[dwestemesse]

Spanish Netherlands

Belgium

I think the best deal would be Brussels as Capital of EU, the south to France, and the North remains independent as a Catholic Netherlands, or simply joins the Netherlands

[perhilzit]

going though Belgium many times I can tell that it looks like the most backward country in western Europe even though it is in the middle. I though it might have been due to the EU government being stationed there, but I guess the whole backwardness predates it.

Petrol stations with people behind the glass selling stuff, as if they exect to be robbed any minute. No road maps for the whole country, just regions , thankfully these days every car has sat nav so techology beat that one ... Drunk and disorderly more than in UK - yes that is possible... more rubbish on the streets than anywhere else I have been... no sign for other countries on the motorway around Brussels, but there are signs for UK, Netherlands, Germany and France in the middle of the city.... funny little roads and tunnels in the city centre where you cannot go through a tunnel if you have a truck, but you can go right next to it.. brilliant solutions all around... and despite of all various beaurocratic burdens it has just slightly higher unemployment than UK (lower than US) and higher GDP/capita. Cannot compute.

Otherwise, Brussels was made to be the capital of EU, it fits perfectly.

The people I feel most sorry for having to live there are the Germans, but I guess this is one of the good reasons for them to have own local government, must be the only part of Belgium that is organized... dunno what happend to the French and Flemish parts, but in this case the competition was not for the better but for the worse.

[Andoror]

going though Belgium many times I can tell that it looks like the most backward country in western Europe even though it is in the middle. I though it might have been due to the EU government being stationed there, but I guess the whole backwardness predates it.

Petrol stations with people behind the glass selling stuff, as if they exect to be robbed any minute. No road maps for the whole country, just regions , thankfully these days every car has sat nav so techology beat that one ... Drunk and disorderly more than in UK - yes that is possible... more rubbish on the streets than anywhere else I have been... no sign for other countries on the motorway around Brussels, but there are signs for UK, Netherlands, Germany and France in the middle of the city.... funny little roads and tunnels in the city centre where you cannot go through a tunnel if you have a truck, but you can go right next to it.. brilliant solutions all around... and despite of all various beaurocratic burdens it has just slightly higher unemployment than UK (lower than US) and higher GDP/capita. Cannot compute.

Otherwise, Brussels was made to be the capital of EU, it fits perfectly.

The people I feel most sorry for having to live there are the Germans, but I guess this is one of the good reasons for them to have own local government, must be the only part of Belgium that is organized... dunno what happend to the French and Flemish parts, but in this case the competition was not for the better but for the worse.

Coming from a leach of the EU, this is just rich...

[TeNuaTe]

when was Belgium the 4th superpower?

You don't understand Belgian surrealism!

[Beatris]

when you put it like that... I was in Namur, Charleroi, Liege several times and Brussels off course... so yes I guess Brussels did not exactly impress me, especially "non-centre", the centre itself is relatively nice and overcomplicated, but outside it was same old Belgium that i thought to got to know, so I too easily dismissed the proper Dutch part.

And if so Netherlands >> France >> Wallonia, there is probably a good reason why the French do not want it either .

[wentscat]

when you put it like that... I was in Namur, Charleroi, Liege several times and Brussels off course... so yes I guess Brussels did not exactly impress me, especially "non-centre", the centre itself is relatively nice and overcomplicated, but outside it was same old Belgium that i thought to got to know, so I too easily dismissed the proper Dutch part.

And if so Netherlands >> France >> Wallonia, there is probably a good reason why the French do not want it either .

That explains a lot. You went to the worst hell holes of the country.

[OvDojQXN]

Who me ?

Thankfully (?) never been to either of those places

[NEronchik]

going to one place... does not count... going to several, gives you an idea, and driving around quite a bit while doing the previous... I would say an informed opinion ...

but well if those are the worst hell holes in Belgium - well I agree - it's good to be here and get educated that not all of it is like that, and right now, I am beginning to understand the Flemish part a bit better. Getting classified into the same category as Wallonia .

[aaafluochugh]

Indeed

Sound advice