Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Are you missing me?

Hello readers if you are out there! Sorry I have been missing these past couple of weeks but I have been abroad. Brussels seems very far right now as I sit here in Brooklyn. Do I miss Brussels? Hmmm, let me think about that one! While Brussels is a pretty cosmopolitan in many ways, it is very easy not to miss the city. I do miss the wonderful food and beer! However, since New York is so international finding beer and many other European delicacies is not that difficult if you are willing to pay a little premium.

The other night, my husband, baby and I went to our local pub. On tap was the Mannequin Pis beer. It made me feel a little nostalgic for Belgium's national pissing boy. I also went to a cook out the other night and brought a big bottle of Corsendonk that I bought at my local supermarket. So you see, it is not difficult to live la vie de Belgique in the US.

I have also been trying to find out what is going on politically over there. It seems the world does not care about Belgium's upcoming elections. Current events in England, France, Germany and Greece seems to make the headlines. Yet no one cares about little Belgium. What if one day the country would implode and there would be no more beer, chocolate or waffles? Would the world then care? I am guessing apparently not.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Is Belgium still around

Right now I am in the States and am wondering if Belgium still has a government. It is interesting that you really see no coverage here about the dysfunctional politics that is so Belgium. News about the hung England's hung Parliament made the news over here. News commentators actually air time discussing the situation. But Belgium? Nada. Zip. Nothing. Isn't Belgium important to the world? Or rather, isn't the state of affairs important in Brussels? After all Brussels is the capital of the European Union. The Parliament is is right across the street from me. Special interest groups and lobbyists flock to this city. Yet no one cares all that much.

What if one day Belgium splits into Flanders and Wallonia and Brussels remains some sort of neutral territory. If this should happen, don't worry, both Flanders and Wallonia brew some awesome beer