A mother of three has been shot in Uccle and EUObserver is jumping up and down reporting on the crime rates in various Brussels communes. You can just hear the typical EU expat having a whinge at Place Lux complaining about things, about how unsafe Brussels streets are… and then...
Brussels on a bicycle is the fastest way to get around, but it’s often like some sort of assault course. Here’s an example. I set off from home at 1950 last night, heading from St Gilles to a friend’s place in St Josse, going via Flagey, rue Gray, chaussée d’Etterbeek....
I had an hour between meetings today so called for the first time at Blomqvist’s, a Swedish espresso bar on Place St Boniface in Brussels (no website yet, but FB page is here). It was a cold January morning and the place was rather empty, so while munching my Kanellebulle...
I had to chuckle when, via a Facebook Friend, I came across the Frequently Asked Question on the Campaign for European democracy (aka Strasbourg defenders) website entitled ‘Why should the European Parliament in Strasbourg be reinforced?’ Perhaps the campaign is unaware that FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions and that...
I’m really struggling at the moment. I have a problem that every freelancer wants to have: too much work. I’m training people in EU politics every week, most of it in London. I’m running web and social media workshops for a variety of clients. And I’m trying to get websites...
I’ve moved in Brussels – from St Josse to St Gilles – and in typical Belgian style the cable TV operator is different in St Gilles. Seems the Belgian notion of competition is to divide up the communes between different suppliers rather than allow suppliers to compete on the same...
Today is a bank holiday in Belgium. But for me that means little – I have projects to complete, so I need to work. In addition I urgently need to post a letter to the UK, but I’m out of stamps. Can I manage to find a postage stamp for...
EUObserver has an article today entitled “Think-tank blasts EU commissioners’ pensions package“. The ‘think tank’ in question is, of course, Open Europe, and the article quotes their press release on the Commissioner pay issue: Taxpayers around Europe, whose pensions have been swallowed up in the recession, will rightly question why...