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It is not so easy nowadays to have encounters in bars; a very pleasant one happened to me in Bruges. I put in this article everything related to the Belgium part, including one anecdote of real and one virtual meeting. The message of this article is that sometimes, if you are traveling solo, some evenings can be boring; it is not always all idyllic.
In Antwerp on the first night I managed to find an open restaurant in nearby China Town, while on the second day I had a nice walk around downtown and ended the day with a beer in a nice canal-side establishment, it being August 8 it would have been the same as in Cervia, with the difference that there was a brazier suspended with burning wood embers.
Bruges is all a succession of picturesque sights, and rightly so-it was the place where I lingered most, sleeping there for three nights. I also used it as a base for excursions in the surrounding area: I rented a bike to go all the way around the walls and to nearby Damme. I also went to Ostend, by the sea where I had lunch with a fantastic fried fish cone; and especially to Ghent, which after Bruges is certainly the most beautiful city.
Meetings at the bar and the cheese throwers
It may have been because of the covid, but it was one of the trips with fewer encounters; the exception was the wonderful evening born in the oldest pub in Bruges. Open since 1515 the interior is very nice with antique furnishings, but they gave me a table in the courtyard which initially seemed unfortunate and instead I had the opportunity to see a challenge with bowls shaped like flat cylinders. I believed it was in antiquity played by throwing cheeses, but I could find no match. This is the link to the venue one of many that claims to be the oldest in the world.
Much amused as I was, I befriended the couple next door, a Frenchman and a German woman who even work for NATO. They told me how they had been forced to lock down by covid in Martinique where they had just arrived on vacation. We chatted until the club had to close and then on our way back downtown, we also came across a concert in the square by a rock music cover band.
One evening bored in the room
I had already been to Brussels for a day trip during my trip to Holland and was not thrilled. I confirm that I don’t like it too much, although it was interesting to walk around the big buildings of the European Parliament. A pleasant discovery was the very rich war museum, where among other things was the funny picture I highlighted. The Grand Placeis objectively a marvel. Of course, I could not avoid going to look for the Manneken Pis figurine that has become one of the symbols of the city: a child peeing.
In the evening in Brussels I almost got into trouble. It arose because I found myself one evening in a room alone with nothing to do. It’s a situation that can happen traveling solo, and certainly one of the problems with this kind of experience. Never had such a potential mess happened to me. And never did I receive threats via the Web at home as well. I returned early because the next day I would have to catch a bus at 6 a.m. and I was afraid I would not wake up.
As usual, I was well equipped with books to read and crossword puzzles, but I didn’t feel like it that much.
Web-based threats
I got a friend request on Facebook from someone I didn’t know and who had a profile that was practically freshly made and suspicious. If it had come to me on any other day of the year I probably would have ignored it, but that night I accepted it and started chatting, out of boredom and to see where it would go.
I began by warning her that if she was a fake or wanted to ask me for money, she was wasting her time; after a few exchanges she asked me for a video call. She was in bed in her panties and bra on all fours; after a short time, she undressed completely and began to traipse her private parts.
Quite pretty, but she seemed different from the one in the profile pictures. He invited me to do the same with my him, and without thinking about it I pulled my pants down. I must say that these situations don’t excite me that much, and in fact my him had no intention of participating. In a few seconds I realized this was ridiculous stuff and interrupted the video call. As she kept asking me to come back on video, I went to check the profile, which in fact did not match. I did not have time to tell her that I was not interested in this that she started threatening me.
- careful not to make mistakes
- don’t block me or you’ll regret it
- I will send the video to your contacts
- I will make a group with your relatives
- I will run it on the internet
- Will it be of your honor
- you’re going to have to do what I’m asking you
I regret the bar meetings of yesteryear.
I doubted that I had messed up and she was a serious offender, so I filled out the online report on the postal police website. I wrote to her that I had reported her and if she went beyond threats, things would get worse for her. She replied that she would send the video to my cousin. I could not resist telling her that she would blow me off a step, since my cousin is a lawyer!
Then I realized that she was a poor improvised and quite naive. She said the police would never find her because her real name was someone else. She insisted on my honor, and I explained to her that apart from not having done who knows what, except to take my he in hand; at best someone might have had a laugh being, my he, decidedly unresponsive. I had no particular roles, and especially no wives. I told her I was going to bed and said good night by turning off the phone.
Although she was not exactly a genius, thanks to my carelessness she understood; when I woke up I realized that she had tried to write and call me again but in the end she had blocked me. From the postal police the next day they asked me for more details and a formal complaint, I let it go.
Home travel Travel during the Covid – Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg
Previous stop Tour of Europe by bus – Germany and Luxembourg
Trips taken, travel stories divided by continent
Anecdotes, divided by type in travel narratives
Countries visited in my travel stories
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