Fighting the Cobbles - My trip to Belgium in 2018, Part 2 - Preparing the trip

This blog continues the previous Part 1, 

https://gerdiwanninger.blogspot.com/2018/07/fighting-cobbles-my-trip-to-belgium-in.html

  

 'The biggest competition is myself, I am not looking to follow others or pull them down. I am planning to test my own boundaries.'

Rain, South Korean musician

   With all the small and big disasters created by the current president of the ‘big’ country United States came with me a change in mind. If you would countries like Russia and China their ‘pride’ and ignorance for world standards come, for me, from the simple fact of the size of their countries and the quantity of their citizens.

   China does copy illegal trademarks and designs; have their ‘own’ standards in human rights and working conditions, rigorously protect their own market etc. and still everyone runs and invests there because of the sheer size of the market. Russia votes in a not real democracy but still many international companies go there because of the huge size of the country which is simply too big to ignore. The current president of the US is ignorant about, for example, agreements and the history and reasons why they were made in the first place and this ignorance comes in part from, in my opinion, the big size of the American market.

   Smaller democratic countries like Taiwan, Switzerland and Belgium simply cannot afford and from their historical background do not have this ‘arrogance’ to treat their neighbors or break agreements with their partners. I cannot help but I prefer honest fighters over arrogant punchers; prefer hard workers over conceited managers, prefer open arguments over backstabbing. Therefore above mentioned ‘big’ countries make for me a much less preferred tourist or travel destination.

   To support and understand more about these small European countries was one of the reasons why I choose Belgium as a tourist destination this year (2018).

   In the digital age it is very different to buy a ticket. Until the development of the internet the customer had to visit a travel agency, they helped to chose the flight and made the reservations after the paying in cash. The traveler would receive a confirmation for each flight which has to be confirmed at least three days before the flight. When you did not confirm, your seat is gone…

   Buying my ticket was a very interesting experience. I’ve checked the airline’s homepage for flights and prices, went afterwards to a travel agency on a Sunday morning after my weekly worship. The lady named me a price of NT$23.000. I could not decide and would not like to pay immediately so she told me that she could not keep the seat. I went there again the following Wednesday and, to my surprise, the ticket was offered me NT$2.000 cheaper than three days ago. With the payment I had the reservation on the last day before the summer holiday prices would go up to around NT$35.000 for a return ticket to Brussels.
   The luggage allowance was 30 kgs. This would be enough to take a bike, my clothes and my camping gear with me but I decided against the bike. One reason was the return. I did not have any experience with Belgium and did not know if I could get a bike box to pack it. 
   So what luggage should I use? After some research I did not decide for a backpack which I had to carry permanently on my back. I did not want to take a traditional suitcase because I worried about the quality of the wheels. So I chose the Decathlon Away 65 liter wheeled sports bag – black/red (https://www.decathlon.tw/en/teamsports-c126108.html). The bag was roomy, great designed with a set of two great wheels similar to in-liners. They would be a great support over the very ‘rough’ cobbles permanently shown on the roads in Belgium.
   I will surely continue to use it over and over again. In part 4 I will write more about how I packed this bag.

(to be continued@ 

https://gerdiwanninger.blogspot.com/2018/07/fighting-cobbles-my-trip-to-belgium-in_23.html)

Disclaimer: I traveled Belgium by myself, I am not sponsored by anyone. Interested subscribers and/or followers in traveling an in this small but beautiful country are more than welcome! If not convenient to subscribe on Blogger.com, I've started my own homepage @ https://gerhardwanninger.wixsite.com/travel

Bike Tour in the USA (2007), Part 1

Sunday, Sep 09, 2007

On the Streets of Los Angeles

Route: Hollywood-Santa Monica-Hollywood

Distance: 74.21km, Time: 5hours:54minutes:58seconds, Total: 74.21km

   “The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” 

– Sir Richard Burton

   When I left my hotel (on Hollywood Boulevard)  the 8th annual Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Triathlon, according to the organizers “one of the largest and most prestigious  triathlon in the world" already was on its way. As I've heard the competition started  with the swim at the beach of Venice Beach, went through Hollywood by bike and ended with the run at the Staple Center, the home of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Triathlon

   Directly in front of the Hotel gate flew the first triathletes by; for a lower wind resistance crouched in their typical position. As I walked along the Boulevard the triathletes become more and more, the professional athletes were replaced by amateurs, families with their children and even groups like firefighters and policemen joined the challenge. It would be another 10 years until I did my first triathlon.

   On the side of the road were policemen stationed in regular distances, securing the scenes demonstratively sitting on their white Harleys. Everyone was at least 1.80 m tall, muscles could be seen over their much too small and maybe even tailored shirts. They wore motor biker slacks, wide on the thigh and tight on the calf in high polished leather boots. At temperatures at around 30 degrees surely not an amusing job but, hey, this is Hollywood!

Harley on Stars

   As I walked by the obviously boring police I’ve noticed a Mexican looking officer reaching in his side pocket and grabbing a sun lotion. I’ve heard him clearly asking his colleague: “Do you want?” As he negated the first offices squirted some in his hand and creamed appreciatively his face with it.

Hello Delicious

  On the crossing to the N. Highland Avenue I’ve notice an African-American female Policewomen controlling the traffic arguing with another female African-American wearing a heavy makeup sitting in her car.

“I want to cross the road, why does the competition take so long?”

“You are an adult therefore you should know that you are not allowed talking on the phone while driving and that you have to follow my instructions.”

After these words the driver become quiet and while she had to wait she slipped seemingly annoyed on her seat forward and backwards.

   Not far away I saw a city cowboy sitting on the side of the road feeding his horse with carrots. “Curious”, I’ve thought to myself and took a picture.

City Cowboy

   I’ve realized that many European Americans in neat Sunday clothes were strolling to Ivar Avenue while others in full bags came from there. I followed them and they led me to the Hollywood Farmers Market. In this certified (!) market around 90 farmers and 30 bakers sell their organic products, around 30 artists their crafts. As I’ve heard later organic products are the hot items in high society, accordingly is the demand and the many people. I personally found the prices astronomically, for a cup of juice with much ice cubes I've paid US$5.00/cup.

    The many people let me recognize that there is a trend away from the in-‘famous’ genetically engineered mass crops to organically produced vegetables and fruits even in the U.S. Visiting the farmer’s market let me experience the ‘alternative’ America which indeed exists.  

(to be continued)