Amazing Belgium

In the picturesque town of Villers-la-Ville in the province de Brabant Wallon the Belgian railway network operator, Infrabel is renewing two railway bridges. They are 166 years old and are in need of a thorough overhaul. A small design detail: the bridges run right through the domain of the former abbey of Villers-la-Ville. This abbey was founded by St. Bernard in the year 1147. However, the Church and cloister were not built until between 1198 and 1209. The monastery was destroyed in the 16th century by the Spaniards and the Beggars. In 1587 the monks decided to build a fortified wall around the abbey. The Austrians plundered the buildings again in 1789 and not much later, in 1795 the French occupied the abbey and expelled the monks, never to return. Picture by Pixabay Today you can visit the courtyard, the remains of the monastery, and the church via a signposted circuit. but the remarkable thing is that two railway bridges now run through the ruins of the abbey. You can find mor

Beef stew One of the most famous dishes in Belgium is a stew that is fried in beer. A sauce of bread, flour, and mustard is also added to this. Of course, the stew is served with the world-famous Belgian and not French fries! Picture by Harry Fabel Vol-au-vent Another typical Belgian dish is vol-au-vent. You come across this dish mainly in Flanders, which consists of puff pastry filled with a warm mix of chicken, mushrooms, and cream. Also with Belgian fries! Eel in green sauce Another typical Belgian delicacy is 'Paling in ‘t groen' or eel in green sauce. As the name suggests, this dish consists of eel with a green sauce. The sauce consists of various herbs, such as parsley, cherry, and basil. You will find this dish mainly in Flemish Belgium. If you like eel, you should of course not skip this. And you guessed it, also with real Belgian fries of course. Picture by Pixabay Shrimp croquettes Belgian shrimp croquettes are also world-famous. They are often eaten as a starter, in

The first European train ride is a historic event that took place on May 5, 1835. On that day the railway between the Belgian cities of Brussels and Mechelen was put into operation and a train ran on the European continent for the first time in history. The ride consisted of a convoy of three British-made steam locomotives that traveled the route one after the other with a total of 900 guests onboard.  The distance between the two train stations was approximately 21 km. Color print of the train ride by Armand Heins (1885) The three trains ran in a convoy one after the other, each arriving five minutes after the other. The trains started their journey from one of the three end tracks in the Brussels station. The first train, the arrow, had seven open coaches with benches for people of good descent. The second train, the Stephenson, had seven open and seven closed carriages. The third train, the elephant, had sixteen open coaches with benches. A replica of the elephant locomotive After

Brussels is known as the home of the “comic strips,” The comic book culture in the capital of Belgium has roots going back even further than many American comic books, and a wide number of genre and independent comics have flourished in contrast to the many American superhero booms. Picture by Pixabay Many of these comic books have become cultural institutions and their creators such as Hergé and Dupuy and Berberian have become internationally known figures.  Starting in 1991, the large paintings of such famous European comic characters as Asterix, Tintin, and many others appeared in the city. Each of the works high above the streets below creating scenes with backgrounds and little pieces of implied action while others are simply character portraits. There are currently over 50 murals in the historical center of Brussels and even more of the works have also started appearing in nearby districts. A map of the comic strip tour is available at the visit.brussels tourist information cen

Autoworld is located in the heart of Brussels, housed in a prestigious building in front of the Cinquantenaire or Jubel Park.  More than 300 vehicles are on permanent display in this unique museum. The visitor is guided through the fabulous history of the car from 1896 to the present day, from the oldest models of the distant past to contemporary cars that give us a glimpse of the vehicles of tomorrow and even later. Picture by Pixabay The collection has recently been supplemented by a large number of vehicles from the most exciting years of automotive history since 1960. In a light and airy setting, the public can admire the cars on display up close. Here and there, themed zones have been set up, where vehicles from the public services, cars that once belonged to the Royal Family, micro cars, and models under the theme Design Story and Sport & Competition are exhibited. At the center of the museum is 'Belgium at Autoworld', a space that is completely dedicated to the crad

The Fall of Antwerp in 1585 offered the small town of Amsterdam unprecedented opportunities. Until then Antwerp was the main trading city in the Netherlands of that era, but with the fall of Antwerp, as a result of which trade with the city was mainly blocked from the outside, Amsterdam took over that position. Many Antwerp merchants chose domicile in Amsterdam; due to the blockade of the Scheldt by the Geuzen, Antwerp's influence diminished even further. To what extent the migration of Antwerp and other, now Belgian merchants, contributed to the rise of Amsterdam remains a matter of debate, especially among Amsterdammers today. Some feel that their role was inconclusive. Others believe that this migration movement has brought in the necessary expertise and in particular the financial markets, insurance, and international trade contacts that would give Amsterdam and the present Netherlands its later prosperity.