Very nice post sandman. Don't get me wrong. I just wanna add my comments to your infos.
[QUOTE=Sandman11]End of my European adventure put me in Paris. Despite having wisely read the reports on the Paris boards.
So the intrepid traveler chose to go to Brussels following the sage advice doled out on these pages. The Eurostar train is not that expensive (about 50 euro each way if I remember right), can be booked with little notice and doesn’t take that long).
- VERY GOOD REASONING! Everything is said.
Short on time I headed directly to Brussels Gare du Nord via the tram from Midi. The trams appear to be free (of course I know they're not but nobody told 95% of the people there who treat them as free). The tram station is right in Midi and you want to go to the Rogier stop. It was weird – the tram was empty as if no one uses it.
- I RATHER TAKE ANOTHER LOCAL TRAIN right after the Thalys at Gare du Midi... It's so gooooood!! You have one every 5 minutes (just look at the board and the stops) that stops at Gare du NORD, which is the place you want to go! First stop at Bruxelles Central then you are good, 10 minutes journey and it IS actually free... well 20 times I took it and never had any controlers, they don't control inside Bruxelles, they don't have time.
So this is better than tram or metro. Much faster and soooo easy! Really advise you to do that.
Names? Can't recall. My guess is the girls rarely stick around long anyways. Just my guess.
- FALSE. Some are there since one year or more. Most have 3-6 months before them... Or maybe you were talking about the windows the girls are working in... in that case YES, they will change often places.
The comment someone else made about there being no showers for the ladies and that the sheets aren’t changed is probably correct.
- CORRECT
Forgive the digression but I'd like to comment on the environs and throw in a contrast with big brother Amsterdam to the north. rue d'Aerschot and Linne sandwich a purely middle eastern street in between. This makes for an interesting contrast. While I didn't feel unsafe in the middle of the gloomy rainy day, I can't comment on what it would be like at night.
- Don't worry about people hanging out at night. It is full of cops and your legs can be faster than their's!! Be carefull but it is not such a problem, I often hanged out very long time at night in this area and have no bad experience. Just use common sense. Keep the "good" eye open, and leave your valuables at the hotel...
The rooms are tiny and utilitarian. I like Amsterdam better.
- I think it is the same as for hygenia... bad in both places!
Better selection in Amsterdam and there are some non-touristy areas with nice friendly ladies.
- Tell us about one non-touristy area that is in the center of Amsterdam... I would really appreciate to know where it is for my next trip!!