🇧🇪 A Few Curious Things I Noticed in Belgium

Belgium is a fascinating little country. I spent most of my time in Brussels, Bruges, and Ghent — and it felt like a country that reveals itself through small details.

The first thing that hits you is the food. This is a land of fries, waffles, chocolates, croquettes, and everything that can be fried or sweetened. It’s as if the country was built for people who love to eat unapologetically. If gluttony had a capital, Belgium would definitely be on the shortlist.

And then comes the beer. Belgium has a legendary beer culture — there are over 1,500 types of beer brewed here, from Trappist beers made in monasteries to craft ales that travel the world. In a way, Belgium and beer are inseparable. Wherever you go, there’s a glass being raised.

Stories That Stay With You

In Ghent, during a walking tour, we came across a statue that truly caught me off guard. It depicted a woman breastfeeding an older man. The story behind it goes back to the Roman legend of Caritas Romana — a daughter secretly breastfed her starving father who had been imprisoned and denied food. Guards checked her thoroughly so she couldn’t smuggle anything in, and breastfeeding became her only way to keep him alive.

Seeing that story represented in a city square — and not hidden away — was striking. I didn’t read it as something sexual but as something deeply human, an act of love, sacrifice, and care that challenges how we think about family roles and taboos.

Places Run by Women

In Bruges, I came across the Beguinage, a historic community that has housed women since the 13th century. Originally home to Beguines — religious women who lived together without taking formal vows — the place still preserves a sense of quiet strength.

Only women can stay there, and the site remains a symbol of independence and solidarity. In a world where patriarchal structures dominate so much of history, this corner of Bruges felt like a quiet feminist rebellion that has lasted centuries.

When Churches Become Beer Bars

Another thing that fascinated me was the deconsecration of churches. Across Belgium, as church attendance has declined, many churches have been stripped of their religious status and converted into something new — bookshops, event spaces, even beer halls.

There’s something poetic about sipping a local ale beneath a centuries-old vaulted ceiling. It made me wonder: as more people around the world move away from organized religion, what will become of our temples, mosques, and churches? Will they, too, find new purposes?

Guild Houses and Hidden Symbols

At Brussels’ Grand Place, I found the idea of Guild Houses fascinating. Each ornate building once belonged to a different trade guild — bakers, brewers, boatmen, and more. Their facades carry symbols that reveal their profession.

One house had a swan — usually a symbol of love — carved facing in opposite directions. As our guide explained, it signified the opposite of love. Historically, that house was a brothel. I couldn’t help but smile at how symbols outlive their owners, quietly carrying stories across centuries.

Beer, Beliefs, and Protests

Throughout Belgian history, beer hasn’t just been a drink — it’s been a rallying cry. Taxes on beer, bans on brewing, or anything that threatened their beloved beverage often triggered protests. It made me think about how some cultural symbols are so deeply rooted that they transcend politics.

What would happen in India if the government suddenly banned something equally woven into daily life — like meat in some regions or language in others? Culture, after all, is what people choose to defend.

Death Square to Magic of Life.

There was another place that left an impression — a square once associated with executions, now transformed. A local artist reimagined it as the “Magic of Life” Square, installing three glowing light bulbs.

The idea is simple but beautiful: the lights dim to mark moments of community celebration, births, or new beginnings. A space once filled with fear is now about joy. It’s a quiet but powerful reminder that places, like people, can be reimagined.

Final Thoughts

Belgium, to me, is a country of small contradictions — sacred spaces turned secular, legends that both unsettle and inspire, fried food and quiet feminist histories.

I’ll probably come back — if not for the stories, then definitely for the fries, waffles, and chocolates. 🍟🧇🍫