That Saturday was a freezy day but that would not prevent me from spending time with good friends. But first thing first, in order to fully enjoy the moment, it was necessary to choose between dressing smart and dressing warmly. Well, the choice was all made…

Last time I went to Charleroi was in 2003 and back then, it really wasn’t the same city like the one I discovered this time. The journey had a twenty minutes wait for the connection in Ottignies, for wheelchair users, instead of seven. One of the company’s (SNCB) rules regarding the assistance to wheelchair user’s travelers, is that the waiting time between two connections can’t be less than fifteen minutes, whatever if it is an indoor station or not and no matter the weather. I know… crazy! Right? When I booked the assistance, to avoid the friend I was traveling with to go with me, through the same twenty minutes in the freezing, I tried to negotiate with the call center to find a way to give us the possibility to leave earlier, as the weather was cold. The answer was no. Fortunately, in Ottignies, we could wait inside.

When we arrived in Charleroi, our friend wasn’t there yet so, as I was planning to tell you something about this city, I started taking some pictures, while the friend I was with, was freezing and looking around if our friend was somewhere nearby. Apparently, I was looking a bit lost but I prefer the thought that someone was charmed and approached me to kindly ask if I needed some help. But we couldn’t go on getting to know each other because my frozen friend came closer screaming « Petit Cyborg! I suggest that we go wait inside. » So, the one said « I thought you were alone… », I could see the disappointment into the eyes, « I said bye and thank you. » If you were there, no doubt, you would know that we had a moment, for sure. My friend was too cold to see that, but saw that, that one did not have a face we could forget just like that.

I did not see our friend for a while, so I was really looking forward…

Coming from the train station, we followed our friend and private tour guide over the river Sambre, on the bridge Roi Baudouin. I somehow had the impression of being on the coast of the sea. This was absolutely not how I remembered Charleroi. We went through the city with in the background the descriptions of our friend. Through the visit, going from a street to another, passing by stores, I noticed how proud of their culture people are, here. And that is great to see. If you use a wheelchair, you won’t be looking too long for an accessible place for a meal and the streets are easily practicable. The pavements here, not the ones that make you bounce. Our wonderful guide took us to « L’Atelier de LaMU« . Oh là là! Every food description, in their menu, seems so delicious…

 

Wait, let me describe this place, properly from the beginning… If you are a wheelchair user, you could need someone to hold the door for you. Then, when you will be inside, you will think that the only area you will be able to have access to is the bottom-front part but then, you will find out that you will have access to all the three floors, and the restroom on the third one. Indeed, there are ramps and a lift. Isn’t that great? The staff was professionally welcoming and the food was tasty. After chatting and laughing around a good meal, we went for a walk.

As usual, when I am enjoying the moment, I did not see the time going.  Therefore, I found myself having to rush as I wanted to have the train that I booked assistance for. The assistance was somewhere else when we arrived for the train going to Brussels, only a few minutes before it left. I don’t know if we would have been on time to access the train if the assistance was in the main area, but in this specific case, it left without us. The desk called the assistance’s service and she told us that all the trains to Brussels were canceled and replaced by buses. But as those buses were not accessible, impossible for me to get in. My friend could, but did not want by solidarity. How kind this is!

The assistant arrived, explained the situation and said that the solution he was seeing was, waiting two hours. Fortunately, the friend we came to visit has a useful skill to persuade without effort so the nice man agreed on changing my journey by taking another way to reach Brussels. Instead of having the connection in Ottignies, it would be made in my sweet city, Namur. The only place I always feel like I am coming back home because of the warm welcome that I usually get from the assistance’s team and all the « Where have you been? » etc.

The day was great! I was happy to learn more about Charleroi and meet the friendly and warm people of this city.

I wish you a nice week and take care of your loved ones,

Petit Cyborg