Organized for the past 10 years, the marché de Noël in Brussels is considered “the most original European Christmas market” by the British tour operators. Under the generic name Plaisirs d’Hiver, from the 25^th of November to 1^st of January Place Sainte Catherine is hosting different attractions stretching over 2 km. Let’s go and explore some of them!

240 chalets with various products

Sales people from different cultures are mixing in a splendid combination of tastes, smells and colours. From Spanish to German food, from Russian matryoshkas to Murano glass jewels, there is plenty of choice. You can buy some fabulous products that you might not even expect to find such as Amerindian decorations or retro Lithuanian notebooks made out of leather and recycled paper. Of course, all these temptations can be visited while having a glass of traditional glühwein (mulled wine).

Le manège magique and Big Wheel

Children have not been forgotten either. Since 1990, the magic merry-go-round has been welcoming them and tempting them to try a ride in a retro-style plane, on the back of a lizard or an insect. I must admit it is not my infancy dream manège, but kids seem to enjoy it. For the nostalgic ones, the Big Wheel of our childhood is here and it offers the opportunity to have a unique view over the colourful Winter Market.

Skate Rink and Ski Track

Brussels has now an offer for winter sports fans: a 60-meter long skate rink in Place Sainte Catherine hosting some ice shows as well and a ski track in Mont des Arts. The shows are entertaining and actors manage to attract both children and adults with their funny pantomime sketches.

Special guest: Greece

Every year, the fair draws the attention upon a special guest. Now it’s time for Greece to be in the limelight. 8 chalets – one per province – are showcasing the expertise of its artisans, attracting their guests with gastronomic specialties and Greek protected designation products, such as certified olive oil.

Electrabel Nights in Grand Place

The traditional Electrabel Nights are featuring new technologies, special illuminations of the City Hall, the surrounding buildings and the Christmas Tree and a sculpture in light forming a spiral. The Rendez-vous Electrabel shows take place each weekend starting 20.00, 21.00 and 22.00 and star creative artists, a crystal musician wearing costumes made of mirrors, a giant-winged butterfly, a fire-dancer, a moon-climbing acrobat, and a magical choir on Christmas Eve. The shows promise to create an unforgettable Christmas atmosphere, bringing magic to life.

Enjoy the winter holidays wherever you are!

How cool is this?

The official opening of the Frietmuseum took place on Saturday 26th of April and this museum is the first and only museum dedicated to potato fries in the world.

I have to admit that when I came across the official website I had no idea that there is such a museum in the world. I mean, who would have guessed?

Buts it does exist and it’s in Bruge, Belgium!

Why in Belgium. Well, we have to remember that the Belgian potato fry is certainly the product that is the most characteristic of Belgian culinary expertise, along with the Belgian chocolate. Actually there was a guest post here on blog on specific Belgian foods – read it here.

While browsing the official site http://www.frietmuseum.be/en/ I noticed that there are a number of interesting things that make this museum worth a visit.

First of all I see that The Frietmuseum is made up of 3 parts: the first section explains the history of the potato, next comes the history of the fries and at the end the possibility to sample them. Each section contains very interesting info on potatoes, fries – evolution, cultivation, dishes, sauces etc.

Moreover there are special activities for kids – I know how kids love to learn in interesting ways so I think this is a good thing.

This educational museum is housed in the Saaihalle, one of the most beautiful buildings in Bruges, thus another reason to visit the museum. As to opening hours and costs, we can find them also from the website:

Opening hours:

Open every day from 10 am to 5 pm
On demand, we can open after hours for groups, specialist visits and team work
Closing dates:
Closed on 24th, 25th and 31st December, 1st January and 10 th to 21 st January 2011.

Rates:
6 €: adults
5 €: groups (of 15 people or more, reservation required), students, 65+
4 €: children from 6 to 12 years.

OK, I’m admitting. I’m curious and I’d like to visit someday this museum. I’ll get back to you then with the details of my experience

photos source

(You can read part ! of the article here) If the first two cities are among the landmarks of Belgium and Flanders, the next one I will be in has unjustly been avoided. Luckily, the Lonely Planet guide has done justice to Ghent (its name also being related to water – delta), by including it to the best 10 travel destinations for 2011. I will do the same, by awarding it the image of Odin, the most important Nordic God, and not just as a consolation prize. Odin is a complex God, as the city itself, being the patron of commerce and war, of wisdom and arts. Ghent has been a prosperous citadel, a political centre and nowadays an important economic and artistic point of attraction for Belgium. Ghent is the son of two rivers that become one here, just before reaching the sea, being portrayed by the love story of Scheldt and Lys. The city has a well-preserved medieval architecture as well, among which the Gravensteen Castle dating from the 12th century, and the Romanesque-style Saint Bavo Cathedral, where one can descend in the catacombs and admire the great masterpiece of Hubert and Jan van Eyck, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. The city perfectly combines modern life (cafes, libraries, the university, concerts) with the old buildings bearing the signature of famous architects. It is multi-faced indeed, exactly as the soul of the God I have seen in it. The last, but not the least, I make a final twist to Ypres, one of the most important Flemish cities during the Middle Ages along with Ghent and Bruges. Nowadays, after two world wars, it hosts a huge graveyard of heroes and even if it was badly damaged by bombings, it has been fully reconstructed. Due to this fact, I associate it with Thor, the ancient God of both destruction and protection of mankind. I will not make any comments on Ypres; my former professor Ana Adi has already done this for Travel here. Instead, I would like to end this post by sharing with you a short story of what happened to me when visiting it two years ago: It was a lovely 4th of May and people gathered at the Menin Gate were commemorating the victims of the world wars in whose honour the Last Post ceremony was held. I thought I found a good place to film and photograph it, but an elder lady was still not decided where to stand thus, was constantly moving and impeding me to see anything. So, I tried to adapt to this, got a step ahead and put some order in the crowd, but the lady reacted as if she were offended. Without realizing that her English was excellent, far too good to be an inhabitant’s, I started arguing with her. Her peace-making husband intervened and asked her to make room for me, as I deserved it for being that brave and persuasive. The end of story: both were American tourists, having come to commemorate their relatives perished in the world wars. The man told me something that made me feel really proud: “If I had a company, I would immediately hire you to manage my sales team, as you are very convincing”. We took a picture together and they left, wishing me good luck in my future career, assuring me that I would succeed in everything I wanted to do. If they read this article by any chance, I would like to send to them my best wishes.

Ypres

Gent Belfry

North Europe, Belgium, Flanders or the Flooded Lands…

I still remember the first time I have arrived in the enchanted reign of Middle Age cathedrals and legends, all giving me a flavour of immemorial times and Nordic Gods. Flanders is partly on the territory of nowadays Belgium, but more than two thousand years ago it used to cover the North of France and a little part of the Netherlands as well, being inhabited by a Celtic population. In spite of a rich cultural and historical heritage little is known about Flanders, Belgium being mainly associated with Brussels, its capital-city. So, let’s depart in a legendary journey in some other city-gods that do deserve a closer look of those willing to discover the secrets of Europe!

The first city I visited in Belgium is Antwerp, translated as the man throwing hands. The name reminded me of Tyr, the Nordic God of War, who had his hand bitten and removed by a mythical wolf. The very soul of the city can be linked to this God, ever since the Middle Ages it has been the battlefield for many nations: the French, the Dutch, the English or the Spanish, a departure point of riots and bloody punishments, but also of cloth industry. Nowadays only the excellently preserved architecture reminds of its warrior soul, for instance the 19th century fortifications of the citadel that has played a central role in Belgium’s independence. One can say that the contemporary Antwerp is much like a commercial city, being globally reputed for its diamond business and for Meir shopping street. This is a pedestrian area sheltering a wide range of brad stores alternating with houses built by famous architects on the way from the Central Station (a neo-baroque monument itself) to Our Lady’s Cathedral (with works by Rubens). When it comes to art, one can visit Rubens’ house, his tomb in Saint James’ Cathedral and his works displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts along with those of Van Dyck and Titian.

Next, I pay a visit to Bruges (literally meaning port), believed to be the most beautiful Flemish city and the capital of the West-Flanders province. I cannot help to assimilate its personality to another Nordic God, Baldr the patron of beauty, love and happiness. Bruges is also known as the Venice of the North with its canals and bridges and with its numerous music festivals. Mr. Peene, my professor from Bruges, who has been so kind to make a tour, told me several stories about the city. The most attractive point is definitely the Cathedral of the Holy Blood: every year, on Ascension Day the relic is shown to the crowd of believers during a procession with knight costumes taking place on the streets of the city. Another interesting story is linked to Saint John’s Hospital: people from all over Flanders were queuing in front of it as it was well known for its mental diseases treatments. That is why the people from Bruges make fun of themselves saying they are a little bit crazy. I find Bruges a medieval architectural jewel, with its multiple portals and cathedrals such as the Our Lady’s Cathedral displaying Michelangelo’s only sculpture, Madonna and the Child, Sint Salvador, the church of the city and also several museums of beer and chocolate.

Continue to part 2 of this article

Europe’s heart beats stronger and livelier than ever. To be or not to be… sunny… I am looking for the Sun’s funny smile through the leaden clouds carried by the God of Wind who feels at ease here. In spite of the grey weather, Brussels is a colorful city, a mix of cultures and civilizations: Europeans, Americans, Arabians, and Hebrews. It is an interesting city, not very large, but with many attractions. In my journey I will be calling at Manneken piss (what a naughty cheeky little man who makes a queue of tourists!), the Grande Place, the EU Parliament, the Atomium and so on. You will see chocolate everywhere, beer, fries, lace and waffles. It’s a very cosmopolitan city, with golden roofs and typical green Belgian statues. I will offer a perspective of an amazing city that has now its own individuality, a symbol of United Europe.

Let’s start our tour!

My first stop is the shopping center, City 2. The big mall, sheltering brands of all kinds, being similar to a swarm, on multiple levels among which me favourite is FNAC, the famous bookstore. After getting out, I continue on Rue Nueve, still among seducing stores like Mango, Mexx, Zara, H&M, C&A, all mermaids for shopaholics tempting them with their irresistible offers. I get to de Brouckere, the very heart of the city, where cafes and restaurants attract tourists to have a rest and enjoy world-wide cuisine.

Brussels - Rue Neuve

I get to the amazing Stock-Exchange building (Bourse) and my second stop is the naughty Manneken Pis (the little man pee known as Petit Julien in French). It is the landmark of Brussels and it gathers a lot of tourists eager to photograph it or to buy some of its replicas in chocolate or tiny bronze statues. There is a lot of folklore around it and the legend I like most says that a boy, Petit Julien, spied on foreign attackers planning to blow up the city walls and urinated on the lit wick, eventually saving the city. The original statue, made of stone was replaced with the bronze one, created by Jerome Duquesnoy at the beginning of the 17th century.

From there on, surrounded by chocolate, I get to my next stop, Grande Place, hosting the Town Hall, the Maison du Roi, a Brewers’ Museum and the Brussels Museum. I hear a lady telling to her child: “this is the most beautiful square in the world”. And I believe that it is at least one of the most beautiful, being labeled as a world UNESCO heritage site. The Gothic and Baroque meet in the buildings that have been built later on in the 17th century, and nowadays, in mid August one can admire a beautiful flowers carpet.

I continue walking, and get to Gare Centrale and then to sacred destinations: three cathedrals built in the 13th century, in a Gothic style: Saint Michel and Gudula and Notre Dame de la Chapelle and Saint Niklaas Cathedral, sheltering a Rubens painting. No wonder that during the Middle Ages, Brussels was an important city, the headquarters of the most powerful tapestries guilds in Europe. This thought suddenly sent me back to Paris where the Lady and the Unicorn series, apparently sewed in Brussels, can be admired now.

For the antiquities amateurs, Grand Sablon is a place where they can buy all sorts of furnitures, statues or enjoy a coffee. After a breathtaking view on Brussels, take your time to rest and visit the Notre Dame du Sablon Cathedral and the Petit Sablon, where you can admire interesting architectural elements.

From the old times I move on to the contemporary era and notably the EU. My first stop is Place Lux (the famous Place Luxembourg) where many people gather during the evening to have a drink, and some month ago to watch the games of Football World Cup. The square I surrounded by the European Parliament building, all in glass and with famous bridges giving the EU institutions the aspect of a labyrinth. Then, one can see the buildings of the two consultative bodies of the EU: the Committee of the Regions and the Economic and Social Committee, on Rue Belliard (happy bells – literally meaning). The Commission lies further on with two impressive buildings, in a contemporary style: Charlemagne and Berlaymont (also known as the monster) close to the building of the Council and further on the Parc of Cinquantanaire.

Brussels - Place centrale

The last stop is as well related to the EU: the Atomium. Built for the World Fair of Brussels in 1958, known as Expo 58, and designed by André Waterkeyn it is a unique monument in the world, considered a Utopia. It is made out of 9 interconnected spheres and hosts both permanent and temporary exhibitions. It offers a beautiful panorama on Brussels, including a view on the Mini-Europe leisure park (http://atomium.be/). To my mind it is a pure example of PR and branding for a place: the monument has no real function, as the Eiffel tour, apart from being a touristic attraction and identity building being considered the most Belgian monument. Its symbolism integrating all the elements of the personality of Brussels: the passion for the future, the happiness and young age of its inhabitants and eventually being the capital of the EU, a city where you can enjoy life!

Guest post by Isabelle Kenis

When you think of Belgium, you think of chocolate, beer and waffles, right? But you can find lots of other specialties here.
The “Cuberdon” for instance is something unique for the region of Ghent. I don`t even think there is an English name for it. It`s a candy in the shape of a nose or a little hat, made out of sugar with inside a filling of a gooey, liquid syrup. Because it has a limited time of remaining fresh, it`s not exported and can only be bought in Belgium. I myself, love it, but some find it too sweet!

Source photo

Another specialty is “Speculaas”. though it can be bought all over Belgium and in other countries as well, the city of Hasselt is known for its variety of “Speculaas”. So what is it? Speculaas is a thin, very crunchy type of biscuit or cookie. It often has a figure or image stamped on the front side before baking. Usually made from white flour, brown sugar, butter and spices. With spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom,… It`s very nice with a cup of coffee.

Source photo

We all know French Fries, but in Belgium they`re called “Frieten” or fries. The Belgians believe the term “French” was introduced when British or American soldiers arrived in Belgium during World War I and when tasting Belgian fries, they supposedly called them “French”, as it was the official language of the Belgian Army at that time. Even though some claim the dish was invented in Spain and spread to the Spanish Netherlands, which became Belgium, it is a part of several national dishes, like “Mussels and Fries” or “Steak and Fries”.

Source photo

You can find lots of places to try fries, like in a restaurant or at a “Frituur”. This is a traditional shop to buy fries. You can find them often on main highways and town squares, serving quick service fast food or take away. You can find here besides the fries, other fried dishes like hamburgers, meatballs, … And they offer a wide selection of sauces like ketchup, mayonnaise… and many more! They come in a paper rolled cone or plastic tray. If you want to try the real Belgian fries, this is the way to eat them.

To come back to the chocolates. It was Jean Neuhaus (Belgian) who invented the pralines, world`s biggest chocolate selling point is Brussels Airport and Belgium produces 220 000 tons of chocolate per year, so it`s only natural you think of chocolate as the first thing to come to mind to associate with Belgium!

Isabelle is a passionate traveler who built her own website, Isabelle’s Travel Guide, that’s filled with personal experiences, travel tips and information to help others create their own memorable vacation. There’s nothing more Isabelle loves than traveling the world, experiencing new adventures and discovering new destinations. With her website, Isabelle hopes to be an inspiration and help others in their ventures to explore the world. You can also follow her on Twitter @IsabellesTravel.

by Ana Adi

The stereotypical images of Belgium revolve around delicious chocolates, endless choices of beer and beautifully maintained, live museum-like cities. However, many of the towns and cities of Belgium hide secrets known only to the locals.

Ieper is one of such cities. It has a remarkable main square where its Belfry, Cloth Hall and Town Hall merge in one sumptuous building: 125m long with a tower of 70m high. It has also an enormous gothic cathedral still worthy of a bishop’s seat even though there are centuries since no bishop has lived in the city.

But what ones sees, although it looks aged, is new.

Ieper has a sad and inspiring story. It is city that rose from its own ashes, rebuilt from scratch after WWI left it in smokes and rubble. In Ieper’s fields many men are resting and endless rows of perfectly aligned tombstones are there to prove it. The white, simple stones, bear the faded marks of names of men and their insignia and regiment. Sometimes, a Cross of David can be seen, sometimes a cross, sometimes just a trace of an inscription. Some tombstones are missing. Those men were taken home. Some tombstones have flowers. Those men were not forgotten. Those men were found. Some tombstones rise to the sky, some are pressed down the earth. The winners and losers took their title even in their grave. This is Ieper: fields of tombstones, silent and cold.

The sight is impressive, shocking and breathtaking. It imposes silence without calling for it. It shapes the landscape and it shapes feelings. These feelings come out every night at 8 o’clock when the sound of trumpets, hollow, sad, metallic, and piercing, fills the night and shakes the Menin Gate. For the people of Ieper playing the trumpet at 8 o’clock is an honor as they play it for the 54.896 missing soldiers whose names are engraved in the gate’s walls and for all those other soldiers who are resting in the fields. They are playing the trumpets to remind themselves of their city’s rise from ashes. They are playing the trumpets for the students who sometimes came around as part of peace teaching programs. They are playing the trumpets for the families who still miss their loved ones.

Photo credits: Ana Adi

Ana ADI is an independent strategic communication consultant specialized in new media, international communication and public relations. She is also a PhD candidate. Ana now lives in Scotland but travels a lot. You can follow her on Twitter and check her other photos on Flickr.