First Impressions: Brussels
Brussels, Belgium has a lot to offer tourists as well as to long-term inhabitants due to its political and historical status. Brussels is the capital of Belgium, the de facto capital of the European Union, and the headquarters of NATO, not to mention that it was founded as a 10th century fortress town by descendants […]
Brussels, Belgium has a lot to offer tourists as well as to long-term inhabitants due to its political and historical status. Brussels is the capital of Belgium, the de facto capital of the European Union, and the headquarters of NATO, not to mention that it was founded as a 10th century fortress town by descendants of the infamous French-German “Saint” Charlemagne. However, the city is surprisingly plain in appearance. I suppose after visiting capitals like Paris, London, and Berlin I expected a more prodigious fanfare.
After some reflection, I decided that this simple and dignified layout was more appropriate for a city as politically and linguistically charged as Brussels. Despite the role that the city plays in today’s world, the inhabitants are not a direct reflection of these cumbersome responsibilities. They are aware of what is going on in world affairs, giving them a reflective air, and they are generally linguistically gifted. They are not without their humorous side, however, which they display through their behavior as well as little surprises that periodically pop up throughout the city.
My trip to Brussels was of a spontaneous nature, which afforded me no more than a day’s time. One of the perks of living in Europe is that at least one foreign country is within reasonable driving distance from most locations. Brussels is about a two and a half hour drive from my current city of residence, Cologne, Germany. Naturally, a day trip to such a well-known city did not allow for too much sightseeing, though I was able to absorb a fair amount of the lighthearted culture of the locals. This resulted in friendly banter in an odd mixture of languages; unexpected sightings like Tintin, the Smurfs, and Asterix; and of course, lots of chocolate.
If there is one object which you must bring on a trip to Brussels, it’s an efficient multi-language dictionary, though a background in foreign languages would be more beneficial, considering the fast pace at which inhabitants switch from one language to another. I spoke predominantly in French while I was there, even though Dutch and Flemish are also spoken by a large percentage of Belgians. When I sat down for lunch in a quaint thoroughfare just off the city center, my brain was immediately thrown into overdrive as I had to keep up with the restaurant staff in a mixture of French, German, English, Romanian, Italian, and Spanish. Their eagerness to exercise their linguistic muscles was clear, as most tourists demand the staff speak just English or French.
The inhabitants are expected to be rather serious in light of what is constantly transpiring around them, but a little comic relief goes a long way. While eating lunch, a random yet pleasant character nonchalantly strolled past and this was when you could pick out the tourists from the regulars, as the tourists seemed to be the only ones interested in paying this “hero” his due respect—a man disguised as Spiderman, casually walking through the crowd and every so often attempting to scale a wall or project his wrist-web at the nearest attractive woman. Spiderman cannot be claimed by the creative genius of Belgium, but they do have a few well-known characters to which they pay homage throughout the city. Tintin, the Smurfs, and Asterix all play a role in the overall friendly and laidback atmosphere of the city. The official Tintin store is located just off the famous city square, whereas shops of Asterix and statues of various Smurf characters can be seen throughout the city.
During the car ride to Brussels I found myself occasionally daydreaming about Willie Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, in anticipation of the hoards of Belgium chocolate that awaited me. This meeting of chocolate-to-mouth was long overdue for me after my first chocolate-less trip to Belgium seven years earlier. I was grateful to find that I did not have to hunt for what I needed because chocolate shops to Brussels are like McDonalds to the rest of the world. The array of goodies was overwhelming and awe-inspiring at the same time. Not only was the chocolate delicate and delicious, but also elaborate. Any object that exists in the real world can exist in Belgium’s world of chocolatier. I almost felt guilty for eating it—almost.
Brussels is increasing in popularity as the years progress, allowing the world to see how well the city functions under so many political responsibilities. In addition to offering promising futures to those gifted in politics and foreign languages, the city manages to possess a welcoming atmosphere. Whether tourists or inhabitants, people can enjoy an array of cultural aspects ranging from the seriousness of world affairs, to the child-like refuge of characters such as Tintin and the Smurfs, all while indulging in some of the world’s best chocolate.
Photos by Jacqueline Perrier-Gillette
Jacqueline Perrier-Gillette is currently a resident of Paris, France, where she lives with her husband. Together the two of them operate their small translation company, giving Jacqueline the opportunity to observe the French and their culture up close. She is an avid reader, writer, and student of foreign languages.
By Jacqueline Perrier-Gillette
