To disregard the advice of a local on their home turf is a very foolish thing. But I was right.... I was sure I was right. We didn't need reservations we were going on an adventure! We would make a detour into Luxembourg, enjoy the sights and sounds of one of the world's tiniest countries then continue, free as birds, to whatever Belgian hotel appealed to us. It would be simple, it would be adventuresome, it would be fun. My sweet wife guaranteed it would be a disaster.
Luxembourg was beautiful but it was getting dark and my wife eagerly wanted to get on the road. We stopped at one of the first hotels inside Belgium, $200, too expensive. We moved on. Two stops later and she was angrily muttering insults. Hotel #4 was full but directed us to Hotel #5.... also full. They called Hotels #6,7 and 8, all full. We passed a hotel that looked promising but I couldn't figure out how to get off the freeway and on to the street it was on.
My wife explained for the third time that roads in Europe don't work like they do in the US. A procedure that in the US was as simple as getting off the freeway then getting back on in the opposite direction, in Europe often required a looping, circuitous route and sometimes a detour of several miles. We drove on. Hotel #9 was full, now she was yelling. I suggested that we stop by a pay phone and call nearby hotels. My dear wife explains that most pay phones no longer work with coins but instead use a card sold in stores that usually close by 9:00. It was now well past 10:00.
Hotel #10, full... Hotel #11, also full. Sweet wife explains through tears that 24 hour availability is not the norm in Europe. Some hotels even if they had rooms available might shut down and call it a night. At this point price was no longer an issue. I would happily pay a couple hundred dollars for any room in ANY condition. Hotel #12, also full. Through clenched teeth my lovely wife hisses that now that we were in the English speaking portion of the country that I was in charge of begging. So I begged.
Number 13 directed us to #14 who called Broel Hotel who confirmed to our astonishment that they had a room. After well over 100 miles of driving we finally had a room at 2AM.
Belgium was gorgeous but my voice went horse from constantly repeating " You were right, I was an idiot, I'm sorry".
2013 #26 / 365 read more
