Pol Nicolai, Belgium exchange student

Today's speaker was Pol Nicolai.  He is the Rotary exchange student from Belgium.  Belgium has a history of blended cultures.  On 25 Aug 1830, Belgium became independent from Netherlands.  According to Pol, on 25 August 1830, riots erupted in Brussells and shops were looted. Theatergoers who had just watched a nationalistic opera joined the mob. Uprisings followed elsewhere in the country. Factories were occupied and machinery destroyed. Order was restored briefly after William committed troops to the Southern Provinces but rioting continued and leadership was taken up by radicals, who started talking of secession.

 

Leopold I was a German prince who became the first King of the Belgians following Belgian independence in 1830.  The new country went 500 days without a formal government.  Belgium is divided into Flandre , Wallonie and Brussells.  Pol lives in Wallonie.  Brussels is the capitol.  The languages spoken are French, Dutch, and German.  The boundary between Netherlands and Belgium can be seen by a line of tiles on the pavement. Belgium is known for Grimbergen beer and Belgium fries with sauce. Waffles are known throughout each region with a different flavors.  Belgium chocolatiers are  Pierre Marcolini and Galler. Painters from this region are Brugel during the 14th century and Rene Magritte (This is not a pipe paintingand The Son of Man).  Comics from Belgium are Tin tin and the Smurfs.  Actors born in Belgium are Audrey Hepburn and Jean Claude Van Dame.  The saxophone was created in Belgium.  Bicycling , soccer ,  tennis, and racing have brought some noted athletes from this country.
Viva la Belgique