Paul Kieu

As I experience the mother of all Sunday scaries, I’m mentally wrapping up this solo trek, the likes of which I dreamed for years but never fully committed to…until this year. After months of planning, I finally built this 3-week trip around Amsterdam, Paris, and 2 total weeks in beautiful Belgium with its most famous sporting event: the Belgian Grand Prix at the legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in the vast forests of Les Ardennes.

A few objectives I sought out and achieved on this trip:
- Seeking out a healthy amount of friction and being forced to iron out any wrinkles alone
- Freedom of movement via any mode I chose (including risking a 2000€ camper van deposit on slim cobblestone streets).
- Experiencing how other people live. Walking leisurely through their neighborhoods and supermarkets. Observing their tendencies. Making note of all of the sick bikes.
- Belgian frites in any manner. French patisseries and boulangeries. Jambon beurre. Lots of shawarma, kebab, and Kapsalon (Dutch loaded fries with shawarma and a variety of other toppings).
- Bonding over a shared love of motorsport - F1 fans are SO passionate about their chosen teams and drivers, but the swords are dropped in the name of having a good time.
- Seeing original art from contemporary and classic artists to stimulate the image centers in my head - lots of Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Flemish and Dutch masters, and one of my all-timers: René Magritte.
- Shared experiences and community - watching the culminating matches of the World Cup with fans of contending nations (especially happening upon a sports bar in a heavily-Moroccan neighborhood in AMS during a win). Walking through centuries-old churches that have survived wars, changing societies, and a 2019 mega fire. Enjoying an EDM-heavy Belgian national day with 100k Belgians. Lightly giggling at heavily French-accented sing-alongs to Le Weeknd at Le Stade de France.
- Using my instincts in new settings to seek out new friends and good times.

Closing the book on this big chapter, but I’m already sketching out the next big thing 🇦🇹🏎️