Early Observations

We've been here just over a week now, and in that time we have formed some first impressions about life in Belgium. Some are very positive, others not as much. Here's a little list which we may add to over time:

Beer
All of the different beers we've tried have been excellent, except for one: Maes. Those who enjoy the watered-down lagers that are mass-produced in the U.S. might like it, but for us beer snobs it was a major disappointment. The favorite so far is Leffe, which makes both a Blonde and Brune (brown) version, both of which are very good.

Getting around
The mass transit here is excellent, putting even transit-friendly Portland to shame. There are three different Metro (subway) lines, 18 tram lines, and dozens of bus routes that go pretty much everywhere. Driving, on the other hand, appears to be a major source of fear and frustration (though we have yet to try it). Traffic is horrendous, the roads are very confusing, and drivers here are quite aggressive, though I must say they are pretty tolerant and friendly towards pedestrians. Speaking of pedestrians, maneuvering around others you pass on the street is rather interesting as well; people here often play a pedestrian form of "chicken", and will continue to walk three-abreast as they approach you, waiting to see if you'll move first. Thus far we have virtually always been the ones to move and go single file, mostly because we don't feel comfortable enough yet to want to deal with any confrontation that may ensue. I'll maybe follow up on that one as time goes by! :-)

The People
Belgians are somewhat reserved, but extremely friendly and accomodating. Even given our almost non-existent French and completely non-existent Dutch, we have yet to be treated rudely or criticized for our lack of skill in the local languages. An English speaker can easily "get by" with learning only the basics, but seeing how adept many of the locals are with three plus languages really makes us want to make the effort to learn. We've got our work cut out for us!

The Pets
Yes, I feel I must mention the four-legged residents of Brussels, specifically the barking variety. I've read that Belgians adore their dogs, and from what we've seen I would say that is definitely true. Lots of people here have dogs, and we often see them out on the street or in parks walking their furry friends. That's great, until Fido or Fifi does what comes naturally (often in the middle of the sidewalk), and the owner walks off, leaving the steaming pile there, just waiting for an unsuspecting pedestrian to step in it. Seriously, I have never seen so much dog poop on city streets in my life!

That's all for now, more to come soon!