Things Belgium is Known For:

1. Chocolate

How did they get involved in it? Back in the 1800s, when the European powers carved out spheres of influence in Africa, Belgium’s King Leopold was given the Congo region as essentially a birthday present. He proceeded to use it as his personal plantation, plundering it for everything he could get. And if the natives died, too bad for them.

The tour guide who explained this to us noted that Belgians aren’t proud of this part of their history. But it also doesn’t seem like they shy away from it, nor do they see the need to publicly and openly flog themselves over it. They just look forward and keep trying to do better by everyone.

Anyway, one of the resources plundered was the cacao bean – the source of chocolate. It wasn’t until pharmacist Jean Neuhaus started coating his medicines in chocolate (to make them palatable) in 1857 that he and others realized you could do a lot of stuff with it – and just sell the chocolate on its own.

2. Waffles

Pedantry Time: There’s no such thing as a “Belgian” waffle. There are Liège waffles, which are oval in shape, and Brussels waffles, which are rectangular. And only tourists pile crap like whipped cream and chocolate sauce on them.

3. Fries

To make proper Belgian frites, start with the Bintje potato. Cut them into lengths about half an inch thick. Fry them twice in beef fat – the first time to cook the potato, the second time to make the crust. Serve with mayonnaise. Or pretty much any sauce other than ketchup….(grin)

4. Beer

Belgium is home to some of the most amazing and incredible beers and beer styles in the world. You simply will not find any of the common American beers there – as you should not. At least have a Stella Artois if you need something like an American lager. FFS, if you’re there, get the heck out and try something. There’s a beer (Boon Framboise) that if you didn’t know any better, you’d think it was a really good cherry soda. Heck, I even had – and enjoyed – a GREEN beer (Floris “Cactus”).

There’s so much history and diversity that UNESCO put Belgian Beer Culture on their list of “Intangible Cultural Heritage” things.

5. Lace

The lace industry in the area goes back to the Middle Ages, when cities that are now in Belgium were the center of the cloth and tapestry industries. You can still find it – if you know where to look.

6. “Belgian Block” paving

In between cobblestones and bricks, Belgian blocks are still murder on your feet and ankles.

Things Belgium Should be Known For:

A. Comics

It’s not just the Smurfs (where Papa “The Red” Smurf leads his Communist community against the depredations of the evil Capitalist Gargamel) and Tintin (pronounced more with a sort of Gallic accent – Tahn-tahn – than like the metal); Belgium is the third biggest producer of comics in the world (no credit for naming the first two). I didn’t have the time to check out the Comic Art Museum, alas.

B. Art Nouveau

Not so much in painting, but in architecture and design. Like this building (now a museum that I’ll visit later) by Paul Saintenoy, built in 1898-1899:

C. The Saxophone

The Sax family made musical instruments in Dinant. Soon after Adolphe was born, they moved to Brussels (must have needed more space for the growing family). Adolphe got into the family business, and started designing brass instruments that were easy to hold, carry, and – with standardized valve size and placement – play. Hearing that some people claimed that brass instruments could never match the expressiveness of woodwinds, he set out to prove them wrong….

D. Jacques Brel

On one walking tour, we passed by the Brel Institute. The assistant guide was pleasantly surprised to find that I knew of Jacques Brel, Belgium’s gift to the Eurpoean music scene of the 60s.

“Ne me Quitte Pas”

“Amsterdam”

And my personal favorite, “La Biere”

He sang in French, but you don’t need a translation…..

OK, ok…. “It smells of beer / From London to Berlin! / It smells of beer, / God, it is good”

Museum time next.