Travel to Belgium

I have a new love in my life! Brussels sprouts – how could I forsake thee for so long? Okay, so maybe I exaggerate a little bit on my recent imfatuation  with that distinct Brussels sprouts taste, but not by much. I started eating Brussels sprouts again when they first showed up at my local farmer's market at the end of the season in September, and I've been chomping then down ever since. At my Thanksgiving dinner table, the Brussels sprouts were the first to go. What can I say, except that a love of cruciferous vegetables clearly runs in my gene pool.

My mother now loves Brussels sprouts, but she hated them for years after being forced to eat my grandmother's "boiled-to-death" Brussels sprouts. I think this is why so many people are afraid of these cute little cabbages. Frankly, I think people are so turned off by them because they don't know how to cook Brussels sprouts. There are a myriad of ways to prepare them, from sauteed Brussels sprouts to steamed Brussels sprouts, but for my money nothing beats roasting them!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

    Brussels sprouts
    Black pepper, freshly cracked
    Olive oil

Instructions:

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees F. Rinse your Brussels sprouts and cut them in half. If you have larger ones, cut them into thirds so that all the pieces are of uniform size. Place a piece of aluminum foil on a baking sheet and arrange the sprouts on the sheet cut side up. They will shrink in the oven, so don't worry about spacing. Cram as many as you can on your one cookie sheet. Break out your pepper mill and liberally grind black pepper all over the Brussels sprouts. I like my sprouts my a nice bite to them, so don't be shy about your black pepper!
 

Coat the baking sheet with extra virgin olive oil, or whatever flavorful vegetable oil you like. Put the sheet in the oven and bake until they have taken on an even golden brown color. Expect to have them in the oven for at least 20 minutes or so.

That's it! Roasted Brussels sprouts are one of the easiest things in the world to make, and they are delicious. Honestly, I could eat them like potato chips because they're that good.  Truthfully, this is more of a cooking guide than a recipe, because I think it's too simple to be a true recipe. Feel free to modify as you see fit in terms of flavor, but in my experience less is more when it comes to Brussels sprouts. I feel a bit blasphemous saying that because I add lots of spices to almost anything, but in this instance I think it's totally true.

Along that line, choosing high quality ingredients makes a big difference in final taste, but I've made this with frozen Brussels sprouts before and the end result was still delicious. Also, I don't cook with a lot of salt (stupid family history of hypertension) but some cracked sea salt or some kosher salt would be a great addition here. As you start planning your next dinner, consider these roasted Brussels sprouts, as I guarantee that everyone will rave about that Brussels sprouts taste.

Brussels is Belgium's capital. It is also a city where plenty of European institutions are headquartered and is considered by some to be the de facto capital for the European Union.  Brussels also has the largest urban area in Belgium, and is the seat of Belgium's French Community as well as its Flemish Community. Brussels has historically been known as a Dutch-speaking community, however, the number of French speaking inhabitants has increased dramatically during the course of the 19th-20th centuries and both languages now have official status.

If you plan to go to Brussels, here are some of the recommended sites:

The Grand Place- the Grand Place, or the Grote Markt is Brussel's central square, surrounded by the city's Town Hall and the Breadhouse. The Grand Place is Brussel's most important tourist destination and its most memorable landmark which measures 223 by 360 feet and is listed under UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

The Royal Palace of Brussels is the official palace of the King of Belgians located in front of Brussels Park. Although it is the official palace, it is not used as a royal residence since the king and his family resides in the Royal Castle of Laeken. The Palace, or "Palais Royal", allows visitors for a limited time in summer.

The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium is one of Belgium's most famous museums. The museum is located in the downtown area of Coudenberg and is comprised of four museums connected with the Royal Museum.  The two of them—The Museum of Ancient Art, and the Museum of Modern Art—are in the main building, while the other two, which are located a few kilometers from the city center, are dedicated to specific Belgian artists and are much smaller. The Royal Museum features over 20,000 drawings, sculptures, and paintings dating from the early 15th century to the present.

Finding Hotels in Brussels that are affordable isn't easy. But enjoying Brussels need not be hard on the pocket if you can find Cheap Brussels Hotels. At otel.com, you can browse an extensive listing of Brussels Cheap Hotels and Cheap Hotels In Brussels Belgium that fit any budget. With deals on over 100 Cheap Hotels In Brussels, you're sure to find the Cheap Hotels Brussels that matches your exact needs.  Simply log on to the website and choose the Cheap Accommodation Brussels that's perfect for you.

Brussels is considered as the capital of Belgium and the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty organization has its main organization there to promote the rule and regulations. Brussels king and his family lives in the Royal Castle of Laeken which is located in the outer region of the Brussels city. But the city is very much famous for the royal palace which is in the center of the city.

Brussels is very much famous for its wider and beautiful streets, historic buildings, museums and architecture with pointed shaped arches which is generally adopted in 16-18 centuries. Brussels is one of the cities where people from different languages and caste are living together without any kind of differences. As it is located nearby seashore the climate of Brussels is very moist. Brussels has around 200 rainy days in a year.

Brussels Airport is the main airport of the city. But it also has 10 other airport along with that, that come with in 100 mile region from the city from where the Brussels flights are available. Those are Antwerp-Brussels North airport, Brussels S. Charleroi airport, Liege airport, Eindhoven airport, Maastricht/Aachen airport, Lesquin airport, Rotterdam airport, Ostend airport, Niederrhein airport, Amsterdam-Schiphol airport. Around 67 airlines provides the services of Brussels flights including Brussels airlines, Jetairfly, Royal Air Marco, Jet Airways(India), Lufthansa, easyjet, Atlas blue, Bmi, United airlines and SAS.

Brussels flights provides connectivity to 59 countries like Spain, Morocco, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, France, United States, Egypt, Turkey and Portugal. The airports from where you can board to Brussels flights are Heathrow airport, Geneva international airport, Augsburg airport, Barajas airport, Frankfurt international airport, Vienna international airport, Barcelona airport, Malpensa airport etc.

Brussels airport is full of facilities for the passengers like bank, post office, data port for laptops and mobile phones, café, restaurants, duty free shopping, medication in case of emergency. Airport transfers and parking is also available.

Brussels flights are of international standard and provide the best of the services. The passengers having little infants travelling with get the first chance to board the flight. They are also provided with the facility of baby food and bowling of bottles. A folding chair with wheels is also available for the handicaps and children to board the aircraft. Seatback TV screen is also available for the entertainment purpose of the passengers. For long haul passengers the comfortable blanket and pillows are also provided. They are also facilitated with the quality dining of vegetarian or non vegetarian food. 

Brussels flights pay the main attention for the entertainment of the children e.g. they provide games, jigsaw and special cartoon sessions on the TV screen. The washrooms the flights are also well maintained. The lie-flat beds like seats and individual power ports are available for the business class passengers.  The tickets for the Brussels flights can be booked online through internet. All the information about the Brussels airport can be taking from the website www.brusselsairport.be .

If you are thinking to go for holidays but you have know idea where to go for your holiday in Europe. Let me help you to find the holiday destination for you. Last month I went Brussels for holidays with my family and it was unforgettable tour for me. Let me explain you something about Brussels.

Introduction

Brussels is the capital city of Belgium and of Brussels Capital Region. It is entirely surronded by Dutch-speaking Flanders and its constituent Flemish Brabant province. As headquarters of many European institutions, Brussels might also be considered something of a capital for the European Union.As Brussels became the capital city of a new country in the 19th century, the old town was destroyed to make way for brand new ministries, palaces, schools, army barracks and office blocks all built between 1880 and 1980.

Brussels has a poor reputation for its weather. Compared to other western European cities like London and Paris

Get in by Plane

Brussels' main airport is Brussels International Airport - previously known as Zaventem . Several major carriers operate out of the airport, including the local Brussels Airlines, which flies to many destinations worldwide.

Brussels revamped its metro at the start of April 2009 to boast six lines, and at the same time rescheduled several tram and bus routes. Most are run by STIB-MIVB of the Brussels region except for some regional buses, which are run by De lijn of the Flemish region and Le Tec of the Walloon region.

Sightseeing

There are lots of things to see in brussels but most important places i am describing you:

Grand Place-Grote Markt, Surrounded by the city tower and a range of beautiful 300 year old buildings. In the evening, surrounded by bright lumination, it is simply ravishing. Some evenings a music and light show is provided with the buildings serving as a canvas. Have a "gaufre de Liège-Luikse wafel" here—the best ones are available from the little shops off the northeast corner of the Grand Place-Grote Markt.

Manneken Pis, Just a short walk from the Grand Place-Grote Markt is the Manneken Pis, a small bronze statue thought to represent the "irreverent spirit" of Brussels. This statue of a child performing one of Nature's most basic functions is believed to have been inspired by a child who, while in a tree, found a special way to drive away invading troops.

Statue of Europe, Also referred to as Unity in Peace, this sculpture symbolises peace through European integration, while at the same time aiming to demonstrate the motto of the European Union (EU), United in Diversity.

Things to do

Brussels has a fair number of cinemas, if limited compared to most European capitals. French films are subtitled in Dutch, and vice versa, all other films are shown in the original version subtitled in French and Dutch.

Brussels has a good selection of year round events, many suitable for English speaking visitors. The following sites are are useful to check out whats on.

1. Classic Concerts [46] a site selling classical tickets, but has an excellent rundown of all the upcoming classical concerts.
2. Wallonie Tourism [47] is brought to you by the French Speaking Tourist board.
3. Ancienne Belgique [48] for popular concerts, where the stadium bands stop in.
4. Brussels Events Listings [49] is a roundup of events for an English speaking audience, this is good for some of the the smaller and Expat focused venues.

There are lots of things to do in Brussels which I can't explain in a single article. I will be coming soon to share lots of  adventure things in my next article.

At Crowne Plaza Brugge, located right in the heart of Bruges, we offer the best in conference facilities in charming surroundings. Our 18 meeting rooms can be arranged to suit any style of meeting, accommodating up to 450 delegates. With options including everything from an intimate boardroom to an atmospheric banquet in a medieval cellar, and easy access to all Bruges has to offer, Crowne Plaza Brugge is an easy choice for your conference or meeting.

Conferences with distinction

Event organisers often struggle to make their event distinctive but functional. With the range of conferencing facilities available at Crowne Plaza Brugge, creating a memorable conference couldn't be easier.

We are lucky to be able to offer the best, and most unique, facilities in Bruges, with a combination of up-to-the-minute facilities encased in historic architecture. Our cellar, dating back to the 14th century, has been host to some particularly memorable events, or you can arrange to banquet midst the foundations of the ancient St Donaas Church.

Our modern meeting rooms can cater for all sizes of event, from our boardroom, which can host up to 60 delegates, through to our reception hall, which can host 500 delegates. We are also able to offer a number of different configurations to suit your meeting style, whether you require a classroom setting, theatre, cabaret setting or a banquet with individual tables. Simply talk to your personal Crowne Meetings Director about your needs.

Location isn't everything... but it helps

At Crowne Plaza Brugge, your delegates have plenty of options when they want to explore. Our hotel is located in one of Bruges' most scenic squares, medieval Burg Square. The Belfry of Bruges is within easy walking distance and viewable from the hotel, and many of Bruges' most magnificent attractions are nearby. For those interested in Gothic architecture, the darkly beautiful entrance to the Basilica of the Holy Blood is just across the square from the hotel entrance.

Our central location also provides plenty of options for getting around. Eurostar and national rail connections are within easy reach at the Brugge Train Station, which also provides connections to the Bruges International Airport.

For those times when your delegates want to stay close to the meeting room, our Linde Restaurant provides relaxing terrace dining right on Burg Square. Fine French dining can be found in our other in-house restaurant, Het Kappitel, while the best in Belgian beer can be found in our relaxing Bar.

All the best you expect from Crowne Plaza

Crowne Plaza Meetings has the distinction of providing highly professional meetings assistance in beautiful hotel surroundings. At Crowne Plaza Zurich, we offer a personal Meetings Director, who will be with you right from the moment of your first enquiry until after your last delegate leaves.

The comfort of your delegates is foremost, which is why we offer spa and fitness facilities, as well as wireless internet in all meeting rooms. Our business centre provides everything your guests will need while they're away from the office.

To get all of those Christmas presents and goodies, several persons like to go to one of the numerous common Christmas markets in Europe. Quite a few businesses are now providing incredibly reasonably priced Christmas Market coach trips which makes them accessible for all. One particular of the most well-known is the Brussels Christmas Market. 

There are all around 240 wooden chalets lining the streets that are opened for the market. Every single chalet sells its own Christmas goods from decorations to gifts to exquisite foods. Although you're there you need to have a go on the skating rink. It difficult to imagine a a lot more cliche Christmas scene but definitely not possible to resist. You can also soak up the atmosphere from the brass bands, performances and ice sculptures close to the spot. It's no wonder then that the Brussels Christmas market has grow to be identified as the Winter Wonderland! One more popular market is at Lille. The Christmas market goes on for an complete month giving you plenty of time to stop by, or even go twice!

The centre of the town is transformed for the complete month and has stalls marketing nearby meals, gifts and arts and crafts. Entertainment is laid on to continue to keep youngsters of all ages amused and impressed and be confident to get your photo taken with Santa Clause who commonly attends for one particular day, when he literally drops in from the 80m substantial Belfry.

An additional Christmas market to take a coach trip to is of course Bruges. Once more, a skating rink will be at the centre of the market, and the usual food and gifts are on present. Be cautious not to drink as well a great deal of the herbal wine, acknowledged as ghluwein. It is designed to be served warm to give you a glow as you walk all-around in the winter air.

It seems a little unfair that Belgium, a small country on the north-west European mainland, has been tagged as 'boring' by her neighbours. Ok - perhaps compared to nations nearby, it doesn't have such geological diversity; you won’t find great swathes of forest like in Germany, the hot sandy beaches of Spain or the towering Alpine mountains of France, but who cares about that? Everybody knows the most important thing in life is beer, and when it comes to brewing, Belgium is anything but boring.

Whilst other European countries continue to churn out bland, generic lagers, Belgium has excelled at producing a massive variety of high quality and interesting beers that have made the country synonymous with the amber nectar.

In terms of global popularity, the fairly ordinary, (thought perfectly drinkable) lager - Stella Artois - has dominated pubs around the world and especially in the UK. When first launched it was backed up by the ad campaign which proclaimed it to be "reassuringly expensive". This lead to it being seen as chic and exotic, but it has since dropped in stature somewhat.

In contrast to Stella Artois, the white beer Hoegaarden, is still held in high regard and is available on tap in many pubs and bars across the UK. It's cloudy nature and spicy taste (created by adding extracts of coriander and orange peel) is usually served in the huge trademark Hoegaardeen glass, and sometimes comes with a slice of lime - though some beer purists prefer it unadulterated. It's complex and fruity taste also appeals to the female market, who tend to be less keen on traditional ales and lager. The only downside of Hoegaarden is the cost; due to Hoegaarden being the first white beer widely available in the UK, it cornered the market early and thus tends to be the most expensive beer in the bar, with landlords enjoying a larger than normal markup, for no other reason than that people are willing to pay a premium for something delicious and different.

One of the most well known styles of Belgian beer are the Trappist Ales. Trappist is an order of monks that were (are) noted for their austerity and vow of silence - instead letting their beer do the talking. There are six Trappist breweries in the world and all are in Belgium. They produce brews that are highly regarded in gourmet beer drinking circles such as Orval, Chimay, Rochefort and Achel, which tend to be strong in flavour and in alcohol content.

If you're thinking about visiting Belgium to taste their beers first hand, the Bruges Beer Festival is a great place to start. There you'll find forty brewers offering over 100 different firms' beers, including 5 Trappist Breweries, and you'll be able to sample the best from Belgium's beer-y landscape. Hotels in Bruges get booked up quickly during the festival, so get in early if you want to sample Belgium's finest produce.

So, next time you hear someone say that Belgium is boring, tell them to put down their pint of Stella, and try an Orval, Hoegaarden or Achel, after all, there's more to Belgium than dull lager.