Be Brave. Take Risks. Nothing Can Substitute the Experiences.

From my travels in Brussels NOV2015

Happy Hump Day Wednesday,

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." ~ Saint Augustine

Don't be scared to walk alone. Don't be scared to like it. We all need a break at times from the dating scene or from the norms of life that we have set in motion for ourselves. I say this particularly for those that are currently single for whatever reasons they maybe. What better way is it to get away than to just literally get away. Taking a trip/adventure on your own/alone without any strings attached is the most freeing thing a person can do these days. This can even hold true for those of us who have had to travel for business for several days/weeks/months at a time and representing a company all on our own. It's a growing experience for without even knowing it. I say this from experience. I have done the solo travel several times both for business and pleasure from the cities of California to the beaches of Hawaii to my second home of South Florida, and several other destinations. Each time I come back reinvigorated to add a new petal to my soul of a person that I am. I grow and learn so much each time I take the journey.

As there was such great news this past weekend that terrorist suspect, Abdeslam Salah, had finally been captured in his hometown neighborhood of Molenbeek in Brussels, Belgium, the news turned for the worst yesterday on Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016 when there were several terrorist attacks on the beautiful city of Brussels, Belgium. I just can not fathom how the people are handling this over there, or how this attack could have occurred. Well, actually I can because I had just been there several months ago during Thanksgiving Break 2015 on my Solo BeNeLux Trip I had taken.

SHOUT OUT to my now legal Dutch resident homegirl Marianna and her Boo- Ivan who had moved out to Amsterdam, Netherlands a few years ago because well she wanted to. Talk about bravery. They had been constantly inviting me to come visit. I came to a point in my life that I had no strings attached to a true desk job. I had no true excuse to not go. So I finally reached into my piggy bank and decided if I am making the journey, than I better visit more than one country while I'm out in Europe. I originally had wanted to invite a buddy to come along with me, but somehow I kept telling myself that this trip needed to be about me and no one else. I needed the time away to venture out for self discovery. Ten days was sufficient time to do a good BeNeLux trip. (It curtails visiting Belgium-Netherlands-Luxembourg) I decided I would station myself for half the trip in Brussels since the rail system was ideal, easy, and inexpensive to hop from various cities in Belgium and an easy straight shot to Luxembourg for a day or even Paris if I wanted to. The other half of the trip I would head up to Amsterdam to stay by my friends. (Thanks peeps for hosting me in your sweet Dutch Pad.) The biggest decision came to if I stay at a hotel or AirBnB an apartment somewhere in Brussels. I gave in to my mother's scolding of that I am an accomplished woman who can afford the luxury of a hotel, so I booked a hotel sort of central to all the major attractions and ease of walk to the Central Station. (But personally the AirBnB concept let's you immerse yourself more so as a local and many of the listings are spectacular! I recommend folks to try it out.)

Six days before my flight, the devastating attacks in Paris occurred. Europe and the entire world was in mourning. All major cities in Europe and particularly Brussels, Belgium were on high alert hunting down the remaining suspects involved in the attacks. News kept breaking with possible additional attacks and attempts in Belgium & Turkey. I'd called the airline several times all to know that my flights were leaving on time with no anticipation of any cancellations or travel alerts for US citizens. My parents were very much against me leaving but I said everything will be fine. My mother demanded everyday for me to call in or post on social media that I was alive. My friends and family I am sure had seen my daily postings on Instagram and Facebook.

Manneken Pis in Brussels dressed in college grunge gear

As I had arrived into Brussel's main airport via a connecting flight in Istanbul, Turkey, there was that amazing sensation that fell over me as I grabbed my luggage passed through security and was finally ready to begin the first adventure in Europe; finding the train station to get to the center of the city and find my hotel! (LoL, I actually have an amazing sense of direction. Thanks Dad!) I arrive with ease into the heart of Brussels and walk down the main avenue to get to my amazing hotel. I drop my bags in my cool modern room and head out to get in as much of Brussels I can the first day. I decided to stay within the heart and later in the days venture out to a few other parts that were recommended for me to see.
Walking the streets those first few hours I felt a buzz that only European cities have. The way local people walk, talk, eat, drink, socialize all comes with ease and relaxation. You can see that people enjoy life even if they work long hours, or several jobs to provide for themselves and families. America still has a way before we can adapt such a concept. I ventured out that first night and grabbed a delicious moules frites dinner at a recommended restaurant. I grabbed a pint at one of the oldest pubs in town. I was so tired and had an early morning planned for myself that I decided to call it an early night so to adjust to the European time.
The next morning I woke up early to grab an early departure out to see Bruge and Ghent. As I walked towards the Central station I noticed on every major block or pedestrian walk way lots of police and military presence. Police cars and military vehicles/tanks stationed throughout major points. What I thought was just maybe a norm or something I missed yesterday walking was in fact the beginning of a citywide lock down forming. As I returned back to Brussels, there are certain eerie feeling walking back to my hotel. There seemed to be a departure of the buzz and vast amount of people on the streets. The military and police presence were much more visible. They walked with their ski masks on covering most of their faces and their hands on the triggers of their large semi automatic rifles and pistols. After freshening up a bit from today's excursion, I stopped by the front desk to get directions and best mode of transport to get to this evenings recommended restaurant in the neighborhood of Ixelles. The concierge looked at me eyes of bewilderment and said that all citywide transit except for the Euro Rail system had been shutdown as of 3 pm and the city had gone into a lock down indefinitely. The city of Brussels was on the Highest terror alert of 4 out of 4. The concierge recommended that if I must venture out for a meal/drink outside the hotel to call and see if they are open and be cautious. I was quite taken back. I had heard of lock downs and read about curfews in fictional books, but to actually be apart of it was slightly surreal.

Military presence everywhere in Brussels

I still ventured out that night to find a better meal than the hotel. I did not come all this way to eat at hotels. I ended up at another re Aux Armes de Bruxelles established in 1921. As I took my last bite of food and sipped the last drops of my complimentary champagne; the waiter asked if I don't mind paying right away. Due to the curfew and vast amount of military on the block they would like to close as soon as possible. I did as I was told. The waiter graciously helped me with my coat and bag and led me out through the kitchen and into the back door into an alleyway away from the main entrance. He said not to walk down the way I came to avoid the police and military on the main block. (Later on the news I found out they had conducted a raid on that block.) This left me to take the narrow cobble stone street down back into the Grand Palace. It was a slight detour back to the hotel but to see again the majestic Grand Palace at night I had no hesitation to pass up on. As I arrive and take a few photographs I get bombarded by a news crew asking if I speak english. To much to their surprise, they stumbled upon a jewel of a story. A female American Solo Traveler, disregarding curfew and venturing the evening streets of Brussels during a high terror alert scare post Terror attacks in Paris. I get miked up, light beaming and cameras rolling on me. I give them a glimpse into who I am, why I had ventured out post curfew, do I feel safe and so on. They requested if I can come back tomorrow to the Grand Palace for additional interviews with other major news correspondents such as Martha Raddatz from ABC news. (I ended up interviewing for a few news agencies the next morning) The producer also that evening took down my information, sent it to the American consulate of Brussels in case of emergency as well as offered me special car service to get around town if I needed. (Next time I am traveling only as Press!)

Walking through the streets of Brussels during the lock down, I was surprised on how literal all the local shops, restaurants, museums, schools, and even local people took this citywide shut down. It sure felt like a Ghost town. But it also felt like the city was all mine. (Kind of like the old British Airways commercial of the guy yelling in the empty street "WHERE IS EVERYBODY!") Their version of Fifth Avenue with shops like Chanel, Ralph Lauren, even Nespresso were all closed (I couldn't get my european nespresso fix!!!!)

Martha Raddatz and I in the Grand Palace talking about my fears of traveling alone in Europe during these tough times

I am such a Global Threat! LoL

The next evening of my stay in Brussels after getting back from Antwerp, I ended up sitting at the hotel bar after dinner and making friends for life with other out of town guests staying in the hotel. We were an international squad from the UK, South Africa, Angola, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, and I from the US. We were requested by the hotel manager and security that we do not sit by the windows as a precautionary measure. They could not guarantee our safety in the case of a bomb thrown to a window or any other violent attack. It did not stop all of us from enjoying the late hours. The nine of us talked about international politics (which everyone always says never to talk about on a date or meeting new people). It went rather well. The only argument and variety of opinion came from who made a better James Bond: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Bronsan or Daniel Craig?

Most hotels had military presence for security. You could not enter without ID and Key card from the hotel.

My last night in Brussels before heading up to Amsterdam, I spent finding a local bar that finally surpassed curfew and remained open. As the name suggest Bar de Amis (Friends Bar) was exactly what it was. It had plenty of locals my age who disregards the curfew. The bar was open at its own risk the bartender had told me in my conversation with them. As the night progressed. I  met some locals who wanted to take me out for dinner next time I am in town. (How sweet.) At around 10:45pm, the bartender received a text from his friend stating that he heard shots fired as he was riding his bike home. At 10:51pm it was a like an amber alert went off on all the locals cellphones. The city of Brussels issued a citywide emergency to seek shelter and not to post anything on social media (If you see something, do not say anything. It's the complete opposite of how Americans would handle it.) This was so not to tip off the people that Belgium was searching for in connection of the Paris attacks.

You would think I would be scared, nervous, unsettled and running towards my hotel. I was instead calm, cool, collected and wanting to stay longer at the bar. I was in the company of people that all wanted to protect me. They were afraid that if American blood gets spilled in Belgium, it would be a national crisis. After the bar owner called and said that they would need to close the bar shortly, the bartender asked the security that evening to walk me back to my hotel. I hadn't asked for any additional protection, but to have an armed bodyguard with me for the 3 block walk did provide a sense of comfort and appreciation to the people of Belgium for being so considerate. As I got back to the hotel to show my passport and hotel key card, the news broke that they were conducting about 15 raids all at once throughout the city, trying to find Abdelslam Salah linked to the attacks.

The next morning, I packed my bags and said Merci & Au Revoir to this grand country of Belgium still in lock down. I headed up to my friends and had an amazing time in the Netherlands.

Sitting here in NYC today and writing this post for you all to read brings back soo many memories and a few new ones that I am only now coming to feel. I am feeling today extremely lucky to be sitting here and typing this out. The current attacks in Brussels could have surely happened to me while I was there. For all I know, I could have down the streets of Brussels and bumped into this terror suspect or anyone else linked to him. The center of Brussels is so small, that my hotel was only ten blocks distance from the Molenbeek neighborhood where the hot bed of ISIS terrorists have been stationed. But somehow, it was not my time or fate to have such tragedy happen while I was there. I reflect back now when Martha Raddatz asked, "Are you scared?" and I stated, "No. I'm a tough cookie born and raised in New York City. I had lived through 9/11. I had visited Israel numerous times. A country that is on constant high alert of missiles flying overhead. I do not fear what I can not see. All I can do is live my life and enjoy it."

I challenge you all to take a step into the unknown and do something that usually wouldn't do on your own. May it be as simple as dining out at a restaurant by yourself. Also, put down your cellphone and look up and see the world. Do not hide behind phone/camera/lens constantly. Look with your own eyes the wonder of this gorgeous world. Because one day it may all be gone. In the end, we only regret the chances we didn't take.

Travel Because Life is Short and the World is Huge.

For any additional information/tips on traveling both solo and in company, please reach out. I love to find the best deals and most interesting places to be heading off to next for others besides myself.
Ten Reasons to Travel Alone

Je m’en vais (I’m outta here),

Ilana