Ghent, Capital City of East Flanders

Ghent (spelled Gent in Dutch or Flemish), the picturesque capital city of East Flanders Province of Belgium, holds lots of memories for me. Located in Ghent is the University of Ghent where I obtained my Master in Agricultural Development. It is also the place where I first encountered snow although that is quite rare in this part of Belgium. There are lots of bicycles in Ghent as you can see from the photo below. However, there was one incident that gave me bad memory of Ghent. That is when a careless driver opened the car door without looking and a cyclist rammed into the door, fell onto the road and a car from behind ran over the fallen cyclist.



What else can I remember of Ghent? It is a town full of ancient buildings and castles and many of its roads and pavements are cobble stones. The city is also served by a tram and you can see the tram rails and the heritage buildings in the photo below:





The town of Ghent is also criss-crossed with canals like the one in the photo. The married student quarters I stayed in was beside such a canal.



There are also many statues in this quaint city of Ghent. One of them was done by the artist father of one of my friends:

Nicaragua Real Estate

The Republic of Nicaragua with a land area of 130 thousand kilometer square is the largest state in Central America. Nicaragua is located to the south of Honduras to the south of Costa Rica. Its western coast faces the Pacific Ocean while its eastern coast faces the Caribbean Sea and is located about 11 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere. The capital city of Nicaragua is Managua.

Nicaragua real estate

Nicaragua being a country much less developed as compared with the more densely developed Belgium, the prices of Nicaragua real estate is much more attractive as compared to the hugely inflated prices of real estate in Belgium.

San Juan del Sur

San Juan del Sur is city located on the Pacific Ocean coast, in south-west part of Nicaragua. San Juan del Sur is a popular tourist destination because it has many spectacular beaches nearby. San Juan del Sur can be considered surfers paradise as many surfers enjoy the huge waves of the Pacific Ocean. It is also a popular vacation spot for many Nicaraguan families and foreign tourists. A popular hotel to stay in is the San Juan del Sur Hotel.

Granada, Nicaragua

Granada, named after the Ancient Spanish city of Granada, is Nicaragua's fourth most populous city located on the northwestern shore of Lake Cocibolca, the world's twentieth largest lake. The city was founded in the fifteen century and thus is blessed with a rich colonial heritage. It is also Nicaragua's most important cities both economically and politically. For accommodation, consider Granada Nicaragua Vacation Rental

Belgium have no Government: Flanders considering divorce from Wallonia

Since the June 2007 election, Belgium have been unable to form a government. I was in Belgium (Ghent_ in the 70's and I know about the friction between the Flemishing speaking Belgians of Flanders and the French speaking Belgians of Wallonia. I was even told they used to kill each other, though I wonder how, for they are indistinguishable in appearance from each other. Perhaps they will ask the other to open their mouth before they plunge in the sword. Many Flemish speaking Belgians have been clamouring for a separation of Flanders from French speaking Wallonia, but the already small size of Belgium is a problem. There is also the question of Brussels, the current capital and also the current capital of the European Union. Although the boundary have been drawn such that it lies in Flanders, 80% of Brussels speak French.

A poll in March 2007 found only 11% of Flemings support independence, another survey saw it rising to 39% in August because of the inability to form a government, and Time report that by 14 September, it rose to 43%. If the trend continues, breakup of Belgium appear increasingly likely. However how the problem of Brussels and the European Union acceptance is very much in question. Will it happen? If it does, what should I do with the title of this blog?

Belgium and the rest of the world

I was a student in Ghent, Belgium in the 70s. Belgium is a multi-lingual country like mine with 3 main languages - Flemish (local version of Dutch or Netherlands), French and German. Just like people in my country, they used to fight and even kill each other in the past because of language (and race). However, unlike my country where the mother-tongue is identified with race, which means you can distinguish the different groups by the skin color, you can't tell a Flemish-speaking Belgian from a French-specking Belgian by looking at them (I can't anyway). So I suppose before they stick that dagger into the other's stomach, they will have to wait for the other party to open their mouth first.

Now that they don't kill each other anymore (except perhaps organise noisy demonstrations), I look forward to visiting that little country again. I will probably use Vacation Rentals to help me find accommodation. I found one, it is in Bruges. Its URL is
http://www.goin2travel.com/a146.htm
If you like to see what they have available, copy-paste the above URL into the address bar and press ENTER. I have not made it an active link because I do not know if the owners, Marie-Anne & Erik, will continue to list their property or not. And if I make that a live link, and if one day they pull their listing from the site, I am going to end up with a dead link which the search engines will not like.

In fact, you can use the site whose link "Vacation Rentals" (active) above to find holiday accommodation anywhere in the world.

I have visited Bruges before. Bruges is an old historic town with very many old but well preserved buildings of interesting architecture and lots of canals. The roads are still cobblestones. So those with high heel shoes will have to walk with care! It has been made a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Typical ancient buildings in Bruges, Belgium

Photo uploaded to Flickr by Richard White licensed via Creative Commons

However, I know already knows what Belgium is like. Perhaps, before I visit Belgium again, I should probably visit the rest of the world first. I have been to the United States, but only to California, Nevada, Arizona. I had wanted to take the Greyhound bus to Chicago to see the Niagara Falls, but my fellow bus passenger on my trip to Lake Tahoe told me I better stick around this area (California, Nevada and Arizona) as in Chicago, they even kill each other, I was told. I was too chicken to ignore his advice.

But I understand places like Fort Myers Beach, Kissimmee and Panama City Beach are safe enough for cowards like me. Let us see what they have to offer:

Fort Myers Beach

Fort Myers Beach is peaceful spot to drain away the stress and tension resulting from normal daily life. It offers all that visitors may want without the overwhelming crowds and hassles of visiting a busy magnet for travelers. You can go for jet skiing, bird watching, scuba diving and deep-sea fishing. And if you don't want to hire a boat to go fishing, there is always Fort Myers Beach Fishing Pier where you can cast a line to hook a catch for a photo to take home to show off. For some family fun, try Ostego Bay Marine Science Center or Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve for a close-up view of the natural habitat of ocean dwellers. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford both made their winter homes in Fort Myers and you can visit them for a glimpse into the life of these 2 great personalities.

Be sure to reserve a place to stay that will not only keep you housed in comfort and without breaking your bank. Chose your accommodation from Fort Myers Beach vacation rentals

Kissimmee

There are some minor tourists attractions in Kissimmee, including

Amusement Parks

Kartworlds Of Kissimmee Inc
4708 W US Highway 192

Disney Sports & Recreation
3281 Sherberth Road

Museums and Art Galleries

Galleria Portofino Inc
671 Front Street

Galleria Portofino Inc
671 Front Street

Osceola County Historical Society
750 N Bass Road

Miscellaneous

Jungleland Zoo
4580 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway

A World of Orchids
2501 N Old Lake Wilson Road

Kissimee Amtrak Station
111 Dakin Street

Its main attraction perhaps is its nearness to Orlando with its multitudes of resorts, especially the Walt Disney World Resort, Epcot, Universal Studios, etc. In fact, some Kissimmee hotels offers shuttle bus service to Orlando resorts.

For accommodations in Kissimkee, go to Kissimmee vacation rentals

Panama City Beach

Panama City Beach have beautiful white sand beaches and crystal clear green waters of the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrews Bay. The whiteness of the sand is because quartz crystals were washed down from the Appalachian Mountains centuries ago. It has over 27 miles of award-winning beaches for you to enjoy.

Panama City Beach called itself the "Seafood Capital of the World" and in fact do offers a wide array of restaurants, specializing in seafood. You can dine on the catch of the day while you watch fishermen hauling in fish into their boats off the coast.

Attractions including family theme parks, cruises of every description, great restaurants, and beautiful scenery. Zoo World Zoological and Botanical Park houses a colorful variety of animals, including rare and endangered species. Shipwreck Island is the largest water park around. You can take part in various kinds of activities including skiing, parasailing, diving and fishing.

Don't forget to book your accommodation before your arrival date, and you can do that at Panama City beach vacation homes.

Alternative to Ostend: Tropical Hawaii

Belgium has a seaside resort - Ostend. I have stayed there before - with a Persian family who runs a Persian carpet shop on on seaside walkway. The seaside walkway is nice. You can rent tandem bicycles and cycling around the seaside walkway. But the water is cold and its beach is nothing compared to those you can find in tropical Hawaii. To escape the cold weather of Belgium, perhaps you should consider Hawaii as a welcomed alternative. Hawaii is also full of nature. Reefs and beautiful tropical fishes just perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving, beautiful warm and sunny beaches, lush tropical jungle with interesting fauna and flora, dormant and active volcanoes. If you go at the right time (November through May), you can also see spouting whales.

Hawaii too has a distinct and interesting culture of its own, with its famous Hula dances, music and food, including the traditional Hawaiian feast - luau. Hawaii promote tourism to Hawaii as ecotourism. However, one must always remember that air travel generates a lot of CO2 emission, contributing to global warming. A return flight for 1 from Brussels to Honolulu will involve a journey of 23598 Km and produce 2.6 tonnes of CO2. Fortunately, there are ways to offset the carbon emission. To find sites that offers such carbon offsets, just type the search term into the search box above and it will give you links to lots of sites for just that.

To travel to Hawaii, you can book a complete travel package from Hawaii Vacation Packages which includes air travel, hotel and car rental, a great convenience as you can do that online. However, an examination of the choices available showed that it only offers departure from airports in continental United States. However, you need not be disappointed because Hawaiian Beach Rentals offers lots of choices. You can book seaside vacation cottages, etc. at Hawaii Vacation Rentals, condominiums from Hawaii Condos and hotels from Hawaii Hotels. There is such a variety of choices that you just have to surf over to their website to see for yourself.

Leuven Tourist Information

Leuven Tourist Information
by: Meredith Booney

General summary of the city:

Leuven (Louvain in French) is a university town and the capital city of the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Catholic Univeristy of Leuven) is the oldest catholic univeristy in the world. It is also one of the world’s oldest universities. With respect to the adage “old is gold”, the univeristy which is the hallmark of Leuven, is one of the most beautiful sights in the whole of Europe.

An ancient town Leuven, grew industrially from 11th century onwards. The town soon became famous for linen production (known as lewyn, then) by the late 15th century. Historians argue that linen is actually a corruption of the word “leuven”. By the 18th century, the Beer brewing industry came into existence. The local “Stella Artois” brand of beer became a household name. Things turned out even better for Stella Artois when it merged with the Walloon based brewer Piedboeuf to manufacture Interbrew. The brand Interbrew grew exponentially as one of the most famous brewing companies in the world offering some of the most popular beer brands in Europe. Couple of years ago, Interbrew merged with a Brazilian brewer AmBew to merge InBev which is now the largest and the most popular brewer company in the world with a sizeable marketshare.

The city of Leuven suffered setbacks during the World Wars and the library of the university was destroyed and rebuilt twice. Ten percent of the students attending the university in Leuven are international students. All in all, Leuven is an historically gifted intellectual place for learning and spreading of knowledge.

Places of interest:

St.Peter’s Church on Grotte Markt ( Great Market Square) founded in the later part of the tenth century is a Gothic building. The Church bore the brunt of warfare during the world wars and had to be renovated. The best part about the church is the treasury of St.Peter which houses the 15th century paintings like the “The Last Supper” and the “Martyrdom of Saint Erasmus”.

The Grotte Markt and the Oude Markt (Old Market) reflect the ethos and splendor of the 15th and 16th century BC. No visitor worth his salt should miss the Stadhuis, the townhall of Grott Markt. The Stadhuis is the most beautiful building in Leuven and one of the most popular structures of Belgium. You can take a guided tour of the Stadhuis everyday from 3pm. During the months of April through September, the Stadhuis is open for guided tours from 11 am on weekdays.

The Beguinages built during the period between the 13th and 16th century are the collection of small buiding used by Beguines. They were more than 300 women during those times who lived religious lives, without taking monastic vows. A visit to the Beguinage reminds people of how these sisters dedicated their lives to God without isolating themselves from the world. Quite recently the Beguinages have been able to hold public interest because of their inclusion to the World Heritage List by UNESCO.

Things to do:

Leuven is one place which can make you feel young. There is a continous feeling of learning and education. No prizes for guessing why; Leuven is a “student city” with most of the citizens being students. The Old Market is famous for bars and cafés. Onder den Toog is well known for being Belgium’s smallest bar and a haven visitors who want to absorb the folklore and ambience of the Louven culture.

A visitor cannot afford to miss the Rock Werchter festival held for three days in July. Though the city radiates a Catholic sentiment, the festivals in Leuven do not have any religious or historic appeal. They are purely indulged in for fun, merriment and get-togethers. The Rock Werchter features rock bands from parts of Europe and the USA. The other music festival known as Beleuvenissen play more jazz and blue, folk and classical concerts. Come August, and you can see the rise of pop fever in this city with interntional pop and rock bands coming together for the rock festival Marktrock. If you are into sports especially football, then you can pay a visit to the Oud-Heverlee Leuven, a Belgian football club, from the municipality of Leuven. You can also head to listening to some pleasing orchestra like the famous Arenberg Orchestra in Leuven.

Food and Drink:

The Belle Epoque and the Orange par Roland Debuyst restaurants are famous for gourmand delights. Also famous is the French restaurant offering the best in French cuisine called Ramberg Hof. Oesterbar is another beautiful eatery offering the choices of seafood and oysters for people who love seafood.

Since the place is famous for its cosmopolitian outlook, Leuven brims with the choicest international and ethic cuisinE ranigng from Italian, Mexican, Spanish to Chinese, Moghlai and Indian. There are around 1765 cafes and more than 215 restaurants in Leuven. The quality standards for food and drink are quite high as they are strictly monitored under the watchful eyes of the Leuven Catering Inspectorate.

The popular starters consists of soupe à la bière (beer soup) made with chicken stock and onions; a cold pate made of veal, pork and rabbit; flamiche, a tasty cheese pie with leeks or onions; and tomatoes filled with mayonnaise and shrimps. The main course include chicken stew or fish stew, lean beef cooked in a casserole with onion and beer among other favorites. A popular sweet dish is the Gaufres which are waffles served with chocolate syrup or icing sugar. Frijtes is a popular snack here.

Like the rest of Belgium, beer reigns high among the list of favorite drinks in Leuven, the most popular brand being the good ol’ Stella Artois. There is also a good demand for French and Luxembourg variety of wines. Other popular drinks are gin and coffee. Leuven Peckhke gin with peach juice and Leuvens Nootje, gin with hazel nut are quite popular among jins. Popular brands of Coffee are Margogyp and Mysore.

Hotel and Accomodation:

Het Klooster Hotel
Hotel Ibis Leuven Centrum
Hotel New Damshire
Begijnhof Congreshotel
Hotel Binnenhof
Theater Hotel Leuven Centrum

Entertainment:

You can take your kids or friends to a beautiful recreational partk known as Kessel-Lo Provincial Recreation Park. Children can have a gala time playing, riding electric boats, driving mini-cars etc. You can indulge in row-boating, pedal boating, go-karts and playing to your heart’s content in a spalsh pool. For sports afficionados, there are football pitches, basketball and volleybal courts, a tennis court, two skate ramps and a roller skating rink. The eco-house along with a permanent water exhibition attract a lot of visitor attention. Those who love nature can also find peace and solace watching the greenery, the tree orchard and the blooming flower garden in the recreation park.

Those who prefer night entertainment, can visit some of the zaniest bars which are found around the Oude Markt and the Grott Mart. For people who love shopping, there is the Fochplein, which is famous for popular shops selling everything from food to outfits. There are also some smaller shops in the market area which sell interesting as well as commonplace items. Be it the park, the bars, the museums or the univeristy; the sheer magnetism and the chemisty of Leuven is quite entertaining. The friendly hospitality of the students of Leuven, the humor and the camaraderie shown by them to visitors is really commendable.

About The Author

Meredith Booney is a freelance travel writer with over 20 years of experience writing for travel journals, newspapers and magazines. Belgium Tourist Information. Website: Belgium Cities

Brussels Tourist Information

Brussels Tourist Information
by: Meredith

General summary of city:

The city of Brussels is the capital city of Belgium and is a modern city that is rich in medieval and art-nouveau buildings. Brussels is steeped in rich history with plenty of museums and galleries and a pulsating cultural life.

Brussels is also the administrative center of the European Union, which has earned the city the title ‘the capital of Europe’. The business sector in Brussels is booming with international agencies taking root in the city, however not at the expense of the rich cultural history. The juxtaposition of past and present is evident in Brussels with blocks lined with international businesses and their advanced steel and glass high rises which are only a few steps away from cobbled streets and medieval architecture that speaks of the city’s flavourful past.

With a mixture of French and Flemish culture and language, Brussels is steeped in history and culture, with something for everyone to enjoy. The nightlife culture of Brussels, complete with clubs and pubs to enjoy add to the eclectic ambience of this fair city in Belgium. During the day, as business booms throughout the week, there is a wide variety of attractions for visitors and locals to enjoy, regardless of age. Families enjoy Belgium for its unique atmosphere which embraces every aspect of family life and socialization for adults.

Places of interest:

Brussels boasts over a century of history which lends too many intriguing sights to visit and see in the city and immediate area. Brussels possesses the most fabulous market square and the highest concentration of restaurants in the entire world.

The Petite Rue des Bouchers, which translates to street of the butchers is located in the medieval center of Brussels and is most famous for the simple fact that every building on the street is a restaurant. The roadway is very narrow and is closed to automobile traffic, which allows for the restaurants to boast their wares in spectacular fashion, while on wider parts of the road, restaurants feature outdoor eating areas.

The central market square in Brussels is known as the Grand’ Place, which is notably the most beautiful in the world. A 15th century Town Hall dominates the Grand’ Place with hundreds of small statues and an elegant tower is surrounded by 17th century buildings with golden inlays which surround the entire square. Other places of interest to visit is the Manneken Pis, the Saint Michael cathedral, the Atomium, the Palais de Justice as well as a plethora of parks including the impressive Bois de la Cambre and the forest to which it once belonged, the Foret de Soignes which features birch trees that are hundreds of years old.

Brussels features many interesting sights for the whole family - business people, families, nature lovers, culture devotees and historians alike.

Things to do:

There is a wide variety of things to do in Brussels, regardless of your age or fancies. For those who love to dine, you could spend an eternity sampling all the wonderful restaurants and eateries in Brussels, which boasts itself as having the highest concentration of restaurants in the world. The restaurants in Brussels feature a wide variety of food types and styles for anyone’s palate.

For those who want to take in the rich history of Brussels, there is a surplus of museums that boast the wonderful and flavourful richness of a millennium in Brussels.

Sightseeing is plentiful in Brussels with many 15th and 17th century buildings around the city. Declaring a beautiful surrounding with intricately designed buildings from these centuries, the city of Brussels promises a wonderful view in any direction. With beautiful boulevards, picturesque squares, parks and a very active cultural life in every sense of the word, there is something for everyone in Brussels. You can take in a movie or a play at a theatre, enjoy dinner in one of the many restaurants, and visit the monuments and places of great interest that abound in this beautiful city.

Brussels is steeped in over 1000 years of history and beauty for each individual to unfold whether visiting or moving to the city.

Food & Drink:

Brussels is all about the food. Because Brussels has the highest concentration of restaurants in all the world, the dining industry is literally one of the most prolific in the city. The Petite Rue des Bouchers (the street of butchers) is literally lined with restaurants. Every single building on the street is a restaurant that caters to a variety of flavours and tastes.

Throughout this beautiful historical city, restaurants, eateries and quaint cafes abound, offering up a dish of enlightening flavor to satisfy any palate. There is, of course, plenty of French food and Flemish food, but with the coming of immigrants to Brussels, there is an increasing variety of foods from other cultures and countries throughout the world. Within the streets of Brussels, you can find Western cooking, Lebanese flavourings, Greek, Mexican - really any ethnic food flavouring that your heart could desire.

To go to Brussels means to enjoy good food in a beautiful atmosphere. Brussels is known world wide for its upper class restaurants and small, cozy eateries that are both quaint and classy.

Hotels & Accommodation:

Silken Residence
Le Châtelain All Suites Hotel
Hilton Brussels
Minotel Chambord
Le Méridien Bruxelles
Eazires Europarthotel Avenue Louise
Hotel Villa Royale
Hotel le Dixseptieme
Sun Hotel
New Hotel Charlemagne
Hotel L'auberge Du Souverain
Aristote
Hotel Continental
Hotel le Chantecler
Hotel De Fierlant
Hotel Erasme
Rijckendael Hotel
Eurostars Royal Embassy Grand Place

Entertainment:

Brussels is very much a city of the night. There is a bustling nightlife in Brussels in the many clubs, discotheques, bars and restaurants. There is always something to do in Brussels.

During the day, the museums offer a great deal of entertainment for the entire family. With the wealth of history and past culture in Brussels, everyone in the family will find the museums, galleries and culture centers interesting and intriguing.

There are a wide variety of cultural festivals that are also offered throughout the city at various times of the year ranging in depth from family fun to adult entertainment.

Fun for the whole family is offered in the heart of Belgium in the capital city of Brussels. Movie theatres, shopping centers, parks, forests, museums, cultural centers and places of interest abound in this gorgeous city. Boredom is nearly impossible in Brussels - there is always something to do or see in this fair city. A rich social life is just around the corner in Brussels, all you have to do is see what they have to offer during your visit.

About The Author
Meredith Booney
Website: Belgium Cities Meredith Booney is a freelance travel writer with over 20 years of experience writing for travel journals, newspapers and magazines. Belgium Tourist Information