The DU Lounge
In reply to the discussion: Belgium? How can Belgium beat the U.S. at anything? [View all]RainDog
(28,784 posts)but they still have a better social safety net than the U.S., higher educational standards/results, and you can buy flowers and excellent chocolates on every other corner block in a city. Tax evasion is a national sport, even so, among the wealthy. The language fights are just ridiculous, and Vlamse block - whatever it's renamed, is shameful.
They're very protective of their status as hdqtrs for Nato, and I heard from some who think the Dutch are too concerned with flaunting "liberalism" because, you know, those Protestants... LOL. The cannabis coffee shops are just sooo protestant.
Kriek lambic is wonderful. Never could get used to seeing horse meat in the deli - just a personal thing.
But Rubens' House and Art Nouveau architecture in Antwerp and Museum Mayer van den Bergh... I liked Antwerp much, much more than Brussels. Much easier to get around in, as a city, or was when I lived there. I recently read, tho, that's it's now hipster paradise and has the highest rate of cocaine use in Europe. oh well.
The train station is also lovely.