Alif Noon Ta Wau Ra Ba Noon, 4

“Please try to stay another night. Go to Brussels tomorrow morning. I will cook a Persian dinner for you. Come back ok? I like you.”*
-Simin Ghaffari

For the moment:
She Don’t Have To Know-John Legend

*Not verbatim.

I am now back in Wuytslei, Antwerpen.

I changed my plans. It’s Monday night and I should be back in Den Haag by now. I was here on Friday night and when I left for Brussels on Saturday, a place I did not enjoy (especially in comparison to Antwerpen), I knew I had to come back to Antwerpen somehow.

I met Daphné Busseniers and Frédérique Fransen in KL in late July when they were backpacking in South East Asia.

We clicked somehow. They forced me to join Facebook so that we could communicate to meet up the following day. When we parted, they asked me to come to Antwerpen.

And I did.

When I was here on Friday night, the first six hours was brilliant. I had tea at Daphné’s house as Guy, Daphné’s dad, explained to me, among many other interesting things, the main business of Antwerpen, its ports and not diamonds (his trade), which apparently first started in India.

Later we met Fré, Els & Steven for a splendid dinner.

After hopping at 5 other places, we decided on Nannox. When we were leaving Daphné’s purse was stolen. To cut the long story short, I slept at 6am and she at 8.

I left her house at 2.30pm where Fré picked me up and we went to the Diamond Museum. Before she left, she marked my tourist map (in Dutch) a few places I should visit. At 6pm I left for Brussels, on a low note.

I had arranged to be back in Den Haag by Monday evening. A huge crowd is expected on Tuesday morning as the Foreign Minister is coming for that day and it is also Malaysia’s turn to submit its case, there is a possibility that I might not even find a seat in the Courtroom.

For an additional night in Antwerpen, that is a risk I am willing not to take.

After calculating the pros and cons, on Sunday evening I called Daphné. Besides telling me that they found (only) her purse, car keys and house keys, she also told me I should stay over on Monday night. So after spending a Sunday night in Brugge, I went back to Antwerpen.

I got the dinner Simin, Daphnés Persian mom promised. Super.

And I got a better understanding of the history, political system and (present) situation of Belgium, as Guy explained to me over the authentic dinner. Brilliant.

And I also met Daphnés sister, Chloé, who unlike many others, had the courtesy to ask permission before touching my hair.

I know they will be reading this, as I will tell them to. So I thank Daphné and the Busseniers: Guy, Simin and Chloé for welcoming me to their home. Fré who went out of her way hosting me on her busy day, giving me a quick look at the University of Antwerp and insisting that I got my Belgian pastry. A simple cool guy name Steven and a gutsy tough girl name Els.

I leave for Den Haag tomorrow morning.

I don’t feel like going.