{"id":17649,"date":"2017-02-28T16:33:45","date_gmt":"2017-02-28T16:33:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/?p=17649"},"modified":"2017-02-28T16:36:32","modified_gmt":"2017-02-28T16:36:32","slug":"brussels-to-utrecht-tintin-band-stickers-a-strap-on-buffet-and-the-mysterious-face-in-the-window","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/brussels-to-utrecht-tintin-band-stickers-a-strap-on-buffet-and-the-mysterious-face-in-the-window\/","title":{"rendered":"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, a strap on buffet and the mysterious face in the window"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-01.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s a selection of photos taken during a recent train journey from Brussels to Utrecht at\u00a0the start of my December tour with the Monochrome Set.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-02.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I love these double-decker trains.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-03.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Brussels railway station contains several artistic references to Tintin, a character created by Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi, who wrote under the pen name Herg\u00e9.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-06.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-04.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Nice clean signage.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-05.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Turntables ahoy! The vinyl revival has most definitely reached Brussels.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-07.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>You couldn&#8217;t really call this locomotive a<em> looker<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-08.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I believe I can fly&#8230;&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-09.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Cables and rails at Brussels station.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-11.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Having a fag.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-12.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Graffiti by Brussels station.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-13.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The curious case of the reflected face at the window. Who is he? What does he want? Why does he keep staring?! Help!<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-14.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Band members look alarmed as the stare continues into infinity.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-15.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-16.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I loved this conductor&#8217;s style. He looked like he&#8217;d stepped out of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6cdFuMgMkBM\" target=\"_blank\">Paper Lace pop video<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-17.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Police and sniffer dogs entered the train with my bag getting extra special attention from the cop who directed the pooch\u00a0in its direction twice.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s the kind of bad boy I am. So bad they sniffed me twice.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-18.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I loved this strap-on buffet unit.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-19.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A Dutch cookie.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-20.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Old fashioned signal box and semaphore signals.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-21.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Dusk through the train toilet window.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-22.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Arriving at Utrecht Cetraal railway station.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s all shiny and modern inside, and it&#8217;s also the largest junction station in the Netherlands with more than 900 trains leaving the station per day.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-24.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-23.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Curious art installation outside the station.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-25.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-26.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-27.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I don&#8217;t think I like these flapping plastic sculptures.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-28.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Stark modernist architecture by the station.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-29.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Everyone loves a taxibuffer.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-30.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We were playing a club\/bar\/rehearsal facility called <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dbstudio.nl\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\">dBs<\/a>, located a fair way out of the centre at CAB Rondom 100<br \/>\n3534 BE Utrecht.<\/p>\n<p>The dressing room was pleasingly bedecked in a mass of stickers, mostly from the heavy metal fraternity.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-39.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Soundchecking. I got to play on a rather snazzy bright yellow drum kit.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-33.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>More stickers.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-34.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-35.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A &#8216;dedicated metal vocalist&#8217; looks for a &#8216;true metal band.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-36.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m not entirely sure what a &#8216;Proto-Doom&#8217; band is, but I&#8217;d wager that they&#8217;re jolly loud.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-37.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Loved this drum light.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-38.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A few more stickers.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-40.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-41.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-42.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-32.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The support band do their stuff.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-43.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>After the show, I indulged in some Steen Brugge. It was delicious.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-44.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The hotel wanted to get all touchy feely with its guests, inviting them to &#8216;Share Your Mind&#8217; on a big blackboard in the foyer.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m so sorry. I couldn&#8217;t resist.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-45.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A chilly early morning view from my hotel room.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-46.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A deserted Centraal station.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-47.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Waiting for the train into Germany.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-48.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Snowy fields.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-49.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Eight days and seven gigs later, I was back at Brussels station, waiting for the train back to Blighty.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-50.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-51.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Hefty military presence outside the station.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-52.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Waiting for their train.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/images\/brussels-utrecht-photos-53.jpg\" alt=\"Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, strap on buffet, and the mysterious face in the window\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Rails and cables: dusk in Brussels.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here&#8217;s a selection of photos taken during a recent train journey from Brussels to Utrecht at\u00a0the start of my December tour with the Monochrome Set.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17656,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[196,43,456,17,193,90],"tags":[1599,1597,1598,236,891,28,112,71,870,612,1567,231,77],"class_list":["post-17649","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nightlife","category-music","category-news","category-photos","category-places","category-railways","tag-band","tag-brussels","tag-dbs","tag-drums","tag-germany","tag-gigs","tag-monochrome-set","tag-netherlands","tag-railway","tag-railway-station","tag-tour","tag-trains","tag-utrecht"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/brussels-utrecht-photos-01.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pQI7P-4AF","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17649","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17649"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17649\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17660,"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17649\/revisions\/17660"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17649"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17649"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17649"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}