Flanders - Somewhere Amazing to Go

If you are looking for inspiration for a short break, Flanders in Belgium is the perfect choice.

Take advantage of the current fine weather and pop over to Flanders with P&O Ferries. Visit Ostend and the Flemish Coast or sit in an open air restaurant in the Oude Markt in Leuven known to locals as the 'longest bar in the world' surrounded by lovely buildings and watch the world go by.

Interested in culture? Visit Mechelen, the capital in the early 16th century with its impressive churches famous for their carillon (bell) playing and paintings including several by Rubens and Van Dyck. Or you can visit Ghent with its cobbled streets and winding canals and indulge yourself in its famous sweetshops.

Take your car with P&O Ferries on the Dover to Calais crossing from just £25 each way for a car and passengers or if you prefer to travel from Hull to Zeebrugge from £109 each way for a car and two people including ensuite cabin on an overnight crossing taking you directly to Flanders.

You can also enter a free prize draw with Tourism Flanders to win a weekend in Leuven, Ostend, Ghent or Mechelen including the ferry crossing.

Flanders, the northern Flemish-speaking region of Belgium is a prime destination with a string of engaging cities such as Ghent, Leuven, Ostend and Mechelen that offer impressive architecture, lively nightlife, first-rate cuisine and numerous other attractions for visitors. Each of the four cities of Flanders has its own unique atmosphere and style, providing the traveller with a different reason to visit each one.

Something special to eat
Did you know that Flanders has the most Michelin stars thanks to its fine cuisine. Food lovers will find so many treats to enjoy in Flanders; sample the delights of Leuven's handmade chocolates with their refined fillings of coffee and caramel-praliné. Or Mechelen's Mechelse Koekoek - a large chicken dish often prepared in abbey beer or with ginger bread.

Somewhere fabulous to shop
If you're hoping to fit in some retail therapy whilst in Flanders you won't be disappointed. Whether you're into designer labels or browsing quaint markets and quirky boutiques you will find it all here. Ostend's fashionable resort of Knokke Heist has the latest labels whilst Leuven and Ghent have an array of unusual shops, markets and boutiques to visit.

Somewhere amazing to go
From the invention of the printing press to the perfection of the portrait, Flanders has made a unique contribution to culture. Its well-funded, well-organised museums and institutions also make it a pleasure to discover. Plus dotted throughout Flanders are beautiful old relics and stunning architecture.


Visit www.visitflanders.co.uk for more tourism information on Flanders

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Belgium - Week of Taste 2007

The 2nd Week van de Smaak (Week of Taste) will run in Flanders and Brussels from 15-24 November 2007. This is a Flemish festival dedicated to gastronomy - well eating and drinking in general with more than 700 organisers of more than 1,200 events. The Belgians love eating and drinking but don't boast as much about their own recipes as some other cuisines.



There are tastings of world cuisines such as Italian, African, Turkish food - not forgetting streekproducten from the different areas in Belgium, demonstrations in hotel and catering schools, masterchefs, events in breweries, wine tastings, cookery classes including some for children, talks on typical foods, guided tours and various other events.

Here are some unusual items I spotted:
* "De Vijf Smaken op Zijn Brussels", a discovery of Brussels cuisine meeting at Sint Katelijneplein at 14.00 on 17 November.
* "Niet Elke Pater is een Trappist" discussing the differences between Trappist and Abbey beers, Brussels on 14 November, beers tasting included in the 10 €.
* How about a talk on sprouts (spruitsjes)?
* The Dag van de Geuze will be given by De Lambikstoempers in Halle, Vlaams Brabant on 24 November.
* Ecological cooking with pumpkin, Kortenberg on 16 November.
* Spanish tapas and sherries, Everberg on 17 November.
* Spices and drinks in the Middle Ages, Overwinden on 25 November.
* Blindfold dinner, Leuven on 20 November.
* Marzepan, talk at the Suikermuseum in Tienen.
* International pancakes workshop in Antwerp throughout the festival.
* Reading of Poetry about food, Antwerp on 18 November.
* A meal from the time of Keizer Karel in the 16th century, Rijmenam on 21 November.
* Belgian beers tasting, Hemiksem on 21 November.
* Pizzas cookery class for children, Putte on 21 November.
* Tea and coffee tastings in Turnhout.
* Children cooking with syrup, Borgloon on 21 November.
* Nostalgic cookery class, Bree on 22 November.
* Bangladesh cuisine tasting, Genk on 17 November.

A Dutch language class in Brussels will offer typical dishes from their homelands with explanation. There are a couple of film events about chocolate.

Some mayors are doing their bit by cooking for the public such as in Laakdal on the 18th when the mayor will be cooking spaghetti; in Genk, pasta on the 23rd and on the 18th, the mayor of Kalmthout will cook Italian fish soup.

The Flemish bookshop Standard Boekhandel are running a free tasting of Jenever all day on Saturday 17 November in all their shops. Throughout the festival they will display tasting tabels with gastronomy books at special low prices. Marc Joye's book "Feestelijk met Bier" is available for just 5 Euros with a coupon in the brochure. The coupon also gives a discount on cooks about vegetables, desserts and wine.

Some Spar supermarkets will have cookery demonstrations and tastings.


A special feature this year is EETiKET, about children (aged 6-12)and restaurant culture. The idea is that children should enjoy going out to eat and be welcome in restaurants. More than 90 children-friendly restaurants in the brochure welcome children and a section of the website is aimed at schools.

Looking ahead, the lovely town of Lier south of Antwerp will be bidding for the title "Stad van de Smaak 2008" with Oma's smikkelport, a turn of century menu, local products on the Zimmerplein (don't miss the Zimmer Tower), wine tastings, a culinary quiz, Moroccan pizzas, Portuguese specialities and more. Kortrijk hold the title in 2007.

A Free brochure is available in public libraries, Standard Boekhandel and Spar supermarkets with activities divided into provinces and listed under town names. You can also find details on the website.

Click here for info

Echt lekker!

For travel to Belgium, visit Eurotravel

Magical Christmas Markets in Belgium

It is cold this weekend so time to think of warm cheer and the enjoyment of a Belgian Christmas market. St Nicholas (Sint Niklaas) arrives on 6 December to visit good children. Shops abound with yummy treats such as marzipan, flat hard cakes known as ‘klaasjes’ and ‘speculoos’, a hard gingerbread molded in the form of St. Nicholas.

Christmas markets are an old holiday tradition in Belgium where both locals and visitors can shop for original and traditional decorations along with other Christmas goodies at open-air stalls in the heart of the city.

Many towns and villages throughout Belgium hold Christmas markets. Most will be aglow with colorful illuminations around their main streets and shopping centers.

In all major cities, shopping will be possible on the four Sundays preceding the holiday. The local Tourist Offices can provide visitors with details on the numerous nativity scenes on display, Christmas markets, concerts and other seasonal events.

Brussels will hold its annual European Christmas market on the Place St. Catherine, from 1 December to 1 January. (M-F: 11-20h & Sat/Sun: 11-22h)

An array of products will be available in a warm and friendly atmosphere. This market with its cheerful lights, delicious aromas and a vast number of stalls promises a true holiday atmosphere. In addition to the Christmas Market the Brussels ice skating rink offers fun for all. This year for the first time a separate small skating rink invites toddlers to enjoy this wonderful winter sport too. And the holiday atmosphere would not be complete without a visit to the Grand’Place decorated in festive lights for the occasion. For more information: www.plaisirsdhiver.be

Antwerp – 7 December to 6 January

Bruges 24 November to 6 January Christmas Market in the historical center of the city, also on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Gent – 7 to 24 December

Ieper – 30 November to 26 December

Leuven – 12 to 16 December

Liege - 155 decorated wooden cottages form a magical Christmas Village throughout December. Details 011-324/254 9797. The East Cantons is an area to spend a few hours. Don’t miss the opportunity to attend a Christmas concert given by regional choirs and musical societies during the period of Advent, when the Christmas lights appear! Tourism Office of the East Cantons at Tel: 011/328022.

Mechelen – 14 to 16 December

Ostend 30 November to 24 December, Christmas market with ice rink – 8 December to 6 January

For various ways to travel to Belgium, visit EuroTravel

Bolderberg, Zolder, Belgium

Bolderberg in Zolder, East Belgium is home to Belgium's other motor racing track, Circuit Terlaemen, which used to host the Formula 1 until they moved to Spa Francorchamps. Zolder is still used frequently for public and private events but the abundance of woods means that the noise from the track is not disturbing.

Bolderberg is also home to Domein Bovy, a lovely area for anyone to visit with children's animals, a rose garden, fishing lakes and cafés.

Visit the Bolderberg site for info on places to stay and eat plus links to books and interesting facts on Belgium.

Visit EuroTravel for ways of travelling to Belgium.

Hasselt Beach, Belgium

We live in East Belgium, about 250km from the Belgian coast but every year for two weeks, the beach comes to us. Or more precisely to Hasselt, our nearest big town and the capital of Limburg Province.

Hasselt Beach website

* 20 July - 4 August 2007
* 4000m2 of sand, a stage, food and drink, huge bicycle parking area.
* Free entry every day from 11.30, evening price 2-5 €.
* Beach football and beach volleyball tournaments
* Kids Karaoke
* Cocktail parties, after work parties
* Hippie Night
* Pirate Island for the kids
* Latin Dance Night
* Erotic foam party (don't even ask).

On the Beach??
Alongside the Hasselt Kanaalkom (canal): real living palmtrees, beachbars, various tents, a large sun terrace with chairs, showers, a waterbed, sandpit, bouncy castles...

In 2006, Belgium experienced abnormally high temperatures reaching the all-time high of 36.7ºC on 20 July. Unfortunately, this year we have had far too much rain and even cool weather. However, not to be beaten by a spot of rain, the Hasselt Beach organizers just erected a massive cover over the 300m2 dance floor so that the party could go on. The children's party was postponed until Saturday 4 August.

Now where is my bucket and spade...

Hasselt Beach photos on Flickr