Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Brussels again

Another weekend working in Brussels (or rather, Tervuren). Lots of Flemish food and drink. I decided to stay over in Brussels itself on Sunday night, with the aim of checking out Matonge, the African quarter - I'd decided not to try the main salsa night (La Tentation) as I did my knee in last year dancing on the uneven floor.

Unfortunately there's not a lot on in Matonge on a Sunday night, particularly election night, apart from a flea market that was winding down. I wandered down to Grand Place later on, resigning myself to a fairly dull night, and then remembered that I'd passed a bar describing itself as a salsa bar last year. Wandered down the street (Rue Marché aux Charbons) and there was the Cartegena bar. And there were people dancing.

Not busy - there were only three couples there when I arrived (more arrived later) - but friendly. Most of the male dancers there were African. François, the teacher (the class was earlier) complimented me on my dancing and invited me to join his weekly rueda group! I explained that I was only over for the weekend. Later I joined in an enjoyable rueda which was half in French.

Not the wildest night's dancing I've ever had, but friendly, good music and a nice way to wind down after a heavy weekend. If I go back next year I'm going to insist on staying in the city rather than Tervuren, so I can check out clubs like Los Romanticos. The friendly, comfortable hotel I stayed in (Rembrandt, in Ixelles) would have worked out cheaper than the place in Tervuren, even once you count the tram fare each way.

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