sally Gap, when suddenly the road was completely blocked with snow. It seemed like a scene from a movie.

 

  

 

My friend did a very tight U-turn and we went back t0 where we came from. She wanted to show me a big waterfall close, but the access was closed.
We spent quite some time driving around, trying to find the Motty Stone (close to Avoca), but.... it didn't happen. No worries, next time ;)

To compensate, earlier we did find our way to Glendalough and, instead of describing, I will simply post some pictures. I loved it!

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

This lovely location has been the scenery for several movies, such as Braveheart.

That night we had a lovely dinner with her parents. I tried the "original" salt & vinegar chips :)