Though I had drank a lot of alcohol, I only had a minor headache in the morning. I guess I can thank the bottle of Evian I downed (same price as other water, so why not?). I woke briefly at 7 but slept in until 9. As I was getting up, my Indonesian roommate was just getting back. She had gone out with some other girls just about the time I was coming back to sleep. They shared some stories with me while sitting on the balcony for fresh air and sunlight. Apparently, one teenager “exploded” before they even went out to party. They tucked him in bed and cleaned up his sick, but when he woke up, he was angry with them for leaving him behind. “Male drama.”
Breakfast was included with the room price and breakfast hours were delayed on account of the festival, so I had perfect timing to wash down several cups of coffee and a pretty good spread including yogurt and fresh fruit, though the sandwich maker in lieu of a toaster was a weird business decision. There was a Taiwanese family already breakfasting, who commented “amazing” when they read the Chinese characters on the T-shirt I was wearing. I replied (in Chinese): “Yes, I’m all grown up and can dress myself.” They didn’t talk to me, but a older couple from the mainland who came down later and shared my table did.
They were a strange couple, just listing off names of places in China and asking me if I had been there. They had created some trouble at the hostel the day before by not realizing it was a hostel and expecting hotel services. They were also super pissed about the rude Europeans making noise late into the night, even explaining that Chinese people have the decency to go to bed promptly after midnight on Chinese New Years. (For any readers who haven’t lived in China, that is the most bullshitty bullshit that was ever bullshitted. There are fireworks 24 hours a day for two weeks of Spring Festival). After they left, simultaneously checking out, the owner kvetched at me a while about the trouble they caused. It was a good breakfast, but pretty exhausting, so I went back upstairs to lay down for a while.
After my pseudo-nap, I couldn’t let the spectacular weather go to waste and headed out to see the leftover damage of ten days of a city wide party. The clean up crews were pretty efficient, especially considering that the party didn’t end until 10am (as can be attested by videos shot at quarter to nine show large drunken swaying crowds), but it takes time to break down all the temporary constructions and a few of the squares were still a bit litter strewn. Though the city had done an admirable job of putting free toilets all over plus lots of these outdoor urinal stations (an inside out portapotti with four urinals), the spilled beer, stray piss, garbage water and god knows what that spilled upon the cobblestone streets lingers.
I went to the castle–Gravensteen–and decided to spring for the 10 euro admission on the high recommendation of Lonely Planet. The included audioguide was worth the price for a Belgian comedian recounting stories about the castle in accented English. Cutting through the main stretch of town again, I decided to pass on the belfry, but must mention the really cool dragon weather vane for which it is famous. I also popped into the cathedral and another church (god, there are so many churches in Belgium!) which was fabulously decorated inside, but charged 4 euros for a peak at their prized altarpiece painting in which Jesus is depicted as a literal lamb of god. I didn’t know there were furries in the 13th century.
I headed back to the hostel afterwards for a coffee break, but couldn’t get any work done as a series of people talked at me: the owner, the volunteer, one of the couchsurfers who also happened to be staying at the hostel. I was feeling pretty enervated, so when things quieted down I decided to watch a movie. I paused a third of the way through to make sure I made my way to the supermarket before it closed and had a simple dinner of pasta with pesto and salad. After spending so much the previous day, it was nice to keep things simple.
I finished the movie and lay on the couch in the living room for most of the evening without seeing another soul. It was kind of nice to get some peace and quiet.
| Gravensteen | 10 |
| Dinner | 5.42 |
| Total: | 15.42 EUR (120.3 RMB) (USD 17.47) |
Running Total: 20269 RMB (USD 2945.56)
Daily Average: 375.35 RMB (USD 54.55)