Ons Belgenlandje, ’t is maar een klein vlekje op de wereldkaart en niet meteen het meest aantrekkelijke ter wereld. Oké, we hebben met Brussel een belangrijke politieke stad, maar that’s just about it. Waarom zou iemand in godsnaam tot hier reizen? Exact wat de reisblog Wonderful Wanderings wilde te weten komen. En wat blijkt? Het draait niet allemaal rond bier, wafels en chocolade …

Maar onze drie nationale trotsen zijn en blijven natuurlijk wel de belangrijkste trekpleisters voor buitenlanders. Bier als het onze brouwen ze nergens anders, hoe hard ze ook proberen. En nog steeds kent geen enkel ander land een beter recept voor wafels dan wij. Zelfs onze chocolade kent zijn gelijke niet in de wereld.

Maar daar stopt de kennis over ons landje voor veel niet-Belgen. Reisblogster Sofie wilde wel eens weten welke eerste indrukken haar collega-bloggers over België hebben, na hun eerste bezoek, en dit zijn de leukste quotes.

1. “Belgium in one word? Chocolate.” Dit is wat ze zeggen over ons eten

“Make sure to indulge in waffles, chocolate, fries, cookies and, of course, beer (those monks really know what they are doing!)” – Cipri en Laura, VS.

“If I had to describe Belgium in 1 word it would be ‘chocolate’. (…) But the sweet treats are just the tip of the chocolate iceberg that is Belgium.” – Josh en Erin, Australië.

“My first impression of Belgium was all the lovely food. We really enjoyed tasting all of the chocolate and in Brussels we went on a hunt for the best waffles. (…) It’s definitely the best place in the world to eat waffles (and I’ve done quite a bit of research in this area to say that).” – Nichola, Verenigd Koninkrijk.

“The food was excellent and very kid-friendly – chocolates, waffles, frites and fried cheese.” – Bethaney, VS

2. “THE BEER!”

“I didn’t like beer before I moved to Belgium. In fact, I thought it was gross. But I knew that if I was going to live here, I had to learn to drink it. I started slow. (…) Before I knew it, I was in love with Belgian beer.” – Jade, Canada/Australië

“It was easy to get around the city and the people were very welcoming. Oh, and I can’t forget about the beer. THE BEER!” – Arienne, Canada

3. Dit vinden ze van onze “uber special” steden

“Once you get out of (Brussel) and into the smaller cities like Gent (so much better than Brugge) and its more vibrant atmosphere or Leuven and its beautiful town hall it’s a completely different feeling.” – Chris, Australië.

“Don’t limit your visit to Brussels and Bruges only. Antwerp and Gent are uber special too. And on our last visit we discovered Leuven, an extremely delicious small town not far away from the capital.” – Cipri en Laura, VS.

“It didn’t take very long to fall in love with Ghent. In fact, I fell head over heels for the city in less than a couple of hours. (…) The city is especially magical at night, as the historic buildings and monuments are beautifully lit up.” – Arienne, Canada

“(…) I found myself enjoying Belgium so much that I spent over three weeks there. I celebrated Valentine’s Day in Bruges, frequented beer bars in Antwerp, hunted for the peeing children in Brussels, appreciated history in Waterloo, spent the weekend in Mollem-Asse, listened to the legend of the three copper pots in Olen, ate ghoulash at a restaurant/brewery in Mechelen, and finally managed to climb up the water tower in Herentals when I went back there in spring.” – Aleah, de Filipijnen

4. Wij, de Belgen, zijn blijkbaar echt toffe mensen!

“For us, Belgium has always been surprising, and the people so warm, even when the weather is not.” – Craig, VS.

“It was easy to get around the city and the people were very welcoming.” – Arienne, Canada.

“Later I met some locals who seemed very relaxed and humorous. People from Belgium apparently know how to poke fun at themselves in a very funny way (although maybe this is a prejudice that comes from watching Belgium comedy films).” – Chris, Verenigd Koninkrijk.

5. Nooit verwacht, maar zelfs onze STRANDEN zijn een reisje waard?!

“My biggest impression of Belgium was the incredible beaches! When I think of “beaches”, I never would have thought of “Belgium”, but that changed when I visited Ostend! The northern coast has kilometres of sandy beaches and a promenade that’s perfect for either walking or cycling and enjoying the seaside!” – Laurel, Canada.

6. Het is gewoon heel simpel: Everybody loves Belgium!

“When I finally managed to adjust to the temperature, I found myself enjoying Belgium so much that I spent over three weeks there. (…) Belgium is a small country, yes, but it is so beautiful that I can go back there again and again!” – Aleah, de Filipijnen

“We love Belgium for its delicious food, amazing architecture and its undeniable cool factor. (…) We can’t wait to discover more!” – Cipri en Laura, VS.

“I first traveled to Belgium on a lark. Centrally located, it seemed like the perfect place to visit other countries and no one was more surprised than I was when I found myself not wanting to leave Belgium. I’ve since been back a couple of times and each time I discover something new to love about the country. Whether it’s the food, beautiful cities or kind-hearted people, Belgium is perhaps an unexpected destination, but one I know I will never get tired of visiting.” – Matt, VS.