Ice-skating in Brussels

Is it possible to ice-skate in Brussels?
From experience I can say that it is!
Normally here is only one place to go: Poseidon at the outskirts of the city – with a swimming hall in the same building (the one we were thrown out from without the swim caps – see earlier blog from Nov 22nd). If you don’t have your own skates, you rent a pair (no, it is not that nice to be renter # 15.723 for that pair of skates) and off you go.

Before Christmas there are also at least 2 other places to skate; one rink at the Christmas Markets in the city and another by Avenue Louise. There is also Sunday skating hour in an arena in Leuven, about 40 km from Brussels and that’s where Finns and Canadians play in local ice-hockey teams. I think the second one is covered, but for example last year the one at the Christmas Markets was covered with water. And since locals seem to think it is romantic or something to skate, they queue for half an hour to get the rental skates and then go to extremely overcrowded rink.

What about the behavior on the rink then?Well, I would say it is a bit like local traffic – everyone for themselves and no need to care about the safety that much… And since the possibilities to skate are limited, the skills are a bit like swimming skills of beduines (the guys who live at Sahara).

Still, there is something strange about Brussels and skating - in addition to having a bar at the corner of the rink & cafe for beer and what ever drinks you wish to have with skates on, and the fact that it is open until April when we are sometimes heading a beach weather.

As said, something strange or how would you explain that also I was on skates in Brussels for the first time in my life? But that is worth another story.