"Originally constructed for Expo '58, the 1958 Brussels World's Fair, stands 102 m tall. Its nine 18 m diameter stainless steel clad spheres are connected so that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. They enclose escalators and a lift to allow access to the five habitable spheres which contain exhibit halls and other public spaces." (source: wikipedia)
Brussels with its variety of different sides: historic buildings in combination with modern architecture and a mixture of nationalities, cultures and languagues... Two weeks in Brussels (21.07 - 04.08.2012) and I fall in love with the city. One of the great things is beer, I am happy with a small collection of different types of beer after my trip. Even one of my classmates said: "Brussels - the Belgian people - should get a Nobel prize for beer"!!! Just a brief recommendation on some favourite beers: the "Mort Subite" has a little bit of sweet taste as a mixture of beer and cherries, so that generally well suited for ladies. The "Brugs" tastes substantially good with a slide of lemon: simply stuck the lemon slide inside the bottle and drink the beer fast in the first few seconds, as the beer would rise up instantly (well, you do not need to finish all the bottle in few seconds though). I had fun drinking the Brugs that way, thanks to an awesome friend Olga, she's so great!
Walking around Brussels gives you a feeling of being in an important city of Europe, in which there is always something happenning! This however does not make you feel unrest or nervous, but rather alive, fresh and to me very cheerful. The city probably offers everyone a little something that one needs.
Coming back to the reason that I visited and stayed in Brussels for two weeks, I was attending the summer school "CH.ESS 2012 - Birth of modern engineering" (www.chess2012.eu). In particular, the CH.ESS 2012 offered a comprehensive opportunity for civil engineering and architecture students to equip oneself with the knowledge about the developments connecting to the new building materials, i.e. iron, steel and reinforced or prestressed concrete, in the construction history of the 19th and 20th century. Furthermore, students also learnt analytical skills such as using instruments, documentary sources, drawings and surveys, which can be applied in the academic and professional work. I was actually having much fun by working relatively hard at the CH.ESS 2012. It was one of my memorable summers in Europe!!!
One of the primary factors that contributed to the enjoyable stay was the great weather in Brussels, we couldn't expect anything better. It was sunny but refreshing and most of the time not too hot, like the weather in a bright cool summer day when everyone will lie down relaxing or go for a picnic in a park. In the first week, I had not got any time to look around the "capital city" of Europe. As a result, at the end of the first week, I was looking forward to the excursions in Brussels and then Antwerp. Here are some photos from my excursion with the CH.ESS class around Brussels during the summer school:
About the diversity in Brussels, it is probably well demonstrated by the diversity in languages: in general "the Kingdom of Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French, and German. A number of non-official, minority languages and dialects are spoken as well. English is widely spoken throughout the country as a second or third language by native Belgians. English is the working language for many of the international institutions and multinationals in Brussels, Gand, and Antwerp.
Both immigration and the status of Brussels as the "capital" of the EU mark its status as a cosmopolitan world city. The migrant communities, as well as rapidly growing communities of EU-nationals from other EU-member states, speak many languages like French, Turkish, Arabic, Berber, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, German, and (increasingly) English. The degree of linguistic integration varies widely within each migrant group." (source: wikipedia).
During our excursion, we visited a number of historic iron and steel buildings. We were explained about the history of that building, examined how the structure is constructed, how the loads are distributed etc. Very common our Professors would raise several inquiries and challenged us to give some answers or remarks. It was very interesting that we not only appreciate the beauty of a structure through its architectural view, but also could understand its construction history and structural behaviour which eventually are value-added to its nice view. Romantically speaking, it is like you could see the beauty outside as well as feel the beauty in the soul :-). The excursion widened my view and deepened my interest in the field of monuments and historic constructions.
We also walked shortly through the central Grand Place/ Grote Markt. This place is normally crowded, not only for tourists but also young locals gathering here with friends - a truly enjoyable place to rest and have a Belgian beer, stairing at the magnificent buildings surrounding the square.
We have visited this bar the evening before our excursion around Brussels and celebrated Dustin's birthday as well. During the summer school, friendship was made - nice friendship across seven European universities. It was a great feeling being around international students with full energy and ..more energy.
Brussels' nightlife is also very lively. When visiting this "capital of Europe", one should not miss the chance to discover the city's beauty at night. For us, we went out with our CH.ESS colleagues, including some locals who are familiar with nice places to hang out.
Crowded street cafe/restaurants day and night around the Grand Place/ Grote Markt
"Festive, trendy, eccentric and definitely enthusiastic, Brussels' nightlife is an oasis of every source of enjoyment. Whether one is looking for a good barrel of beer or record decks playing electro, a lounge sofa or Latino rhythms, he/she can move quickly from one atmosphere to the next, each as sociable as they are exciting. For example, the Sablon is a place for a very "stylish" evening. To the area around the Grande-Place to delve into the mysterious secrets of Belgian beer or around Halles Saint-Gery to take the pulse of the trendy lifestyle of the young "bruxellois". If it were up to oneself, sometimes one'd prefer the sun not to rise in Brussels, as the 'bruxellois' say." (source: belgiumtheplaceto.be).
Variety of restaurant decorations
"Nightlife at the Grand Place and surrounding areas: in addition to the incomparable beauty of its architecture, the historic centre of Brussels has, over the years, become an unrivalled landmark for night-time revellers. For its tourist appeal, obviously, but also for its great places to go. The neighbouring streets around also have a number of good places where one can eat late, a big advantage when someone's been bouncing around to some wild bass rhythms all evening or has tried out all the special beers served by the local brasseries." My girlfriend Olga even told me a story of her and several CH.ESS colleagues went to a bar and ordered like 12 different kinds of beer then they just rotated the drink and tasted each type a little bit. Cool!
Seafood dish and "Moules frites" as favourite in many restaurant
It is very common to see full of people in street cafes enjoying hanging out with friends. This seem-like (as I can not say I am already familiar with the culture just after few days walking around Brussels) open and friendly culture is similar to the French and to my own culture, which I kind of miss when living in Germany. In addition, it is also convenient in Brussels to communicate in English - most of people seem to be alright with you speaking another language and would not try to educate you every word in German ;-).
"Brussels isn't a party city like Berlin or Barcelona. Brussels' residents - or Zinnekes, as they’re known - prefer to while away the evening hour with conversation and a cold beer. In winter, their 'brown cafés' are snug dens in which to shelter from biting rain storms and in summer, the doors are thrown open and tables and chairs assembled on the pavements so locals and tourists alike can enjoy the inimitable tradition of the 'terrace'." (source: bozar.de).
My friend Olga said this bar offered great beers; it is near the central Grand Place/ Grote Markt
"Bars are an integral part of the Brussels experience and virtually every street is home to at least one port in the storm; many of them have been in business for centuries. As a result, there are a few favourites that regularly crop up in guidebook listings because of their historical or architectural significance. This city's club culture was, up until a few years ago, rather pathetic, but nowadays there are a number of edgy/raw venues, as well as some slightly classier cocktail-and-lace joints, that provide some variety to the evenings spent chatting over a potent Belgian beer."
"Bars are an integral part of the Brussels experience and virtually every street is home to at least one port in the storm; many of them have been in business for centuries. As a result, there are a few favourites that regularly crop up in guidebook listings because of their historical or architectural significance. This city's club culture was, up until a few years ago, rather pathetic, but nowadays there are a number of edgy/raw venues, as well as some slightly classier cocktail-and-lace joints, that provide some variety to the evenings spent chatting over a potent Belgian beer."
After the excursion in Brussels with the class (27.07), the next day I had one day free, literally free as our schedule was so tight from morning to evening. On that rare free day during the summer school, Dustin and I discoverd by foot again in a relaxing way most of the remarkable corners of Brussels. Dustin only visited me in Brussels for few days as a short holiday. We decided to make a first stop on the military museum at the location of the Triumphal Arch in the Cinquantenaire park, partly being motivated by a free entrance and he always has interest for army museum. It turned out that the museum was great, very informative and impressive. For some information about the place where the museum is now located: "in 1880, King Leopold II, Belgium's second king, commissioned the park and the Arch to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Belgian independence. Twenty five years later, in 1905, he commemorated the large stone arch, which architect Gidéon Bordiau designed; Charles Girault took it over after his death. The arch adjoins a museum complex that houses Autoworld Brussels, the Royal Museum of Armed Forces and Military History and the Cinquantennaire Art Museum." (source: gogobot.com).
About the collections in the museum: the best way to describe the Museum is perhaps "a survey of more than 10 centuries of military and technological history. The collections range from suits of armour over valuable firearms and masterly crafted swords to armoured vehicles and airplanes. Uniforms both Belgian and foreign demonstrate the evolution in military equipment and the influence of civil fashion on military clothing. The history of the country is of course never far away: the Austrian, French and Dutch periods, Belgian independence and military politics, the weal and woe of the dynasty, the big world conflicts,.. Everything is brought back to life through numerous paintings, sculptures, decorations and other memorabilia." More information can be found at: www.klm-mra.be.
German tank ;)).
When I turned back after asking for some information, he already found the way to have a short 'pilot experience' and surprised me.
After visiting the Royal Museum, we walked modestly, kind of in a relaxing manner with no rush, along the streets leading to the centre.
When in Brussels, one can find statues as part of a decoration of a building. I enjoy much finding interesting statues here and there in the city.
I sometimes even have developed some kind of sympathy for cyclists when seeing some riding up a steep road. Berlin's roads are really flat compared to here.
"This church is to be found at the Treurenberg hill on the edge between lower and upper town. At the beginning of the 11th century a church was already situated here. Because of its growing importance, the first St. Gudula church originally built in Romanesque style was transformed in gothic style as from the 13th century. Today, the foundations of the first church can still be seen under the crypt of the gothic cathedral. Inside, 12 pillars clearly determine the interior of the cathedral, whereas the triforia and glass-stained windows accentuate the later gothic style which allowed more light to fall in to the church. In the northern chapel on the left side of the choir, one can see the portraits of several kings and emperors." (source: trabel.com).
Dustin and I actually visited several shops and bought for myself a very nice comfortable Geox light brown pair of shoes, which were on 40% discount. The Geox branch is kind of Dustin's favourite, and I started to understand why since I have got those shoes.
We decided to enjoy lunch at an outdoor restaurant in the centre, like many tourists and probably also locals.
After having lunch and shopping around, we also bought some beers and went to the Grand Place/Grote Markt to have a truly joyful rest.
"Brussels Grote Markt/Grand Place was voted the most beautiful square in Europe in 2010. A survey by a Dutch website (stedentripper.com) asked its users to rate different squares across Europe. Moscow’s Red Square and the Place Stanislas in Nancy, France, took second and third place." (source: wikipedia).
Guildhalls on the Grand Place/ Grote Markt
The Maison du Roi (King's House), or Broodhuis (Breadhouse)
"Every two years in August, an enormous "flower carpet" is set up in the Grand Place for a few days. A million colourful begonias are set up in patterns, and the display covers a full 24 by 77 m, for area total of 1,800 square m. The first flower carpet was made in 1971, and due to its popularity, the tradition continued, with the flower carpet attracting a large number of tourists." It was a pity that we were in Brussels a bit early to enjoy the flower carpet from 14 to 19 August 2012, which was about 2 weeks after our stay. Samples of flower carpets can be seen at Flower Carpet.
"By the end of the 11th century, an open-air marketplace was set up on a dried-up marsh near the fort that was surrounded by sandbanks. The market was called the Nedermerckt, or Lower Market. At the beginning of the 13th century, three indoor markets were built on the northern edge of the Grand Place; a meat market, a bread market and a cloth market. These buildings, which belonged to the Duke of Brabant, allowed the wares to be showcased even in bad weather, but also allowed the Dukes to keep track of the storage and sale of goods, in order to collect taxes. Other buildings, made of wood or stone, enclosed the Grand Place."
"The Grote Markt/Grand Place continued to serve as a market until November 19, 1959, and it is still called the Great Market or Grote Markt in Dutch. Neighbouring streets still reflect the area's origins, named after the sellers of butter, cheese, herring, coal and so on. One of the houses was owned by the brewers' guild, and is now the home of a brewers' museum."
Everard't Serclaes Monument - Make a wish!
"Serclaes was considered not only as a Brussels' hero but as a martyr because he was assassinated by the lord of Gaasbeek and mutilated by cutting his tongue and a feet. This happened on March 26, 1388 at a crossroad in Vlezenbeek that still exists. After the death of Everard't Serclaes, the Brussels' militia went to Gaasbeek and burned the castle after a long siege. The castle of Gaasbeek has been rebuilt and modified during the following centuries and is now a museum.
Make a wish: e.g. students before the examinations pass at the corner of the Grand Place to rub the statue and make a wish. That wish you make when rubbing the statue should remain secret to have a chance of achievement.
The statue is now a copy because the original surface got so deteriorated by people rubbing it that a restoration was needed like mentioned by panels on the monument." (source: virtualTourist)
The 61 cm tall bronze statue was made in 1619 by Brussels sculptor Hieronimus Duquesnoy. There are several legends behind this statue, but the most famous is the one about Duke Godfrey III of Leuven. In 1142, the troops of this two-year-old lord were battling against the troops of the Berthouts, the lords of Grimbergen. The troops put the infant lord in a basket and hung the basket in a tree to encourage them. From there, the boy urinated on the troops of the Berthouts, who eventually lost the battle. - more on wikipedia -
Still man with pretty face ;-).
We walked through a nice park with many cute statues and sometimes even funny shapes like mussels, glass of beer and French fries in my favourite dish "Moules frites". I enjoyed very much our time in Brussels.
We walked through a nice park with many cute statues and sometimes even funny shapes like mussels, glass of beer and French fries in my favourite dish "Moules frites". I enjoyed very much our time in Brussels.
One thing that is perhaps only known from a local is that there might be some differentiation, in one form or another, about the society classes through the languages. I got a little impression through several short discussions with a nice local colleague (although I must stress out that my impression is biased considering I have not discussed with a sufficient numbers of locals to get different perspectives). As I find it interesting, I like to save some space in this entry for 'the language difference in Belgium', and 'more than just a language itself'. For example, in some places people will only speak French to you, in others only Dutch, and for some, French is a 'higher language class'. The French-only speaking people account for 57% of Brussels population, French-and-Dutch 9%, whereas Dutch-only 7% (wikipedia, 2006). Furthermore, there are universities that are only taught in French or Dutch, but the two languages are not combined together. In our summer school, we have worked together with students from two universities: the Free University of Brussels - the French-speaking ULB, and the Dutch-speaking Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB); some facilities shared by both universities use the name "Brussels Free Universities" (BFU). There is a story that the two universities are in some kind of 'cold conflict' and do not normally cooperate together. "Since 1935 some courses have been taught in both French and Dutch, but it was only in 1963 that all faculties held courses in both languages. Shortly after the language dispute at the Catholic University of Leuven, in October 1969 the French and Dutch entities of the ULB separated into two distinct universities. With the act of 28.05.1970, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the Université libre de Bruxelles officially became two separate legal, administrative and scientific entities." (wikipedia)
So the above are some kinds of examples about the language difference (though not only the language itself). Looking back at the root, "since the founding of the Kingdom of Belgium in 1830, Brussels has transformed from being almost entirely Dutch-speaking to being a multilingual city with French (specifically Belgian French) as the majority language and lingua franca. This language shift, the Frenchification of Brussels, is rooted in the 18th century and accelerated after Belgium became independent and Brussels expanded past its original boundaries."
"French-speaking immigration contributed to the Frenchification of Brussels in great numbers. However, a more important cause for the Frenchification was the language change over several generations from Dutch to French that was performed in Brussels by the Flemish people themselves (The Flemish (Dutch: “de Vlamingen”) are a Germanic ethnic group native to Belgium, who speak Dutch. They are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal ethnic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons. The "Flemings" as they are also called make up the majority of the Belgian population, about 60%). The main reason for the language shift in the Flemish themselves was the political, administrative and social pressure, partly based on the low social prestige of the Dutch language in Belgium at the time; this made French the only language of administration, law, politics and education in Belgium and thus necessary for social mobility. From 1880 on, faced with the necessity of using French in dealing with such institutions, more and more Dutch-speakers became bilingual, and a rise in the number of monolingual French-speakers was seen after 1910. Halfway through the 20th century the number of monolingual French-speakers surpassed the number of mostly bilingual Flemish inhabitants."
"Only since the 1960s, after the fixation of the Belgian language border, and after the socio-economic development of Flanders was in full effect, could Dutch stem the tide of increasing French use. Through immigration, a further number of formerly Dutch-speaking municipalities in surrounding Flanders became majority French-speaking in the second half of the 20th century. This phenomenon is, together with the future of Brussels, one of the most controversial topics in all of Belgian politics." ... (source: wikipedia). I find it quite interesting to know a little more about this aspect of a city so called "the capital of Europe", but not everything is always in complete harmony :-). It is indeed our real life, isn't it?..
Before saying goodbye to Brussels, my girlfriend Olga and I have managed a little time in the afternoon before the last day to visit the Atomium, as I thought it is also a main icon of Brussels. It is indeed very nice to see this interesting structure.
After visiting the Atomium, we walked through a large park and visited some Japanese and Chinese temples on the way back.
Relating to my work, I not only could enhance the knowledge in the field, which is related much to my current doctoral research, but also the international working cooperation and establishment of contacts with some Professors and scientific researchers especially in the field of the doctoral topic were greatly appreciated. Moreover, after the Ph.D. presentation, I also received valuable feedback and comments that help my work to advance further.
After being back in Berlin, I felt like I miss Brussels. It was a special two weeks with much fun, some work, friendship and something more.. It reminded me of myself when I first came to Europe more than two years ago, cheerful, a little adventurous, highly motivated, self-confident,.. In a nutshell, it was really great!
CH.ESS summer school, 21.07 - 03.08.2012
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