Belgium, Seat of the European Union

This past weekend, I travelled to Brussels and Bruges.  Brussels was very much a trans-European city.  Being one of the younger nations in Europe, Belgium seemed to be an amalgamation of European culture.  It is not surprising that the European Parliament is seated there.  It was also interesting visiting my first bi-lingual country, with every sign in both French and Dutch.

I found that a surprisingly large amount of people spoke English and were happy to do so.  There was no hesitation and everyone was happy to help us, whether it were directions or attractions to see.  I figure the large influence of English might have to do European Union's presence.  This was not isolated to Brussels, I noticed it in Bruges as well.

One thing that has remained constant in my travels have been the presence of refugees.  They are everywhere, with signs reading "S.V.P." or "Por favor."  Sometimes, they have children.  This weekend, I saw one with an infant.  It did not look very old.  It is heartbreaking to witness, but it is undeniable that the prevalence of this problem throughout Europe has no doubt created a political strain in each nation.  There is not a black and white answer to the influx of displaced people.

I did not see one homeless individual or refugee in Bruges.  My guess is that it is too expensive to stay there, as it was a bit pricy for me.  It will be interesting to see how European nations address this problem in the future, especially after their elections and new administrations in the coming months.