What we miss from Belgium

When we drove through Belgium in 2017, we didn’t like the country at all. Admittedly, we rather raced through the country in the rain and in the grey everyday life of those days and thus noticed very little. In addition, the places used at that time were not very meaningful. That should be different this time. And it came differently. What we miss from Belgium. What we miss from Belgium – especially Bruges.

Ok, now it could easily come up the suspicion that we have drunk in the visited countries nothing else than beer and are the total Alkoholics. Just to make that clear again. I – Thomas – am strongly averse to alcohol. Nevertheless, there are certain places in the world that have an alcoholic drink to talk about. Just think of Madeira and its liquid delicacies or Shottland with its incomparable whiskeys – there the distilled is also considered medicine :-). When eating there is also a lot of enjoyment. In addition, everything is a question of the right amount. And we know that very well.

What we miss from Belgium

We miss the Belgian beer

Exactly… many people claim that Belgian beer is the best in the world. And you have to agree with these assertions. Beers like the Leffe or Trippel (no, it’s not a grammatical error and it doesn’t mean gonorrhea), which are spread beyond the borders of Belgium and commercially profitable, offer the palate a delicious firework display. When I think of Swiss beers like Feldschlösschen or Quöllfrisch, these are by comparison only shallow puddles. Ugh…

There is in really – the beer heaven. And it’s in Bruges, Belgium.

Then there are the smaller local breweries that are in no way inferior to the big ones. A Brune or Amber with the dark, almost black colour and the strong malt taste offers the palate a feel-good package like a wellness program in a five-star hotel.

Brugge Tripel
Nose: hops with light malt nuances, followed by fresh anise
Flavour: strong hops underpinned by a delicate malt flavour, aniseed becomes more pronounced in the rear palate and gradually emerges
Gouden Carlos (beer with a 2018 award)
Nose: Caramel with sweet malt scent
Taste: smoky but sweet malt taste, caramel nuances slowly emerge.

We miss old cities

Ghent and Bruges are indeed massively flooded by tourist streams. Nevertheless, it is definitely worth taking a look at the old and historic cities. In Bruges, those interested in culture will find the oldest hospital in Europe. Whether strolling through the alleys on foot or exploring the city with one of the countless tourist boats on the water, it is impressive.

The oldest hospital in Europe is in Bruges.

We miss French fries

French fries??? How can you miss these things. Yes you can. The Belgian fries are really delicious. The traditionally fried French fries are available from the many Frituures. They are really signposted that way. And why are Belgian fries better than in the rest of the world? Belgian French fries are fried in kidney oil. This oil gives the fries a nutty and therefore incomparable taste. Try it, it is ingeniously delicious.

The famous fries from Belgium. They are best prepared in one of the Frituures.

Conclusion: Belgium has a lot to offer for your physical well-being. Belgian chocolate should also be mentioned here. Switzerland is known worldwide for its chocolate. But Lindt & Sprüngli and its competitors have to dress more than warm to keep up with the Belgian competitors. The Swiss chocolatiers should concentrate on the core of the matter rather than on commercial profit. And visit Bruges.

Outlook: In Belgium we were awakened once at night and unintentionally became vogler explorers – Nope, no grammatical mistake. Read more in the upcoming report: The DuBu’s as ornithologists.

Those who have tried Belgian chocolate will avoid Swiss chocolate.

There was a beer festival in Brussels. Here the small selection of Belgian beers.