My Dad and I moved to Brussels, Belgium in the summer of 2012. We moved into the province (like a small county/a cluster of neighborhoods) of Auderghem, on Avenue Isidore Gerard Street. Having come from a small boarding school in Massachusettes in the USA, I was a complete stranger to the language, the culture, the weather, and practically everything else in this new place I called home. I indulged in my childhood instict: to explore. I had my bicycle, my skateboard, and my Dad told me about the tram just down the road from our house. Which would I take today?
[[Take the bike]]
[[Grab the skateboard]]
[[Walk to the tram stop and catch the next one->Tram 44]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/pb2m35tbnfvhh0l/home.jpg?dl=1" width="800" height="800">A large, deep blue colored mountain bike I used in the USA, sits with its wheels pumped and parts well oiled outside the house. I can take it towards the roundabout or to the other end of the street, down to the tram stop and bike path leading down to the Tram Museum. The sky is usually gray, but now in the summer the weather is warm and the ground is dry, a perfect day for a bike ride.
[[Go left towards bike path->Bikepath beginning]]
[[Head right towards the roundabout->Roundabout - Bike]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/5jy6hxmzp49cd6c/bike.jpg?dl=1" width="1200" height="1200">The skateboard. I started skating much more often after moving to Belgium. The country's calm atmosphere, hilly landscapes and generally smooth roads made it a good method of transportation for everyday use. Leaving my house to the left headed towards the tram stop, a town called Stokel, and a bike path. To the right was a roundaboat and more of my neighborhood Auderghem. This direction went towards downtown Brussels and my school, too - but there are many ways to get from one place to another quite easily in Belgium.
[[Go left and skate to the nearby tram stop-> Avenue Isidore Gerard]]
[[Head right and skate towards the roundabout->Roundabout - Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/dpiopofc6hmylml/skateboard.jpg?dl=1" width="900" height="600">I was certainly very lucky just in the fact that a tram stop was so close to home. Trams are the most viable and economic option, I would argue. However, every non-adult I knew including myself relied on one important factor: that the STIB (metro ticket authroity, who wrote you a fine if you didn't have a ticket) were not on the tram while you were riding. However they were almost never onboard, which was funny, strange, and generally great for students. In my three years of taking the tram almost daily, I only paid three or four times! At most tram stops, like this one, you could catch a tram in at least two directions, and sometimes multiple trams with different courses stopped at the same stop. To the north was the province Tervuren, where my friend Tom lived. To the south the line went to the Tram Museum. Trams were great even for day walks, as you could take one and return anytime because they stopped so often.
[[Take the tram north towards the province of Tervuren->Tram line to Tervuren]]
[[Take the tram south to the Tram Museum->Tram Museum - Foot]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/5of89attkh18agk/tram%2044.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">The roundabout was a great place for me to practice my skating, but even on my bike I would sometimes go around the loop several times for fun. Being a quiet neighborhood, there weren't many cars before rush hour, so I didn't have to worry about them as much. One of the roundabout exits led to residential streets in Auderghem and eventually to a lake, and the other led to other residential streets that eventually led to downtown Auderghem.
[[Go down the quiet streets->Quiet Streets - Bike]]
[[Bike up the hill and down towards downtown Auderghem->Downtown Auderghem - Bike]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/055jw9ifxx5or21/roundabout.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Taking the bike left of my house, I soon reached the bike path and Tram 44 stop. Across the tram tracks was also the road up to the province of Stockel. The bike path was a long and mellow downhill cruise that eventually reached the Tram Museum and local parks.
[[Bike down the bikelane->Auderghem Bike Path - Bike]]
[[Bike on the road towards Stockel->Stockel]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/zui4i84hpzbp7k2/bikepath%20beg.jpg?dl=1" width="600" height="700">Pita Palace, the local durum shop, was a small Mediterean themed food joint. A durum is like a gyro-hybrid, which incorporates Greek style gyros with Belgian delicacies such as fries and Andalouse (a sauce that was similar to a combination of ketchup and mayonaise). For only 5 dollars I could buy a big durum and a drink. John was lucky enough to be living literally 30 feet away from the shop, making Pita Palace a first stop before heading out for the day, or the last bite to eat before we turned in for the night. When I visited Belgium several years later, I ate a durum nearly every day.
[[Bike and explore some more->Stockel Neighborhoods - Bike]]
[[Go back home and travel somewhere else today->Home]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjosnubp1zyz0t6/pita%20palace.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Stockel was similar to my neighborhood, Auderghem, because of how many retired/older people lived here. Therefore the town never really seemed very busy aside from rush hour, and even then the crowds quickly dissapeared thereafter. During the night time, the sky became very dark, but yellow lights coming from all the houses in the neighborhood softly illuminated the side streets and cobblestone paths all throughout Stockel. One of my pasttimes is walking around towns or neighborhoods and looking at nice houses. Stockel was my favorite place to do this. It was quiet and safe enough that people didn't care or complain about kids walking around at any hour during the night. When a fog would cover the roads, it was a magical feeling to be walking around and only at first see an orange glow hovering in the air, and soon as I got closer see a whole house seem to materialize out of nowhere.
[[Bike home on the quiet main road back->Home]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/lwdp6hfrb8q9jpn/stockel%20neighborhood.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">The tram museum is a big depot that sends and recieves trams from many locations. Aside from being a depot, there is also a building which showcases the history of tram transportation in Belgium. From here, you could essentially begin a journey that could efficiently take you to most places in Belgium (probably switching to metro or bus at some point). Convientally, there were multiple trams here that took me towards school, downtown Auderghem, and downtown Brussels. An expansive recreational park was located just next to the tram museum, which was a great place to bike. At Tram Museum where there is a lot of space to board, it was easy to bring my bike onto the tram with me. I rarely did this though, as I much prefered to strictly travel by bike when I brought it out with me.
[[Bike back home->Home]]
[[Cross the road and bike in the Auderghem park->Auderghem Park - Bike]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/gzf8v3sm7izezih/tram%20museum.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">The tram museum is a big depot that sends and recieves trams from many locations. Aside from being a depot, there is also a building which showcases the history of tram transportation in Belgium. From here, you could essentially begin a journey that could efficiently take you to most places in Belgium (probably switching to metro or bus at some point). Convientally, there were multiple trams here that took me towards school, downtown Auderghem, and downtown Brussels. An expansive recreational park was located just next to the tram museum, but without a bike its hills would a short end to the daytime walking trip. Being on foot was no matter however, as the Tram Museum took me to many other interesting locations.
[[Get on Tram 8 and head towards the skatepark->Tram 8 - Skate]]
[[Call it a day and skate back home->Home]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/gzf8v3sm7izezih/tram%20museum.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">The Auderghem park was an expansive green sea of grass and forest, with probably at least a dozen large open areas to picnic at. There were massive rocks I would climb on top of and listen to music while I watched cars and trams near the Tram Museum come and go. It was certainly a workout, with so many uphills and downhills taking me deeper into the park. Eventually one would reach the edges where paths were less maintained, and shrubs and trees drooped over the walkways. Sometimes here I would come across half demolished stone structures, and always imagined that I was seeing some remnant of the medievel times. By the time I finsihed biking around, my legs were so tired, and I usually got on a tram back home from the Museum.
[[Call it a day and bike back home->Home]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/xwb2hyxqd662wyt/auderghem%20park.jpg?dl=1" width="800" height="800">Downtown Auderghem was small, but because many neighborhoods bordered it, the restaurants were nice and the foot traffic was sometimes busy. My favourite restaurant was a small place that served crepes and ice creams. I would often make the plan to spend the day skating, and then finish by going here to eat some sugary foods. With my bike, I could easily lock it up on a post outside the crepe shop's window. There were bus and tram stops, and many roads meeting at the interesctions, coming and going in all kinds of directions. I rarely walked from home to here, but it was doable in a twenty minute walk. From here I could take the tram, metro or bus to numerous places. With my bike, the least tiresome way back home was back to Tram Museum, since it was less uphill. However, I many times did walk my bike up the steep hill back home.
[[Go uphill back home->Home]]
[[Bike down the path next to the tram line to Tram Museum->Tram Museum - Bike]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/t79k4h2o08ifq4s/downtown%20auderghem.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Heading towards the tram, I skate down my street. It's not a one way, but often was the width of one because of how many cars parked on the side of the road. It was a very quiet street, and if I recall correctly there were only houses here, no shops or buisnesses (as there sometimes are in these smaller neighborhoods in Belgium). In the spring, the small trees that were implanted on the sidewalks grew pink pedals that would cover the road when the wind blew them off. It was only a short minute of skating before I got to the end of the road and where the bike bath and tram stop were.
[[Take the tram->Tram 44 - Skate]]
[[Skate down bike path->Auderghem Bike path - Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/4zvg36x243bavg6/avenue%20isiore.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Dividing two, two-lane roads going opposite ways, was a wide space that had tram tracks and a bike path. On both sides of the bike path were large trees, with their Fall leaves coming together to form a kind of canopy over the bike path. It was a relaxing ride down this mellow downhill, and with my headphones in I took the ride slow. The path is almost a mile long from my house to the Tram museum. On the way down to the Tram Museum was the Chinese Embassy, a massive structure which looked very Eastern architecturally wise and sat behind a tall black fence and some guard outposts.
[[Bike across the crazy intersection to Tram Museum->Tram Museum - Bike]]
[[Bike across the side into the Auderghem park->Auderghem Park - Bike]]
[[Cross the road onto the bike path and head to downtown Auderghem->Downtown Auderghem - Bike]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/e49jrzv34zl31zu/bike%20path%202.PNG?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Dividing two, two-lane roads going opposite ways, was a wide space that had tram tracks and a bike path. On both sides of the bike path were large trees, with their Fall leaves coming together to form a kind of canopy over the bike path. It was a thrill to skate down this mellow downhill which was almost a mile long from the tram stop to the Tram museum. Often, however, shells that fell from trees covered the bike path, so I had to be really careful not to accidentally skate over one and lock one of my wheels up. On the way down to the Tram Museum was the Chinese Embassy, a massive structure which looked very Eastern architecturally wise and sat behind a tall black fence and some guard outposts.
[[Skate to tram museum->Tram Museum - Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/e49jrzv34zl31zu/bike%20path%202.PNG?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Tram 8 took me from Tram Museum towards downtown Brussels. To go there, however, I would have to switch to the metro at some point. This tram line was very straightforward, and going to downtown Auderghem from Tram Museum was a quick ten minute ride. Along the way you would pass by the lake and the park, and as you got closer to the downtown, residential and shopping buisnesses would appear. It was nice to see people walking about as well as those biking on the path alongside the tram tracks. I often walked on the path, too. I especially liked doing so in the Fall and Spring, when the trees's canopies created a shade over the path. On this tram line, my common stops were downtown Auderghem, and Weiner tram stop near my school.
[[Get off at downtown Auderghem->Downtown Auderghem - Skate]]
[[Take the tram to the stop near school and the skatepark->Weiner Tram - Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/r2gbma92oe7xzer/tram%202.jpg?dl=1" width="900" height="900">Downtown Auderghem was small, but because many neighborhoods bordered it, the restaurants were nice and the foot traffic was sometimes busy. My favourite restaurant was a small place that served crepes and ice creams. I would often make the plan to spend the day skating, and then finish by going here to eat some sugary foods. There were bus and tram stops, and many roads meeting at the interesctions, coming and going in all kinds of directions. With my skateboard, I would take the tram from either Tram Museum or here towards school, otherwise there was also a metro stop that could take me a multitude of places. Or if I was too tired, I would make the long walk uphill towards home.
[[Catch the tram and head towards school and the skatepark->Weiner Tram - Skate]]
[[Ride the metro towards Grand Place->Metro - Skate]]
[[Walk uphill and skate the rest of the way back home->Home]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/t79k4h2o08ifq4s/downtown%20auderghem.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Now that I was really getting into skating, I wanted a place I could endlessly loop back and forth around to practice. There wasn't a better place close to home than the roundabout only 20 yards or so away! Being a quiet neighborhood, there weren't many cars before rush hour, so I didn't have to worry about them as much. I spent hours jumping onto the sidewalk, practicing a trick off, then pushing around the roundaboat and going at it again. Sometimes I'd spend so long here my legs would be jelly by time I left. One of the roundabout exits led to residential streets in Auderghem and eventually a lake, and the other led to other residential streets that eventually led to downtown Auderghem.
[[Skate down the quiet streets->Quiet Streets - Skate]]
[[Skate the downhill road to downtown Auderghem->Downtown Auderghem - Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/055jw9ifxx5or21/roundabout.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Auderghem's residents are mostly retired or otherwise older-aged people. Because of this, there was never a lot of foot traffic. Ocassionally though, I'd see parents pushing a stroller, or someone walking their dog. The streets are all very quiet, even at mid-day. This area of my neighborhood is where I first began my Belgian explorations. Figuring out which roads were suitable for biking was at first a headache, but when I developed a good memory of the fastest ways to get from point A to B, I would speed through the quiet streets on my mountain bike like I was in a video game. Eventually I found a nice route from the roundabout down to the lake, where it was peaceful to sit and rest.
[[Stop at the lake->Lake - Bike]]
[[Continue down the hill towards Tram Museum->Tram Museum - Bike]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/9j845o5dxaj09r1/auderghem%20quiet%20streets.jpg?dl=1" width="900" height="900">Auderghem's residents are mostly retired or otherwise older-aged people. Because of this, there was never a lot of foot traffic. Ocassionally though, I'd see parents pushing a stroller, or someone walking their dog. The streets are all very quiet, even at mid-day. This area is really where I first started exploring with my skateboard. I'd travel around down into cul-de-sacs or until the street turned to cobbelstone and I would have to walk. Eventually I found a nice route from the roundabout down to the lake, where it was peaceful to sit and rest.
[[Stop at the lake->Lake - Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/9j845o5dxaj09r1/auderghem%20quiet%20streets.jpg?dl=1" width="900" height="900">I have many memories of times spent at the lake. There were dark green worn benches along the path that circled the lake. Families of swans roamed around and sometimes walked onto the land. Little boats that you pushed by pedaling could also be rented at a kiosk on one side of the lake. Because of Belgium's relaxed atmosphere, my friends and I could stay out late here at the lake and play music loudly without anyone bothering us. Many times I would also stop here if I was skating or biking and eat a snack before continuing on.
[[Circle around the lake and go back home->Home]]
[[Bike across the street to the Tram Museum->Tram Museum - Bike]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/yvfyq1cuwoxtjib/lake.jpg?dl=1" width="700" height="700">I have many memories of times spent at the lake. There were dark green worn benches along the path that circled the lake. Families of swans roamed around and sometimes came onto the land. Little boats that you pushed by pedaling could also be rented at a kiosk on one side of the lake. Because of Belgium's relaxed atmosphere, my friends and I could stay out late here at the lake and play music loudly without anyone bothering us. Many times I would also stop here if I was skating and eat a snack before continuing on.
[[Skate over to Tram Museum->Tram Museum - Skate]]
[[Choose not to wear out your legs for today and head back home->Home]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/yvfyq1cuwoxtjib/lake.jpg?dl=1" width="700" height="700">The Weiner tram stop. This stop was the closest one to school, so I would go here if I didn't get the bus home for whatever reason. Weiner tram stop is in a small town center, with some restaurants and convenience stores around it. School was only a five minute skate down some narrow roads, but what I preferred more was the skatepark literally 20 feet from the tram stop. Behind the skatepark are a plethora of hills, where I first started practicing hill bombing with my skateboard and skate buddies.
[[Skate to school->ISB - Skate]]
[[Head to the skatepark->Weiner Skatepark]]
[[Go to the hillbomb location->Hillbomb]]
[[Continue riding the tram towards Avenue Louise->Avenue Louise - Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/wa7k0xt8rcp6j5f/weiner%20tram.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Aside from another skatepark a fourty minute drive from my house, Weiner skatepark was the only skatepark I liked going to. It was incredibly close to school and the tram stop was within eyesight, the ground was smooth and the locals I met here were friendly (most of the time). I was able to practice my French with skaters here, and meet all kinds of people. Sometimes Moroccans, sometimes local French or Flemish, even Estonians came through this park. My friends and I would go get iced teas and hang out skating here for hours after school ended sometimes. I wasn't that good at skating when I lived here, but when I returned several years later and did many of my old tricks with ease, it was an irreplacable feeling of progression and pride.
[[Go back to Weiner Tram stop->Weiner Tram - Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/69p4qysj1tadvyf/weiner%20skatepark.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">For all three years in Belgium I attended the International School of Brussels (ISB). I was there for grades 8,9 and 10 (end of sophmore year in High School). ISB, being an International school, had a large amount of diversity. There were Dutch and French students, Americans, Germans, Danish and English, Africans and East Asians, some Indians, and probably more. The European educations studies the IB, rather than AP program. However, by the time I left I hadn't delved too much into what the IB was like, aside from hearing how hard it was. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed my educaitonal experience here. I liked gym class, and everyone was really friendly and open with each other. Many of us hung or went out together and different social circles all got along with each other, which was nice. I had my first guitar and singing performance here too. My favorite part of the day was sometimes lunch, when they made chicken drumsticks and you could take as many as you wanted. I often brought my skateboard, and when I did I would think about it all day until the final bell rung and my friends and I would skate over to Weiner skatepark.
[[Skate back to the tram stop->Weiner Tram - Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/91zrnnfv4xyzt3r/isb.jpg?dl=1" width="900" height="800">
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/0g7pr6e1iqct069/ISB-5.jpg?dl=1" width="1200" height="1000">Avenue Louise is the high end shopping district in Brussels. It is somewhat like Newbury Street in Boston, with many boutique shops and good food places. There was also a prominent night life scene here, but was aimed towards college students. Often times I was simply passing through Avenue Louise, but I have good memories of the times I ventured here. With a friend we walked up and down the streets, taking narrow stairways down to see more narrow alleys and tiny boutique stores hidden in the district. I remember going to a movie theatre near closing time, and my friends and I got lost trying to get out, and had to roam through massive rooms under construction without any light but those from our cellphones. We screamed running around in the dark and eventually came out several blocks away from where we entered. Avenue Louise was also just beautiful in its own way: a modern and sleek designed avenue with large glowing GUESS and CHANEL signs that shone through the heaviest of rains. There was not much oppurtunity to skateboard around here, but it was always a nice spot for a day trip regardless.
[[Take the tram home->Home]]
[[Get on the metro and go to downtown Brussels->Grand Place - Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/qy95gml1gbywpdc/avenue%20louise.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Behind the skatepark are residentual areas, built on a vast collection of steep hills, a perfect spot to hillbomb on a skateboard. Hillbombing is maybe the most thrill-seeking and adrenile-fueled experience a skateboarder can have, it is also one of the more dangerous ones. A proper hillbomb is to start from the top of a hill and go down, without stopping once. It can be scary, and at a certain point you may be going so fast that any attempt to stop will result in a crash. Of my two best skate friends, one was an amateur longboarder, who practiced hill bombing on a much more extreme scale with more speed and longer hills. I took it slow and learned from him. Of course, one can do things called powerslides (like slowing down in snowboarding) as a way to ditch speed, or slide their foot on the ground. I did this while building up the technique and courage for a hillbomb. Luckily for us, this hillbomb spot did not have a lot of traffic, which made it safer. The feelings I got from hillbombing side by side my two friends are magical, fragile, and eternal.
[[Go back to Weiner Tram stop->Weiner Tram - Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/9zuqrzb39evq644/weiner%20hillbomb.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/9ier9oltkxpdrcg/simen.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Grand Place, the highlight of all Belgium - I would argue. There are many great places in Belgium, like the battle site of Waterloo, the city of Brugge, the many famous archiectures, but Grand Place encompases so much of what I enjoyed about my time in this country. There are countless chocolate and waffle and coffee shops. Old cobblestone streets and small restaurants with tables outside and serve amazing food. In the center, you are surrounded by tall official buildings that look like they came from a medieval painting. Hundreds of short little alleys and sidestreets that carry the smell of food and the noises of people take up the spaces between the large buildings and apartments. Belgium's official mascot resides here too: The Mannequin Piss. He is a small statue of a boy peeing into a fountain. According to the Belgian government (in fewer words), it represents the country's sense of humor and laid back attitude. Only in the daytime, I think, can one appreciate how vast the city center is. But the nightime is also an equally magical time for young people in the Grand Place.
[[See the nightlife->Nightlife Brussels - Skate]]
[[Take the metro back home->Home]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/w5aloape6ve2sw3/grande%20place.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">My first experiences with drinking were in Belgium. The legal age to consume alchohal is 16, but socially many parents introduce beer to their kids around 14 or 15, as I've seen. In Grand Place, there are countless bars that open in the evening. One being Little Delirum, quite popular and personally recommended. The Stella Artois beer also comes from Leuven, Belgium, and is reknown in many places. There are also many night clubs, several being age 16 and up, so many schoolkids go there on the weekends. Seeing young teenagers from the 9th grade walking around drunk could be off-putting to some, but the local atmosphere and the general social-stance on alcohal changes a lot about how younger people act when they drink. In my experience this attitude has led to much more safer outings than those in places where authority is much more strict on alcohal. Then again, Belgium is a relatively safe country to begin with. The best part about the nightlife was the small food shops that served gyros and sandwiches and stayed open until 3 in the morning, so one could eat something before getting a taxi home. When I did stay out this late, there was absolutely no way I wanted to be responsible for a skateboard, so shame on the reader for making it come with me clubbing! (Just kidding :D)
[[Get a drink and a taxi home->Home]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/uc83ymdes2f1b7g/nightlife.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Stockel was a small, Flemish province that consisted of many calm neighborhoods. There was a metro station located in the center, along with several waffle and fries shops. One of my best friends, John - an American student who also lived in Belgium, resided in this province. The hills and sidestreets that eventually all led into one another made Stockel a great place to explore on either foot or bike. Another attraction was the durum shop, which I stopped at practically eveyrtime I came to Stockel.
[[Go to the best durum shop of all time->Pita Palace - Bike]]
[[Bike around the neighborhoods here->Stockel Neighborhoods - Bike]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/dmyuj4v91fbqfbm/stockel.jpg?dl=1">It was about a 15 minute tram ride to the stop at Tervuren. This was my favorite tram ride of all of time. The tram tracks followed between two roads, but had thick trees planted on each side of the tracks, making the width of entire street quite large. Because of these trees, one could barely see the road and cars just 15 feet away. At points, it was like the entire outside was envoloped in dark green shrubbery, and there was nothing beyond the tram for miles besides a sea of forest. When I would take the tram back at night, when everything was dark, it was usually empty and it was impossible to see anything outside beyond an inch of the window. In those moments it really seemed like this tram was in the middle of nowhere, shaking and twisting as it somehow took me back home.
[[Get off at the Tervuren stop->Tervuren]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/xr0k1o4r1nwosw7/teruvren%20tram.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Tervuren always seemed to me like a medeival paradise. The trees were always green, houses and buildings looked as if built in an older time, and things were very spread out, with parks and forests taking up the spaces in between them. It was a Dutch province (Belgium is comprised of both Dutch and French descendants), and is where the British School of Brussels is located. One of my friends, Tom, who came to my school, lived in this province and originally went to the British school. In my second year of living in Belgium, I spent a lot of time in Tervuren and became more acquainted with the Dutch provinces and even with the small British community near Brussels.
[[Go explore the Tervuren parks->Tervuren Parks]]
[[Go the the African Museum->African Museum]]
[[Go for a walk around the area->Tervuren Walk]]
[[Take the tram back to Auderghem->Tram 44]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/l0ghxnvzv1pgvr6/tervuren.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">I am not much of an outdoors person, but I loved walking around the parks in Belgium, and especially in Tervuren. There were soft gravel paths that led all around and throughout the numerous forests of this province. The large space and infrequency of running into people made the times I spent walking around more special and personel. It was also a sense of freedom in the moment, knowing that with or without buddies I could go to one spot, hang out, then walk to another at any given feeling to do so. When I brought my bike, there were plenty of trails around for me to ride on as well.
[[Go back to the tram stop->Tervuren]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/q77tal20pxzgwe1/tervuren%20park.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">One of the places in Tervuren that I spent the most time at was the African Museum's park. The African Museum was a great big white building, with statues of lions and other animals spread around the premises. Behind it, was a large park with small forests and other parks beyond its edges. For whatever reason, the security didn't mind the backyard park of the African Museum being occupied by kids from the British school, and this is where my friend Tom and I often met up with others to hang out. We'd stay until dark, running around and biking to places to get food and coming back to hang out some more.
[[Go back to the tram stop->Tervuren]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/byaaja5pin6nfb7/african%20museum.jpg?dl=1">The Tervuren downtown (which was comprised of small shops and convenience stores), was the entrance to the neighborhoods and community centers of the province. It was an uphill walk, that winded through thin roads which were sometimes cobblestone, and had sidewalks whose tiles were shifted out of place from settling in. But when I think back of the times I spent exploring I remember a cool and dark gray sky, the ground is wet because it had just finished raining, and cars start to pass by because the work day is ending. Water streams run down tile roofs and small birds that look like silhouettes fly above them against the dark blue clouds. When I reach the top of the hill the gravel road once again begins to wind and it eventually takes me back down to where I first entered. The walk seems long, and it wasn't the easiest on my feet, but it was definately worth it.
[[Go back to the tram stop->Tervuren]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/lrdo4tslugoiv72/tervuren%20quiet%20streets.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">The tram museum is a big depot that sends and recieves trams from many locations. Aside from being a depot, there is also a building which showcases the history of tram transportation in Belgium. From here, you could essentially begin a journey that could efficiently take you to most places in Belgium (probably switching to metro or bus at some point). Convientally, there were multiple trams here that took me towards school, downtown Auderghem, and downtown Brussels. An expansive recreational park was located just next to the tram museum, but without a bike its hills would a short end to the daytime walking trip. Being on foot was no matter however, as the Tram Museum took me to many other interesting locations.
[[Switch trams and get on Tram 8, heading towards home and the inner city->Tram 8 - Foot]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/gzf8v3sm7izezih/tram%20museum.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Tram 8 took me from Tram Museum towards downtown Brussels. To go there, however, I would have to switch to the metro at some point. This tram line was very straightforward, and going to downtown Auderghem from Tram Museum was a quick ten minute ride. Along the way you would pass by the lake and the park, and as you got closer to the downtown, residential and shopping buisnesses would appear. It was nice to see people walking about as well as those biking on the path alongside the tram tracks. I often walked on the path, too. I especially liked doing so in the Fall and Spring, when the trees's canopies created a shade over the path. On this tram line, my common stops were downtown Auderghem, and Weiner tram stop near my school.
[[Keep riding the tram->Downtown Auderghem - Foot]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/r2gbma92oe7xzer/tram%202.jpg?dl=1" width="900" height="900">Downtown Auderghem was small, but because many neighborhoods bordered it, the restaurants were nice and the foot traffic was sometimes busy. My favourite restaurant was a small place that served crepes and ice creams. I would often make the plan to spend the day skating, and then finish by going here to eat some sugary foods. There were bus and tram stops, and many roads meeting at the interesctions, coming and going in all kinds of directions. I rarely walked from home to here, but it was doable in a twenty minute walk. From here I could take the tram, metro or bus to numerous places. Or if I was too tired, I would make the long walk uphill towards home.
[[Get off the tram and walk back home->Home]]
[[Continue riding towards school->Weiner Tram - Foot]]
[[Switch from the tram to the metro and go to Grand Place->Metro - Foot]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/t79k4h2o08ifq4s/downtown%20auderghem.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Grand Place, the highlight of all Belgium - I would argue. There are many great places in Belgium, like the battle site of Waterloo, the city of Brugge, the many famous archiectures, but Grand Place encompases so much of what I enjoyed about my time in this country. There are countless chocolate and waffle and coffee shops. Old cobblestone streets and small restaurants with tables outside and serve amazing food. In the center, you are surrounded by tall official buildings that look like they came from a medieval painting. Hundreds of short little alleys and sidestreets that carry the smell of food and the noises of people take up the spaces between the large buildings and apartments. Belgium's official mascot resides here too: The Mannequin Piss. He is a small statue of a boy peeing into a fountain. According to the Belgian government (in fewer words), it represents the country's sense of humor and laid back attitude. Only in the daytime, I think, can one appreciate how vast the city center is. But the nightime is also an equally magical time for young people in the Grand Place. It was nice to finish off a day spent walking here, especially without having to worry about a bike or skateboard I had to hold onto while I went around.
[[See the nightlife->Nightlife Brussels - Foot]]
[[Take the metro back home->Home]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/w5aloape6ve2sw3/grande%20place.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Taking the metro was almost as simple as the trams. The only complication was that for the metro - I had to pay! Nowadays I don't mind paying, and it supports the transport system (I hope), but regardless of that, the metro is an incredibly efficient method of transportation in a lot of different countries. The Belgian metros near Brussels and the ones I took were usually well-kept, and it wasn't ever a dingy experience, even during construction times. I was always amazed at how far I could get away just by using the metro. It was reliable for going to downtown Brussels, otherwise known as Grand Place. I also took it to visit the movie theatre near the Atomium - a famous piece of Belgian architecture.
[[Continue riding and get off at Grand Place->Grand Place - Foot]]
[[Ride further and visit the Atomium->Atomium - Foot]]
[[Get off at the Auderghem metro stop and go back home->Home]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/6o5lt5ex5wkxli3/metro%20%28edited-Pixlr%29.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">The Atomium sits in the northwest area of Brussels, on the outer edge of the city. Staring at the Atomium with nothing but my phone and wallet made me really feel like I had travelled a long journey, even though it physically wasn't all too far (maybe a little over an hour in total when travelling by tram/metro). The Atomium is quite popular, and many might recognize the picture of it. My favorite movie theatre was located here too, along with a small attraction park called Mini-Europe, which had small replicas of different Euro countries' famous architectures. Other than these things, there wasn't a whole lot to do, but it was fun to travel to the outer edges of Brussels from time to time. Usually by here my feet were pretty tired, but there was always more to see!
[[Get back on the metro->Metro - Foot]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/mksjcxmo7g5r19x/atomium.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">My first experiences with drinking were in Belgium. The legal age to consume alchohal is 16, but socially many parents introduce beer to their kids around 14 or 15, as I've seen. In Grand Place, there are countless bars that open in the evening. One being Little Delirum, quite popular and personally recommended. The Stella Artois beer also comes from Leuven, Belgium, and is reknown in many places. There are also many night clubs, several being age 16 and up, so many schoolkids go there on the weekends. Seeing young teenagers from the 9th grade walking around drunk could be off-putting to some, but the local atmosphere and the general social-stance on alcohal changes a lot about how younger people act when they drink. In my experience this attitude has led to much more safer outings than those in places where authority is much more strict on alcohal. Then again, Belgium is a relatively safe country to begin with. The best part about the nightlife was the small food shops that served gyros and sandwiches and stayed open until 3 in the morning, so one could eat something before getting a taxi home. When I did stay out this late, there was absolutely no way I wanted to be responsible for anything other than my phone, my wallet and my personal actions; so I made sure to leave my skateboard and bike at home.
[[Get a drink and a taxi home->Home]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/uc83ymdes2f1b7g/nightlife.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">The Weiner tram stop. This stop was the closest one to school, so I would go here if I didn't get the bus home for whatever reason. Weiner tram stop is in a small town center, with some restaurants and convenience stores around it. School was only a ten minute walk down some narrow roads, but what I preferred more was the skatepark literally 20 feet from the tram stop. Although, I didn't have my skateboard today, so I could either go see school or continue riding up through Brussels!
[[Get off and visit school->ISB - Foot]]
[[Continue riding to Avenue Louise->Avenue Louise - Foot]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/wa7k0xt8rcp6j5f/weiner%20tram.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">For all three years in Belgium I attended the International School of Brussels (ISB). I was there for grades 8,9 and 10 (end of sophmore year in High School). ISB, being an International school, had a large amount of diversity. There were Dutch and French students, Americans, Germans, Danish and English, Africans and East Asians, some Indians, and probably more. The European educations studies the IB, rather than AP program. However, by the time I left I hadn't delved too much into what the IB was like, aside from hearing how hard it was. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed my educaitonal experience here. I liked gym class, and everyone was really friendly and open with each other. Many of us hung or went out together and different social circles all got along with each other, which was nice. I had my first guitar and singing performance here too. My favorite part of the day was sometimes lunch, when they made chicken drumsticks and you could take as many as you wanted. I often brought my skateboard, and when I did I would think about it all day until the final bell rung and my friends and I would skate over to Weiner skatepark.
[[Walk back to the tram stop->Weiner Tram - Foot]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/91zrnnfv4xyzt3r/isb.jpg?dl=1" width="900" height="800">
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/0g7pr6e1iqct069/ISB-5.jpg?dl=1" width="1200" height="1000">Avenue Louise is the high end shopping district in Brussels. It is somewhat like Newbury Street in Boston, with many boutique shops and good food places. There was also a prominent night life scene here, but was aimed towards college students. Often times I was simply passing through Avenue Louise, but I have good memories of the times I ventured here. With a friend we walked up and down the streets, taking narrow stairways down to see more narrow alleys and tiny boutique stores hidden in the district. I remember going to a movie theatre near closing time, and my friends and I got lost trying to get out, and had to roam through massive rooms under construction without any light but those from our cellphones. We screamed running around in the dark and eventually came out several blocks away from where we entered. Avenue Louise was also just beautiful in its own way: a modern and sleek designed avenue with large glowing GUESS and CHANEL signs that shone through the heaviest of rains. The upkept sidewalks made it a relaxing avenue to stroll through.
[[Take the night tram back home->Home]]
[[Get on the metro and go to downtown Brussels->Grand Place - Foot]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/qy95gml1gbywpdc/avenue%20louise.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Taking the metro with my skateboard was just as easy as it was for the trams. The metro was almost as simple as the trams, too. The only complication was that for the metro - I had to pay! Nowadays I don't mind paying, and it supports the transport system (I hope), but regardless of that, the metro is an incredibly efficient method of transportation in a lot of different countries. The Belgian metros near Brussels and the ones I took were usually well-kept, and it wasn't ever a dingy experience, even during construction times. I was always amazed at how far I could get away just by using the metro. It was reliable for going to downtown Brussels, otherwise known as Grand Place. I also took it to visit the movie theatre near the Atomium - a famous piece of Belgian architecture.
[[Continue riding and get off at Grand Place->Grand Place - Skate]]
[[Ride further and visit the Atomium->Atomium - Skate]]
[[Get off at the Auderghem metro stop and go back home->Home]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/6o5lt5ex5wkxli3/metro%20%28edited-Pixlr%29.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">The Atomium sits in the northwest area of Brussels, on the outer edge of the city. Staring at the Atomium with my skateboard made me really feel like I had travelled a long journey, even though it physically wasn't all too far (maybe a little over an hour in total when travelling by tram/metro). The Atomium is quite popular, and many might recognize the picture of it. My favorite movie theatre was located here too, along with a small attraction park called Mini-Europe, which had small replicas of different Euro countries' famous architectures. Other than these things, there wasn't a whole lot to do, but it was fun to travel to the outer edges of Brussels from time to time. Usually by here my feet were pretty tired, but there was always more to see!
[[Get back on the metro->Metro - Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/mksjcxmo7g5r19x/atomium.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">I was certainly very lucky just in the fact that a tram stop was so close to home. Trams are the most viable and economic option, I would argue. However, every non-adult I knew including myself relied on one important factor: that the STIB (metro ticket authroity, who wrote you a fine if you didn't have a ticket) were not on the tram while you were riding. However they were almost never onboard, which was funny, strange, and awesome. In my three years of taking the tram almost daily, I only paid three or four times! At most tram stops, like this one, you could catch a tram in at least two directions, and sometimes multiple trams with different courses stopped at the same stop. I could easily bring my skateboard with me on the tram, and I often did this to save energy on longer trips. To the north was the province Tervuren, where my friend Tom lived. To the south the line went to the Tram Museum.
[[Take the tram north towards the province of Tervuren->Tram line to Tervuren-Skate]]
[[Take the tram south to the Tram Museum->Tram Museum - Skate]]
[[Get off tram-> Avenue Isidore Gerard]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/5of89attkh18agk/tram%2044.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">It was about a 15 minute tram ride to the stop at Tervuren. This was my favorite tram ride of all of time. The tram tracks followed between two roads, but had thick trees planted on each side of the tracks, making the width of entire street quite large. Because of these trees, one could barely see the road and cars just 15 feet away. At points, it was like the entire outside was envoloped in dark green shrubbery, and there was nothing beyond the tram for miles besides a sea of forest. When I would take the tram back at night, when everything was dark, it was usually empty and it was impossible to see anything outside beyond an inch of the window. In those moments it really seemed like this tram was in the middle of nowhere, shaking and twisting as it somehow took me back home.
[[Get off at the Tervuren stop->Tervuren-Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/xr0k1o4r1nwosw7/teruvren%20tram.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">Tervuren always seemed to me like a medeival paradise. The trees were always green, houses and buildings looked as if built in an older time, and things were very spread out, with parks and forests taking up the spaces in between them. It was a Dutch province (Belgium is comprised of both Dutch and French descendants), and is where the British School of Brussels is located. One of my friends, Tom, who came to my school, lived in this province and originally went to the British school. In my second year of living in Belgium, I spent a lot of time in Tervuren and became more acquainted with the Dutch provinces and even with the small British community near Brussels.
[[Go explore the Tervuren parks->Tervuren Parks - Skate]]
[[Go the the African Museum->African Museum - Skate]]
[[Go for a skate around the area->Tervuren Walk - Skate]]
[[Take the tram back to Auderghem->Tram 44 - Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/l0ghxnvzv1pgvr6/tervuren.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">I am not much of an outdoors person, but I loved walking around the parks in Belgium, and especially in Tervuren. There were soft gravel paths that led all around and throughout the numerous forests of this province. The large space and infrequency of running into people made the times I spent walking around more special and personel. It was also a sense of freedom in the moment, knowing that with or without buddies I could go to one spot, hang out, then walk to another at any given feeling to do so. When I brought my bike, there were plenty of trails around for me to ride on as well.
[[Go back to Tervuren tram stop->Tervuren-Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/q77tal20pxzgwe1/tervuren%20park.jpg?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">One of the places in Tervuren that I spent the most time at was the African Museum's park. The African Museum was a great big white building, with statues of lions and other animals spread around the premises. Behind it, was a large park with small forests and other parks beyond its edges. For whatever reason, the security didn't mind the backyard park of the African Museum being occupied by kids from the British school, and this is where my friend Tom and I often met up with others to hang out. We'd stay until dark, running around and biking to places to get food and coming back to hang out some more.
[[Go back to Tervuren tram stop->Tervuren-Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/byaaja5pin6nfb7/african%20museum.jpg?dl=1">The Tervuren downtown (which was comprised of small shops and convenience stores), was the entrance to the neighborhoods and community centers of the province. It was an uphill walk, that winded through thin roads which were sometimes cobblestone, and had sidewalks whose tiles were shifted out of place from settling in. But when I think back of the times I spent exploring I remember a cool and dark gray sky, the ground is wet because it had just finished raining, and cars start to pass by because the work day is ending. Water streams run down tile roofs and small birds that look like silhouettes fly above them against the dark blue clouds. When I reach the top of the hill the gravel road once again begins to wind and it eventually takes me back down to where I first entered. The walk seems long, and it wasn't the easiest on my feet, but it was definately worth it.
[[Go back to Tervuren tram stop->Tervuren-Skate]]
<img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/lrdo4tslugoiv72/tervuren%20quiet%20streets.png?dl=1" width="1000" height="600">