Walloon balloon

St Wilifried
Yesterday's weather: Glorious, 18 degrees and sunny

Yesterday we had lunch out in one of our favourite tourist spots, Domme. You can find out more about Domme by clicking on the word - (I do not advise you to Google the word 'Domme' on its own unless you have a broad mind!). Domme is a bastide town which sits overlooking the Dordogne river with magnificent peaceful views over the countryside.

It is one of our favourite places as, despite its popularity with tourists it is still very much a residential village and we see the same people chatting on a street corner, baguette tucked under the arm while they shake hands or exchange kisses. The restaurants are nowhere near as touristy as, for example, Rocamadour where the quality of food can sometimes be sacrificed for the sheer number of 'bums on seats'.

Yesterday, we sat in the square enjoying a lovely warm, sunny autumn day and a delicious meal. At the table next to us were two Belgian couples who were chatting (yes, my ears were well and truly flapping) a complete mixture of French and Flemish. On occasion I even detected the odd German word thrown in. All three languages are 'official' languages of Belgium and our neighbours switched from one to the other mid conversation over and over again. It was the first time I had heard four people changing language in quite such a fashion and so automatically, as if without thinking about it at all.

Poor Belgium is in a state of flux at the moment, as you may well know. If you don't know, then I will tell you about it; it is quite fascinating.

The elections in Belgium in June 2007 did not produce a government and there is a state of political stalemate there. The country is, in effect, two in one. The Flanders region, closer to the Netherlands and the Walloon region bordering France - Brussels is, in fact a French speaking 'island' in the Flanders region and there is a small German-speaking community on east of Wallonia.

The lack of government has raised a huge debate in Belgium as to whether the country should in fact split in two. This, whilst the majority of Flemish people want it, would cause an interesting geographical problem, aside from the political problems it could cause the EU. The Belgian king is a Walloon and speaks very little Flemish which makes him very unpopular with the Flemish 58% of the population. Brussels, as I mentioned, is in the middle of the Flemish area but the population speak French.

So, what could happen? It would appear that some Flemish would want to reunify with the Netherlands eventually. The Walloons could join France or Luxembourg but what would happen to Brussels which is, after all the Belgian capital? And then there is the problem of the French speaking King.

Belgium has always been the butt of French jokes in the same way that the English joke about the Irish and the Irish joke about the Kerrymen. 'Name me one famous Belgian' is often the question. Well this small country has been home to: Audrey Hepburn (actress) , Django Reinhardt (jazz musician), Jacques Brel (singer), Cesar Auguste Franck (composer and organist), Georges Simenon (author), Eddy Merckx (cyclist), Jacky Ickx (Formula 1 racing driver), the artists Magritte, Rubens and Heironymous Bosch. Don't forget fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Maigret.

And one of Belgium's most famous exports, Plastic Bertrand and that amazing song !

Don't get rid of Belgium. Ça plane pour moi.