Hi All,

I have just found out that I will be moving in two weeks to Brussels, Belgium.

Feel a little and a little all at the same time.

Anyway, never been there, no little about it. Any advice, suggestions and websites?

Many thanks,

M.

I'll help.

Hmm...I just returned from living in Belgium this past summer. I only spent a few days in Brussells and it was a gorgeous city. Obviously, it's a pretty cosmopolitan city since there are so many foreigners living in/travelling through the city while interacting with all the EU/UE offices. Most people speak at least some of all three national languages (German, Dutch, French) in addition to English and sometimes a few smatterings of some other languages. Everyone I encountered in Belgium was fabulous...very friendly and helpful

As far as websites, try:
www.visitbelgium.com
www.belgium.fgov.be

While in Brussells, make sure to see all the main sights: Mannekin Pis, The Atomium (sp?), Gran Plaatz, the EU buildings, etc. etc.

Elsewhere in Belgium:
Since Belgium is such a small (and beautiful!) country, I would recommend some side trips. Most anywhere you would want to go would be doable in a day trip, and if not that, then a weekend trip.

Antwerp: This is where I lived, and I absolutely fell in love with the city. Pretty cosmopolitan, but with a small town feel. Lots of fun restaurants, markets, etc. Easy day trip from Brussells.

Also: Ghent and Brugges are wonderful smaller towns that are within easy distance of Brussells. Just pick up any sort of guide book in Belgium and you should have no problem

Good luck!!

Thanks mse924!

You see, The Keeper is not the only one who is moving to Brussels!

No chance I suppose that your leaving Madrid creates a job vacancy????
Excellent beer in Belgium. You can always pop over the border to Germany if you get bored (I doubt you will!). If you need a weekend fix back in Spain remember that Ryanair fly from Chareloi airport so you can probably go to Valladolid for 19 Euros.

Good Luck! :p

Many thanks all. Indeed I am not the only one moving to Brussels.

Filbert, my leaving does indeed create a job vacancy. Three to be precise (I kept telling my bosses here they would miss me). Anyway, if anyone on the board is an Oracle Clinical database specialist, or a SAS programmer or a clinical data manager (with experince in OC/SAS/Clintrial) please pm me and I can give you details.

My goodness, I can't believe I didn't mention the ridiculous amounts of beer in Belgium You'd think the fact that I'm from Wisconsin would have made me remember...

If you're a drinker, my beer recommendations are:
-Duvel (translation: Devil...seriously, that should give you an indea of the type of beer it is )
-Kreik (It's cherry-flavored beer...)
-Hoegaarden
-Stella Artois
-De Koninck

I just returned from living in Belgium, have been back here in the US for a few months, and now I'm getting ready to move to Madrid on Tuesday (for 6 months!!! ). But Keeper, if you have any other questions I can do my best to help out!! Just let me know!

I've got it!

Before I knew I was moving I had a course in wine tasting pending....I think I'll take a *very practical* beer tasting course in Belgium instead, he, he... :p

mse924, I wish you the best of luck in Madrid!

Muchas Gracias Pim! This viaje to Madrid is something that I've been looking forward to for a very time...It's hard to believe that it's only 5 days away!

Where in Belgium will you be going?

Well you have to try Leffe to that one is great and i don't know how long you stay but Brussel/Amsterdam is an 3 hour drive. In oktober they have the bokbeerfestival in the centre and that is super cool if you love beer. It beer tatsing of all the new bokbeers that came on the market. Bok beer is an oktober beer and great ;-)

Mmmmm.... all that beer....

I know many of them already as in a past life I was a bar manager in London. But guess, I'll have to re-acquaint myself to the different varieties from Belgium again, no one mentioned Chimay.

PIM is going to Brussels as well (nudge, nudge, wink, wink)

Haha...sorry! All this prep for moving to Madrid is causing me to be a little slow on the uptake

Well if EITHER of you have any questions, I can do my best to help :p

No worries MSE. You'll have a great time in Madrid, I have. Straight back at you, if you have any worries pre or post your arrivals, let me know and I'll do my best to help.

I arrived as a total non-spanish talker and thecity can be a bit over whelming at times so don't be afraid to ask. There is no such thing as a stupid question, only a stupid answer.

BTW You will have to get used to one or two things. Firstly timekeepeing. Don't be insulted if people turn up 15 minutes late, Spanish time is fluid, hence Dali.

Secondly, the city isn't finished yet. No matter where you look there will be something being built or renovated.

Thirdly, Spanish people will be walking around complaining about the cold when you are in jeans and T-shirt. It is cold today but when I arrived it was 23ºC and everywhere I looked I saw gloves, scarves and thick winter coats.

Finally, the majority of the people are friendly and like to try to be helpful. There are problems here but nowhere near as bad as in other parts of Europe.

Be safe, have a good time and be ready for the experience of a new and different culture.

M.

First pim wrote: Then The_Keeper_at_Home wrote: Wait. WHAT?! Did I read that right????!?!? pim is MOVING TO BELGIUM?!?!?!?! MOVING? As in goingn to live there permanently?? How did that happen? We're losing pim?

PIM's keyboard is a little tongued tied so I get to answer...even though she'll kill me tomorrow.

But all said and done she couldn't resist the charms of this Finnish charmer. Tall, handsome and vibrant. What more can I say?

Anyway, seriously. We are going to Brussels shortly. Not permanently but for a while. After that, who knows? Depends on where the work is. We will be returning regularly, she for family, me because I love it in Spain. If it wasn't for tax reasons I would call Spain my home, but at the moment it suits me to say this about the UK.

"Wait. WHAT?! Did I read that right????!?!? pim is MOVING TO BELGIUM?!?!?!?! MOVING? As in goingn to live there permanently?? How did that happen? We're losing pim?"

No, you're not losing anything....it's just that "Mr. Keeperman" is "winning" me! :o ...and all thanks to this wonderful board, so there!

See I told you. Tall, handsome and vibrant.

LOL.

Who could resist this aging, beer-bellied, super-sloth.

Belch.

Mañana guys.

OOOPS! We were posting at the same time, sorry folks!

Marko, get home already!

CURSES!!! ANOTHER "GOOD ONE" GONE!! ARGH!!

Lucky guy. Hmph. Congratulations to you both.

Saludos, MadridMan

Hey Pim!

boohoo!
Madridman you have to stop this! use your Madridman super powers! we're losing Pim!

Seriously,
This is great news!
congrats, I hope you enjoy your new adventure.
Don't be a stranger and I'll miss seeing you when I go to Madrid (eventhough I missed you last time)