Bruges & Chocolates - Help needed

[snowleopard]

belgium is famous for / gets a lot of stick for its consumption of chips, which are eaten with mayonnaise.

the southern half, wallonia, is french speaking and the people are called walloons, their french is a distinct dialect with some words unique to the region such as 'septante' instead of 'dix-sept'.

the northern half, flanders, is occupied by the flemings who speak flemish, a dialect of dutch.

in brussels, both languages are spoken and most business people are bilingual (and generally speak english as well). it is polite when addressing a stranger to ask which language he/she prefers to speak.



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[nicho]

Lauda was Austrian.

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[Beagle]

2 things

1:

2: it's close to Holland!

Oh, perhaps the chocolates (pralines) and the beer are not really awful too....

Oh #2, since it's for your daughter (ie girly), might want to add that Antwerpen is also known as diamond city... (see Snatch).

Rene.

<hr width=100% size=1>Never attempt to teach a pig to sing.
It is a waste of time and it annoys the pig.

 

[Jinks]

The city of St. Nicholas which is purported to be the home of the father Christmas myth. V. pretty town with impressive church.

<hr width=100% size=1>Of all the things I've lost - I miss my mind the most!

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

G(h)ent is pretty good too. The castle has a museum specialising in instruments and techniques of torture through the ages (which may appeal to the young) and a regular harpist.

Lambic beer

Eddie Mercxx

Fort Eben Emael which shows that the Germans also did heroic and risky things.

<hr width=100% size=1>Two beers please, my friend is paying.

 

[beancounter]

Tom,

try this website - my daughter found it a few weeks ago when she had to do a presentation on Belgium in her french class at uni.

http://www.famousbelgians.net/

John

<hr width=100% size=1>Fabricati Diem, punc

 

[tome]

John, spot-on. Many thanks to you and your daughter.

Cheers
Tom

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[compie1]

tome,
As a Belgian it really hurts to see what people think about my country but everybody forgets one very important thing: the only other EU country wich allows also RED MARINE DIESEL and supports the UK BOATERS in their fight against all the others... even Dutch and French boaters come to us to fill their tanks with nice red diesel and the ticket...

much better food then in the UK...
35% less rain...
best beers in the world...
real chocolates...
real chips...
better looking girls and boys...
Even WHMBO aggrees (went to UK schools)

Come and visit, Mercator Marina Ostend, that could change your view on our country!



<hr width=100% size=1>tom@vancompernolle.be

 

[Douglas]

I think you mean Poirot ie. Hercule Poirot the fictional detective created by Agatha Christie. Do people who aren't real count for your niece's list?

Oh, and if I remember correctly the whole thing started in the sixteenth century when the United Provinces were fighting for their independence from Spain, and what is now Belgium opted for an early bath. The rest of the UPs pressed on and were eventually victorious and became Holland and produced Great Seafarers (tho' not as good as the Brits, Aussies, Kiwis etc etc.)

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[sailorman]

u mean Montgomery Dock surely , much more vibrant

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[machurley22]

Tom,

see <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.trabel.com/brussel/brussel-manneken.htm>here</A> for more on this scatological example of the sculptor's art.

Dave

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