Sometimes, suds and soda mix OK with beer

[venta]

So, later I'm off on holiday for the weekend. Well, kind of on holiday. Mabel, my rapper team, are planning a hit-and-run dancing raid on Bruge. Or is it Brugge ? Or Bruges ? Opinions seem to be divided. Hopefully I will know when I get back.

Yesterday, when I told secutatrix I was going to Belgium, her first reaction was "Oh, I'm sorry."

Now, I'd like to protest that that's an extremely unfair thing to say, but since my first reaction to Belgium is always...

The concept it embodies is so revolting that the publication or broadcast of the word is utterly forbidden in all parts of the galaxy except one - where they don’t know what it means.

... I feel like I don't really have a leg to stand on.

Just what is it about Belgium, anyway ? I know a few people who've been to Bruggge, and they've all reported it as lovely. It seems that Brugggge is a perfectly acceptable place to visit, so long as you don't mention its being in Belgium.

Of course, there is the point that the most famous Belgian doesn't exist - Hercule Poirot is the only one most people can name. But on the other hand, if you can't think of any famous Belgians, how many famous Bulgarians can you name off hand ? And no one particularly picks on Bulgaria. (Wikipedia thoughtfully provides lists of both famous Belgians and famous Bulgarians). Why is it Famous Belgians which always comes up in conversation ?

My favourite answer to "name four famous Belgians" has, for some time, been "dEUS", but I was astounded yesterday to discover that Front 242 are also Belgian. I mean... it just doesn't sound very likely, does it ?

Belgian beer and Belgian chocolates seem to be the acceptable faces of the nation. But why, exactly, is it that the entire country seems to be such an inherently humorous concept ?

Comments

[cardinalsin.livejournal.com]

The thing about Belgium, is that they have two national languages - in addition to that of any tourists who come by, which in the case of Bruges is quite a few. So the multiple spellings isn't all that surprising.

I *think* I'd be right in saying that Brugge is flemish while Bruges is french, and Bruge is not the name of a place in Belgium. But I actually can't be bothered to go and find out if I'm right :o)

[jezzidue.livejournal.com]

You are quite right. Living in Luxembourg I practically live in Belgium anyway ... just 15 mins or so from the border. Rather annoyingly, every time I drive back from France I have to access Lux via Belgium (or Germany) since the main road from France to Lux has been closed! Takes forever. They are also celebrating their 175th anniversity ... many people are cynically observing over here that the reason they haven't waited until 200 is that there is serious sceptisism as to whether it'll last that long as a country.

National dish - Mussels and Chips.