FlyingMonk

Belgium

What do you know about Belgium? Belgian chocolate and Belgian Beer....

But is much more about the country and if you decide to visit it the surprises will flow towards you the moment you enter the country, one of the first things you may notice is that all the highways are flooded in light during the night. The cities are enchanting, the castles and cathedrals abound, the food is astounding and people are open and friendly.

The second thing you may find out is that there are no Belgians per se but you'll hear talk about the French speaking Vallons and the Dutch speaking Flemish, the two people that inhabit the country.

The Northern part, a flatland crisscrossed by canals, is a famous region in the history of Europe. Flanders became an entity in history their Counts playing a great role in the history of Europe. It had a tremendous role in the development of commerce and industry in the continent, Flanders' interests gyrating around the English wool used for manufacturing the famous Flemish tapestries, Flanders was famous for, and many wars and peace treaties were weaved around this product.

The famous cities of Antwerpen, Ghent and Brugge were major sieges for the guilds that were the basis of the modern industry started in the Medieval Times.

Brussels is the capital, bilingual, and also a capital of United Europe with its military, political and social organizations.

We traveled in the country covering only the four major cities. We started in Brussels, capital of Europe and we visited the remarkable Grande Place, maybe one of the nicest central square in Europe. After we visited most of its amazing churches and monuments we continued to Antwerpen (Anvers), major commerce center in history and also a very busy diamonds center. We visited the central square with its famous buildings of the guilds that adorned one of its side and its cathedral, the pride of the city.

From there we left for Ghent (Gent), center of commerce and guilds, where we walked around the canals in the old city, strolling through its churches and squares and enjoying a moment of relaxation admiring Graslei, an area where the medieval houses where preserved in entirety, right on the canal, that used to be the center of the city.

From Gent we drove another 30 miles and to the magnificent city of Brugge (Bruges), a real work of art, preserved like very few cities in the entire world, a masterpiece of the old times. We took a boat ride on the canals and continued to stroll on the tiny streets and alleys that crisscross the city, stopping in the picturesque squares and having a drink from one of the 380 sorts of Belgian beers.

Come with us and watch our travel video and you will never forget these places.