Brussels Warnings Or Dangers Tips by matcrazy1

Rain and fog

It's better to know that like in surrounding Western Germany, Northern France or England it's raining quite often in Brussels even in summer time. Add foggy weather in spring and autumn/fall.

Don't worry, rains are not dangerous :-) and as you can see on my picture there was some sunshine there in September as well. And foggy weather may make your pictures more secret and interesting.

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From Elisabeth (eden_teuling) from the Netherlands:
Belgium has 205 rainy days each year (on average)!
Thank you, Elisabeth. I see now how much I was lucky :-)

From my VT-friend bart_warreyn from Brussels:
Do we really have 205 days of rain a year ??? That seems a lot but I don't have exact figures. I know we don't have the driest climate but I am surprised...

Darker side of Brussels

I am sorry, I liked Brussels a lot but I must add a few words on a darker side of the city I was unlucky to see at one small area walking (looong walk) around.

I got lost somewhere where I unexpectadly saw poor men and homeless women with children begging for money, garbages on the streets, walls of damaged houses covered by ugly graffiti - quite different world I was badly surpriced to discover. I would be afraid to walk there at night. But this small, ugly area of run-down industrial town didn't change positive image of Brussels I stored in my mind.

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From my VT-friend bart_warreyn from Brussels:
I wonder where you have seen all these dark sides in one place. This said : 5% of the Brussels population is poor (living on EUR 600 a month or less) so...
Sorry, I don't remember where it was. Thank you very much for your explanations.

Closed museums/stores/shops

Better to know that (like in many European cities) many museums are closed each Monday. Some small stores/shops were closed on Monday as well. I was told that in the European Union there are some sayings about each member in a sarcastic way. With the Belgians it sounds "as available as a Belgian".

At National Holidays most museums (in contrast to most stores, all post offices and public institutions) stay opened.

Driving Driving Review

I found driving in Brussels difficult for many reasons, just a few:
- heavy traffic esp. in rush hours that is on business days approx. 7.30 - 9.00am and 4.30 - 6.00 pm.
- shortage of parking lots in and close to the downtown (esp. free of charge), limited parking zones etc.
- direction signs can't be seen well and on time while driving on busy, multi-lanes streets,
- one-way streets.
My suggestion is to park a car wherever you find any free place, find it on your map and write down the name of a street when you park (not to lost your car hehe) and walk on foot :-))).

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CAR INSURANCE:
Obligatory for damages you can cause to other people and their properties (if you are not EU citizen, buy so called "green card" valid for all EU countries).

DRIVING LICENCE:
Your driving licence is valid at least for up to 90 days if you are from USA/Canada or Europe.

SPEED LIMITS:
50 km/h (31mph) inside the city limits unless otherwise stated,
90 km/h (56mph) outside the city limits
120 km/h (75mph) on freeways.

Pickpockets, cash, cards, ATMs Pickpockets Review

Like in every (OK, almost every) European touristy city be aware of pickpockets in Brussels - especially watch your properties, esp. passport, bank cards and cash at crowded places.
I didn't see any pickpockets in Brussels :-) and I thought that it was very safe place for visitors

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MY SUGGESTIONS:

Before you leave:
1. Write down (or/and put into your cell phone memory card) emergency numbers to financial institutions that issued your cards to be always ready to call them immediately when you lose your cards, make sure that the numbers work well from Brussels and store them at seperate, secure place;
2. Scan key pages (with your photo, personal dates, visa) of your passport/identity card and/or driving licence ; store them at secure and seperate place,
3. Lower your daily limits on your cards either for ATM cash and for electronic transactions (stores, restaurants etc.) to needed lever. Check whether you can change it (in emergency) by phone while you are in Brussels. Check whether your bank is responsible for illegal transactions made with your card (by a theft) before you report the loss of a card - buy such option (insurance) if possible,
4. Remember your cards' PIN numbers (if possible hehe, if not - write them down and store far away from your cards in secure place, better use your own code - multiply or divide numbers or so).

When you are in Brussels:
1. ALWAYS keep your cash and credit/debit cards close to your body (comfortable belts or any very unusual place for your purse or wallet recommended :-),
2. never carry all of your cash or cards/traveller's cheques at one place,
3. never, never carry with you your PIN numbers written down, esp. with your credit cards,
4. have your card ready - avoid having to go through your wallet or purse to find your card - and make sure that nobody can see you entering your PIN or transaction amount! You must always see when your card is when you pay in a store, restaurant etc.

Air pollution

The quality of air in the city of Brussels is quite bad which is usual and normal in most bigger cities with heavy traffic and some industry. I didn't feel it. But it maybe eventually a problem for sensitive people esp. children and adults with respiratory problems (asthma).
The most dangerous maybe foggy wintertime and hot unwindy summer.

Add the damages made by air pollutions to old, historic buildings like Palace of Justice - the world's biggest construction of 19th century.

Expensive city!

Brussels was a very expensive city for me in 1993. Hmm... my budget was very low.

But even... the prices for meals in restaurants seemed to be even higher than in Paris. Especially seafood in fashionable and suprisingly crowded restaurants in a downtown was very expensive even when a tip was included in a price shown at menu (in contrast to Paris).
I thought that only rich people could eat there that time hehe. So I didn't eat there but I admired old architecture (free!) instead.

Drink and... don't drive :-) Driving Review

Half a promile (5/1000) is the acceptable by law level of alcohol at driver's blood in Belgium. So you can drink one bottle of beer or a glass of wine and rather nothing more before driving.

When you get to know that there are over 300 brands of delicious Belgian beer to choose from you will surely not want to be a designated driver in Brussels :-). Hmm... I had to :-(((.

Up and down

I found Brussels located on many hills. I was driving long time around looking for a place to park my car and finally I parked it close to Palace of Justice (= on a top of a hill). I was crazy walking down and up around. Better wear good walking shoes.

Don't worry - walking on foot around Brussels was a great fun. And I found many more hilly cities in Europe - hmm... nothing compare to Lisbon, Portugal, I think. Am I wrong?