Well, it has finally happened! I know you probably didn't think it was possible, but I am finally offically all partied out. This weekend I was in a new european city (Riems), that I will probably never be back to in my entire lifetime, and I had absolutely no desire to go out and party!! I think that is the first time that has happened in the 6 months that I have been here in europe.

There have of course been other times when I was perhaps too tired (or too hungover) to go out, but this is the first I went a whole weekend and had no real desire to explore and party. I think I just see the end of my contract coming and I am ready to go home. And of course I remember Jan/Feb, and I know I will regret it when I get home, and after a week I will be bored, but still I think the homesickness has finally over-ruled the party animal. Oh well.

I think it also has a lot to do with the little things as well. The little comforts of the first world that you start to miss after 6 months in the second world. I'm sure you can understand thinking back to our trip which was only what a month or something. I know you started to miss the comforts of having nice things, clean streets, customer service! They of course have never heard of cusomer service over here. There are so many little things that start to add up and after 6 months they have made me crave home. Funny how that didn't happen in england though. I think they are probably the most close to north america of all european countries.

Any ways, so one of the little things that drove me crazy this weekend was that I needed to get my hair cut. So such a little thing like that got me all worked up because it should be so easy yet it was extreamly difficult. It started in Antwerp on Saturday. Because I was going to France that day, I knew I shouldn't try to get it cut in France, because the french are the absolute worst for customer service, and I just knew it would be bad.

So there is a place in Antwerp only a few blocks from where I live that (has a sign that says they) are open between like 9am-7pm every day. So, I have been here for a while, so I knew not to plan for them to be open at 9am. I mean even in England I remember me and the New Zealand consultant used to love the sign at the major grocery store Tesco (which is like a major store like Safeway or something), that used to say "OPEN 24 HOURS (except between 10pm-8am Monday-Friday and 8pm-10am Saturday-Sunday) or something like that. It wss quite bizzare.

So any ways, I planned very well. I had laundry to do, so I planned to do that in the morning because I am generally up between 7-8am. I usually leave early to drive where-ever I am going. But instead laundry would take a couple of hours and then I would get my hair cut between cycles or somthing. Well twice I went 9:30 and 10 and still not open. Typical, but still starting to get a little annoyed. So I finished my laundry and then thought they had better be open by now! Well, when I went the last time at 10:30am, of course, they were still not open. All right, kinda annoyed, but still, not going to let it bother me. I need to get going France if I want to stop anywhere on the way and see anything. So, I cannot stay in Antwerp and try and find another because who knows how long that could take. There is a laundy and an internet/phone-call place on every block in my neighbourhood, but who knows where there is another hair place. So, any ways, I leave and decide in my wandering through whatever city I will also look for a hair place.

So the first city I visited was Mons. I was going to go to Charlerio (they are both in the french speaking portion of Belgium), but I was told it was really industrial and not nice. So Mons was supposed to be nice little city/village. It was alright. The streets were pretty cool, with the centre being built on a hill. So winding there way around and though the city it was nice. Not spectacular or anything. I think I have already seen the best places in both Belgium and the Netherlands, so now it's kinda the ordinary places that are left. It was nice though. they had a great big main square with tons of restaurants and cafes which was quite nice.

One funny thing happened while I was walking around. There was some people handing out stickers looking for donations for some charity to help kids stay off the streets, etc. I was approached by a girl and she said something and then I was like sorry I don't speak french (I say it in English now because I don't want people to know I speak any French, it's easier that way). So any ways, she was really nice and immediatley switched to english which is unusual and then gave me the speal about they are trying to tech "Say NO to drugs", Say NO to alcohol", and "Use condoms". So any ways I gave her some money just because she was nice (basically that wass the bottom line), but also a little because I have not given money to any charities in a while being displaced and all. So any ways that was fine and then I was walking away and a thought hit me all of a sudden. I was like "Wait a minute!! I only support one out of three of thier mandates!... Dammit". Oh well.

So any ways, back to the haircut. I was looking for somewhere to get my haircut and really only wanted a barberhsop but realized in france that may be impossible. They are very fu-fu and I knew I would probably have to go to a salon place. But I was fine with that because I just wanted the hair gone! So I saw a few places on the way, but only had one or two people working and they already had clients, so I didn't want to have to wait for hours. So eventually I found a big salon with what looked like lots of hairdressers and less clients. So went in. Broken french/english later I am waiting to get my haircut. Lots of workers going back and forth, chatting, outside smoking, etc. Fine, I can wait a while, I expect this in France. Well 15 minutes later, I'm sorry by my american attitude comes out and there is no way I am waiting anymore. So I got up and left, continued sight seeing. A little annoyed at the second world at this point.

So another 1/2 hour of sightseeing, and I am still in Mons. Then on the way back to the car, just before I am finished seeing what I want of the city I come to another hair place. It has only worker, but it is a mens hair place and there is no one there. Perfect I think! So I go in and another broken english/french conversation later I learn; there is no-one in there at the moment, but he only does haircuts by appointment, and he has to free appointments today. Typical. OK, more than a little annoyed at things by this point. Such a simple thing to do in North America.

So after Mons it is quite late afternoon because of the wasted morning and everything else. So, I decide that I cannot stop anywhere else or I won't be able to see what I want to of Riems and also look for a haircut. So 2 hours or something drive and I am in Riems, check into hotel, and out to see the city. The cathedral was amazing. Very similar to Amiens and Rouen that I visited a few weeks ago. They are also restoring the front and it is quite interesting to see. I had actually been there before with my relatives, so again interesting to see what I remembered. I quite liked the city, it was pretty vibrant. I think there may have been some festival or something going on though. I saw a sign and although I could not read it, the dates were Sep7-11 which is when I was there. There was also a lot of barn-type animals in the street. They had pony rides for kids and stuff, so must that must have had something to do with the festival.

A couple of hours into sightseeing though, the one thing which can totally spoil a city happened. It started to rain. I hate that. Well, I had still been looking around for a place to get my haircut any ways, so when it started to rain I ducked into a place that looked alright. It was fu-fu of course, but it had lots of hairdressers so hopefully no repeat of Mons. And it wasn't thank goodness. They were actually quite nice and the language barrier was fun and a challenge for them instead of the annoyance and/or insult that most french people take it as. So I was quite happy, even going along with all the fu-fu stupid stuff like insisting they wash my hair and message my head first, dress in a hospital like gown, etc. It was fun because when I was like "I don't need my hair washed" they joked "It may not be like this england, but here we do it special" :) Another funny thing about the french, everyone who speaks english comes from england. That's the second time that happened to me. The exact same thing happened with a gay guy last weekend in Lille. He asked where I was from, and I said Canada, and then only about two sentences later he asked, So do I live in London? And I thought we were supposed to more educated?? Anyways same at the hairdresser. I told them I was from Canada, yet they think that is in england somewhere. I guess it's same with americans not knowing where canada is on a map. And I'm sure there are people in Surrey who don't know where france is as well... :)

Any ways, so I thought I had escaped the hair-bad-luck-fiasco. Not the case. Finally get in the seat and try to explain how I want it cut. Oh goodness NO! We don't use a shaver here! That would be not be bourgeoisie enough for us french! So she explained, she will cut with the scissors and that it will be as short as a shaver. OK, fine. It will take 3 times as long, but it's raining outside any ways, so I am not in a rush anymore. Well, she was alright and it did get "fairly" short. But, I had to tell her twice to go shorter... and even though I knew it was still not as short as I wanted it, I didn't have the heart/guts to tell her to go shorter a third time. So, fine, it's not as short as I would like, but at least it's not bugging me anymore. Then the bill, $27 euros, that's $40. And, yes, I know that's not a lot for a haircut for you sissy gay boys :) who go to a special hairdresser or wherever, but for me, that 4 times what I would normally pay. Oh well. So all in all an annoying experience. But wait it's not over. When I got home I noticed a couple of things. The haircut was not even, ie it's longer in some places and shorter in other. Oh brother. And!! she must have accidently cut too short in one place right by my ear because the hair is almost completely gone there. It looks odd. Alright very annoyed at that point! Tried to fix the uneven parts, not sure if succeeded, but nothing I could do about the shave by the ear. Oh well. Such a simple thing to get done in north america. 3 more weeks.

So any ways after the haircut it had actually stopped raining. So I walked around for another hour or so. Then had a beer in a nice open air street with tons of restaurants, bars, cafes, and people watched for a while. Then went back to the hotel (whence upon instpection found the haircut was quite shabby), and relaxed for a while. At this point it was about 8pm and I had to decide if I wanted to go out later that night or not, and plan accordingly. Well at that point I had lost all desire. So instead I went back out to the same restaurant street area and had a really great dinner. I had an avacado salad and a really really good pizza. It was piled with big pieces of the topping. And way too much to finish, but very good. And then after that I went back to hotel and went to bed! I think I was in bed before 10pm!! on a Saturday night!!! in europe!!!! Well, I'm am offically over-the-hill. That never would have happened a few years ago. Of course it has been 6 months straight as I said. Well, bring on the lions.

So, up early on Sunday and ready to do something, go somewhere. But alas the fates did not agree. It rained pretty much the whole drive back to Antwerp. So even though I wanted to stop and a couple of cities and visit (Charleroi, Charlesville), I was not going to do it in the rain. So back to Antwerp and nothing exciting, went to a movie.It was horrible, as most movies are when you can't fast forward them. I think I have been to like 4 or 5 movies in the theatre this summer. That's more than I saw in 3 years in Vancouver I think. Damn sunday's in europe are the worst. 3 more weeks. :) :)

So a sober weekend, well except two beers before and with dinner. But no "real" alchohol :) And, I hope to do it again this weekend. Then that will be a 3 week cleanse of the system. That is good for the body every once in a while. And especially good before a trip to London... oh lord I feel the pain already...