My Love Affair with Belgium

Can anyone explain to me why Belgium has this reputation of being bland and uninteresting?  I just don't get it.  I'm happy to say that it is my favourite European country?  For me the people, the countryside, the history, the food and town squares are a home from home.  I don't think I am ever more relaxed than when I'm in West Vlanderen, be it Ostend, Tournai, or Bruges, but especially Ieper.

I first went to Belgium at Easter 1982 on a school trip.  We stayed at a Hotel Melbourne in Konigstraat in Ostend. It was only a long weekend, but we also managed to fit in a visit to Brussels and the site of the Battle of Waterloo.  We were also taken to a shop on the Dutch border that took FOUR different currencies - Dutch Gilder, Belgian francs, French francs and British sterling.  ( How times have changed!). Sadly we never visited any WW1 cemeteries or battlefields.

However since co-leading my first school trip as a teacher in February 1997, I have been coming back to Ieper with school at the wonderful Poppies youth hostel and on family holidays at the even more luxurious Ariane hotel.  (Ypres is in the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium and so I always refer to it in its Flemish form Ieper).  Thus I must have been back to this part of Belgium on about twenty five to thirty times.  Luckily my family have also fallen in love with this area and for non-WW1 reasons too.

The people are incredibly friendly and laid back (whilst working very hard).  They speak impeccable English, although I am trying to use more Flemish each time I return.  In fact most Belgians are trilingual at least. They enjoy a pace of life that is so far removed from the 'rat race', relaxing in their company is a breath of fresh air.

Clearly it was WW1 that drew me to Belgium and, with apologies to my family, there hasn't been a single family visit without at least one visit to an old cemetery or a search for a new one.  However there is so much more to Belgium and I have so many places on the 'to do' list.  The countryside although flat is beautiful and litter-free.  It also has a great coastline and a visit to Ostend and the fish markets have become de rigour for the family. It also has some of the finest architecture in Northern Europe, particularly the Flemish-roofed buildings and the majestic cobbled squares in Bruges and Tournai.

The lure of the history of Belgium, particularly but not exclusively WW1 will need a seperate post by itself.  So I will finish with the food of Belgium.  Ironically I'm not that keen on the moules  (mussels) but the seafood is hours fresh and totally delicious, apart from the grey shrimp salad!  The steaks in Belgium are amongst the world's best.  ( I once took a friend who had travelled in South America and his steak in the Den Anker restaurant in Ieper was the best he'd ever eaten).  The frites are crispy and light, and really tasty with mayonnaise.  The local beers are very thirst quenching without being too gassy and of course there is the chocolate.  Many a fine afternoon has been spent wining and dining in Den Anker, Ieper before making my way to Leonidas chocolaterie across the square.

Maybe I need to write a post on 'Why I love Ieper' but for now, let me just say that Belgium is a wonderfully understated country, calm, relaxing, full of surprises and well worth visiting......again and again.  In the words of another friend, "If Belgium had mountains I'd move here!"