Last weekend we got out of Brussels and spent it in the beautiful Belgian countryside near Chimay with a big group of friends connected to my choir. We were gifted with sunshine the whole weekend and surrounded by music and song and lots of fun. The kids could run around and collect eggs from the chickens and discover the place in complete freedom...
Getting away from the city even just for one night was fantastic - to see the sky filled with stars, to sing around a campfire without bothering neighbours, to see the sun rising and the sparkling dew on the grass (thanks to my early-rising boys!)...
But there is a lot I love about city living too. I guess the one thing that struck me is that living out there you need a car to go and get a loaf of bread... where as in the city everything is close by and a car is more of a hindrance than a help....
This morning I had an early start and rode my bike through the city as the first light was coming. Watching a city wake up is also fun.... the early movers for deliveries, the lights coming on in houses and as we all start our daily routines. But there were already traffic jams and agitated people (maybe more due to the strike today)... I was in time for my meeting - but everyone else was stuck in their cars...
Last week 5 people started a process to sue Brussels for the quality of air which is causing more allergies and asthma in our kids than can be tolerated. On 'no car day' this year the effects on the air in the city were visible - not only that the noise pollution was massively reduced...
Maybe it does not have to be such a huge contrast between Brussels and the countryside? If we choose our transport more wisely - leave the cars for those long journeys out of the city that we need them for and discover that Brussels is walkable, cyclable and that the public transport system is not bad at all....
Tomorrow (Friday 30 September) at 18h from Porte du Namur I will be joining a big group of cyclists to ride together through our city - hopefully the biggest group cycling event ever to have happened in Brussels... fancy joining? Just turn up...