While I was admiring the painting “The Art of Conversation” by the Belgian artist René Magritte, I thought how certain conversations, landscapes, people, and cities elevate us, allowing us to walk among the clouds with them without even being aware of it.
Such are Tintin and the chansonnier Jacques Brel, the Smurfs, and Bruges. Such are Flanders and the carnivals in Binche. Such is Belgium.
Belgium is a federal constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. It is divided into two regions based on the linguistic principle: Flanders in the north, where Flemish or Dutch predominate, and Wallonia in the south, where French prevails.
It is located in the western part of Europe. It borders France to the south, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, and the Netherlands to the north. To the west, it faces the North Sea.
Belgium is one of the most beautiful countries in Europe, while the most beautiful and romantic city in Belgium is Bruges. Known as the Venice of the North, Bruges looks like a place from a Disney movie.
It is famous for its beautiful architecture, picturesque canals, narrow cobblestone streets, and a rich cultural heritage.
The city is famous for its well-preserved medieval buildings and towers, such as the Belfry Tower located in the Markt (Market Square).
Bruges is also known for its churches and cathedrals. The Basilica of the Holy Blood houses a relic of the sacred blood of Jesus Christ.
Did you know that one of the most famous cartoon characters was born in Belgium?
Indeed, one of the most famous Belgians lives at 26 Rue du Labrador, and his name is Tintin. Tintin is a young and naive Belgian reporter faithfully accompanied on his adventures by his dog, Snowy. The series of comics “The Adventures of Tintin” achieved great success worldwide.
The first comic in the series, “Tintin in the Land of the Soviets” (“Tintin au pays des Soviets”), was first published in instalments from January 1929 to May 1930. This is the first of many adventures of Tintin written by Belgian comic author Georges Remi (1907-1983) under the pseudonym Hergé.
This comic follows Tintin as he travels to the Soviet Union where he faces various adventures and dangers.
The Carnival in Binche
The town of Binche is located south of Brussels. Each year, during the three days preceding Lent, it hosts carnival festivities that mobilise the historic centre and attract throngs of foreign visitors. With roots dating back to the Middle Ages, Binche’s famed celebration ranks as one of Europe’s oldest surviving street carnivals.
The carnival culminates when the legendary Gille characters make their appearance. After an elaborate ceremonial dressing rite, several hundred Gilles sporting red, yellow, and black costumes, replete with ostrich-feather hats, wooden clogs, bells, and wax masks with small spectacles parade through the town to the beat of the drum.
More than a thousand residents of Binche dress up as one of the four characters involved in the festival: the Farmer, Harlequin, Pierrot, and Gilles.
Did you know that one of the most famous chansonniers, Jacques Brel, was also a Belgian?
Jacques Brel was a Belgian singer-songwriter, actor, and performer whose work had a deep and lasting impact on music. He was born on 8 April 1929, in Brussels. Brel became known for his emotional songs that explored a wide range of themes, including love, life, death, politics, and society.
Belgians are true coffee fans. They have long nurtured the tradition of combining coffee and chocolate, their national treasures and pride. They consume 6.8 kg of coffee per capita annually. Coffee found its way to Belgium during the 17th and 18th century. Like a well-guarded treasure from distant lands, this precious commodity arrived on Belgian soil via trading ships and caravans, carrying with itself the aromas of Arabia and Africa. It captured the hearts of Belgians and became ingrained in their habits and everyday lives.
Follow the scent of coffee on 15 March 2024, when it will be carried by the winds above the Argentina Square in Podgorica. If you’re an explorer like Tintin, you’ll see that the scent is coming from Europe House. There, the event “Coffee with the Ambassador of Belgium” will start at noon. During the event, we will talk about the Ambassador’s beautiful country, about healthy lifestyles, and about mental and physical health. The Ambassador of Belgium will share with us the values of sportsmanship, and through some light exercises, competitions for the skilled ones, drinks, and Belgian flavours, you will learn more about her personal and career path.
Come and join us; noon is the right time for a break, and a break is the perfect time for conversation, coffee, and some light exercises.
Ceci n’est pas une pipe. “This is not a pipe,” the great painter René Magritte wrote. And much like the painter’s pipe, Belgium is much more than the lines written in this text; it is much more than the space between the lines where our imagination lives. It is the land of people and the seat of the starry European sky. It is the Kingdom of Belgium.