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Belgium, General Reviews

bolefecMouthShut Verified Member
Pandharpur India
Belgium:The small but still very beautiful Country
Nov 24, 2016 11:37 AM 1055 Views

I have done my masters in Belgium. I have stayed in Belgium for 2 years. Belgium is called as heart of Europe . It deserves this as you can easily go to Amsterdam, Paris or Frankfurt from Brussels, the capital of Belgium. Belgium is having very few big cities such as Brussels, Antwerp, Leuven, Bruges & Ghent etc. If you visit Brussels you must see Grand Place, Manneken Pis, Belgian Royal Palace. Antwerp is famous for diamond market. Leuven and Ghent are famous for universities. Kuleuven university is established in 1425. The beautiful town Bruges is a tourist's dream. It is Belgium's most preserved medieval town. During visit to Bruges you can visit Belfry & Halle, Basilica of the Holy Blood, Markt etc. One more important thing you can stay in youth hostels also which will save your money. So I will highly recommend Belgium if you are going to Europe.


Mother of all SPAs
Nov 09, 2007 09:00 PM 2993 Views

"What a tough week. Let's go to SPA over the weekend!" the husband said.


"Spa? Why? It is SO cold and wet anyway. Am sure it is going to be REALLY expensive here. Let's save it for when we go back to Bangalore.", I retorted.


"Tsk, I am not talking about those useless spas. I am talking about the mother of all spas. SPA. The place, which inspired the word "spa" for hot bath", said he impatiently and thrusted the Lonely Planet in my hands.


Indeed. I quickly looked up wikipedia too; was more than convinced, and eagerly anticipated the SPA trip.


As usual, we backpacked with a few clothing items, toiletteries, etc., looked up the weather forecast online, and packed some spare warm clothing pronto. Belgium can be as cold as 5 degrees celcius in winters, and this IS winter. To top it, the rains. So, with all this and an umbrella in tow, we set off just before noon on a gloomy Saturday morning.


The journey was to be from Brussels Central - Liege [change] - Pepinster [change] - SPA. It was comfortable and scenic and Liege onward, we traversed through the beautiful hills dotted with cottages of all sizes, lush fields with grazing cattle, and the countryside interspersed with many natural streams and canals. I shivered with excitement!


We landed in the rather deserted and tiny station of SPA and immediately made up our minds to stay on just for the sake of the calm the village provides. A quick thumbing through the Lonely Planet and voila! Le Primevera. This was the Bread & Breakfast(B&B) that we stayed at that night and it was a brilliant discovery. It is a mere 5-10 minutes walk along the railway tracks from the station. There is a Radisson if you'd like, but for backpackers like us, this is just what we needed. The owners - Chris and Anandi were very friendly with a house full of kids and pets. The cherry on the top was Chris being a Spanish wine importer! Of course, my husband had to pick 6 bottles. It is a different experience altogether to pick wines with tips and details from a connoiesseur. Chris also found a honey-like sweet wine to my liking, so I am not complaining!


The next stop was by the Tourist Office in the city center. The very helpful folks supplied us with activity and restaurant catalogues and maps and we were on our way!


A friend had graciously gifted us two coupons for a 3 hour lounge at the Thermes Spa, so Thermes it was. The Thermes spa is located on a hilltop and the best way to reach there is using the Austrian designed Funicular. The panoramic view of the teeny-tiny village, a spa on top - a perfect setting!


Thermes is well equiped and well maintained, so you have plenty of things to do, and 3 hours is time enough to relax and rejuvenate. We tried the indoor and outdoor heated pools, simulated sunning areas(I don't know what else to call those hot, amber lights on the ceiling!), Jacuzzi, and the Sauna. Don't be stumped by the bifurcating wall for the Sauna with naturale and textile signs. Textile would be where you can sit with your swimsuit on and naturale is. well . without anything, but your skin on!


A little over 2 hours of swimming around, massaging various parts of you in the strategically placed jets of water, the Jacuzzi, and sweating in the steaming Sauna is bound to make your stomach growl violently. Fret not as Thermes has a well stocked and priced snack bar, and drinking water jets at multiple locations. You can also take a break from swimming and stretch out to snooze or read a book on the many recliners or massage chairs.


Imagine taking a 3 hour long swim on the weekends in fizzing, warm, mineral water in the cold, COLD weather! Pure heaven.


Without a doubt, I will call this my best weekend retreat ever, better than Gokarna, and THAT is saying something.


Also, now I know why the SPA water bottles here have Raine, Mary Henriette, and such names inscribed on them. They are the natural springs that the water in those bottles are trapped from, afterall.


Another curious fact about SPA is the oldest Casino in Europe. It is a sort of a miniature version of the Casinos I had seen in Vegas, but the history makes it more attractive. Only a few machine across 2 floors and few old, unfriendly ladies at the reception, few more elderly people knocking things along. Slow paced, but it had the charm of the past.


Photos uploaded on Flickr at https://flickr.com/photos/mons/sets/72157602927701722/


Note: It is rather convenient and affordable to travel within Beligum, which has a well connected railway network. The weekend tickets actually account for infinite number of hops you may need to take to and fro any two cities for one time return travel usage.


Weekend Travel Costs:


Return Train Tickets - Euros 34.80 per person


Accommodation - Euros 60-65 per night at a B&B


Food - Approx. Euros 60 per day


Local commute - On foot, Funicular, or rented bicycle


Thermes Spa Rates - Euros 18.5 per person for 3 hours


Total Costs - Approx. Euros 190~ Rs. 10, 000/-


Remembering Ypres
Nov 14, 2006 12:38 AM 3150 Views

We arrived at Ostend, Belgium and drove to Ypres. The city is famous for making linen.


Ypres is a city in the the province of West Flanders, (in the Flemish area), of Belgium. The field are covered with poppies.


During World War I, Ypres was the centre of intense battles between Germany and the Allies.


Ypres is an ancient town that now has a population of about 40,000.


Ypres was a key position during World War I because it stood in the path of Germany's planned sweep across the rest of Belgium and into France. During the fight the Germans used poison gas for the first time.


The first gas attack occurred against Canadian soldiers. They used Mustard gas.


The Battle of Passchendaele is when the British and Canadian recaptured the Passchendaele ridge east of the city at a terrible cost of lives.


After the war the town was rebuilt and if you go there you can vist the Cloth Hall that is a Museum dedicated to Ypres's role in the First World War.


We went to visit the market and the food looked so frest we bought some fruit.


Saint Martin’s Cathedral, (originally built in 1221), has been rebuilt after the war. You can visit the tomb of Jansenius, (Bishop of Ypres), who was the founder of the religious movement known as Jansenism.


The Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres that commemorates those soldiers of the British Commonwealth, (with the exception of New Zealand and Newfoundland), who died in the Ypres Salient, (during the First World War before 16 August 1917). They have no graves and this is the Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier.


You can also visit the graves of the people who died here.


We didn't stay overnight but we did eat a late lunch at the Hotel Ariane. It's a charming hotel with about 50 rooms. The staff all spoke English and were happy to help us order. I had a bowl of provencal fish soup with rouille with toast and my husband had salad niçoise.


Why I Wear A Poppy On Remeberance Day:


Rememberance day is always on the 7th day of the 7th month in Canada. In America it's called Vetrans Day and in Great Britian it is Armistice Day.


It all began when a poem by a Canadian, Doctor John McCrae wrote a poem in 1915:


He wrote “In Flanders Fields” after his friend following the death of fellow soldier Lt Alexis Helmer of Ottawa was killed.


"In Flanders Fields the poppies blow


Between the crosses row on row,


That mark our place; and in the sky


The larks, still bravely singing, fly


Scarce heard amid the guns below.


We are the Dead. Short days ago


We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,


Loved and were loved, and now we lie


In Flanders fields.


Take up our quarrel with the foe:


To you from failing hands we throw


The torch; be yours to hold it high.


If ye break faith with us who die


We shall not sleep, though poppies grow


In Flanders fields."


It was about a WW I battle in Ypres in Belgium and about the people who died there.


In 48 hours 2,000 Canadian men died and 6,035 were wounded.


When a Canadian visits the cemetery it is a tradition to leave a Canadian coin on every grave they see.


In the cemetery there are three quarter of a million people who died from 140 countries and territories.


The Poppy:


The first poppy was made in New York City when a woman from Georgia, (who worked for the YMCA Overseas War Secretaries), found two dozen red silk poppies in Wanamaker's Department Store.


The poem had moved her that she had been searching for poppies all afternoon in the shops along the stretch of Broadway known as the Ladies' Mile.


On November 1918 Moira Michael gave her poppies to her family and friends.


There are many types of poppies worn. In Canada, America and Great Britain we wear a hard paper red poppy, that keeps falling out. I learned a trick how to keep my poppy from staying in place...at the end of the pin I put the back of a pierce earing.


In Great Britain some people wear a white poppy. The poppy I like the best is the big floppy poppy the wear in Norway.


There are only 3 Canadians still living from WW I.


Thank you for reading my review.


©LL2006


YOUR RATING ON

Belgium - General
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2 days and a night on Beligian soil - Part 1
Apr 15, 2005 11:30 PM 3806 Views

I have been always fascinated and mystified by Europe and its culture. As luck would have it, I got a chance to go on a work assignment in Netherlands. I thought I could use this time to exploit the continent, of course when I am not working on weekends.


I had received great reviews on Belgium from my Dutch counterparts. Ravings like how it is a must-visit place, Venice of North Europe, most underrated tourist destination etc. That made me find out more about it on the net. The reviews fascinated me to no extent. I got so excited that I booked a room to spend the saturday night in a Belgium city for me and my 2 other Indian colleagues who seemed to be equally gung-ho.


It was a biting cold, rainy Friday in Amsterdam. The mercury read 3 degrees which felt like -2 degrees because of the strong cold wind blowing over the country from the North Sea. Everything was murky around, including our plans to spend a good time under the sun on weekends. The forecast looked gloomy over the entire coming week. My two colleagues who were enthused about going out on weekends had chickened out already. But I was resolute. Somehow managed to brainwash them into making the trip happen. But that wasn't until 12:30 pm in the night. Getting a good night's sleep after the monumental effort to convince them was out of question and more so because the first train to Brussels was at 8 in the morning. Too ambititious maybe. But we decided to stick to the plan, come-what-may. We were absolutely ready to weather any kind of storm coming our way. Woah! That sounded good..But frankly speaking, at the back of my mind, I was skeptical about the weather myself. I had visited weather websites and things didn't look good anywhere in Europe and to add to my apprehensions, I met an Indian fellow in the hotel lift on my way up to the room who expressed his great concern over the weather. He went on to say that I shouldn't go there since one of his Belgian friends had given him the grim weather update.


Anyway, I managed to drag myself out of the bed in a wee hour of morning. As soon as I got up, I squinted outside the window to check if the Weather God had obliged. It didn't seem all that great. All disoriented, I managed to combine a few ingredients and made, what I call as the 'Sandwiches' for the trip.


Once ready with our travelling gears, the 3 of us rushed to the Amsterdam Central Station in the hopes of catching the earliest train. We did make it and also managed to get a 40% discount on the tickets at the last minute. Just then, I saw a few shafts of sunlight glimmering thro' the station roof. Things didn?t seem so bad all of a sudden. Those rays of hope instilled a renewed zest in me.


It was first experience in an European International train. It?s a pleasure just to watch the scences and locales pass in front of you. Everything was lush green around with the arrival of spring.


There was an eerie silence inside the train and at nearly every station where the train pulled up even with all the passengers boarding and alighting the train. Much contrary to the commotion so common in Indian trains. Damn, I hate to say this but we are a noisy lot. Now don?t hold the population as an excuse here. Even a single Indian has a huge noise-making potential. I just think we should master the art of talking slowly with voice modulation rather than shouting on top of our lungs to make ourselves the center of attention everytime. Nonetheless, this train journey seemed quite meditative and pleasant.


Three hours went by and it seemed like just an hour! We had reached Brussels.


I stood in the queue in front of the tickets counter to get the tickets to Brugge for the evening, while Joe got us hot steaming Waffles, a local delicacy.


All done, we got outside the Central Station just to be greeted by cold breeze slapping our faces.


Boy, it was really cold! A teenage girl approached us and tried to sell us the city tour package.


We could barely stand in the cold, but the deal looked quite good, so we listened to her details and got the tickets. The good thing about the city tour is that it has hop-on, hop-off buses at key locations after every 15 minutes. So you could get down at some point, roam around at your own pace and catch the other bus to some other point. What?s more, the ticket was valid for the next day too.


Since we had some time on our hands, we walked around the buzzing streets.


There were markets and shops all around. A lot of interesting artifacts to be seen. Some street aritist would be enjoying playing a santoor-like instrument with amazing proficiency and in total oblivion, filling the air which carried the whiff of waffels with melodious tunes.


They say Belguim chocolates are one of the best in the world. So, had to buy them. Went nuts just seeing the different types of chocolates.


Okay, enough shopping. Now was the time to hop on to a City tour bus. Brussels looked absolutely superb in sunshine interspersed with spells of rain. A nicely planned city which has its ancient heritage preserved, but also has good modern structures. The mix was just great. Needless to say, we went beserk with our cameras.


Brussels is not a flat city like Amsterdam. It has a lot of hilly terrain which makes it even more interesting, especially, the view from the highest point where you get to see the city?s breath-taking skyline.


Next in line was Brugge. Heard a lot about this town. Now I was really looking forward to visit it.


We were just in time for the Brugge train at 6. So there was a chance to get around Brugge in the evening as opposed to reaching there at night just to sleep.


...continued in the comments section coz of 8000 words limitation..don't forget to check them..



Cool place - Relaxed tourism
Oct 09, 2002 10:08 AM 4268 Views

When I first asked my belgian friend about tourism, He said, ''Paris is just an hour by Thalys, Amsterdam is just 3 hours by train, Koln is just 3 hours - You can visit these places and come back to Belgium to sleep at night''. Well, he was not serious then and just conveyed the strategic location as a joke.


I had the privilege of working there for 8 months and I managed to have my share of tourism there. Following are some experiences.


The first thing that struck me is the people being so open and friendly. Very similar to India, They too are made up of different cultures speaking different dialect and bound by the passion for the nation.


The main advantage of travelling in belgium is the ease to get around. Ofcourse, if you decide to drive yourself, you may face irritating traffic near the cities. Overall, the traffic is decent. I love the Trains. Belgian rail is managed much better than Underground in London, Amtraks in US, and ofcourse heavenly bliss when you think of indian railways (which will irritate you from the moment you land at the departing station to the point you are successfully out of station upon arrival).


Belgium has lovely places to visit:


Brussels:




  1. Pubs and Beers




Top class Beers (Belgian speciality), the Fries with Mayonnaise and friendly and quiet bars encourage you to indulge in beers.




  1. Transport




There is a Bus or Tram or Metro (MIVB/STIB) stop withing 200 metres from anywhere in brussels. With a maximum of 2 changes, you can go to any place you want inside brussels. The map is friendly and unlike Paris, Number of lines are limited and very straightforward (Probably owing to smaller cize of the city)




  1. Art




Hajaar super museums. You will find Rembrandt, Membling, Van Dycke, Van gough and lot many wonderful works of art in belgian museum. The Royal Museum opposite to Royal palace is a nice place to start with. The Moderne Kunst (Modern art) got on my nerves (I generally hate modern art)




  1. Waterways and Parks




Every commune in Brussels takes pride in their parks. Parc de Cinqantire (Jubelpark), Royal Parc, Place de la cambre, Josaphat, Woluwe park I can go on and on. Excellent place to relax and be with the nature.




  1. Other attractions.




Heysel (Mini Europe, Kinepolis, Atomium), Tram museum, Autoworld, Museum of Royal arts and History (Jubelpark), Comics, Scientastic, Grand pla (Sorry this should be in the beginning), Chinese Pavillon, Manekkan Piss (I hate this one over hype).


Flanders:


The northern part with Flemish speaking folks. They have 2 good beaches (Blankenberge and Oostende) lots of concerts happen in oostende (likes of Bonjovi, Backstreet Boys etc). You should not miss the tram ride from oostende to blankenberge. It is about 40 min and runs along the coast all the time. Gent is a nice city, quiet and good jenivers. Brugge is the happening place for tourists, Boudewijn park, walk tours, happening place. Diamond cutting places in Antwerp are a revelation in its own. The zoo in antwerp is great.


Wallonia:


This area is endowed by fantastic scenery and natural beauties. The ardennes is great for trekking, skiing (in winter) hiking. Places to see here are Dinant (Castle, Caves, Canoing), Jemelle (Caves, Expositie), Liege (Museums, Waffles, Val-saint-lambert crystal manufacturing), Namur (River, Castles), Transcinne (Euro Space Agency - Not up to the mark compared to NASA tour in houston but definetely worth the visit).


Hey! I can go on and on. This country has so many to offer and many of the obscure and will surprise you. It may not have the Eiffel Tower, Empire State building or Madame Tussads but definetely more quieter, far less crowded, Offer value for money and cleanses soul.


UEP Subang Jaya Malaysia
Belgium's Nice Seaside Resort of Ostend !
Apr 29, 2001 08:14 AM 2863 Views

Belgium is a small country,about the size of the US state of Maryland, which is renowned for diamonds,chocolates,lace, fine seafood, and one of its nicest resorts is Ostend.


Ostend was the very first place overseas that I visited from my home in Kent in England when I was just 18 years old. Last October I went back to Ostend for a two day stay and found this popular seaside resort had changed considerably since my last visit.High rise condominiums had been built,the seafront promenade spruced up and the whole place seemingly oozed prosperity.


Ostend is easily reached from Dover-I took the excellent and very fast Catamaran service which is both very


efficient and very convenient.The journey time was only around two hours. The ferry terminal at the Belgian resort is very convenient with the rail station- if you want to go to Bruges ,Brussels, Antwerp or Liege etc-located nearby and the tram service stops are here as well.


There is no doubt Ostend is an excellent gateway.


Accommodations in Ostend are very reasonably priced-I stayed in a 2 star hotel for only around US$25 and even if you want to move up to a 3 star place you could find such as


place at approximately US$45 per night. Breakfast is usually included and I had delicious coffee,croissants, and bread rolls with a large amount of cheese,which was perfectly adequate for me.


Ostend has always attracted a lot of visitors from UK and English is widely spoken. This is generally true of Belgium


as a whole and like the Dutch,the people in this small country are usually highly proficient linguists.


Ostend is renowned for the quality of its restaurants and my five meals were all first rate. I deliberately went to five different restaurants for these meals-all were good. The moules (mussels) are a Belgian speciality,


so too is the steaming hot fish soup and the beefsteak and frittes is another good choice. I found the waffles were utterly delightful.,especially served with oodles of yummy cream.These can be washed down with mineral water, or great lager beers such as Stella Artois. Lamott and Duval. If you


prefer wine that too is no problem and prices are lower than in the UK and around the same price as those in neighboring Holland.


The promenade at Ostend is very attractive and great for strolling along.What is most interesting and appetising are all the


wonderful stalls selling seafood.Here you can get yourself a plate of cockles,mussels,whelks,prawns, crayfish and hot


fish soup- that is something really special.What I also liked was the absence of litter and the large number of comfortable seats


provided along the promenade,this is a most convnient utility for visitors.


Shopping in Ostend is an agreeable experience. Good buys include lace,Belgian chocolates, spirits,tobacco and cigarettes which are markedly cheaper than in France or the UK.


Some of the pattisserie are delightful and there are plenty of lively pubs to let your hair down in.-they are worth going to just to sample some of Belgium's wonderful beers.You do not have to pay in Belgian francs ,the shopkeepers will willingly accept sterling, US$ and Ecu.


Frankly, after a wet and dreary Sunday in Dover I thoroughly enjoyed my sojourn in Ostend and thought most of the changes that have taken place in this congenial resort were for the better.


Diamonds forever!
Jan 05, 2001 09:43 PM 2532 Views

Apart from diamonds belgium is also preferred becoz:


it is almost the centre of europe; take a map, a compass and check it out for yourself


secondly, the real estate prices are very cheap compared to london or paris.


ill put my last dollar on belgium and brussels any day!


Diamond Centre of the World
Jan 05, 2001 09:27 PM 2551 Views

Antwerp is known as the diamond center of the World. If diamonds really are a girl's best friends, then a lot of ladies will not leave out a visit to the diamond district around the Railway Station.


Excavations have shown that there was certainly habitation on the bend in the river Scheldt as long ago as the Gallo-Roman period (2nd or 3rd century A.D.). Like many Flemish cities Antwerp grew up around two settlements: the ‘aanwerp’ or ‘alluvial mound’ from which the city probably derives its name. And Caloes, 500 meters further south.


Antwerp’s fascination with “Hands” (there are hands in the town’s flag; and cookies & chocolates in the form of hands) is explained in ancient legend. The giant Druoon Antigoon lived on the banks of river Scheldt. If sailors refused to pay toll to the giant, he would punish them by chopping off their hands. . A Roman soldier, Silvius Brabo, managed to kill the giant. Brabo cut off the hand of the giant and threw the hand away in the river. Hence the name of the city : Ant (hand) -werpen (to throw).


A nice legend but untrue: But to pay tribute to Silvius Brabo, the BRABO fountain has been constructed in the Grote Market. The water of the fountain is not caught in a basin, but just simply disappears under the stones of the monument where it enters in a closed water circuit.


The City is primarily associated with Diamonds. The rough diamonds from all over the world are bought and sold here. The Diamonds Quarters are just opposite the Railway station and one can see the Gujrati and Marwari Youths, from Bombay and Surat walking up and down the road. Obviously these youths have an ancestral diamonds business in India, and they flock to Antwerp to buy and sell diamonds. Another unique feature of the Diamond District is the presence of large “Hassidic” Jewish community, who own most of the retail shops.


The town square 'Grote Markt' is the most beautiful square of the city of Antwerp as well as the historical heart of it. The most popular square, however, is certainly the 'Groenplaats' .The square used to be a parking lot. But recently, the parking has been built underground. Around the square are numerous restaurants and cafés where many famous artists spent their time. In the middle of the Groenplaats is the statue of Rubens (The famous Painter who lived in Antwerp) and Our Lady's Cathedral.


If you are more interested in shopping than history, then visit The Meir the most famous shopping street of Antwerp. The large avenue is free of traffic and people can have a pleasant shopping stroll in a beautiful historic surrounding.


For History lovers like me, a visit to “Steen” castle is a must. 'Steen' is the Dutch word for 'stone'.


The 'Steen' can be seen at the entrance of the city center, on the border of the river Scheldt. The castle is called that way because it was one of the earliest buildings in Antwerp constructed with stones (at a time when most houses were still built with wood).


I also visited The Brewers’ Building from where water was supplied to the surrounding breweries by means of an ingenious distribution mechanism, which has remained largely intact. The plant consists of a horse mill which set a machine in motion that ladled water and emptied it into containers on the upper floor. From there it was distributed to the breweries by means of pipes. Gazing at the plant I could now understand why Belgium is known as Beer Paradise.


Belgian food is highly regarded throughout Europe - some say it is second only to French. Combining French and German styles, meat and seafood are the main raw ingredients.


The Belgians swear they invented frites (chips, or fries), and judging by availability, it is a claim few would contest. And though they did not actually invent beer or chocolate, they may as well have.


.


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