Book Bloggers Abroad (22) – Belgium

 

Welcome to the weekly guest post in the Book Bloggers Abroad series. Every week a book blogger from a different country is featured who talks about what it’s like to be a book blogger where he or she lives.

Belgium

Our guest blogger for today is Alexandra from Belgium. Her book blog is called The Sleepless Reader. She reads the classics as well as modern fiction, and some Steampunk, too! She also likes graphic novels. So, go and have a look at her blog!

I was born and raised in Lisbon, Portugal, but haven’t lived there for a while now. After the US and a brief stop in The Netherlands, I settled in Brussels, capital of (the Kingdom of) Belgium in 2005. I live with my boyfriend in an apartment very close to one of the city’s biggest parks.

Neighbourhoods in Brussels. Huge panels with comics are spread all over the city.

I never heard anyone say: “I’ve always wanted to visit Brussels” and have the feeling the city is only really appreciated by the people who live here. I’m a particular fan of the residential areas, where you’ll find amazing buildings in art-nouveau style, which has been a favourite since Art History classes. The headquarters of the European Union and NATO are here, so the city has a lively community of expats from all over the world. I would also highly recommend Brussels if you’re a fan of one or more of the following:

• Chocolate
• Beer
• Waffles
• French fries (a Belgian invention, go figure)
• Graphic novels/comics

Brussels has two official languages: French and Dutch. I can read in English, Portuguese, Spanish and simple French. My work and social language is English, 90% of what I read is in English and I even dream and talk to myself in English, so it made sense to also blog in English 🙂 The exceptions are at home, where I speak Portuguese, and in the shops and restaurants where I speak French and basic words of Dutch.

Some of my favorite bookshops - Sterling Books, Posada Art Books, Brüsel.

This of course influences where I get my books. My primary sources are either The Book Depository or “bookrings” from Bookcrossing. Because of the international community there are some good English bookshops in Brussels – I use Waterstones and Sterling Books. Posada Art Books is a lovely place that made it to The Guardian’s list of the most beautiful bookshops in the world.

For comics I usually go to Brüsel, or Multi-BD. It’s thanks to these two amazing stores that I get to practice reading in French, since I mostly buy graphic novels from Belgian authors. Hence my recommendation: the series Les Cités Obscures (in English, Cities of the Fantastic, available on Amazon) by François Schuiten and Benoît Peeters. Visually they are right up my alley and the stories are fascinating.

The corner of the couch where I read and blog. The apartment’s biggest bookshelf behind.

I usually read on my couch. We do have a terrace, but it’s rarely used because Belgian weather is tricky. For instance, while I write this, it’s mid-August and it’s pouring outside. When we do have good weather, we  usually go read in the Parc du Cinquantenaire or in a café, with a nice Belgian beer close by.

Reading in Parc du Cinquantenaire.

Click on the world for a Google Maps picture!

Thanks Alexandra, for letting us have a look at your life as a reader and blogger. What a great advertisement for Brussels your post is! I love Brussels and I can tell you do too!

Don’t forget to take a look at Alexandra’s blog. If you have any questions or comments for Alexandra, just leave them in the comments section.

Next week Jackie from the UK will be visiting us for the twenty-third Book Bloggers Abroad guest post. Don’t miss it!