Je Suis Malade en Belgique

We rolled into Belgium on an overheated Eurostar train yesterday evening, and by that time it was already dark. It's dark now. Consequently I haven't yet seen Belgium in daylight.

So far so good, except that I'm sick. I'm battling some kind of throat/nose thing that makes me feel like I inhaled sandpaper. It's pretty mild so far, but I hope it doesn't get much worse.

After we arrived on the train we rented a car in Brussels and drove to Leuven, which is where we are now. (I did not drive!) The traffic in Brussels was insane, which I hear is fairly typical. Leuven seems a little more manageable, but I haven't seen much of it yet -- just the Novotel and a quick walk through the city center last night to find dinner. (Beef stew, frites and Domus beer. Doesn't that sound Belgian?)

Not only is Leuven home to Stella Artois, but our hotel is literally right across the street. Our window faces the big, corrugated metal wall of the brewery, or the shipping warehouse, or something Stella-related. Not particularly scenic, but somehow appropriate!