Questions Questions Questions (and a Dream)
March 2, 2012
So.........I guess musing about all the negative 'what if's' isn't such a good idea, is it? Okay, T will try to stay away from that from now until.........a new batch of nerves kicks in. I must admit, something has shifted this week and I am getting a little excited. Can you believe it? Me? Who doesn't get excited about anything is a little bit excited about my trip? I say that's amazing! Or maybe I am just high on.......NO! not the Dutch Coffee Houses (who do you think I am! :P )...........I was about to say Diet Coke. :) DCH or DC? You make up your own mind. LOL (Wow, I am silly at the moment!)
Anyhow, I have a million questions. Questions, questions, questions. If anyone knows the answers, please leave a comment. This is stuff they don't tell you on Trip Advisor! First up: B&B Etiquette. I've never stayed at a B&B; although I am super excited about the one I'm staying at. It's so beautiful! Giant bed, balcony overlooking a tree lined street, wood floors, claw foot bathtub. (Yes, I will post pictures!) But I don't know the etiquette. For example, here in North America, when you stay in a hotel (a hotel, not a B&B) it is customary to leave a tip every day for the cleaning staff. Does one do that at a B&B as well? Or is it considered rude? Or maybe you just leave a tip at the end of your stay? I have no idea. Also, do you make your bed? Or do you expect the proprieter to do it? Seems a bit lazy to me - expecting the host/hostess to make your bed when you could very well do it yourself in about 10 seconds, but is that part of the service you pay for when you're at a B&B? Again, no idea. Obviously the towels, etc get changed every day, but the rest of it? Dunno. Will you help me out, please, if you do know?
Question Two also revolves around tipping. I read somewhere that you only tip in Europe if the service at the restaurant is good. Is this true? Because in North America, its customary to tip 15% regardless. The wait staff relies on tips since the hourly wage is not usually very good. But in Europe? Again, I have no idea. What is the standard? And if you do tip, what percentage is acceptable? 15% like in Canada?
Question Three. The train system. I was googling about the trains today. I am so confused. Very, very confused. Is there an inter-city train system in Brussels, plus a national train system (to get to Antwerp for example? Oh and that makes me think of a secondary question: Is Anterwp the same place as Antwerpen?), plus a third train system if I want to go out of the country (to Paris, for example)? Is there really that many train systems? How do you figure it all out? I'm pretty smart, but seriously, I think this could just about do me in. While we're on the topic of trains........is it worthwhile to get some kind of rail pass? Is that cheaper? How exactly does it work? I need a one way to Antwerp, return to Paris, return to Leuven and a one way from Leuven. Does that warrant getting a rail pass? I need to be economical with some things, if I can, and I think rail travel will be one of them. But then again, maybe I am not travelling enough by rail to justify a pass. I don't know!!!!! I'm sooooooooooo confused! HELP!
Okay, I won't bore you with any more questions today, but I will tell you about my dream. Do you want to read about my dream? (What's your dream? Anyone know the movie quote that's from?) (Skip ahead if you don't want to read about the dream :P) I dreamed I was leaving on my trip. And the British Airways jet was parked out in the middle of a field; surrounded by tents and pathways and hippies. It was sort of like Woodstock, only without the music and the mud. I was in endless, endless lineups, twisting and turning and I couldn't figure out why there were no bathroom facilities for all the people in the line. Including me. They kept announcing that the plane was leaving, but I was no where near being able to board; and I really really had to to go the loo. So, I was dancing in the line up, to distract myself, and wondering why I decided to go to Belgium since they obviously weren't civilized and didn't have any toilets. Finally, finally.........the line snaked around to an outhouse. I was disgusted. One outhouse for all these people. They couldn't even be bothered to build flush toilets for their passengers? Really? So, I was complaining to someone behind me, and then of course I woke up. Guess what? It was 2 am, and I really did need to use the loo. I'm almost scared to know how you are all going to analyze that one. LOL
Okay, that is enough pointless ramblings from me. Hope you enjoyed this upbeat, question filled episode of What's Brewin. And yes Dad, I will phone you momentarily to tell you a new blog is up, since you ask me every day about it! :) See you soon, Brew-Meisters! (What do you think of that name?)
T.
xxx
PS: I won a coffee on Tim's 'Roll up the Rim' contest! Yay me! (But I think I've had enough caffeine today, don't you?)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here I am again. :) Just popping in with a picture of Antwerp or Antwerpen or Anvers (take your pick and why does it have so many names? More questions! ) This is the train station. Thanks Chris! It's so magnificent. We don't have things like this in Canada.
Anyhow, I have a million questions. Questions, questions, questions. If anyone knows the answers, please leave a comment. This is stuff they don't tell you on Trip Advisor! First up: B&B Etiquette. I've never stayed at a B&B; although I am super excited about the one I'm staying at. It's so beautiful! Giant bed, balcony overlooking a tree lined street, wood floors, claw foot bathtub. (Yes, I will post pictures!) But I don't know the etiquette. For example, here in North America, when you stay in a hotel (a hotel, not a B&B) it is customary to leave a tip every day for the cleaning staff. Does one do that at a B&B as well? Or is it considered rude? Or maybe you just leave a tip at the end of your stay? I have no idea. Also, do you make your bed? Or do you expect the proprieter to do it? Seems a bit lazy to me - expecting the host/hostess to make your bed when you could very well do it yourself in about 10 seconds, but is that part of the service you pay for when you're at a B&B? Again, no idea. Obviously the towels, etc get changed every day, but the rest of it? Dunno. Will you help me out, please, if you do know?
Question Two also revolves around tipping. I read somewhere that you only tip in Europe if the service at the restaurant is good. Is this true? Because in North America, its customary to tip 15% regardless. The wait staff relies on tips since the hourly wage is not usually very good. But in Europe? Again, I have no idea. What is the standard? And if you do tip, what percentage is acceptable? 15% like in Canada?
Question Three. The train system. I was googling about the trains today. I am so confused. Very, very confused. Is there an inter-city train system in Brussels, plus a national train system (to get to Antwerp for example? Oh and that makes me think of a secondary question: Is Anterwp the same place as Antwerpen?), plus a third train system if I want to go out of the country (to Paris, for example)? Is there really that many train systems? How do you figure it all out? I'm pretty smart, but seriously, I think this could just about do me in. While we're on the topic of trains........is it worthwhile to get some kind of rail pass? Is that cheaper? How exactly does it work? I need a one way to Antwerp, return to Paris, return to Leuven and a one way from Leuven. Does that warrant getting a rail pass? I need to be economical with some things, if I can, and I think rail travel will be one of them. But then again, maybe I am not travelling enough by rail to justify a pass. I don't know!!!!! I'm sooooooooooo confused! HELP!
Okay, I won't bore you with any more questions today, but I will tell you about my dream. Do you want to read about my dream? (What's your dream? Anyone know the movie quote that's from?) (Skip ahead if you don't want to read about the dream :P) I dreamed I was leaving on my trip. And the British Airways jet was parked out in the middle of a field; surrounded by tents and pathways and hippies. It was sort of like Woodstock, only without the music and the mud. I was in endless, endless lineups, twisting and turning and I couldn't figure out why there were no bathroom facilities for all the people in the line. Including me. They kept announcing that the plane was leaving, but I was no where near being able to board; and I really really had to to go the loo. So, I was dancing in the line up, to distract myself, and wondering why I decided to go to Belgium since they obviously weren't civilized and didn't have any toilets. Finally, finally.........the line snaked around to an outhouse. I was disgusted. One outhouse for all these people. They couldn't even be bothered to build flush toilets for their passengers? Really? So, I was complaining to someone behind me, and then of course I woke up. Guess what? It was 2 am, and I really did need to use the loo. I'm almost scared to know how you are all going to analyze that one. LOL
Okay, that is enough pointless ramblings from me. Hope you enjoyed this upbeat, question filled episode of What's Brewin. And yes Dad, I will phone you momentarily to tell you a new blog is up, since you ask me every day about it! :) See you soon, Brew-Meisters! (What do you think of that name?)
T.
xxx
PS: I won a coffee on Tim's 'Roll up the Rim' contest! Yay me! (But I think I've had enough caffeine today, don't you?)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here I am again. :) Just popping in with a picture of Antwerp or Antwerpen or Anvers (take your pick and why does it have so many names? More questions! ) This is the train station. Thanks Chris! It's so magnificent. We don't have things like this in Canada.
RSS Feed