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

[taimatsu]

I've been to Bruges! It's really nice, as you say :) I visited Brussels on the same trip and that was surprisingly good. I have no anti-Belgium prejudice!

[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)

[j4.livejournal.com]

how many famous Bulgarians can you name off hand?

Yesterday we listened to the CD of Le Mystè des Voix Bulgares, and the style immediately reminded me of a Kate Bush song which features the Trio Bulgarka on backing vocals.

I can also name (without looking at Wikipedia) at least two famous Belgians who actually exist!

Do I win a prize? :^)

[kneeshooter]

I always thought Front 242 were the only famous Belgians.

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

how many famous Bulgarians can you name off hand ?

Well there's Great Uncle Bulgaria to start with...

[drdoug.livejournal.com]

I love Belgium - it's fab. I've been on holiday there many times, on purpose. Brussels is one of my favourite cities, and both the Flemish (e.g. Bruges) and Walloon (Namur, Liege) cities are wonderful as well in their own way. The Ardennes is a beautiful place to visit.

And yes, there's the excellent beer and chocolate. There's also the wonderful waffles. A piping hot freshly-cooked waffle from a street stand on a cold nippy day is one of life's great pleasures.

Jacques Brel is alive and well and living in Paris

[ringbark.livejournal.com]

As you are a music-listening-person, you should definitely have Jacques Brel near the top of your famous belgian list.

[lnr]

beer and chocolate

And don't forget the moules et frites with mayo.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

My only direct experience of Belgium is having slept through it on a night train from Paris to Amsterdam. But I seem to remember I had fairly pleasant dreams...
From what I've heard from other people, though, it sounds rather lovely. And my various Belgian friends are also rather lovely!

Re: Jacques Brel is alive and well and living in Paris

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Not to mention (please) Plastique Bertrand.

[leathellin.livejournal.com]

Ooh, does jezzidue know of your presence? He really isn't all that far away from Belgium.

[maviscruet.livejournal.com]

It is a word only used in the most extreme of circumstances, and only then by the most desperate of people. This is one of those situations and Zaphod is one of those people...


Ahhhhhh Belgium.

(mis-quoting from Memmory - the radio play I think)

[lathany.livejournal.com]

Enjoy your holiday in chocolate land (yep, that's how I think of it)!

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

Because it's on the way to a lot of better known places, so most people who stop in Belgium stop at the same ugly concrete service station and get asked by the same mean-faced attendant to pay rather too much money to be allowed to have a wee.

[snow-leopard.livejournal.com]

Bruges, chocolate, fruit beer and pretty buildings. Whats not to like?

[snow-leopard.livejournal.com]

If you get a chance do the canal tour thingy. Wish I could remember the name of the really REALLY good restuarant.

[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.

[erming.livejournal.com]

Beer and good chocolates...

How will you fit through the car / coach door to come home?

[wimble.livejournal.com]

I'm a real nowhere man, living in a nowhere land

Years ago, my family were on holday in France. We returned home, and got to the north coast, where we found there was a fisherman's blockade of the ports going on. So, rather than getting the ferry from Dunquerque, we were redirected to Le Havre, in Dutchland.

Getting there involved stopping overnight. We stopped. In Belgium. At a hotel which was in the middle of a roundabout.

Belgium: home of noisy concrete boxes. Oooh!

My life amongst the Belgians

[uitlander]

Well I have my own views on Belgium, which are all positive, mainly because I spent the best part of a year there on and off doing my DPhil., and have a lot of Belgian friends. I learnt that the Bruxellois word for gossip was 'babelcow'. The beer is fantastic, as are the chocolate, frites and wafels (Gaufres de Li`ge). There are free music festivals most weekends in different towns (there used to be flyers given out at each festival telling you where the next one was - Markt Rok in Leuven was where I first heard the Levellers). To understand the Belgians properly, all you need know is that is where surrealism was born.

Then there's the scenery; 99% of humanity fail to notice that due to it not being near the main motorway. Its stunning, find Lieège and follow the Meuse south. And the best bit of all? Most of you buggers have no idea what you are missing, which leaves more of the good bits for me!

[(Anonymous)]

Has Venta forgotten that she has already been to Bruges once?

[neilh.livejournal.com]

In the mountains of Belgium, just outside Ghent,
I take your arm and apprehensively we begin our descent,
On chariots of wire we wander the high walled peaks of this consumer paradise
And I marvel at he natural beauty and fertility of a Flemish valley
Suddenly the checkout lady, noting my vacant stare,
Enquires whether I need the toilet, curses in a gutteral burp,
And throws us onto the street.
Mountaineering in Belgium is not as simple as it looks.

[a-llusive.livejournal.com]

That is astounding.

I'm sorry I haven't been in touch about the car. I'll ring shortly (probably to find it's gone).

[venta.livejournal.com]

No, she hasn't, but she was only there long enough to be accused of underage drinking and to buy some chocolate coins for her dad. She doesn't remember much of the place, and didn't recognise any of it.

The coins were great, though - they were mementos of that great financial turkey, the Ecu.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Congratulations. Have one I Am A Scientist point. You're the only person who answered the question I asked, instead of telling me why I was wrong :)

[venta.livejournal.com]

Sadly, I didn't have time to do the canal thing. I did spend some time just wandering about the streets, though and it was absolutely gorgeous. Definitely on the list to go back without a dance team in tow!

Re: Jacques Brel is alive and well and living in Paris

[venta.livejournal.com]

Really ? I don't know the name - give us a clue who he is/what he does ?

[venta.livejournal.com]

Dead easy - I'm not a big fan of choclate :)

Re: Jacques Brel is alive and well and living in Paris

[ringbark.livejournal.com]

Actually Jacques Brel is dead. "Jacques Brel is alive and well and living in Paris" was the name of a musical. JB was a Belgian singer-songwiter who specialised in wordplay and the song which started quietly and then built up to a crescendo, often with a twist in the tale. Unfortunately for most of us, his songs are mostly in french and sometimes in Flemish.
Do not hold it against him, as it isn't his fault: his best known song is "Le Moribond", which was translated into the abominable "Seasons in the Sun".
Great stuffin many of his songs. Requires basic knowledge of French, a lyric sheet or lots of Belgian beer.

[erming.livejournal.com]

Well your light enough to be easy enough to carry onto the coach if you find the beer :-)

[venta.livejournal.com]

No worries - and no takers on the car so far.

Incidentally, Andy says the email address he has for you is bouncing. He's trying to invite you to Frances' party on Saturday.