The Mecca of Bureaucracy

After a day of meetings with the Canadian Mission and then a lovely reception at the ambassador's house, we spent Friday at the European Commission. A steel and glass monstrosity in the middle of Brussels, the Berlaymont's size is overwhelming.


After an hour of milling about in the lobby, we were finally ushered past the metal detectors, our visitor's pass in hand and into the lobby, up the elevators (one of 42, by the way) and into the Jean Monnet theatre.



This is the actual meeting room where Member States meet and hammer out the business of Union. We managed to keep our cool for most of the morning, listening attentively and using the EU-star-emblazoned notepads and pencils provided on the desks. But after lunch, things got a little crazy....




But soon enough, it was back to seriousness and back to work.


The Commission also has a beautiful cafeteria. A 900-seat restaurant, it's a mix of cuisines and languages where steak is served beside French fries and broiled fish is offered next to pizza. Anything you could ever want is there. I had (what I think was) steak, French fries, salad (macaroni and mixed greens priced by weight), a bottle of water and a crepe (which was the best I've ever tasted). All for 7 euros! Thank you for subsidized European food! We're back there on Monday and I can't wait.