EUROPE FOR DUMMIES: ONE CHAPTER MORE.
- AND WHAT ABOUT BELGIUM, THE HEART OF EUROPE? EVEN IF YOUNG BELGIUM KIDS ARE RAISED WITH THE FAMOUS COMIC BOOK "TINTIN EN AMERIQUE" WHICH IS A STRONG SATIRIC VIEW OF THE USA, BELGIUM HAS SOME LIKENESSES WITH THE USA.
AS A FRENCH I AM SURPRISED BY THE LIBERTY YOU HAVE TO EXPRESS YOUR OPINION IN PUBLIC IN BELGIUM EVEN IF IT IS NOT THE COMMON ONE. WE HAVE LAWS IN FRANCE THAT PROHIBIT SOME OPINIONS ON HISTORY. I COULD NOT SAY FOR EXAMPLE IN A FRENCH RESTAURANT THAT I DO THINK THAT CHURCHILL IS A CRIMINAL AS MUCH AS HITLER. IN FACT I MADE THE EXPERIENCE AND THE PEOPLE STOPPED EATING AROUND ME AS I UTTERED AN ENORMOUS BLASPHEMY. THE SUCCESS OF FRENCH POLITICIAN LE PEN COMES MAINLY FROM THAT: SAYING WHAT PEOPLE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SAY OUTSIDE.
BELGIUM IS MORE FREE. AND BELGIUM, ESPECIALLY BRUSSEL, IS BASED ON DRUG AND ANTIQUES TRAFFIC, EVERY KIND OF TRAFFIC, LIKE USA ARE. THAT IS THE REASON WHY THEY CAN NOT SEPARATE EVEN WALLON PEOPLE HATE FLEMISH PEOPLE THAT GIVE THEM IT BACK.
BUT BELGIUM CULTURE IS DEPENDING A LOT FROM PAINTING TRADITION AND NOT HOLLYWOOD CULTURE LIKE THE USA. THAT IS THE REASON WHY I WOULD SAY BELGIUM PEOPLE ARE 'SMART YANKEES'.