Belgium: what's it really like?

DELICIOUS food, very bad climate

Physically unattractive? Fuck off!

Uhhh, you're not exactly shoring up your case there, R2.

Who's worse : Belgians or Austrians?

Except for the Muslim immigrants and a few Belgian born Jews, it's a totally uncut country.

The majority speak Dutch (Flemish), French is spoken by fewer, although many have some bilingual abilities, and German is the third official language, but most of the time people speak Dutch and French. English is also spoken larger cities.

The Dutch speakers tend to hate everyone else.

[quote] Who's worse : Belgians or Austrians?

Austrians, by far.

What's your reasoning behind that, R6 ? (note, I'm certainly not disagreeing with you)

[quote]DELICIOUS food

Really? What are the good dishes?

The one gay Belgian I met was an awful person. Supposedly, keeping up with Joneses is a national past time, but this guy had it on steroids.

That having been said, I liked it there and would be willing to see more of the French part.

The Walloons speak French, and regional dialects/languages like Walloon, Picard, and Lorrain. The Flemish speak Brabantian Dutch, East Flemish, West Flemish, or Limburgish.

The Flemish hold the political power in the country and are better organized and better funded. Public health services and many other general services in Wallonia tend to be underfunded. The Flemish, when not speaking some indecipherable dialect, are admired by the Dutch for being well-spoken (they are more formal and polite and many believe they use the language more gracefully.) Lots of Flemish people watch Dutch TV, more so than the other way around, but they often won't admit to it as they dislike the Dutch. On the whole, the country is less regulated and regimented than the Netherlands.

Uncut men with B.O.

I am in Belgium now, on a job interview. i have never been more miserable. They are rude, nasty. I am not kidding: all week long I have been trying to get a martini. They do not know what a martini is or what vermouth is.

The Flemish are not the problem. It is the appalling French. Unutterably condescnding and smug.

and it does rain all the time, their seweers back up and it stinks.

A friend of mine did a long trip in Europe and said Brussels was the most boring city he'd ever been to, and the people very unfriendly.

The old cities are nice. The beer is very good, the french fries excellent and don't forget the waffles...It's a country for food lovers. TS sounds miserable.

Victor Horta museum in Brussels is divine.

Lol lol lol lol rofl pimp

U r 2 funny OP

Lol lol lol

It's never been the same since most of the First World War was fought there.

I can see why Brussels is seen as boring because it hosts the Europarlement and for that reason attracts politicians, lobbyists and diplomats -not the most exciting people. It lacks a subculture, but I like it and I always discover new things in Brussels :)

The only reason it exists is to keep France and Holland from smashing into each other.

I adore Brussels and Bruges is the best preserved example of a medieval city in Europe, imo.

It's SO small. Lol. I know that's a stupid thing to say as many countries are geographically small, but coming from a huge country, it just struck me how the regional differences that many have talked about here are spread out over such a limited area.

It is the size of Maryland, and you've got three languages and God knows how many dialects going on there, with TV, newspapers, magazines, and websites for each.

Blue eyed beautiful uncut men with sizemeat.

The only reason I realized I must have been in Belgium is because it was a Tuesday.

Guihome, a 25 year old Belgian comedian

B.O.

But the chocolate is exquisite.

Ugly history in the Congo. Millions of Congolese maimed and murdered in the name of rubber. The Royal Family is putrid in their avarice and lack of morals. King Philippe allegedly planned to transition before being forced to marry his horse faced wife and produce heirs.

Brussels is boring? Then leave and go to Bruges, Ghent, or seaside Knokke!

Main square of Bruges:

Perhaps Carcassonne, France, r21?

Meant to add photo of Carcassonne:

The man at R26's post= if Matt Keeslar and Jo from Facts of Life had a kid.

Carcasonne was heavily restored in mock-medieval style in the 19th century. It's not as authentic as it looks.

My guess is that Venice has the largest preserved medieval old town in Europe, with gothic architecture (and not just religious, but also plenty of houses) in abundance.

I have heard rumors that King Philippe was allegedly gay and his marriage to that countess was an arrangement, but I never heard he almost a tranny. His father and mother allegedly had no morals, constantly cheating on each other, and his brother is said to be an unstable nutcase. I think the only normal one is Princess Astrid. They come from bad blood, Belgian royal history is like a sleazy soap opera.

King Baudouin was hot (and very hipster-ish looking). He was very religious (apparently he resigned as a king just for one day, when an abortion law was being passed) but apparently a great human being.

The Belgians took care of my grandfather and his crew, after their plane was shot down by the Germans over the countryside and hid them for months. Without them I wouldn't be here.

Pious as he was, King Baudouin is said to have had an unhealthy relationship with his stepmother Princess Lilian, bordering on sexual obsession. I guess he got over it though, as his marriage to Queen Fabiola was supposed to be very happy even though she couldn't carry any babies to term.

I love Bruge but it felt like a medieval theme park at times. I liked Ghent the best. Antwerp is ok.

I lived in southern Holland, about an hour from Brussels. I thought Brussels was a dirty busy city. Bruges was amazing and the countryside to get there was beautiful. The people are okay. The Dutch people are the best. Incredibly fun and friendly. Skip Brussels and head an hour east to Maastricht in Holland.

Fun little country. Just don't get to talking about political strife. Spend a couple of days, eat chocolate, drink the local beers and food, and then move on to the next country.

I gotta ask: do they serve Brussels sprouts in Brussels, or anywhere in Belgium for that matter?

Are the Belgians bitter that the whole world thinks "French" fries came from France?

I love Brussels, La Grand Place, Bruge, the amazing collection of so many different types of restaurants and the handsome and perfectly intact men.

R41 French fries aren't called that everywhere, most countries call them fried potatoes or a variant of it

During middle school (in 1938-39), my mom was pen-pals with a Belgian girl named Magda, who lived just outside of Brussels. Her family was fairly well-to-do. Christian, owned a printing a company, strongly opposed Hitler/fascism. Her two older brothers were "resistance fighters."

Mom received several letters after Nazi occupation (1940) -- with swastikas printed on envelope -- but they became fewer & further between, eventually stopped. She wondered what became of Magda & her family, for many years, and had assumed the worst.

In the late '70s, Mom met a guy from the Belgian consulate at a cocktail party, and told him this little story. He was intrigued & asked, "Would you like to find her?" Turned out to be pretty easy! Her family's printing company was still in business (in Brussels), run by her husband & one of her brothers.

It was incredibly emotional when Mom & Magda met face-to-face, for the first time, in their early 50s. Sounds cliche, but they really were like old girl-friends who hadn't missed a beat.

The most interesting afternoon of my life was spent zipping around the Bastogne countryside, with Magda's brother, who fought in the Belgian resistance. He showed us a bridge that he helped blow-up, so that German troops couldn't cross it....but that they rebuilt within 36 hours, so that Allied forces could. It was the greatest "living" history lesson ever. I was 14. I wish I'd been older.

So, yeah....I love the Belgians!

What a great story, r44! Thank you for that.

Gillian: Brussels, bloody Brussels, so boring, why couldn't it have been Paris or Amsterdam?

Shirley: Yeah, all them sprouts.

A gold star for anyone who can name that movie.

The only Belgian I've ever met was the sweetest, most beautiful boy ever. Gorgeous little babyface with gray blue eyes, ash blond hair and perfect ruby red lips.

Despite the description, he was not twink-y at all and also had a perfect li'l uncut sausage that I blew and which tasted like heaven. Too bad he didn't want to go beyond that on that one night in Paris.

Physically unattractive R2

More Belgian ewwwww

A third speak French and two-thirds speak sort of Dutch. A very small minority speak both languages. The men are all uncut except for the Muzzies who are overwhelming the country.

I don't believe that DLers are really concerned about men being uncut, even though some note it constantly.

R44 great story. I like Brussels, great food chocolate and beer. Very old city. One of the most sophisticated cities in all of Europe. I am very proud that they are seat of the EU. I try to imagine it is a city full of spies, probably is.

If the French are as stupid as Americans and ..... I cant even type those words Brussels will step up as will the Netherlands. The lowlands have mostly stayed united throughout modern history - remaining a united front will not be hard for them.

No, pomme frittes as they are known in Europe.

They all say they were in the "resistance". How do we really know?

The guys aren't so bad looking considering they're from Belgium. Belgium also has great beers and in my opinion the best chocolate makers in the world.

Indeed, R54.....I just suppose you have to KNOW some of them. Fuck off, twat.

Europe has taken a turn to the right. Belgium is no different I'm afraid.

Like most Euros, they don't mind smelling bad. I stayed at a pension in Brussels and the day I checked out, the clerk had just woken up and didn't even bother to brush his teeth or wash his face. I noticed that a lot in Belgium, Germany and France too.

It is truly amazing how great the food is in Belgium but their neighbor Holland has the WORST food. Belgium has great seafood, chocolate, beer etc. Holland has the pancake thing with whipped cream, stroopwaffel cookie and pea soup.

R58 speaks truth. The Netherlands have it together in all ways over the Belgians except food.

I had a Belgian fuckbuddy for a while. Beautiful guy, even more beautiful dick. And yes, uncut. The golden fuzz on his legs was the hottest.

My coworker, Albet comes from there and he insists on everyone calling him Wee Albet. That pretty much is Belgium in a nutshell.

Yeah, yeah. We get it. Chocolate and beer. Can we move on?

That's from 'Shirley Valentine,' so give me my gold star, R46

"Gillian...you know the type. If you have a headache, she has a brain tumour".

"It's like going to the supermarket...you know, sex. Lots of pushing and shoving and you still come out with very little in the end."

Possibly one of the best films ever for one-liners - genius Willy Russell. :)

Belgium has its drawbacks, no doubt, but the gushing in this thread for the Netherlands is fucking hilarious!

The Dutch are the most fucking duplicitous, two-faced people in Europe...all smiles and soothing tones, but they will quickly stab you in the back. NEVER trust a Dutchman in business. I know so many people who have been fucked over by Dutch employers, managers or business partners. And, yes, the cliche is true - the Dutch are the most miserly fucks you'll ever come across.

And as for their food...fuck, only Germany comes close in awfulness. And, yes, a good cuisine does make up for a lot in a country.

Give me the Belgians and Brussels any day of the week over their sententious, false neighbours to their north.

Lifestyle blogger Matthias Geerts.

Gold star for R63. Glad someone else saw the movie. I was starting to worry about DL.

Shirley Valentine is one of the movies I like to pop in on a lazy day. I'd love to do what she does and just up and leave to start a new life in an exotic place.

"I promise, I no make fuck with you. Fuck is fuck, boat is boat."

Wonderful beer and food

[quote]I don't believe that DLers are really concerned about men being uncut, even though some note it constantly.

I have only seen this bizarre cut vs. uncut obsession on DL. I've never known a gay man in real life who gave a shit about it.

I was from there!

Dominique nique nique...

Smurfs!

Do they call "Belgium waffles" something else there?

I love Brussels. Best restaurants in Europe. The Grand Place is fascinating. Bruge is a delightful getaway.

Liege waffles, R71 (Luikse wafels/gaufres liégeoises)

Ti vå bin on relouka, on stron en vau bin deux.

Many years ago I was in Brussels and l liked the grey weather and architecture. There's a beautiful tram ride (route 44?) out to the park at Tervuren, where there's a Museum of African Art. Now that I know more about the history, I probably wouldn't enjoy that so much as I did.

I met a handsome guy who had been kept by “the second richest man in Belgium”. No, I don’t know who that was. But I suspect he’d been dumped. Sweet, but incredibly focused on landing another placement. Although he’d only been in my city a few weeks, he’d already penetrated all the A-Gay circles, and knew people even the A-Gays didn’t. Extraordinary commitment to the task.

Have not been since late 80's, but loved Brussels and Brugges. Found most peopke friendly, and the food was amazing. Had a unique dish I still remember to this day, and I'm not usually a fan of seafood with tomato sauce... Round metal plate with round divets around the edge, like a 50's devilled egg plate, Mussels and Oysters dotted with cheese, olive oil and a bit of the tomato sauce in the divets, pasta in the middle dressed with same sauce....remember carrots, garlic, and shallot in the sauce. This was not an Italian restaurant, despite the similarity. Great fried fish, pomme frittes w/homemade mayo or aoli.... Beef was excellent too.

In the centre of Brussels there’s a gilded statue of Leopold II cradling an African child. I shit you not. It’s the equivalent of a statue in Berlin of Adolf cradling a jewish kid. Given the amount of Africans pouring into the country I can’t imagine it staying up for many more years, but it will be sad when it comes down: it’s a glorious piece of kitsch that serves to remind of the falsehood.

I remember photographing that statue R78...R77 here.... Also remember visiting a futuristic looking tinker-toy or Jack looking building that was really cool... Think that was in a different city... Still have a photo, but if someone knows what it is, do share!

[quote]I have only seen this bizarre cut vs. uncut obsession on DL. It’s perpetrated by about two eldergay trolls. The reality is cut Americans are creepily obsessed with uncut cock — as my Italian friend found out when he made the mistake of sunbaking naked. Had to practically fight them off with a stick.

Any Belgians here?

R8, Frites! Moules! Chocolat! Biere!

Brussels' Grand Place, Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Knokke!

Belgium is wonderful!

Beef Daube... W/wine AND beer

Rene' Magritte and Paul Delvaux--two wonderfully strange Belgian painters.

The gorgeous opera "Die Tote Stadt" ( The Dead City) is set in Bruges, which has that nickname because it's frozen in time, sort of.

Enjoy Belgium while you can, because it will be majority Muslim in the not-too-distant future.

Long thick uncut and stinky with cheese!

What I don't understand is, how the fuck can a country the approximate size of Maryland have MULTIPLE distinct dialects of two completely different languages? In the US, we're BARELY able to sustain a half-dozen minor English dialects that are so similar we don't even think of them as such & perceive them merely as "accents", and 90% of Americans have either "no" accent (ie, California/midwestern US) or a barely, BARELY discernible southern drawl.

Put another way, how has Flemish NOT already coalesced into "Amsterdam TV Dutch", and the various French-ish dialects not coalesced into something vaguely-indistinguishable from "Parisian (or at least, Strasbourgian) TV French", the same way American accents are all unstoppably drifting towards Cal-Midwestern English?

Belgium even has a third official language, R87: German. And Austria has an even smaller population than Belgium and an even richer variety of accents and dialects.

How does it stack up compared to Denmark?

A Fabulous eldersister sizemologist we knew declared that Denmark has the biggest ones by far.

"They all say they were in the "resistance". How do we really know?"

If they're younger than 72 years old, they're probably lying. Hard to be in the "resistance "after the war.

R87, it probably has something to do with the fact that you killed off the original inhabitants and their languages. No matter which state you live in, you'd have found numerous languages and dialects there up until the 1700s, exactly the same as in Europe.

People from other parts of the world are amazed at how standardized the English language is in the US. For an enormous country, American English sounds the same from one coast to the other, with only slight differences in accents, and even those accents are fading. American accents are nowhere near as diverse as places like Britain, with the Queen's English vs. Cockney etc. It's pretty incredible when you think about it.

Sorry to go off-topic, but re American accents: a thin-skinned writer for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune complained about Ewan McGregor calling the Minnesota accent he uses in 'Fargo' "bonkers":

Maryland used to have distinct dialects. You could differentiate between someone from the Eastern Shore, Western Maryland, Baltimore, the rich horsey rural areas, and the DC suburban area. That was before television and radio standardized everything.

[QUOTE] Although he’d only been in my city a few weeks, he’d already penetrated all the A-Gay circles, and knew people even the A-Gays didn’t.

I know that young gent. Last month there was an incident at the MuHKA where he was basically banned from the Belgium A-Gay scene. Last I heard he had penetrated the Swiss A- Gays, who apparently have easier standards.

There is lots to see and do in Brussels. How could anyone be bored there?

Belgium , particularly Brugge is absolutely spectacular. Austria is amazing as well. If you can't appreciate another country and their culture, may I recommend lovely redneck filled with deplorables Helen, Georgia.Might be more suited to your taste.

They eat it all

Belgium has nice waffles though, don't they?

Grand Platz and Ostende are terrific, Brussels, Liege - all of it. Chocolate, Beer, Seafood, Bakeries, Tapestry...I simply love The country.

[quote]Do they call "Belgium waffles" something else there?

They don't call them that here either, R71.

[quote]Also remember visiting a futuristic looking tinker-toy or Jack looking building that was really cool... Think that was in a different city... Still have a photo, but if someone knows what it is, do share!

No, that's Brussels. It's the Atomium. It's a hoot.

Don't they eat horse there?

They eat horse in lots of places, R104 - sometimes even knowingly. I've also seen it for sale in an ordinary supermarket in Quebec City.

R105 we do in France, especially in the north of France, apparently we were invited to eat horse meat quit recently, during the 19th century, maybe due to the fact that cars started to replace horses as a way of transport and we needed to get rid of the horses? We had a problem last year when Romania (I think) forbid horses on open road and thousand of horses ended up being sold as beef meatballs in west Europe.

My great grand parents were from Wallonie, we no longer have relative there, but I went to visit Bruges, Bruxelles and Liège a few years ago. The Flanders are beautiful, I love the architecture, Bruges is a bit crowded with tourist, better to visit it outside the summer. We ended up spending our time in Bruxelles visiting the Museum of Bandes dessinées, reading comic books. Near Liege we visited a former mine, the guide was an old italien who spend all his career there, he was completely deaf because of it, very interesting, I no longer complain about my back ache for spending my day sitting behind a computer.

The only reason why Belgium was created during the 19th century and separate from Holland was because Flamish and Wallons were the only catholics and the rest of Holland was protestant, since few people nowadays bother with going to church, the links between the two region is weak. The Flanders are "rich", with beautiful architecture, painting in each church, but with an aging population, Wallonie is more industrial, not in good shape economically, and with a younger population, often former immigrants from Spain/Italy/Magreb. Flamish and Wallons can't stand each other. As long as they don't think you are from the other side, you should be good. The Wallons don't really like the French in general, they still remember the lame jokes Coluche made about them in the 80s.

You will find different type of waffle depending where you are in Belgium. That where I have found in a supermarket some cheese "washed" with beer during the aging process, really good! I had no idea the food was that bad in Holland. I used to work for a dutch company in France, the two face manager who ended up firing me was very french though, you should see her face when she was trying to convince that she was not building a case against me.

I forgot, the best think about Belgium is humour, Benoit Poelvoord is very good, he was in The brand new Testament, playing God as an ass hole. Belgian might not be always good looking, but they're supposed to have a good sense of humour!

Europe is a Paradise for cheese lovers!

Really?

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

[quote] Europe is a Paradise for cheese lovers!

In terms of food or music?

R96, the last I heard, he penetrated New York City A-Gays.

First off everyone there is always eating waffles.

Secondly the love to round up natives and put them in concentration camps

Thirdly, if they don't work hard enough, they cut off your fingers one by one.

Fourthly the swear they had no idea and blame the king.

They produce great clothing designers!

Lots of guys who look like they just finished filming a Citebeur scene, if you're into that type.

Nice country, great people and if you hit the saunas you'll have a wonderful time. HOT MEN!!!!!

Didn't expect too much going there (Brussels, on the way to a conference in Luxembourg) but was pleasantly charmed. People were nice, food much better than expected, the city is not sodomized by throngs of tourists like so many of its European counterparts. Would definitely go back.

If you're thinking of going to Brussells,

Keep in mind you'll have plenty of tussles.

Whether mussels or muscles,

Guys aren't Bertrand Russells.

But at least they have asses like bustles.

Thx R103! That's it!

Great posts, here.... I did not agree, but remember a French tour guide tell me Belgium was the "Ohio of Europe".....I was very confused, as Ohio never looked so good to me! Years later, between two Europeans, overheard one claim "Belgium is the armpit of Europe".

R118, you smartypants!

Around 2007 I went through it as a coach passenger on the way to somewhere else.

All I remember is broken machinery everywhere, and not a soul in sight. It looked like a Dystopia.

What their king did in the Congo still has repercussions today. I don't know how you can say anything good about a country that was as bad to Africans as the Nazis were to the Jews.

Brussel bored me, Brugge was magical.

Brugge is one of my favorite European cities, R124. At night, it's like a fairyland.

They went to Belgium on this week's "The Amazing Race."

R123, but why put the onous on the entire country when it was the actions of a cruel King and his minions? The Congo Free State was Leopold II's own personal colony, with the support of several western nations, including the US. When news of the barbarism and cruelty could no longer be ignored, Belgium was pressured to take over the colony, and conditions began to improve.