THE PERFECT SENSE OF DIRECTION

The weather was quite cool, but I wanted to go out and decided to spent a little visit to Ikea. I didn't need anything but I like to walk around and have a coffee there. As I had been there many times, I was sure that I wouldn't need my Madame GPS and went on the highway. The normal way I had to do is on the map of Brussels (below) indicated in red. Very easy to find, for normal people, but apparently not for me. Ikea is located on a chaussee de Mons (Mons Avenue) which is very long. It leads from Brussels to the city of Mons which is about 50 km (31 miles) far.

I peacefully drove on the highway, saw the exit and left. As soon as I had done this I realized that I had taken one exit too early and found myself in a completely unknown area. I fixed Madame GPS on her support, thought in a logical way and invented a house number on Mons avenue. For an unknow reason I selected 560. Madam GPS told me : turn left, turn right, enter roundabout etc. and finally "arriving at destination on right" The destination I found was not Ikea at all it was in front of a big Renault garage and close to Brussels center !

I don't give up so quickly, I thought 560 must have been wrong I will take n° 100. I told Madame GPS and she put me on the right way.

Brussels has 19 municipalities. Normally I had to go to n° 1 on the red line.


The "sightseeing" I did.

Instead I went to n° 7 from there to n° 13 where I realized that I was wrong. My second choice took me up to n° 4, which suddenly was the South station where I usually go on Sunday mornings on the market. From n° 9 on I was completely lost and as it was quite late I thought there is only one thing to do : push on the button and tell Madame GPS to go home ! I was already more then 1 1/2 h underway instead of 20 min. I had done a very nice sightseeing. I had been in parts of Brussels I had never seen before and had even discovered a port and a canal with lots of little ships.

Satisfied with myself I pushed on "go home" and followed the instructions. Suddenly I found myself in a quite beautiful area with old houses and a colorful market ! I parked my car where it was not allowed to park (that I realized later) took my camera and went to the market.







where I took these pictures.

At this moment Mr. G called me. He thought I was in Waterloo. I said, no I am in St. Gilles.

- In St. Gilles ? what the heck are you doing there ??
- I wanted to go to Ikea
- but that's on the other end !
- Bah, I know, I missed the exit
- ????

I walked a little around the market and then got back to my car, where I noticed that the parking was reserved for the police, their office was just in front. A safer place I couldn't have find. Once again I pushed the button on "go home" and Madame GPS this time, guided me safely.

Mr. G. had his wife back.

At home I checked the IKEA house n° .... it was 1460 !! and not 560 or 100 !

SHOW & TELL

More participants here

Before I started blogging in 2006, I had never payed attention to Halloween. Apparently it slowly moved into Belgium only from 1999 on. (see my post below) Now the malls and shops are full of Halloween decorations and cities organize Halloween festivals and people private parties. Not as much as in the States but at least a little.

I liked the decorations I saw on the American blogs so much, that I started to buy some witches and other little cute Halloween things and decorated our living room and the entrance. My friends found this wonderful and love to come to see how I decorate each year. We usually have a little drink together for Halloween too.

and here is my decoration this year.




you can biggify !

At the entrance you are greated by the big witch and my little Halloween basket. The huge spider on the left is sitting on the wooden cat, I had to put it in a more discrete place as it invites women to screem usually ! I have to admit it is particularly ugly.