To a Waffle City with Mustard People

About fifty students left the mustard city on a Sunday morning, had a nice breakfast in Paris and continued to the EU capital. It was time to go to Brussels (once again) but now with scpo people. It was also the first trip with my Dijon friends. And I do hope (and I know) there are many more to come.

Grand Place

Waffles to die for.

It just felt good to be together with a good friend in the beautiful old city centre of Brussels that was full of Christmas chocolates and decorations. A bit of rain and next to Manneken Pis. Oh, and we did enjoy the food during those couple of days..

Saint Nicholas times.

Christmas market. And of course vin chaud was to be tested!

Those big jars in the back, they're Nutella.

I found the princess again! Now she was feeling Christmassy!
Those were good times with Elina. 

Some more vin chaud. It really keeps you warm!

I do feel so christmassy around here. And Brussels just made it even worse. I just wanna buy Christmas things and plan our Christmas dinner. I want to enjoy this Christmas as well and long as possible, because it is so beautiful here. Then I can also escape to Morocco (where is 25 celsius warm..)

Actually the city is pretty ugly outside the historic quarters.. But the food and company
repair that to some extend.

Only Belgium can btw. work without a government for this long!

A visit to Google..

We heard Google people talking about lobbying in Brussels. The office is pretty cool. Most of the area is reserved for sofas, massaging armchairs, Smeg-fridge full of beer and a wine cabinet as well, table football, pillows, warm colours.. Sometimes the office people walk on bare foot and they are allowed to spend 20% of their time being foolish and innovative. Apparently this 20% is the most productive time for Google and all the most valuable ideas, 50% of everything, is being created during that 20% when the workers are chilling together. That's what I call an inviting and interesting office.

Nigh walk in Brussels centre.

You can't see it from here. But there was a light and music show on the outside wall of the town hall at Grand Place. So Christmassy and nice! I felt like I was in a Disney movie!

The famous Delirium and cherry beer. We tried the litter pint of beer with Gerli as well.
Cheap and good! Finland - learn!

Candy shop!

How can you possibly resist this?
And how can you not feel Christmassy when you're surrounded by these things?

A piece of heaven.

The day after tomorrow it's London time then. I'm going to meet many dear friends. I hope I will get more energy to fight next week and all those last research projects, essays and memoires.. Holidays holidays.. Almost there!

Ps. We did visit some EU institutions as well and listened to EU people all day every day. Woah. I visited the commission's meeting room for the first time. It was the Independence Day of Finland and my Finnish moments were sitting in Olli Rehn's chair and holding Finland's flag in one photo. It was the first time I wasn't in Finland on that day.. Yes, I really do need to meet my Finnish friends.