I try to see beyond things we easily take for granted. According to me, life is a bizarre array of events passing in front of our noses and we all try to weave a meaning out of it. It's what makes us all creators, builders of the world.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Very positive experiences so far. It is all about trust. You meet a lot of local people and it is a fabulous journey from "the other side".

Interests

History, art, philosophy, metaphysics, historical fencing (HEMA), nature & the great outdoors, mountains, photography, interstellar metapolitics, music, traveling, writing, life, food, drinks, heavy metal, paradoxes, Venus & Mars ...

• arts
• writing
• photography
• perfumes
• dining
• chocolate
• beer
• bbq
• drinking
• traveling
• eating out
• music
• outdoor activities
• history
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

I read a lot. I devour books. And when they're old, I sniff them.

I'm addicted to authors like Fjodor Dostoyevski, Hermann Hesse, John Steinbeck, Yukio Mishima, Ernst Jünger, Curzio Malaparte, Thomas Mann and so on. My favorite book is "The Brothers Karamazov", which I've read eight times. I always read it in autumn. I kinda prefer grumpy and pessimist writers.

I enjoy different kinds of music, ranging from very raw black metal to (psychedelic) rock from the sixties and seventies, stoner rock, doom, country, blues, jazz, classical music and traditional music. But open for new genres any day!

I'm exploring good movies and very much like Fellini and Bergman. Favorites? Persona, Fanny & Alexander, Zerkalo, 8 1/2, The Innocents, Peeping Tom, Der Himmel über Berlin, Il Conformista, Pierrot Le Fou, Black Narcissus, Taxi Driver, Dr. Zhivago (1965!) and The Good, The Bad & The Ugly. I like philosophical movies like those made by Tarkovsky but every now and then I like a testosterone-filled action movie like Predator with Ah-nuld Schwarzenegger. Many men are mystically attracted by such movies.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Carpetsurfing in Iran was quite astonishing. I stayed at a cleric, farmers, families and students. One sublime experience was going to a huge abandoned caravanserai to explore, play games and have a bbq with a bunch of Iranian CS'ers.

But most exceptional things may happen right where you stand, walk, eat and sleep. Sure, exotic destinations can exceed expectations but it would be a shame if that would be the only thing to get you going. You just need an open mind and eye for it.

Teach, Learn, Share

I enjoy dialoguing, because I believe two people can join in a higher truth together. The essence of dialogue is not about winning an argument, but sharing wisdom and knowledge to the benefit of both.

When hosting, I like to show people Belgium is way more than beer, waffles and chocolate. Antwerp is a city with a distinct vibe and has a fascinating history. I'd like to share that with my guests.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Cambodia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Belgium

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