Beer, Fries, Chocolate and Waffles. That is Belgium in a nutshell. Well at least that’s what us, the tourists, take away from it. That and an extra five kilos.
Belgium is a very contrasted, confusing and contradicting country. One minute you’re pinching your nose to avoid to the stench of urine on the street and the next you keep it pinched because if you smell that waffle cooking you won’t be able to resist. It’s hard to stare at the incredible architecture when there are chocolate fountains in every window and walls lined from floor to ceiling with more varieties of lollies than you even knew existed.
And then there’s the beer. Belgians can hold their alcohol. Australians cannot. And’s that’s fine but it becomes a problem when every Belgian you meet insists on enlightening you with their favourite 8% local brew and you have to spend the rest of your time together with limited communication such as nodding and smiling so as not to give away your incompetence.
Their pride lies in their fries that they smother, like everything they eat, with mayonnaise. I think they have a lot more to be proud of than that. Like their festivals for example. Or perhaps that their people are so lovely and genuinely helpful. Not typical helpfulness where one acts out of obligation or with the expectancy of getting something in return but being helpful just because they can be. I know some people that would disagree with me on that but we met real friends in Belgium, not just Chuck Palahniuk’s ‘single-serving’ friends that are offered along all travels.
stephmoni 