Discover Brussels SightJogging

Few weeks before :: After lunch, at the digestion's time, the office becomes so quiet... The Outlook alarm, noticing us about a new email, wakes us up. I take my mouse, make some clicks and see the invitation of Lawrence en Gérarld. We're going to try the Brussels Sight Jogging. Let's catch up on Friday, at 5pm at the BIP.

Wednesday, end of the day :: desperate email to my colleagues asking them to join me at this intensive footing of the Friday night.

Friday, early in the morning :: No answer to my email... Ok, I face the truth: I will go running alone tonight. I slip on my t-shirt, short and tie up my trainers.

Friday, 5pm :: Right on time, Lawrence and Gérarld are waiting for me in front of the BIP's stairs. We walk a little bit in order to warm up. Lawrence gets worried about my physical condition and gives me some advices. The theory is easy: we're going to visit Brussels... and run.

5.05pm :: And the practical experience is not very complicated neither. The only trick is to see the Brussels cobblestones, to respect the traffic lights and to squeeze politely in the pedestrians. We take the Régence street towards the Sablon. Quietly, out guides check on me. No need to kid myself, they won't notice it.

5:10pm :: We reach the Sablon Church when Lawrence and Gerarld tell me they often use the first meters to evaluate the physical condition of their joggers of the day. And mine doesn't seem so bad! Let's move on to serious matters! So I learn that Petit Sablon is the secular matching place of the close church. The fountain is the matching of the middle of the church, the frozen thinkers in the grass are response to to the Saints in their niches. Gerarld adds that on Google Earth, we can see that the hedges are cut in order to depict the Brussels iris. And order to not feel too stupid, I say: 'Oh yes, as we can see on Google Earth the masonic architecture of the Royal Park'. To forget this awkward comment, we tear down the Sablon, avoiding the tourists, greedy of antique and chocolate.

5:20pm :: After this crazy descent, we go to the Marolles, away from the crowd, and reach the Manneken-Pis. Meanwhile, we talk about the linguistic particularities of the places names. Why the Place du Jeu de Balle is it called Vossenplein in Dutch? Once again, Lawrence gives me the answer.

5:30pm :: Manneken Pis :: With my two guides, we are going to reach the famous statue. The crowd is pressing against the gate. The chance to share our views about Manneken Pis Legend.

5:40 :: Grand Place. After crossing the gay district, we get into the Grand Place. Again, tourists are here but this time they look at us. Who is the guy running with two other ones wearing the same clothes? I close my eyes and think I'm Sarkozy making his public jogging in the Royal Park. Is there no more oxygen in my brain?

5:50pm :: The crowd becomes thicker. And people keep staring at us when we cross the Saint-Hubert Galleries. We keep running in the direction of the Cathedral and its falcons. A visit always implies comments. And when you're running at the same time, you're making your comment at the same time too. Then I dry my sweat while my two co-bunnies do not seem out of breath. 

5:55pm :: I almost fall when going down the stairs from the administrative district to the Belgian Center of the BD.

6:05 :: Nothing can stop us. Ancien lit de la Senne, Place des Martyrs, Rue Neuve, Passage du Nord, Place Saint-Catherine, Halles Saint-Géry, Bourse... Everything unfolds under our feet. Gérald gives me some water and a chocolate bar to hold on. 

6:20 :: Second time on the most beautiful place of the world. The smell of the waffles is stronger than at the first time. It's hard for me. In order to recover I say I want to take a picture.

6:30 :: The experience of Sight Jogging is almost done. We are back at the BIP after 8 kilometers. I'm able to remember more than the half of what Gérald and Lawrence told me, which is not so bad! And more than with a traditional guide! Done! High five with my partners of the day Frédéric Solvel