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Rue du Petit Marais 30, Mons, 7011, Belgium
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of people enjoy staying here
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petting the monkey
Another Aspect of Grand Place
Polytechnical University
From coal mines to arts institution
Hello, I just to moved to Mons from the US and I have a friend coming for New Years. We'd like to stay local but have some fun too. Are there any place that would be great to hang out at to celebrate the New Year? We just want an exciting and exhilirating atmosphere. Thank you.
Hi,
On the Grand'Place, around midnight, there is a firework and there's a great atmosphere, of course it's pretty cold outside :-)
The places around Marché aux Herbes will certainly be open and are allways full of people.
Have fun!
Don't know how much excitement or exhiliration you'll get in Mons. (Which is why I'm heading to Venice...)
If you do go down to the Grand Place, be careful where you park. The area around the train station is pretty rough and I've been told to avoid it, avec or sans voiture.
Walking up to the Place from the west side of town, I've also run into some odd looking characters. Maybe it was just that time of day, but I was happy to have my husband with me.
Have you thought about heading up to Brussels? You can always check out the train schedule. Depending on where you live, it'd probably be safer and easier to take the train from Soignies, which is en route. Also, you can catch a train from Jurbise.
BTW, if you haven't been to the Auchon at La Petit Foret, s/w of Valenciennes, it's fantastic. Beats the Carrefour at La Grand Pres by a mile.
Hi
For me to, maybe the fire works on the grand place of Brussels but some friends told me that last years it was no more so funny and sometimes not 100 % safe.
rgds, rohnny
Hi, Thank you for your help. I think that's a good idea for my first year hear. Could you tell me where the Marché aux Herbes is? I know very little, mainly where the train station it. Know that pretty well. Thank you again.
Ruth
I enjoyed Mons and the area around there very much in my 9 1/2 years of living there.
The people in the south of Belgium are so much nicer and friendlier than in the north as they have a southern European attitude.
Most of the people in the south were immigrants who immigrated to Belgium for work in the mining industry and are from Greece or Turkey.
Yes, you've read correctly. I called Mons the Italian city.
Prior to my stint in Mons, I've never experienced living in Southern part of Belgium. I realize very quickly that the area is really Italian: not only Mons city but also areas like La Louvière, Charleroi... the whole Hainault is in fact very Italian (Southern Italian and Sicilian).
Yes, Italian families migrated to Belgium in early 50s to find work. Most of times, they used to work in coal mining. Now, we have the 3rd generation of Belgo- Italians in Belgium. As far as I know, still very Italian, esp. in the Southern parts of the country. They have kept the habits, as Moroccan families do, to spend holidays in areas where they come from in Southern Italy or Sicilia.
From their hard working in the mining sector, they have also kept a tradition of trade unions. Most trade union stewards from the Southern part of the country, esp. blue collar, are of Belgians of South Italian-Sicilian origins. They are really specialized in representing workers and revendicating. It may appear as strange but people in Mons and La Louvière are the ones who have darker hair I've seen here. I don't talk about one or two persons, it's about more than half of population who is dark-haired.
It's always amazing to see Italian flags in the streets with cars horning after Italian soccer teams won their matches. Flags are brought by the 3rd generation kids. Once, I've been stuck in a victory procession. Was it La Louvière who won a match or an Italian soccer club ? I can't remember but I saw people who lifted the car I was in and it was funny. They brought the Italian flag and used the horns very much :))
In Mons, you have tons of Italian restaurants, most of times, Sicilian origins and much less Northern Italian cuisine.
There are many Belgo-Italian kids there as well. They speak a French-Walloon language but with Sicilian expressions ! That was very funny to hear. One who is used to Brussels or Flanders would be amazed by that. Compared to the average in Belgium, they are noisy, speak loudly... just Mediterranean style, I guess.
Oooh! Mons' city bourgmester is of Italian origin as well: Elio di Ruppo.
You may search to find it, it's really tiny and standing against the wall of the Hôtel de Ville on the Grand Place of Mons. But this little "Singe de Grand Garde" has a story... or even three... ;-) But the one that seems more likely to me is this one : it was first an old tavern sign and was put there as the tavern closed in 1897. The legend says that if a girl who wants to marry strokes its head with her left hand, her wish will come true in the year. The same for a couple who wants to get a child...
True or not ? Anyway, the legend is so cute ;-)
Every year around Trinity Sunday all the people of Mons witness the traditional and annual Car d'or procession. During the procession the wagon carries the relic shrine of Saint Waudru through the streets of the city, accompanied by musicians, singers, flag-bearers and horsemen. Legend has it that Mons will get in trouble if the horses do not manage to carry the wagon on the hill of St Waudru. In 1939, this mission failed, in 1940 the World War begun...
There are many over-cast and rainy days in Belgium, which I like very much, but my Belgian friends prefer a sunny day and frequently comment on the state of the weather.
Coming from perennially sunny San Diego, I do like sunny days, but also appreciate the coolness and over-cast.
This is a picture of a sun room built by an artist at the back of his house. Many such sunrooms can be seen throughout the residential sections of Belgium, as well as Mons.
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Q: Who knows about restaurants and friteries in Mons, Belgium? "I lived in Mons and Quevy le Grand in Belgium for almost 14 years, most recently in the 80's. In fact, I married a Belgian from..."
A: "This might be one of the friteries, although it is beside, rather than ON the Grand' Place: http://friteries.weskonva.be/94-bily.friterie. Maybe you can recognise the..."
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