Being in Brussels is like I’m inside The Truman Show. And it’s not the Kevin Show. It’s as if there’s been a sequel — The Truman Show Goes To Europe — and I am a poorly screened extra who has wandered onto the backlot fantasy world of a European town. It all has this surreal, facade-y feel. I don’t know what people do here. I mean, they EU here, sure. And there’s stuff happening to be sure. But it seems like the majority of people seem to hang out at cafes or in the numerous pubs that dot the streets… and at all hours of the day. It’s not raucous or rambunctious. It’s actually kinda like New Orleans with 75% less debauch. It’s all very civilized and charming and yet oddly unworldly… is it Stepfordian? I’m not sure. It’s kinda magical I guess… and I haven’t even been to Bruges yet. You know Bruges:
This morning I made a trek out to Atomium, the relic symbolic landmark of the World’s Fair Expo 58. It’s really quite a thing. Much like the Eiffel Tower in France, once the fair was over the locals wanted to make the temporary thing a permanent part of the cityscape. And good thing too — it was swarming with tourists when I was there.
The structure itself is apparently supposed to be an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times its normal size. I thought it looked like a giant Jack had merged with one of those Hoberman Spheres.
Note: I had to google “expanding mini sphere toy” to learn the name. It looks like this:
I didn’t pay the money to go inside and take a look a the various observation decks. I was good just gawking at it from afar, from outside. Maybe I’ll regret that… but I don’t think so. I’m seeing plenty of Brussels on foot and I’ll see even more on Sunday at the Marathon.
The Atomium Thing is also next door to Mini Europe, a theme park of miniature European Union landmarks that I thought I’d check out. The admission there was a steep 15,30 Euros but, well, I skipped the Atomium so…
The miniatures ranged from super impressive to “what the hell is happening with those miniature people in this scene?” I appreciate a good injoke as much as anyone; a few easter eggs here and there is good for repeat viewings and to keep folks engaged. Fine, fine. But every so often even I think, “wait… what? What’s up with that?” Case in point:
Huh. I mean, even miniature people are allowed to choose their own path and their own happiness but… um, I mean… there’s a whole NOVEL to be written about this supporting character on that boat.
I just kept snapping photos around the place. It was something of an obsession — somebody made this. A lot of somebodies made this. A lot of time and a lot of money and a lot of energy went into this. It was… fascinating. I could not look away.
I even took a few videos, something I almost never do. But some things just need to be seen in living color and heard in glorious mono to be believed.
Having spent WAY too much time wandering the “downsized” versions of the EU, I set out to the Brussels Marathon Expo to pick up my bib for Sunday’s run. I’m still fighting this annoying cold/sinus infection and didn’t have much of an appetite. My mouth tastes of medicine, my stomach roils with too many drugs and not enough sustenance. I cancelled my evening’s reservation at a Belgian place to do a tasting menu of local cuisines and rescheduled it for Monday, my last night in town, as a blow out. I did however partake of one of the top Belgian foods – fries with special sauces. I went with the chip man’s recommendation of sorta-spicy “andalouse,” scared off of the super spicy “samurai” dipping sauce. Some day that samurai and I are gonna square off. Some day. Maybe in Bruges.
The expo itself was the usual, usual. It’s about a 45 minute walk from my hotel at Parc du Cinquantenaire, which is also the start line for Sunday.
I’m not entirely sure what “animation” means on the legend. With the snare drum icon I’m guess maybe “entertainment.” But I was equally baffled when I first walked into the park and the sign said, “Animations.” There are no animatronic Belgians that I saw. No cartoons offering guidance. Huh. I guess I’ll find out on Sunday.