• You have wind from the sea blowing heavily, but you have no sea.
• You have some of the ugliest buildings in the whole Europe, but you also have some 1200 beautiful Art Nouveau buildings.
• You have one season instead of four, with small variations in temperature. Sometimes you have all four seasons in one day. If you see the sun, go out quickly.
• You have the capital of Europe, acting as the model of European integration. But you also have people who argue which language should be used in national media and politics. Some Belgians get angry or disrespectful if you don’t speak their language. A country where people from different language areas speak English to each other, and behave like they were living in two separate countries, can hardly be a good example of European integration.
• You have millions of private cars every day in a very small geographic area, polluting the air and blocking the roads, making life very hard not only for the drivers themselves, but also for people who want to use public transportation instead (or walk or cycle). Many people with cars seem to like spending hours looking for parking places in a city which clearly can’t cope with the high number of cars. In Brussels many people do what they want and don’t care too much about environmental issues.
• You have many people freely smoking in bars and cafes (still in 2009!), while in many other countries full smoking bans have been successfully introduced already years ago.

Finally, let me say that in Belgium there is no point in asking “why”. It is just the way it is — and probably will be for some time. We all love Brussels (and Belgium) for its good things. And there are plenty of them; it can’t be a coincidence that Belgian artists have contributed so much to Surrealism.

Now, it’s not easy to arrange a car-free day in a city where driving is vigorously encouraged and where people still take their car to get bread around the corner, even if the car is parked further away (USE-IT).

A car-free day is a good idea, so why not expand it? After seeing how much people enjoy this event every year, it’s hard to comprehend why many people are so addicted to cars. It’s a learned behaviour, of course. Organising a day like this is a good step, but it’s not enough.

Belgium is also a country where in 2008 people are still allowed to poison the air in bars with tobacco smoke. Sad but true. Maybe we should start having smokefree Sundays too, to see how wonderful it can be?

There’s only one thing I hate more than the “hockey arena sound”: the sound of the bass drum in a hockey arena. I never considered Paul Simon as a hockey arena act, but that’s what it sounded, unfortunately. Why mix Paul Simon like a rock band (in a hockey arena)? Anyway, I enjoyed it as much as I could, without hearing the nuances. That recognizable voice was there from the start.

The setlist was a mixture of old and new songs, obviously. I remember when I saw U2 in Helsinki in 1997, many people reacted strongly to their ’80s stuff, and when they played songs from the Pop album, the reaction was lame. A shame, because Pop is U2’s best album by far. I don’t like what they did in the ’80s… Well, the same happened at Paul Simon’s concert: all that Simon & Garfunkel and early Paul Simon stuff got the greatest applause. No problem there, I pretty much like everything Paul has done during his long career, but still, I miss the Gadd, Tee & Brecker years.

Brussels restaurants by cuisine

Belgian/French

• Le Khnopff, 1, Rue Saint Bernard, 1060 Brussels
• Restaurant de la Bonne Humeur, 244, Chaussée de Louvain, 1000 Brussels. The best mussels I’ve ever tasted.
• Met Jeaninne, 152/154, Avenue d’Auderghem, 1040 Brussels. Good fondue.
• Belgo Belge, 20, Rue de la Paix, 1050 Brussels
• Le Bretagne, 13, Rue du Champ de Mars, 1050 Ixelles
• Restaurant Saint Boniface, 9, Rue Saint-Boniface, 1050 Brussels
• Les Salons de L’Atalaïde, 89, Chaussée de Charleroi, 1060 Brussels
• La Maison des Crepes, 13, Rue du Midi, 1000 Brussels

Cuban

• La Cantina Cubana, 6, Rue des Grands Carmes, 1000 Brussels

Ethiopian

• Kokob, 10, Rue des Grands Carmes, 1000 Brussels

Greek

• L’Atlantide, 73, Rue Franklin, 1000 Brussels
• Plateia Aristotelous, 2, Place des Gueux, 1000 Brussels

Indo-Pakistanese

• Passage to India, 223, Chaussée de Louvain, 1210 Brussels
• Star of India, 175, Chaussée de Louvain, 1210 Brussels
• Indus Valley, 37, Place Saint-Géry, 1000 Brussels

Italian

• La Brace, 1, Rue Franklin, 1040 Brussels

Japanese

• Miyuki, 68, Boulevard Général Jacques, 1050 Brussels
• Izaka-Ya, 123, Chaussée de Vleurgat, 1000 Brussels
• Take Sushi, 21, Boulevard Charlemagne, 1000 Brussels
• Mitsui, 86, Rue du Prévot, 1050 Brussels
• Sakura, 1, Rue du Pont de la Carpe, 1000 Brussels
• Momotaro, 106, Avenue d’Auderghem, 1040 Brussels
• Hama-Shin, 272, Chaussée d’Ixelles, 1050 Brussels
• Yamayu Santatsu, 141, Chaussée d’Ixelles, 1050 Brussels

Kebab/Grill

• Chez Emir (Turkish Kebab House), 228, Chaussée de Louvain, 1000 Brussels
• Brussels Grill
• Nemrud, 216, Chaussée de Louvain, 1030 Brussels

Korean

• Seoul, 14, Rue Capitaine Crespel, 1050 Brussels

Lebanese

• Al Barmaki 67, Rue des Eperonniers, 1000 Brussels
• Reve d’Orient (Service Traiteur), 142, Rue des Deux Eglises, 1210 Brussels

Moroccan — Maghrib

• Le p’tit Chouia en+, 38, Rue de la Pacification, 1000 Brussels
• La Kasbah, 20, Rue Avenue Dansaert, 1000 Brussels
• Le Palais des Délices, 13, Place Saint-Josse, 1210 Brussels (Saint-Josse-ten-Noode)

Spanish/Tapas

• Tapas Locas, 74, Rue Marché aux Charbons, 1000 Brussels

Thai/Vietnamese

• Les Larmes du Tigre, 21, Rue de Wynants, 1000 Brussels
• Le 2me Élément, 7, Rue Saint-Boniface, 1050 Brussels
• Saigon-Bangkok, 36, Rue de la Pacification, 1210 Brussels (Saint-Josse-ten-Noode)
• Vietnam Express, 24, Rue de la Paix, 1050 Brussels

Belgian essentials

Fritkots

• Chez Martin, Place Madou (Saint-Josse-ten-Noode). The best friterie in Brussels and in the world! Period. Ask for sauce mafia, and you’ll be in heaven.

Beer shops

• Le Bier Circus, 57, Rue de l’Enseignement, 1000 Brussels
• Beer Mania, 174-176, Chaussée de Wavre, 1050 Brussels

It goes without saying that there are countless other good — and better — restaurants in Brussels that are not mentioned here. Go find out yourself! Bon appétit! Smakelijk!

Most of these concerts took place outside Brussels. Now, is that just a coincidence? Or is it a consequence of a lack of money, concert venues, or interest on the part of arts management people in Brussels? I don’t know, but I do think Belgium is a good country to live in, when it comes to cultural activities :-)

Brussels is far from being a shopper’s paradise. If you’re after cool clothes, you might want to go to Antwerp or Berlin instead. However, with patience you can find several specialist shops with cool, not too expensive, and good quality brands (Skunkfunk and El Naturalista (a bit expensive though) to name a few).

I have a feeling that the city of Brussels is still trying to reach its full potential (despite the linguistic divide). One sign of this is the increasing number of small specialist shops. Below you can see a list of the best boutiques in Brussels:

• Mr. Ego, 29, Rue des Pierres, 1000 Brussels
• Six Shop, 44, Rue Marche aux Poulets, 1000 Brussels
• Pax Clothes and Furnitures, 8, Rue de la Paix, 1050 Brussels
• Look 50, 10, Rue de la Paix, 1050 Brussels
• Kusje, 12, Rue de la Paix, 1050 Brussels
• Pygmées, 4, Rue des Grands Carmes, 1000 Brussels
• Inno department store (lots of styles and different brands)

I’m hoping to find more nice shops, so let me know if you know any…

Cool Bars

A drink after shopping? Of course. Here you have, in no particular order, the bars in Brussels that have a cozy atmosphere. More to be added later (obviously).

• Gecko Bar, 16, Place Saint-Géry, 1000 Brussels
• Zebra Bar, 33-34-35, Place Saint-Géry, 1000 Brussels
• Beursschouwburg, 20–28, Rue Auguste Orts, 1000 Brussels
• Nova, 3, Rue d’Arenberg, 1000 Brussels
• L’Archiduc, 6, Rue Antoine Dansaert, 1000 Brussels
• Kafka, 6, Rue de la Vierge Noire, 1000 Brussels
• Goupil le Fol, 22, Rue de la Violette, 1000 Brussels
• A La Mort Subite, 7, Rue Montagne-aux-Herbes Potagères, 1000 Brussels
• La Bécasse, 11, Rue Tabora, 1000 Brussels
• La Fleur en Papier Doré, 53, Rue des Alexiens, 1000 Brussels
• Le Cercueil, 10, Rue des Harengs, 1000 Brussels
• El Metteko, 86, Boulevard Anspach, 1000 Brussels
• L’Amour Fou, 185, Chaussée d’Ixelles, 1050 Brussels
• L’Ultime Atome, 14, Rue Saint Boniface, 1050 Brussels
• L’Union, 52, Parvis de St-Gilles, 1060 Brussels
• Le Fin de Siécle, 10, Rue des Chartreux, 1000 Brussels
• Le Fontainas, 91, Rue Marché au Charbon, 1000 Brussels
• Greenwich, 7, Rue des Chartreux, 1000 Brussels
• De Ultieme Hallucinatie, 316, Rue Royale, 1210 Brussels
• Chez Moeder Lambic, 68, Rue de la Savoie, Brussels
• Le Tavernier, 445, Chaussée de Boondael, 1080 Brussels

By the way, I don’t understand why smoking is not yet banned in small bars and cafes (only in restaurants) — I hope the legislation needed for the full smoking ban will be introduced in Belgium as soon as possible.

Some time ago, I wrote about the good and the bad in Brussels. Since then, I have spoken with both my Flemish and French speaking friends, and it is fascinating to hear what they say about their country, from their (often conflicting) point of view. But they all agree that politicians are riculous about this. I don’t want to get too much into politics here, but let me make one thing perfectly clear: I don’t take sides. I try to read both French and Flemish newspapers (as much as I can understand!), and I like Flemish and French culture. I go to work and associate with people from all around Europe, every day. Simple as that, for me.

There has been some interesting articles and comments lately on Mark Mardell’s Euroblog: Divided Belgium and Flemish Flamenco. Obviously, coming from bilingual country like Finland, it’s easy for me to say that languages make life richer. So what is the problem then? Money and power, obviously — like always, everywhere. What a waste of time and energy.

After hearing the latter half of Chris Joris‘ gig, I went to see Karl Seglem’s group. Karl is a Norwegian tenor saxophonist and composer who combines folk music traditions and world beat with jazz expression. I had never heard of him before Brosella festival, so I was curious to hear the gig. Norwegian groups are usually very good, and Seglem was no exception. The band understood how to use space in music, to make songs breathe naturally. Great concert.

Organisers had set up the smaller stage further down the hill. This was a big improvement as it allowed people to move more easily between the two stages and food/drink area. Philip Catherine was playing on main stage, but after Karl Seglem’s concert I didn’t have the energy to listen to his trio for more than 15 minutes. He plays anyway quite often in Brussels (I hope).

I really like the setting and atmosphere of Brosella Folk & Jazz. Looking forward to next year’s festival!

These guys breathe the music, and spice it up with strong lyrics and political messages. I’ve been wanting to experience The Roots live ever since I first discovered them in 1997. As you can imagine, yesterday was a very special day for me.

It is always a joy to hear people who are committed to their music. ?uestlove’s backbeat is just so incredible, and the rest of the band is great too. The sound could have been better (and the weather was horrible as usual in Brussels), but nevertheless The Roots offered a good show that I will remember for a long time. I hope you will remember it too!

When I say people in Brussels, I mean people living in Brussels. This includes both the local people and people coming from various countries.

Brussels is like onion, full of surprises. Its beauty is not always apparent and visible, but if you find it, you’ll be rewarded. Many people are actually surprised when I say I like Brussels a lot. I think these people are not curious enough, or they’re just looking for something else.

Positive remarks

• Many people in Brussels are nice, relaxed and open-minded (I should add when they’re not driving!). Sometimes they can be a bit formal, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. When you talk to them, they’re very helpful and hospitable.
• Brussels is a city of culture and festivals — especially in the summer. Many of these happenings are free.
• Central location in Europe: it’s easy to travel to international destinations.
• Lots of international organisations. This brings about a lot of work possibilities — and lots of qualified candidates too.
• History, art, architecture. Brussels, the capital of Art Nouveau, still has some 1200 Art Nouveau buildings. You can have a drink at the same bar where René Magritte used to go, but what’s largely missing here is modern architecture.
• Three official languages. This makes Belgium open to influences. The existence of linguistic barrier is not always appreciated in Belgium, but I think it’s good for any country to have more than one official language.
• Belgian beers, chocolate, and fries are admittedly the best in the world.
• Excellent restaurants, offering good value for money, serving local and international cuisines. However, the choice is not as good if you’re vegetarian.
• Good accommodation rates and possibilities. Just walk in the area you would like to live in and look out for signs posted on the buildings.
• Belgium has no clear identity. It’s easier to settle down in a place where everyone else is a foreigner too. But why is this good? Because people in Brussels recognise the fact that life is colourful and that there’s not only one truth.

Questionable things

• Climate. According to wikitravel.org, the weather is rainy, humid, and cloudy. It rains here more than in the UK. Do I need to say more?
• Hegemony of cars. Many people tell me if you have a car you feel free. I disagree. I feel free when I’m walking or cycling. Driving habits are so bad here that I’m wondering how many people driving a car in Brussels actually have a driving licence.
• Most pedestrians don’t give way to you (even if they see you), not even in railway stations where most people are in a hurry. On Saturday afternoons, don’t even think about walking on Rue Neuve. The idea of “keeping to the right” is not heard of in Brussels.
• It is very difficult to find information on the web. If you do a search in French, you get results from France, and if you search in Dutch, you get results from the Netherlands. Search in English, and you go to pages in all over the world.

Selected oddities

I’ll pick out some things I find particularly peculiar. First of all, many people in Brussels love their car. They love it so much that they spend hours inside it, in their private bubble, every day. In fact (dare I say this?), it’s their second home. You can be sure to find at least one person in his/her car in every block, eating, sleaping, reading, waiting and what not. In addition to this, they spend hours in traffic jam, trying to find a parking place. I understand many people come to work to Brussels from outside the city centre, but I also know people who think they need a car even for a short distance. I’m happy that I don’t have a car. Public transportation system is good so there’s no need for one, for me.

Someone has said bureaucracy is the art of making the possible impossible. Now, in Belgium they take this quite seriously. It’s no coincidence that websites such as kafka.be exist. It all depends who you speak to: one official says one thing and the next completely the opposite. You have to have a good sense of humour and some time on your hands. Information sharing doesn’t seem to belong to French culture. They don’t tell you if you don’t ask. But if you ask, they are happy to answer. It’s up to you to find the information, not to them.

If you read this far, it should be obvious that I love Brussels :-). Over to you, people.