A carnival in Belgium - the country celebrates culture far more visibly than does the UK, says Chris Phillips // Binche carnival (Chris Phillips)

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A carnival in Belgium - the country celebrates culture far more visibly than does the UK, says Chris Phillips

Where? Belgium
Who? Chris Phillips, a civil servant, originally from Harlow in Essex
Big differences: "Everything closes early evenings and all day Sundays. Also, customer service seems to be based on the French model - ie rude and lazy. On the plus side, Belgians love art and culture - both their own and foreign, and really seem to celebrate them far more visibly than we do back home."
Brussels loves: "Brussels is a very relaxed city. It has elements of the cafe culture of Paris but with the bar culture of northern EU countries such as the UK. There always seem to be music, art or beer festivals going on in Brussels (many of which are free or very cheap to attend), and the other Belgian cities such as Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges are all within an hour's train journey if you want to see something different."
Favourite places: "Mostly the bars! I'll go to La Morte Subite if I want something traditionally Belgian, Delirium for a boozy weekend and the Old Oak if I want a taste of home and the English football. There is also an incredibly well maintained forest, Forêt de Soignes, which is a fantastic place to go jogging."


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