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Showing posts with the label Brugge

Magic of Brugge - Part 2

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Continued from part one - Magic of Brugge... How about hopping on a boat and then landing straight into a restaurant? I adore this Square. It undergoes a magic transformation each day.  From an open space with people strolling casually, it became a busy market place. Flowers that bloomed for you and me and of the season are in full splendour. It seemed to me that life is a celebration here. May be we Asians can learn something here. Just sitting in this corner for coffee or a beer while watching life by  can be such a bliss. A butchery on wheels where you can get your choice cuts and sausages. Once the morning marketing was done, it reverts to a neat and clean square after a big clean-up. It is also a place for the arty-farty. A lovely shop. An alley in the morning. Spick and span and cleaner than Singapore. Take a walk in our back lanes around pubs and  restaurants and you will kno...

Magic of Brugge - Part 1

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Most of us may know about the addictive chocolates and the legendary beers of Belgium but you may have difficulty pinpointing to me where Belgium is. If you look at the map, you will find it sandwiched by the Netherlands to the north and France to the south and is across the channel from England with Germany on the other side. Brussels is home to both French-speaking and Flemish-speaking Belgians. There are all kinds of Europeans, Americans and Africans there too just like a United Nations. I don't understand Singapore's fixation on what to do with Singlish but if Singaporeans speak Singlish, do  Belgians speak Benglish. I thought only the Ah Bengs in Singapore speak Benglish. Some years back, I spearheaded a new business opportunity to a European destination and due to various problems that cropped up, I was invited to a conference for Europeans where I was the only Asian there. The group was huge and never in Asia do we do it that size. Prior to the trip, I was warned tha...