Belgium Guide

This small county is the size of Maine and is split into two distinct regions. The northern part of Belgium is known as Flanders and the language spoken is Flemish which is a form of Dutch.  The southern part of Belgium is known as Wallonia and is inhabited by the French speaking population.   A small eastern territory is German speaking.  In Brussels, the capital, it is a trilingual city and many locals speak English, French, and Flemish.  There are three officially recognized languages: French and Dutch are the main languages; German is spoken by a small segment of the population and English is widely spoken.

Most cities have quaint medieval squares, tree-lined canals, gorgeous architectural facades, world class museums and friendly outdoor cafes perfect for people watching and sipping on the local brews. The scenic Flemish countryside is painted with soft green hills and winding roads dotted by black heather bordered by proud farms and peaceful canals. Cities in Flanders exhibit their charm with cobblestone streets, cathedrals.

Belgium is known for their extensive list of over 450 different varieties of beer.  Belgians take their beer seriously - and with good reason. Belgium has enjoyed an unparalleled reputation for its specialty beers since the Middle Ages. Connoisseurs favor Belgian beers for their variety, real flavor and character. And remember, "Beauty lies in the hands of the beer holder."

There are almost as many beer styles as there are breweries in the small kingdom of Belgium. The choices are endless when you consider raspberry beer, white beer, chocolate beer, geuze beer, cherry beer, brown beer Trappist beer and of course the beer that Belgium is most famous for - the lambic beer. Lambic beer is made with an ancient style of brewing, depending on spontaneous fermentation to produce a bone-dry, profoundly tart, and naturally effervescent drink that improves with years in the bottle - much like wine. By European Union regulation, it can be produced only in a small area in Belgium.

Belgium Chocolate:

Belgium produces 172,000 tons of chocolate per year with more than 2,000 chocolate shops throughout the country.  A beautifully sculpted chocolate shell conceals a center of filling which explodes with a surprising texture and flavor in your mouth. Many chocolatiers still make their chocolates by hand. Every town and even small villages have chocolate stores with luxurious delicacies to sample.

Belgian Waffles

‘Belgian Waffles’ served for breakfast at your local diner. Waffles have been an important part of the Belgian diet for centuries and are an epicurean encounter which can only be experienced in their natural habitat. Aside from the delicious recipe, the authentic Belgian waffle is unique because of the special waffle irons used to bake them. These waffle irons are only available in Belgium and give Belgian waffles their signature crunchy-golden outside and fluffy inside.

In Belgium there are two types of waffles the Brussels and the Liege waffle. The Brussels is rectangular in shape with a golden-brown exterior, deep divots and is usually eaten with a knife and fork. Brussels waffles are served with a variety of toppings such as powdered sugar, whipped cream, ice cream, strawberries and chocolate. The Liege waffle is golden-yellow, more dense in texture and has a burned sugar coating on the outside giving it a lightly sweet flavor. This hand-held waffle is sold by street vendors all over Belgium.

Cultural Points

Eddy Merckx Factory:

• Eddy Merckx is five-time champion of the two most important races in professional cycling, the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia and one of only four cyclists to have won all three of the Grand Tours
• He is one of only two men to have won the Triple Crown of Cycling (Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and the World Cycling Championship) in the same year.
• In addition, he is one of only three riders (all Belgian) to have won all five “Monument” one-day classic races at least once during his career, and won the season-long Super Prestige Pernod International competition a record seven consecutive times.
• Overall, Merckx entered 1582 road races in his 13 year professional career, and won 525 of them —this implies a winning rate above 33% (approx. one-third).[4]
• He dominated both single-day and stage races during his career, a rarity in recent cycling.

Merckx started competing in 1961. Three years later he became world champion in the amateur category, before turning professional in 1965. In 1966 he won the first of seven editions of Milan-Sanremo. He started his first grand tour at the 1967 Giro d'Italia. He would win his first stage here and finished seventh overall. Later that year he outsprinted Jan Janssen to become world champion in the professional category in Heerlen, The Netherlands. He would win this title twice more.

Manneken Pis

There are several legends behind this statue, but the most famous is the one about Duke Godfrey II of Leuven. In 1142, the troops of this two-year-old lord were battling against the troops of the Berthouts, the lords of Grimbergen, in Ransbeke (now Neder-over-Heembeek). The troops put the infant lord in a basket and hung it in a tree, to encourage them. From there, he urinated on the troops of the Berthouts, who eventually lost the battle.

Airports and Travel

Brussels International Airport
Located 8 miles (13 Km) northeast of the city center. IATA and ACI (Airport Councils International) voted Brussels Airport as Best European Airport 2005 in March of 2006
http://www.brusselsairport.be/en/

Airport Services
Located in the Arrival Hall: Information/help desks, Money Exchange, Post Office, Duty Free Shops, Car Rental, Cafes/Restaurants, Beauty Shop, Business Center, Religious Services, Train Information & Reservation, Travel Agency, ATM and luggage lockers.

By Air
The following airlines provide air service from the United States to Brussels:
American Airlines	(800) 433-7300	Chicago (ORD) and New York (JFK) - daily
Continental Airlines	(800) 525-0280	Newark (EWR) - daily
Delta Airlines	(800) 221-1212	New York (JFK) and Atlanta (ATL)  - daily
Jet Airways	(877) 835-9538	Newark (EWR)  - daily. Toronto (YYZ) - 5 days a week beginning 9/5/07.
Brussels Airlines	(516) 740-5200	New York (JFK co-share with AA) - daily
United Airlines	(800) 241-6522	Washington, DC (IAD) - daily
US Airways	(800) 428-4322	Philadelphia (PHL) - daily
All overseas flights arrive at Brussels National Airport.

Calling from Belgium
The United States: Dial 00-1-(area code)-phone number.
When calling a Belgian number within Belgium always dial (0) + city code + number.
For international information call 1304.

Credit Cards & ATM
All major cards are accepted (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club and Eurcard) as well as Traveler's Checks. ATM machines are available in all major cities.

ATM Machines - VISA
Click on the ATM Locator on Visa's Expo site to pinpoint the exact location of ATM machines in Belgian cities.

Currency
EURO (Euro) €
Euro notes are issued in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros. Coins come in denominations of 1 & 2 Euro, and 5, 10, 20, 50, 1 and 2 cent pieces.

Foreign Exchange Offices
Many foreign exchange offices open on Sundays. Foreign exchange traffic is not regulated. There is no limit on the amount of foreign currency which may be brought in or out of the country.

Major Belgian City names in English, French and Dutch
English	French	Dutch
Antwerp	Anvers	Antwerpen
Bruges	Bruges	Brugge
Brussels	Bruxelles	Brussel
Ghent	Gand	Gent
Liege	Liege	Luik
Mechelen	Malines	Mechelen
Mons	Mons	Bergen
Ostend	Ostende	Oostende
Namur	Namur	Namen
Bastogne	Bastogne	Bastenaken
Kortrijk	Courtrai	Kortrijk
Aalst	Alost	Aalst

Time Zone

Belgium is six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and nine hours ahead of Pacific Standard time.