Talk:Brussels/Archive

A raw data source (do not co--88.77.226.90 09:43, 4 September 2007 (EDT)--88.77.226.90 09:43, 4 September 2007 (EDT)py text or images):

http://www.aab-allaboutbelgium.be/

Jack Travel has a good guide to Brussels here:

http://www.jack-travel.com/Belgium/Html/Brussels_main_Visit_Page.htm

I found these telephone numbers for Hotel A La Grande Cloche, but from 1999, so they may have changed:

phone : +39 2 512.61.40.
Fax : +39 2 512.65.91

The article states "Hotel A La Grande Cloche (they're on the web)" but I could not find their website, only plenty of hotel booking agents.

So, does anyone have the hotel's website and contact numbers? -(WT-en) Wikibob 14:37, 2004 Sep 19 (EDT)

Some taxi information from http://www.taxi.irisnet.be/en/client.html

Pick-up charge: € 2,35

Rate I (within the 19 communes of the Brussels-Capital Region): € 1,14 /km

Rate II (outside the 19 communes): € 2,28/km

Waiting fee : € 21,86 per hour (1)

Between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. customers are charged a flat rate supplement of € 1,86 (the taximeter is fitted with a clock-calendar that registers this flat-rate supplement automatically).

(1) Waiting time: the taximeter automatically switches to waiting time if the tax is driving at less than 20 km/h, for example in traffic jams, at red lights, etc.

-(WT-en) Wikibob | Talk 19:50, 2004 Sep 19 (EDT)

Photos

Have photos coming up that will be appropriate for Brussels. Suggest removing "anti-war bus" (and will do so when I add the new photos). It's not really tourism or travel relevant and certainly not more representative of Brussels than other places. -- (WT-en) Nils 17:56, 31 Jan 2005 (EST)

Fine with me (I put it on) --(WT-en) elgaard 03:41, 1 Feb 2005 (EST)

Added 2 new photos, removed the bus. Had wanted to put the Maenneken on too but my pictures of it did not turn out well at all. Not that it's a great thing to visit, but it is probably the most famous "landmark" of Brussels... -- (WT-en) Nils 03:44, 5 Feb 2005 (EST)

Todo

Museums: http://www.bruxelles.irisnet.be/en/tourismeloisirs/tourisme_et_loisirs/les_musees_de_bruxelles.shtml

-- nils

Bilingualism

The current doubling of all names is very/really tedious/annoying. As French is the main language and most visitors are more likely to speak it than Flemish, I'd suggest we just use the French names for addresses etc. (WT-en) Jpatokal 09:01, 7 September 2006 (EDT)

I wouldn't go there if I were you, the language issue is -extremely- touchy for the Belgians, they almost ended up in a civil war over it after WWII. Brussels was historically always a Flemish speaking city and even the centre and source of Flemish/Dutch culture. Only because of the 1830 rebellion, the subsequent invasion by France, and the over 100 years of institutionalised ostracization of the Flemish speaking community by the newly installed francophone aristocracy has the current language situation arisen. I suggest out of respect to the Belgians that we follow their wish to strictly have everything bi-lingual.193.67.113.2 04:00, 8 June 2007 (EDT)

Using only French is ridiculous, Brussels is originally a Flemish city. Sure, many French speakers live there now, but the double language policy is official government policy and I'd say the only right way. --(WT-en) globe-trotter 07:45, 6 June 2010 (EDT)

Using English in New York is ridiculous as well. It is originally a Dutch city. Sure, many English speakers live there now, but the city was historically Dutch. Your comments are pure Flemish nationalism : today the vast majority of Brusselers speaks either French or English : there are mo#Recent_edits_about_the_character_of_the_cityre English speakers in Brussels than Dutch speakers.... And there were NO wish to strictly have everything bilingual in Brussels : it has been demanded by the arrogant Flemish nationalist in the newly installed Flemish aristocracy that exploits this city, steals the jobs of the Brusselers in favour of people from Flanders, and keeps this city down in order to make profit out of it. I am a Brusseler and people in Brussels basically hates the Flemish and the bilinguism they imposed to that city, because the only purpose of Flanders is to oppress the Brusselers to re-Flemish a city that loss its Flemish character more than a century ago : get over it, Flanders, this city doesn't belong to you anymore, it is a multicultural and international place where French and English are the lingua franca.

Using modern European languages in Europe is ridiculous, almost all cities were originally Roman cities. Sure, many French/ German/ Spanish/ etc speakers live there now, but using anything else than Latin is wrong since historically it was part of the Roman Empire. (in case you didn't notice I was being sarcastic...) (WT-en) Lemmiwinks 15:12, 22 December 2011 (EST)

Jacques Brel

We're currently attending FOSDEM 07 and booked at Youth Hostel Jacques Brel. We can absolutely NOT RECOMMEND this Youth Hostel. It leaves the impression that it's been build once and then never cleaned again. Everything looks so damn f***ed up that one wouldn't even want to go to bathroom without wearing shoes. Staff doesn't even know about their guests, they removed sheets from beds although we were going to stay two more nights. Reception closes at 7 pm (on sat/sun even at 6pm), you can't access the hostel between 1 am and 6 am.

Districts

The current districtification is just completely broken -- it's all redlinks and most of the districts have nothing to see anyway. Can somebody who knows Brussels suggest something sensible? (WT-en) Jpatokal 21:14, 29 May 2007 (EDT)

I'm not even sure if Brussels really needs districts. There is not that much to do there and most people make a head for Bruges, Ghent or Antwerp. --(WT-en) globe-trotter 07:44, 6 June 2010 (EDT)

NATO: Transatlantic twist?

"The fact, moreover, that Brussels acts as political capital of NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance] serves to give the city a Transatlantic twist."

The NATO headquarters on the eastern edge of town look like little more than some large army barracks, they are not exactly the centre of public life in Brussels. Unless you find yourself at some international function as a visitor or even as a local are unlikely to meet any NATO employees. It is like saying when in The Hague one will notice a definite War Crimes twist.193.67.113.2 04:00, 8 June 2007 (EDT)

Point taken, but I still think the sentence is appropriate. Brussels has more of an international/Atlantic flavor because of NATO, and besides that, it may well be that many of the people using our travel guide are working with NATO or visiting for some conference on international issues. After all, a "twist" isn't saying very much. --(WT-en) Peterfitzgerald ^Talk 19:43, 8 June 2007 (EDT)

I have to agree with Mr/Ms. Anon here — I've never felt much, if anything, in the way of a "transatlantic twist" in Brussels. Even the massive EU presence is almost imperceptible in the touristy bits (except that everybody speaks half a dozen languages). (WT-en) Jpatokal 00:49, 9 June 2007 (EDT)

Sorry to gang up on Peter, but I also agree with the IP and with Jpatokal, so I boldly removed the NATO twist. I believe it has a transtalantic f#Recent_edits_about_the_character_of_the_cityeel because of the many organisations and the E.U. When I first visited Brussels as a tourist, or as part of a works "evening out" (we were maybe 30 with 5 nationalaties and maybe 'only' 4 languages between us) I was not even aware NATO was there. Later when I lived there I only saw NATO because the bus to the airport went past it, otherwise one would never see it. I did get the cosmopolitan feel of the city: many languages, many nationalaties (excluding the tourists), the presence of the E.U., and the embassies and headquarters for many international organisations. I remember the first pub I went to, at random, was a fully German speaking one (no French, no Dutch, limited English). Many people I met worked for the E.U. or one of the main organisations.-(WT-en) Wikibob ^Talk 17:39, 26 June 2008 (EDT)

Atomium

Can we insert a image of the Atomium in the Wikivoyage article Brussels? --88.77.226.90 09:43, 4 September 2007 (EDT)

One has to be careful with photographs of the Atomium because a worldwide copyright is claimed on them. However an image of a model or of the one on the back of a Euro coin should be Ok. I do not have one, but here is one. It is not GFDL, and its use is permitted by ECB.

Even better, is this public domain photo of the mini-Europe scale model (which escapes the worldwide copyright restriction as it is a model). That shows both mini-Europe and the Atomium.-(WT-en) Wikibob ^Talk 18:09, 26 June 2008 (EDT) which I have just added-(WT-en) Wikibob ^Talk 18:15, 26 June 2008 (EDT)

Frites

Chez Martin seems to have disappeared, I spent one hour looking for it but no luck, unless a local can give updated directions I propose to remove it.

Chez Martin moved a few times the last years, from the corner of rue St-Josse & rue Verbist, to rue des Deux Tours and then on to place Saint-Josse. (all within a 100 meter of each other ;) Unfortunately, he has closed down his shop last year (2009). There might be hope, in a local newspaper it is explained the commune may move the fritkot and support it in some way. (WT-en) stef.van.dessel 13:00, 28 August 2010 (EDT)

A new fritkot will be installed in December 2010 (WT-en) stef.van.dessel 14:17, 30 November 2010 (EST)

Restaurants

We wanted to have dinner at L'Element Terre on June 11th 2011, but once we got there it looked like the place has closed down.

Beertour

the detailes for beertour are copies-pasted form their site. seems like a promotion of the company. what's the policy about that? --194.3.110.235 17:13, 1 September 2009 (EDT)

If it is a direct copy and pastw, then it is a copyright violation unless permission has been granted explicitly. The copied text should be removed. --(WT-en) inas 19:04, 1 September 2009 (EDT)

the problem has solved itself: /* Buy */ deleted the beertour entry. The URL points to a domain name parking service. if it needs to come back, please put it under "Do", not "Buy" 17:56, 14 September 2010 (EDT)

Airport xfer

Both Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi airport have information about a door-to-door service. Different websites, but the same phonenumber once you're on the website. It feels like touting to me. Anyone have a good reason to keep these door-to-door services in? The airports websites themselves have a limited listing of taxi companies. (WT-en) stef.van.dessel 11:48, 18 September 2010 (EDT)