MANIC MONDAY - MISS

MANIC MONDAY LINK

Pookie just has missed a moth !

Last week I wanted to go to the new Ikea which had been opened in Brussels. We already have one but I had never seen the new one. So I called my friend and asked her if she would come with me. But she had no time and I decided to go alone. She explained me the way, that it would be very easy and I couldn't miss it. Now I have to say I have no sense of orientation at all and it's even a miracle when I find my way to the toilet. Even on a straight way I manage to mistake.

I followed the way she had indicated to me which was the motor (high) way until Anderlecht and then go out there on the chaussee de Mons. I drove and payed attention and for once I didn't miss the right exit. I looked up the street name, and yes it was the right way. She had told me that as soon as I am on the chaussee de Mons I would see Ikea right away. What I saw were houses, buildings and shops, Anderlecht is a district of Brussels. When after a few miles I arrived at an Underground stop I thought that's impossible, I must have missed Ikea, I was too far in the city and Ikeas are always a little outside. I returned to my motor way exit stopped the car and called my friend. I told her I didn't see any Ikea and that I was on the right chaussee. She couldn't understand that I had missed it and said to return again and then go under a bridge and then it would be right after the bridge. That's what I did. But I couldn't see any bridge. Finally after a long ride I saw a bridge and noticed with horror, that I wasn't on the chaussee de Mons anymore. I decided to follow my instinct which is always wrong. If it tells me to go right I better should go left. Finally I saw from far the South station of Brussels and realized that now I was completely wrong. I tried to go back and find my chaussee again. Suddenly I was along the Brussels canal where I hadn't been since at least 40 years !

I stopped and asked a lady who just came out of a shop. She didn't speak any french, she was spanish. I drove a little farer, stopped and asked a man. He was arab and could hardly understand me, but showed me the way with his finger. To my big relief I now saw that I was on the chaussee de Mons again. After quite a few miles I finally arrived there where I had started from and still no Ikea in view. I asked again another lady she was flemish and only spoke dutch. It was my day. But I understood that I should go in the other direction go under the bridge (a bridge !!) and on the left side would be my Ikea and it would be impossible to miss it. That's what I did, not very convinced but what did I see in long, large and big ? Ikea ! right after the bridge and indeed it was impossible to miss it if I had turned to the left instead of the right side when I left the motorway ! But again I had followed my instinct. Mr. Gattino told me that it would be completely normal that when I wanted to go to the Northpole I would certainly arrive at the Southpole and unfortunately he is probably right.