Belgium

Ok so here is the field trip from Belgium, I'll say here what I'm proud off.


We will start when you reach Belgium with the plane in Zaventem, this is located in Brussel the capital of Belgium. Everybody has heard about Brussel and our extremely famous manneke pis, from whole over the world people come to take pictures of a piing boy (pathetic isn't it). Then there is the Atomium, a large statue from the world exhibit, that represents an iron cristal with 9 atoms. It's being repared to this date and should be open for pubic soon again. Then you have the parlement, don't get to close to it cause it is guarded by the military (yes we do have an army). In Brussels, you can also find the royal palace but like you have read in hans' commentary on "the congo" we don't really like or royals (so I'm just going to shut up about that). There's off course the NAVO headquarters (you guy's call it NATO), where, well you now what shit happens there. Also in Brussels there's the UN-headquarters and we all know you guy's don' t like them. And last but not least, the European parlement.


Next we take the train to Antwerp, a city that survived a great amount of V2 bombings during WWII, but is still as significant today. View as many of the ancient buildings as possible, for starters the holly Marie's Cathedral and the fortress Stone. On the Meir which is the better shopping street in Mainland Europe next to the Champs Ellisez, you can find the statue of a man trowing a severed hand. This is the legend of the origin of Antwerp. It's about a man named Brabo. Who defeated a tirant giant by chopping off his hand, and trowing it in to the river (I will go deeper in to this story if you guy's want me to, but here it would fill the page to much).

Next we take the train to Ghent. In Ghent visit the Koremarkt, with it's beautiful architectural styles and the McDonalds, there's a big shopping street here as well. Take the tram to the Gravensteen and see a castle like it was build back in the old days .

Then now we go to Brugge, Brugge is a very old city. It has a lot of old biuldings, most of them are build in the 18th century, or earlier. Brugge is known for it's guilds, you can still purchase chocolats, lace, parfume and eve n shoes. all of them created in the original way. While you are there visit the monastry of Westmalle where they brew beer like it should be brewed.

So this was my short trip trough Flanders. I haven't even told the half of what's to be seen here. But in every big city they have tourist stands and maps and even guides who will show you everything worth looking at. If you got questions I would be pleased to answer them. So if I have persuaded you for a visit you will not regret that.

Not many people know this, but there is an actual law in Belgium about drinking age.

the minimum age for drinking alcohol is 16 years, and in that case only in youthbars, and party's, or when they are accompanied by an adult (older than 18 years).


When you reach the age of 18 you may drink where you want and as much as you want.
However, public display of alcoholism is prohibited and you will be fined if you get caught drunk on the streets.
They can even take away your drivers licence when your on foot (go figure).

Belgian motorcyclists 

A few days ago an American asked me about Belgium and the Congo.
Well here's the answer. Congo became a Belgium colony under Leopold II, what wasn't so bad because at that time almost every country had colony's. Great Brittain, France, Holland, they all had colony's. That's why they speak french in the biggest part of Africa, and in the south they try to speek dutch.

Those colony's where especially interesting for there natural reserves, the inhabitans didn't use them thereselves so we used them instead.

And in our case, Congo appeared to be full of those reserves, more than most of the other colony's.

So our king started to profesionally mine Congo for gold, silver, cuper, tan and gems, and most of this he kept for himself.

Then in 1908 because of the international pressure, Congo officially became a part of Belgium.
Everybody was happy except for the inhabitants. The church liked it because now they could convert as many negros as they wanted. And a lot of Belgians started up a bussines there.

By the end of WWII our technology had advanced and, we learned to use the uranium that used to be there.

Then in 1960 the belgians where kicked out of Congo in a very bloody battle, in witch a lot of negros and belgians died(even at this time they still like to use machetes). And it was in this year that Congo was declared independent.

So that was the story about Congo and Belgium.

If anybody has a comment about this I would be happy to read it and perhaps give an answer.

Belgium

So I've started this site just because, I love my country and I would do anything for it. But there are people who dare to differ.
So if you know things that are better in Belgium than everywhere else please let me know. And I''l come back to you.
Maybe someone from another country will answer us.
And try to tell us we are wrong, and why we are wrong.