Living in Belgium

Brussels New Generation Winter Cocktails 15 December 2011

2011-12-13T15:02:00.000+01:00

The Brussels New Generation (BNG) would like to invite you to its Winter Cocktails to look back and celebrate the memorable events of the past year which included our new media training course, inspiring charity drive and insightful introductory visit to Strasbourg. The evening will feature various events. Join us for some fun and games in the Aloft Hotel Wii gaming room. So bring your best singing voice and be prepared to be a singing star, show off your dance steps with Just Dance or put your driving skills to the test with Mario Cars.

Also, take part in the competition to give a delicious name to the evening's cocktail. The ingredients for the cocktail are: cinnamon infused cognac (4 cl), grenadine syrup (2 cl) and apple juice (4 cl).

Be inspired by these three ingredients to think of a name for the cocktail and win for you and two of your friends a cocktail making workshop at the Aloft Hotel and also prepare the cocktail of the week. All name suggestions must have a winter theme. Please submit your competition entry for the cocktail with your registration.

Date: Thursday 15 December 2011, 18.30 - 20.30, Venue: Aloft Brussels Schuman, Place Jean Rey, Brussels Registration: BNG Members.

The British Chamber Team, Boulevard Bischoffsheim 11, 1000 Brussels Tel: +32 2 540 90 30 Fax: +32 2 512 8363 events@britcham.be - www.britcham.be

Profile of Belgium's Elio Di Rupo

2011-12-03T11:23:00.001+01:00

By Patrick Jackson, BBC News - 2 December 2011

Elio Di Rupo, the man tipped to end Belgium's seemingly intractable government crisis, has been grappling with challenges all his life.

On one level, this son of Italian immigrants is living the Belgian dream, rising from poverty to play a crucial, unifying role in his country's political future.On another, he is very definitely a Walloon, as Belgium's French-speakers are known, who struggles to speak Dutch but is passionate in his determination to unite Walloons and Flemings alike.

Another view is that he is simply the man of the moment, the latest in a line of "formateurs" - as government brokers in Belgium are known - who happened to be there when the eurozone economic crisis concentrated Belgian minds.

What seems clear, however, is that, at 60, Elio Di Rupo is very much his own man, as distinctive as his trademark red bow ties.

The picture that emerges from a freshly published biography, largely based on interviews he gave to Belgian journalist Francis Van de Woestyne, is of a fighter, unafraid to take on challenges both in his personal and public life.

'Fairy-tale' life

"My life is a fairy tale," he told Van de Woestyne in an interview in 2008. "You could not make it up."

He was born on 18 July 1951 in the small town of Morlanwelz, in Belgium's French-speaking Wallonia region, to parents who had emigrated from a village in Abruzzo, San Valentino, in search of work. "I cannot say I had an unhappy childhood"

At the age of one, he lost his father in a car crash. Struggling to raise seven children, his illiterate mother gave some of them up to a nearby orphanage.

"Even so, I cannot say I had an unhappy childhood," Mr Di Rupo recalled. "With nothing, she gave us happiness. On celebration days, she would buy sandwiches that she cut in two."

He remembered how his Roman Catholic mother would light a candle in church every time he sat an exam, and would say "May God bless you" each time he left her. His graduation day as a chemist - he studied at the University of Mons-Hainaut and at Leeds in the UK - was, to her, "as good as a wedding".

"When she died, I felt an infinite, unspeakable sadness."

Embarking on adult life, Mr Di Rupo left behind his Catholic upbringing, and described himself in the 2008 interview as an "atheist, rationalist and free mason".

Already as a student in Mons, he had become active in the Socialist Party and his political career took off in the city, where he rose to become an MP and mayor.

One of his achievements in Mons was to set up an international festival of love films in 1984, an annual February event held, appropriately enough, around St Valentine's Day.

Falsely accused

Mr Di Rupo, a homosexual, found his own love life suddenly under scrutiny in 1996 when he was falsely accused of having had sex with under-age males. According to Van de Woestyne, Mr Di Rupo admits that he might have killed himself had he not been totally vindicated in the affair.

"After 35 years in politics, he has patience, a lot of charisma and good leadership qualities” - Francis Van de Woestyne, Author of Di Rupo biography

Speaking to the author of Elio Di Rupo, A Life, A Vision (French: Elio Di Rupo. Une vie, une vision), he recalled being pursued down the street by a media pack and how one journalist had exclaimed "Yet they say you're a homosexual!"

"I turned around and shot back: 'Yes. So what?' I will never forget that moment... For several seconds there was silence... People were so surprised by my reply they stopped jostling each other. It was a sincere, truthful reply."

His career did not appear to suffer. Three years later, Mr Di Rupo was leader of the Socialist Party and, shortly afterwards, became regional prime minister of Wallonia.

Rolf Falter, who worked as a speechwriter and adviser to former Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and now writes the Crisis in Belgium blog, believes Mr Di Rupo faces an altogether different challenge in Brussels.

"Being the chief minister of a regional government is just a pastime compared with the hellish job of being prime minister of two different communities brought together," he told the BBC News website. "You have to have very strong personal skills to bridge all rivalries. Di Rupo surely has the skills to be in command, otherwise he would not have succeeded in the most difficult negotiation ever. But much will depend on his empathy for Flemish public opinion, which is extremely volatile."

Challenge in Flanders

Mr Di Rupo, Falter believes, does not yet enjoy cross-community appeal though he is credited in Flanders with having solved the government crisis at last.

"It is quite obviously his success," he says. "It is he who smoked out the Flemish nationalists and then extremely slowly, and through a very minimalist approach, brought the negotiators day by day closer to each other. It is a very Italian approach to politics, without bravado and visionary moments, but he succeeded and who can prove that someone else would have achieved this? The markets did not play a significant role, except in the final week."

Van de Woestyne, also speaking to BBC News, says that 35 years in politics have demonstrated Mr Di Rupo's "patience, charisma and good leadership qualities".

"He takes a lot of time to listen to everyone and thus has many strategies for finding compromises, and he has good contacts across the political spectrum."

Where Mr Di Rupo may struggle is in convincing Flemish opinion that he, the leader of the French-speaking Socialists for the last 12 years, can enact vital economic reforms, Falter notes.

"These doubts, that the man who has been holding the brakes so long should now become the guy who turns the steering wheel, have not been dissipated though he and his party have engaged timidly in the reform process in a way you would not have expected from them, say, half a year ago."

Lost in translation

Among the Socialist leader's weaknesses are perhaps a lack of creativity and a tendency to consult lengthily before taking a decision, Van de Woestyne adds.

And a major failing in the eyes of many Flemings is his poor command of Dutch - the language of 60% of Belgians.

"My Nigerian cleaning lady, who has been in Belgium for two years, speaks better Dutch than Elio” - Bart De Wever, Flemish separatist leader, who was excluded from the coalition talks

He may have learnt English while studying in England, but his mistakes in Dutch have been mocked. At a news conference, for instance, he used the Dutch word "drinken" (English: drinking) instead of "dringend" (urgent) when talking to reporters about economic austerity.

Mr Di Rupo, quoted by AFP news agency, has promised to master his country's other language and deliver his responses in parliament "in Dutch, with mistakes".

In any case, his success in the government negotiations is what matters now to the Belgian public, Van de Woestyne suggests.

"Belgians are very grateful for his efforts to resolve the government crisis, which has lasted too, too long," he says. "If he is not quite regarded as the country's saviour, he is being seen as the man who ended the crisis."

According to Falter: "He may not bring the country alive again but he might succeed in keeping it afloat for a few years, which might be enough to make it survive through a difficult period."

"It is a very Italian approach to politics, without bravado and visionary moments, but he succeeded and who can prove that someone else would have achieved this? ” - Rolf Falter, Belgian blogger

Source: BBC news

Tobacco sales on the up in Belgium

2011-11-14T13:22:00.001+01:00

2011 has seen a sharp rise in the amount of tobacco products sold in Belgium. The figures are published in an article in Saturday’s edition of the Francophone daily ‘Le Soir’. There has been a year on year rise of 20% in the amount of tobacco products sold in Belgian shops and supermarkets. This comes despite the introduction of stricter anti-smoking laws that made it illegal to smoke in bars, pubs and clubs, unless a separate, well-ventilated smoking room is provided.

However, a fair percentage of the cigarettes and rolling tobacco sold in Belgium are bought by foreigners, be they booze-cruise Brits or French smokers crossing the border to save an average of 1.20 Euro a pack on their favourite brand of cigarettes. Belgians are in fact smoking less than they did a year ago, so the increase in tobacco sales is solely attributable to foreign smokers border-hopping in order to save cash.

Speaking on VRT Radio 1’s morning news and current affairs programme ‘De Ochtend’, Luk Joossens of the Anti-Cancer Foundation told listeners that “The price difference between Belgium and France is especially large, with most big name brands retailing for 5.05 Euro here compared to 6.25 Euro there.”

“We would like to see a price increase of 50 Eurocent. Even if this reduced sales, it could still provide the exchequer with 200 million Euro in extra revenue.”

Source: De Redactie

If you need help to stop smoking, I stop people smoking in one session of relaxing hypnosis. It's so easy and there is a 95% success rate. Find out about stop smoking in Belgium with hypnosis.

In memoriam: viscount Willy De Clercq 1927-2011

2011-11-09T18:16:00.000+01:00

ELDR Honorary President viscount Willy De Clercq passed away on 28 October 2011. De Clercq was twice ELDR President from 1981 to 1985 and from 1990 to 1995. He served in various coalition governments in Belgium and twice led the Flemish liberals. He served on the European Commission from 1985 until 1989 and sat in the European Parliament from 1989 until 2007.

ELDR President Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck: “Willy promoted liberalism as no one else could. He had his own style and clear views. He was Minister, Vice-Prime Minister, European Commissioner, Member of European Parliament but above all a liberal with a hearth for Europe.”

Potverdekke It's great to be a Belgian

2011-11-09T18:02:00.002+01:00

John Makin, the Englishman with the 1998 hit single "Potverdekke! It's great to be a Belgian" died on 30 October, age 61.

Here is John singing his song live:

The same song with many views of Belgium:

Save an Average 230 € Per Year on Your Electricity or Gas

2011-11-07T16:41:00.000+01:00

If you want to find out whether you are paying too much for your gas and/or electricity and like the idea of using a green supplier, then Het Belang van Limburg is giving suppliers a chance to bid for clients. The more households which register, the better the group price will be. Just register your details on hbvl.ichoosr.com before 29 November. There is no obligation. The average annaul saving has been 230 € but as much as 1,050 €. That has to be worth a few minutes of your time.

Het Belang van Limburg lanceert samen met het bedrijf iChoosr opnieuw een unieke onlineveiling voor gas en/of elektriciteit. Limburgers kunnen zo honderden euro's besparen op hun energiefactuur, enkel door te surfen naar hbvl.ichoosr.com.

Het is de vierde keer dat Het Belang van Limburg met iChoosr een veiling organiseert. De vorige online-veilingen van iChoosr voor gas en elektriciteit, waren een succes. Duizenden gezinnen schreven zich in.

Bart Stevens van iChoosr legt het succes uit: "Doordat wij alle inschrijvingen van kandidaten bundelen en de leveranciers anoniem op deze bundel laten bieden, zal de prijs van de winnende leverancier lager zijn dan wat hij op de markt aanbiedt aan individuele gebruikers."

Iedereen die interesse heeft kan op hbvl.ichoosr.com terecht om eerst een inschatting te maken van zijn of haar besparing van de energiefactuur. Op de site moet je de gegevens van je laatste factuur ingeven om zo te berekenen wat jouw besparing zal zijn.

Bart Stevens: "Hoe meer mensen zich inschrijven, des te beter is onze onderhandelingspositie. Als we alle inschrijvingen binnen hebben, organiseren we de veiling voor alle energieleveranciers van Vlaanderen. Iedereen die is ingeschreven, krijgt dan via e-mail een voorstel en kan dan beslissen of hij of zij ingaat op het aanbod."

Inschrijven kan tot 29 november op

Sleeping in the Atomium in Brussels

2011-10-18T16:18:00.001+02:00

My son is sleeping in the Atomium tonight and he was s-o-o-o-o excited about this. There is normally a 3-4 waiting list but they had 2 nights free so his class split over Monday and Tuesday. Children between 6-12 years can sleep in the "Kinderbol" - giant hanging eggs which are known as raindrops. They bring their own sleeping bag, a pillowcase, PJs and washbag. All food and drink is included. For dinner they can choose between spaghetti or chicken and mash then they have breakfast in the panoramic restaurant and watch a short presentation on the Atomium before their visit is over. They arrive at 18h, can bring a DVD to watch and leave again at 10h.

View sleeping in the Kinderbol at the Atomium

So exciting.

Visit Living in Belgium for information, news, what´s on and travel tips to make the most of life in this quirky country.

The Colourful World of Mondo Hotels in Belgium

2011-09-20T13:55:00.005+02:00

Many hotels these days look the same. Don´t get me wrong, I like minimalist chic but sometimes it is fun to have a little colour around. People who stay in hotels frequently sometimes forget their room number, the name of the hotel or even the city they are staying in! One hotel room looks just like the next.

If you would like to stay somewhere a little different, then I suggest you look at Mondo Hotels. They are a privately-owned group of four hotels in Brussels, Antwerp and Ostend in Belgium.

I love all three cities. Quirky Brussels with its Mannekin Pis statue, the most beautiful square in the world, the Grand Place/Grote Markt, the Tintin museum, great shopping and some wonderful old bars where you can relax and enjoy Brussels beers eg Gueuze, Faro, Lambic and Framboise. Of all the 500 odd beers produced in Belgium, these four are some of my favourites. In fact, there are several varieties of Gueuze. More info on my Squidoo site.

Antwerp has its fantastic harbor with bars lining the old quaysides, or Kaai in Dutch, the new MAS – Museum Aan de Stroom overlooking the inner harbour, even better shopping and unbeatable nightlife.

Ostend (Oostende) is loved by Brits and it is easy to see why. A beautiful golden sandy beach, go karts of every sort to hire, a fresh fish market and stalls selling small platters of seafood, some expensive gin palace boats to drool over in the Mercator yacht harbor, more great shops and a never-ending choice of restaurants. That is if you are not full from all the delicious seafood on the harbour front. Of course, there are plenty of bars for enjoying Belgian beers. I spent four nights in Ostend in August on our own boat and did not want to leave. The luxury residential cruise ship “The World” also visited for two nights whilst we were there.

Mondo Hotels offer a colourful location in each of these three cities so whether you are visiting on business, a one night stop-over or want to make a weekend city break, I recommend Mondo Hotels.

Have a look at Mondo Hotels

Mondo Leopold Brussels is near the European Commission & Parliament but also within walking distance of the Royal Palace, the museums and the Grand Place/Grote Markt.

Mondo Eden Antwerp near the sublimely beautiful Centraal Station which is next door to the Zoo.

Or Mondo Empire Antwerp in the middle of the famous Diamond district.

Mondo Hotel Ostend is a hip and trendy art deco hotel near the seafront, Casino, shops and the beach.

Learn all about Gueuze beers.

Read about my visit to the MAS-Museum Aan de Stroom in Antwerp.

Visit Living in Belgium for information, news, what´s on and travel tips to make the most of life in this quirky country.

Stop Smoking with Hypnosis Group Session in Brussels

2011-07-11T15:34:00.002+02:00

You know all the reasons why you want to stop smoking and yet, willpower alone has not been enough. Here are some reasons why people want to stop:

- smoking is affecting your health and energy;
- reduced stamina for sports and activity;
- it prematurely ages your skin;
- the stale smell of smoke on your hair, skin and clothes;
- you don´t want your children to become smokers;
- the money you are literally burning away.

Maybe you have tried to stop but need help.

"Hypnosis is the most effective way of giving up smoking, according to the largest ever scientific comparison of ways of breaking the habit. Willpower, it turns out, counts for very little."
'New Scientist' vol. 136 issue 1845 page 6

Nicotine patches and gum keep you addicted to nicotine. Do you want to be addicted to a drug?

95% of my stop smoking clients find they can stop smoking in just one session....and stay stopped.

If you smoke 20 cigarettes per day, that is roughly 1.800 € per year NET INCOME or 3.000 € per year GROSS/BRUTO.

A private session of hypnosis to stop smoking normally costs 200 € in Limburg or 350 € in Brussels.

You can join this group session for an amazing 100 €
or
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT FOR BOOKINGS PAID BY 18 July @ 75 €

(All fees include 21% VAT/BTW and invoices are available on request.)

Send your booking to:
hypnosis@telenet.be
and payment to BE 19 9730 0127 8212 with mention:
GROUP HYPNOSIS 25 JULY - (your name)

Here is what one very satisfied client said:

"I was relaxed but consciously aware of my surroundings so I found it hard to believe that hypnosis would work after just one session. But I was very impressed. I thought it would be difficult but I found it relatively easy to stop smoking. I am not troubled by other people's smoking. I used to enjoy smoking but now I enjoy not smoking. I quickly found I can breathe more deeply and have noticed two other health improvements. After four weeks, I am still a motivated non-smoker." - James Benn, Brussels.

I want to help you become a healthy non-smoker. Join us.

Antonia Harrison
English Hypnotherapist Belgium
http://www.EnglishHypnotherapistBelgium.com/
hypnosis@telenet.be
0497 550813

25% Discount on Hypnosis Stop Smoking Session

2011-05-20T12:27:00.009+02:00

Smoking will be banned in Belgium in all bars and restaurants from 30 June 2011. About time too.

There has been a ban on smoking in public places and workplaces since January 2010. But there were exceptions: "beer cafés" where no food is served, casinos and discotheques. The Vlaamse Liga Tegen Kanker said this was discrimination against employees who still had to breathe in other people´s smoke whilst at work. From end June 2011 smoking will only be allowed in a separate room, without waiter service - a compromise but it is still putting people´s lives at risks. Why can´t the Belgians just enforce a complete ban like in so many other countries?

Source: Knack Het Laatste Nieuws

Nicotine is an addictive drug and many smokers find that they just cannot give up by willpower alone. For those that need help, I offer hypnosis (in English) which is the most effective way to stop smoking. Hypnosis is relaxing and safe. You retain control at all times whilst I lead you to a new positive behaviour.

My usual rate is 200 € for a stop smoking session at my home in Limburg or 350 € in a rented office in Brussels or Antwerpen-Berchem. To encourage smokers to stop, the rate will be 25% off ie 150 € or 262.50 € until end of June 2011.

You can find me here at English Hypnotherapist Belgium

A Visit to the MAS in Antwerp

2011-05-16T14:14:00.032+02:00

You may know Antwerp in north Belgium for its diamonds. In fact 70% of the world’s diamonds hail from Antwerp.

It is a vibrant city (population 470,000+) for shopping, fashion, business, culture (theatre, opera, museums) and nightlife. Now there is a new reason to visit.

Antwerp has developed part of its harbour and port area into the fashionable “Het Eilandje” (The Little Island). The centrepiece is the 60 metres high MAS – Museum Aan De Stroom (Museum on the River MAS www.MAS.be) which cost 33.5 million Euros and opened to the public on 13 May with a four-day long festival of dance, theatre, films, tours and free visits to the 10-storey urban icon. The MAS is a collection of 470,000 pieces in permanent museums plus temporary exhibitions eg diamonds and silver, a gift shop and museum square for open-air events or just to rest and watch the world go by. The harbour museum shows a non-stop 360° panorama film of shipping movements in the harbour via webcams. There are plenty of choices for good food and delicious Belgian beers. Don’t miss Felix Pakhuis and Het Duvels Genot.

I took my sons on 15 May. We saw exhibitions containing collections from the city’s museums: Life and Death – myths, religions and the impressive collection of Paul and Dora Janssen-Arts with relics from Latin America; A World Port (fantastic collection of ships); Metropolis; Power & Prestige and a temporary exhibition “Masterpieces in the MAS" (until 30/12/2012) with classical and modern art. There is also a floor of storage showing collections which do not fit into the other exhibitions. Plenty for everyone to see and find their favourites.

On the 9th floor is a viewing platform giving an impressive 360° roof panorama over Antwerp through 6m high glass with the occasional open circle to give the best quality photos.

The building itself is built from hand-cut Indian red stone and designed as a giant storehouse with stacked containers or boxes to create a spiral tour with constantly changing views from the curved glass panels on each floor adjacent to the different museums. 3,000 aluminium hands, the symbol of Antwerp, adorn the stone. It is a striking design.

Antwerp is the second most important port in Europe, after Rotterdam, and the 13th busiest worldwide, handling an average volume of 160 million tonnes of international maritime cargo. Its location 80km inland offers the most environmentally-friendly means of cargo transport saving on the carbon footprint of truck movements. 14,000 ships and 55,000 barges call at Antwerp every year. The River Scheldt has been deepened to give a 15m draft.

The MAS has been built between Antwerp’s two oldest ports which have been totally renovated. There is an inner harbour in Willemdok with a high class of boats. Bonapartedok next door will be a museum dock for historic ships.

Antwerp on Wikipedia

You can also fly to Antwerp (Deurne) from London City or take the Eurostarto Brussels then change and arrive at the truly impressive Antwerp Centraal Station which is right next to the city zoo and round the corner from the Diamond centre. Have a look at the flash mob video on YouTube which took place in the station in 2009 to “Do-Re-Mi” from “The Sound of Music”. This promoted Belgium’s own search for a Maria to star in their Flemish speaking musical.

Antwerp is over 500 years old. Have you visited yet?

© Antonia Harrison 2011

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

TEDxKids in Brussels 1 June 2011

2011-05-05T15:51:00.003+02:00

Here is a fantastic initiative - the world premiere of TEDxKids@Brussels taking place on June 1st, 2011 at the St. John's International School in Waterloo, Belgium.

2 events in 1:
48 kids are going to get their hands dirty, soldering, tinkering, hacking, and composing. A series of hands-on workshops led by world-class Mentors will introduce the kids to a range of skills and methods.

Meanwhile, grown-ups will be treated to an all day program of leading thinkers and experts. The line-up of speakers:
Mark Frauenfelder, editor-in-chief of O’ Reilly’s Make Magazine
Hackasaurus, the hardcore of the Mozilla Foundation: Atul Varma, Mozilla’s executive director Mark Surman, and Jessica Klein
Gever Tulley, The Tinkering School
Walter Bender, inventor of OLPC's Sugar system
Ed Baafi, MIT MediaLab who ‘makes almost anything’
Cory Doctorow, Uncompromising Creative Commons blogger
Gabe Zichermann, founder of Gamification
Mysto & Pizzi, East Coast Black Eyed Peas remixers
Jamie Oliver, cook of cooks
Tan Le, maker of Emotiv's brain computer interface
Joris Peels of i-materialise, the global manufacturer of 3D printers
Maarten Fitzgerald Augmented reality researcher and founder of Layar
In addition to giving TED-format talks, they will guide 48 children in a series of hands-on workshops.

David Anderegg (Nerds) and Alyson Schafer (Honey, I Wrecked the Kids) will report live on the workshops to the adult audience. This unique event will be presented by America’s technology diva Xeni Jardin of Boing Boing.

For more information, visit: www.tedxkids.be
Spaces are limited!

Just 48 kids born in 2000. Do you want your kid to participate? Register them here: Register my Kid

Have any questions? Please contact TEDxKids at info@tedxkidsbrussels.eu

Clean Week 2020 Comes to Circuit Zolder 7-8 May

2011-05-03T09:39:00.007+02:00

On Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 May 2011 Clean Week 2020 will take place on Circuit Zolder in Bolderberg, 3500 Heusden-Zolder, Limburg.

Clean Week 2020 is the most complete European event for ecological mobility. The programme includes:
- the arrival of the FIA Alternative Energies Cup for cars with less than 115 gr CO2
- the Tesla Gentlemen's Sprint
- the original suncars (zonnewagens) from high schools and universities
- the Day of the Car (De Dag van de Motor)
- the presentation of the Clean Car of the Year 2011 (including the Chevrolet Volt, the Opel Ampera and the Citroen Survolt).

You can see the whole programme on www.circuit-zolder.be and on www.CleanWeek2020.be

You can experience ecological driving for yourself with a test drive (before 15h30) of one of sixty clean cars on the Circuit Zolder.

Reserve your free Luminus testdrive on www.CleanWeek2020.be

There will also be entertainment for everyone including electric quadbikes, demonstrations from the Federal Police and stunt shows. FREE ENTRY.

Full brochure at http://www.cleanweek2020.be/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Nederlandse-folder-20110404.pdf

Bruges 3 Nights For the Price of 2

2011-02-01T13:23:00.004+01:00

DFDS Seaways are running a promotion on the Dover-Dunkirk route offering 3 nights in Bruges for the price of 2.

Stay 3 nights for the price of 2! if you arrive on a Sunday, Monday or Tuesday between 24 October 2010 and 17 March 2011.

Idyllic walks along misty canal banks; nostalgic rides in open carriages, wrapped up warm in cosy woollen blankets; all rounded off with a top class meal at one of the many gastronomic restaurants. In the crisp air of winter, the historic centre of old Bruges becomes even more romantic, more poetic, more mysterious. It is almost as if the World Heritage city waits for the coolest months, until the large mass of summer visitors has gone, to show its most charming side: a side reserved only for those in the know.

Click here to book your ferry.

Here are some of my own photos taken in winter which shows that even on cloudy days Bruges' beauty shines through:

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Register for the DVV Antwerp 10 Miles & Marathon

2011-01-31T10:22:00.007+01:00

Only 12 weeks to go before the start of Flanders' biggest running event! Be sure to join on Sunday 17 April to find out why Antwerp is the running capital of Belgium. In 2010, more than 26,000 runners competed in the different races.

Program
9.30am: DVV Antwerp Marathon
1.00pm: Chiquita Kids Run 1 km (6-12 years old)
1.30pm: DVV Antwerp Short Run 5 km
2.30pm: ASICS Ladies Run 5 km
3.30pm: DVV Antwerp 10 Miles

> Click here to register

10 reasons to choose Antwerp as your spring marathon!
Still deciding which marathon to run in the Spring? Go for the DVV Antwerp Marathon:

1. New, fast and flat course. Measured by the IAAF.
2. Pacemakers for every level: 2.59hrs, 3.15hrs, 3.30hrs, 3.45hrs, 3.59hrs, 4.15hrs and 4.30hrs.
3. Slower runners are also welcome. The time limit is 6 hours.
4. Refreshment stations every 2.5 km (!)
5. Beautiful finish in Antwerp's wonderful Grand Place.
6. Comfortable and sufficient shower capacity, exclusive for marathon runners.
7. Qualitative SportFit T-shirt and beautiful finisher medal for each participant.
8. Only major Runners Expo in Belgium (900 m²) on 23, 24 and 25 April.
9. A free Bolleke De Koninck (Belgian special beer) after the race.
10. According to the international travel guide Lonely Planet Antwerp is one of the most interesting cities in the world. You have 42.195 km to discover it.

Are you already planning your autumn marathon?
Then don't miss the Brussels Marathon & Half Marathon on Sunday 2 October. A fabulous course, refreshment stations every 2.5 km, and the most beautiful finish in the world: the Grand'Place (Market Square).

Still not sure? Read what Katharina Rosenkranz, a 2010 participant, had to say about the experience: "It was a great race today, most of all thanks to the fantastic organization of the event. Everything was perfect from registration to the finish line. Thanks for the water and drinks, the covers to keep us warm at the finish line...and the medal. You have done a great job and made a fantastic race possible."

> Click here to register for the Brussels Marathon & Half Marathon 2011!

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on in Belgium and interesting items about life in this quirky country.

TedXFlanders in Antwerp on 10 February 2011

2011-01-30T11:52:00.004+01:00

I love hearing people share their ideas, creativity, research and basically enlarging our horizons. The best way is to hear speeches at TED conferences.

You can view speeches anytime at TED.com

Here in Belgium we have TedXFlanders, an unofficial TED event which will be held in Antwerp on Thursday 10 February at 20u venue: De Kleine Hedonist, St Jacobsmarkt 34. Free entrance. Usually TED speeches are in English.

This will be a "salon" event to create a pleasant, informal atmosphere allowing more interactivity. The theme is "Time".

Op 10 feburari 2011 zal het eerste TEDxFlanders Salon een feit zijn. TEDxFlanders Salon is voor een kleine groep van TED-fans die samen een boeiend onderwerp gaan exploreren. Dit TEDx Salon zal gebeuren in een gezellige, informele sfeer waardoor er meer interactiviteit mogelijk is dan tijdens de grote TEDx events. Deze salon-edities vinden diverse keren per jaar plaats zodat er ook een echte TEDx gemeenschap kan groeien. Qua flow van de avond is er een korte kadering van het onderwerp en kijken we samen naar een of twee relevant TED-talks. Vervolgens gaan we samen - onder begeleiding van een facilitator - het onderwerp exploreren vertrekkende vanuit een aantal stellingen van de TED-talks aangevuld met eigen ideeen, stellingen, meningen en inzichten. We starten om 20u00 en eindigen rond 21u30 met het TEDx Salon waarna er nog gelegenheid is om na te praten voor de liefhebbers.

Op 10 februari 2010 starten we met het thema 'Tijd'. We laten ons inspireren door een van de TED talks die ons laten zien dat er verschillende vormen van tijd bestaan. Vervolgens gaan we na hoe wij zelf tijd ervaren in deze toch wel kloktijd-gedreven maatschappij. Vragen zoals 'Bestaan er nog andere soorten van tijd?', 'Kunnen we de tijd vertragen en versnellen?' en 'Hoe kunnen we wat vaker in het hier en nu leven?' kunnen denkrichtingen zijn die op het TEDxFlanders Salon aan bod kunnen komen. De begeleiding is in handen van TED-fans Dette Van Zeeland en Cyriel Kortleven.

Source: TedXFlanders

Attitude - Fun for 40 somethings in Brussels

2011-01-28T14:06:00.002+01:00

Attitude - our monthly get together for fun -
When:
Friday, February 4, 2011 6:30 PM
Where:
The Beer Factory - place du Luxembourg 6 Brussel

Attitude:
A community of people heading towards 40 or have passed 40, looking for life to be less arduous and more delightful. Our social networking involves interesting spaces, good food and drinks, opportunities to dance and the ability to meet new people, and have lots of fun.

We offer an informal get-together, so that you can pop in and out as it suits you. Come and enjoy the vibrant multicultural atmosphere of place du Luxembourg.

PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF LOCATION:

The Beer Factory (Brasserie)
Place du Luxembourg 6
1050 Brussels
02.513.3852
www.brasserie-beer-factory.be

For more information your host will be Chalks Corriette, do contact him.
Chalks Corriette
Tel: 02.613.2703
Fax: 02.613.2702
Cell: 0478.48.20.23
Email: chalks.corriette@expatica.com
Media Partner; www.expatica.be

Life Is For Loving and Living!
Professional Psychic Reader, Personal Coach and Founder of Professionals' Confidante, Debra C. Burton, MBA, MAP, has given hundreds of accurate, precise, insightful readings to both professional and private clients for many years, professionals-confidante.webs.com.
This special introductory offer provides a great opportunity to move your personal life to the next level!
PROFESSIONAL PSYCHIC READINGS
General Themes
• Career and Finances
• Family and Health
• Year in Overview and | or Specific Questions, etc

Special Introductory Offer
Debra C. Burton is available at Expatica's first Friday of the month 'Attitude' events, offering special 20-30 minute introductory readings! Otherwise, appointments are available via telephone or Skype, accommodated by the coach. Both event and telephony readings are at the
Special Introductory Price: 25€ !
Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity! It's specially priced to assist YOU!
For event appointments, payment is due at the start of the session.
For telephone or Skype appointments, a confirmation e-mail will be sent
to you to discuss appointment details.
Call: +32 (0) 474 311 678 or
E-mail: professionalsconfidante@gmail.com
professionals-confidante.webs.com

Belgium's Future in the Fog as Coalition Talks Collapse

2011-01-28T11:35:00.001+01:00

Belgium headed for the disreputable record of being the world's country longest without a government on Thursday as a fresh bid to bridge the gulf between the Dutch-speaking north and French south collapsed.

Trapped in its longest political crisis in history, the home of the European Union and NATO woke up to uncertainty after a palace-appointed mediator said efforts to end a deadlock between the two language communities were at a point of no return.

Johan Vande Lanotte, the latest political go-between appointed by King Albert II in Belgium's seven-month crisis, announced late Wednesday he was throwing in the towel as "there's no real perspective of progress."

"I informed the king it was impossible to break this impasse," he said. "I asked to be discharged."

Vande Lanotte, a Flemish socialist who tried for three months to bring the two sides together on a platform to transfer federal powers to the regions, said the king would start new consultations to find a way forward Thursday.

Belgium has been rudderless for more than seven months, holding Europe's record since January as the nation longest without government. Iraq currently holds the world title at over nine months in 2009.

Though a figurehead sovereign, Albert II has named a succession of go-betweens since June 13 elections failed to produce an outright winner -- but none have made headway in efforts to hammer out a coalition government deal.

A caretaker government is in charge of daily business, but as the impasse draws out fears are mounting of a break-up of the country of 11 million.

The crisis is also damaging Belgium's economic outlook, with ratings agencies warning of a downgrade in the absence of a stable government, a prospect that risks dragging the country into the rumbling eurozone crisis.

Belgians have voiced mounting impatience with the politicians as the crisis drags on. Callers shouted their anger on national radio Thursday after Vande Lanotte quit, accusing the country's leaders of being incapable of compromise.

"The End!" the French daily Le Soir said on its front page. "No Compromise, No Country."

The Dutch daily De Morgen titled its edition "Shame," recalling a march under that title organised through Facebook last weekend by 34,000 angry citizens, saying "What do we want? We want a government."

Belgium's political world, said an editorial in Le Soir, "is like a runaway train ignorant of the rest of the world... blind, arrogant, with no interest in the common good."

Among the options left for the king after several envoys have returned empty-handed are to call fresh elections or widen out the talks to other political parties. Seven parties from both sides of Belgium's language divide have been involved in the long talks aimed at agreeing a deal to reform Belgium's federal system.

Flemish separatists emerged the leading party in the June election, with the Dutch-speakers -- who represent 60 percent across Belgium -- demanding more autonomy for their region, notably in fiscal and social policy. But the French-speaking south fears a loss of subsidies for their once wealthy region as well as the start of the break-up of the country.

The current talks were based on a proposal by Vande Lanotte to increase devolution to the country's three regions -- Flanders, Wallonia and bilingual Brussels -- in line with demands by the powerful independence-minded N-VA. The party, representing the wealthier 6.2 million Dutch speakers of Flanders, complains of footing the national bill for the 4.5 million francophones living in the rust belt of Wallonia.

NV-A chief Bart De Wever recently dubbed Belgium a failed state with no future, saying pouring money into Wallonia was "an injection like a drug for a junkie."

Also at the centre of the conflict between Flanders and Wallonia is the fate of the capital, a largely French-speaking city of one million people, with road signs in both languages, located in Flanders.

Source: Expatica

Winter Warmer Beer Festival in Brussels December 2010

2010-12-08T10:55:00.003+01:00

Beer We Go!

Up-Front Live are organizing a Winter Warmer Beer Festival on Thursday 9 and Friday 10 December from 3.30 pm till late on Place du Luxembourg, Brussels, to sample:

Abbaye de Roes Noel (draught and bottles)

Afflighem Christmas

Barbar and Barbar Winterbok

Grisette Fruits des Bois (draught and bottles)

Dupont Stout - world premiere!

Dupont Bon Voeux

Black Sheep Bitter - all the way from England

Boerken

Boerinneken

Palm Dobbel

Winter Koninck

St Feuillien Noel

Tournay and Tournay Noir

Enghein Noel

Find out which bar they are in on 0472 280 878

Source: Up-Front - the guide to what's really happening in Brussels

100 Most Popular Belgian Songs

2010-11-29T12:55:00.003+01:00

On Saturday 26 November radio 1 played the 100 most popular Belgian songs. I enjoyed listening even though I had only ever heard about 15 of them. Here is the complete list:

1 (1) Raymond van het Groenewoud - Twee meisjes
2 (2) Jacques Brel - Ne me quitte pas
3 (3) Jan De Wilde - Eerste sneeuw
4 (4) Wim De Craene - Tim
5 (7) dEUS - Nothing really ends
6 (6) Arno - Les yeux de ma mère
7 (5) Absynthe Minded - My heroics, part one
8 (9) Gorky - Mia
9 (16) Kris De Bruyne - Amsterdam
10 (8) Yevgueni - Als ze lacht

11 (14) Jan De Wilde - De fanfare van honger en dorst
12 (20) TC Matic - Oh La La La
13 (23) Wim De Craene - Rozane
14 (11) Mira - In de fleur
15 (42) Daan - Housewife
16 (18) Hooverphonic - Mad About You
17 (46) The Kids - There Will Be No Next Time
18 (--) Absynthe Minded - Envoi
19 (76) Toy - Suspicion
20 (24) dEUS - Suds and Soda

21 (10) Hannelore Bedert - Altijd nooit meer
22 (35) Twee Belgen - Lena
23 (12) Zjef Vanuytsel - De zotte morgen
24 (32) The Scabs - Hard Times
25 (--) Daan - Icon
26 (19) Wannes Van de Velde - Ik wil deze nacht in de straten verdwalen
27 (21) Admiral Freebee - Rags ‘n' Run
28 (17) Bart Peeters - Heist aan Zee
29 (30) Kommil Foo - Ruimtevaarder
30 (64) dEUS - Instant Street

31 (29) Ann Christy - De roos
32 (13) Buurman - God, ik en Marjon
33 (85) Red Zebra - I Can't Live In a Living Room
34 (40) Stash - Sadness
35 (31) dEUS - The Architect
36 (66) Luc Van Acker & Anna Domino - Zanna
37 (--) Amatorski - Come home
38 (56) dEUS - Hotellounge (Be the Death Of Me)
39 (26) Johan Verminnen - Laat me nu toch niet alleen
40 (81) Daan - Swedish Designer Drugs

41 (--) The Pebbles - Seven Horses In the Sky
42 (48) The Wallace Collection - Daydream
43 (38) Jacques Brel - La chanson des vieux amants
44 (63) Raymond van het Groenewoud - Gelukkig zijn
45 (53) Arno - Les filles du bord de mer
46 (78) Hugo Raspoet - Helena
47 (36) Raymond van het Groenewoud - Meisjes
48 (41) Monza - Van god los
49 (74) dEUS - Little Arithmetics
50 (34) Noordkaap - Ik hou van u

51 (67) Nacht und Nebel - Beats Of Love
52 (49) Novastar - The Best Is Yet To Come
53 (28) Adamo - Inch Allah
54 (55) De Mens - Irene
55 (60) K's Choice - Not an Addict
56 (43) Louis Neefs - Laat ons een bloem
57 (61) Luna Twist - African Time
58 (87) Noordkaap - Een heel klein beetje oorlog
59 (51) Jacques brel - le plat pays
60 (68) Ozark Henry - Indian Summer

61 (--) Hannelore Bedert - Met uw ogen toe
62 (62) Wannes Van de Velde & Roland - Oorlogsgeleerden
63 (82) Novastar - Wrong
64 (37) Johan Verminnen - Brussel
65 (83) Ozark Henry - Sweet Instigator
66 (93) Hooverphonic - Eden
67 (65) Ann Christy - Dag vreemde man
68 (52) Ferre Grignard - Ring Ring I've Got to Sing
69 (84) Jacques Brel - Marieke
70 (--) Raymond van het Groenewoud - Brussels by night

71 (22) Bart Peeters - (Zo van die) zomerdagen
72 (50) Axelle Red - Sensualité
73 (--) dEUS - Roses
74 (79) Zita Swoon - Thinking about you all the time
75 (24) Eva De Roovere - Fantastig toch
76 (--) Absynthe Minded - Moodswing Baby
77 (--) Raymond van het Groenewoud - In m'n hoofd
78 (--) Jacques Brel - Amsterdam
79 (--) Buurman - Middellandse Zee
80 (--) Front 242 - Headhunter

81 (--) TC Matic - Elle adore le noir (pour sortir le soir)
82 (91) Raymond van het Groenewoud - Je veux de l'amour
83 (45) Stef Bos - Papa
84 (--) Moondog Jr. - TV Song
85 (94) The Scabs - Matchbox Car
86 (--) Scooter - You
87 (--) Novastar - Never Back Down
88 (--) TC Matic - Putain Putain
89 (--) Dirk Blanchart - Building an Empire
90 (--) Irish Coffee - Masterpiece

91 (--) Allez Allez - Allez Allez
92 (--) Yasmine - Porselein
93 (90) De Kreuners - Ik wil je
94 (100) Admiral Freebee - Einstein Brain
95 (--) Daan - The Player
96 (98) Neeka & Stef Kamil Carlens - Don't Hold Me Back
97 (--) Won Ton Ton - I Lie and I Cheat
98 (54) Gabriel Rios - Broad Daylight
99 (33) Milow - You Don't Know
100 (73) Arsenal - Saudade

Source: radio 1

Amazon Offer Free Delivery to Belgium

2010-10-23T09:54:00.003+02:00

Fantastic news. I always order my books, CDs, DVDs, toys and electrical items from Amazon. They have the best selection and usually offer discounted prices. Of course, VAT in the UK is 17.5% compared to 21.0% in Belgium so there is bound to be a difference. Delivery is usually quick and now DELIVERY IS FREE.

There are certain Terms and Conditions for Super Saver Delivery (eligible European destinations):

* Applies only to orders completed on or after 9th October 2010 with £25 or more of eligible products (including VAT at the European destination rate), at Amazon.co.uk.

* The following products are not eligible for free Super Saver Delivery gift certificates, certain large electrical items (where so stated on the information page for the relevant product) and products purchased from third party merchants using Amazon.co.uk Marketplace.

* Applies only to orders that are to be delivered to a single delivery address in the eligible European country.

* Applies only to orders that you have selected to "Dispatch when entire order is ready".

* Does not apply to purchases made on Amazon.com, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.jp or Amazon.cn.

* May be used in conjunction with a promotional certificate. To qualify for free Super Saver Delivery, the total amount of the products purchased before the promotional certificate is applied must be £25 or more.

Amazon always offer great suggestions of items you might not know about. For example, they sent me some ideas for fun family board games.

Language-Divided Belgium Faces Decisive Deadline

2010-10-13T15:37:00.002+02:00

Language-divided Belgium faces a decisive week as a French-speaking leader Monday mooted a break-up ahead of a deadline set by the king to resume marathon talks to form a government.

"The situation is very serious," Elio Di Rupo, head of the Francophone Socialist Party, said in an interview in the daily Le Soir.

"If a political party really wants to show the federal state no longer works ... that it wants to step towards the detachment of Flanders, then I believe we must be 'honest' and organise a popular vote in Flanders," said Di Rupo.

"I don't think most Flemish people want independence," he added, referring to the country's 6.2 million Flemish-speaking majority, compared to 4.5 million French-speakers. "But if that were the reply, French-speakers would keep Belgium, made up of Brussels, Wallonia, and six (Brussels) districts."

Belgium, which plays host to pre-eminent world bodies NATO and the EU, has been rudderless since June elections, with leaders of the country's Flemish- and French-speaking communities so far failing to bridge differences and form a coalition government.

Following the collapse of the latest round of talks, King Albert II on Friday gave the head of the Flemish nationalist N-VA party, Bart De Wever, until Monday next week to bridge the rift in order to facilitate new talks to form a government.

But De Wever's party this weekend threatened to launch a parliamentary challenge against special voting and legal rights enjoyed since the 1960s by 130,000 French-speakers living in the Brussels suburbs, which are part of a Flemish region.

The threat has caused new tension ahead of the sovereign's October 18 deadline, with one French daily saying "We will keep Belgium" on its front page.

It was the first time Di Rupo had spoken in such detailed terms of a break-up of the country, in which the richer, Flemish-speaking north would separate from the capital Brussels and the French-speaking south.

Di Rupo's Socialists and De Wever's nationalist N-VA were the winners of the inconclusive June vote.

Jan Jambon, president of the N-VA's parliamentary group, said Sunday the party would introduce a measure to end what Flemish leaders see as "undeserved" special rights of French-speakers in the Bruxelles-Hal-Vilvorde (BHV) area if the political deadlock at the national level had not been broken by October 18.

Di Rupo reacted sharply, saying "We are not going to let ourselves be impressed by ultimatums. But if the end solution was a smaller country of French-speakers, comprising the capital, we can live this way too!", he said.

Last week De Wever broke off talks in frustration at the refusal of French-speaking parties to agree to the federal state devolving more tax-raising powers to the three regions, Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels.

Francophones fear their Wallonia region, already less wealthy than its northern neighbour Flanders, would become poorer under such a fiscal reform and warn it could lead to the break-up of Belgium.

Belgium, one of the EU's founding members, currently holds the rotating presidency of the 27-member bloc until December.

Source: Expatica.com

Toen God de Mannen Schiep

2010-10-04T11:24:00.000+02:00

Toen God de mannen schiep,
beloofde hij aan de vrouwen
dat goede en ideale mannen
in alle hoeken van de wereld konden gevonden worden.

En toen.....................

maakte God de aarde rond....

Helen Fairchild War Effort Recognized

2010-09-29T12:42:00.004+02:00

I met Ivan Newman who visited Poperinge to unveil a plaque dedicated to Helen Fairchild, a US nurse who attended the sick in Belgium and was killed by gas poisoning, aged just 33. Her services have never been fully recognised but her niece, now aged 80, never gave up her efforts and now a beautiful plaque stands in her honour.

Click to read Ivan's report of his visit to Helen Fairchild's plaque unveiling.

Ivan is himself a triathlete. He has been swiming, cycling and running around the world since 1983. His blog Triathlon - touching the Heights tells of his adventures.

Ivan Newman's company Living Inside the Brand is the home of brand and service excellence. Ivan helps clients to ensure fast brand recognition and highlights interesting anecdotes of companies doing this...or not.

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Make The Law of Attraction Work For You Workshop

2010-09-20T12:59:00.002+02:00

My friend, Lydia Proschinger, is giving a workshop entitled

"Make the Law of attraction work for you"

When: Tuesday, October 5, 2010 19h - 21 h

Price: EUR20.00 per person

One52 (Expatica Café)
First floor meeting room
Rue Francois Gay 152
Woluwe-Saint-Pierre
1150 Brussels
0478/482023

Join us for a learning workshop. This concept allows Networking Business In Belgium, to bring to our community a number of experts who present interesting subjects to stimulate us, introduce us to new ways of looking at special needs children and provide an opportunity to get answers to some old questions. Below, you will find information about our next workshop, the workshop leader, together with location information and joining instructions.

The Expert and workshop leader: Lydia Proschinger

Lydia Proschinger, Certified Life Coach, LOA Mindset & Health Expert,
Advanced EFT & Matrix Reimprinting Practitioner
Owner, Life Pro Coaching
Tel: +32 (0)4 77 890 727
Website: www.life-procoaching.com/blog

Description of workshop:

The workshop is held in 12 parts, each part building on the previous one – therefore it is best to sign up for all – even if you feel you are already more advanced and have a body of knowledge from reading books and following other seminars.

This seminar is geared towards people who would like to learn more about

- getting the crisis out of you’re mind and body
- understand quantum mechanics and the concept of T.I.M.E.
- understand electro magnetism and the concept of E.M.O.T.I.O.N.
- learn how to speed up the manifestation process
- creating the field for a clearer vision
- eliminating resistance and self-sabotage
- take continuous & constant action
- establish a mental routine & daily energy clearing
- allowing and detachment from outcome
- discover unconscious patterns re: relationships e.g. with partner / money
- creating new healthy patterns, habits, relationships
- practice of gratitude without platitudes
- consciously bringing JOY to enjoy your life
- practice L.O.V.E abundantly

A manual with interactive exercises will be made available to everybody at a cost of 15.00 and can be used to continue the LOA practice at home. If you come with questions and/or suggestions and prepared exercises, we can close in on specific issues you have.

This workshop has 16 available places – reserve early to avoid disappointment.
Participation Fee; 20.00 per person, per session: This covers: speaker’s fee, administration and snacks. Drinks can be purchased from the One52 bar.

Payment must be made in advance to secure your place. We offer a returns policy for all cancelations 48hrs before the event.

If you would prefer to make a bank transfer, here are the details
Centea; 860-1063625-02
IBAN; BE32 8601 0636 2502
BIC; SPAABE22
Reference: LOA

Chalks Corriette
Tel: 02.613.2703
Fax: 02.613.2702
Cell: 0478.48.20.23
Email: chalks.corriette@expatica.com
Media Partner; www.expatica.com/be

Brought to you by:
Expatica – http://www.expatica.com/be/main.html
Europe’s Children Our Concern (ECOC) – http://www.ecoc.be/en/home.php
Community Help Service (CHS) - http://www.chsbelgium.org/
People to People International Europe - http://www.ptpe.org/
Networking Business In Belgium – http://www.nbib.biz

Visiting us;
There is some good street parking; and we can also be reached by Metro (Tomberg and Montgomery) or Tram (39 and 44).

From Tomberg metro; walk down Avenue Henri Pauwels. This runs into Avenue Val d’Or and we are on the corner at rue Francois Gay.

From Montgomery metro; walk up Avenue Tervuren away from Cinquantenaire. On your right will be Woluwe Park, on your left you shall see Avenue Val d’Or. Walk along Val d’Or. We are on the corner at rue Francois Gay.

Or, take the tram from Montgomery (39 or 44), or if you are coming from the other direction of Tervuren (44) and Wezembeek (39), get off at stop Chien Vert or Jules Ceasar. Walk up Avenue Val d’Or. We are on the corner at rue Francois Gay.

Please also use Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/) to find the best way to get to us from where you are – either by private or public transport.

RSVP to this Meetup,please call Chalks 02/613.2703

25th Scottish Weekend Alden Biesen 2010

2010-09-09T12:57:00.003+02:00

The 25th Scottish Weekend will take place in Alden Biesen on 10 - 12 September. See my earlier post on last year's weekend:

http://livinginbelgium.blogspot.com/2009/09/24th-scottish-weekend-in-alden-biesen.html

Visit the official 25th Scottish Weekend Alden Biesen 2010 website for full details.

No Prison Sentence for Man Who Mowed Down Our Scouts Leader

2010-06-18T10:44:00.005+02:00

The man who fell asleep at the wheel on 13 July 2008 killing 20 year old Bolderberg scouts leader Leen Dayers as she cycled home to our village and injured Charlotte Proesmans will escape prison sentence. He must pay a fine of 3,300 €, carry out 300 hours of community service and has been banned from driving for 30 months. He fled from the scene of the accident and when traced claimed first that his car had been stolen by joyriders, then that he had hit a dustbin and finally that he had fallen asleep.

Vik N. (25), de jongeman uit Zolder die op 13 juli 2008 twee meisjes van het fietspad maaide in Bolderberg (Heusden-Zolder) en vluchtmisdrijf pleegde, heeft van de correctionele rechtbank van Hasselt geen celstraf gekregen voor zijn daden. Hij moet wel een effectieve boete van 3.300 euro betalen. Daarnaast krijgt hij een werkstraf van 300 uren en een rijverbod van 30 maanden opgelegd.

In de vroege ochtend van 13 juli 2008 reed de man Leen Dayers (20), tweedejaarstudente toegepaste economische wetenschappen en scoutsleidster, en haar vriendin Charlotte Proesmans aan toen die terugkwamen van een fuif in Kermt. Nadien sloeg hij op de vlucht. Beide fietsters werden zwaargewond naar het ziekenhuis gevoerd. Leen Dayers overleed er uiteindelijk aan haar verwondingen.

De doodrijder liet zijn beschadigde voorruit enkele uren nadien al vervangen. Ook andere mogelijke sporen op zijn wagen liet hij onmiddellijk herstellen.

Toen hij werd opgepakt, zocht Vik N. hopeloos naar uitvluchten. Zo beweerde hij onder meer dat zijn auto gestolen was door joyriders, dat hij eerst een vuilnisbak geraakt had en dat hij in slaap was gevallen.

"Milde straf"
De politierechter in Hasselt veroordeelde de aanrijder in december vorig jaar tot een celstraf van zes maanden (met uitstel), een werkstraf van 125 uren, een boete van 1.375 euro en vijf maanden rijverbod. Het parket vond de straf echter "te mild" en tekende beroep aan tegen de uitspraak.

De correctionele rechtbank veroordeelde de beklaagde donderdagvoormiddag dan toch tot een zwaardere straf. Voor het ongeval zelf krijgt hij een werkstraf van 120 uren, een boete van 1.100 euro en zes maanden rijverbod. Hij moet zich ook aan een psychologisch onderzoek onderwerpen.

Voor het vluchtmisdrijf krijgt Vik. N. een werkstraf van 180 uren, een rijverbod van twee jaar en een boete van 4.400 euro, waarvan de helft met uitstel. Hij moet ook de gerechtskosten, zo'n 3.000 euro, zelf betalen.

De werkstraf moet de doodrijder uitvoeren in een instelling voor mensen met een niet-aangeboren hersenletsel of een voor slachtoffers van verkeersongevallen. De rechter wil de schuldige zo "met de neus op de feiten drukken". De straf moet bovendien binnen het jaar worden uitgevoerd. Doet hij dat niet, dan moet hij toch nog naar de gevangenis.

Source: Het Belang van Limburg

Bolderberg 5 Bedrooms Villa For Sale

2010-06-07T12:33:00.006+02:00

My lovely villa is for sale.

Location: beautiful residential area in the woods next to Domein Bovy, Bolderberg, Heusden-Zolder, Limburg (11km from Hasselt, 2km E314, 4 km E313/E314 crossover at Lummen, 75km Brussels and Antwerp, 36km Maastricht)
Various hotels, cafés & shops at 600m, excellent Flemish primary/junior school 800m.

Bolderberg is a friendly village of 3,000 people with lovely walks in the surrounding woods, fishing lakes, tennis club, sports hall and is home to Circuit Terlaemen, Belgium's no.2 motor racing circuit. On sunny weekends, people flock to Bolderberg for walking, cycling and relaxing in the cafés. The school and scouts are a key part of the community.

Description: 5 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms

Ground floor: 2 adjacent bedrooms could be converted into a "granny flat", bedroom with dressing room or consulting rooms; bathroom & separate WC, large living room with windows on three sides and sliding doors to the terrace and garden, separate dining area, kitchen, storeroom, garage with washarea

First floor: 3 large bedrooms 38m2 playroom/hobbyroom, bathroom with storeroom

275m2 built.

1550m2 plot, south orientation with beautiful developed garden, 2 sheds, large terrace of which part is covered.

New roof in 2002 is south-facing so ideal for installation of solar panels for which grants are available.

Price: 325,000 €

For further information and to make a viewing appointment, please contact me on 011/281132 or 0497 550813 or email antonia.harrison@telenet.be

Antonia Harrison

Sinksenfoor - The Largest Funfair in Antwerp

2010-06-04T13:16:00.003+02:00

The largest fair in Antwerp is being held from 22 May to 4 July.

De grootste kermis van AntwerpenElk jaar wordt op de Gedempte Zuiderdokken, aan de Vlaamsekaai en de Waalsekaai, de grootste kermis van Antwerpen gehouden. Traditioneel start de Sinksenfoor op de zaterdag van Pinksteren. De naam Sinksenfoor stamt dan ook af van de woorden Pinksteren (=sinksen) en foor (=kermis).
De grootste kermis van Antwerpen duurt officieel elk jaar 5 weken, maar in de praktijk wordt er vrijwel altijd ontheffing aangevraagd om een week extra te draaien.

Waar? De Gedempte Zuiderdokken tussen de Vlaamsekaai en de Waalsekaai (zie kaart)
Wanneer? In 2010 wordt de Sinksenfoor gehouden vanaf zaterdag 22 mei 2010 tot en met zondag 4 juli 2010
Openingstijden op maandag van 15:00 tot 24:00 uur
op dinsdag van 15:00 tot 24:00 uur
op woensdag van 14:00 tot 24:00 uur
op donderdag van 15:00 tot 24:00 uur
op vrijdag van 15:00 tot 24:00 uur
op zaterdag van 14:00 tot 01:00 uur
op zondag van 14:00 tot 01:00 uur

Parkeren Op en rondom de kermis is het overdag betaald parkeren. Over het algemeen is het erg druk met parkeren en wordt er door de politie veel gecontroleerd op fout parkeren en niet betalen. Bij het Justitiepaleis en de Scheldekaaien kan er op betaalde parkings geparkeerd worden.

Source: Alles over Antwerpen

Amazing Offer at Hotel Metropole in Brussels

2010-06-01T16:05:00.008+02:00

I love the 5* Hotel Metropole in Brussels with its Art Nouveau bar and stylish bedrooms. As a member of the Dream Trips travel club, I can share this fantastic 3 day trip with you at a bargain price.

DREAMTRIP INCLUDES:
•3 Day & 2 Night stay at the 5 Star Hotel Metropole in Brussels, Belgium
•Superior Room accommodations
•Situated in the heart of downtown Brussels, just steps from world-class shopping, attractions and nightlife
•The "de Brouckere" metro station is just steps away from hotel
•Fully equipped fitness room
•Must have a valid passport
•Must book your own airfare into Brussels Airport (BRU)
•Must provide your own transportation to the hotel, which is approximately 7.5 miles away from the airport

BOOK YOUR TRAVEL TO BRUSSELS VIA THE LINKS ON http://livinginBelgium.blogspot.com

HOTEL INFORMATION:
The instant you step into the lobby of the Hotel Metropole, you'll sense what sets us apart from rival Brussels Belgium hotels - over 100 years of history. Inaugurated in 1895, this majestic landmark is the only 19th-century hotel still in operation, dazzling travelers with impeccable service and luxury amenities. Whether you're visiting for business or leisure, you'll delight in our diverse host of pleasures. Hotel Metropole offers four gourmet restaurants and cafes, including the award-winning l'Alban Chambon. Hotel Metropole is an easy stroll to local treasures such as the Grand Place and the Royal Théâtre de la Monnaie.

WHEN: July 16th - July 18th

PRICING:
$89.00 PER PERSON BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY
•Best Online Price: $137.00
•Average Savings per Couple: $96.00

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
This trip will be closed for booking by June 15th.
Limited availability

HOW TO BOOK:
Visit Dream Trips Travel Club
Enter Sponsor ID 11013301

The number of available rooms at this price is limited so first come, first served. Only members of the Dream Trips travel club may book at these low prices. Hundreds of other Dream Trips are also available throughout the world including cruises, weekend city breaks, hotels, resorts and self-catering accommodation.

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Brussels Marathon & Half Marathon 2010

2010-06-01T12:18:00.000+02:00

If you feel like running a great course through Brussels, then mark your calendar for Sunday, 10 October, Cinquantenaire Park, Brussels, for the Brussels Marathon & Half Marathon.

All distances finish at the lovely Grand Place.

The full programme is as follows:
9.00 am: Brussels Marathon (42.195 km)
9.30 am: Mini-Marathon - 4 km
9.45 am: Ladies Run - 4 km
10.15 am: Chiquita Kids Run - 1 km
10.30 am: Brussels Half Marathon (21.097 km)

Contact www.carrefourrunningtour.be
info@golazo.com
Tel 0032 11 45 99 99

You can register at JoggingPlus
You can also register in the JoggingPlus stores starting right now. The first 400 people to pre-register for the marathon or half marathon will receive a €30 discount voucher for a pair of running shoes. When you register, you will also receive your bib number and chip to take with you.

JoggingPlus has outlets in Brussels, Louvain-La-Neuve, Liège and Gosselies.
Please go to www.joggingplus.com for addresses and opening hours.

Pasta Party
As of this year the Brussels Marathon & Half Marathon honours a world wide marathon tradition : the evening before the marathon you can enjoy a delicious pasta meal, next to the marathon expo. You can order tickets via the marathon entry form. Tickets are € 12 per person.

I Am Not a Tourist Fair in Brussels

2010-06-01T11:47:00.002+02:00

Sunday 6 June and 17 October 2010 – Experience our “i am not a tourist” Fair in Brussels. This is Expatica´s Community fair for internationals and expatriates living and working in Belgium. Mark it down in your calendar and visit us at Espace53(Autoworld Museum), Cinquantenaire – Brussels. Bring your family and friends for a fun day out.

The “i am not a tourist” Fair will have a range of valuable resources from previous European fairs, but with extra attention given to community related resources for the experienced expat. Those of you who already have your bearings in Belgium can therefore enjoy as many of the features as the newcomers; including food and drink, entertainment, local clubs and workshops. A number of artists and photographers, Belgian and international, will also be exhibiting their work.

So even if you have lived in Belgium for some time already, do come to our fair to discover what’s going on in the rest of the expat community and learn more about your adopted country. Our fair is all about enriching your life abroad, whether you are new to the expat lifestyle or an experienced hand!

Espace53 - Autoworld Museum Brussels
Cinquantenaire Parc 11
1000 Brussels
Belgium

10.00 - 18.00
Sunday 6 June 2010
Email: chalks.corriette@expatica.com

PS I shall be exhibiting with information on how hypnotherapy and NLP can improve your life. www.AntoniaHarrison.com

Latin in Secondary Schools

2010-05-31T15:56:00.003+02:00

Having suffered five years of compulsory Latin at my English grammar school up to GCE 'O' Level, I was quite surprised to find Latin on the secondary school curriculum here in Belgium. Not just find it but to see that it is the number one choice for the brighter, more academically minded children. In my son's school, as long as a child is doing well above average in Dutch, French and Maths then he or she may choose 4 hours of Latin in the middelbare school or 2 hours of Latin with 2 hours of scientific project work.

My 12 year old son loves his classical history and so immediately chose for 4 hours of Latin. In year 2 he can then choose to add 3 hours of Greek.

I checked to see whether British school children are still studying Latin and was dismayed to find that it is not part of the National Curriculum and with a few exceptions, only children at fee-paying private/independent schools have the opportunity to study Latin.

A study by Friends of Classics, unveiled at a meeting, found that 2% to 4% of state primary schools teach Latin compared to 40% of independent schools.

Mr Boris Johnson, Mayor London, said it was "absurd" for Latin to be left out of the curriculum. Mr Johnson, who studied the language at Eton and at Oxford, said:

"I firmly believe that we must not starve the minds of students eager to embrace the great intellectual disciplines of Latin.

"And we must stop the classics being the fodder of the independent sector alone.

"There is simply no better way than to make young minds think in a logical and analytical way."

Dr Peter Jones, co-founder of Friends of Classics, said: "There is no question that the demand is there for Latin."

The study found that a big reason for not teaching the language was lack of funds and resources, with 40% of schools facing difficulty in recruiting staff trained in Latin.

I am delighted that my son has chosen to study Latin. I think this discipline will serve him well in learning how to learn, to think analytically and as a basis for the necessary approach to studying sciences.

Source: BBC

5 Tips for Starting a Business Abroad

2010-05-19T19:51:00.003+02:00

My friend, Masha Malka, is a successful coach based in Southern Spain. She is being featured in a popular online magazine Expat Women this month.

She talks about her experience of working and living in a foreign country. Here she shares top 5 tips for starting a business abroad:

Don’t rush in

When starting a business abroad it is important to take the time and get to know the culture, the locals, the location, the customs, etc.

What you think might be a perfect business somewhere because it worked where you are, might not be the case in the place you are going to. Also, how you are going about setting up or promoting the business might be different.

If you know someone you can trust who is part of the community and can give you guidance that would be helpful; although, I would still take my time before launching into a business or investing into anything.

Integrate

It can be lonely and scary to move to a new place, especially a new country where people might speak a language you don’t speak yet. Find local business groups such as Women in Business or charity clubs you can get involved in. Also, join the local American or British or any other clubs where you can initially speak in your own language and meet other expat women.

From my experience, expat people are eager to help other fellow expats because they’ve been there and know how hard it is to start out and integrate plus, they always look forward to meeting someone new!

Get to know the local media

No matter where you are, it is not just hard work but who-you-know that is important when it comes to succeeding in what you do. Local magazine and newspaper editors, radio and TV personalities, as well as socialites can help you raise your profile and attract more business.

But remember, before you ask for anything, think of how you can help someone first.

Find the right balance

By balance I don’t mean work / family / personal needs, etc., though of course it is very important. I mean the balance between integrating into a new culture and still being true to your own.

I love living in Spain but I also find it essential to go to the USA at least 3 times a year and “get recharged”. The energy in the USA, especially New York is so different to the energy in Spain and I need it in order to do my business at the standard that I am doing it.

The fine balance is not to integrate into the new community so that you become one of them and at the same time not to be too different that they can’t relate to you. You want to maintain your uniqueness and bring newness to the community and, at the same time, understand their needs and “speak their language”.

Remember why you are abroad

It is inevitable that there will be times when things become difficult, when you become nostalgic, and when you wish you never chose to move. When it happens, remind yourself why you chose to move abroad. What attracted you to that country in the first place? What is great about living there? What did you learn in the process and how did it help you grow?

At the end of the day, it is people who make our life enjoyable no matter where we live. So make sure to make plenty of friends – be giving, loving, open-minded, and caring and, of course, have fun in all that you do!

Read the full article here www.expatwomen.com

Open Air Summer Concerts in Diest

2010-05-19T19:42:00.003+02:00

Visit www.DiestLive.be for great open air summer concerts in Diest, Vlaams Brabant:

•Zaterdag 29 mei, Kathleen Vandenhoudt, Guy Swinnen, Tom Robinson € 25.00 + € 1,6 reservatie (UITVERKOCHT!)

•Zaterdag 5 juni, Toots Thielemans: € 25.00 + € 1,6 reservatie

•Woensdag 23 juni, Suzanne Vega € 25.00 + € 1,6 reservatie

•Zaterdag 10 juli, 10cc: € 25.00 + € 1,6 reservatie

•Zaterdag 14 augustus, Carmel: € 25.00 + € 1,6 reservatie

•Zaterdag 4 september, Anne Clark: € 25.00 + € 1,6 reservatie

•Zaterdag 11 september, The Scene: € 25.00 + € 1,6 reservatie

Tickets zijn online verkrijgbaar via http://diestlive.tickoweb.be/, maar je kan ze ook aankopen in alle Belgische filialen van Free Record Shop.

Het openluchttheater van Diest is een amfitheater en maakt deel uit van het gezellige Warandepark. Omgeven door bomen biedt deze pittoreske locatie zitgelegenheid aan bijna 1.000 bezoekers. Tijdens de acht avonden van Diest Live wordt er net buiten het amfitheater een gezellige drank- en eetzone voorzien, die vrij toegankelijk is. De concerten starten telkens bij zonsondergang, om +/- 22u.

Belgians €9 billion Richer at End of 2009

2010-05-19T10:22:00.003+02:00

Belgian collective wealth increased by €9.3 billion in the last quarter of 2009, according to figures from the National Bank, bringing the total wealth to €715.4 billion.

The increase was largely due to more money in savings, the investment of choice for Belgians in the middle of a crisis and in large part a substitute for spending. While Belgians saved €10.7 billion more in the last quarter, they put less money into current accounts and fixed-term investments. The preference for saving over spending depressed demand in the economy as a whole, leading to problems for consumer businessses.

A smaller part of the increase was due to the rise in share prices. An increase of €2.5 billion on the value of the stock market brought total gains in wealth to €13.2 billion and total holdings to €900 billion.

However, debts also rose in the final quarter by €3.9 billion to €184.6 billion. The biggest increase was in mortgages.

Source: Flanders Today

Belgian Frietkots or Frituuren

2010-04-28T14:44:00.004+02:00

In Belgium, chips are part of the culture - no two stands alike.

Bernd F. Meier tours the country's chippers and discovers what anyone living here already knows: Frietkots- The Belgians love them.

Tourists passing through Belgium cannot fail to notice the "Frietkots" and "Frituuren", the stands where French fries, or chips, are sold.

These golden-brown delicacies made from the humble potato are on sale at more than 4,000 stands across this relatively small country.

And they are offered these days with more than 30 different sauces, from sweetish mayonnaise to piquant chili.

Belgians see their Frietkots as a kind of bulwark against the invasion of American fast-food chains, regarding their own homegrown fast-food as intrinsic to their culture. In the city of Antwerp there is even a museum to the Frietkots.

In Brussels, the numberless bureaucrats of the European Union stream out of their glass palaces at lunchtime every day with one thought in mind: the nearest chippy.

"Maison Antoine", run by Pascal and Thierry Willaert at the Place Jourdan, is an institution these "Eurocrats" know well. Here members of the European Parliament and prominent public figures wait their turn in the queue with humble secretaries and lobbyists for their portion of chips. This fast-food outlet has been there for more than 50 years.

Frietkots are something of a cult in Belgium. They are everywhere: at street markets, on church squares, along the promenades of the North Sea beaches and at the highest point in the country, the "Signal de Botrange" between Eupen and Malmedy, 694metres above sea-level.

"Chips, pralines and beer make up Belgium's Supertrio," says Bernard Lefevre of the National Association of Chipmakers, the 1,500-member professional chip friers body.

Friday evening is traditionally chip time, when Belgian fathers go out to the outlets and take chips home for the family. High season is in July and August. Some people like their chips - "Frieten Special" - with mayo, ketchup and onions.

The first Frietkots in Belgium were set up in the second half of the 19th century.

"Hawkers offered fried potato chips to their customers during the annual markets in Antwerp and other towns," according to the art historian Paul Ilegems, who himself hails from Antwerp. "A couple of decades later, more permanent chip establishments were set up. And with the passage of time, this spread right across Belgium," Ilegems says.

Some of them have been turned into works of art by Gilles Houben, who works in oils and acrylic. He has immortalized more than 100 chippies in Antwerp and Brussels, exhibiting them in his studio high up under the roof in a Brussels house.

Houben notes with regret that many of the subjects of his paintings have given way to the march of time, as buildings have been torn down to make way for new projects.

"With them, part of Belgian life has passed away," he says.

Unlike the mass-produced architecture of U.S. fast food joints, no two Belgian chippies are alike. Some are converted caravans, some former shipping containers and others simple wooden huts.

"Drive through our country with open eyes and watch out for Frietkots and Frituuren," says Ilegems, the author of a book on the topic. "The chippies reflect the character of my countrymen, which is characterized by individualism, improvisation and surrealism."

Ilegems, who takes his chip research seriously, sees many positive aspects to Belgian fastfood culture. The Frietkots appear to unite the three main ethnic groups in Belgium, the Flemish, the Walloons and the Germans, in a way that nothing else does.

Right across the country, the potato sticks have been prepared in much the same way for generations. Whether in Bruges, Charleroi, Hasselt or Eupen, they are eaten in much the same way. Moreover, there is no class prejudice when it comes to the humble potato chip. "Top managers and working people alike are regular customers at their local chippy," Ilegem says.

Since the 1980s he has been collecting anything and everything connected with Belgian chippies. Some of his large collection is to be seen on the upper floor of "Frietkot Max" at 12 Groenplaats in Antwerp.

Among the most recent additions to his collection are old vinyl records on which bands with bizarre names like "De zingende Frietboeren" - The Singing Chip Friers - sing the praises of the chip in a "Frituurballade".

Belgian chippies have developed their own way of preparing the potato chip. The 10-centimetre long sticks are pre-fried at a temperature of 160 degrees Celsius. Then they are cooled and kept ready for an order.

Once the order comes in they are fried once again, this time at 180 degrees in vegetable oil or in beef fat.

"This double frying ensures that the chip is really beautifully crispy and crunchy," Ilegems says.

There are minor regional differences, discernible only to the most demanding customer. In Limburg and Wallonia the chips are on average 11 millimetres thick, whereas Antwerp's citizens prefer them a millimetre thinner.

In Ghent in the heart of Flanders they are slimmest at nine millimetres, and in Eupen they reach their maximum girth of up to 14 millimetres, according to Jozef van Remoortel, who runs Remo Frit in Verrebroek near Antwerp, one of around 100 chip-making firms in Belgium.

Remoortel's firm delivers ready-cut potatoes to chippies within 24 hours of the raw product arriving at his factory. The preferred potato varieties are "Bintje" and "Hansa".

"We deliver the fresh potatoes vacuum-packed, and not frozen, to the chippies. That's what gives them their characteristic flavour and texture," Remoortel says.

Truck drivers - true connoisseurs of the chip - vote as best chippy the one to be found on the A1 motorway linking Brussels and Antwerp, where an old bus has reached its last parking place between Machelen and Weerde.

Now brightly painted, the bus dispenses huge quantities of chips under the banner "Hunger Killer".

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Source: Expatica

Carrefour Strike on Friday 30 April

2010-04-28T14:42:00.002+02:00

I heard that some Carrefour supermarkets will be on strike again this Friday 30 April and Saturday 1 May is a holiday so, your weekly supermarket trip will have to be brought forward.

The Sacred Rituals of Frite Almighty

2010-04-28T14:34:00.004+02:00

Kimberley Lovato has an audience with the "Missionary of the Belgian Fries" and uncovers the sacred rituals of Frite Almighty.

While Belgium has much to offer visitors and residents alike, the country is known the world over for one thing in particular: French Fries (Frites in French).

Michel Mes, self-proclaimed “Missionary of the Belgian Fries”, started his popular website Belgianfries.com back in 1995. He now receives at least 10 emails a day from inquiring fans and travels the world promoting franchise opportunities, while spreading the word about the true Belgian fry, proper tools and techniques, and most importantly, how best to eat them.

Your site, Belgianfries.com is an homage to Belgian Fries. What prompted this endeavor?

As an IT guy some 15- years ago when the internet was opened for the big public consumption, I needed a subject to practice the new HTML programming language. I chose "The Secret Recipe for Belgian Fries". I thought it would be a good idea to promote this great Belgian food and let the world know where “French” fries really come from. It was an instant success. Everything grew out of proportion from then on.

What is the secret to making the best Belgian fry?
The trick is very simple: Belgian fries are double-fried. First there is the cooking process, then the fries need to cool down and finally, just before serving, they are fried again to make them crispy and golden brown. Of course, the correct type of potatoes is very important, as is the choice of frying oil. Fries should always be fried in animal fat. In Belgium it used to be a mixture of horse and ox fat. These days most shops will use an ox fat and vegetable oil mixture. Details on how to do this at home are on my website.

Do you use a recipe?
I have no recipe. I use the 2-stage frying method, but as potatoes are a "living" raw material (i.e. their structure changes throughout the season) you need some experience to cook them to perfection. It is different every time, you need to watch and listen, especially during the first frying. It is very hard to explain but practice makes perfect.

What is the biggest mistake people make when trying to recreate the Belgian fry?
Don't put too many raw potatoes strips into the fryer for the first frying! The temperature of the oil will drop down dramatically, the water in the potatoes will not escape quickly enough and thus the result will be too greasy. For a perfect final result you need to pay close attention to the first frying. The second frying will not correct any mistakes made earlier.

How should Belgian fries be served and with what kind of sauce do you prefer?
I never eat sauce with my fries. Good Belgian fries will have a lot of taste on their own. Don't spoil it with sauce. A bit of salt is ok. And please serve in a paper cone. But if I need to make a choice I would go for mayonnaise (home made of course) or a spicy sauce like Banzai.

Do you have a favorite location in Brussels to eat fries?
Chez Martin (Place Saint-Josse). He used to run a very nice looking stand next to the church but had to move recently to somewhere else in the area of the Rue des Deux Eglises. A lot of tourists know Chez Antoine (place Jourdan) but I don't like their fries. The toll of their success I guess.

Does it bother you that Belgian fries are referred to as “French”?
Not at all, because it is a totally different product. Once more, after the chocolate, pralines and a lot of other products, the term "Belgian" stands for freshness and quality. Also, the term “French” fries does not link to the French people or country. It is derived from the old English verb "to french" Originally they were called "frenched fried potatoes".

How often do you eat frites?
Maybe two times a month. You should never exaggerate the good things in life!

Kimberley Lovato
Follow Kimberley's blogging adventures, A Broad In Belgium.
www.belgianfries.com

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

I Am Not a Tourist Fair in Brussels

2010-04-21T12:34:00.000+02:00

The "I am not a tourist" Fair will have a range of valuable resources from previous European fairs, but with extra attention given to community related resources for the experienced expat. Those of you who already have your bearings in Belgium can therefore enjoy as many of the features as the newcomers including food and drink, entertainment, local clubs and workshops. A number of artists and photographers, Belgian and international, will also be exhibiting their work.

So even if you have lived in Belgium for some time already, do come to our fair to discover what's going on in the rest of the expat community and learn more about your adopted country. Our fair is all about enriching your life abroad, whether you are new to the expat lifestyle or an experienced hand!

Regarding those practical necessities, for those new to Belgium and in need of information, our fair will supply a selection of the best resources this country has to offer. The "I am not a tourist" Fair brings a broad range of companies and agencies who specialise in expatriate services together under one roof. From banks, investment firms and insurance companies to schools, local clubs and tax agencies, all have their place at our community fair. The stand holders are there to help you with house and job hunting, immigration and permits, staying long term, starting your own business, having fun and more.

Whether you've lived in Belgium for 5 months, 5 years or even if you haven't yet made the move, you will surely find something of interest to you.

The "I am not a tourist" Fair gives you access to the international community, be it through individuals, groups, clubs, or businesses.

For more information, check out http://www.expatica.com/iamnotatourist_brussels/index.php

Date & Time:
Saturday, 6 June 2010 – 10h00 to 18h00

Venue:
Espace53 – Autoworld Museum
11 Parc du Cinquantenaire
1000 Brussels

Tel: 02 732 22 87
Fax: 02 733 22 87

Merode Metro is just a 5-minute walk away, but the venue also has a large parking area.

Tickets:
Tickets to the fair are free when ordered online and EUR 10 when purchased at the door. To order a ticket online, please go to http://www.expatica.com/iamnotatourist_brussels/getticket.php . One e-ticket holder will be randomly selected during the fair as the winner of a dinner for two at the Expatica Café. Be sure to join us at the fair and see if you are the lucky one!

If you would be interested in exhibiting at "i am not a tourist" Brussels, please send an email to Hans.Groen@expatica.com

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

John Cleese Pays 3,800 Euros for Taxi to Brussels

2010-04-21T11:53:00.001+02:00

The British comedian John Cleese decided to take a taxi from the Norwegian capital Oslo to Brussels in order to avoid the flight ban affecting large parts of Europe.
Related ArticlesHalf of transatlantic flights to be cancelled Friday
Brussels airport expected to close because of ash
In Belgium no news is good news
Road deaths rise in BelgiumCleese was in Norway for a talk show, but got stranded after the Icelandic ash cloud closed airports in Norway and Britain.

Cleese then decided to make the final part of his journey via the Channel Tunnel and take the Eurostar from Brussels to St Pancras.

It set him back a pretty penny. Cleese paid 3,800 euros for the long taxi trip. Three drivers took turns to drive the taxi all the way from Norway to Belgium.

Cleese managed to get hold of a ticket for a Eurostar service for Saturday before they sold out.

Norwegian TV did seek alternatives to the long taxi trip, but all ferry services and trains were fully booked.

During the journey Cleese was apparently repeatedly reminded of the joke 'How do you make God to laugh?'

Answer: By telling him about your plans.

Source: flandersnews.be/Expatica

Tourist Guiding in English and French

2010-04-13T12:20:00.004+02:00

Sarah Strange is an English lady who offers tourist guiding all over Belgium in English and French. She charges 30 € per hour with a minimum of two hours.

Contact Sarah at 02/673 28 44 email sarah.strange@skynet.be

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Travel Films in Brussels with Angolo dell'Avventura di Bruxelles

2010-04-13T10:31:00.004+02:00

L’Angolo dell’Avventura di Bruxelles presents

"20 Years around the Pacific Ocean on a Sailboat"

TWO VIDEO DOCUMENTARIES IN ENGLISH

"Men of the Ocean: life on a lost atoll between the Philippines and Indonesia"

"Men and Dragons: people and giant lizards struggle for space on a small archipelago"

by Carlo Auriemma and Lizzi Eordegh

Thursday, 22 April 2010, at 20:30

More info www.barcapulita.org

We are Carlo and Lizzi, the two of us and our sailboat "Barcapulita", the "clean" sailboat. We went and looked for islands where no one goes, the most remote coastlines, the most far away corners of the planet. We have criss crossed the Pacific Ocean, going to Polynesia but especially to less known islands like Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Tonga.

We went where it is difficult to go. In 20 years of sailing and research we have seen a lot. We met with whales, swam with sharks, lived with primitive and gentle peoples and spent months and months on totally uninhabited islands.

Today, through our videos in English, we will show you what we have witnessed.

Carlo and Lizzi will be with us, and their DVDs and books in Italian, français and English will be on sale this evening.

*************************************************

"20 anni in giro per l'Oceano Pacifico in barca a vela"

DUE VIDEO DOCUMENTARI IN ITALIANO

"Tra Indiano e Pacifico: vita sulle isole Heremit, Banks e Tikopia"

"Gli Dei del Vulcano: le tribu dell'isola di Tanna, alle Vanuatu"

NOTA: questi video sono diversi da quelli di ieri in inglese!

di Carlo Auriemma e Lizzi Eordegh

Venerdì, 23 Aprile 2010, alle 20.30

info: www.barcapulita.org

Siamo Carlo e Lizzi. In due, su una barca a vela, siamo andati a cercare in mezzo agli oceani quelle isole dove non arriva nessuno, le coste lontane, gli angoli remoti e le nicchie più improbabili del pianeta. Ci siamo fermati specialmente nel'Oceano Pacifico, in Polinesia ma soprattutto nelle isole meno conosciute: Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Tonga.

Siamo andati, insomma, nei luoghi dove è difficile arrivare. In venti anni di navigazione e di ricerca abbiamo visto tante cose. Abbiamo incontrato le balene, abbiamo nuotato con gli squali, abbiamo vissuto con popoli primitivi e gentili, e abbiamo passati mesi sulle isole deserte.

Carlo e Lizzi presenteranno il loro lavoro ed i loro libri e i DVD in italiano, inglese e francese che saranno in vendita questa sera.

*****************

NEXT EVENTS: SAVE THE DATE

"Iran: The Factory of Martyrs"

by Camilla Cuomo & Annalisa Vozza

V.O. Farsi, S.T. English

Monday, 26 April 2010 at 20:30

In cooperation with Faito DOC Festival

www.faitodocfestival.it

A journey through today's Iran, by means of the huge paintings commissioned by the government, which tell about the myths and values of an evolving Islamic society.
A full-lenght documentary, coproduced by Fabrica and RSI, Swiss Television, broadcast on RSI on December 2008 and presented in several international film festivals, including Toarmina Film Fest, 2009 and Faito DOC Festival.

Info: http://www.fabrica.it/project/factory-martyrs-trailer

In partnership with: RSI, Radiotelevisione Svizzera http://www.rtsi.ch

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Le lieu de toutes nos réunions est:
Le Cercle des Voyageurs

Rue des Grands Carmes, 18

1000 Bruxelles - (30mt du Manneken Pis)

Tél: (02) 514-3949

La cuisine ferme à 22h15.

Tickets: 8 Euro (Une boisson au bar comprise).

Nous vous attendons à partir de 19h00.

Parking: Grande Place, Albertina, Hotel Bedford (rue du Midi 135)

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To be informed about our future evenings, click here to consult our website.

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Brewers Launch Mega-Blend Geuze

2010-04-11T17:12:00.004+02:00

Eight brewers from the Senne Valley and Pajottenland areas of Flemish Brabant have come together to produce the Oude Geuze MegaBlend 2009 which will be sold in limited edition 75 cl bottles from 26 April. The geuze, described by the producers as a "the mother of all beers" is a joint effort by brewers Boon, 3 Fonteinen, De Cam, De Troch, Hanssens, Lindemans, Oud Beersel and Timmermans.

Geuze is produced by blending young and old lambic beers in a process that allows the sugars in the young lambic to induce a secondary fermentation in the bottle. Lambic itself, particular to the Pajottenland, used wild yeasts and bacteria from the air for its fermentation which gives the typical acidic taste. Lambic is also the base for the production of fruit beers, the most famous of which is kriek.

Lambic probably takes its name from the town of Lembeek. The name "geuze" may derive from the word for "geyser" because of its champagne-like fizz, or from an old Norman words for wheat.

The launch will coincide with a tour of the breweries, organised by the High Council for Artisanal Lambik Beers (HORAL). Each bottle will be numbered and will cost 6 €, with the exception of the first bottle, numbered 00001, which is currently being auctioned on eBay until 20 April.

www.Horal.be

Visit Gueuze http://www.squidoo.com/asj_gueuze/

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Nature Damage on 21 July 2009 Can Be Claimed From the Government

2010-03-08T12:55:00.007+01:00

The giant hailstones experienced in my village on 21 July 2009 and other freak nature on that day have now been recognised as natural disasters and the state will cover the cost of any damage not covered by insurance policies.

This is good news for the people in my village. Six families had most of their roof ripped off. Many cars were damaged and not covered if the owner did not have at least a 'klein omnium' policy. The damage to my car cost 6.000 € but the insurance settled direct with the bodywork garage.

I had a broken window and a lot of garden damage. The insurance policy covered some of the amount but there was a 250 € excess to pay and they did not pay for the garden damage.

We have three months to submit claims.

"De federale regering heeft de hagelstorm die op 21 juli 2009 over West-Limburg raasde, erkend als natuurramp.

Heel wat inwoners liepen materiële schade op tijdens dat stormweer. Door de erkenning als natuurramp, kunnen alle getroffenen een beroep doen op het Rampenfonds. Dat fonds kan tussenkomen in de kosten die niet gedekt worden door de eigen verzekering.

Zodra het regeringsbesluit verschijnt in het Staatsblad, hebben de getroffen inwoners drie maanden tijd om hun schadedossier in te dienen."

Source: Het Belang van Limburg

Strike at Carrefour Supermarkets Estimated to Cost 14 Million Euros

2010-02-27T20:57:00.004+01:00

A strike at 117 Carrefour supermarkets today was estimated to cost 14 million € in lost turnover.

I did not know about the strike so drove 14km round trip to Carrefour Kuringen only to find it barricaded with lines of trolleys. This is the only shop anywhere near us which sells fresh milk in the cooler fridges as opposed to UHT milk which my kids won't drink. We then drove another 20km round trip to LIDL in Heusden, the next nearest shop. Several items cost less than at Carrefour but there were many items not stocked, including the milk, so I shall have to waste my time and fuel returning to Carrefour in the week.

Whe will strikers understand that a strike costs their company a huge amount of money which makes the losses greater? They are not going to overturn their decision to close 21 stores with a loss of 1.672 jobs. Those shops are closing because they are uneconomic to run or superfluous as they have other stores very close by.

Carrefour: staking zaterdag kost 14 miljoen euro omzet
Vrijdag 26 Februari 2010 | 1 d. | powered by (Belga) De staking die zaterdag gepland is in 117 Carrefour-winkels, zal de distributiegroep ongeveer 14 miljoen euro omzet kosten. Dat zegt de topman van Carrefour België, Gérard Lavinay, in een gesprek met De Tijd.

Na de aankondiging van een forse herstructurering bij Carrefour riepen de vakbonden donderdag op tot een algemene staking in de winkels die Carrefour België zelf uitbaat. Het gaat om 56 hypermarkten en 61 supermarkten. Op een gewone zaterdag zijn die winkels goed voor een omzet van 14 miljoen euro, waarvan 10 miljoen in de hypermarkten. "Ik aanvaard de staking, maar dit zal ons een fortuin aan omzet kosten. Bovendien zullen we onherroepelijk klanten verliezen. We hebben dus allemaal belang dat de staking niet aansleept", zegt Lavinay. De topman hoopt zo snel mogelijk de sociale dialoog over het herstructureringsplan op te starten. Komende woensdag is een bijzondere ondernemingsraad gepland. Lavinay geeft nog aan dat de directie en de kaderleden ook zullen moeten inleveren. "De directie zal dezelfde inspanningen moeten leveren als de rest van het personeel. Er zal voor die mensen geen loongsverhoging zijn in 2010 en de bonussen over het boekjaar 2009 zullen beperkt worden tot bijna niets." Carrefour Belgium kondigde dinsdag de schrapping van 1.672 banen en de sluiting van 21 winkels over het hele land aan. Bedoeling is om een aantal andere supermarkten te franchiseren en te verkopen aan de distributiegroep Mestdagh. De franchisewinkels van Carrefour zouden zaterdag gewoon open zijn. (MUA)

source: skynet nieuws

Ben Je Equiwoman?

2010-02-24T18:15:00.002+01:00

LAATSTE OPROEP TOT KANDIDATUURSTELLING ‘EQUIWOMAN AWARD’
• U bent een vrouw?
• U bent zelfstandige?
• Uw bedrijf bestaat minstens 3 jaar?
• Uw bedrijf beschikt over een gezond administratief beheer (RSZ…)?

Schrijf u dan zeker hier in voor de verkiezing van de “Equiwoman Award”! Deze prijs zal uitgereikt worden op 1 april in het kader van “Vrouwen die Ondernemen” en beloont de vrouw die op een optimale manier haar privé- en professionele leven combineert.

De ‘Equiwoman Award’ moet een inspiratie zijn voor vrouwen die carrière willen maken maar evenzeer een bruisend familiaal leven willen leiden.

Denkt u dat u door uw persoonlijke ervaringen een voorbeeld bent voor andere vrouwen? Twijfel dan zeker niet u voor deze Award kandidaat te stellen, uiterlijk tegen aanstaande vrijdag 26 februari!

Uiteraard is inschrijving volledig gratis. De uitreiking van de award op 1 april zal ingeleid worden door de Minister van KMO’s, en dit om 12u30.

www.vrouwendieondernemen.be

Save 50% Off Flights From Brussels

2010-02-24T11:26:00.000+01:00

Fancy a trip to Seville for some Spanish sun? But your travel partner prefers a weekend looking at Roman ruins?

Well, with Brussels Airlines
you can save 50%* on flights to all European destinations this spring, so you can go to both Seville & Rome! Or perhaps, you prefer London & Barcelona. Or how about Marseille & Venice? There are over 40 European destinations you can choose from.

Wherever in Europe you choose to go this spring and whether you pick one, two or even three destinations, you can fly there at -50%*! Which means you can travel twice as much!

So hurry! Book your flights by midnight 1 March 2010, and fly between 10 April and 30June 2010.

Save 50%* to over 40 European destinations:

Athens, Barcelona, Berlin, Bilbao, Birmingham, Bologna, Bristol, Budapest, Catania, Copenhagen, Krakow, Faro, Florence, Geneva, Gothenburg, Hamburg, Lisbon, London, Lyon, Madrid, Malaga, Manchester, Marseille, Milan, Naples, Newcastle, Nice, Oslo, Palermo, Palma de Mallorca, Porto, Prague, Rome, Seville, Stockholm, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Turin, Venice, Vienna, Vilnius, and Warsaw.

* This discount is valid for all return tickets booked between 23 February and 1 March 2010 for a European flight between 10 April and 30 June 2010. This discount only applies to the base price of a b.light or b.flex ticket. It does not apply to airport and fuel taxes or ticket processing costs. It is only valid on flights to and from Brussels, operated by Brussels Airlines.

Visit European Travel blog for European travel ideas and special offers and EuroTravel the one-stop site for travel to and within Europe.

Car Boots in Belgium

2010-02-09T19:20:00.003+01:00

Go to www.WatTeDoen.be for a listing by region by month of all car boot sales, flea markets and antique markets. The Dutch for a flea market is rommelmarkt. You can also register for the updated info to be sent to your email inbox every month.

www.WatTeDoen.Be also lists lots of other useful info eg what's on guide, Christmas markets, exhibitions, workshops, shops open on Sunday, weather forecast and small ads including dating.

Coconut with Balsamic Vinegar

2010-01-25T10:33:00.008+01:00

I went to a very unusual food tasting given in a TED X talk by Bernard Lahousse. He is an internationally renowned food scientist who gives advice to top chefs and food companies all over the world.

He told us that certain groups of foods have a basic similarity which makes it possible to mix foods within that group and find them pleasing to the palette, even though the idea of putting them together might not have occurred to anyone eg kiwi + oyster, chocolate + purée of oyster + vodka. It is in this way that creative chefs are pairing foods to bring us new gastronomical choices. This is termed "molecular gastronomy" and more information can be found at www.foodpairing.be

Have a look at http://www.foodpairing.be/FoodPairable.aspx?f=Apple and you will find a chart showing links to different foods which pair well with an apple including
Foods: Parmesan, Butter and Gruyere
Beverages: Castañal Galicia, Chardonnay and Chardonnay (oak)
Chocolate, coffee, tea: Tea black, Dominican Republic white chocolate and green tea.
We can also look up a food on the site to find an alternative with similar taste if we are missing an ingredient for a recipe.

Many chefs around the world are now using Food Pairing.

We were invited to mix and match foods from a selection as follows:

- chicken, salami, caviar
- dessicated coconut, blackcurrant jam, dark chocolate
- balsamic vinegar, cherry vinegar, kecap manis sauce (a bit like black treacle)
- mustard, mild chili paste, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, olive oil
- cheddar, butter, soft cheese
- mint leaves
- whisky, rum

This was a fun game and as odd as it may sound, I recommend:
- coconut with balsamic vinegar
- mustard with mint leaves
- chocolate with cheddar and chili paste
- chocolate with caviar

The Flemish Primimitives will hold a seminar exploring new tastes on 8 February 2010 at the Concertgebouw in Brugge. Famous chefs and scientists will present their ideas including the renowned Belgian chocolatier, Dominique Persoone. Tickets costs 295 € + VAT.

"The Flemish Primitives is a unique combination of the strong history in gastronomy in Belgium and the cutting edge of a new generation of chefs. It's amazing." - Heston Blumenthal

You can hear Bernard talking on this video at The Future Summit 2009:

and at Ikanda, a congress for 1,400 Flemish 12 year olds which my son attended:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYCK65fzohk
For more information on food pairing contact Bernard Lahousse - Food Pairing and Sense for Taste

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

English Theatre in Antwerp

2010-01-16T16:56:00.006+01:00

Artistic director David Llewellyn Child formed English Stage Events in 2007 realising the popularity of English language theatre outside the UK. After performances in The Netherlands and Prague, they are now staging their first play in Belgium.

The Fever will be performed on 26 March 2010 at 20.30 in Theater Het Klokhuis, Parochiaanstraat 4, 2000 Antwerpen by Jeremiah Fleming.

The author, Wallace Shawn delivers us a nameless person from a privileged world, suffering from a sense of disconnection from his comfortable life, who travels to a country in the midst of a civil war.

Deliriously ill, he confronts an internal chorus of conflicting voices: dreams of comfort, images of physical and economic violence, accusations of indifference and cold-blooded arguments in favour of oppression. The central question: what, if anything, is a morally consistent way to live in the world as it is?

Full info and tickets at www.EnglishStage.org
Tickets: €10/8 per person/group bookings discount

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Looking for Snow Boots

2010-01-06T10:39:00.002+01:00

As we have several cms of snow here in Limburg, I went to buy my son some new snow boots yesterday. They had hundreds of pairs in Carrefour some weeks ago but yesterday not one pair in any size could be found in any shoe shop in the area. C&A had summer sandals but that is not much help right now.

Why don't shops stock products when we need them, not months in advance when we don't?

Snow Again in Limburg

2010-01-05T19:29:00.002+01:00

We came back from the UK on Sunday night to find our village in Limburg covered in several cms of snow.

The boys went back to school on Monday walking in snow boots. I decided that was safer than slipping and sliding in the car, relying heavily on the ABS.

Snow is expected again in the UK and they are already talking about closing schools, not going to work. Typical. We manage to turn up in Belgium so why not England?

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Brussels Airlines Extra Flights Belgium to UK

2010-01-05T12:32:00.001+01:00

Brussels Airlines have increased the number of flights between Belgium and the UK.

From 10th January 2010, there will be 3 daily flights to both Bristol and Newcastle and 4 daily flights to London Heathrow, a total of 19 flights daily between Belgium and the UK.

Click BRUSSELS AIRLINES for current flight offers.

Brussels Airlines offer some of the lowest rates in Europe with flights from as low as £40.

There are daily long-haul flights to Moscow, Helsinki, Africa and more.

Visit European Travel blog for European travel ideas and special offers and EuroTravel the one-stop site for travel to and within Europe.

No Smoking in Belgian Cafés

2009-12-21T12:59:00.004+01:00

Nearly 77% of Limburg cafés are going to become non-smoking from 1 January when the no-smoking ban comes into force. They will keep a choice of warm snacks on their menu so smokers will have to go outside, on the terrace or in an enclosed smoking room. The other 23% prefer smokers so will no longer serve any food.

To stop smoking in one session of hypnosis, visit The English Hypnotherapist in Belgium.

"Liefst 76,9% van de Limburgse eetcafés schrapt op 1 januari hun kleine kaart met warm bereide gerechten niet. Zij moeten het roken in de zaak dus verbieden. Op 1 januari gaat het nieuwe rookverbod in, dat vandaag in het Staatsblad gepubliceerd wordt. Vanaf dan mag er niet meer gerookt worden in zaken waar ook eten geserveerd wordt.

Dit blijkt uit een grootscheepse rondvraag door deze krant onder 108 eetcafés in alle Limburgse gemeenten. Tot het einde van dit jaar is eten én roken in een gedeelte van de gelagzaal nog toegelaten in zogenaamde eetcafés. Na 1 januari mag men wel nog buiten, op het terras of in een afgesloten rookruimte een sigaret opsteken.

23,1% van de gecontacteerde eetcafés in de 44 Limburgse gemeenten schrappen de spaghetti’s of croque monsieurs op de kaart. Zij kiezen voor de rokers."

Source: HBvL

To stop smoking in one session of hypnosis, visit The English Hypnotherapist in Belgium.

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Winterland Hasselt 2009

2009-11-29T18:33:00.006+01:00

Winterland is back in Hasselt from 21 November to 3 January. This German style Christmas market was extremely popular last year boasting the largest outdoor ice skating rink in Belgium, a big wheel and plenty of Christmas atmosphere. This year it is twice as big with a roller coaster.

De Kerstmarkt is deels overdekt waar de producten in sfeervolle stands worden aangeboden. Daarnaast staan over het plein diverse kerstchalets. De Kerstmarkt is dagelijks (ook op zondag) geopend van 11.00 tot 22.00 uur. In totaal telt de Kerstmarkt 64 deelnemers. En na een bezoek aan de kerstmarkt is het goed vertoeven in Café Winterland voor een glaasje Glühwein, een biertje, warme chocomel of een kop erwtensoep.

Winterland Hasselt info
My blog on Winterland Hasselt 2008

Someone's photos from Winterland Hasselt 2008

English Hypnotherapist in Belgium

2009-11-25T18:03:00.000+01:00

My name is Antonia Harrison and I am the English Hypnotherapist in Belgium. I help people make fast, positive change in the following areas:

- stop smoking (most smokers stop smoking in one session)
- stop unwanted habits eg nail-biting, blushing
- improve self-confidence and self-esteem
- learn to control stress and anxiety
- overcome phobias (the NLP Fast Phobia Cure is effective in 30 minutes)
- unblock disempowering fears eg failure or success!
- areas of personal development eg motivation, procrastination, perfectionism,
- regression ie going back into your past
- sexual and relationship problems (you'd be amazed how many ways hypnosis can help!)
- certain health problems, particularly if stress-related
- improving sports and business performance
- help with the fear of public speaking

English Hypnotherapist Belgium

I combine my hypnotherapy knowledge with NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), Ericksonian Hypnosis (metaphors or stories), clinical hypnosis and TimeLine Therapy.

NLP is:
* A tool for personal development.
* A model of effective communication.
* A means of modelling human behaviour.

I see clients at my home in Zolder, Limburg or in an office in Brussels or Berchem. Most sessions last about an hour. Longer PERSONAL BREAKTHROUGH SESSIONS may suit someone travelling from far away.

Small group sessions for STOP SMOKING WITH HYPNOSIS can also be arranged.

As Personal Development is my passion, I offer talks and workshops on various subjects to groups and companies, eg:

- Overcoming limiting beliefs
- NLP in sales
- NLP for teachers
- NLP for parents
- NLP for relationships
- How hypnosis can help your teenager or young person to cope
- Goal setting and achievement (using advanced Neurological Repatterning and Time Line Therapy)
- Understanding each other’s values (relationships or in a company)
- Change Procrastination into Motivation: Book Now!
- Persistence for winners
- Are you living your life or just existing?
- Can Prosperity and Spirituality go hand in hand?
- Is fear holding you back? What about Fear of Failure or even Fear of Success?
- What makes your customers buy from you?

I will also be offering NLP Practitioner Training in Belgium in 2010.

Please visit my site www.AntoniaHarrison.com

Antonia Harrison is the English Hypnotherapist & NLP Practitioner in Belgium and recommends Download Hypnosis Mp3 for immediate, affordable hypnosis Mp3s to improve your life.

Eens Kijken of We Echte Vrienden Zijn

2009-11-17T09:54:00.001+01:00

Vrienden zijn er om je te steunen,
om jou te troosten en tegen ze aan te leunen.
Vrienden zijn er om jou te helpen,
die jou pijn voor even doet verhelpen.

Vrienden zijn er om jou blij te maken,
om jou kwaadheid weg te kraken.
Vrienden zijn er om jou lief te hebben,
en zullen alles voor jou overhebben.

Vrienden zijn er om jou niet te bedriegen,
vrienden zullen ook nooit tegen jou liegen.
Vrienden zijn er om jou tips te geven,
en zullen jou alles wat je gedaan hebt vergeven.

Ware vrienden leer je kennen met de tijd,
ook al doe je iets verkeerd,
ze willen je niet kwijt.

Villa Te Koop - Bolderberg, Heusden-Zolder

2009-11-10T20:37:00.005+01:00

Mijn prachtige villa is te koop.

Ligging: mooie bosrijke en residentiële omgeving langs Domein Bovy, Bolderberg, Heusden-Zolder, Limburg (11km van Hasselt, 2km van E314, 4 km van E313/E314 kruispunt te Lummen, 75km van Brussel, 36km van Maastricht)
Verschillende hotels, cafés en winkels op 600m, toffe basisschool op 800m.

Inrichting: 5 slaapkamers (2 op gelijkvloers, 3 op 1ste verdieping), 2 badkamers + apart WC, grote woonkamer (leefruimte + zitruimte), met ramen op drie kanten en een schuifdeur naar de tuin, aparte eetkamer, compacte handige keuken 60m2 speelkamer boven, kantoorruimte, berging,

275m2 gebouwd.

1550m2 grond, zuidelijke orientatie met mooi aangelegde tuin met 2 tuinhuizen, groot terras, binnengarage

Prijs: 349,950 €

Als uw verdere inlichtingen wil hebben, gelieve contact met me op 011/281132 of 0497 550813 te nemen of mail antonia.harrison@telenet.be

Antonia Harrison

Belgian Royal Family Income Falls in 2010

2009-11-10T13:18:00.004+01:00

The Belgian royal family will receive less income from the state. In 2010, the amount for the King will be reduced by 423,000 €. The incomes of Prins Filip, Princes Astrid, Prins Laurent and Queen Fabiola will drop by 8%.

King Albert will receive 148,000 € less, a drop of 1.4 %, ie 10,388,000 € of which 70% goes to personnel costs.

Prins Filip will receive 85,000 € less, ie 935,000 €; Queen Fabiola loses 132,000 € so will receive 1,462,000 €; Princes Astrid will receive 324,000 € and Prins Laurent 311,000 €, so a drop of 29,000 € for each.

"De dotatie voor de koninklijke familie wordt verlaagd. In 2010 zal er voor de koning en zijn gevolg in totaal 423.000 euro minder zijn vergeleken met dit jaar. De inkomens van prins Filip, prinses Astrid, prins Laurent en koningin Fabiola dalen met 8 procent.

Dat schrijven de kranten van Sud Presse. De dotatie voor koning Albert zelf daalt met 1,4 procent of 148.000 euro tot 10.388.000 euro in 2010. Ongeveer 70 procent van dat bedrag gaat op aan personeelskosten. De teksten die de dotatie vastleggen, zijn met enkele dagen vertraging goedgekeurd.

85.000 euro minder voor prins Filip
Prins Filip zal 85.000 euro minder zal krijgen en belandt onder het miljoen euro, op 935.000 euro om precies te zijn. Koningin Fabiola verliest 132.000 euro, ze moet in 2010 rondkomen met 1.462.000 euro.

Prinses Astrid zal het moeten stellen met 324.000 euro in plaats van 353.000 euro in 2009. En Prins Laurent krijgt tenslotte 311.000 euro, dat is 29.000 euro minder dan dit jaar.

Trendbreuk
De daling van de dotaties betekent een trendbreuk. Dit jaar konden onze royals nog rekenen op een gemiddelde stijging van hun dotatie met 6 procent. Maar toen speelde de inflatie een grote rol. Nu is er nauwelijks inflatie. Het vastgelegde bedrag voor 2010 kan nog aangepast worden voor inflatie."

Source: Het Belang Van Limburg

Belgium Exits Recession in Third Quarter

2009-11-05T19:51:00.001+01:00

Belgium's economy shook off recession in the third quarter of 2009 with 0.5 percent growth, the Belgian central bank said on Friday.

Compared to one year earlier, gross domestic product was down by 3.5 percent, but at a lesser rate than in the second quarter, which saw an annual contraction of 4.2 percent.

The central bank also revised upwards its estimate for the second quarter, and now says there was only a contraction of 0.1 percent between April and June as against an initial 0.3 percent.

The Belgian economy first slid into negative growth in the third quarter of 2008.

Source: AFP/Expatica

The Not-So-Secret Recipe for Belgian Frites

2009-11-05T16:44:00.002+01:00

Kimberley Lovato has an audience with the "Missionary of the Belgian Fries" and uncovers the sacred rituals of Frite Almighty.

While Belgium has much to offer visitors and residents alike, the country is known the world over for one thing in particular: French Fries (Frites in French).

Michel Mes, self-proclaimed “Missionary of the Belgian Fries”, started his popular website Belgianfries.com back in 1995. He now receives at least 10 emails a day from inquiring fans, and travels the world promoting franchise opportunities, while spreading the word about the true Belgian fry, proper tools and techniques, and most importantly, how best to eat them.

Your site, Belgianfries.com is an homage to Belgian Fries. What prompted this endeavor?

As an IT guy some 15- years ago when the internet was opened for the big public consumption, I needed a subject to practice the new HTML programming language. I chose "The Secret Recipe for Belgian Fries". I thought it would be a good idea to promote this great Belgian food and let the world know where “French” fries really come from. It was an instant success. Everything grew out of proportion from then on.

What is the secret to making the best Belgian fry?

The trick is very simple: Belgian fries are double-fried. First there is the cooking process, then the fries need to cool down and finally, just before serving, they are fried again to make them crispy and golden brown. Of course, the correct type of potatoes is very important, as is the choice of frying oil. Fries should always be fried in animal fat. In Belgium it used to be a mixture of horse and ox fat. These days most shops will use an ox fat and vegetable oil mixture. Details on how to do this at home are on my website.

Do you use a recipe?

I have no recipe. I use the 2-stage frying method, but as potatoes are a "living" raw material (i.e. their structure changes throughout the season) you need some experience to cook them to perfection. It is different every time, you need to watch and listen, especially during the first frying. It is very hard to explain but practice makes perfect.

What is the biggest mistake people make when trying to recreate the Belgian fry?

Don't put too many raw potatoes strips into the fryer for the first frying! The temperature of the oil will drop down dramatically, the water in the potatoes will not escape quickly enough and thus the result will be too greasy. For a perfect final result you need to pay close attention to the first frying. The second frying will not correct any mistakes made earlier.

How should Belgian fries be served and with what kind of sauce do you prefer?

I never eat sauce with my fries. Good Belgian fries will have a lot of taste on their own. Don't spoil it with sauce. A bit of salt is ok. And please serve in a paper cone. But if I need to make a choice I would go for mayonnaise (home made of course) or a spicy sauce like Banzai.

Do you have a favorite location in Brussels to eat fries?
Chez Martin (Place Saint-Josse). He used to run a very nice looking stand next to the church but had to move recently to somewhere else in the area of the Rue des Deux Eglises. A lot of tourists know Chez Antoine (place Jourdan) but I don't like their fries. The toll of their success I guess.

Does it bother you that Belgian fries are referred to as “French”?

Not at all, because it is a totally different product. Once more, after the chocolate, pralines, and a lot of other products, the term "Belgian" stands for freshness and quality. Also, the term “French” fries does not link to the French people or country. It is derived from the old English verb "to french" Originally they were called "frenched fried potatoes".

How often do you eat frites?

Maybe two times a month. You should never exaggerate the good things in life!

Kimberley Lovato

Follow Kimberley's blogging adventures, A Broad In Belgium.
www.belgianfries.com

De Mooiste Momenten van Het Leven

2009-10-30T08:56:00.001+01:00

1. Verliefd worden
2. Lachen tot je er buikpijn van hebt
3. Een hoop post vinden wanneer men terugkomt van vakantie
4. Prachtige landschappen ontdekken
5. Naar je lievelingslied luisteren op de radio
6. In slaap vallen al luisterend naar de regen
7. Uit de douche komen en zich wentelen in een warme handdoek
8. In zijn laatste examen slagen
9. Aan een interessant gesprek deelnemen
10. Geld terugvinden in een niet gebruikte tas
11. Om zichzelf lachen
12. Een goeie maaltijd samen met vrienden
13. Lachen zonder reden
14. Iemand toevallig iets goed over jezelf horen zeggen
15. 's Nachts wakker worden en dan beseffen dat je nog enkele uren kan slapen
16. Kijken naar de zonsondergang
17. Naar het lied luisteren dat je aan die speciale persoon herinnert
18. Je eerste kus krijgen en geven
19. Vlinders in je buik voelen wanneer je die speciale persoon ziet
20. Mooie momenten met vrienden delen
21. De mensen waar men van houdt gelukkig zien
22. De vest van je geliefde vasthouden en zijn/haar parfum nog ruiken
23. Bezoek krijgen van een oude vriend en beseffen dat er tussen jullie niks veranderd is
24. Horen dat men van je houdt

Echte vrienden komen in de goede momenten wanneer men ze roept, en in de slechte... komen zij vanzelf. Stuur deze mail door naar alle personen die jij als vrienden of speciale personen beschouwt die in jouw leven bestaan als jij gelooft dat deze tekst hen kan bevallen.

Primark Opening in Belgium

2009-10-29T11:36:00.004+01:00

The Irish store Primark will open the first store in Belgium on 1 December 2009 in Mediacité in Liege. The 3,345m² store will offer very reasonably priced clothing for women, men and children along with shoes, accessories, lingerie, hosiery and household articles.

We have long been regular visitors to Primark in the UK with bargains such as 6 pairs of kids' socks for £1, fun T-shirts for kids from £1.50, ladies sports tops or joggings for £4, ladies cashmere jumpers from £12, 12 quality Christmas crackers for £4 and some lovely cushions, towels and bedlinen.

"De Ierse retailer Primark zal op 1 december 2009 de allereerste Primark shop in België openen. De winkel opent in het shopping center Mediacité te Luik. Primark is al langer een gevestigde waarde in Ierland en het Verenigd Koninkrijk. Primark biedt in Luik 3.345 m² shoppingplezier voor vrouwen, mannen en kids. Verder kan je er terecht voor schoenen, accessoires, lingerie, allerlei soorten kousen en panty’s en homewear.

In november opent Primark nog winkels in het VK (Cambridge en Wood Green in het noorden van Londen), Ierland (Waterford) en Duitsland (Frankfurt). Eerder dit jaar konden shoppaholics ook al terecht bij de nieuwe Primark in Barcelona en Algeciras.

Primark maakt deel uit van Associated British Foods, goed voor een omzet van 8,7 miljard euro wereldwijd. De groep stelt 96.000 mensen tewerk in 44 landen. Vorig jaar werd Primark nog uitgeroepen tot UK Retailer of the Year 2008."

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Thursday is Vegetarians Day in Hasselt

2009-10-19T14:31:00.005+02:00

Hasselt has decided to join the "Thursday Vegetarians Day" by encouraging residents to give up meat for one day a week.

Excessive meat consumption is not only a big health problem but also one of environmental harm. Meat production is responsible for 18% of all greenhouse gases. So by not eating meat one day per week, one million tonnes of greenhouse gases can be saved. Or 500,000 less cars on the motorway.

"De campagne Donderdag Veggiedag is een initiatief van EVA, het Ethisch Vegetarisch Alternatief, en heeft tot doel om zoveel mogelijk mensen ertoe aan te zetten om op donderdag geen vlees te eten. Overmatige vleesconsumptie is niet alleen een groot probleem voor de gezondheid maar het zorgt ook voor milieuvervuiling. Vleesproductie is verantwoordelijk voor achttien procent van de broeikasgassen. Eén dag per week geen vlees eten, betekent dat er een miljoen ton broeikasgassen uitgespaard worden. Dat komt neer op 500.000 wagens minder op de autowegen."

Source: Hasselt tourism

More info: Donderdag VeggieDag

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Bilingualism Makes Children Smarter

2009-09-26T15:14:00.009+02:00

Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French and German although English is often used as a compromise to solve "the linguistic problem". However, far too many Belgians and foreign residents are still monolingual. One of Belgium's assets in attracting foreign investment has always been the multilingual skills of its workforce yet through militant defence of one language, they are losing this advantage and I for one believe that is a backward step.

Scientists at the Free University of Brussels (VUB - Vrije Universiteit van Brussel) have now demonstrated that bilingual children solved simple math problems using less brain activity than monolingual children. The addition of a language trains the brain to solve cognitive tasks more easily. This is a major reason for studying Latin as the endurance of all those complicated noun declensions and verb conjugations cause neural pathways to fuse which aid in other applications. I remember learning the pluperfect passive subjunctive but can no longer remember what that means!

Piet Van de Craen, a neurologist at VUB who lead the study, says that the brain scans of the children indicate that bilinguals use less energy to complete cognitive tasks much like an experienced driver no longer has to "think" about how to drive a car. His conclusion is that bilingual education helps to "build a better brain".

According to Sociologist Morris Massey, ages 0-7 are known as the Imprint Period when children absorb everything like sponges and when the most neural pathways are fused. This is the optimum time for learning the basics of anything.

The Belgian school system is considered one of the best in the world but laws in Wallonia and Vlaanderen now forbid children to study a foreign language before year 5 at around ten years old, while studies indicate that language learning yields the best results when started as young as possible.

This makes no sense. I was fortunate to start learning French at an English school from age four giving me an edge, particularly with the accent. My sons were educated in Spanish schools for three years from age 5-8 and 2-5 and coped perfectly with being bilingual. In the last year they attended a private English school with 20% of their curriculum in Spanish. After three years in Flemish school, they are now in the top half of their class, even in Flemish moedertaal, and the older son is in his second year of learning French, with test results always 18-19 out of 20. His only problem is writing. He started learning in an English school at age 4, then moved to the Spanish way and now Flemish. He is receiving extra help with writing before moving on to secondary school.

CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) is a technique to integrate a second "target language" into the curriculum which means that some subjects are taught in the second language, the time increasing as the child grows older. CLIL has been endorsed by the European Union which incorporated it into its 1995 initiative calling for every European citizen to have mastered three languages by the time he or she leaves secondary school.

Dr Van de Craen was asked whether there were any negative aspects of starting foreign languages early. He pointed out that any skill is best when mastered young, eg learning a musical instrument or chess. The only drawback would be spending more time on the chosen activity than on something else but that would be a conscious choice.

One concern has been that studying a second language will affect the development of the native language. Again he says that a child fluent in Dutch who begins an education with 20% in French will not develop only 80% of his Dutch. "It is 100% plus 20. It has nothing to do with losing something; you gain something".

"Additive bilingualism" is tied to evidence that multi-lingualism trains a child to learn how to learn, increasing competency across other subjects.

The UK dropped the compulsory learning of a foreign language in 2002 but has now made a U-turn. From 2010, learning a foreign language will be compulsory from age 7-14 although not compulsory right through to GCSE at age 16. I applaud the first half of this decision.

The European Commission states that the success of CLIL has continually increased over the ten years since it was first introduced.

The new Flemish Minister of Education, Pascal Smet, has publicly supported multilingual education and might be persuaded to introduce bilingual education into Vlaanderen.

© Antonia Harrison 2009, the English Hypnotherapist in Belgium uses hypnotherapy and Neuro Linguistic Programming to help people to make positive change.

Further reading:
CLIL
Flanders Today article "Educating the Better Brain"
Piet Van de Craen
All UK primary schools to teach foreign languages by 2010

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Belgian Girl Receives € 3,000 to Remove 56 star Tattoos from Face

2009-09-23T13:53:00.008+02:00

Kimberley Vlaeminck and the tattoo artist who tattooed 56 stars onto a third of her face agreed a financial arrangement to avoid a court case.

Rouslan Toumaniantz, the tattoo artist, must pay EUR 3,000 for the girl to have her tattoos surgically removed.

Vlaeminck is expected to have her first removal session in the next few days.

According to Karel van der Linde, who will remove all 56 of the stars, the process should take between 6 to 8 sessions of half an hour each. Kimberley will be put under a local anaesthetic each time.

It is necessary to wait at least a month between each treatment in order for the skin to heal, and after each session Kimberley will have to wear dressing on her face for 48 hours.

Karel van der Linde expects Kimberley to have her old face back by next Easter.

Source: Le Soir/Expatica

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Hotel Metropole Magritte Art Package

2009-09-18T15:35:00.004+02:00

Hotel Metropole in Brussels is offering Magritte’s Art Package starting at €89.50pp (mid week). This package allows you to discover the splendour of the city, this beautiful hotel and the work of the famous Belgian surrealist painter René François Ghislain Magritte.

The Magritte’s art package – starting at €89.50pp (mid week) includes:
One ticket per person for the museum Royaux des Beaux-Arts
Free upgrade to a Privilege room
Buffet breakfast served in Le Jardin Indien
Belgian sweets
Welcome drink “Ceci n’est pas un Cocktail” served in the bar Le 19ième

For an additional €85,00 per person, you can combine this with the Gastronomical package in the L’Alban Chambon restaurant which includes:

A glass of Champagne
4 course dinner Menu "Sensation"
Wine package "Essentiel" (includes 4 glasses of wine)
Valet service

This offer is based on availability and valid reservation.

I stayed in the Hotel Metropole in 2006. It has the most wonderful Art Nouveau bar with Toone puppets.

Visit the Hotel Metropole site.

Book travel to Brussels at EuroTravel.

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Hypnotherapy Can Help Adolescents Cope

2009-09-17T15:22:00.001+02:00

Too many young people lack the self-esteem needed to make a positive start in the adult world. Young people withdraw into their own world of adolescence dominated by friends, music and often sexual promiscuity and drugs. Parents and teachers demand respect but fail to reciprocate in a way that young people appreciate. Adults give one verbal message but act in a contradictory way. It is often a case of “Do as I say not as I do” yet we wonder why the adolescents are confused and rebel.

Physical and hormonal changes are taking place in their body sometimes causing embarrassment such as acne, sudden breast growth, voice change and through all this sudden change, they are seeking their identity. No longer a child but not yet an adult. Who are they?

We can deal with them not as unformed, uncertain adolescents but as individuals of unlimited potential, people with greatness within them. Respect their gifts and individuality and they will come to respect themselves.

Bombarded with academic information, they wonder what relevance this has in the real world. Subjects can be boring or stimulating depending on the teacher’s skills and ability to connect with the students in their model of the world. In a world of social media such as Facebook, My Space and Twitter, SMS’s, internet surfing, TV zapping, they connect with the world of NOW so why study Latin or Literature? Often they are unable to write complete sentences as they are used to the SMS language of abbreviations. Why write when you can type? Then there are seemingly non-stop exams and all that stress. For what purpose? To graduate from university with a large debt and difficulty in finding employment? Or minimal job prospects from inadequate training?

Yes, adolescence is a difficult time especially if we force our young people to conform and fit in with our world. Instead of alienating them and losing vital contact during a period when our influence can still be beneficial, we can help them quickly through personalized hypnotherapy.

Hypnotherapy is a safe, natural form of therapy which works direct with the unconscious mind, or subconscious, where all change and learning takes place with the least resistance. Primarily known as a way of stopping smoking in one session, a competent hypnotherapist can help young people in many ways eg:

- Improving self-esteem
- Improving confidence
- Improving self-respect
- Dealing with addictions eg drugs, cannabis, even excessive online surfing
- Nail-biting, thumb-sucking, hair pulling or blushing
- Self-harm eg cutting
- Eating disorders
- Weight control
- Nervous twitches, stuttering
- Acne, eczema, warts
- Excessive sweating
- Exam nerves
- Concentration & motivation
- Stress
- “School-itis” ie aversion to school
- Learning languages
- Improved memory
- Dating confidence
- Fears/phobias
- Obsessive & compulsive thoughts
- Depression
- Coping with divorce, new families & sexual abuse
- Shyness
- Public speaking & leadership
- Driving test nerves
- Certain health problems, pain control
- Coping with cancer & chemotherapy
- Dyslexia
- Sports improvement

All of these problems have been successfully solved or helped by hypnotherapy all over the world, often in a couple or a few sessions.

Neuro Linguistic Programming employs language to re-programme the mind aimed at finding solutions and empowered resourceful states.

Life coaching can help for a specific project, time period or ongoing challenge.

©Antonia Harrison 2009, the English Hypnotherapist in Belgium offering personalized hypnotherapy and Neuro Linguistic Programming in Limburg, Brussels and Antwerp. Life coaching is also conducted over the telephone worldwide. She is available for presentations to groups and private or corporate training.

Brussels Marathon & Half Marathon

2009-09-16T14:19:00.001+02:00

More than 6,500 runners have already registered for the 6th Brussels Marathon & Half Marathon on Sunday, October 4 making it a record edition. Do you want to register online at pre-registration rates? Act quickly because online pre-registration will close on Sunday, September 20 at 23:59!

Click here to register

After that you'll only be able to pre-register at JoggingPlus in Brussels, Gosselies, Rocourt or Louvain-La-Neuve. You'll find the addresses on www.joggingplus.com . They will give you your bib number when you register. You can pre-register at JoggingPlus until Thursday, October 1.

From October 2-4 you can register at the Marathon Expo in the Royal Military School in Brussels. You will be charged the late registration fee as listed on the website.

Four different distances
Sunday evening, September 20 is the deadline for group registrations!

The Brussels Marathon & Half Marathon programme includes something for everyone:
9.00: Brussels Marathon (42.195 km)
9.30: Brussels Mini-Marathon 4 km
9.45: Knack Weekend Ladies Run 4 km
10.15: Chiquita Kids Run 1 km
10.30: Brussels Half Marathon (21.097 km)
Starting line: Cinquantenaire/Jubelpark
Starting line Kids Run: Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat near the Parliament building
Finish line: Grand Place/Grote Markt

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Worship by Clouseau sung in English

2009-09-11T13:52:00.006+02:00

Clouseau are the most successful Flemish group but they also made two CDs in English. From In Every Small Town comes this absolutely beautiful song "Worship":

I worship the ground you walk on
I will love you until the day I die
Somewhere down the line
When the years are not so kind
I'll still worship the ground you walk on.

Full lyrics:
There will never be
another night like this
and I have never felt
the passion of a kiss like yours..

Someplace out of time
kept you within a touch
who would have believed
that we could feel as much
as we do now, as we do now

Baby,when the sun tries to hide
and the clouds build up their thunder
think of me and darling
this world won't hold you down

-Chorus-
'Cause I worship the ground you walk on
and I will love you until the day I die
somewhere down the line
when the years are not so kind
I'll still worship the ground you walk on

No-one can come close
to understanding how
I couldn't feel much more
than I do right now
but you did somehow

Nothing lies between you and I
in this bed tonight
sleeping with contentment
in the arms of love

-Chorus-

And somewhere down the line
when the years are not so kind
I'll still worship the ground you walk on
and I will love you until the day I die

Somewhere down the line
when the years are not so kind
I'll still...
I will .. I will..

Clouseau In Every Small Town available from Amazon:

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Gemakkelijk Stoppen met Roken

2009-09-11T13:06:00.002+02:00

Eric Eraly wordt door de Vlaamse en Nederlandse Pers beschouwd als dé Stoppen-Met-Roken-Goeroe omwille van zijn Unieke RookStop Seminars waarin hij rokers op één dag makkelijk helpt stoppen met roken.

Eric Eraly was reeds te gast bij en werd geïnterviewd door VTM , TV1, VARA, TV Limburg, ATV, Life TV, S-Televisie, Het Laatste Nieuws, Het Belang van Limburg, De Gazet Van Antwerpen, Het Nieuwsblad, TRENDS, P-Magazine, Libelle, Flair, MENZO, DAG ALLEMAAL, Primo TV-Gids, Radio 1, Radio 2, Donna, Studio Brussel, 4FM, FM Brussels, Radio Nostalgie, …

Eén van de opmerkelijkste stunts van Eric Eraly was zijn RookStop Seminar in de Gevangenis van Antwerpen! Na 4 maanden waren de deelnemende gedetineerden nog steeds rookvrij.

In een andere stunt hielp hij, in samenwerking met P-Magazine, 50 Café-bazen op één dag succesvol van het roken af.

Waardering Consument:
Eric Eraly is de auteur van de BestSeller “De Gemakkelijk Stoppen Met Roken Methode”. Via zijn boek en CD’s zijn reeds enkele tienduizenden rokers op een éénvoudige manier gestopt met roken.

De grootste bedrijven in Vlaanderen en Nederland maken van zijn seminars gebruik om hun personeel te helpen stoppen met roken.

Produkten & Services:
* De BestSeller “De Gemakkelijk Stoppen Met Roken Methode“
*(Borgerhoff & Lambrigts 2007) ( Boek & E-boek )
* De CD-box: De Gemakkelijk Stoppen Met Roken Methode (CD-Box & MP3’s)
* De RookStop DVD ( binnenkort verkrijgbaar)
* Het RookStop Seminar : “In Eén Dag Van Het Roken Verlost”

Klik hier voor meer informatie over Stoppen met Roken

24th Scottish Weekend in Alden Biesen

2009-09-08T16:11:00.015+02:00

The 24th Scottish Weekend will take place 11, 12 and 13 September 2009 in Alden Biesen, Bilzen.

There will be concerts of folk music, bagpipe performances and competitions, Highland dancing, Highland games (always fierce competition), whisky tasting, children's animation, storytelling and a market selling Scottish goods.

Red Hot Chilli Pipers will top the bill in the Saturday Concert tent 23:00-00:30.
Scottish, bad assed and sexy…. That’s the least one can say about the Chilli’s. This 8-headed pipeband has been travelling on a rising star which has already led them to all outskirts of the world in their short existence. They became famous by winning the BBC primetime Television show “When will I be Famous” and in 2007 they got awarded the title of “Live Act of the Year’. The core of the band is made up of three bagpipe virtuosi supported by a firm rock backline, and as their name already suggests, they don’t limit themselves to the traditional pipe-tunes. Their version of such rock classics as ‘Smoke on the Water’, ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘Clocks’ will completely knock you over. Bagpipes with an attitude, drums with a Scottish accent…. This performance comes with a warning: it can be hazardous for your health!

I took my children two years ago and it was excellent entertainment for us all. My boys loved dressing up and doing archery. They even met a man with two ferrets. We met some Belgian guys on a stag party weekend. Apparently that theme is popular with Belgians.

Ticket prices Scottish Weekend 2009 (free entrance for children up to 12 years)
Day ticket
Friday Saturday Sunday
Presale 10,00 10,00 10,00
Pay Desk 13,00 13,00 13,00
60+ 10,00 10,00 10,00

2-days ticket Friday & Saturday Saturday & Sunday
Presale 18,00 18,00
Pay Desk 23,00 23,00
60+ 18,00 18,00

Combi-ticket
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Presale 25,00
Pay Desk 30,00
60+ 25,00

Full details in four languages: http://www.schotsweekend.be/

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Indoor Mini-Golf in Parc Molenheide, Limburg

2009-09-08T15:59:00.005+02:00

The indoor Mini-golf "De Mijn" in Parc Molenheide, Molenheidestraat, 3530 Houthalen-Helchteren (tel 011/52 10 44) offers 18 holes built like a mine where light, smell, sound and movement play an important role. Like a true miner you descend into the mine while playing, encountering many types of mines like diamond and gold. You can even meet some dinosaurs. It is the ideal trip for young and old.

Indoor Golf Adventure "The forgotten mine' is the newest attraction at park Molenheide.

Prijzen geldig in de maand September Indoor mini golf:

Maandag, dinsdag, donderdag en vrijdag
Kind : normaal 6.90 € NU 3.45 €
Volwassene : normaal 8.25 € NU 4.15 €

Woensdag, zaterdag en zondag
Kind : normaal : 8.50 € NU 4.25 €
Volwassene : normaal : 10.00 € NU 5.00 €

Find indoor Mini-Golf "De Mijn" at www.BeOurGuest.be

If you want to stay in a bungalow or camp at Parc Molenheide in September, they are offering 50% discount.

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

ADHD Medication in Belgium

2009-09-05T15:31:00.003+02:00

€7.6 m was paid out for ADHD medication Ritalin (known in Belgium as Rilatine) in 2008, up from €4.2 million in 2005.

Are there really more children suffering from ADHD or more parents and teachers suffering from impatience? We live in a society of immediate gratification where we have to have IT now. But we also live in a society of stress bearing more and more on all of us, resulting in less time to spend with children. Children spend far more hours sitting in front of TV, playing computer games or using games consoles. They watch the same episode over and over on DVD rather than seeking new stories which stimulate the imagination. These children who are classified as ADHD because they cannot sit still and focus on school subjects, can often sit still for hours and concentrate on their computer games. So are they really suffering from attention deficity and hyperactivity, or are just the product of the crazy lifestyle we now live? I remember sitting quietly for 20 minutes at the start of the day for school assembly, a time to come together and reflect before beginning lessons. At primary school we lay down for half an hour after lunch to relax. Today kids are running around in the playground, often playing competitive games.

Gone are the days when children could sit quietly and build something from junk using their own imagination.

Some children with ADHD gain help from Hendrickx Technique found in Hasselt. Educational Kinesiology can also give enormous benefit for learning difficulties, dyslexia, spelling, reading and writing. There is a Flemish woman in Berchem who also sees children in English for 40 € per session. By co-ordinating the two brain hemispheres through fun exercises, it brings fast and measurable results.

I will make myself unpopular saying this but some people prefer to hold on to the identity of a label eg ADHD, dyslexia joining the victims "poor me" support groups rather than exploring therapies and techniques which have already helped thousands of people. It is your choice.

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Antwerp Expat Welcome Party 2009

2009-09-05T15:21:00.003+02:00

Are you looking for a new home, living tips, expat clubs and associations, contacts in Antwerp's comunity, news and information, ideas on what to do?

Enjoy a welcome buffet party, live entertainment, practical information, tombola, meeting expats and locals, all for free.

September 10 at 18.00 in the Radisson Blu Park Lane Hotel, Antwerp.

Exclusively for CEOs, HRD & HRM, Corporate Mobility Managers and newly-arrived and resident expatriates.

Register at events@ackroyd.be before 7 September 2009.

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Nia

2009-09-04T11:32:00.003+02:00

Nia is a combination of free style dance, yoga, Tai Chi and more energetic exercise. I strongly recommend you contact Gitta for information and here is a list of Nia lessons in Limburg.

Gitta Weytjens
Certified Nia teacher
www.nia-gitta.be
www.niabelgium.be
0032 497 91 63 65

Nia in het gras!

Afgelopen weekend hebben we in Bree op blote voeten in het gras gedanst, met zicht op het kanaal, wind in de haren en zon in het gezicht. Een heerlijke ervaring!
Bij mooi weer gaan de lessen op zondag in september ook nog door op deze plek!
(let wel: uitgezonderd zondag 20 september, dan gaat de les door op Orshof, Neerglabbeek. Zie 'Puur Natuurlijk')
Lokatie: Het Tolhuys, Kanaalkaai 3, 3960 Bree

Nia op PUUR NATUURLIJK, buitenleven beurs Orshof, Neerglabbeek, zondag 20 sep,10- 18 u

Laat al je zintuigen genieten van dit gezellige buitenleven event. Kom kijken, proeven, ruiken, ervaren, luisteren en voelen van het buitenleven en neem deel aan talrijke workhops, zoals Nia, Kinderyoga, Yogamassage, bloemschikken, schapen hoeden, boetseren met chocolade (!), vuur maken, huifkartocht, lezing bachbloesems, ...
Leuk voor ouders én kinderen

Nia workshop 10.30 u, 14 u, 16 u
Kinderyoga 13.30 u (6-9 jr) en 15.30 u (9-12jr)
Yogamassage 13.30 - 14.30 u en 16-17 u (om het kwartier)

Attentie! Op 20 sep zal de wekelijkse Nia les dus niet in de Balletschool in Bree doorgaan, maar in het Orshof, om 10.30u.
Deze les is GRATIS + GRATIS INKOM voor de beurs. Je dient me wel op voorhand je naam door te geven!

De Landelijke Gilde organiseert die dag een brunch, dus daarna kunnen we lekker aanschuiven en smullen! Allen daarheen!

Info: www.puur-natuurlijk.com

Lessenrooster najaar 2009

zon Bree 10.30
maan Opoeteren 20 u
di Dilsen (Vormingplus, 2 kennismakingslessen, di 15 en do 17/09, 20u) Houthalen 10 u (Vormingplus, voor senioren, 10 lessen, start 13/10)
Heusden-Zolder 20 u (Vormingplus, 7 lessen, start 22/09)
Gruitrode 20 u (Vormingplus, 10 lessen, start 10/11)

woe Bree 10 u
Kinrooi 20 u

Een klaskaart bedraagt 80 euro voor 10 lessen en is 13 weken geldig. Je kan met deze kaart op alle lokaties terecht, behalve de lessenreeksen die georganiseerd zijn door Vormingplus.

NIEUWE Nia lokatie Opoeteren, Kasteel De Schans

Vanaf maandag 21 sep start er een nieuwe Nia Lessenreeks op Kasteel De Schans, in Opoeteren. We dansen er in een volledig gerenoveerde zaal in het Koetshuis, met zicht op de bossen en het water! Geniet al dansend van het mooie uitzicht!

10 opeenvolgende lessen - géén les op 2 nov.

Lokatie: Kasteel De Schans - Kasteelstraat 18 - Opoeteren

Dagworkshop 'Vrij en blij beleven en bewegen', zaterdag 26 sep, 09.30- 16.30 u, Zonhoven in samenwerking met Katty Desquesnes

Wat is vrijheid voor jou? Wat betekent vrij en blij leven? Tijdens deze dag wordt je uitgenodigd om in vrijheid en blijheid te leven op het ritme van muziek, beweging, meditatie, zelfreflectie en expressie. Zoals het ritme van het leven, van binnen naar buiten en van buiten naar binnen.

Je zal datgene wat je nog belemmert leren herkennen en erkennen van dat wat je nodig hebt om de vrijheid en blijheid in jezelf te ervaren terug ontdekken.
Speelsheid, blijheid , authenticiteit en expressie zijn de sleutelwoorden van deze boeiende dag. Gun jezelf dit bijzondere cadeautje!

Inschrijven via Vormingplus
Lokatie: Evenementenhal Zonhoven
Prijs: 18 euro

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Dunkirk to Dover Car Ferry is Closest to Belgium

2009-08-03T15:16:00.006+02:00

If you want to travel to the UK by ship, I recommend Norfolk Lines. They cross from Dunkirk which is 40km closer than Calais and are quite a bit cheaper than P&O Ferries.

They offer restaurants and bars, children's play areas, a beautician, 10 minute massage, shops and a first class lounge.

Right now, they are offering Dover - Dunkirk Short Break Fares from £32* return. Valid for new bookings travelling before 17th December 2009.

To visit the Norfolk Line website, go here:
Ferry to France
Ferry booking to France and Ireland. Norfolkline's cross-channel ferries to France from Dover to Dunkerque

Norfolkline ferries to France, Ireland, & Scotland with Dover - Dunkirk, Liverpool - Belfast, Liverpool - Dublin, & Rosyth (Scotland) - Zeebrugge (Belgium) ferry crossings offer low ferry fares and convenient schedules. Norfolkline are the fastest growing ferry operator across the channel. So, for channel crossings, ferries to Ireland, or ferries to Belgium there's no better way than with Norfolkline.

Visit Living in Belgium for what's on in Belgium.

Hailstones on Belgian National Day

2009-07-21T18:59:00.006+02:00

Today Belgium is 178 years old. My Belgian friends don't seem to care other than it means a day off work.

Two hours ago we had hot sunshine. Half an hour ago a thunderstorm and then the hailstones started.

In Her Shoes Exhibition in Hasselt

2009-07-20T11:53:00.012+02:00

The Fashion Museum of Hasselt (Mode Museum Hasselt) are running a special exhibition until 8 November 2009 all about ladies' shoes.

There are shoes designed by well-known and lesser-known designers and manufacturers from 1900 through to the present day. Also work by contemporary designers from Belgium and the Netherlands and by artists and photographers who have drawn inspiration from women's shoes.

"I did not have 3,000 pairs of shoes. I had 1,060." - Imelda Marcos

For women shoes are much more than 'practical' and 'comfortable'. Shoes are often purchased as 'comfort buys'.

The Italian fashion journalist Paola Jacobbi said, "Whether you're fat or thin, tall or short, beautiful or ugly, you can buy all the shoes your heart desires. That's why women buy so many".

Shoes reflect a woman's personality. They are a status symbol and have seductive power.

"A good shoe is one that doesn't dress you, but undresses you". - Christian Louboutin

Tickets: Adults €5, 12-18 years and students €2, - 12 years - free
Open:
Until 31 October: Tuesday to Sunday 10-17u
1-8 November: Tuesday to Friday 10-17u, Saturday and Sunday 13-17u

Info: http://www.modemuseumhasselt.be/

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Anniversary of Early Death of Leen Dayers

2009-07-06T19:55:00.002+02:00

Monday 13 July marks one year since Leen Dayers was tragically killed by a sleeping motorist cycling home from a party with other scouts leaders. Her Scouts name was "Fodi".

There will be a special memorial service in Bolderberg church at 7pm.

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

We Love the Hasselt Duck

2009-07-06T17:47:00.005+02:00

One day a huge blow-up yellow duck appeared in Hasselt harbour and immediately caught people's attention, so much so that it is staying longer in Hasselt than originally planned. The "badeend" (bath duck) was conceived by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman and promotes "Zoom-OUT", a project that will bring various art projects to open spaces in Limburg 2010-2011.

Here is a photo of myself and my sons in front of the duck.

So popular is the duck that there is even a Facebook group I love de eend van Hasselt with currently, 4,501 members!

When the duck leaves Hasselt on 17 July, it will tour Limburg:
17 - 22 July in Kolenhaven Genk
24 - 30 July in De Blauwe Kei in Lommel
31 July - 6 August - Neerpelt
7 - 13 August on the island in Neeroeteren
14 - 20 August in Maasmechelen Village
21 - 27 August Oud-Rekem
28 - 31 August in de Kolenhaven Beringen.

More info: Het Belang van Limburg

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Nia Classes in Limburg

2009-07-01T18:37:00.004+02:00

I really recommend Nia, a combination of free dance, yoga, Tai Chi and other exercise. It's great fun.

There are weekly lessons in Bree, Kinrooi, Valkenswaard and Hasselt plus a last minute holiday in Bourgogne.

Weekly lessons are given in Dutch:
* Valkenswaard: start opnieuw op maandag 5 aug, 09.20-10.30 u
* Bree (zondagvoormiddag 10.30 u): geen les op zondag 12,19 juli
* Kinrooi (woensdagavond 20 u) : geen les op woensdag 15, 22 juli
* Hasselt (maandagavond): lessen voorlopig stopgezet wegens geen zaal. Zaal gezocht tussen Hasselt en Genk.

Nia workshops:
* via WISPER
Leuven, ma/di/woe 27, 28, 29 juli
telkens van 15 - 17 u
www.wisper.be

Herent, Centrum Blauwe Reiger
Nia les: 27 juli 20 -21.15 u
28 juli 09 - 10.15 u
20 - 21.15 u
29 juli 09 - 10.15 u

* via Vormingplus, Zonhoven 25, 26, 27 aug van 20 - 21.30

DANS JE VRIJ
Bewegen maakt je vrij. Maar 'vrij dansen' hoe doe je dat? Deze workshops leggen de nadruk op het 'freedance' aspect in NIa. Op een speelse gaan we nieuwe manieren van bewegen ontdekken. Iedereen welkom, ervaring niet vereist.

www.vormingpluslimburg.be

* via Vormingplus, Houthalen, 27 aug 09 - 16.30 u
dagworkshop samen met Hariette Schadé.
ONTSPANNEN & OPLADEN MET BEWEGING EN RELAXATIE
Een dagje ont-moeten, niets moeten, jezelf ontmoeten, in beweging en rust

www. vormingpluslimburg.be

Last minute vakantie, Bourgogne, Frankrijk

De afgelopen jaren organiseerde Nitta samen met Isis Fidder een 'Joyvakantie' (Nia + Intuitief schilderen) op centrum 'La Mer' in de Bourgogne. Dit jaar geeft Isis er een schitterende cursus 'Vedic Art': schilderen volgens de 17 principes van Vedic Art.
Een aparte, levensverrijkende beleving, zowel voor ervaren kunstenaars als voor mensen die nog nooit een penseel of potlood vasthielden! Vedic Art brengt je helemaal in het NU, het is een innerlijk proces dat tot uiting komt. Een nieuwe vorm van Kunst.

Meer info over deze vakantie op La Mer: www.la-mer.nl
Isis Fidder, Vedic Art: www.vedicart.nl

Nia - volg de wijsheid van je lichaam en laat je levenskracht weer dansen!

Sparkle
Gitta Weytjens
Certified Nia teacher
www.nia-gitta.be
www.niabelgium.be
0032 497 91 63 65

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

50th Wedding Anniversary in Bolderberg

2009-06-30T13:44:00.002+02:00

Who says romance is dead? A couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in our village of Bolderberg, Heusden-Zolder by telling the world with this huge blow-up couple in wedding dress. There were flowers all over the front door and a large photo of the couple on their wedding day.

That's lovely.

Antonia Harrison at Living in Belgium.

Do We Finally Have a New Flemish Government in Belgium?

2009-06-20T15:37:00.002+02:00

Formateur Kris Peeters start zijn formatiegesprekken over de nieuwe Vlaamse regering met sp.a, N-VA en CD&V. Open Vld valt dus tot ongenoegen van premier Herman Van Rompuy uit de boot. De strijd om de ministerposten kan alvast begonnen.

CD&V zal normaal gezien vier portefeuilles opeisen. Drie daarvan gaan zo goed als zeker naar Kris Peeters (minister-president), Jo Vandeurzen (Welzijn?) en Hilde Crevits (Openbare werken?). De Oost-Vlaamse Joke Schauvliege zou wel eens de vierde gelukkige kunnen worden. Eric Van Rompuy, de broer van de premier, wordt dan weer getipt als mogelijk de nieuwe voorzitter van het Vlaams Parlement.

Sp.a
De socialisten van sp.a zouden drie postjes in de wacht slepen. Frank Vandenbroucke blijft waarschijnlijk aan als minister van Onderwijs. Voor de andere portefeuilles zijn Freya Van den Bossche, Peter Vanvelthoven en Kathleen Van Brempt de voornaamste kandidaten. Van den Bossche zou azen op Cultuur.

N-VA
Bij N-VA zijn er nog meer vraagtekens. Bart De Wever blijft waarschijnlijk aan als voorzitter waardoor Geert Bourgeois, die al een ruime ervaring heeft in Vlaanderen, viceminister-president worden. Jan Peumans, de beste parlementariër van het land, voormalig vtm-gezicht Mark Demesmaeker, en Kris Van Dijck zijn kandidaat-ministers. Mocht Helga Stevens een portefeuille grijpen, zou dat een primeur worden voor ons land. Nooit eerder werd een dove minister.

Brusselaar
Eén lid van de Vlaamse regering moet wel uit Brussel komen. CD&V (Steven Vanackere) en sp.a (Pascal Smet) hebben sterke kandidaten in huis. De kans is echter klein dat die eerste de federale regering verlaat.

Source: Het Belang van Limburg

Set Up Your Own Money Earning Blog Course in Brussels

2009-05-20T18:16:00.002+02:00

People have blogs on a variety of subjects but did you know that some people are successfully earning money from their blogs, even thousands of Euros per month?

There is even a name for it: Bum Marketing. Literally, sit on your "bum" and make money while you sleep. You can be earning 100 Euros per day within a very short period.

I will teach you how to set up your own blog and monetise it.

Step-by-step
1. How to set up a blog free of charge on the blog provider's server.
2. How to set up a blog but host it on your own server.
3. How to find design templates to suit your theme.
4. How to find affiliate products and services to "sell" on your blog. Affiliate marketing is big business.
5. How to "ping" your blog so that people can find it quickly and come to visit.
6. How to find free or very cheap articles to provide fresh content to your blog.
7. How to use the RSS feed Chicklet creator to promote your blog on your Ecademy profile, website or wherever.
8. How to set up an auto-responder so that people subscribe to read your blog. This builds your mailing list which can increase your earnings.
9. How to use social bookmarking to promote your blog.
10. How to use free traffic exchanges to promote your blog.
11. How to create free traffic to your blog.
12. How to use PPC with Google Adwords to bring traffic to your blog and receive a free US$ 50 voucher to get you started.
13. How to use Google Adsense on your site to earn an average of US$ 1,000 per month.
14. How to post videos on your site.
...and lots more.

This will be a full day of information and at the end you will have your own blog, in fact your own business.

Bring your own laptop and just follow my on-screen instructions. Ask as many questions as you want.

Tell me the subject of your blog and, if available, I will bring you a set of free articles to use as content on your blog. This will kick-start your blog, meaning that people will visit, subscribe as readers and hopefully start you earning money.

I am an English internet marketer. I have been active on the internet for two years with various sites and blogs. I have found out the hard - and expensive - way, what works and what doesn't. Come and learn from me. You will quickly have a money-making blog. Or two, three, four ....

Date: Friday 26 June
Venue: Avenue Louise, Brussels

Antonia Harrison
Earn Money From Your Computer
Affiliate Marketing Success Online

Scouts Trappers Bolderberg are 30 Years Old

2009-05-13T20:26:00.006+02:00

Scouts Trappers Bolderberg are celebrating 30 years of scouts in the village on Saturday 16 May.

Events kick-off at 12.30 with an afternoon activity. From 5pm the doors open for a concert´by a 50-piece band, evening buffet meal of Paella, Nasi Goreng, Bami Goreng and vegetarian then at 8pm there will be a campfire. The meal costs 10€ for adults, 8 € for children. Book your meal here.

The Trappers even have their own Trappist beer called Trapperpist, a 9º beer.

"Trapperpists zijn meestal blond of lichtamber van kleur. De Trapperpist is een feestbier, hoppig en vol van smaak, zacht in de mond, met een uitstekende zoet-bitter balans, een aangename geur en een mooie schuimkraag. En tenslotte een lange nasmaak om ten volle van na te genieten.

Trapperpist is geen schrijffout, het is een woordspeling tussen Trappers en Trappist. Trappers is uiteraard onze groepsnaam en een 'tripel' betekent dat de brouwer driemaal zoveel malt in de brouwketel gebruikt als voor een gewoon bier. Vroeger was een Tripel voorbehouden voor de Bisschop of voor Vader Abt. En die wisten wel wat goed was, reken maar.

De Trapperpist is een bier om van te genieten als dessert, of als aperitief."

The Trapperpist will be in limited supply and only available in Bolderberg.

Full info on http://scoutsbolderberg30jaar.blogspot.com:80/

Business Cards and Photo Products

2009-05-07T22:38:00.004+02:00

For printing all of your promotional items, I recommend VistaPrint.

In the UK they currently have a promotion:

This is a great offer on business cards:

Visit VistaPrint for:
Caps - pens - Tshirts - calendars - sticky note holders - ink pads - envelopes
presentation folders - posters - photo magnets - postcards - return address labels

Products are also available in Belgium but offers may vary.

Female Networking Group in Belgium

2009-05-05T11:20:00.004+02:00

I have just joined Female Factor , a Dutch speaking group for women in Belgium and Holland.

There are seven sub-sections on the site:
- Mommy Dear
- Miss Feel Good
- Passionate Lover
- Style Diva
- Urban Cowgirl
- Business Lady
- Spiritual Goddess
I can resonate with each of those descriptions but then us women are so multi-faceted!

The site says:

Netwerk voor de 360 graden vrouw
"Een vrouw met diverse talenten, ambities en passies. Een vrouw die moeder, kunstenares, collega en vriendin tegelijk is. FemaleFactor gelooft in de kracht van vrouwen en laat vrouwen geloven in hun kracht. Daarom creeëren we ruimte voor ontmoeting, tijdens netwerklunches, Club events, inspiratiesessies en natuurlijk de community-website. Ruimte waar vrouwen elkaar kunnen inspireren: de eigen ambities en talenten ontdekken, dit delen met anderen, vervolgens omzetten in actie en genieten van de resultaten. Dit alles op een innovatieve manier; open, betrokken en met een knipoog."

Membership is free and there is lots of interesting and useful information on the website.

I have registered for a networking lunch (sandwiches so not expensive) to be held at Antwerp Zoo on 14 May. There are also meetings coming up in several Dutch locations plus workshops.

Sounds great to me.

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Belgian Plastic Drinks Bottles are Worth 25c. in Holland

2009-04-20T15:55:00.005+02:00

When I bought some Fanta Cassis bottles in a Dutch supermarket last week, I noticed that I had been charged 25 cents "statiegeld" per bottle ie recycling deposit. I told my son who asked whether we could take our bottles bought in Belgian supermarkets back to Dutch supermarkets and receive 25 cents per bottle. I told him that I doubted it as there must be a different barcode on products for sale in different countries.

Well I have just read on the online site of Het Belang van Limburg newspaper that indeed Belgians are taking their plastic empties back to Dutch shops and earning 25 cents on each bottle, particularly in the border towns of Luyksgestel, Budel, Stramproy, Weert and Stein. Apparently, the barcode readers cannot distinguish between bottles bought in Belgium or Holland. Some enterprising individuals are even collecting empties from the street, rubbish bins or neighbours, even advertising in the local paper.

The Dutch supermarkets have responded to say that they are looking out for any Belgians with large quantities of plastic bottles and will refuse the entire load. While some supermarkets consider this practice dishonest, Plus Daams in Budel-Schoot welcomes the Belgians as they realise that they will probably do some shopping in the store while they are there and, in any case, they are refunded by Stichting Retourverpakking.

Source: Het Belang Van Limburg - "Belgische petfles in Nederland 25 cent waard".

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Blondineke of Bolderberg is 100 Years Old

2009-04-18T17:41:00.005+02:00

Recently a woman in our village of Bolderberg turned 100 years old. To celebrate this achievement, her neighbours decorated the outside of her house and erected a poem about her life. They told us that she was married, had five children, was never sick and when she moved to her current house in 1959, there was no electricity.

I thought this was wonderful.

Where Can You Buy Food From Home in Belgium?

2009-04-17T17:15:00.012+02:00

As part of Expatica's extensive Survival Guide to living and working in Belgium, here is their list of places where you can stock up on the tastes and smells of home.

ANTWERP

Chinese

Sun Wah Supermarket
Van Wesenbekestraat 16-18
03 226 04 59

Jewish

Hoffy's
Lange Kievitstraat 52
03 234 3535

Mediterranean

Foreigner's Market
Oude Vaartplaats
Saturday 8am-4pm

BRUSSELS

American

Cosmopolis Press & Gifts
Drève Richelle 159
Waterloo
02 351 4803

British

Stonemanor
Steenhofstraat 28
Everberg
02 759 4979

Visit Stonemanor website

Chinese

Kam Yuen
Rue de la Vierge Noire 2-4
1000 Brussels
02 512 5833

French

Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe
Avenue Louis Lepoutre 6
1050 Brussels
02 346 1759

Oliviers & Co
Rue au Beurre 28
02 502 7211

Rob
Boulevard de la Woluwe 28
02 771 2060

Irish

Jack O'Shea's
Rue le Titien 30
02 732 5351

Italian

Casa Italia
Rue Archimède 39
02 733 4070

Italian Autentica (3 shops)

CASH & CARRY
257 chaussée de Ruisbroek
1620 Drogenbos
+32 (0)2 377 44 69

CITTA MARKET
6 avenue de Wallonie
7100 La Louvière
+32 (0)64 22 48 15

WAVRE
507 chaussée de Louvain
1300 Wavre
+32 (0)10 88.89.50

Japanese

Tagawa
chaussée de Vleurgat 119
1050 Brussels
02 648 5911

Yama Food
Chaussée de Charleroi 24-26
02 538 99 50

Mediterranean

Midi Market
Around Gare du Midi
Sunday 8am-1pm

Scandinavian/Nordic

Branches of IKEA
www.ikea.be

Scan-shop
Chaussée de Tervuren 138
Waterloo
02 351 1275

Spanish

ABC Poisonnerie
Rue Ste. Catherine 46
Brussels
02 512 7547

Economato Marisol
Place de la Constitution 23
02 521 4736

España Calidade
Avenue de la Porte de Hal 63
02 537 2387

Source: Expatica

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Does Hypnosis Really Work?

2009-04-17T17:02:00.002+02:00

The therapeutic use of hypnosis has been recognised in the USA for over fifty years as an effective form of working with the powerful unconscious mind to overcome many unwanted habits, addictions, phobias etc. in a relaxing and quick way.

I think every town in the UK has at least one hypnotherapist and they can even register with BUPA so that those with private health insurance can claim a refund of the therapist's fee.

But few people in Belgium seems to know about hypnotherapy. Sometimes they have seen a stage hypnotist working in entertainment and think that has something to do with it. Many people also tell me it doesn't work. Really?

I have been a therapist in private practice for many years helping clients with the basics like stopping smoking, weight loss, increased self-confidence and self-esteem. I have also helped people overcome fears and phobias, stage fright, exam nerves, bed wetting, nail biting, blushing, improve their golf and several stress-related health problems.

Also the second most important fear after death - public speaking.

I even have a Flemish neurologist attending for therapy so that he can experience it firsthand and thus recommend it to his patients.

Where appropriate I use regression, NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), Eriksonian and Clinical Hypnosis.

I coach some clients using various techniques to achieve prosperity, improved business or social skills.

Does it work? Most people respond very well but they must take responsibility for their own results. I am not a magician. I am a coach, a guide into the power of the unconscious mind where all change occurs.

I now offer private therapy or coaching sessions in three locations in Belgium: Brussels, Antwerp and Limburg.

Antonia Harrison
http://www.EnglishHypnotherapistBelgium.com
0497 550813

PS Most smokers stop smoking at the first session.

Expatica Networking Event in Brussels

2009-04-17T16:31:00.000+02:00

This is an opportunity to get together, share experiences, flirt, have fun and build up your networks - whilst enjoying a drink and some tapas. An added bonus is that this event takes place inside the majestic buildings of the Autoworld Museum at Cinquantenaire.

Do come along, bring a friend and enjoy a fun evening with Expatica’s community. The event will be hosted by Chalks, Expatica’s local representative in Brussels.

Reservation is mandatory as the event is limited to 50 places.

Date & Time:
Thursday, 23 April - 19h30 to 21h00

Location:
Espace53 (Autoworld)
11 Parc du Cinquantenaire
1000 Brussels

Tickets:
Tickets are EUR 10 per person, payable in advance; this covers two drinks and the tapas-style snacks.

To register and make payment, please go to: www.meetup.com/Expatica-Cafe-Brussels. Registering is simple: once you confirm participation, you will be presented with a secure service to make your payment.

For more information please contact Chalks:
chalks.corriette@expatica.com
expatica.cafe@yahoo.com
GSM: 0478.482023

Small print:

Please arrive on time, as the inclusive element of this event ends at 21h00.
Should you require a receipt for your payment, do ask on arrival at the event.
Funds will be returned for cancellations up to 48 hours in advance of the event.
The venue will close at midnight and a cash bar is available after 21h00.
Dancing, laughing and flirting will be encouraged.
Autoworld has fantastic parking and public transport connections.
All questions about this event should be directed to Chalks.

70 Photo Prints for just 4,95 € (including postage)

2009-04-13T16:42:00.004+02:00

If you want to print off some of your digital photos, Snapfish have a great offer:

* New clients receive 70 prints inclusive of postage costs for just 4,95 €.

* Existing clients receive 50 prints inclusive of postage costs for the same rate.

Go to the Snapfish site and use promo code: 70AFF0409

Offer valid until 7 May 2009.

Visit Living in Belgium for information on what's on, where to go, photos and useful tips for making life in Belgium more interesting.

Heusden-Zolder File or Fille?

2009-04-06T20:19:00.002+02:00

The difference between "file" and "fille" is just one "l" but the meaning changes from traffic jam "file-Dutch" to girl "fille-French".

Apparently the Heusden-Zolder police wanted to warn of a possible traffic jam...

March Networking Events by Expatica @ Espace53, Brussels

2009-03-25T13:34:00.004+01:00

This is a great way to meet other internationals living and working in Europe’s capital, enjoy a drink or meal in a majestic building and welcome the weekend.
Expatica would like to invite you to join us for some fun – every Friday in March, after work. Everything you could want to start your weekend well is on hand. Eat, drink, dance, chat, flirt and network – what ever takes your fancy!

Dates: Fridays 6, 13, 20 and 27 March 2009

Location: Espace53 (Autoworld Museum), 11 Parc du Cinquantenaire, 1000 Brussels

Espace53 is located inside the historic buildings of the Autoworld Museum at Parc Cinquantenaire. Parking is fantastic; Merode and Schuman metro stations are but a short walk away.

For more information, please contact:
Chalks Corriette
Sales and Community Development
Expatica Belgium
GSM: 0478.48.20.23
Email: chalks.corriette@expatica.com

Source: Expatica

St Patrick's Day Parade Brussels 15 March 2009

2009-03-25T13:25:00.002+01:00

The first Saint Patrick's Day parade in Brussels was held on Sunday 15 March 2009,
leaving from Parc Cinquantenaire.

Lead By : Parade Grand Marshall, Ghent District Highlanders Pipe Band, Parade “Celtic Queen” and her escort “Charlemagne, Lord Protector”.

Parade Theme : “Green in Europe and Growing”

Photographer Margarita Tuch followed the bands and the face-painters.

Source: Expatica

Flanders Today - FREE English Newspaper in Belgium

2009-03-23T18:53:00.002+01:00

No longer are we dependent on the weekly magazine "The Bulletin" for a view on Belgian life in English.

Flanders Today is a weekly newspaper with a wide variety of interesting news items and "What's on" listings across Flanders.

Even better, the newspaper is sent free of charge to anyone in the 27 countries of the European Union. Residents of other countries can subscribe to a weekly ezine.

If you want to receive this weekly newspaper FREE OF CHARGE just send an email to subscriptions@flanderstoday.eu

Night of Darkness - Nacht van de Duisternis 28 March 2009

2009-03-23T18:41:00.003+01:00

Light pollution is the adverse effect of excessive and inappropriate artificial light. It brightens the night sky so that stars are invisiable. City children grow up under a hazy orange night sky and few can identify the constellations.

In 2008, 23,000 participated in the annual "Nacht van de Duisternis" across 109 municipalities. Street lighting can be reduced, spotlights on monuments and buildings can be turned off. Many of the big illuminated advertisements are already switched off at night as more and more municipalities take light pollution seriously.

Earth Hour starts at 20h30 when the World Wildlife Fund is hoping that one billion people will turn their lights off for one hour. This would send a strong signal to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December.

In 2007, Earth Hour began in Sydney when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched their lights off for just one hour. In 2008, 50 million people participated. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome's Colliseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square, new York all plunged into darkness.

In Flanders some places are running special presentations about astronomy or events associated with darkness eg Aalter (presentation on astronomical photography), Beveren-Maas (family treasure hunt by torch light in Cortewalle Casdtle), Bruges (guided darkness walks), Deenderleeuw (evening concert in the candlelit town square), Genk (Planetarium), Gent (Armand Pien Astronomical Observatory), Grimbergen (lecture on light pollution), Kortrijk (guided walks), Rumst (talk on local bats and owls with a country walk and Westerlo(guided walks in the dark). Full details on: www.nachtvandeduisternis.be

Source: Flanders Today, 18 March 2008