First steps in Brussels

Some may have made experience: it is not always easy to make your first steps in a new city. I just arrived recently to Brussels and am still adapting to the new surrounding. Even if it's "just" another european city there are so many things that are different. Just a few of the first discoveries:

• Brussels is just an hour and a half from Paris and two hours from London but the rhythm of the city is way slower. Going to a restaurant even for a quick lunch may take a lot of time. But this slow down is really doing good.
• There's a lot of traffic as in every city, though when Belgians talk about a lot of traffic it may take you half an hour instead of 10 minutes, so it's still bearable.
• Belgians can't drive! Now this is not really a discovery but it was worth confirming. They have their own way of driving, so when driving in Belgium be very careful.
• Food is excellent. We already went to several restaurants and made no negative experience so far. Even the Kebab Shops offer decent food and above all to a very good price. Yesterday we went to a Michelin Guide restaurant and food was really good (slow of course). I you like good food come to Brussels.
• People are really nice. Now no offense to Parisians, but after having in Paris basically inhabitants of  any city in the world are nice, but "les brusselois" are really very kind. Always greeting, smiling and serviceable even at the supermarket cashier or while driving (they have to they way they drive).

And I was kind of amazed about pricing in Brussels. We live up north right now, not in the center, in a rather mid-low class neighborhood. Obviously knowing that people don't have lots of money (at least not like in the city center) you could expect prices to be lower and they are:

• The Michelin Guide Restaurant offers a three course set menu for 40 Euros. But best was the greek restaurant where we had a main course dinner for two persons for 36 Euros. Good food for a good price.
• There are several places where we buy our "belgium" baguette. The simple bakery offers it for 50 cents, the regular bakery for 80 cents, the supermarket for 90 cents and the apparently luxury bakery for 1.40 Euros. And all within 100 meters one from the other - amazing. You may ask which one is the best ;) actually the cheapest and the most expensive. 

Now our quest has only started and there will certainly be a lot more things to find out here in Brussels....