Hip Guide to Belgium

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1 January – New Year's Day
Varying – Easter
1st Monday after Easter – Easter Monday
1 May – Labour Day
6th Thursday after Easter – Ascension
7th Sunday after Easter – Pentecost
8th Monday after Easter – Pentecost Monday
21 July – National Holiday – commemorating the ascension to the throne of Belgium's first king Leopold I
15 August – Assumption of Mary
1 November – All Saints
2 November - St.Sander B-day - All souls day - public holiday most companies are closed
11 November - Armistice Day
25 December – Christmas

A Quick History of Belgium, Brussels, and Bruges

Around 57 BC Rome extended its empire into the area now known as Belgium; it was inhabited by a Celtic tribe calling themselves the Belgae. Julius Caesar named the region Gallia Belgica, and Rome held power here until the fourth century AD, when the Franks took control. Word was that the Franks (a Germanic tribe) were actually Roman mercenaries, who were paid off with a reward of this area, which was called Gaul by then.

The Franks established their own dynasty, the Merovingian, and made its capitol in Tournai. By the year 500 AD the Romans had been completely eliminated from the area, which included Belgium, as well as large areas of France and Germany. The emperor Clovis adopted Christianity, and gained the support of the Church. (There are some fascinating footnotes to this historical period to be found in Dan Brown’s excellent novel “The Da Vinci Code”).

Golf in Brussels

Brussels is surrounded by the beautiful green countryside of Belgium, and offers some fine golfing for enthusiasts. Contact the Federation Royale Belge de Golf online at www.golfbelgium.be for more information about golfing.

Here is a list of the best near Brussels:

Royal Amicale Anderlecht Golf
18 Holes
Rue Scholle 1, 1070 Brussels
02 521 16 87
Fax 02 521 51 56

Golf du Chateau de la Bawette
27 Holes
Chee du Chateau de la Bawette 5
1300 Wavre
010 22 33 32
Fax 010 22 90 04

The most famous statue in Brussels, Belgium. Every year there is a festival whereby they pump hard apple cider through the works, and pass around cups of 'pee' to the celebrants and wandering passer-byes.

The antiques markets in the area of Place du Grand Sablon are the best, and offer a myriad of objects d’art for visitors on the maze of streets emanating from the square, and in the square itself. Saturdays from 9 am to 5 pm, Sundays 9 am to 1 pm. Famous for antiques from the 1900’s thru the ‘30s and furniture especially.

Daily there is a Flea Market (the Marche aux Puces ) at the Place du Jeu de Balle, near the Palais de Justice. It opens at 7 am and closes around 2 pm, an early-bird type of thing.

Also for fun is the Boulevard de la Woluwe open only on the First Sunday of every month from 8 am until 1 pm. Then there is the Westland Shopping Center on Sundays from 8 am until 1 pm; and the Auderghem at Place Pinoy, also only on Sundays, but from 7am until 1 pm.

Just imagine what you can find here in Brussels at the Flea Market!