Belgium Appreciation Thread

[Hepcat]

Ok, slightly odd topic I know and probably won't last long. But in February I got back from my 7 month solo trip around Europe and found that my favorite country was Belgium. I stayed with one Flemish family in Genk for a few nights and a Wallon family in the countryside around Ciney for 1 month in August and then for another few weeks in November and again for Christmas.

Highlights included going for a 60km charity cycling event through the Belgian country side, mushroom picking in the Ardennes (my friend's father is a ranger in the Ardennes so he knows the forest inside out) practicing shooting bb guns and going to the shooting range with my Flemish friend and his dad, marching through the snow in Bastogne, going with my Wallon friend's dad who was Saint Nicolas and went around on their donkey in costume visiting the families with children in all the surrounding villages then, because at almost every house we went to they offered us a drink, I ended up rather drunk by the end much to the amusement of everyone.

And let's not forget there's the BEER! Chimay Bleu, Leffe, Belle-Vue Kriek, Brugge, etc.
Also the chips (or fries as the rest of the world seems to call them). I particularly liked how there was always a Friterie nearby in Belgium, since I knew I could go in there and get something good without trouble unlike in Paris where I wouldn't really know what to ask for and the employees would get angry waiting for me to decide then be rude to me.
And, although this maybe extreme generalising, I found one trait that Belgians seem to usually have in common with each other is an easy going attitude and quite a good sense of humour. They're quite happy to laugh at themselves.

My first beer in Belgium:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The barmaid looked at me really strangely when I asked in my bizzare French for a good Belgian beer that she would recommend. Probably because it was in Ciney and they don't get many tourists.

And, for those other Europeans I just want to make it clear that I really enjoyed my time in the other countries too, even England despite it's greyness.
It's just that Belgium really seemed to be the place I enjoyed most and where I felt most at home. Maybe it was also because I was in the country and away from huge cities.

So am I alone in thinking Belgium is a great country to visit?

[Fragony]

No country in europe can touch the beauty of the Flemish city's, especially Brugge and Leuven are gorgeous. Good food, good beer, good country. However, well the flemish orgers will know what I mean

[Andres]

However, well the flemish orgers will know what I mean

Yeah, those Dutch tourists carrying all their belongings in some camping car and always producing too many decibels can be very irritating, but that's about the only complaint one can have about Belgium

Thanks for the kind words, Hepcat

This thread should be stickied

[Vuk]

I love Belgium too! Let us not forget though to honour the greatest Belgian gent ever:

Go Poirot!

[Louis VI the Fat]

my favorite country was Belgium.

Liesliesliesliesliesliesliesliesliesliesliesliesliesliesliesliesl

Evil lies! Vile propaganda!

Belgium does not exist!!

It is but an instrument of illuminati-liberal propaganda, meant to undermine the social fabric of the world by making people believe in an imaginary Shangri-la, a land of perfect beer, medieval cities, friendly people and the world's greatest food.

[Vuk]

Evil lies! Vile propaganda!

Belgium does not exist!!

It is but an instrument of illuminati-liberal propaganda, meant to undermine the social fabric of the world by making people believe in an imaginary Shangri-la, a land of perfect beer, medieval cities, friendly people and the world's greatest food.

Then where does Poirot come from? Don't tell me he is from Dutchland!

[Kralizec]

The only recent visit I've made to Belgium was to Antwerp about a year ago. It's a nice city but I suppose not very representative...more than half of the people walking around there at the time must have been Dutch. Plus I was only there for two days.

Anyway, I appreciate Belgium for being a buffer between the Netherlands and France

[Louis VI the Fat]

Then where does Poirot come from? Don't tell me he is from Dutchland!

Ah, the typical counter-question from you gullible Belgium-believers.

The website has it covered:

"Belgian" citizens are actually innocent (for the most part) people (for the most part) that have been kidnapped by the New World Order's Belgian Conspiracy division and brainwashed using psychotronic mind control, psychotropically enhanced beer, and neurolinguistic programming into believing that they are Belgians. All memories of their past lives have been repressed -- replaced with implanted false memories of superior Belgian lives. Some of these Born Again Belgians are given cosmetic surgery and released back into the world population to spread propaganda about the existence of Belgium.

'Poirot' (or whatever his real name is) is a major instrument of propaganda. You think that you are reading fun and thrilling detective stories. What these stories subliminally do, however, is to plant subconscious memetic devices into your head. These will make you believe, and spread to others, ideas about a perfect world, and the even more perverse idea that this perfect world is reality. It serves to make you feel hopelessly inadequate compared to 'Belgium', and thus ready to accept a global take-over by a New World Order.


Again, it's nothing but vile lies, people. Think! A country that sounds too good to be true, logically is too good to be true, and thus doesn't exist. Alright!? Sheesh.

[Fragony]

The only recent visit I've made to Belgium was to Antwerp about a year ago.

Antwerpen is probably the least fun of all Flemish towns. Go to Gent or Mechelen if you don't want to go to far inland, saves you mirrors and beads as well.

[miotas]

Also the chips (or fries as the rest of the world seems to call them).

Hey. Your title says you're a Proud Kiwi. Shouldn't that be chups?

[Vladimir]

Evil lies! Vile propaganda!

Belgium does not exist!!

It is but an instrument of illuminati-liberal propaganda, meant to undermine the social fabric of the world by making people believe in an imaginary Shangri-la, a land of perfect beer, medieval cities, friendly people and the world's greatest food.

God bless you Louis!

[Peasant Phill]

Hepcat, you bring tears to my eyes. At least one person that seems to want to persurve Belgium as is.

Just kidding.

Yeah, you'll like Belgium if your into good food, good drinks and people who don't take themselves to seriously.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Anyway, I appreciate Belgium for being a buffer between the Netherlands and France

That's what they want you to believe...

Wake up, Kralizec. France and the Netherlands have been chosen as the epicentre of the global revolution. Our countries will see mass uprising and insurgency once a majority of our population has been convinced that Belgium really exists. In fact, the entire world will think that they have been taken for a ride by their leaders, that something is horribly wrong with their country if a place like Belgium can exist this side of heaven.

The insidous means of the 'Belgium exists' conspiracy are:
To make the Dutch believe that there is a place just like the Netherlands, but filled with a sense of humour, great food, and cultural refinement. To make the French believe that there is a place just like France, but filled with people without a perennial foul mood, with modesty as a national virtue, with - most devasting of all - gastronomy that equals France's in quality and surpasses it in quantity. (Hah! French food not served in stingy 'culturally refined' French-sized portions, but in divinely generous quantities? Tsk, as if...)

Better painters than the Dutch? More plentiful and more stunningly beautiful medieval towns than Italy? As wealthy as the Nordic countries? As lively as Latin Europe? More cultural and linguistic strife than the Balkans or Spain, but entire peaceful throughout its long history? An Industrial Revolution that dwarves the English one? Better comic books than France?

And all of this is supposed to exist in a country the size of a postage stamp? Get real, people. It's a hoax.

[Peasant Phill]

...
most devasting of all - gastronomy that equals France's in quality and surpasses it in quantity
...

Finely, you admit it.
Are you sure you're feeling well Louis?

...Better comic books than France?...

Thanks for the compliment but in all honesty, this just isn't true. At least in France BD's are not just regarded as amusement for children.

[Andres]

The insidous means of the 'Belgium exists' conspiracy are: (...)
To make the French believe that there is a place just like France, but filled with people without a perennial foul mood, with modesty as a national virtue, with - most devasting of all - gastronomy that equals France's in quality and surpasses it in quantity.

I suggest all Belgian Orgah's sig this

[Fragony]

The Flemish are so cute when you give them candy.

Does raise the question, why isn't this country better known? Belgium has so much going for it, yet the tourists ignore it. Probably doesn't help to be between Amsterdam and Paris.

[Andres]

The Flemish are so cute when you give them candy.

Does raise the question, why isn't this country better known? Belgium has so much going for it, yet the tourists ignore it. Probably doesn't help to be between Amsterdam and Paris.

Because we don't take ourselves too serious and are a very modest people?

The world would be a much better place with more modesty

[Beskar]

I love Belgium too! Let us not forget though to honour the greatest Belgian gent ever:

Go Poirot!

I love the shows on TV. Especially how everyone keeps mistaking him for being French and how he hates it.


Though my own personal experience of Belgium was driving through it to go to the Netherlands and had to exchange money just so I can use the toilet in the days before the Euro.

[Fragony]

Because we don't take ourselves too seriously

uh-huh. For a people who don't take things very seriously you are pretty serious, that is how you like to view yourselves but we both know it isn't true. Just look how you react to a little (well-deserved) recognition. Belgium has an incredibly rich culture and tradition, yet it's obsessed with being between the Netherlands and France.

[Andres]

uh-huh. For a people who don't take things very seriously you are pretty serious, that is how you like to view yourselves but we both know it isn't true. Just look how you react to a little (well-deserved) recognition. Belgium has an incredibly rich culture and tradition, yet it's obsessed with being between the Netherlands and France.

I've never worried about being between the Netherlands and France, where do you get that from?

I'd say we're more obsessed with our internal quarrels, really. But that's more Backroomish.

[Fragony]

I've never worried about being between the Netherlands and France, where do you get that from?

Not being worried, but the Flemish constantly want to prove theirselves. Talk to a flemish and be prepared to having to hear how Belgium is better at this, at that. Common, the Flemish do take theirselves very very seriously and you know it.

[Hepcat]

Hey. Your title says you're a Proud Kiwi. Shouldn't that be chups?

Well I think I pronounce it as chips but even if it sounds chups to you I still prefer chups to cheeps

Yeah, you'll like Belgium if your into good food, good drinks and people who don't take themselves to seriously.

Exactly. In fact, that reminds me that I actually heard more jokes about Belgians from Belgians than I did from French or Dutch people. And I do agree that it's a country that never seems to be mentioned when people talk about going to Europe.

[Moros]

Ok, slightly odd topic I know and probably won't last long. But in February I got back from my 7 month solo trip around Europe and found that my favorite country was Belgium. I stayed with one Flemish family in Genk

well that's 5 minutes from where I live. :)

Glad you enjoyed it here!