10 surprising facts about Belgium

Here is a collection of ten facts that make Belgium so special. I was speechless when I discovered some of them and you'll probably be too!

 1) Illegal drugs cheaper here

Party drugs such as cocaine are cheaper in Belgium, according to the Global Drug Survey. Cocaine costs on average around €15 to €45 less in Belgium than in neighbouring countries. The reason is that drugs transit by havens (e.g. Antwerp), making the country a "turnstile". ...In the Netherlands, some of them are legal though(!) Yet the fact that these drugs are cheaper may also imply bad quality... In any case, consuming drugs is bad for your health, so don't do it!

2) Largest electro music festival

Created in 2005, Tomorrowland, taking place in Boom (Antwerp), is recording an increasing success. It only takes a few minutes to sell all tickets around the world. Decorated in a fairy-like and kitschy style, the festival lasts a couple of days and has 16 stages with the most famous international DJs. Also, participants can go to a swimmingpool, a fun fair, watch fireworks and Sound and Light shows, or sleep in a fancy mansion.

A castle in Tomorrowland

3) Lowest proportion of McDonald's per inhabitant

Belgium is the only country in the developed world in which McDonald's is not the most successful fast-food chain. It only counts 0.062 restaurants per 10,000 inhabitants (62 in total), which is seven times less than the USA and twice less than France and Germany. The reason is the increasing success of Quick, the first fast-food company of European origin, born in Belgium in 1971, subsequently redeemed by a French company. With 86 restaurants, it is leader in Belgium, as well as in Luxembourg, and number two in France.

4) Most lethal place for bees in Europe

According to a recent study, bees had the highest mortality rate in Northern countries during winter 2012-2013, due to the freezing winter we experienced. Other causes may include developing bacterias or pesticides. For some unknown reason, Belgium recorded the highest mortality rate, 33.6%, while it was 28.8% in the UK, 14.1% in France and 13.6% in Germany. The news is creating a buzz here...

5) First openly gay Prime Minister in the EU

The 60-something Elio di Rupo, also the first French-speaking leader in four decades, has been leading the French-speaking Socialist Party (PS) for years. He is the child of Italian immigrants and he did a PhD in chemistry before getting into politics. "Yes, so what?" he replied when a journalist asked him if he was gay in 1996. Since then, the PM is pretty well accepted by the population and never hides his lifestyle. Anyway, there is a whole gay quarter in Brussels, so worries... Note that the world’s first openly (female) gay prime minister was Iceland’s Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir in 2009.

Elio Di Rupo and gay-rights supporters

6) Around two years without official Federal Government

By the way, before Elio became PM, Belgium had no official Federal Government for all this time. The reason was a constant disapproval from a Flemish part of the Government, who wanted more fundamental changes, including the separation of Dutch-speaking municipalities from Brussels' district. Different people chosen by King Albert II had to take turns to lead the discussions. Yet, the country didn't really suffer from this lack of Government and nothing bad happened. Actually, the preceding Government was still somewhat operating at a reduced level...

 

Belgians are globally happy and don't care!

7) Airport as world's biggest chocolate selling point

Brussels National sells more than 800 tons of chocolate every year, which makes it the world’s biggest chocolate selling point ever. A lot of brands, mostly Belgian ones, are represented, and the place guarantees the lowest prices. Read the article on Belgian chocolates to know which ones to choose!

8) Most castles per km² in the world

Ghent, Vêves, Antoing... a hundred of prestigious castles of various styles (fortresses, properties, medieval or not) can be found here. But Belgium is so small that it is not possible to find such a concentration of castles in any other country.

The magnificent Ghent's castle

9) World's diamond capital

The world’s main diamond Stock Exchange is situated in Antwerp. Around 70% of cut diamonds in the world market transit by this city, as well as 80% of raw diamonds. After World War II, the diamond centre moved from Amsterdam to Antwerp. Other important places for the diamond market are New York, Tel-Aviv, London and Mumbay.

10) Brussels sprouts also going Dutch

Despite its name, Brussels sprout doesn't have Belgium as its biggest producer in the world. It is mainly in the Netherlands that the most hated vegetable in America (that I also don't like...) is produced, at 82,000 tons. This cabbage-like ball seem to have been embraced by Belgium in the 16th century onwards, but its history is still debated. Anyway, just eat some, it's really good for your health!

Surprising huh? Share this article to your friends or post new fun facts as a comment here!

Belgian chocolate reveals its secrets

Enjoying your day off for Easter? Why not offer your loved ones the most delicious gift ever: Belgian chocolate! As you probably know, chocolate factories are all over the place here and chocolate has really penetrated Belgian culture in its multiple forms... Last year for instance, postage stamps were created in Mechelen, with their glue and ink made with essence of cocoa oil, so that they smelled authentic chocolate! The country even applied as candidate for the "European chocolate road" on 11st April and the Council of Europe will officially recognise it by 2016 at the latest (let's keep our fingers crossed). Here is an overview of what makes Belgian chocolate so good and which chocolate types you should definitely bring back home!

In general, corporate chocolate tends to taste too bland, and be full of added sugar and fat. By contrast, Belgian chocolate is well-known for containing more cocoa and be tightly controlled. It is a trend today to select flavours that reveal the original taste of chocolate (or something close to it), although it might get a little more expensive. But don't be afraid to spend your money on Belgian chocolate, because it is all worth it!

We started it! The country was first supplied in cocoa from the Spanish Empire to be the main ingredient for a drink consumed by noble people, imported from the Americas. The actual consumption of cocoa as a delicacy started in the 19th century, when Adolphe Meurisse from Antwerp and Antoine Jacques from Eupen (a city in the current German-speaking area) created the first chocolate factories and sold chocolate in bar. Legend says that this trend only later got to Switzerland, our eternal rival, but I wasn't there so I can't tell you...

Cocoa beans, basic ingredient for chocolate

One word: pralines! In 1857, pharmacist Jean Neuhaus, who now has a chocolate store in the Grand Place in Brussels and supplies the royal family, decided to cover his medicines with chocolate to make them taste better. The idea extended to that of dipping anything in chocolate, including fruits, alcohol, cream or soft chocolate. The result is what we call here a praline (filled chocolate), a must in Belgium. Be careful if you use the word in France, where it means crushed almonds with sugar on it... It's like we don't speak the same language!

French pralines and Belgian pralines

An African story... Later on, another Neuman, Charles Neuman, created Côte d'Or in Brussels, a brand currently owned by an American company and symbolised by an elephant in Africa, an idea which is actually pretty coherent: As a Belgian colony, Congo was one of the biggest African cocoa suppliers for Belgium, making chocolate industry wealthy in Belgium, an unfortunate destiny for the African country. 

Chocolate earthquake! In the 20th century, a handful of other really nice chocolate brands were created, such as Callebaut in Wieze (East Flanders), Leonidas, created by a Cyprus-Greek man who maried a Belgian woman, and Galler, a factory that started in Liège in the 70s. Recently, Callebaut created a training center, humourously called "Chocolate Academy" (opening in June this year) and which will make easier the partnership with artisans and spread across the world the culture of Belgian chocolate.

Leonidas white chocolate manons

Nowadays, a whole lot of chocolate types are available on the market, so that everyone can find what they like. The most successful ones in Belgium are manon, a cream-filled chocolate, and more fruity or floral tastes like violet, tea or strawberry...

My favourite one at the moment is white chocolate with crunchy filling and a coconut flavour from Galler! What's yours? Post a comment and share this post!

Guide for foreigners: do's and don'ts in Belgium

Are you going to live in Belgium for a while or visit our beautiful country? This article is a small guide for you. If you don't know how to behave (little is said in the media about it), it will help you by outlining the main elements that you should remember. Let's get started!

Be careful with languages  

  

- English open doors in Flanders and Brussels! Don't hesitate to use it when you spend a short time in these places, Brussels being the most international city in the country...
- French is a must in Wallonia! Very few people actually speak or understand foreign languages there, so if you try Dutch or English, even officers or sellers won't get the message right and will make you feel awkward. If you can speak French, don't worry about speaking right. Belgian French speakers are generally tolerant to foreign accents and mistakes, contrary to a lot of French people.

Confused dog is confused.

- Dutch gets you integrated in Flanders! If you're staying a little longer than a few months, do learn it! It's probably less difficult to pronounce than French as there are no silent letters. Also, ask your friends to teach you a bit of "dialect" (i.e. Flemish regionalisms) and do your best to NOT speak in a Hollandish accent, which might be considered as arrogant...
- French helps you even more in Brussels! If you want to live in Brussels for a long time, a sound knowledge of Dutch may prove useless, as only minorities that are also bilingual (French-Dutch) speak it there, so learn French instead.
- Attend language classes in Belgium! It will be one of the best ways to meet new people. You will mostly meet foreigners like you, but you might also see some Walloons attending Dutch classes as well (Dutch is not compulsory in Walloon schools!). Some students also organise free conversation classes in bars, one of the best ways to learn quickly, so keep informed!

Keep calm and confront bureaucracy

- Know the rules! Belgian bureaucracy is well-known for being intricate and demand a lot of paperwork, so read all the rules and possibly ask for help (don't worry, a solution can always be found even with the strictest rules), so that you don't annoy both the officer and the next people in the queue because you don't have a document or a photo that's been asked earlier...

- Obey the deadlines! Do what you are asked to do early enough, especially in Flander. E.g. the deadline to apply for the university in Flanders is months before the beginning of school year, while it is months after it in Wallonia. Also, be careful with days-off and strikes that may happen the day you have to submit an important document!

Bad luck Bryan in Belgium.

- Be patient! Administrative procedures may take a lot of time, but it doesn't mean your request isn't taken into consideration. Also, you might have to wait in a crowded place before getting to speak with a clerk.
- Be prepared to pay the price! In Belgium, people are used to pay a lot of taxes, contrary to some Eastern European countries, as well as to spend a lot of money on everyday groceries. Also, public transports in Brussels are very expensive, but think that it's also one of the best systems in the world.
- Be polite and don't take things personally! Post officers, clerks, policemen or secretaries, especially if the place is crowded, won't always be kind and patient, so smile, ask your question in a clear and short way, and don't mind if they are being rough with you. It probably means that they are having a tough day.

Stuff you shouldn't say

- Don't call all French speakers Walloons! On the one hand, Walloons mostly define themselves as Belgians, and then we relate on their province/city, not their region. On the other hand, French speakers who live in Brussels are not Walloons, since they don't live in Wallonia. Also, keep in mind that there is a minority of Flemish French speakers...
- Don't say that Belgium is a "non-country"!... Or that it should split. Or that Dutch and French are ugly languages. You will get in fight with many people here if you say things like that. Worst: don't use the words "French fries", but "Belgian fries"! Read this blog to make sure you know a bit of Belgium before giving that type of opinion. People here tend to underestimate themselves, so if you really hate their country, ask them to show you the bright side of it. There is nothing better than visiting the best parts of a place with the help of a local.
- Be open minded! Avoid all racism, homophobia or derogative comments on women. Belgium has a culture of open-mindedness and feminism.
- Be a gentleman! Women can dress up the way they want and consider men whistling to them or complimenting them in the street as complete douches. Do not be too pushy and don't make them uncomfortable...
- Know the basics! Get a picture of basic Belgian geography and remember the names of big cities and where they are situated... The North speaks Dutch and the South speaks French, roughly... So don't make the same mistake as this Austrian newspaper...

Walloon territory labelled as "Flanders" by Austrian newspaper.

Looking for new friends?

- Take advantage of social media! As I already mentioned, attending language classes are good ways to find new friends here, but Belgians enjoy more and more spending their time on a smartphone or a computer, maybe more than real human interactions... So start meeting people on the Internet. If you don't speak the local language, you can use websites such as Polyglot Club to meet new friends in your town.
- Are you Italian, German, Spanish, Arab, Turkish, Vietnamese, Congolese...? A part of the population comes from these foreign countries, but if you look at older generations, you will find many more waves of immigrations. The most important community is the Italian one. Get curious and you'll probably find cousins here!
- Complain! Complaining about the intricate bureaucracy works, but also complaining about delays of the local metro/bus/train company, or the horrible Belgian weather that goes up and down all the time! Belgians are always happy to share their opinion, especially if they can complain about stuff, so they will easily join the conversation.
- Don't randomly talk to strangers in public places! Instead of doing that, attend places where people specifically go to meet new friends: openings of exhibitions or stores, big picnics in town, or other things organised by associations are perfect for that. If you get to know people and want to see them again, never "turn up out of the blue uninvited" and always schedule things with the person a long time before.
- Stay distant and tactful with Belgians! Especially Flemish people... They are no Dutch(!) If you think something is wrong, wait until they notice it by themselves, and if they don't, try to be polite and formulate the criticism indirectly...

A Belgian's face if you're being too direct

If you think this guide is useful, send it to all your friends! If you have any suggestion, post a comment!

"Ne me quitte pas", a true Belgian story

While Belgium is still culturally divided in the common opinion, a moving and absurd documentary tells the story of a Flemish guy and a Walloon guy who are best friends forever... The film is seeking international recognition, as it was nominated at the Tribeca Film Festival and the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam (IDFA).

Dutch film makers Sabine Lubbe Bakker and Niels van Koevorden collaborated on a bilingual film (in French and Dutch), Ne me quitte pas "Don't leave me", whose action takes place in Belgium. The genre is a mixture of humour and tragedy, but the story is non-fictive and genuinely moving. It is not told in a cliché, voyeurist way though.


The plot is the following: In a small village situated in a remote unpopulated place full of forests, farmers Bob, a retired Flemish who always smokes cigars lives a long-lasting friendship with Marcel, a younger Walloon guy, whose wife leaves him and tries to take their three kids with her. This is the story of failure, depression and alcoholism. The two friends want so much to help each other that they even discuss the best ways to commit suicide...

The title of the film echoes to Jacques Brel's (legend of Belgian chansons) sad song "Ne me quitte pas", which backgrounds a part of the story, while not a lot of music is used in this film to make it look less "artifically dramatic". Will this purely Belgian story touch international hearts?...

Did you see this film? Give your opinion in comment!

Belgian beers at the UNESCO: aye or nay?

Last Monday, Belgium introduced a request to have as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at the UNESCO its brewery culture. But a request may need at least one year to be successful and nothing is certain yet.

The country is famous in the whole world for its beers (even Obama mentioned them!), which have over 1,000 different types. Personally, I'm not a connoisseur but I never say no to a good beer... I guess it is just part of being Belgian(!) For those among us who can't drink alcohol, some of those beers exist in an alcohol-free version, so you have no excuse! :) If you don't know anything about Belgian beers, let's introduce you to some of them...

You probably already know the difference between lager-type beers (also called "blond beers") and dark beers (called "brown beers" in Belgium), which can be distinguished by their colour and their taste. In general, dark beers taste more rustic and strong than blond beers...

Stella Artois ad: a metaphor for Flemish and Walloons?

A famous blond beer is Stella Artois, because it has been exported by the world's largest brewer. Some of their ads feature a smartly dressed guy speaking in a French accent, and Artois is the name of a Walloon area, but the beer is actually brewed in Leuven (Flemish Brabant). So paradoxical! Another blond beer is Duvel, brewed not far from Antwerp, and whose name is dialect for "devil". Note that our national football team is called the Red Devils! Now, if you're looking for something lighter and refreshing, you can try a white beer (or wheat beer), such as Hoegaarden (from a city next to Leuven), which also exists with a red fruit ("rosée") flavour.

Next, as an example of dark beer, we have Leffe, from Dinant (Namur province), which is also famous for being a so-called abbey beer. There are a lot of them in Belgium and their brand send a part of their benefits to monks. Maredsous is also an abbey beer, but it is probably more famous for its nice abbey cheese... A specific type of abbey beers are trappist ones. This means that their brewery is supervised by trappist monks or that they make the beer themselves, and the trappists are one of the strictest monk communities. Three examples of brands you should remember are Orval (Luxembourg province), Chimay (Hainaut province) and Westmalle (Antwerp province).

All my copyrights on this pun!

For those who are interested in new tastes, you should try a lambic. It is a type of beer that has a special sweet and sour taste, and is produced in southern and western Brussels only. This type comprises the gueuze (or geuze) (literally "beggar"), with a more genuine taste, and the kriek, a cherry-flavoured lambic. A famous lambic brewer is Mort Subite. Its name comes from a card game played by people while drinking and the bar where it was played ("À la mort subite"). Some say that it's because when players had to run to the toilet after drinking too much, they were considered to have a sudden death ("mort subite" in French).

So, making Belgian beers famous is a good idea. Yet, there are so many beers in Belgium that it should be difficult to make it to the UNESCO. I would rather imagine a list of recognised brands or specific types of beers, because all Belgian beers are not typical to Belgium, I guess. And it can be excessively used for commercial purposes by all those brands to pretend they're better than others. Anyway, contrary to other examples of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in Belgium (Binche carneval, fishing, etc.), this heritage would make the whole country proud of itself.

What is your opinion on the topic? Express it!