Thanks for the comments. Glad you enjoyed reading it. I certainly enjoyed the trip.
Fraser, the upcoming report may be delayed a bit....I'm trying to find a spare weekend in my so hectic life. Slam/Funk d'Void and Groove Armada this weekend, friends over from Ireland the following, Hed Kandi and Carl Cox the weekend after, then moving house the weekend after that......so I should be able to get away mid-March.
Just before I go to Hong Kong for a couple of days mid-April!
(And the Berlin trip looks to be out via Dusseldorf on Lufthansa and back via Amsterdam on KLM based on timings/loads...should be some interesting reading for our friends across the pond).
Thanks for your trip reports.....prompting some fond memories of when one has been up the sharp end!
Interflug a couple of answers/comments for you. I agree the staff sometimes get confused with the languages on SN BRU, case in point when we landed at Newcastle the English announcement said "On behalf of SN Brussels and our codeshare partner American Airlines", the French changed it to "American Airways" and finally the Flemish got it right with "British Airways".
But I have my own theories on the Flemish-Walloon "conflict". The two component parts of Belgium act on their own, and as a consequence Brussels has become a city-state in its own right in between them. Coupled with the large influx of EU bureaucrats it has made the city an enticing entrepot of language and culture. I have also noticed that most of the inhabitants speak excellent English (and a lot of the adverts/signage in BRU is in English only).
Hmmm....a rehash of the age-old Neuhaus-Godiva debate. One's uncle has previously been in the employ of both companies, and therefore early childhood Christmases in their delightful town-house in Brussels were spent "evaluating" samples of new chocs. So I feel well suited to a decision: Neuhaus. Godiva are more mainstream, more "American" and quite a bit cheaper (and if you're going to spend a small fortune on chocolates, you might as well spend a large fortune....!)
The new A pier in BRU is very nice, big new shopping area in the "Topaz" and a good selection of bars, shops spread down its enormous length (but travelators ease the walking). Only problem is that the SN Avros look a bit pathetic parked up against something so large!
As for Thalys, it's very wierd and I think there may be a hint of politics here. You can get a train Paris CDG - Brussels Midi. You can also get a train Brussels Airport - Paris Nord (albeit only 1x day). But no direct Airport-Airport service.
Maybe I'll tell you about Bahrain some other time.....but it could take a while!
(You may be able to gather that I like Brussels quite a bit....very interesting city, food as good as Paris, great beer, cheap and if you're into Techno...Fuse can't be beat!)