We were up early and had breakfast downstairs in a room overlooking the canal. We were the only ones there at seven in the morning. We walked to the Brugge Train Station and caught the 8:25 to Brussells, then took a taxi to the Australian Embassy. Our driver had fled Rwanda 12 years ago.
The first set of glass doors glide open, then we had to press an intercom and state our business. The Embassy is located on the 5th floor. A large man directed us to leave all but identification and documents in one of three lockers there. Inside, we passed through a metal detector. We waited for a few minutes before being called by a SMILING Belgian woman to the glass counter. She issued us a form each to fill in, then collected the fee, photos, looked at drivers' licences and said we could wait or come back. The Consul who was in a meeting had to approve our applications.
We wandered around the area, through several parks and past various other Embassy and EEC buildings, had a coffee, then returned.
Yes, they were ready and handed over immediately. We were again dealt with a friendly professional attitude.
Rob wasn't overly keen at my photo opportunity outside in front of the brass Embassy plaque, but he indulged me. We tried to phone a taxi, but despite hitting "3" for the English option, the operator and I did not communicate sufficiently to do so. We walked to try and if a taxi rank, but came stairs leading down to a Metro station instead. Rob suggested we give it a go.
It proved extremely easy to purchase 2 one hour tickets for the short ride back to the main MIDI station. The destinations board read "1:07" and the train to Brugge was "1:05" ... seems we had missed it by two minutes. Never mind. They run every half hour. But as it was still displayed, I suggested we check the platform anyway.
Eureka! Tourists with suitcases were still crowding around, trying to board. So we scrambled in too!!!
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