STUDY IN belgium - Living in Belgium

Social Scene

Social Conventions: Flemings will often prefer to answer visitors in English rather than French, even if the visitor’s French is good. It is customary to bring flowers or a small present for the hostess, especially if invited for a meal. Dress is similar to other Western nations, depending on the formality of the occasion. If black tie/evening dress is to be worn, this is always mentioned on the invitation. Smoking is generally unrestricted. Tipping: A service charge of 16 per cent is usually included in hotel or restaurant bills. Cloakroom attendants and porters may expect a tip per item of luggage. A tip is generally included in taxi fares.

Special Events: The following is a selection of the major festivals and other special events celebrated in Belgium in 2004. Full calendars of events are available from Tourism Brussels-Ardennes and Tourism Flanders-Brussels.
Feb 19-29 Anima 2004 (Cartoon Festival), Brussels. Mar Parade of Parades (carnival procession), Antwerp. Mar 2-4 Carnival Weekend (including the Dead Rat Ball), Ostend. Mar 12-27 Festival of Fantasy, Thriller and Science, Brussels. Apr 25-May 3 International Film Festival, Brussels. May Brussels Jazz Marathon. May-Nov Festival of Flanders. May 20 Procession of the Holy Blood (including traditional pageant and music), Bruges. Jun 25-27 Couleur Café, Brussels. Jul Ghent Festivities (10-day folk festival). Jul 3-5 Ommegang (historical procession in honour of Emperor Charles and his son), Brussels. Jul-Aug Theatre at the Sea, Ostend; Summer of Antwerp. Summer Zand Feasts (flea markets), Bruges. Aug Rubens Market, Antwerp; Flower Carpet, Brussels. Aug 28-29 Belgium Formula 1 Grand Prix, Spa. Sep-Oct International Film Festival of Flanders, Ghent. Oct Halloween in Ostend. Nov Six Day Bicycle Race of Ghent. Nov 11 Armistice Day, Ypres. Dec European Christmas Markets, country-wide.

Local Customs & Culture

Food & Drink: Belgian cuisine is similar to French, based on game and seafood. Each region in Belgium has its own special dish. Butter, cream, beer and wine are generously used in cooking. Belgian chocolate, waffles and chips, preferably served with mayonnaise, are famous. Ardennes sausages and ham are renowned. Most restaurants have waiter service, although self-service cafes are becoming quite numerous. Restaurant bills always include drinks, unless they have been taken at the bar separately. In the latter case this is settled over the counter.
Local beers are very good. Two of the most popular are Lambic, made from wheat and barley, and Trappist. Fruit beers, such as Kriek cherry beer, are a speciality. Under a new law, the majority of cafes now have licences to serve spirits. Beers and wines are freely obtainable everywhere and there are no licensing hours.

Nightlife: As well as being one of the best cities in the world for eating out (both for its high quality and range), Brussels has a very active and varied nightlife. It has ten theatres producing plays in both Flemish and French. These include the Théâtre National and the Théâtre Royal des Galeries. The more avant-garde theatres include the Théâtre Cinq-Quarante and the Théâtre de Poche. Brussels’ 35 cinemas, numerous discotheques and many night-time cafes are centred on two main areas: the uptown Porte Louise area and the downtown area between Place Roger and Place de la Bourse. Nightclubs include the famous Le Crazy, Chez Paul, Maxim and Le Grand Escalier; jazz clubs include The Brussels Jazz Club and Bloomdido Jazz Cafe. Programmes and weekly listings of events can be found in the BBB Agenda on sale at tourist offices. This also covers information on the many festivals that take place in Brussels itself. Tourism Brussels-Ardennes/Tourism Flanders-Brussels should be consulted about folk music or drama festivals elsewhere in Belgium – the most famous of which is the Festival of Flanders for classical music concerts. The other large cities of Belgium, such as Antwerp, Leuven, Liège, Mons, Ghent, Kortrijk and Namur, all have similar (though less extensive) nightlife facilities.

Shopping: Special purchases include ceramics and hand-beaten copperware from Dinant; Belgian chocolates; crystal from Val Saint Lambert; diamonds; jewellery from Antwerp; lace from Bruges, Brussels and Mechelen (Malines), woodcarvings from Spa and bandes dessinées (comic-strip books) by a number of talented Belgian cartoon artists from Brussels. Main shopping centres are: Brussels, Antwerp, Bruges, Ostend, Namur, Mons, Liège, Ghent and Mechelen. Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1800/1900. Department stores often remain open longer, up to 2100 on Friday. Outside main areas, some shops may close at lunchtime.

Transportation

RAIL: SNCB operates a dense railway network with regular trains on most lines. On the main lines there are more frequent trains. For more information contact SNCB (website: http://www.sncb.be).

Fares: First- and second-class, single and return tickets are available. However, a return ticket is double the single fare and is only valid on the day of issue. Children from six to 11 years pay half price. Discount travel: Weekend return fares are available from Friday (after 1900) to Sunday for the outward journey and on Saturday and Sunday for the return journey (on long holiday weekends these periods are extended). A 50 per cent reduction card, valid for one month, is for sale. It entitles the holder to buy an unlimited number of half-price single tickets.

Go Pass offers ten second-class trips for persons aged under 26 and Multi Pass (valid for one day) offers one return trip between any two stations for a minimum of two people and a maximum of five. The Rail Pass offers two people ten single trips within one year. The Golden Rail Pass offer six first-class single journeys, between any two stations, to people aged 60 and over. Enquire at Rail Europe (tel: (08705) 848 848) for further information. For information on timetables, routes and special passes contact Belgian National Railways (tel: (020) 7593 2332; fax: (020) 7593 2333; e-mail: belrail@aol.com; website: http://www.b-rail.be). Runabout tickets: The five-day B-Tourrail ticket permits five days of unlimited travel within a period of 30 days on Belgian Rail. Principal stations in Belgium (and throughout Europe) are able to issue single and return tickets valid from the border to principal foreign stations (in conjunction with a Tourrail ticket). For details of Benelux Tourrail tickets, see the Travel – International section. The Euro Domino pass permits unlimited travel in any one European country for a period of three to eight days in any calendar month.

ROAD: There are many different brands of petrol available, and prices vary. Traffic drives on the right. Main towns (except in the Ardennes) are connected by toll-free motorways. It is compulsory for seat belts to be worn in the front and back of vehicles. Children under 12 are not permitted to travel in the front seat of a car when there is space in the back. A warning triangle must be displayed at the scene of a breakdown or accident. The speed limit on motorways and dual carriageways is 120kph (74mph), on single carriageways outside built-up areas is 90kph (56mph), and in built-up areas is 50kph (31mph). Bus: Extensive regional bus services are operated by the bus companies which publish regional timetables. There are long-distance stopping services between towns. Taxi: Plentiful in all towns. The tip is included in the final meter price. Car hire: Both self-drive and chauffeur-driven cars are available. Documentation: A national driving licence is acceptable. EU nationals taking their own cars to Belgium are strongly advised to obtain a Green Card. Without it, insurance cover is limited to the minimum legal cover in Belgium (third party cover is compulsory). The Green Card tops this up to the level of cover provided by the car owner’s domestic policy.

Accommodation

HOTELS: Belgium has a large range of hotels from luxury to small family pensions and inns. The best international-class hotels are found in the cities. For more information on hotels in Belgium, contact Belgian Tourist Office – Brussels & Ardennes or Tourism Flanders-Brussels (see Contact Addresses section) or one of the three regional hotel associations run by Horeca: Brussels-Flanders offices, BP 4, Anspachlaan 111, 1000 Brussels (tel: (2) 513 6484; fax: (2) 513 8954; e-mail: fed.brussel@horeca.be or fed.vlaanderen@horeca.be; website: http://www.horeca.be); Ardennes office, 83 Chaussée de Charleroi, 5000 Namen (tel: (81) 721 888; fax: (81) 737 689; e-mail: info@horecawallonie.be).

Grading: The Belgian Tourist Board issues a shield to all approved hotels by which they can be recognised. This must be affixed to the front of the hotel in a conspicuous position. Hotels which display this sign conform to the official standards set by Belgian law which protects the tourist and guarantees certain standards of quality. Some hotels are also graded according to the Benelux system in which standard is indicated by a row of 3-pointed stars from the highest (5-star) to the minimum (1-star). However, membership of this scheme is voluntary, and there may be first-class hotels which are not classified in this way. If an establishment providing accommodation facilities is classified under category H or above (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 stars), it may call itself hotel, hostelry, inn, guest-house, motel or other similar names. Benelux star ratings comply with the following criteria:

• 5-star: Luxury hotel, meeting the highest standards of comfort, amenities and service, 24-hour room service, à la carte restaurant, gift shop, parking and baggage service, travel and theatre booking service.
• 4-star: First-class hotel, with lift, facilities for breakfast in the room, day and night reception, telephone in every room, radio, bar.
• 3-star: Very good hotel, with lift (if more than two floors), day reception, guest wing (food and drink optional).
• 2-star: Average-class hotel, with private bath and WC in at least 25 per cent of rooms, baggage handling facilities, food and drink available.
• 1-star: Plain hotel, washstand with hot and cold water in every room, breakfast facilities available.

CAT H: Very plain hotel, meets all the fire safety requirements and provides moderate standards of comfort, at least one bathroom for every ten rooms and accessible to guests at night.

FARM HOLIDAYS: In some regions of the country, farm holidays are now available. In the Polders and the Ardennes visitors can (for a small cost) participate in the daily work of the farm. Further information can be obtained either from the Flemish Federation for Farmhouse and Rural Tourism, Minderbroederstraat 8, B-3000 Leuven (tel: (16) 242 158; fax: (16) 242 187; e-mail: hoevetoerisme@boerenbond.be; website: http://www.hoevetoerisme.be) or Belsud, 61 rue du Marché-aux-Herbes, 1000 Brussels (tel: (2) 504 0390; e-mail: info@opt.be; website: http://www.belgium-tourism.net). Belsud also provides information on bed & breakfast and self-catering accommodation.

SELF-CATERING: There are ample opportunities to rent furnished villas, flats, rooms, or bungalows for a holiday period. There is a particularly wide choice in the Ardennes and on the coast. These holiday houses and flats are comfortable and well equipped. Rentals are determined by the number of bedrooms, the amenities, the location and the season. On the coast, many apartments, studios, villas and bungalows are classified into five categories according to the standard of comfort they offer. Estate agents will supply full details. For the Ardennes region, enquiries should be made to the local tourist office or to Belsud. Addresses of local tourist offices and lists of coastal estate agents can be obtained from Tourism Brussels-Ardennes/Tourism Flanders-Brussels.

YOUTH HOSTELS: There are two youth hostel associations: the Vlaamse Jeugdherbergcentrale (VJHC) (website: http://www.vjh.be) which operates in Flanders, and the Centrale Wallonne (CWAJ) (website: http://www.laj.be) operating in the French-speaking area. The hostels of the former are large, highly organised and much frequented by schools and youth groups; the hostels of the CWAJ are smaller and more informal, similar in some ways to those in France.

A complete list of youth hostels and other holiday homes for young people can be obtained from Belgian Tourist Office – Brussels & Ardennes or Tourism Flanders-Brussels (see Contact Addresses section) or from the following website: (website: http://brussels.youth-beds.be).

CAMPING/CARAVANNING: The majority of campsites are in the Ardennes and on the coast; many of these are excellent. A list of addresses, rates and other information can be obtained from the Belgian Tourist Office – Brussels & Ardennes or Tourism Flanders-Brussels. The local Verblijftaks or Taxe de Séjour is a tax usually included in the rates charged. On the coast during the summer season a supplement of about 25 per cent is charged on the majority of tariffs. Camping out in places other than the recognised sites is permitted, provided the agreement of the landowner or tenant has been obtained.

Health Care

Emergency Contacts