Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with belgium

Screw Chevy Chase

Christ, what an asshole — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:03:51 -0800

I'm looking for underrated, obscure European vacation stops. A couple friends and I are going to Europe for a month (Nov/Dec), and we plan on doing the whole Eurorail/hostel thing across several countries. 1/3rd of the destination stops are for my choosing, and while I know they'll be making the saturated, obvious choices like Rome, Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, etc., I'd like to spice things up with places that don't automatically spring to mind but offer the same level (if not more) of awe. Ideally, cities that aren't automatic tourist stops where most everyone speaks English and there's a McDonald's on every corner (but also not so far out of the way from mid-Europe like some hole-in-the-wall, Eastern-European Caspian city).

What sort of places have you visited that you would recommend?

Help me see some of Europe!

bDiddy — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:07:06 -0800

I need advice for planning a trip to Europe next summer. The wife and I are looking to see some of Europe next summer. Neither of us have ever gone. She wants to see Prague and I want to drink beer in Brussels. So, here's what I think is the best plan, but I don't know. This is where I need advice.

Fly into Prague and spend a few days there. Take the train through Germany, spending a night in some of the cities the train goes through. (Berlin, maybe Koln?) Then continue on to Brussels for a few days there. Then, if time permits maybe continue on to France.

So, as I've never planned a trip like this ever, I have a few questions.

Is it easier to fly in and out of the same city or can I land in one city and depart from another? Would it be significantly cheaper to do it one way vs the other?

Should I book train tickets in advance or when we're there? I've seen the seat61.com site so I know the Eurail pass isn't always the best bet, but maybe it will be for us.

Is it worth renting a car in Belgium? I want to see more than just Brussels. I'd LOOOOOVE to see some of the abbeys and some of the smaller breweries there. And getting up to the coast would be nice too.

How early should I be looking at booking this? And would a travel agent be any help to me? I've used a travel agent twice and I find them somewhat helpful, but not sure if it would be worth it for a trip like this.

Any other advice is welcome. Thanks in advance.

Speculoos

anonymous78 — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 06:32:22 -0800

Where can I get those delicious Belgian cookies, Speculoos, in the US? I'm looking for store recs. in New York or mail order options.

The old red, white and blue.

vernondalhart — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:01:51 -0800

Where can I find Trappist beer in Canada? Vancouver, specifically. The best beer I've ever drank is Chimay blue. It's amazing. Every time I drink it it's better than I remember it being. Chimay red, not so much, and Chimay white, somewhere in the middle.

There's a liquor store nearby that also sells a couple other trappists: Tripel Westmalle (good, but I'll have to give it another try) and Rochefort 8 (Possibly about even with the Chimay---again, I need to drink this one again to settle this dispute). Apparently Orval is also available at the BCL stores; I've never tried it.

So here's my question. Where can I get other Trappists? In particular, is it even possible for me to get any of the Westvleteren beers? From the wikipedia page's information about its limited distribution, this seems unlikely, but I can hope.

The next question is the following: What other beers like these are there? Seriously, Chimay blue sends me to whole new levels of delight. There must be other beer like it, somewhere. Somehow.

Cheap hotel/hostel near Brussels airport

soulbarn — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:30:08 -0800

My college-age niece (MEANING: broke, almost!) needs a cheap place to stay near the Brussels airport. She's going to be spending US dollars, so I know "cheap" is relative. She's an inexperienced traveler and a little timid. Any ideas?

Belgian Beer Road Trip

srboisvert — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 07:17:37 -0800

I am planning a Belgian beer road trip for the fall. Any tips? The only items that I know I must do is to visit Bruge and get a case of Westvleteren (I am very familiar with the other Trappiste delights so there is less need to hunt them down). Any other must see and do things? Is it worth making the trip to other breweries?

I'll be driving from the UK and might be considering some camping as well. If others have done this kind of thing I would love to here about the routes taken.

brussels for the first time

purplefiber — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:15:54 -0800

Brussels: Where to stay, what to do, what to avoid, what to eat, etc. I'll be in Brussels, Belgium, this Saturday evening through Tuesday morning.
I am: female, 25, traveling solo, speak English and French, and it's my first time in Belgium.
I love: music, art, food, people watching, talking with strangers, walking, exploring.
I have: a tight budget, a mostly-vegetarian diet, a curious mind.
I need: a place to stay (favorite hostels?), and some suggestions of places to explore, good places to meet people, places to stay away from, your favorite beer, etc.
Your recommendations will be much appreciated.

If there are any Brussels mefites around- hey, a meetup would be great fun!

Cost of living in Brussels?

starscream — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:36:15 -0800

Migrating from Los Angeles to Brussels: My girlfriend is entertaining a job offer in Brussels; is she being offered enough to live comfortably there? My girl has been offered 80K/year Euro for a job in Brussels. The company is willing to pay moving expenses and so on, but is 80K/year enough to live there? I'm seeing wildly different prices on apartments and am unsure of the general cost of living in Brussels. I guess my question is: what wage does one need to earn to live comfortably in Brussels, Belgium? We don't wanna starve :)

Bonus questions: The company is in the area of the Belgian Parliament & Brussels Park. How is public transit in that area? Also, how difficult is it to find work in the IT industry in Brussels?

There were some great tips on this thread, but I'm looking for a bit more info. Thanks :)

Should I move to Belgium?

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:27:09 -0800

What should I know about moving from Boston to Brussels, Belgium? I recently got a job offer in Brussels, Belgium (posting anonymously because it will cause problems for me if my prospective employer finds out I am uncertain about making the move). My wife and I are both around 30, living in Boston. We've traveled plenty, but never lived outside the country and have never been to Belgium. Neither of us speaks French or Dutch.

So the question is, what do we need to know about moving from the US to Belgium? We've read all about visas and national health insurance and such. We're really wondering more about what life is like. Will we feel isolated, being only English speakers? What are good neighborhoods for a couple of expats to live in? How likely is it that my wife could find a job if we move there before she is able to arrange something? How expensive is it; how much money do two relatively young people need to make in order to live comfortably in or around Brussels? If you are someone who has moved from the US to Belgium, what did nobody tell you that you wish you had known? We will probably visit for a few days before making the decisions about whether to make the move or not. What should we do while we're there in order to help make the decision?

We're really just looking for any information at all about what it's like to live in Brussels, since we have never been there and don't know anybody there. If you have questions, you can send them to belgium.ask.mefi@gmail.com.

Bonus points if anybody can tell me what an American (USCF Cat. 2) would have to do to be eligible to race road and cyclocross in Belgium. Do you need an international license from USA cycling or a license from the Belgian Cycling Federation?

Accomodations in London, Belgium & The Netherlands

dhammond — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 23:49:14 -0800

I'm going to London, Belgium and the Netherlands from May 10th-24th, and I'm looking for great places to stay. My tentative itinerary:

London (5 nights - 5/10-5/15)
Brussels (1 night - 5/15-5/16)
Bruges (2 nights - 5/16-5/18)
The Netherlands (6 nights - mostly Amsterdam, but other cities as well - 5/18-24)

I'm traveling alone, and I'm interested in hearing from those who are quite enthusiastic about a certain place and want to tell me how great it is.

My basic requirements:

-- Located in or very to close to the city center, preferably away from tourist areas as much as possible.

-- Decent value. Less than $200 a night in most places, though I will go up on that in London or if it's a really spectacular place and gives a nice bang for my (floudering) buck.

-- No hostels.

--Big bonus points for buildings with nice, old-timey architecture.

For the Netherlands, I'll be spending a good deal of time in Amsterdam, but I would also be interested in hearing about other towns and cities that might be worth an overnight stay or long day trip.

As a point of reference, I stayed at the Strand Palace in London last year and, though I found it a bit shabby, it was a steal at under $200 in an incredibly central but not too touristy area. I don't mind staying there again, but would love to try something different if you can recommend something.

Thanks, y'all!

What to do for a working week in Brussels?

jkaczor — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:39:33 -0800

What to do for a working week in Brussels? Finally - work sends me somewhere interesting. So, what can I do after 6pm on a weekday? I will maybe have 1-2 weekend days depending on logistics. Should I try to head out-of-town for one of those weekend days?

Lookout Europe, here I come

barrakuda — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:20:01 -0800

What are some good job search websites/engines for Europe? I'm interested in jobs in international affairs, public relations, business and finance, advertising and marketing. I'm mostly looking for resources for Germany, Belgium, France and the UK, but pan-European websites are good too.

Where to buy fancy Belgian beer glasses in the US?

smackfu — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 18:37:32 -0800

Where to buy fancy Belgian beer glasses in the US? I visited Belgium recently and fell in love with the whole Belgian beer tradition. Each brand of beer has its own unique glass, and only that glass is appropriate for that beer (in theory). I'd like to buy some glasses for my favorite beers, but I have no idea where you'd get them outside of Belgium. Half the results on Google are UK shops priced in pounds, and the other half look like e-commerce sites from the mid 90's whom I wouldn't think of giving my credit card # without an endorsement.

Can anyone personally recommend somewhere online, or at least relate a story on where they found them in the real world? In particular, if it helps, I'm looking for Chimay and Rochefort glasses, among others.

Help me find cheap Chimay!

nitsuj — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 14:21:34 -0800

I'm completely addicted to Chimay Blanche (white label, or Cinq Cents), but it's so expensive! Does anyone know of A) a reputable place online to buy the 750ml bottles cheaper than, say, USD $10 a pop or B) a cheaper beer that is similar in taste, alcohol content (8%), and body?

Thanks.

Zij zullen hem niet temmen, de fiere Vlaamse Leeuw!

phrontist — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 17:51:13 -0800

Where can I buy an official-design full-size Flemish Flag online? If the official version isn't available, I'd settle for the all-black type.

Can you recommend a good restaurant in Bruges?

janecr — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 16:29:52 -0800

Can you recommend a good restaurant in Bruges? Am visiting for 2 days and want to make the most of the four eating out opportunities. Would prefer local cuisine and not too expensive, but any cuisine and budget considered...

Trains to Calais, Boulogne or Dunkerque from Holland (or Belgium, or Germany)... with a bike?

handee — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 06:41:32 -0800

If I want to get a ferry to Dover, I'm starting from Holland, and I want to travel by bike or train, what route should I take? What I'd like to do is work out what places offer direct or near-direct trains to one of the 3 main ferry ports (Calais, Boulogne, Dunkerque).

I'll be travelling from Tilburg in Holland, and doing at least part of the route by bike. I've got about 5 days. I could cycle straight there - it's about 150 miles to Dunkerque I think. But it's all along the coast, and that might be a bit dull and windy. I'm actually happy to cycle in completely the wrong direction for 5 days and then catch a train, as long as it's interesting there aren't too many changes. Searching that famous German train site is proving awkward - it keeps wanting to send me via Osnabruck and Paris with 9 changes.

Things to do in Brussels

davar — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 13:49:07 -0800

Looking for vegan restaurants and things to do with a three year old in Brussels. We (my husband, three year old and myself) will be spending a couple of days in Brussels next week. We plan to visit Bruxelles les Bains. Are there any other things we should not miss? I searched for toy stores online and found Caisse Noisettes and Serneels. Any other recommendations?

I found this overview of vegan restaurants but if you have any personal recommendations, they would be very welcome, as would recommendations for health food or other food stores.

Enjoying NW Europe on the cheap?

knapah — Fri, 19 May 2006 10:14:22 -0800

TravelFilter: This summer I and 3 friends are planning on travelling around part of Europe by train and are looking for advice on the main areas we plan to stay in. Information on hostels or other cheap accommodation (first hand if possible) would be great (more inside) We are students in the UK and are planning on getting the Interrail pass for Zone E (France, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg) so we can travel with relative freedom for 16 days.

We plan to stay in these cities primarily (although advice on other places in the general area would be accepted):

Lille (2 nights)
Brussels (3 nights)
Amsterdam (4 nights)
Luxembourg City (1 night)
Northern France including Paris (6 nights)

What I am looking for in particular are cheap (in the vicinity of €20 to €30 per night) hostels in each of the first 4 cities and also general advice for places to stay/see in Northern France.

Any other advice from people who have had InterRail or Eurail passes before would also be appreciated.

Many thanks

Anticipating Expatriation

phrontist — Sat, 06 May 2006 22:40:15 -0800

I'm 17 years old and considering moving to Europe after graduate school, roughly 8 years from now if all goes to plan. I am a dual citizen (Belgium-US). What should I do during the coming years of college towards this end? I'm specifically thinking of Germany or Belgium. I was raised bilingually, speaking Dutch and English, and I am more or less conversationally fluent in Dutch. Because Dutch isn't spoken very widely, and because I really like German culture I've decided to take German in college. I'm looking to study in Germany as an exchange student as well, both to help my German and see if my fondness will survive a long term stay (I've been to Germany several times, but only for 3 months at the longest). Are there any other things I should do in preperation for possible expatriation? How hard will it be for me to be employed as an engineer in Germany or Belgium with Belgian citizenship and U.S. academic credentials (realizing the situation could be very different in 8 years)?

Why does so much good music come from Sweden and Belgium, and relatively little from Holland?

goodnewsfortheinsane — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 08:00:37 -0800

Why does so much good music come from Sweden and Belgium, and so little from Holland?

European Electronica/Dance trip

phrontist — Sat, 09 Jul 2005 15:10:35 -0800

I'm going to Belgium (Gent area) in a while and I'm interested in really exploring european music (electronica/dance espescially). I'll be there for the last 5 days of De Gentse Feesten. I'd like reccomendations for live acts to see (electronica or not) and places to pick up vinyl that would be unavailable/expensive stateside (dance music in particular) in Gent.

Question number 14349

ori — Sun, 23 Jan 2005 21:09:29 -0800

I am currently a philosophy student at the University of British Columbia (Canada). I've applied to transfer to the Institute of Philosophy at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven for their strong involvement with continental philosophy, and because I want to live in Europe. Will getting a Belgian degree significantly complicate things for me if I choose the pursue a graduate degree in North America? Will it be detrimental to getting in to a good school?

Fin-de-Siecle Belgium

Sticherbeast — Fri, 03 Dec 2004 12:31:31 -0800

I want to learn as much as I can about life in fin-de-siècle Belgium as I can, particularly from primary sources, art, music, and literature. What would you all recommend?

Belgian gifts?

jmgorman — Fri, 23 Apr 2004 12:27:46 -0800

My Boss's husband is going to Belgium for work on short notice. She can't go and wants a really good gift. What should he buy?