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1 Flanders today # 99 Whale in harbour... 2 Passersby at ntwerp s left bank beach on 22 eptember were in for a shock whe...

Flanders today

# 99

september 30, 2009 Erkenningsnummer P708816

Free ly! week

I N D EPE N D E N T N E W S W e e k ly news

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arts

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w w w . f l a n d e r s t o d a y. E U

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Whale in harbour.................... 2

Insider trading arrest........................ 6

Passersby at Antwerp’s left bank beach on 22 September were in for a shock when a dead finback whale of nearly 20 metres was pulled from the water

China at our fingertips............... 12

The business community was shocked last week when Luc Vansteenkiste, CEO of Recticel and former director-general of VBOFEB, was arrested on insider trading charges

China is the guest country of the phenomenal biannual Europalia festival this year. Our culture critic chats with the director and tries to convince sceptics of the charms of Chinese Opera

international student series - part 1: brussels

agenda

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special pull-out guide inside !

interview

Baring more than soul Truth is stranger than fiction in the new film De helaasheid der dingen, based on the best-selling novel by Dimitri Verhulst Lisa Bradshaw

lthough the naked cycling scene in De helaasheid der dingen only lasts for about 30 seconds, it has become the film’s calling card – on posters, promo materials and cinema trailers from Cannes to Toronto. And now Ghent. The new Flemish film by director Felix van Groeningen (called The Misfortunates in English) will open the 36th edition of the Flanders International Film Festival on 6 October, a splashy red carpet evening of movies, champagne and celeb spotting. Although the opening film is always chosen for its broad appeal to both a general audience and critics, this year the excitement is mounting a bit higher than usual.

Helaasheid has everything: it’s a local production by a very exciting young director; it’s based on the uproariously popular 2006 novel by Flemish literature’s badboy Dimitri Verhulst; it’s a mixture of humour, drama, tragedy and hope; it features an excellent cast of well-respected actors; and it is Flemish through and through. And there’s the bicycle race – a singular image that combines pure Flemish folk tale with the thrill of victory. Even we could not resist it.

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Global engagement As the academic year begins, more than 15,000 international students arrive at Flemish universities The new academic year began last week with parades of gowned professors, traditional speeches and the news that the number of young people electing to go to university in Flanders is up by about 6%. What the figures also show is an increase in the number of students coming from professional and technical secondary schools, arousing fears in some quarters that university admission standards may be dropping. In the long run, that could have a negative effect on the level of university education.

As student numbers in general rise, so do the numbers of those taking part in Erasmus international student exchanges. In 2007-2008, more than 162,000 students across Europe took advantage of the programme, as well as 27,000 academics. Another 20,000 took advantage of the new Erasmus programme that allows students to spend time in a business or organisation abroad. Flemish institutions are pro-active in recruiting exchange students, with every university running a fully equipped international office. The

Businessman escapes Qatar Alan Hope

number of incoming students to Flemish institutions is also rising, by about 5% in the case of Ghent, according to the head of their international office, Valère Meus. In 2007-2008, Ghent attracted 782 Erasmus students, while in 20082009, the figure was 805. This year’s number is already standing at 656, with the September crop typically representing two-thirds of the annual total, suggesting a final figure of about 980.

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Home again after daring boat trip Philippe Bogaert, the Flemish businessman held “hostage” in Qatar for more than a year, is back home after escaping by boat under cover of darkness. Bogaert went to Qatar in October of last year to work for the local subsidiary of a Belgian company, Dialogic, to develop media coverage of the Qatar Marine Festival. Although employed as a media specialist, he took over as CEO of the subsidiary when the existing CEO was sacked. When the Qatari partners pulled out of the contract, Dialogic Qatar became bankrupt, and Bogaert resigned.

Alan Hope

Under Qatari law, he was only allowed to leave the country if a release form was signed by his sponsor, a former business partner. He refused, leaving Bogaert without a job, without an income, and with no way to leave. When his apartment lease ran out, he was given shelter in the Belgian Embassy and made some money playing piano in hotels.

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News

CONTENTS News��2 - 3 News in brief Fifth Column: “baby Thatcher” Magritte painting stolen

Feature�� 5 15,000 foreign students flood into Flemish universities

Business�� 6 Top businessman jailed tilities accused of price fixing Businesses “consider leaving” says AmCham

Student guide, Part 1: Brussels.. 7-10 Everything international students need to know about studying in the capital of Europe De Helaasheid of Dimitri Verhulst Europalia China

Agenda�� 13-15 Three pages of arts and events

Backpage�� 16 Bite: the invisible charms of dark restaurants Talking Dutch: our language expert looks at the Dutch influence on English The Last Word: what they’re saying in Flanders

september 30, 2009

News in brief The members of the Sint-Niklaas association, which promotes the saint celebrated by children throughout Flanders on 6 December, have protested at plans for a film in which Nicolas is portrayed as a serial killer. The film is the brainchild of director Dirk Maas, whose credits include De Lift and Flodder, and shooting could begin within weeks. The association called it “tasteless sensationalism” and lamented that while other children’s figures like Samson and Kabouter Plop were protected by trademark legislation, “anybody can abuse the legend of Sinterklaas”.

Arts�� 11-12

F L A N D E R S T O D A Y

Get the news from Flanders online in English and French at www.flanderstoday.eu

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Antwerp port representatives last week snubbed the annual Zeeland oyster festival in protest at the Dutch government’s failure to meet its obligation in dredging the Westerschelde ocean approaches. Antwerp’s port affairs alderman Marc Van Peel, however, was present to give a speech.

Dead whale draws crowds

A giant finback whale was discovered on 22 September in the Scheldt River. The dead whale was first spotted by a Dutch tugboat that was towing the fruit carrier Summer Flower. The tugboat reported “an unidentified object” in front of the carrier’s bow. The Summer Flower, which was positioned in front of the Berendrecht lock at the Port of Antwerp, manoeuvred to release the creature, which had remained unnoticed, although the ship’s log revealed a slightly reduced speed of about one knot since the vessel entered the English Channel on its way from Santa Marta to Antwerp. The staff at the Antwerp Coordination Centre (the port’s supervision and crisis centre) notified the river police and port authorities, and the 20-metre long cadaver was towed to the Berendrecht lock’s south quay. Later that same day, the whale was taken to the Antwerp left bank beach where it was inspected by staff from the North Sea Mathematical Models and the Scheldt Estuary (MUMM), a department of the Royal Institute of Natural Sciences. Hundreds of people lined the river bank to watch the whale be towed to the Sint-Anneke beach at high tide. Scientists from the University of Liège and the National Botanic Garden of Belgium took samples for further research, after which the cadaver was cut up and transported to a specialised waste site. The whale’s jaw and bones were taken to the Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. ➟➟ www.mumm.ac.be

Antwerp’s Sterckshof Silver Museum closed last week for renovations which are expected to last three years. The museum is housed in a neo-Gothic castle in the Rivierenhof park in Deurne. The work will cost €8.5 million

Police in Ostend last week initiated extra patrols following the break-up of a migrants’ camp in Calais, during which 300 people were detained. The foreigners’ office and local police now fear that the migrants will move to Ostend in the hope of crossing the channel to Britain.

FLANDERS TODAY Independent Newsweekly Editor: Derek Blyth

NV Vlaamse Uitgeversmaatschappij

Deputy editor: Lisa Bradshaw

Gossetlaan 28, 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden

News editor: Alan Hope

Editorial address: Gossetlaan 30

Agenda: Sarah Crew, Robyn Boyle

1702 Groot-Bijgaarden Tel.: 02.373.99.09 _ Fax: 02.375.98.22

Art director: Michel Didier Prepress: Corelio P&P Contributors: Rebecca Benoot, Robyn Boyle, Courtney Davis, Emma Portier Davis, Stéphanie Duval, Anna Jenkinson, Sharon Light, Alistair MacLean, Marc Maes, Ian Mundell, Anja Otte, Saffina Rana, Chrisophe Verbiest, Denzil Walton Project manager: Pascale Zoetaert Publisher: VUM

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E-mail: [emailprotected]

Journalists’ representatives last week accused the courts of “pure censorship” after the court of first instance in Antwerp prohibited the publication of an issue of TV Familie magazine containing an article on the Pfaff family of TV celebrities. Banning an article prior to publication is practically unheard of in Belgium, where it is considered in breach of Article 25 of the constitution. Normally the courts only consider cases after publication of the offending article. The journalists’ union said the ruling was “a dangerous precedent”.

Subscriptions: France Lycops Tel: 02.373.83.59 E-mail: [emailprotected] Advertising: Evelyne Fregonese Tel: 02.373.83.57 E-mail: [emailprotected] Verantwoordelijke uitgever: Derek Blyth

Marc Maes

Members of the Citizens’ Commission on Human Rights demonstrated outside the Catholic University of Leuven’s SintJozef psychiatric institution last week in protest at the excessive

EXHIBITION

Whales and Dolphins

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Breaking news

From 14 October Museum of Natural Sciences Vautierstraat 29, Brussels ➟➟ www.naturalsciences.be

use of medication to treat psychiatric illnesses. The group accuses doctors of over-prescribing Ritalin, anti-depressants and antipsychotics, as well as using electro-shock therapy. But the clinic’s director defended the treatment. “Each patient is thoroughly screened and receives the treatment they need,” she said.

Police in the Pajottenland area of Flemish Brabant are hunting a gang of livestock thieves who have stolen four sheep and five cows from fields in Asse, Lennik, Herne and Pepingen in recent weeks. An adult sheep is worth about €100 and a cow in the region of €2,000, a spokesperson for the Farmers’ Union said.

One in three Flemish architects is considering leaving the profession as a result of the burden of administrative procedures, according to the professional federation NAV. The federation polled 300 of its 2,100 members and found 80% who listed administrative procedures as “serious or very serious”. Of those, more than 36% were weighing the possibility of quitting. According to those polled, roughly one half of an architect’s work involves administration and ensuring projects meet the many applicable rules and regulations. Last week, Flemish architects decided to leave the national order and set up an independent order of Flemish architects.

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News

€3,877,545

F L A N D E R S T O D A Y

spent on medication in 2009, according to latest estimates. 2010 should see growth of 2.5%, compared to a rise of 4.2% in health 0care as a whole

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september 30, 2009

fifth column

Businessman escapes Qatar continued from page 1

In the meantime, Bogaert was sued for €3.2 million in damages following the bankruptcy of the company, sentenced to three years in prison for writing bad cheques, and finally sued for €10m for defamation. Last week, he was reluctant to reveal details of his escape, in case he exposed those who helped him to reprisals or legal action. He stressed that his flight was not a sign of guilt. “I had the choice,” he said. “I could escape, or I could wait for an unfair trial. I might have waited until my whole life had gone by.” The escape took about four months to plan. Two of Bogaert’s friends flew from Belgium to Mumbai and chartered a yacht which they sailed to Qatar. Bogaert was taken on board, and the three travelled back to Mumbai over a period of three weeks, with little food or water and a constant fear of being pursued and brought back to Qatar. They even constructed an emergency hiding place in case customs should investigate the boat.

The voyage was a catalogue of disasters: the engine gave out; the GPS stopped functioning for a time; and half of the 200 litres of fresh water taken on board in Qatar leaked away. During this time, messages kept appearing on Bogaert’s Twitter page, which he used to communicate with the outside world, giving the appearance that he was still in Qatar. The last message is dated 19 September. It reads: “Looking forward to celebrate Eid with my Qatari friends (yes, I still have some). Back for more on Tuesday.” In fact, his boat docked in Mumbai on Tuesday, and the three men took the first flight to Europe. But Bogaert’s troubles weren’t over yet. “I’d flopped down in my seat on the plane and was feeling great. Ten minutes later as we still stood on the tarmac, some security people came on board and made directly for me. I thought that was it. I had to get off and point out my luggage. It seems they were look-

THE WEEK IN FIGURES 354,562 payments made in the first half of the year to people who have taken time off work to care for a sick or elderly family member

1,593 cases involving palliative care for the terminally ill

1,500kg

The kid

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ing for something suspicious. But then they let me go back to my seat. That feeling I had as we took off – simply fantastic, really.” Though the lawsuits against him are still active, Bogaert will only have to appear in court is if he goes back voluntarily, as Belgium does not have an extradition treaty with

Qatar and, in any case, does not extradite its nationals. “Would I go back to Qatar? Maybe in another life,” Bogaert said. “I had to wait for a year in Qatar, let them wait for me now.” 

VRT discriminated against Vlaams Belang The public broadcaster VRT was discriminating when it refused to allow representatives of the ultra right-wing Vlaams Belang (VB) party to take part in a televised debate in 2007, the Council of State has ruled. The debate, in the run-up to federal elections, featured the leaders of Open VLD, CD&V and SP.A. The part Groen! was also excluded, but only VB filed a complaint.

and that VB was properly represented when considering the coverage as a whole. But the Council of State, like the Flemish Media Regulator previously, found that the broadcaster had breached its duty of impartiality. The VRT said it accepted the ruling but described it as “pretty irrelevant”. Since last June when the debate took place, the VRT has operated a more inclusive policy. The VB took part in that debate – and suffered an electoral setback in the elections. 

hashish uncovered in a joint operation of the Dendermonde judicial police and the Antwerp customs service. The drugs were contained in packs of coffee hidden inside a container full of textiles

The VRT claimed the debate was only part of its entire election coverage

500th

Magritte nude stolen in Jette

lung transplant operation carried out last week in the university hospital in Leuven, which ranks among the world’s top lung transplant centres

They then they pulled a gun and threatened the member of staff on duty and two Japanese visitors. They stole the painting and made off in a car.

€60,000 contents of a handbag snatched by a thief from a 65-year-old woman in Berchem near Antwerp. The victim was said to distrust the banks with her savings, which she carried with her everywhere

3,148 applications for subsidies from the Flemish government in 2008 and the first half of 2009 for home renovations aimed at accommodating the handicapped. About 40% were approved, at a cost of €5.6 million

€58 annual charges for the average bank account in Belgium, according to figures released by the EU Commission. In France the average cost is €154 a year, while in the Netherlands it is €46. But the Commission said the charges, while low, were difficult to understand and lacked tranparency

1/20 letterboxes are not in order, being either two narrow, too low, too high or too far from the street, according to the postal service

23cm x 3cm the regulation size of a post box opening, which must be 70cm170cm from ground level

Anja Otte

Thieves last week held up the René Magritte museum in Jette at gunpoint and stole the most valuable painting in the collection, a nude entitled “Olympia” dating from 1948. Police believe the men were acting on commission. The Magritte museum in Jette – not to be confused with the recently opened museum on Brussels’ Koningsplein – is housed in the Esseghemstraat, where the painter lived and worked in the last 24 years of his life. Normally the museum is only accessible by appointment, but last week the two men rang the bell and were allowed to enter.

The painting shows a naked woman lying by the sea with a large shell on her stomach, and the title refers to the controversial painting by Edouard Manet, itself based on a number of classical portrayals of Venus, who legend says was born from a seashell. Although atypical of Magritte’s work, it is considered valuable – but unsalable. Police are assuming the painting was “stolen to order” for a collector who intends to keep the work. The thieves remain at large, however, they were not masked, and witnesses were able to give police a good description. They also did not wear gloves, raising the possibility of a fingerprint identification. 

Over the last 30 years, Guy Verhofstadt has been his party’s main ideologue. The former prime minister has shaped the Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten (VLD), now Open VLD, with his own hands. While its predecessor PVV traditionally defended employers’ interests, Open VLD focused on the individual – or rather, in Verhofstadt’s words, the citizen. He combined this with a strong belief in the free market economy. This includes strict budgetary orthodoxy. So strict, in fact, that Verhofstadt, 32 at the time and the youngest and most ruthless budget minister ever, earned himself the nickname “baby-Thatcher”. Because of this, the leader of a major trade union vetoed “the kid” from the government for some time. It was a blow to Verhofstadt, but one that made him the politician he was to become. Verhofstadt has always been Open VLD’s natural leader. Whenever he felt like it, he took over the presidency. Internally, he rarely met with opposition. In fact, within Open VLD, being close to Verhofstadt was always the cleverest of career moves. Patrick Dewael, a buddy dating back to student days, made it to Flemish ministerpresident and later federal minister of interior affairs. Guy Vanhengel, Marino Keulen and Bart Somers all acted as Verhofstadt’s spokesperson at some point and all were rewarded with ministerial posts. The same goes for the many people from outside the party, who Verhofstadt wooed to illustrate his party’s “openness”. One of the few people Verhofstadt never really controlled was Karel De Gucht, who he made party president after he became prime minister in 1999. Verhofstadt and De Gucht clashed bitterly in 2004 on the issue of the migrant vote. But before the rift, they formed a formidable troika with Patrick Dewael, which marked Open VLD’s high point. Now it’s time for the younger generation to take over, Verhofstadt says. Open VLD has lost the Flemish elections. It no longer moves people like it used to do. Verhofstadt has promised not to meddle in the upcoming vote on the party presidency. Except for one thing: he has called for candidates to have two running mates. Together they can form a troika, just like the old days.

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Feature

F L A N D E R S T O D A Y 

september 30, 2009

Global engagement ➟

continued from page 1

Just under 3,000 Flemish students went abroad in 2007-2008, more than half of them from colleges or academies, which tend to attract a more professional rather that academic type of student. More women (1,815) took part than men (1,130), and Spain is the most popular destination, accounting for about a quarter, followed by France at just under one-fifth. In the same year, 711 lecturers took

ut, however successful Flanders may be at bringing students from across the world to study here, Flemish students are less convinced of the benefits of a period abroad. Across Europe, about 11% of students spend some time abroad, but in Flanders, the figure is barely 10%. In May, ministers from 46 countries meeting in Leuven set a target of 20% to be reached by 2020.

advantage of Erasmus to teach at a foreign institution, with the most popular countries being Finland, Spain and the Netherlands. One of the main causes of the lukewarm response in Flanders to the offer of Erasmus is cost: spending time studying abroad can be expensive. So Flemish socialist MEP Said El Khadraoui has proposed not only an enlargement of the present system of bursaries but also a new system of “social loans”. Pilot projects are currently running in Italy and Hungary under which the European Investment Bank guarantees loans made by banks (in Italy) or by the government (in Hungary). Students pay the loans back later, when they are financially more secure. “With a system of social loans, we can give young people who are finding it difficult to finance a foreign experience a helping hand,” El Khadraoui says. “A share of the interest could be paid by the community. Or even by the banks: they could also make a gesture of support.”

At present, grants are made only partly on the basis of income. Just as important is the destination country, with minority language states and the countries of former Eastern Europe being more highly subsidised than the likes of France and Spain, although the latter two are still far and away the most popular among Flemish students. The money for grants comes from the Flemish region, which has budgeted €2 million for the coming academic year to cover grants ranging from €110 to €240 a month. The EU also contributes. Two Open VLD politicians, meanInternational students signing up at the five main universities

University

2008

2009

Ghent

5,826

6,134

Leuven

5,399

5,766

Antwerp

2,104

2,266

VUB (Brussels)

1,341

1,475

741

732

15,411

16,373

Hasselt Total

while, have argued for a relaxing of the language laws to allow languages other than Dutch to be used in Flemish universities. That is already happening in practice, with increasing moves at least to introduce English as the language of courses at Master’s level. Students coming to Flanders from abroad are offered language courses for everyday use, but that doesn’t equip them to understand course material. The universities, Meus said, are increasingly offering courses and modules in English. They are even moving towards offering courses in English for their own students at Master’s level. That’s less to do with a small number of students than with the internationalisation of the education world. Flemish universities have to become more international to attract researchers and academics, who, in turn, raise the institution’s profile on the world stage in publications and at conferences, leading to increased funding from the private sector and foundations. 

!TOP%UROPEAN"USINESS3CHOOLINVITESYOU

,OOKINGFORCAREEROPPORTUNITIESINCHALLENGINGTIMES ,IFE LONGLEARNING !MANAGEMENTPROGRAMMEATANYPOINTINYOURCAREER #AREERGAPMANAGEMENT

+EYNOTESPEECHBY0ROF$R$AVID6ENTER³2ADICALLEADERSHIPTHE.ELSON-ANDELAEXAMPLE´ $ON´TMISSTHISUNIQUEEVENTFOREXPATS INTERNATIONALMOBILITYMANAGERSACCOMPANYINGSPOUSES *OINUSON/CTOBERIN"RUSSELS2EGISTERVIAWWWVLERICKCOMEXPATS

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Business

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increase in waiting time for some training courses organised by the employment agency VDAB because of an 18% increase in demand since 2008

F L A N D E R S T O D A Y september 30, 2009

Top businessman jailed

THE WEEK IN BUSINESS

Arrest of Luc Vansteenkiste leads to protests

Luc Vansteenkiste (pictured) is CEO of auto parts manufacturer Recticel in Wetteren. He used to be the director-general of the VBO-FEB, the organisation of the country’s top entrepreneurs and bosses, which earned him the rank of baron granted by the King. This week it was revealed that he is being held in Vorst prison, which is described as “filthy and overpopulated”, without being allowed a visit from his wife, even to bring him clean clothes. Vansteenkiste is accused of insider trading. In October last year, Bois Sauvage, the holding company of which he was CEO, dumped 3.6 million Fortis shares just before it was announced that the bank was in trouble and shares were heading into freefall. Vansteenkiste was at the time also an independent, non-executive director of Fortis. Last week he was picked up for questioning and held in custody by the investigating magistrate. The decision sent a shock wave through the business world and galvanised the pundits.

The ability to hold suspects in custody is intended, in Belgium as elsewhere, to protect society from dangerous suspects, to prevent them from influencing witnesses and to stop them from destroying evidence. As every commentator pointed out, there could hardly be less of a desperado. And, since the alleged offences took place a year ago, Vansteenkiste would presumably already have put the frighteners on witnesses or destroyed evidence. This use of the power of remand is particularly galling in the case of insider trading. Belgium has had a law against insider trading since 2005. In that time, there has been only one conviction. In the particular case of Fortis and Bois Sauvage, three other company officers have been declared suspects but none was considered fit to be remanded. The protests ring slightly hollow, given the fact that the conditions in prisons like Vorst are well known but didn’t cause much upset until one of the Establishment’s own got to experience them first hand. The same goes for the remand system. Yes, it seems clear that the investigating magistrate is using his power to put pressure on Vansteenkiste to confess. But that is also not news: four in 10 prisoners in Belgium, or about 3,700,

Airport • Brussels Brussels Airport has postponed the opening of its low-cost terminal to the summer of 2011. The decision follows protests from airlines based at the airport, who criticised the terms and operating conditions of the new terminal. The dispute led to the resignation of the airport’s CEO Wilfried Van Assche.

Construction • CFE French-owned building group CFE has acquired a majority stake in Elektro Van de Maele, the Meulebeke-based specialist in electrical installations. vansteenkiste © belpress

The jailing of one of the country’s top businessmen last week has led to widespread outrage, with commentators lashing out at everything from the investigating magistrate’s heavy handedness to conditions inside Vorst prison in Brussels.

Alan Hope

are awaiting trial, and therefore not yet considered guilty of any crime. Some of them have to wait years, only to find themselves acquitted and free again, or convicted, but not considered suitable for a custodial sentence. 

Design • Fritzhansen Danish home decoration and design company Fritzhansen has opened a showroom in Antwerp.

E-commerce • Ogone Brussels-based online payments specialist Ogone has opened a subsidiary in the UK to capitalise on the fast-growing Britishe-commerce sector.

Insurance • Fortis

Power companies investigated for price fixing A team of 50 investigators from the competition authorities last week executed search warrants at the headquarters of power companies Electrabel and SPE. The two utilities are suspected of price fixing. Electrabel and SPE dominate the market for large power users, who have repeatedly complained to the power industry regulator CREG about anti-competitive practices. Most recently, their complaints focused on the amount Electrabel was charging its customers for CO2 emissions rights – rights that the company had obtained from the government for free. Electrabel is owned by the French-based group Suez. SPE, the second-largest player on the market, is majority owned by Electricité de France (EDF). One of the complaints was received from

Lampiris, based in Liège, which has no electricity production of its own, but buys its electricity and gas for onward sale from the large producers. According to industry watchdog CREG, Electrabel and SPE together charged their customers €328 million last year for carbon dioxide emissions rights, which the power companies had obtained for free. Since 2005, the CREG said, that income amounts to some €1.5 billion. Electrabel denied the charges and welcomed the investigation. “This might finally bring some clarity to the situation,” said managing director Jean-Pierre Hansen. Both companies said they would cooperate fully. The results of the investigation are not expected until next year.

Foreign companies “considering leaving” Some foreign companies are considering pulling out of Belgium, under pressure from their home offices, according to Scott Beardsley, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Belgium (AmCham). Businesses are being forced to face up to “fundamental choices,” he said, as a result of the economic crisis. This includes an assessment of the economic utility of maintaining operations abroad. For companies based in Belgium, companies face deterrents such as high wage costs and in partic-

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ular the automatic indexation of wages. This led to a sudden hike in costs at the beginning of the year, just at the moment when the banking and economic crisis was beginning to bite. AmCham took the liberty of offering some tips on a “well-run Belgium”. Its suggestions included lowering the employer’s portion of social security payments to 20%, cutting company tax to 25%, pruning back administrative procedures and increasing worker participation, particularly for older workers.

All change at the top Peter Leyman and Jo Libeer are the new managing director and general manager, respectively, of Voka, the association of Flemish employers. The duo replace Philippe Muyters, who was parachuted into a job as a minister in the new Flemish government of Kris Peeters. Muyters, who was not elected, is minister of budget. Libeer has worked 25 years for Voka Kortrijk and Voka West Flanders. Leyman, meanwhile, has worked almost his whole career for Volvo Ghent. Luc Hindryckx is the new chair-

man of the Belgian Institute for Post and Telecommunications, the industry regulator. Hindryckx previously worked for Telenet. Rudi De Becker has been appointed as the new managing director of fruit and vegetable marketer Univeg. De Becker replaces Hein Deprez, founder and chief shareholders, who takes over as chairman. De Becker was formerly CEO of electronic goods wholesaler Hagemeyer.

Ghent votes down capital increase The city authorities of Ghent last week voted against a capital increase for the Gemeentelijk Holding (GH), the investment company of the municipalities. The GH is the second-largest shareholder in Dexia, the troubled bank, and suffered a severe blow last year when the bank nearly went under. The federal and regional governments then came forward with €800 million in loan guarantees to prop up Dexia, as well as a new chairman in the shape of former prime minister Jean-Luc Dehaene. But this arrangement ran out at the end of September and the proposal now is to increase GH’s capital by €480m, with the 600 or so municipalities due to vote as Flanders Today went to press. Ghent, however, has already said no to the idea. According to

the city’s alderman for finance, Christophe Peeters, the burden of promised “superdividend” of 13% on new shares will make it impossible to pay out a dividend on normal Dexia shares. Meanwhile the Groen! party has called on all parties to vote against the proposal, arguing that municipalities that do not subscribe to the capital increase will be “penalised financially”. But CEO Carlos Bourgeois of GH said he remained “cautiously optimistic” that the proposal would pass. • Elsewhere, Dexia announced it would be cutting some 1,500 jobs over the next three years, including 795 in Belgium. The jobs affected would be mainly in the IT division. The bank had previously announced 900 cuts this year, 350 of them at home; it has now added a further 600 jobs over the next two years, 445 of them in Belgium.

Fortis Holding will pay some €120 million for a majority stake in the Italian UBI Assicurazioni in partnership with France’s BNP Paribas Assurance. UBI is one of Italy’s leading insurance companies four million customers.

Lighting • ADB ADB, a Belgian subsidiary of Siemens specialised in lighting at airports, has been sold to the British venture capital group Montagu for a sum thought to be in the region of €70 million. ADB, named after founder Adrien De Backer, is considered a world leader in its field, providing lighting for more than 2,000 airports in 190 countries.

Pharma • Nycomed Swiss pharmaceuticals company Nycomed is expected tomake a €4 billion offer for the pharmaceutical activities of Solvay, the Belgian chemicals and plastics firm.

Property • Regus Regus, the international office space services company, will open a business centre in Ghent next week. The company already operates business centres in Antwerp, Zaventem, Diegem and Brussels.

Venture capital • GIMV The Flemish venture capital fund GIMV will invest a further €5 million in the Lintbased Alfacam, a world leader in digital TV programmes and services.

Flanders today

september 30, 2009

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(Tue to Fri 09.30 to 17.00, Sat and Sun 10.00 to 17.00 / €4 with student card / €5) The view from the top floor of the MUSEUM OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS is why most Brusseleirs go there. But first visit the museum! This is actually the biggest collection of instruments in the world. And now you finally know that the saxophone was invented by a Belgian called Adolphe Sax.

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E SC Othe “Is it? He’s much smaller than I thought!” Indeed, Vthis EN EE AR T S EMANNEKEN PIS is the ideal national symbol for RaA E pissing boy called N ST TS RAA RU country that is also very Tsmall and absurd. In 2007 he Edid not pee for DU D one day, with a sign warning for prostate cancer. His suit is A N changed E R K see a few times per month, always by a guy called Jean-Marc.MAGo the City Museum on the Grote Markt / Grand Place for the last 804 -D EN EM costumes, from Mozart to Mandela. AR

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RU ND HO R OTRAPPIST The GROTE MARKT / GRAND PLACE is the ED Easy! Gay! Fun! Check the area of Kolenmarkt / Marché au Charbon and ASteen ST T LL E RD RA AA U A RU RU R EV TR AT E touristic heart of Brussels. A fifteenth-century Town NDSTR (Mon to Sat) 2 DE DE NUËTNIGHENOUGH (‘neverEMBLA Rue Des Pierrres. BELGICA = Easy to make friends, inWOaLSkitsch interior inspired U L byE the O AA SU U B I S E T Hall (in fact rebuilt after a FrenchÈD bombardment with darkroom. LE BAROQUE - Acamp) Belgian royal family. THE BOX = Latenight N = I Nfun, enough’) is a restaurant/bar with a good X LA AN E VE E AU U A A R 29 in 1695), a statue that is rubbed for good luck = Weekly Girly Mondays for girls w hairy bears, in case you’re into that. BONNEFOOI selection of trappist beers (Chimay Triple -Z W E there, and pricy terraces. Same as always. Been girls and dancing. Or go and check the flyers at FONTAINAS 39 , for CAT CLUB, SOIREE S DE on tap!). They serve a daily special at NS EP done that. TR T or NO CODE: super parties on changing locations. In fact the MUNTHOF whole neighbourhood is g A (always a vegetarian alternative) €7,50 RA TOURIST FAVOURITAAT ST HÔTEL DES MONNAIES a party – even if you’re straight. and there’s always lots of HALLEPOORT locals, which E! N O PORTE DE HAL R RD U E FO sign. F É is usually a Rgood NT OU BO AN LE

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YouENARhaven’t been in Brussels if you didn’t go out DS RU Only a few tips. co*cktails and free WiFi at PP café. Get in t ThisVERcould be the smallest shop in Brussels. LUCIEN ED DE RU UF KS PALACE OF JUSTICE R AL E E every Sunday at 20.00). CRAVATETRhonours two rules:DE he only sells stylish things C O Even if this is just a bar, big local NAA (Every day / Lunch and dinner) RU VA T S Y N concert at BIZON (Mon) a here after midnight. Go seeLKaST free I ST that nobody needs, and he sellsSS them cheaper than other ER A GI IE R Everybody who is short of cash NT ET VA ER T above the Abar. Then try a few bars vintage shops. Twenty-five recipes - for fresh eggs, one S for yourself, have a wil B knows the Vietnamese DA KAO II: - L A RA RU RU E W BOOZE & BLUES. quietly nextRICtoOTS-Athe vintage jukebox Din SIÈ green earring, a Goldorak comic... The S L guy also has a E L A C YN RE AN A€5 BR I L L for the daily special! GARE DU MIDI AN I KO day after. DS ES RU remember much the good collection of 1958 World Exposition-stuff. Pink Z TR TS TR EN ZUID STATION E ST AA ST DE R R teacups and Atomium-prints L’A on anything! T ZE

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NE ST THALYS & RA (Wed to Sat, 12.00 to 18.30) Watch your step! AT EUROSTAR

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GAY, WIRE LE S S, HAPPE NING

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(Every day / Lunch and dinner) If you want to eat local food the way old-fashioned Belgians make it at home, try the daily special at PLATTESTEEN. A classic, for example, is ‘stoemp saucisses’. This restaurant lies in the middle of the gay neighbourhood, and some of the boys come here before going out. €9,50 for the daily special.

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(Every day) FONTAINAS is definitely happening. During the day, you will notice many MacBooks (because of the free WiFi) and people who drink carrot juice as if it’s normal. After sunset, a colourful and mostly gay crowd takes over for co*cktails and bubbles mixed with syrup.

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(Closed Sun / concerts usually Thu and Sat) The rebels of DNA introduced new wave and punk in Brussels in the 80’s. The public today is a mix of the old crowd and younger people, and it’s still one of the best places for live rock and late drinking.

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Kyle (24, Australian

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as scary as they seem."

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What is it with Brussels and peeing statues? We had Manneken 40 , then came Jeanneke 13 , and recently they added ZINNEKE. This little peeing SHUTTLE BUS TOnew mascotte. Most dog is supposed to be Brussels’ BRUSSELS Brusseleirs don’t like the “SOUTH” city-marketing idea behind CHARLEROI AIRPORT the dog, but (RYANAIR, when he gotWIZZ,...) stolen, in 2007, we all missed him O N like crazy.

fries and the people! Talk to the locals

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and fell in love with the city, the beer, the

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follow the same strategy: all varieties in one place.

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further than what you expect. The nicest dump in town.

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KA USE-IT 11 (Every day) This EM IS NONthe middle ages the other citizens were afraid L I bar is called MORT SUBITE, NG of the Marolliens. You can still hear them RUE L ST COMMERCIAL, A M B Ebank or ‘sudden death’. Why? The R A workers of a nearby R T CRI AT SQUARE speaking their own dialect here! Tuesday is CKX S used to come DE TRA A AV here to gamble with dice. If time was T NO-NONSENSE, L’AVIATION the best day to go there, because that’s EN short, M they only U E got one chance to play: a ‘sudden IE E M 64 clothing-day at the fleamarket ” C Lis classified as a monument, but it’s TO N O T RU FREE, death’. The place R O EME E ’A U DE EL the waiters who makeNitC a real Brussels experience: E D no BR RU UP-TO-DATE EA 2 guys. U Try a Mort Subite Lambic messingUYNwith those Pieter (28, shopkeeper LEMONNIER E LA AN TR AND MADE Blanche: a Sbeer for this bar. Idiz Bogam vintage shop) A A especially brewed T A RA BY YOUNG LOCALS. ST ND PLACE LA W BARA ARTHOUSE CINEMA JEAN NEKE AN D ALCOHOL U IF YOU WANT IE PLEIN 12 (Thu to Sun / €3,50 with student 13 Manneken Pis has a sister: -N E DE FIENNES STRAAT RUE Jeanneke Pis. She was invented by a restaurantBOULEVARD JAMAR UV TO LAAN MAKE THE NETWORK NE E card / €5) Don’t come to CINEMA NOVA owner to attract more tourists to this tiny street, but now the restaurant is closed she RR TE BIGGER, AND PREPARE A E for popcorn and a comfy seat: this is an doesn’t pee anymore. DELIRIUM BAR attracts more people. This bar got into the RU AN A L arthouse cinema without any fuss. The Guinness Book of Records with 2004 kinds of Belgian and international beer. They’ve USE-IT PUBLICATION FOR YOUR PA O UR documentaries, world movies, horror lost count in the meantime, but the list is like a phonebook. 25 beers on tap. Live -E OWN CITY, SEE WWW.USE-IT.INFO B-movies and experimental classics go jam sessions every Thursday at 22.00. The rum and absinthe bars on the other side O P E RU RU BRUS SE LS BEER E M

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(Every day / Sun only afternoon / free / treasure room €1) Most cities have located in a beautifully preserved neighbourhood. Not in Brussels, though. Walking from the central station to the gothic ST.GOEDELE-ST.MICHIELS CATHEDRAL you’ll have to pass some of the most shamelessly ugly architecture you can imagine. The worst insult is probably the modern building right next to the church, tastelessly ‘echoing’ the two towers. The building of the cathedral started in the early 13th century and even though it took us almost 300 years to finish it, it has remained pretty basic. No masterpiece paintings, here. But if the sun manages to get in through the stained glass windows, that makes for a pretty sight.

“The Marollen-neighbourhood is what Brussels is all about. In

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C (Tue to Sun 10.00 to 18.00 / €7,50) Los Pitufos, As-Sanafir, die Schlümpfe, Smerfy, Sirinler, Smrkci, the Smurfs... AT DU RA Whatever you call those little blue dwarfs, les Schroumpfs were invented byRUEthe Belgian comic artist Peyo in 1958. And ST N T O A NOT by some French guy like everybody seems to think. Other Belgian classics include Tintin, OD R A Suske & Wiske and E ST R U ‘serious’ S museums are preparing Gaston Lagaffe. 2009 is the Year of the Comic Strip in Brussels. This means that even IT YL U comic exhibitions this year, but the centre will still be the BELGIAN COMICS MUSEUM, located in a beautiful building P.C E designed by Victor Horta. RU H

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Go and sleep at the Hotel Métropole! We heard the Toscanini suite is quite ok, for €950 per night (breakfast included). If not, you can also enjoy some of the oldday grandeur Ain T the bar. Wear clean shoes, R A AT ST R Aa newspaper and payE -€3,70 DA U W glasses and ST R O SÉ DE LA GE I E for a coffee in a plush seat. AT ND RU RA U G IE LA BO R. DE

T h e t o p f l o o r o f PA R K I N G 5 8 offers a 360° spectacular view of Brussels in open air. It’s free to enter, just take the e l e v a t o r t o t h e 1 0 t h f l o o r. B r i n g a windproof jacket and a bottle of wine. You can see as far as the Atomium 56 .

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FIVE STARS FOR €3,70

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tourists from Brazil.

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(Tue to Sat) On the benches of AU DARINGMAN, everybody talks to everybody, and barkeeper Martine R U E talks most of all. She knows how EV RIS to handle the heavy Adrinkers, eternal students and TE PIE NE RRO N S the best regular bar philosophers. Unfortunately, HE TRA TAT AU customer died in 2005: Martine’s blind bar dog N I HA Oscar. Pay your respects in front of his picture at UA I D U Q the bar.

don’t see bicycles here, though.

ENW (Every day) AThis is one of the IEbest terraces to EG write I S T R If you want to know KA your postcards, Nsipping a cappuccino. DU T N I ’ O PLACE DU EL M D E what's happening tonight: of flyers at DE A Igood selection TRIANGLE RUE RI QU DU R DRIEHOEK E C TA MA MARKTEN. NGL PLEIN QU AI D E E-R DE

the city centre as well. Strange you

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SUMMERSÉ ETERRACE VE - N I NOOFS DE NINO E

“Brussels is not a museum-like tourist-only place like other

In Italy or Poland, you might end up in jail if you would pee against the church, but we installed a public urinal here to ‘drain the potatoes’. Welcome to Belgium!

MEET MARTINE

Dinnertime! Start early with moules parquées (raw mussels), a typical Brussels appetizer from the red-and-green tent on the Sint-Katelijne / Sainte-Cathérine square. Afterwards, pick a restaurant in Vlaamsesteenweg / Rue de Flandre. The choice is as wide as a Lebanese snack, a veggie lunch place, a truly Belgian meat sandwich specialist and much more... Because of the living mix of restaurants, bars, small local shops and normal houses, the street is alive day and night. Bonus points if you also find these: a shop that sells only student hats, one with only umbrellas, a religious living room and a pet shop with mice that run loose at night.

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(Mon / 12.45-13.30) Typical Brussels: in the middle of this ugly shopping street, lies the FINISTERRAE-CHURCH. Every Monday local music lovers, lost shoppers and homeless looking for shelter gather here – with their backs to the altar and their feet on the little chairs – to enjoy some church-organ. Be warned: sometimes the pieces played can be very avant-garde and seriously heavy.

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This map was made by USE-IT, the Tourist Office for Young People. Download the full version on www.use-it.be, or get it for free in the USE-IT office in Brussels. You can also get free maps of Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, Leuven en Mechelen (some will be published in the coming weeks in Flanders Today).

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(Every day / Lunch and dinner) It’s roast meat in bread, yes, but not as we know it. No sticky tables at LE PERROQUET, but woodwork and century-old windows. €5,90 A TR YS RA for pita cesboncomlabadi (with EG RU merguez).

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(Every day / movies from 17.00 or earlier/ € 3) CINEMATEK is the Brussels film museum. This place is known all over the world for its enormous archive. Even Martin Scorsese called it ‘one of the best in the world’. So they have tons of classics to show every day, for only €3. If you’re really lucky it will be a silent movie with live piano.

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my quiet terrace where I enjoy my apéro is full of

place, right in the heart of the city.”

R O U S S A R T S T R A AT

PLACE JOURDAN PLEIN

is The Year of the Comic Strip in Brussels. That's why tourists now, hell!!!

R U PLACE ROUPE is one of those wonderful strange places in Brussels where The cultures meet. In one corner of the square is COMME CHEZ SOI, one of the most famous restaurants in the country. You’ll pay € 198 for the seven course menu – wine not included! If you’re not that rich, go across the square to HOUTSIPLOU, they serve good salads and R U with a view on a nice mural painting with the history pastas AT of Belgium. Their hamburgers E RA GO ST you’ll taste the difference with the are good F F as well. It’s € 9,50 for the classique, but ER AR T P T styrofoam-boxed chain-burgers. Across the square lies the AVENUE STALINGRAD: tea, CE ST -S RA R AT fresh fish... Whatever it is, pastry, a haircut, here. ED E you can buy the Moroccan Uversion TR U

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TR T AA L S day) Girls and boys, don’t come here in your (Every T EE RI -P ripped Ejeans. CIRIO is classy. Grand mirrors, dark varnished AU C R BE chairs, medals on the wall and golden decoration. Down DU R AV E NU E PA L M E R S TO N to the porcelain urinals, everything remained SQUARE in the ‘belle RUE ORT E MARIE époque’ Try a ‘half en half’, L IUstyle S ST of the early 20th century.LOUISE R A AT PA L M E R S T O N L A A N a mix that was invented here, and thatPLEIN you find all over Brussels now (spumante and white wine for €3,20).

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UE D EJ A C Q day) You have to ring at the door of this (Every to get Ejazz L A bar UE L O Ilet you D E exclusive club, but the bouncer will usually EUROPEAN COMMISSION in. Sounds like San LAL AIN G in – unless you’re behaving S T R like a drunk Englishman with a football W E T S T RA A AT AT hat. ARCHIDUC really has it all. It stays open every day and much later T than most bars (until around and has enough 1930’s style to SCHUMAN A A5.00), STR S Efor a beer. Free jazz concert on Sat at 17.00 ROND-POINT justify the extra fifty cent LO U OU ROBERT T E 17.00 (then usually around €10). / concert on Sun Dat SCHUMAN UE

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Tintin and the Smurfs come from? Well, now you know. 2009

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Flanders today #99

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R U “I meet my friendsO N in front of N S the St. Catherine church 6 . O ED SO -W U UC is always taken by the CO T É One of the benches IS student IADUC CI LL TR ÈG V LA A A many tourists, but also homeless, there’s U D E

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beautiful Tervurenlaan, through the woods, all the way to the

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Everybody meets on the stairs of the stock exchange Beurs / Bourse. HA EC UE S We don’t care that these stairs are always dirty and Rsticky R U spilled T É V with the RUE IN J O beer. So have a seat and Sget - S T serve as E P H to know the locals. The stairs also E V IN II S T ST R RAA a speaker’s corner for every protest AT T march through Brussels: against Athe war, for animalM rights, E T R anything. The bars attract a mix of tourists and locals: football addicts O in the O’REILLY’S IRISH PUB, a hipper crowd in 1 A E T Rlocals in LES BRASSEURS. And everybody loves a LE COQ, and M older O RUE 1B sandwich from AU SUISSE. J OS E

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Africa Museum 97 .”

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TUESDAY TO FRIDAY: 09:00 TO 12:30 AND 13:00 TO 18:00 SATURDAY: 13:00 TO 17:00

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T In the old days, nicotine dripped from the walls in HET GOUDBLOMMEKE A IN PAPIER / LA FLEUR EN PAPIER DORÉ. Today it’s not allowed to smoke - Gstation called Kapellekerk / In 1997, the train IR LO into a graffiti and party hotspot anymore, but the 408 frames on the wall speak of the past, when famous U Chapelle changed PE CO RUE S C A RR RON S T R A AT artists like the painter René Magritte and Hergé (who drew Tintin) were regular with a skatepark: RECYCLART. It’s still a station customers. A few houses next door, follow the night birds through LA PORTE during the daytime. During the night you may M A LIBRA NOIR (the black door). There are no windows in this basem*nt between E Brussels’ movies, noise performances, concerts or RUE K L U I S Sexpect M I TA G T R A AT DE L’ E R E VER old city walls, but the lack of light is compensated by nice selections of whisky D parties. During theGNIday, have some soup at the RUE ES ST (+60) and Belgian beer (+100). Live concerts on Thu (blues and rock). bar (Tue to Fri / 11.00-17.00 / free WiFi). RA A

H N C the best chocolate in the It is true that Belgians make LA EB world, but we only buy the expensive small ones as a gift for RU boring family members, tourists and people in a hospital. R Otherwise, we go toUE a supermarket for the big pieces. But if you VE YD can’t resist it, the chocolates from WITTAMER or MARCOLINI T ST are traditional high AT quality: around (other side of the square) RA RA AT ST €30 for half a kilo. CE EN

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When are you hot and when are you not in Belgium’s music scene? Simple, if you have played at ANCIENNE BELGIQUE, you’re in. Also check the AB Club in the same building. It’s cheaper (usually €12) and ideal to discover new unspoilt bands. R

(Tue to Sun 10.00 to 18.00 / Thu till 21.00 / €1 under 26 / €7 with card / €9) Modern Korean art, one of Haendels pianoconcertos, a painting Pete Doherty ED RU made, with his own blood: the museum of BOZAR usually shows so much at the same time, that they have an info desk at the entrance just to show the way. Afterwards, cross EL SE the street and take the steep stairs down to the RAVENSTEIN gallery. You can really feel AT RU RA ED the difference between the upperand lower city here. The gallery itself is a pearl of late EL A 50’s architecture. It used to be the smoky hangout for after-work drinkers on their way to LO N U E bars are leaving one by one because of renovations. the station, butGthe H

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.B K E on to Tram B E 44, sit back and enjoy the O U ride. “Hop LIJ AL

WAV try to make (Every day) At BONNEFOOI,- they E RSE ST E ENW every Tnight into a little fiesta. Monday is GIRLY MONDAY, C EG A AN

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RUE HYDROLI QUE - WATERKR ACHTSTR AAT

FASHION STREET

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Antwerp is still the fashion capital of Belgium, but Brussels comes second with the Dansaert street. Look for Stijl, Idiz Bogam, Comme des Garçons, Martin Margiela, Mademoiselle Jean and Christophe Coppens. You will probably stick to window-shopping, A AT ST R EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT because these places O LY are real pricy. Just follow the street away from the city centre for the sparkling white WAFFLES sneakerstore. AR EC Maybe you’llRUfind that one limited edition pair of kicks you've always been looking for. Cross the street and pay A.L.I.C.E. Gallery a visit. It's all about Artists Living In Constant Elevation here, one big gallery in the basem*nt and 'The Hub', the art space on the C LO ground floor. Cross again SE to WALVIS Café. Here, by the canal, several neighbourhoods meet and you'll notice the clientele is very diverse, Moroccan tea drinkers brotherly hanging at the same counter with the Belgian beer lovers, the vibe is always nice. Now NA finish off in style with a fresh S S juice or hot chocolate under the beautifully restored rainshelter of CAFE MODELE (free WiFi). E

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(Every day) No music, only the sound of quiet conversation and moving chess pieces. Sounds boring? Then RU E O N T a fabulous don’t go to GREENWICH. In this ‘grand café’ Mwith OY E RS A AT the marble-and-wood interior, oldies and rookies play chess,TRall RU E DU LU X time. Even the famous Belgian painter Magritte used to come EMB OUR here for G - a game.

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Brussels is the capital of Belgium and the political capital of Europe. And this is the CENTRAL STATION?! Six railway tracks in a R U E BE dark R CK Mand smelly cellar? Well, yes. The recent AN S ST R AA renovation works didn’t change much, either. T Search for the recently re-opened but well hidden Horta-exit: feels like walking through a giant pinball-machine!

27 and taste the

MON

A AT

(first Friday of the month) METRO VALDI is a wonderfully strange place. It’s a basem*nt, decorated with glued puzzles and the waiters are older than your grandpa. But every last Friday of the month, on the Dansez-vous Français?-nights it gets taken over by the colourful gay bunch. Dress up excentric, get ready to sing along to Daft RUE Blet Punk and Dalida and E L Lloose!

eighties was the city with the highest A F R girls and doing a little dance. There’s density of music shops in Europe. Now forSTRgirls whoUElike R ER only the true ones survive and DOCTOR RDdeejays on Thu, Fri and Sat, movies on Tue and concerts RAAT E ST L VINYL sure is one of them. Supplying R - H on Wed and Sun. And if you ask friendly, they’ll let you OU E AN RG clubs like Mirano and Fuse with vinyl play the piano in the front. E BE IE RU U D have -L since a decade, these guys don’t AN UE G to be afraid of the internet. R LE

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G IfTOyou wonder what Brussels looked like 150 years ago, have a look in this T MARTE AU - HAMER STRAA RUEa DU gallery. It was — and still is — shopping area for people with money to spend, but the daily soup at MOKAFÉ is cheap (€ 3,80) and yummy. Have a look at the TROPISMES (in the smaller Galerie des Princes) bookshop’s beautiful ceiling. At n° 26 (in Arenberg cinema), you can also get lastminute concert and theatre tickets for all over Brussels at a 50% reduction (Tue to Sat, 12.30 to 17.30, tickets for Sun and Mon available on Sat). RUE

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USE-IT TOURIST MAPS MA ELD LA A N UE MA RS - MA RSV EN DU CHA MP DE AV RUE AND BUDGET GUIDES ALSO EXIST IN ROTTERDAM, OSLO, COPENHAGEN, 2 WARSAW, LJUBLJANA, DRESDEN... OLAAN R O T LO R MWEATER ON D’O

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ub with anything rance €10 (one 'niversity', Friday On Sunday, come e’ (€6),PLACE because LOIX PLEINqueen ylish drag ter her show, the llRC Enever come. -

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L OO R L ’O R ST RA TE D A SECON DHAN D VINYL AT W N DE OISO nstraat / (Mon to Sat) Secondhand vinyl shop JUKEBOX is not cheap (usually over T A L LEe (totally €20) but a reference in the whole country when it comes to old stuff. Jean-Pierre YA RO

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TIPS FOR TONIGHT + FREE INTERNET + FREE COFFEE (IF YOU’RE NICE) + FREE CITY MAPS & BUDGET GUIDES

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FOOTBALL & BEER 17 ART-LOI (Every day) A fact is a fact: CELTICA

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TOURIST FAVOURIT E!

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ST-JOOST / ST-JOSSE L E The Beenhouwersstraat / Rue des Bouchers is AaI Nbrightly lit area full of restaurants where only tourists come. Go there if you UV RU LOoften E Won the expensive drinks. One of the reliable want to see how it works. Watch out: the Éfood cheap, but then they get you D E is E ILL S S EM U A S Smore expensive legend is AUX ARMES H options is CHEZ LEON, for musselsC (650 grams) with fries and a beer for €16,50. A slightly TR AA S T R the Tbest singer of all time was a real DE BRUXELLES. PLACE Ask for table n° 225, which used to be Jacques Brel’s favorite place. UYes, YN R A AT MADOU R B E N ST D E talentless nobodies, compared to Le Grand PLEINthe only famous client, but Laurel&Hardy and Danny De Vito Uare Brusseleir. He’s not L IN G E MADOU REVE R S-G L IN E E Jacques. Aux Armes is very expensive, but their brasserie – next door – is more affordable. V A ST R S GR

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First a little history

Here’s all you need to know about living and studying in the capital of Europe

Paul De Knop, the rector of the Free University of Brussels (which in Dutch is Vrije Universiteit Brussel and is always referred to as VUB), was one of a number of rectors invited by Cambridge University to write a letter to their successor, 100 years from now. “What I wrote is not so important,” he told one of the Flemish daily newspapers, De Standaard. “My biggest worry is that 100 years from now, there might not be an address where the postman can deliver the letter. I hope that there is still a thriving university in Brussels in 100 years.” The financial crisis has hit academic life in Belgium, along with every other sector. Even though VUB has 10% more students than last year, their budget stays the same. In addition, competition with other universities has increased. The original university was founded in 1834 in the municipality of Etterbeek by Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen, a Brussels lawyer and member of the liberal party. Initially known as the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), it was designed to be academically independent, free from both state and church. In 1970, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) was created as the Dutchspeaking spin-off of ULB. The universities are separate entities but share the same ideology of “free inquiry”, and they collaborate in many ways. Every year on 20 October, for instance, students from both ULB and VUB still honour their founding father. With almost 10,000 students, the VUB is a middle-sized university. As well as the Etterbeek campus, it has a second hub in Jette next to the Brussels University Hospital. While Flemish students tend to prefer other Dutch-speaking student cities such as Leuven, Ghent and Antwerp, international students are often attracted to the Belgian capital.

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