Liege, a beautiful city in Belgium.
Belgium is an easy country to fall in love with. The smell of ham and wine linger through the air, as the aromas blend with smell of chocolate making. Ok, Belgium doesn't always smell like that, especially in Brussels, but the month I spent in Louvain La Neuve made me a Belgian at heart.
While I was in Belgium, I was embarrassed to learn that Belgian had a monarchy. I was a history major, well versed in foreign cultures and had taken French, yet I had failed to acquire this important fact. Yet more embarrassing still, I learned this at a morning reception at the mayor's house, which was flowing with wine. We (Americans) kept drinking in honor of the king and before I knew it I was a little tipsy. Not only was I the ignorant American, but I couldn't hold my wine like the Belgians.
Who doesn't like bread, cheese and wine?
The current Belgian king is Albert II and is descended from the same royal family as the English monarchy, the Saxe-Coburg family. Many Belgians find the monarchy a relic from the past, however, and desire a president of sorts. I am an American, so I see no need for monarchy, but I have been fascinated by two fellow bloggers dedicated to Belgium and her monarchy:
The Cross of Laeken and the
Exiled Belgian Royalist.
Well written (in English), informative, with a hint of nostalgia, describes these blogs. So read a little, or a lot from these blogs and discover another aspect of European history and culture. All I ask is that you leave me a bite of chocolate!
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