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Inspiring business and travel in Europe<br />

b.flex economy+ or<br />

b.light economy<br />

Choose how<br />

you fly with<br />

Brussels Airlines<br />

Youth speaks<br />

Fresh thinking<br />

from the Obamas<br />

of tomorrow<br />

Flavour of<br />

the month<br />

It’s carnival time<br />

in Andalucia<br />

plus Fashion + Food & drink +<br />

Nightlife + Music + Film +<br />

Motorsports + City guides<br />

FEBRUARY<strong>2010</strong><br />

39<br />

European network<br />

inflight magazine<br />

Please take me,<br />

I’m yours to keep<br />

Show<br />

stopper<br />

Behind closed doors at<br />

Milan’s fashion week


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EENDRACHT LA FORCE<br />

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It’s all about you!<br />

At Brussels Airlines, service and low prices go hand in hand<br />

Notre cœur bat pour vous ! U staat centraal!<br />

Avec Brussels Airlines, service de qualité et tarifs<br />

avantageux vont de pair<br />

Le mois dernier, vous avez pu bénéfi cier d’un magnifi que début d’année ! Afi n de<br />

vous prouver notre volonté d’offrir les meilleurs tarifs, nous avons proposé des<br />

billets aller-retour vers une large sélection de destinations européennes au prix<br />

de 99€, tout inclus. Plus de 300.000 billets ont trouvé preneur ! Attendez-vous à<br />

d’autres magnifi ques offres dans le courant de l’année.<br />

Les récentes conditions météorologiques ont causé de nombreux<br />

désagréments dans différents aéroports européens. Brussels Airlines, en<br />

tant que transporteur IATA, n’a pas abandonné ses passagers bloqués à Brussels<br />

Airport. Notre personnel et notre management n’ont pas lésiné sur les moyens<br />

pour s’occuper de l’ensemble des passagers dans l’attente de leur départ.<br />

Nous avons également fourni plus de 2.000 chambres d’hôtels aux passagers<br />

bloqués pour la nuit. C’est au cours de ces conditions extrêmement diffi ciles<br />

qu’un passager se rend compte des avantages offerts par une compagnie<br />

aérienne IATA.<br />

Dernièrement, nous avons également ouvert une nouvelle liaison entre<br />

Bruxelles et Londres Heathrow. Les fréquences de nos vols vers Newcastle et<br />

Bristol ont également été augmentées. Plus d’informations vous sont fournies à<br />

ce sujet en page 83 de votre magazine.<br />

Enfi n, nous vous souhaitons un excellent mois de février, rempli d’amour et de<br />

tendresse. Bon vol !<br />

Bernard Gustin et Michel Meyfroidt Co-CEOs<br />

WELCOME ON BOARD<br />

Last month, we gave you a wonderful start to <strong>2010</strong>. As proof of our commitment to low prices, we offered return tickets to European destinations<br />

at only €99, all-in. More than 300,000 tickets were snapped up! Watch out for more fantastic deals throughout <strong>2010</strong>.<br />

In Europe, the recent weather conditions caused several airports to close temporarily. When this happened at Brussels Airport, as an IATA<br />

carrier, we did not let passengers down. Our staff and management worked round the clock to ensure that all passengers were well looked after<br />

until they could continue their journey with us. We provided over 2,000 hotel nights to accommodate our passengers. It is during such diffi cult conditions<br />

that passengers realise the benefi ts of fl ying with an IATA carrier.<br />

Also, we have opened a route from Brussels to London Heathrow, and increased our frequencies to both Newcastle and Bristol. For more information,<br />

refer to page 83.<br />

Finally, we wish you a wonderful month of love ahead. Enjoy your fl ight!<br />

Bernard Gustin and Michel Meyfroidt Co-CEOs<br />

Bij Brussels Airlines gaan service en lage<br />

prijzen hand in hand<br />

Vorige maand zorgden we voor een fantastische start van <strong>2010</strong>. Om te<br />

bewijzen dat wij lage prijzen in het vaandel dragen, boden wij heen- en<br />

terugtickets in Europa aan vanaf € 99, alles inbegrepen. Meer dan<br />

300.000 tickets vlogen de deur uit! Maak u klaar voor nog meer van die<br />

verbluffende acties in <strong>2010</strong>!<br />

De slechte weersomstandigheden van afgelopen weken zorgden<br />

ervoor dat verschillende luchthavens in Europa tijdelijk moesten<br />

sluiten. Toen dit ook het geval was voor Brussels Airport lieten wij, als<br />

IATA luchtvaartmaatschappij, onze passagiers niet in de kou staan.<br />

Ons personeel en ons kader werkten de klok rond om ervoor te zorgen<br />

dat alle passagiers de nodige zorg kregen totdat zij hun reis met ons<br />

konden verderzetten. Aan meer dan 2.000 passagiers die niet konden<br />

vertrekken, gaven we een hotelovernachting. Het is precies in dergelijke<br />

moeilijke omstandigheden dat passagiers zich rekenschap geven van de<br />

vele voordelen van het reizen met een IATA maatschappij.<br />

Daarnaast hebben we ook een route opgestart tussen Brussel en<br />

Londen Heathrow en hebben we onze verbindingen naar Newcastle en<br />

Bristol opgedreven. U vindt hierover meer informatie op pagina 83.<br />

En tot slot wensen wij u een liefdevolle maand vol tederheid.<br />

Prettige vlucht!<br />

Bernard Gustin en Michel Meyfroidt Co-CEOs<br />

LOW FARES, GREAT SERVICE<br />

... AND SMILES FOR FREE !<br />

The low fare you can trust<br />

brusselsairlines.com<br />

or your travel agency<br />

Ambassador_Abribus 3 12/17/09 4:01:37 PM<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

3


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Features<br />

INSIDE<br />

28 Who’s the boss?<br />

Nina Lamparski dives into the Belgian indie<br />

music scene, and discovers that success is<br />

harder to come by than people might think<br />

34 My Athens<br />

Yianni Vassiliou, director of the Bernier/Eliades<br />

gallery, shares his secrets on what to see, where<br />

to be seen and where to go while you’re in Athens<br />

40 Fiesta of flavours<br />

With Lent approaching, Heidi Fuller-love takes<br />

a Carnival-themed journey around Andalucia<br />

to taste the finest foods on offer<br />

34<br />

Your free copy<br />

to take away<br />

44 Milano moda<br />

From catwalk chic to bustling bars, Simon Gage<br />

mixes with Milan’s beautiful people and enjoys<br />

the glamourous style of this Italian city<br />

50 Piano man<br />

He only spent one winter on Mallorca, in 1838,<br />

but the great composer Chopin left his mark on<br />

this Mediterranean jewel, says Adrian Mourby<br />

56 Sloping off<br />

The season may be nearly over but Matt Barr has<br />

uncovered five ski breaks that are ideal for some<br />

last-minute snow and just a short transfer away<br />

62 Business trends<br />

Get up to speed with our industry news – from<br />

electric cars in Berlin to the cost of climate<br />

change and paying your restaurant bill by phone<br />

68 Tomorrow’s world<br />

Sheridan Winn examines the<br />

One Young World Summit,<br />

a new conference giving<br />

the under-25s<br />

a voice<br />

on global 62<br />

issues<br />

ISSUE 39 FEB <strong>2010</strong> CONTENTS<br />

FR Résumés des articles en français<br />

NL Samenvattingen in het Nederlands<br />

28 56<br />

Cover image Getty Images<br />

40<br />

44<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

5


6<br />

CONTENTS ISSUE 39 FEB <strong>2010</strong><br />

Incoming<br />

8 In the diary<br />

Events and exhibitions across our network<br />

for the month of February and beyond<br />

10 In person<br />

Belgian director Jaco Van Dormael shares his<br />

inspirations, locations and experiences of<br />

making Belgium’s most expensive film ever<br />

12 In out<br />

Thankfully, Valentine’s Day comes<br />

just once a year, but if you must<br />

go all out, do it in style with our<br />

selection of romantic bars<br />

14 In bed<br />

Put some wind in your sails at<br />

Belgium’s new luxurious d-hotel,<br />

or soak up the dramatic chic<br />

of the Centurion Palace on the<br />

banks of Venice’s Grand Canal<br />

16 Indulge<br />

Indulge in old-school fine dining<br />

on London’s Dean Street and enjoy<br />

waterside delights in Brussels<br />

18 In vogue<br />

Hugo Boss and Lacoste bring<br />

head-to-toe denim back from the<br />

dead, Chanel relaunches its Rouge<br />

lipstick and there’s a new line at<br />

Delvaux, as well as the latest news<br />

from the world of fashion<br />

CITY GUIDES<br />

74 Route maps 80 Menu 83 In the news 85 In partnership 88 Choose how you fl y<br />

90 Miles & More 92 Safety 94 Comfort 96 Relax 98 In the air 100 Airport info<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

18<br />

Check out this issue online<br />

btheremag.com<br />

From ballet in Moscow to romance in Vienna and nights on a Venice canal,<br />

your essential guide to what’s on where in February starts on page 8<br />

20 In session<br />

Tom Ford of Gucci fame directs his<br />

first feature film starring Colin Firth<br />

and Julianne Moore, Disney/Pixar’s latest<br />

Princess takes to the big screen and we’ve<br />

been listening to the new albums from<br />

Ringo Starr and Corinne Bailey Rae<br />

22 In gear<br />

Michael Schumacher is back in F1, Audi has<br />

a new electric supercar and the VW Scirocco<br />

is put through its paces, as well as the latest<br />

news from the world of motoring<br />

24 In Canada<br />

Travel tips and enticing images from Toronto<br />

Brussels Airlines fl ies from 104 Brussels to the following destinations: 108 Barcelona<br />

109 Bilbao 110 Bologna 111 Catania 112 Florence 113 Lisbon 114 Marseille<br />

115 Milan 116 Newcastle 117 Nice 118 Oslo 119 Seville 120 Tel Aviv 121 Toulouse<br />

122 Turin 123 Venice 124 Vienna 125 Vilnius<br />

8<br />

airline section<br />

10<br />

Get the lowdown on cities from our local writers across the<br />

network, plus check out our guides online at btheremag.com<br />

and start booking your fl ights at brusselsairlines.com<br />

Keep up to date with all the latest news<br />

and information from Brussels Airlines<br />

14<br />

Next time<br />

don’t forget to<br />

check in online<br />

brusselsairlines.com


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8<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

INTHEDIARY<br />

6–16<br />

Venice<br />

Carnival <strong>2010</strong><br />

The world-renowned Carnival is one of the highlights<br />

of the Venice season – watch as the city goes crazy<br />

with events, processions and parties. Keep an eye<br />

out for this year’s additions, including burlesque<br />

shows, tango nights in the Piazza San Marco and<br />

drag queen beauty contests. carnevale-venezia.it<br />

Image The Degas Sculpture Project LTD (Athens)<br />

From party time in Venice to fl amenco<br />

dancing in London, February starts here<br />

All month<br />

Brussels “If I Can’t Dance Tonight…” exhibition<br />

If your February is in need of some sparkling inspiration, head down to the Elaine Levy Project, where the Goa-based designer and artist Yahel Chirinian is exhibiting<br />

her fi rst Belgian show. A series of glittering rocks colliding with the wall will take the spectator on an exciting journey of creation and illusion, while mixing reality<br />

and an eternal sense of fragility. elainelevyproject.com<br />

9, 10<br />

Moscow<br />

Esmeralda, Bolshoi Ballet<br />

If you’re a ballet virgin, you can do no better than<br />

going to see the ultimate masters of the art as they<br />

pirouette and twirl through this dramatic retelling of<br />

the story of Esmeralda. A premiere for the Bolshoi<br />

Theatre, this is a unique performance that’s sure to<br />

sweep you off your feet. bolshoi.ru<br />

9–13<br />

Stockholm<br />

Stockholm Furniture Fair<br />

With Sir Paul Smith as guest of honour, you can bet<br />

your Broberg and Ridderstråle Wimbledon chair that<br />

this is going to be one of the best furniture fairs yet.<br />

Over 650 exhibitors will be displaying furniture,<br />

design and textiles at the world’s biggest meeting<br />

place for Nordic design. stockholmfurniturefair.se


*PRICES QUOTED ARE FOR A RETURN TICKET IN B.LIGHT ECONOMY FROM OR TO BRUSSELS, ALL TAXES AND FEES INCLUDED, IF BOOKED ON BRUSSELSAIRLINES.COM. TICKETS ARE NOT CHANGEABLE, NOR REFUNDABLE. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE<br />

10–14<br />

Oslo<br />

Mr Gay World <strong>2010</strong><br />

The search for Mr Gay World moves to the winter<br />

wonderland of Oslo for <strong>2010</strong>. The competition sees<br />

24 men compete in a series of events designed to<br />

identify a leader who will inspire those around him<br />

to fi ght for equality. Watch out for Belgium’s entry,<br />

25-year-old Cédric Fiévet. worldwidemrgay.com<br />

17–21<br />

Madrid<br />

ARCOmadrid<br />

ARCOmadrid is one of the world’s major art market<br />

happenings, turning Madrid into an exciting capital<br />

for global contemporary work. This year’s focus<br />

on Los Angeles, one of the epicentres for art<br />

right now, makes an exciting change from ARCO<br />

events of the past. ifema.es<br />

11–21<br />

Berlin Berlinale International<br />

Film Festival<br />

Celebrating its 60th anniversary, this renowned<br />

festival will be hosting a series of events including<br />

an art installation and public screening at the<br />

Brandenburg Gate, as well as an exhibition of star<br />

portraits around town. If you’re a fi lm buff, you<br />

should be nowhere else this February. berlinale.de<br />

Book your tickets Forthcoming events<br />

13 March Barcelona Florence & the Machine, Bikini (ticketmaster.es)<br />

11 April Stockholm Andrea Bocelli, Ericsson Globe (worldticketshop.com)<br />

31 May Bologna The Gossip, Estragon (getmein.com)<br />

4–5 June Tel Aviv, Joan Armatrading, F. Mann Auditorium (hadron.co.il)<br />

From 20 February<br />

Florence Gerhard Richter and<br />

Disappearance of the Image<br />

Lose yourself in some true modern art, as selected<br />

works from Richter (as well as Antony Gormley<br />

and Roger Hiorns) challenge us to consider the<br />

authority of image in contemporary art and the<br />

diffi cult relationship between the object and its<br />

representation. palazzostrozzi.org<br />

FEBRUARY EVENTS INCOMING<br />

13–27<br />

London Flamenco Festival at<br />

Sadler’s Wells<br />

Put some Spanish fl air in your step and watch some<br />

of the world’s fi nest fl amenco dancers as they spin<br />

and twirl to the emotion of the Andalucian beat. If<br />

you’re in town for the end of the festival then don’t<br />

miss the Gala Flamenca, featuring some of the most<br />

important new fi gures in fl amenco. sadlerswells.com<br />

€99 *<br />

FROM JUST<br />

RETURN ALL-IN<br />

Brussels Airlines flies to 60<br />

premium European destinations<br />

including Brussels, Venice, Moscow,<br />

Stockholm, Oslo, Berlin, London,<br />

Madrid, Florence and Athens.<br />

brusselsairlines.com<br />

All month<br />

Athens The Complete<br />

Sculptures of Edgar Degas<br />

All 74 of the bronze sculptures on display at the<br />

Herakleidon Museum were cast from recentlydiscovered<br />

plasters made from Degas’ waxes during<br />

his lifetime and with his consent. Peruse this unique<br />

display and look out for the most famous statue,<br />

‘The Little Dancer, aged 14’. herakleidon-art.gr<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

9


10<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

INPERSON<br />

Billed as the wunderkind<br />

of world cinema, Jaco Van<br />

Dormael has impressed<br />

both critics and audiences<br />

worldwide with awardwinning<br />

fi lms such as<br />

Le Huitième Jour and<br />

Toto le Héros. His latest,<br />

Mr. Nobody, had a €37m<br />

production budget,<br />

making it the most<br />

expensive Belgian fi lm<br />

ever made. From his<br />

home in Uccle, Van<br />

Dormael talks to b.there!<br />

about making Mr. Nobody,<br />

and what inspires him<br />

I was born in<br />

Belgium. My mother<br />

is French-speaking and my father is<br />

Flemish-speaking, but I grew up in Germany<br />

until I was seven years old. The mixing of<br />

cultures, styles and languages feels normal<br />

for me, especially here in Brussels. This is<br />

probably one of the reasons Brussels has<br />

many talented painters, dancers, musicians<br />

and photographers – all kinds of artists.<br />

When casting for<br />

Mr. Nobody, I chose<br />

the child actors before<br />

I found my main actors.<br />

Surprisingly, I discovered my child actors<br />

right away. That’s because our child actors<br />

were from England; in England there is<br />

a strong foundation and tradition in theatre<br />

and the arts. Then Jared Leto was on tour in<br />

Europe, and he read the Mr. Nobody script<br />

and said he was very interested in playing<br />

the leading role. My fi rst meeting with<br />

Jared was at one of his concerts, held in<br />

Amsterdam. I was quite surprised by this<br />

initial meeting because I knew him as an<br />

actor – I didn’t know he was a full-time<br />

musician. I was shocked to see these<br />

thousands of women collapsing, crying,<br />

falling and screaming all over him!<br />

Half of Mr. Nobody<br />

was shot in Belgium.<br />

In Brussels we had fi ve working sets<br />

available to use simultaneously. We<br />

also fi lmed in a neighbourhood called<br />

Watermael-Boitsfort – it’s an area where<br />

Text Sheridan Becker<br />

Images Kris Dewitte, Rex Features, L. Denruyter, Cinematek.be<br />

Above: Van Dormael<br />

feels right at home in<br />

Brussels, with its mix of<br />

cultures and languages<br />

Jaco Van Dormael<br />

I shoot all my fi lms because, for me, this<br />

part of town represents a childhood village.<br />

The neighbourhood encompasses about<br />

50 streets where every house looks similar.<br />

Everything is green, with pink trees. All the<br />

gardens connect with their neighbour’s


Jaco’s Belgium<br />

The director shares his favourite cinemas,<br />

restaurants and watering holes<br />

■ Favourite area<br />

Watermael-Boitsfort – the Brussels<br />

neighbourhood that features in several<br />

of my films. The ‘happiness for all’ image<br />

is what clearly comes to mind here, and<br />

neighbours seem to appreciate and share<br />

each other’s space.<br />

■ Favourite restaurants<br />

In Uccle, Le Comptoir d’Antoine (48 Rue<br />

Victor Allard, tel. +32 (0)2 377 2267) does<br />

great food, while I also like Italian restaurant<br />

Caffè al Dente (87 Rue du Doyenné, tel. +32<br />

(0)2 343 4523), which offers simple and<br />

friendly service. I admire the enormous<br />

collection of Italian wines this place has!<br />

Situated near Lake Genval in the south-east<br />

of Brussels, La Métisse (2 Zilverbeekdreef,<br />

tel. +32 (0)2 654 1875) is without a doubt<br />

the best place in town for inventive African<br />

food in a friendly atmosphere.<br />

■ Favourite bars<br />

Brussels’ Café Belga (18 Place Eugène Flagey)<br />

is always lively. I’ve also been a frequent<br />

visitor for years and years of the classic<br />

L’Archiduc (6 Rue Antoine Dansaert).<br />

■ Favourite cinemas<br />

I like to go to Cinematek (9 Rue Baron Horta)<br />

in Brussels because you can see films here<br />

that aren’t screened anywhere else in town.<br />

I also like what’s probably considered the<br />

last ‘family owned’ film theatre in Belgium,<br />

Ciné Centre (91 Avenue de Mérode) in<br />

Rixensart. These folks are still going, and<br />

that’s because they love what they do –<br />

show great-quality films. And Brussels’<br />

classic ‘Eldorado’ (38 Place de Brouckère)<br />

is marvellous, with a huge African art-inspired<br />

art deco screening room.<br />

■ Favourite museum<br />

Musée de la Photographie in Charleroi<br />

(11 Avenue Paul Pastur, museephoto.be).<br />

It contains an enormous collection of both<br />

modern and old photographs. I appreciate<br />

the skill and craft of Léonard Misonne,<br />

a photographer from the beginning of the<br />

20th century who used a unique procedure<br />

to paint on photographs.<br />

■ Favourite place to<br />

visit when in Brussels<br />

Bois de la Cambre: it’s quite literally a forest<br />

located in the middle of a metropolitan city.<br />

garden, so children end up running around<br />

from one garden to another. The area is<br />

like a social utopia from the last century.<br />

Another asset here is that every street<br />

looks like every other street, so when<br />

there was a problem with the sun we just<br />

changed the street!<br />

I met Christophe<br />

Beaucarne, my<br />

cinematographer, when<br />

he was 18 years old.<br />

He was one of my students at fi lm<br />

school. We have known each other for<br />

over 30 years. We have a great chemistry<br />

working together, and we have a lot of fun<br />

pushing and upgrading each other’s ideas.<br />

When I was a child<br />

I was fascinated by<br />

a film called Intolerance:<br />

Love’s Struggle Throughout<br />

the Ages. An American fi lm that was<br />

directed by DW Griffi th, it’s considered to<br />

Clockwise from above:<br />

Jared Leto looking<br />

dapper in a still from<br />

Van Dormael’s latest<br />

cinematic outing, Mr.<br />

Nobody; The director<br />

likes to watch arthouse<br />

movies at Brussels’<br />

stylish Cinematek;<br />

The pictures on display<br />

at the Musée de la<br />

Photographie in<br />

Charleroi have caught<br />

Jaco’s educated eye<br />

PROFILE INCOMING<br />

be a masterpiece of the silent era. There<br />

are fi lms that try to simplify the world and<br />

provide answers, and then there are fi lms<br />

like Intolerance that try to say the world<br />

is very complex and that we don’t have<br />

answers. I’m interested in making fi lms that<br />

make people ask questions, rather than<br />

providing answers. I think we have to leave<br />

the simple answers to advertising and, say,<br />

politics. It’s important to remember that<br />

our world is complex. Perhaps we don’t<br />

have all the answers.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

11


12<br />

INCOMING NIGHTLIFE<br />

INOUT<br />

February may be derived<br />

from the Latin verb februare,<br />

meaning to purify, but InOut<br />

made sure any detoxing and<br />

purifi cation was done in<br />

January – so we can enjoy<br />

February where we’re most<br />

at home, on the bar scene<br />

For most of us, February is best known<br />

for Valentines Day, which has been<br />

turned into an over-commercialised,<br />

slightly nauseating celebration that we’d<br />

rather avoid. In the interests of good taste,<br />

we’ve singled out three bars from around the<br />

network where you can express true love<br />

without drowning in a sea of sickening red roses<br />

and heart-shaped tinfoil balloons – and without<br />

the risk of being shot at by a midget dressed in a<br />

loincloth holding a bow and arrow, otherwise<br />

known as Cupid.<br />

Palma de Mallorca<br />

A city that lends itself to romance thanks to<br />

its harbourside position, balmy evenings and<br />

eternally sun-kissed residents, Palma de<br />

Mallorca is the ideal spot for an amorous<br />

moment. They say that true love can be hard<br />

to fi nd, and you will have to work hard to<br />

fi nd the exceptional Abaco Bar, situated in<br />

the La Lonja district on Calle Sant Joan.<br />

What was once a working 16th-century<br />

palace has now been converted into a<br />

museum-cum-bar, open to the public while also<br />

doubling as an exclusive cocktail bar in the<br />

courtyard. Embellished with magnifi cent and<br />

exceptionally opulent fl ower and fruit displays,<br />

you can pretend you’re king of the castle before<br />

whisking your princess or prince off to your<br />

tower for a night of passion.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

Seduce a date in<br />

Vienna’s decadent<br />

Tanzcafe Jenseits<br />

3 of the<br />

best…<br />

romantic<br />

hideaways<br />

Vienna<br />

Austria may not be known as<br />

a nation full of people of overly<br />

romantic persuasions, but as the<br />

saying goes, it’s always the quiet<br />

ones you have to watch out for.<br />

Hidden away behind the frontage of what<br />

appears to be a regular Vienna townhouse,<br />

you have to ring a bell to be allowed in to the<br />

decidedly seductive Tanzcafe Jenseits<br />

(3 Nelkengasse, tanzcafe-jenseits.com).<br />

Once inside, embrace this dimly lit, red-velvet<br />

curtained hangout for its kitsch, camp and<br />

entirely decadent atmosphere. Sip on a scotch,<br />

soak up the sexy lounge music and stare<br />

lovingly into the eyes of your one and only.<br />

This is romance on a super-cool scale.<br />

Brussels<br />

While one of the oldest professions in the<br />

world might be utterly devoid of true romance,<br />

this doesn’t stop one of its former hostelries<br />

from being the setting for some 21st-century<br />

love stories. Tucked away just off Brussels’<br />

Grand’Place, Goupil Le Fol (22 Rue de le<br />

Violette) is an eccentric bar whose walls are<br />

covered with old paintings of nudes and lurid<br />

Image Scott Adams<br />

Looking for love in all the wrong places? Chris Peck<br />

fi nds the perfect bars for a tryst this Valentine’s Day<br />

Cocktail corner<br />

Heavenly Hibiscus<br />

Woo your Valentine in the<br />

opulent surroundings<br />

of Palma’s Abaco Bar<br />

landscapes (just try to forget the fact that the<br />

three-storey bar looks like a cross between<br />

an opium den and a 1970s porno set). Order<br />

a couple of fruit liqueurs (a house speciality),<br />

curl up in one of the cosy and romantic corners,<br />

listen to the French music blaring from the<br />

jukebox and let love take hold – with absolutely<br />

no infl uence from that vertically challenged,<br />

bow and arrow-wielding Cupid.<br />

Predictions on the cocktail circuit<br />

suggest that hibiscus will be a big<br />

fl avour this year, putting InOut back<br />

at the bar experimenting.<br />

Add two measures of vodka, half a<br />

measure of Grand Marnier, a dash of<br />

fresh lime juice and three quarters of a measure<br />

of Hibiscus syrup* to a mixing glass, add ice and<br />

shake before straining into a chilled Martini glass.<br />

Garnish with an edible orchid or hibiscus fl ower.<br />

*Hibiscus syrup: Add two hibiscus teabags to<br />

one cup of freshly boiled water and let steep<br />

for 10 minutes. Remove teabags and add one<br />

small cup of superfi ne (not powdered) sugar.<br />

Stir until all the sugar dissolves. Refrigerate<br />

until ready to use.


Tahiti Collection - Info + 32(0)9 2800 666 - www.hulchibelluni.com


14<br />

INCOMING HOTELS<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

INBED<br />

d-hotel KORTRIJK<br />

1 Abdijmolenweg, tel. +32 (0)5<br />

621 2100, d-hotel.be<br />

Don’t let the large windmill that presides over<br />

the d-hotel fool you into thinking that this is a<br />

traditional place. Rather, be prepared for a guest<br />

room that seemingly fl oats in one of the boxy<br />

pavilions that comprise the accommodation and<br />

meeting facilities of this hotel. Situated in the<br />

fi elds of Flanders to the east of Brussels, in the<br />

village of Marke near Kortrijk, the d-hotel is an<br />

assured blend of the historic and the modern.<br />

Looking across cobbled courtyards, the<br />

farmhouse and windmill are both refl ected in<br />

the vast planes of glass of the new constructs,<br />

which are reached via a tunnelled walkway.<br />

The pure Flemish sky that attracted the<br />

Renaissance artists is the backdrop, and today’s<br />

designers have had a hand in creating the hotel’s<br />

d-XL and d-XXL suites. Edouard Vermeulen<br />

of the boutique fashion house Natan has<br />

prepared a fashion suite and fl orist Geert<br />

Pattyn a horticultural-inspired suite, while<br />

diamond jeweller Hulchi Belluni has created<br />

a suite featuring examples of his craft.<br />

Standard guest rooms are of a good size,<br />

Centurion Palace VENICE<br />

173 Dorsoduro, tel. +39 041 34281, sinahotels.com<br />

with their white volumes fl ooded with natural<br />

light; don’t forget to draw the blackout curtains<br />

at night! The d-mixx spa, meanwhile, is a<br />

highlight, where the treatments are delivered<br />

with passion. Try a soapy hammam-style scrub,<br />

a shiatsu massage or a lymphatic drainage<br />

treatment to cleanse the system.<br />

Contrasting sharply with the modernity of<br />

the sleeping accommodation are the original<br />

Sumptuous style on<br />

the Grand Canal at<br />

the Centurion Palace<br />

From funky boutique hotels to extra-special romantic<br />

escapes, Guy Dittrich discovers where to sleep in style<br />

At Venice’s newest hotel, the drama<br />

starts before you even step into the<br />

lobby – a glowing ‘chandelier’ of<br />

raw, frosted-white glass looms<br />

from the high ceiling. Its striking,<br />

art installation style is enough to<br />

fool you into thinking you’ve arrived<br />

at the nearby Peggy Guggenheim<br />

museum. You can step into the<br />

lobby straight from a gondola, too,<br />

as this 50-bedroom hotel is on<br />

the Grand Canal. Just across from<br />

St Mark’s Square, in the arty<br />

Dorsoduro quarter – less tourist<br />

tat, more cool galleries cashing in<br />

on the Guggenheim crowd – this<br />

is the place to be in Venice.<br />

The surprises continue in the<br />

bar adjacent to the lobby, as<br />

sweeps of red velvet and blue<br />

ostrich-leather upholstery contrast<br />

with the intimate feel of the<br />

Antinco restaurant. Antinco is<br />

all glamour and all white, with<br />

white-on-white wall reliefs and<br />

tables that glow under their<br />

Get some wind in your<br />

sails at the trad-meetsmodern<br />

d-hotel<br />

features of the historic buildings. Here, under<br />

the exposed beams of the chapel-like, gabled<br />

farmhouse roof, is where breakfast is served.<br />

But while the hotel does have a lounge bar,<br />

d-drinxx, complete with summer terrace, what<br />

it lacks from the leisure traveller’s perspective<br />

is a restaurant. There are many nearby options<br />

recommended by the hotel, however. Double<br />

room with breakfast from €109.<br />

tablecloths. Continuing upstairs,<br />

each guestroom is a unique<br />

combination of modern furnishing<br />

and artwork. Rooms on the ‘noble’<br />

fl oors have incredibly high ceilings,<br />

with decorative wood panelling<br />

or ornate walk-in fi replaces, while<br />

the exposed wooden beams in<br />

rooms on the top fl oor offset the<br />

bold interior design. This boldness<br />

stretches not only to rich colours,<br />

brocade fabrics and leatherwork,<br />

but also to all-gold leaf bathrooms.<br />

If it all sounds a bit extravagant,<br />

that’s because it is. Venice certainly<br />

isn’t a place to scrimp and save.<br />

But with its striking design and<br />

a young, enthusiastic crew (whose<br />

dress code is more casual than that<br />

of counterparts in the grande dame<br />

hotels of the Venetian archipelago),<br />

the Centurion Palace makes for<br />

a refreshing dose of modernity in<br />

a city that trades on its antediluvian<br />

heritage. Double room with<br />

breakfast from €230.


16<br />

INCOMING FOOD & DRINK<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

INDULGE<br />

Dean Street Townhouse<br />

LONDON<br />

69-71 Dean Street, tel. +44 (0)20<br />

7434 1775, deanstreettownhouse.com<br />

We’re usually condemned to just pressing our<br />

noses up against the window of Nick Jones’s<br />

starry Soho House members’ dens. But no longer.<br />

The king of clubs has teamed up with legendary<br />

restaurateur Richard Caring (Le Caprice, The Ivy,<br />

J Sheekey and Scott’s) to create a very snazzy<br />

stable for keeping Gwyneth and proles like you<br />

and me fed and watered. And boy is it a good ’un.<br />

Housed in a whitewashed Georgian building,<br />

cosy and comfy best describes the 39 bedrooms<br />

at this hotel. There are old-fashioned Roberts<br />

radios by the bed, simple light switches<br />

rather than computer-controlled panels,<br />

and a real key on a brass fob. Lovely stuff.<br />

Downstairs in the restaurant, meanwhile, it’s<br />

slick Sheekey-style professionalism all over,<br />

with starched tablecloths, silver cutlery and<br />

a menu that deftly rides the current wave for<br />

nostalgic comfort food. Clubby but not exclusive,<br />

Chalet Robinson BRUSSELS<br />

1 Sentier de l’Embarcadère, tel. +32 (0)2 372 9292,<br />

chaletrobinson.be<br />

Candles light a path through the<br />

woods to the ferries that shuttle<br />

guests across the lake to the magical<br />

Chalet Robinson, a chalet-style<br />

restaurant in the heart of Brussels’<br />

Bois de la Cambre. The Cambre woods<br />

are landscaped gardens adjacent to<br />

the Soignes Forest that stretches out<br />

from the south of the capital, and the<br />

Contemporary furnishings<br />

at the newly restored<br />

Chalet Robinson<br />

you’re instantly made to feel like you’re part<br />

of the pack, which is itself a rare achievement.<br />

So grab a high chair at the buzzy bar and get<br />

stuck into a stiff cocktail before settling down<br />

to not-too-pricey dishes like fi sh and chips or<br />

island and restaurant are named after<br />

Robinson Crusoe. Unlike Crusoe,<br />

though, visitors won’t fi nd this island<br />

deserted. For a start there’s Gérard le<br />

Canard, a friendly duck who’s the<br />

restaurant’s mascot, to welcome you.<br />

Then there are the Brusseloise<br />

returning to repeat an experience<br />

they probably last had with their<br />

Eat like a local and dine at one of these stylish<br />

restaurants on the Brussels Airlines network<br />

parents; the original restaurant<br />

burned down some 19 years ago.<br />

The new experience is mostly<br />

a celebration of simple, luxurious<br />

Belgian cuisine, with croquettes aux<br />

crevettes (prawn croquettes), fi let<br />

Américain (steak tartare) and the<br />

ice-cream dessert, Dame Blanche,<br />

sitting alongside more cosmopolitan<br />

fare such as Caesar salad and sashimi.<br />

The chalet itself is a similar mix of the<br />

traditional and modern; a sturdy<br />

wooden building in a rustic style with<br />

contemporary furnishings, including<br />

glamorous mirror-ball lamps by Tom<br />

Dixon. A visit can turn into an all-day<br />

affair, with afternoon tea followed<br />

by cocktails on the terrace, and you<br />

can work off the waffl es with a row<br />

around the island in the all-new<br />

fl eet of boats.<br />

Getting to Chalet Robinson isn’t<br />

that straightforward (although the<br />

minute-long ferry ride couldn’t be<br />

more effi cient), but the experience<br />

of tranquillity so close to the city<br />

makes it so worthwhile. A meal<br />

will come in at around €40 a head,<br />

excluding drinks. Guy Dittrich<br />

Dean Street Townhouse: just<br />

the place to tuck into a plate<br />

of mince and boiled potatoes<br />

chicken, bacon and leek pie (€12.50/£11.50).<br />

You’ve got to love a restaurant that makes its<br />

no-nonsense signature dish mince and boiled<br />

potatoes. Just like Granny used to make.<br />

Richard Bence<br />

Foodie corner<br />

My Favourite Ingredients<br />

by Skye Gyngell (Quadrille,<br />

€17, quadrille.co.uk,)<br />

This year, leave your<br />

shopping trolley behind,<br />

pick up your wicker basket<br />

and start exploring your<br />

local markets for the<br />

season’s freshest produce.<br />

It may be Brussels sprouts<br />

and celeriac now, but<br />

you’ve courgettes and<br />

cucumbers to look forward<br />

to, and you’ll be able to<br />

whip up<br />

a storm<br />

with My<br />

Favourite<br />

Ingredients.<br />

Its brimming<br />

with recipes<br />

made with<br />

seasonal<br />

produce,<br />

from raw white asparagus<br />

with porcini to frito misto<br />

of artichokes and lemon<br />

with mint and anchovy<br />

vinaigrette. So wherever<br />

you find yourself this<br />

year, head for the market<br />

– you may never look<br />

at a supermarket again.


18<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

INVOGUE<br />

The world of<br />

Branquinho<br />

From purses to shoes<br />

New kid on<br />

the block<br />

Arrondissement AQ1<br />

debuts in Berlin<br />

The name of the label may be<br />

diffi cult to remember, but<br />

Christina Arend’s clothes are<br />

sure to linger in your mind. The<br />

German designer prefers clean<br />

cuts, geometrical shapes and<br />

subdued colours, which result in an<br />

impressively pure collection. The<br />

only distraction she allows<br />

is accessories: a mix of trompe<br />

l’oeil effects, layered chains<br />

and supple leather. This<br />

month, Christina shows at<br />

the Berlin Fashion Week<br />

for the very fi rst<br />

time, and we<br />

predict she’ll<br />

catch the eye<br />

of fashion lovers<br />

and editors<br />

around the world.<br />

Accessories<br />

average about<br />

€300, tops €150 and dresses<br />

start from €375. arr-aq1.com<br />

Last year, Veronique Branquinho sadly<br />

had to unplug her namesake prêt-à-porter collection, but that doesn’t mean<br />

she’s leaving the fashion world. Spring sees Branquinho present the fi rst<br />

collection under her creative direction for Belgian leather label Delvaux<br />

– it’s the perfect way for the 180-year-old company to translate history<br />

and tradition to a modern line. Prices start from €850.<br />

Branquinho was also invited by Spanish shoe label Camper to design<br />

a special collection under the Camper To&ether umbrella. She created three<br />

inventive Derby men’s shoes, combining leather with fabric and introducing<br />

a mule-type heel. The shoes with leather cost €320, while the linen costs €300.<br />

delvaux.com; camper.com<br />

Stéphanie Duval gives us the inside scoop<br />

on the latest trends from planet fashion<br />

The return of<br />

the lipstick<br />

Say goodbye to<br />

sticky gloss<br />

After years of sultry pouts<br />

enhanced by gloss to look<br />

10 times more voluptuous,<br />

Chanel now thinks it’s time to<br />

acknowledge the superiority of<br />

lipstick. The very gesture of<br />

applying lipstick is a symbol of<br />

luxury and femininity – which is<br />

the main reason why the brand<br />

doesn’t believe in long-lasting<br />

formulas. Peter Philips,<br />

creative director of Chanel<br />

make-up, feels that wearing<br />

lipstick even changes your<br />

attitude: “You hold yourself<br />

differently. Lipstick is<br />

accompanied by delicate poise.”<br />

The Rouge Coco lipstick exists<br />

in 20 shades, comes in iconic<br />

packaging inspired by the<br />

N°5 spray perfume and costs<br />

€29. Available from March.<br />

chanel.com<br />

Multitasking<br />

marvel<br />

Surface to Air<br />

accesses all areas<br />

Surface to Air is a creative<br />

agency based in France that<br />

has worked with a range of<br />

interesting labels, from<br />

Tsumori Chisato to Uniqlo<br />

and Louis Vuitton. But the<br />

company also has its own<br />

clothing and accessory brand,<br />

increasingly popular with the<br />

hip crowd: after debuting last<br />

season, its buckle shoes have<br />

already turned into a fashion<br />

staple. Prices start at €50 for<br />

a top, €140 for a dress and<br />

€290 for the buckle shoes.<br />

surfacetoair.com


Trend: Headto-toe<br />

denim<br />

We’ve got the blues!<br />

Remember the 1980s? Well<br />

those acid-washed jeans<br />

combined with an equally<br />

bleached denim jacket can<br />

stay safely in your memory.<br />

Thankfully, the head-to-toe<br />

denim trend takes a more<br />

sophisticated stance in <strong>2010</strong>.<br />

Hugo Boss and Lacoste showed<br />

how it’s done on the catwalks:<br />

a dark, lightweight denim fabric<br />

adds a note of refi nement to an<br />

otherwise fairly casual look. But<br />

it doesn’t always have to match.<br />

Part of the fun in this trend is<br />

mixing different shades of blue;<br />

once a big fashion don’t, but<br />

now all the rage. Add another<br />

layer of intrigue to your outfi t<br />

by combining different styles<br />

as well. A sharp blazer with<br />

a pair of heavily distressed<br />

jeans? You’re good to go!<br />

hugoboss.com; lacoste.com<br />

Quirky accessories from<br />

Coppens’ new collection<br />

Take denim<br />

inspiration<br />

from Boss<br />

Orange (left)<br />

and Lacoste<br />

Grand hotel Coppens<br />

Designer is inspired by digs<br />

Belgian accessory designer Christophe Coppens<br />

has turned to features from his favourite hotels for<br />

inspiration, resulting in a summer collection that<br />

echoes luxurious bath towels, heavy key-chains and<br />

cocktails by the side of the pool. His parrot-print<br />

and raffi a hats, big corsages and bamboo necklaces<br />

are ideal for invoking tropical temperatures before<br />

summer is actually here. Prices start from €110 for<br />

a hat, €60 for a scarf and €65 for a corsage.<br />

christophecoppens.com<br />

FASHION & BEAUTY INCOMING<br />

Diamond geezers<br />

Baunat’s innovative<br />

online jewellery shop<br />

Baunat is audaciously changing<br />

the way we think of jewellers. By<br />

asking reputable Belgian designers<br />

(such as Anne Zellien and Wouters<br />

& Hendrix) to create special<br />

collections and then selling them<br />

exclusively through an online shop,<br />

the company can hardly be called<br />

traditional. But Baunat has thought<br />

its tactics through. Shoppers can<br />

safely send back jewellery they’ve<br />

ordered but don’t like, or they can<br />

make an appointment to see the<br />

collections up close in the Baunat<br />

showroom. And we haven’t<br />

mentioned the best part yet: the<br />

prices are as friendly as the service.<br />

You’d be hard-pressed to fi nd<br />

jewellery of this quality for such<br />

a fair price anywhere else. Rings<br />

and earrings start from €460,<br />

necklaces from €640. baunat.com<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

19


20<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

INSESSION<br />

The Princess and the Frog<br />

Directors Ron Clements, John Musker<br />

Voices Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos,<br />

Jennifer Cody, John Goodman<br />

Such has been the success of Disney’s association with (and acquisition of)<br />

John Lasseter and the Pixar team that it’s easy to forget that essentially,<br />

the company abandoned its roots. After a decade of declining quality and<br />

revenues since the 1994 high watermark of The Lion King, Disney decided<br />

that the future lay in three dimensions. It was only when Lasseter became<br />

chief creative offi cer of the new Disney/Pixar studio that it returned to<br />

A Single Man<br />

Director Tom Ford<br />

Starring Colin Firth, Julianne<br />

Moore, Nicholas Hoult<br />

The feature fi lm debut of former Gucci creative<br />

director Tom Ford, A Single Man follows a day in<br />

the life of an English professor, George, whose<br />

partner of 16 years has suddenly passed away.<br />

Images Rex Features, Allstar<br />

Matt Bochenski rounds up the top fi lms, music<br />

releases and books heading your way this month<br />

Pucker up: fairy tale<br />

conventions are subverted<br />

in Disney’s latest outing<br />

hand-drawn animation – and The Princess and the Frog is the result.<br />

But far from going all out to please traditionalists, a whiff of radicalism<br />

has hung over the project since the announcement that the fi lm’s titular<br />

princess, Tiana, was to be the company’s fi rst black heroine, in a fi lm<br />

set in the swamps of jazz-age New Orleans.<br />

This fi lm’s real boldness, however, lies in its quirky, Shrek-esque<br />

rewriting of a classic fairy tale: Tiana kisses her frog prince only to<br />

fi nd that it is she who is transformed . Throw in a couple of classic<br />

comic sidekicks, a proper boo-hiss bad guy and a raft of Louis<br />

Armstrong-inspired tunes, and The Princess and the Frog will soon<br />

have you convinced that 2D is the future after all.<br />

Firth leaves frothy<br />

rom-coms behind<br />

with A Single Man<br />

Complicating this scenario is the fact that it’s<br />

1962 and his partner was a man. Despite the<br />

stirrings of sexual revolution on George’s<br />

Los Angeles campus, he exists in a world of<br />

antediluvian academia in which his grief dares<br />

not reveal its true nature.<br />

As George seeks solace in professional<br />

routine and pills, he begins to question whether<br />

his new life is worth living. Vivacious divorcée<br />

Charley (Moore), George’s best friend who has<br />

succumbed to the hedonistic temptations of LA,<br />

offers him an unsteady crutch, while a wide-eyed<br />

student (Hoult) sees the truth of his professor’s<br />

personal crisis. But it is Firth who carries<br />

the fi lm. He offers a master class in quiet<br />

devastation, his careful mannerisms opening<br />

on to an ocean of grief behind those blue eyes.


All at sea? Corinne<br />

Bailey Rae’s second<br />

album is melancholic<br />

Corinne<br />

Bailey Rae<br />

The Sea<br />

Timing has been everything<br />

for Corinne Bailey Rae. Having appeared on the<br />

British music scene just ahead of the deluge<br />

of female singer-songwriters, she’s remained<br />

removed from the chasing pack ever since, happier<br />

in the world of jazz and soul than the boozy pop<br />

hedonism of Lily Allen or Adele.<br />

The timing of her second solo album has been<br />

defi ned by more tragic circumstances, however.<br />

Ringo Starr<br />

Y Not<br />

Surprisingly,<br />

the title of<br />

Ringo Starr’s latest album isn’t<br />

a response to the question that<br />

most of us have asked at one point<br />

or another: why do you insist on<br />

infl icting these awful solo albums<br />

on us, Mr Starr?<br />

In fairness, though, the ex-Beatle<br />

has surrounded himself with<br />

an array of super-talented<br />

contributors for this latest effort,<br />

which at least ensures that the<br />

tiresome peace-and-love moralising<br />

The irrepressible<br />

Ringo Starr<br />

Following the death of her husband in 2008, Bailey<br />

Rae took a two-year hiatus, waiting for grief to<br />

pass over and reach the point of inspiration. It’s no<br />

surprise, then, that The Sea is melancholic, and<br />

at times mournful, and yet this isn’t an album that<br />

wallows in self-pity. Bailey Rae’s voice is too light<br />

for that, and as it spills like liquid across the title<br />

track it’s clear that she has returned as a more<br />

forceful and dedicated artist. The track names tell<br />

their own story – from ‘Are You Here?’ to ‘I’d Do It All<br />

Again’ – but that doesn’t change the fact that at its<br />

best, this is a soaring, soulful tribute to much more<br />

than her late husband.<br />

of the lyrics serves a decent musical purpose.<br />

The likes of Paul McCartney, Van Dyke Parks,<br />

Joss Stone and Dave Stewart have<br />

cameo roles, injecting a bit<br />

of pizzazz into proceedings<br />

and making the album go by<br />

with some swing.<br />

Produced by Starr himself,<br />

this is also his most personal<br />

statement to date. Songs like ‘The Other<br />

Side of Liverpool’ offer an insight into<br />

his early days on Merseyside, while<br />

his duet with McCartney, ‘Walk<br />

With You’, is a decent little ode to<br />

friendship. There certainly aren’t<br />

any fi reworks, but it’s not<br />

a complete washout either.<br />

FILM, MUSIC & BOOKS INCOMING<br />

Book club<br />

This month’s must-reads<br />

Gone Tomorrow<br />

Lee Child<br />

You’d be forgiven<br />

for thinking that<br />

Lee Child is simply<br />

a mechanised thriller<br />

machine, pumping out<br />

books at the touch of<br />

a button, but his latest Jack Reacher<br />

novel is another tense and exciting read.<br />

The Reacher character shouldn’t<br />

work: an ex-military policeman turned<br />

itinerant vigilante, he’s a sort of<br />

homeless James Bond, dishevelled<br />

rather than debonair. Likewise, Child’s<br />

writing style should grate, with his Rain<br />

Man-like fixation on numbers, physics<br />

and the inconsequential minutiae of<br />

Reacher’s life. But when you put the<br />

two together, it makes for an explosive<br />

combination. Witness the pitch-perfect<br />

opening scene of Gone Tomorrow,<br />

as Reacher uses his analytical skills<br />

to try to decipher whether one of the<br />

passengers on his subway train is<br />

a terrorist. It’s classic Child/Reacher<br />

– dramatic, exciting and just vaguely<br />

silly. You wouldn’t have either of them<br />

any other way.<br />

Take A Chance<br />

On Me<br />

Jill Mansell<br />

Jill Mansell has been<br />

a chick lit master for<br />

over a decade now,<br />

reliably pumping out<br />

stories of lovelorn<br />

20-somethings, mysterious hunks and<br />

kooky best friends since 1997’s Perfect<br />

Timing. Her latest effort sees Cleo<br />

Quinn (they’re always called Cleo or<br />

Poppy or Tilly) fall for a handsome<br />

Mr Right only to have sexy childhood<br />

nemesis Johnny LaVenture (seriously)<br />

reappear in her life to torment her.<br />

To further complicate matters, Cleo’s<br />

sister Abbie is having trouble in her<br />

marriage – a devastating secret looms<br />

in the distance. Can the two girls live<br />

happily ever after? Clue: yes.<br />

Occupying a moral and intellectual<br />

grey area somewhere between Glamour<br />

magazine and real writing, Mansell’s<br />

novel’s are aspirational tales of west<br />

London socialites flirting with disaster<br />

but ultimately finding redemption<br />

and happiness. That should sit<br />

uncomfortably in a bleak economic<br />

environment, but perhaps everybody<br />

needs a warm glow from time to time.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

21


22<br />

INCOMING MOTORSPORT<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

INGEAR<br />

She’s electric<br />

Audi’s e-tron stuns with its stylish looks<br />

Schumacher forges<br />

what he hopes will be<br />

a winning partnership<br />

with Mercedes<br />

Proving without a shadow of a doubt that not all electric cars need<br />

to be small and staid is Audi’s recently unveiled e-tron, hailed as<br />

the world’s fi rst true electric supercar.<br />

With serious green credentials, gloriously fl ashy good looks,<br />

immense torque and a 0-100km/h sprint of just 4.8 seconds, this<br />

Audi is destined to be snapped up the instant that the order books<br />

open in 2012 – despite a likely €150,000 price tag.<br />

Briatore off the banned list<br />

Court overturns FIA ruling on race-fi xing scandal<br />

The indefi nite ban placed on former Renault team boss<br />

Flavio Briatore for his part in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix<br />

race-fi xing scandal has been dramatically overturned.<br />

A French court made the ruling on the basis Briatore was not<br />

a Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile licence holder and<br />

therefore not subject to FIA rules, coupled with the fact that the<br />

governing body did not, in the court’s view, have the authority to<br />

impose such a ban. Pat Symonds’ fi ve-year ban was overturned<br />

for the same reasons. The FIA is considering appealing, stating<br />

that: “…until then, the World Motor Sport Council’s decision<br />

continues to apply. In addition, the FIA intends to consider actions<br />

to ensure that no persons who would engage in such dangerous<br />

activities are allowed to participate in F1 in the future.”<br />

Images Rex Features, Getty Images<br />

Lisa Curtiss drools over Audi’s e-tron, notes Schumacher’s<br />

return to F1 and takes the VW Scirocco GT for a spin<br />

Magnifi cent eight with Mercedes?<br />

Schumacher back and chasing World Champ title<br />

Seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher is<br />

confi rmed to race for Mercedes alongside fellow countryman Nico<br />

Rosberg. The German car maker bought the 2009 title-winning Brawn<br />

GP team, renaming it Mercedes GP Petronas, and retained team principle<br />

Ross Brawn – who helped Schumacher to title glory at both Ferrari and<br />

Benetton. With the fi rst race of the <strong>2010</strong> season just weeks away, on<br />

14 March, Schumacher is looking to add to his impressive title tally.<br />

“Mercedes GP Petronas represents a new challenge for me both in<br />

a sporting and a personal context,” he said. “It is a new chapter in my racing<br />

career and I am looking forward to working with my old friend Ross Brawn<br />

and my companions from my days with the Mercedes Junior Programme.<br />

I am convinced that together we will be involved in the fi ght for the F1<br />

World Championship, and I am already looking forward to getting back<br />

to the race track. For me, this partnership closes the circle. Mercedes<br />

supported me for so many years when I began my F1 career, and now<br />

I can hopefully give something back to the brand with the star.”<br />

Best in show<br />

This year’s Motor Show in Geneva<br />

will see major new launches<br />

One of the world’s largest car events takes place<br />

next month – the 80th International Motor Show<br />

will run from the 4-14 March at the Palpexo<br />

Exhibition Centre, Geneva.<br />

Always one of the key shows to look to for<br />

signifi cant model launches, this year promises<br />

to be no exception with important debuts from<br />

most manufacturers including a stylish Coupé<br />

Cabriolet Mégane from Renault and a host of<br />

funky electric cars.<br />

Opening times: Mon-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat-Sun<br />

9am-7pm. For more information visit salon-auto.ch<br />

February diary Dates to look out for this month<br />

1-3 Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, Monaco 7-10 Neige & Glace Historic Rally, Doubs and Jura, France 12-14 FIA World Rally Championship: Swedish Rally,<br />

Karlstad, Sweden 14 NASCAR Daytona International Speedway, Florida, USA 28 A1GP: South Africa


TESTDRIVE VW SCIROCCO GT<br />

Don’t let prejudices stop you from checking out Volkswagen’s<br />

latest incarnation of this motor – it offers plenty to please<br />

VW does love a bit of retro. I’ve been<br />

subjected to more seats in tartan of<br />

dubious taste and golf ball-bedecked<br />

gearsticks than my delicate senses can<br />

comfortably endure. Little wonder, then,<br />

that the company progressed from<br />

scaring me with quirky 1980s styling<br />

to bringing an entire car back from the<br />

dead. Just a shame they picked the one<br />

named after a wind.<br />

A tad harsh? Well, maybe. But not to<br />

those who knew and loved its sister car,<br />

the Corrado – the fastest and most<br />

elegant model to come from the VW<br />

stable at the time and, despite being first<br />

launched just over 20 years ago, a car<br />

that manages to look relatively fresh<br />

on our roads even now. A VR6 Storm<br />

and a brace of G60s have graced my<br />

driveways, all paid for from my own<br />

coffers, and coming from a motor writer<br />

and lucky recipient of just about every<br />

car under the sun to drive, that’s<br />

testament indeed to their charms.<br />

So, after resisting a test drive for as<br />

long as I could without causing overt<br />

offence, I finally sampled my first<br />

Scirocco since 1988 – and I feel<br />

Spec<br />

VW Scirocco GT<br />

2.0-litre TSI<br />

Displacement<br />

1984cc<br />

Maximum<br />

power output<br />

146KW<br />

Maximum<br />

torque 280Nm<br />

Top speed<br />

234km/h<br />

0-100km/h<br />

acceleration<br />

7.2 secs<br />

The Scirocco GT:<br />

appealingly fi erce<br />

mightily sheepish, as I’m obliged to<br />

admit that it’s actually rather good.<br />

Low slung, sleek and purposeful,<br />

it’s appealingly fierce, with a deep<br />

grille and a sharky, menacing stare.<br />

The rear is chunky with a chromed,<br />

large-bored twin-pipe exhaust<br />

alluding to some decent sporting<br />

prowess. Inside, instead of cheesy<br />

retro references, it is restrained,<br />

comfortable and subtly bejewelled<br />

with chrome.<br />

Performance-wise this car is as<br />

sporty as it looks, its 2.0-litre petrol<br />

engine providing a handy helping<br />

of torque and a sprightly sprint of<br />

just 7.2 secs. The gearing is slick<br />

in manual guise, or you can opt for<br />

DSG, and it also handles remarkably<br />

neatly whatever twists and turns it<br />

encounters. This is thanks to its low<br />

stance and bespoke ‘Adaptive Chassis<br />

Control’ settings for its springs and<br />

dampers, and the front wishbone/rear<br />

four-link suspension arrangement,<br />

as found in the Golf.<br />

Ultimately, the Scirocco has<br />

surprised me – in a very good way.<br />

A car for<br />

all seasons.<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

Preferred partner of Brussels<br />

Airlines.<br />

www.brusselsairlines.com/avis


24<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

INCANADA<br />

Images Getty Images<br />

In words<br />

Above The<br />

Michael Lee-<br />

Chin Crystal<br />

Building, Royal<br />

Ontario Museum<br />

was designed by<br />

world-renowned<br />

architect Daniel<br />

Libeskind<br />

Left The<br />

Ontario Place<br />

Cinesphere,<br />

built in 1971,<br />

is the world’s<br />

largest IMAX<br />

theatre<br />

Right After a<br />

stormy morning,<br />

a flock of birds<br />

fly across the<br />

sky with<br />

Toronto’s CN<br />

Tower in the<br />

background


On the shore of Lake Ontario, Canada’s most populous city is also its most multicultural.<br />

Fly with Brussels Airlines in codeshare with Jet Airways to take in the sights<br />

CANADA INCOMING<br />

Toronto<br />

special<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

25


26<br />

INCOMING CANADA<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

INCANADA<br />

Check in<br />

Le Meridien King Edward,<br />

37 King Street East Toronto,<br />

tel. +1 (416) 863 3131,<br />

lemeridien.com/kingedward<br />

Set on King Street, in the middle of the Financial<br />

District, the King Eddy as it is known to locals,<br />

is convenient not only for its proximity to<br />

the subway station (the Yonge line is about 3<br />

minutes from the front door), but also the King<br />

Street streetcar right outside. St. Lawrence<br />

Market is a 5 minute walk away and there are<br />

a couple of pretty exciting Mies van der Rohe<br />

buildings next door on the way to the CN tower<br />

which looks like it’s just next door, but it’s<br />

actually about 15 minutes’ walk away.<br />

The hotel is hard to miss, with its stately<br />

architectural details and huge, blue awning. Built<br />

at the turn of the century (last century), by an<br />

industrialist called Gooderham, it was originally<br />

both the tallest and the most easternmost<br />

building in the city – now of course it is dwarfed<br />

by the lofty skyscrapers that surround it.<br />

Drink out<br />

Tasting Canadian wine is a must<br />

It comes as a surprise to most Europeans that<br />

Canada, and Ontario specifi cally, has a thriving<br />

home-grown wine industry that even produces<br />

Canadian originals such as the aptly named ice<br />

wine – a wine whose grapes are picked only<br />

in February, and only when the temperature<br />

is between -8°C and -14°C. The actual winegrowing<br />

region is just across Lake Ontario and<br />

well worth a visit if you’re taking in the Niagara<br />

Falls as well. But if you don’t have the time you<br />

can get your tasting down at the Vineyard Estate<br />

Wines’ fl agship store, at the Harbourfront on<br />

Queens Quay West for the fi nest of Ontario’s<br />

wines, back vintages, rare releases and hard-tofi<br />

nd wine accessories. Call ahead to organise a<br />

tasting. vineyardestatewines.com<br />

Canada<br />

produces some<br />

fi rst-rate wines<br />

Grande dame<br />

style rules at<br />

the King Eddy<br />

The hotel itself is the epitome of grande dame<br />

style. Passing through the gigantic revolving<br />

door, the grand and airy lobby sports Ionic<br />

columns aplenty, and helpful, smiling staff eager<br />

to serve you.<br />

Rooms are quite big for North American<br />

standards, with the décor option a little quaint.<br />

Eat up<br />

St Lawrence Market is a haven for foodies<br />

James Kevin Mac Goris fi nds out what to do in<br />

Toronto before tucking into some local vino<br />

St Lawrence is one of the 25 best markets in the world, according to Food<br />

& Wine magazine – it’s certainly a foodie heaven with over 120 merchants<br />

and vendors proving why Toronto is considered one of the most culturally<br />

mixed cities in the world. Russia, China, South-East Asia, Greece, Italy,<br />

Ukraine, Central America, South America and even good old Ontario are all<br />

represented by the stalls that sell the best, freshest and most exciting mix<br />

of foods you’re likely to see. Check out the Carousel Bakery for a “pea-meal<br />

bacon on a bun” sandwich, a Canadian tradition. stlawrencemarket.com<br />

Fly to Toronto with Brussels Airlines in codeshare with Jet Airways. For more information visit brusselsairlines.com<br />

The beds, however, are sumptuous and a defi nite<br />

guarantee for a good night’s sleep. For afternoon<br />

tea afi cionados, the downstairs lobby is the<br />

scene of a sumptuous English-style afternoon<br />

event, complete with scones, jam and clotted<br />

cream, as well as about 15 different types of tea.<br />

Go for the house blend, it’s well worth it.<br />

An exciting mix of<br />

foods at St<br />

Lawrence Market<br />

Insider tip<br />

Bruce Bell is the man<br />

to know in Toronto<br />

It sounds like a<br />

cop-out, but in<br />

Toronto’s case<br />

you really are<br />

better off getting<br />

a guide to show<br />

you round – and<br />

Bruce Bell is the<br />

city’s selfappointed<br />

best.<br />

With so much<br />

history either<br />

buried under<br />

parking lots or<br />

confi ned to dusty<br />

history books<br />

hidden on the top<br />

shelves of<br />

libraries, Bell uses<br />

his wealth of<br />

knowledge and<br />

experience to show<br />

visitors what<br />

secrets are held in<br />

Toronto’s much<br />

overlooked<br />

colonial and 19th<br />

century past.<br />

brucebelltours.ca


Tombé amoureux de la truffe<br />

il y a plus de 20 ans,<br />

Luigi Ciciriello vous invite<br />

à venir partager sa passion<br />

dans un des endroits les plus<br />

exquis au monde, à travers<br />

sa Carte aux Trésors.<br />

Bienvenue à La Truffe Noire,<br />

dont l’excellence a été<br />

récompensée par une étoile<br />

au Guide Michelin <strong>2010</strong>.<br />

Une passion étoilée pour la truffe<br />

NOUVEAUX HORAIRES - Le restaurant La Truffe Noire est<br />

ouvert du lundi au samedi. Fermé samedi midi et dimanche,<br />

sauf réservation d’au moins 30 personnes.<br />

La Truffe Noire<br />

Bd de La Cambre 12<br />

1000 Bruxelles<br />

Tél. 02 640 44 22<br />

www.truffenoire.com


FEATURE BELGIAN MUSIC SCENE<br />

Who’s<br />

boss<br />

the<br />

?<br />

Belgium’s reputation as<br />

a hotbed for indie music<br />

is being gloriously upheld<br />

by its latest export, Milow.<br />

But as Nina Lamparski<br />

discovers, it can be tricky for<br />

the country’s independent<br />

artists to find the right path<br />

to take them to the top


At one point, 2004 looked<br />

like the year that would bring<br />

fame and fortune to Jonathan<br />

Vandenbroeck, more commonly<br />

known by his stage name, Milow. At just<br />

22, the fresh-faced musician had scored<br />

a final spot in Humo’s Rock Rally,<br />

Belgium’s largest contest for unsigned<br />

or independent local talents who haven’t<br />

released an official recording. Launched<br />

more than two decades ago by HUMO<br />

magazine, the biennial event holds cult<br />

status among aspiring artists because<br />

of its potential to kick-start careers.<br />

Notable names to ‘get their break’<br />

after making it to the last round of the<br />

competition include Antwerp band dEUS<br />

(whose fans include Radiohead and<br />

R.E.M.), Ghent electro outfit Das Pop<br />

and pianist An Pierlé.<br />

It’s easy to comprehend, then, why<br />

Milow had great expectations when he<br />

came fourth at Rock Rally; but these<br />

expectations were quickly dashed.<br />

“I hoped that agents would finally<br />

approach me for a deal, but there<br />

was no one on the Belgian circuit<br />

that wanted to work with me,” recalls<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

29


30<br />

Hot hangouts<br />

Catch the latest indie talent<br />

at these vital Brussels venues<br />

≠ Le<br />

Botanique<br />

Once housing<br />

the capital’s<br />

botanical<br />

garden, this<br />

neoclassical<br />

glass building<br />

is now an<br />

eclectic cultural hub featuring concerts,<br />

exhibitions and plays. botanique.be<br />

≠ Maison du Peuple Set in the boho<br />

neighbourhood of Saint-Gilles, this funky café<br />

also serves as a stage for up-and-coming<br />

musicians. The programme features all genres,<br />

from pop/rock to jazz, hip-hop and reggae.<br />

maison-du-peuple.be<br />

≠ Les Ateliers Claus One of the most<br />

‘out there’ venues in Brussels, this is pure<br />

underground heaven. Expect anything from<br />

mad Tokyo punk to hardcore Belgian jazz.<br />

lesateliersclaus.com<br />

≠ Ancienne<br />

Belgique A key<br />

cultural Flemish<br />

organisation, this is<br />

Brussels’ top concert<br />

venue both for big<br />

international acts and<br />

local independent<br />

bands. abconcerts.be<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

Previous page and<br />

above: Milow’s rise to<br />

fame hasn’t been easy,<br />

but he’s proud to have<br />

maintained autonomy<br />

Far right: Originally<br />

formed in the 1980s,<br />

Brussels band Vaya Con<br />

Dios have stood the<br />

test of time, releasing<br />

their latest album in<br />

October last year<br />

the singer, who has since become one<br />

of the country’s hottest exports thanks<br />

to his 2008 cover of US rapper 50 Cent’s<br />

‘Ayo Technology’. Milow continues:<br />

“It was frustrating, so in January 2006<br />

I brought out my first album, The<br />

Bigger Picture, on my own label,<br />

Homerun Records.”<br />

His second single, ‘You Don’t Know’,<br />

proved a breakthrough hit on Belgian<br />

radio stations, remaining in the national<br />

charts for 42 weeks, and won the artist<br />

Best Song, Best New Artist and Best<br />

Music Video at the 2007 Music Industry<br />

Awards. But it was only after he<br />

performed his hypnotic, stripped down<br />

version of ‘Ayo Technology’ (which<br />

originally featured Justin Timberlake<br />

and Timbaland) during a live radio jam<br />

session that he finally conquered the<br />

European market. The cover received<br />

20 million hits on YouTube alone, and<br />

has sold more copies than the original<br />

in countries from Austria to Sweden.<br />

His third album, Milow, is currently<br />

flying off the shelves in Germany, and<br />

is due for release in Canada this year.<br />

For Milow, though, the triumph didn’t<br />

come one second too soon. “I was 27<br />

and had been writing songs for a long<br />

time,” he says. “I thought that something<br />

really needed to happen, which it did,<br />

thankfully. Now I’m going to ride the<br />

wave for as long as possible.”<br />

Behind the scene<br />

The years of hardship, however, have<br />

left a slightly bitter taste regarding his<br />

compatriots. “I have mixed feelings<br />

towards the Belgian indie scene, largely<br />

because I was never really part of it,”<br />

Milow says. “At the same time, though,<br />

I believe that Belgium has one of the best<br />

musical educations in the world. We have<br />

very strong and critical music journalism,<br />

which sets the bar very high. Everyone<br />

who picks up a guitar here knows what<br />

they’re up against and that it’s not going<br />

to be enough to do something that’s<br />

already been done before.”<br />

It’s true that Antwerp, Ghent and<br />

Brussels have spawned numerous


well-known artists over the past<br />

30 years, predominantly in the<br />

alternative rock and techno/electro<br />

arenas. A heavily subsidised concert<br />

and festival circuit has helped artists<br />

such as Soulwax, Shameboy and<br />

Vaya Con Dios to catapult Belgium<br />

on to the international music stage<br />

and ensure the country’s reputation<br />

Being an indie<br />

artist is all about<br />

the way that you<br />

work… I’m my<br />

own manager<br />

as a breeding ground for indie talent.<br />

And although some such musicians<br />

end up signing with a major record<br />

label – dEUS, for instance, are part<br />

of the Universal stable – this doesn’t<br />

necessarily harm their ‘indie’ tag, so<br />

long as fans don’t feel that they’ve<br />

given up their autonomy.<br />

Still, Milow believes that his own<br />

interests are currently best served by<br />

cutting out the middleman. “For me,<br />

being an indie artist is all about the way<br />

you work,” he explains. “Before I had<br />

a lot of airplay, they called me an indie,<br />

folksy singer-songwriter. Now, they<br />

call my music ‘pop’ – but that’s just the<br />

label you get for being successful. I’m<br />

my own manager, I run my own company,<br />

and I maintain complete freedom. It’s<br />

funny when I go to a meeting and the<br />

agents are surprised to see me, and not<br />

some manager. And they don’t always<br />

like it, either...”<br />

Best of both worlds?<br />

Milow’s story is an “exception” in the<br />

Belgian music industry, according to<br />

Kevin McMullan, spokesperson for<br />

top Brussels concert venue Ancienne<br />

Belgique (AB). From Lou Reed and<br />

Madness to The Cure, Ramones and<br />

Blondie, some of the world’s greatest<br />

bands have performed at this site,<br />

which also heavily promotes budding<br />

BELGIAN MUSIC SCENE FEATURE<br />

FR C’est qui le boss ?<br />

La réputation de la Belgique comme foyer de la création musicale<br />

indépendante est largement confirmée par Milow, une de ses<br />

dernières gloires de l’exportation. Mais comme le constate Nina<br />

Lamparski, le parcours des artistes de la scène rock belge peut<br />

s’avérer tortueux. Pas facile d’arriver en droite ligne au sommet<br />

Après des années de galère, Jonathan Vandenbroeck, plus connu<br />

sous son nom de scène Milow, est devenu l’une des vedettes les plus<br />

exportées du pays en 2008 avec sa reprise du morceau ‘Ayo<br />

Technology’, du rappeur américain 50 Cent. Son clip a reçu plus de<br />

20 millions de visites rien que sur YouTube, et même si le chanteur a<br />

des sentiments mitigés vis-à-vis de la scène musicale belge, il est<br />

toutefois persuadé que son pays dispose d’un des meilleurs<br />

systèmes d’éducation du monde en matière de musique. Anvers,<br />

Gand et Bruxelles ont produit de nombreux artistes renommés au<br />

cours des 30 dernières années, comme dEUS par exemple, un<br />

produit de l’équipe d’Universal. Mais avoir un bon agent en Belgique<br />

est vital, explique Kevin McMullan, porte-parole de l’Ancienne<br />

Belgique, une des salles de concert les plus réputées de Bruxelles.<br />

« Le pays est tellement petit qu’après la sortie de votre premier<br />

album et une vingtaine de concerts sur la scène belge, c’est fini – il<br />

n’y a plus d’autres lieux où se produire. L’internet aide, mais je ne<br />

pense pas qu’il suffise d’exister sur MySpace. Nous recevons près<br />

de 200 démos chaque semaine et il est impossible de toutes les<br />

écouter, nous sélectionnons donc celles que nos agents ou les labels<br />

de confiance nous recommandent. »<br />

Scènes Hots<br />

Allez écouter les derniers talents de la scène musicale<br />

indépendante dans ces salles bruxelloises incontournables<br />

Ancienne Belgique: organisation culturelle clé flamande, cette salle<br />

de concert de premier ordre accueille à Bruxelles tant les grands<br />

groupes internationaux que les formations indépendantes locales.<br />

Le Botanique: ce bâtiment de verre néo-classique est un centre<br />

culturel éclectique proposant des concerts, des expositions et des<br />

spectacles de théâtre.<br />

Maison du Peuple: ce café funky sert aussi de scène aux jeunes<br />

musiciens prometteurs.<br />

Les Ateliers Claus: l’une des salles les plus branchées de Bruxelles,<br />

un vrai paradis « underground ».<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

31


32<br />

FEATURE BELGIAN MUSIC SCENE<br />

local talent. “Being a manager and a<br />

musician are two different skills and<br />

Milow is lucky to have both – most bands<br />

are useless at running their own show,”<br />

says McMullan, who, funnily enough, used<br />

to work for Universal prior to joining the<br />

Above right: The Oeno<br />

Tk wine bar has a tapasstyle<br />

menu, and it’s also<br />

a wine shop<br />

Right: Laurent Lardot<br />

and Grégory Castreuil,<br />

the owners of Oeno Tk<br />

NL Wie is de baas?<br />

De reputatie van België als broeikas voor muziek in eigen beheer wordt<br />

nogmaals bevestigd door het nieuwste exportproduct, Milow. Maar<br />

Nina Lamparski ontdekt dat het voor de Belgische onafhankelijke<br />

artiesten niet eenvoudig is de juiste weg naar de top te vinden<br />

Na jaren van tegenspoed werd Jonathan Vandenbroeck, beter<br />

bekend onder zijn artiestennaam Milow, in 2008 één van België’s<br />

populairste exportproducten met zijn cover van ‘Ayo Technology’<br />

van de Amerikaanse rapper 50 Cent. De cover werd meer dan 20<br />

miljoen keer alleen al op YouTube bekeken, maar alhoewel de zanger<br />

gemengde gevoelens heeft over de Belgische onafhankelijke scene,<br />

gelooft hij nog steeds dat zijn land één van de beste muziekopleidingen<br />

ter wereld heeft. Antwerpen, Gent en Brussel brachten de voorbije<br />

30 jaar talrijke bekende artiesten voort – dEUS bijvoorbeeld zit bij<br />

Universal – maar een goede agent in België hebben is van groot<br />

belang, zegt Kevin McMullan, woordvoerder van de Brusselse<br />

concertzaal Ancienne Belgique. “België is zo klein dat eens je een<br />

eerste album hebt uitgebracht en je 20 optredens hebt gedaan, je<br />

rond bent – je kunt nergens meer heen. Het internet helpt, maar ik<br />

denk niet dat op MySpace zitten voldoende is. Wij krijgen ongeveer<br />

200 demo’s per week en het is onmogelijk ze allemaal te beluisteren,<br />

dus we kijken meestal naar artiesten die ons werden aanbevolen<br />

door agenten of platenlabels waar we vertrouwen in hebben.”<br />

Populaire plekken<br />

Ga naar het nieuwste talent kijken op deze plekken in Brussel<br />

Ancienne Belgique: dit is een belangrijke culturele Vlaamse<br />

organisatie en dé concertplek voor zowel internationale acts als<br />

lokale onafhankelijke groepen.<br />

De Botanique: Dit neoklassieke glazen gebouw is een eclectisch<br />

cultureel centrum voor concerten, tentoonstellingen en voorstellingen.<br />

Maison du Peuple: Dit funky café biedt ook een podium aan de<br />

muzikanten van de toekomst.<br />

Les Ateliers Claus: Eén van de plekken waar de vinger aan de pols<br />

wordt gehouden in Brussel en de hemel op aarde voor liefhebbers<br />

van underground.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

Right: Arguably the most<br />

influential Belgian band<br />

ever, rockers dEUS are<br />

signed to Universal<br />

Below: Electro duo<br />

Shameboy have enjoyed<br />

international acclaim<br />

As a Flemish<br />

artist it’s hard<br />

to get gigs in<br />

Wallonia, and<br />

vice versa<br />

AB. In his opinion, having a good agent in<br />

Belgium is vital. He explains: “Not many<br />

bands here are able to actually live off<br />

their music, so in a way they are forced<br />

to be indie, whether they like it or not.<br />

The place is so small that once you’ve<br />

brought out a first album and done,<br />

say, 20 gigs around Belgium, that’s it<br />

– there’s nowhere else to go. The internet<br />

helps, but I don’t think it’s enough to be<br />

on MySpace. We receive around 200<br />

demos a week and it’s impossible to<br />

listen to them all, so we usually check<br />

out those recommended by agents or<br />

labels we trust.”<br />

War of words<br />

In addition to being in an extremely<br />

competitive market, Belgian musicians<br />

face another tricky obstacle: the<br />

rigid language divide between the<br />

French-speaking and Flemish<br />

communities. “As a Flemish artist<br />

it’s hard to get gigs in Wallonia, and vice<br />

versa – it’s bizarre,” comments McMullan,<br />

adding that bands who do manage to<br />

achieve fame across the country, like<br />

dEUS or Zita Swoon, remain rare.<br />

So what, if any, advice is there for<br />

bands wanting to make it big in Belgium<br />

and beyond? “If you have the options of<br />

signing with a solid independent label in<br />

Paris or a commercial label here, I’d<br />

choose the first one,” says McMullan.<br />

“Remember that the Belgian office<br />

of a corporate record company is<br />

competing with its branches in other<br />

countries – and that makes it a lot harder<br />

for Belgian artists to go abroad. Also, the<br />

person running a label is as important<br />

as the company itself, so make sure you<br />

know who you’re dealing with, and that<br />

you like their way of doing business.”<br />

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34<br />

FEATURE ATHENS<br />

Athens<br />

The Parthenon may be its celebrated centrepiece, but Athens isn’t<br />

all antiquities: cutting-edge art galleries, designer boutiques and<br />

late-night bars abound for those in the know. Yianni Vassiliou,<br />

director of the city’s Bernier/Eliades gallery, leads us on a two-day<br />

tour of dumplings, daiquiris and DJ sets<br />

The new Acropolis Museum, which<br />

finally opened last summer, has<br />

put Athens back on the map as<br />

a city-break destination. With<br />

300 days of sunshine a year, a 50km<br />

coastline and antiquities galore, there<br />

are plenty of reasons to visit this most<br />

modern of ancient cities.<br />

Day one<br />

10:00 Long-awaited and controversial<br />

(a strikingly modern building on an<br />

archaeological site), the Acropolis<br />

Museum (15 Dionysiou Areopagitou,<br />

tel. +30 210 900 0901, theacropolis<br />

museum.gr) is a must for both its<br />

vertiginous design – all three storeys<br />

have glass floors – and great restaurant.<br />

12:00 Walk along Dionysiou Areopagitou,<br />

the pedestrian boulevard below the<br />

Parthenon, to Thisseion. The Bernier/<br />

Eliades Gallery (11 Eptachalkou, berniereliades.gr)<br />

is a local institution that hosts<br />

a roster of global artists including Gilbert<br />

& George, Bob Wilson and Ed Ruscha.<br />

The neoclassical mansion was recently<br />

redesigned with a radical minimalist<br />

interior and library.<br />

13:00 At the entrance to the ancient<br />

Agora, Kouti (23 Adrianou, tel. +30 210<br />

321 3229) is a bistro with 1950s décor<br />

and an unparalleled view of the Acropolis.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

Far right: The stunning<br />

ruins of the Erectheum<br />

and its Caryatid porch<br />

on the Acropolis<br />

Right: Ancient meets<br />

modern at the new<br />

Acropolis Museum<br />

Below right: The library<br />

at the Bernier/Eliades<br />

Gallery is a triumph<br />

of minimalist design<br />

Image photolibrary.com<br />

14:00 Browse around Monastiraki<br />

flea market and the antique stalls of<br />

Abyssinia Square. Nearby, Mofu (28 Sari,<br />

mofu.gr) sells affordable and collectible<br />

vintage furniture selected with flair.<br />

16:00 A few blocks away is a hidden<br />

treasure of Athens: the Alex Mylonas<br />

Museum (5 Agion Asomaton Square,<br />

tel. +30 210 921 5173) holds an<br />

astounding collection of sculpture<br />

in a beautiful neoclassical building.<br />

17:30 Ktistakis (59 Sokratous, tel. +30<br />

210 524 0891) is synonymous with<br />

loukoumades: dumplings smothered in<br />

honey and walnuts, best ordered with


36<br />

FR Mon Athènes<br />

Le Parthénon est sans doute sa pièce maîtresse la plus célèbre, mais<br />

Athènes n’est pas qu’une ville d’antiquités. On y trouve aussi des<br />

galeries d’art pointues, des boutiques de designers et pour les<br />

connaisseurs, les bars de nuit sont légion. Yianni Vassiliou,<br />

directeur de la galerie Bernier/Eliades, dans la capitale, nous<br />

emmène dans un parcours de deux jours de « dumplings », de<br />

daiquiris et de plateaux de DJs<br />

Jour 1<br />

10:00 Le Musée de l’Acropole (15 Dionysiou Areopagitou) est un<br />

must tant pour son design que son fantastique restaurant.<br />

12:00 La Galerie Bernier/Eliades (11 Eptachalkou) est une<br />

institution locale qui abrite une impressionnante brochette<br />

d’artistes venus des quatre coins du globe.<br />

13:00 Kouti (23 Adrianou) est un bistrot avec un décor cool années<br />

50 doublé d’une vue incomparable sur l’Acropole.<br />

16:00 Le Musée Alex Mylonas (5 Place Agion Asomaton) contient<br />

une collection de sculptures d’exception dans un magnifique<br />

bâtiment néo-classique.<br />

17:30 Ktistakis (59 Sokratous) est synonyme de loukoumades: des<br />

boulettes de pâtes farcies au miel et aux noisettes.<br />

18:30 Les DJs se produisent régulièrement au Vinyl Microstore (34<br />

Didotou), où sont organisés des concerts last-minute et des<br />

lancements d’albums de style guérilla.<br />

20:00 Pour un apéritif raffiné, allez dans le Bar ultra-civilisé<br />

Alexander à l’Hôtel Grande Bretagne (Place de la Constitution).<br />

22:00 Les tables sont suspendues du plafond Chez Lucien (32<br />

Troon) chez Petralona. Petit, accueillant et amusant.<br />

01:30 Le Pop (10 Klitiou) et Baba Au Rum (6 Klitiou) sont deux bars<br />

nocturnes branchés où les clients s’assoient à l’extérieur et<br />

discutent au milieu de leurs Vespas jusqu’aux petites heures.<br />

Jour 2<br />

10:00 Pour le petit-déjeuner, faites un saut chez Jimmy, un ancien<br />

bar classique sur l’avenue Valaoritou bordée de cafés.<br />

11:00 Mastiha (Panepistimiou & Kriezotou) est un lieu idéal pour les<br />

cadeaux proposés dans des super packagings.<br />

13:30 Immuable depuis les années 1940, le Kafeneio (26 Loukianou)<br />

est mon restaurant favori pour un lunch un peu arrosé durant la semaine.<br />

17:00 Le quartier chaud de Keramikos a été colonisé par les galeries<br />

d’art, et parmi celles-ci la Galerie Breeder (45 Iasonos) se démarque<br />

par son cachet.<br />

18:00 Ouvert à tous moments du jour et de la nuit, Bios (84 Pireos)<br />

accueille des rencontres culturelles dans un immeuble défraîchi,<br />

joyau du modernisme.<br />

20:00 Un pâté de maisons plus loin se trouve Nixon (61b Agisilaou)<br />

où vous pourrez déguster un martini dry parfaitement dosé ou<br />

regarder un film d’art et d’essai dans le cinéma adjacent.<br />

22:00 Pour dîner, essayez la brochette de poulet géante libanaise au<br />

yaourt, au Canteen (8 Iakhou).<br />

02:00 Relax et bruyant à la fois, l’intrépide Fox (30 Triptolemou) est<br />

un bar enfumé où l’on swingue, avec une table de billard et un style<br />

de musique post-punk.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

Above: Head to Mofu<br />

if you’re after unique<br />

vintage furniture<br />

Right: Drink in the<br />

opulence as well<br />

as the cocktails at<br />

Alexander’s Bar at the<br />

Hotel Grande Bretagne<br />

local kaimaki ice cream. They are golden<br />

– as will be the silence until the last bite.<br />

18:30 DJs appear regularly at Vinyl<br />

Microstore (34 Didotou, tel. +30 210<br />

361 4544, vinylmicrostore.gr), whose<br />

mascot is Yuri, a hilarious white mutt.<br />

They do last-minute live sets and<br />

guerrilla album launches; sit in an<br />

armchair and listen for free while<br />

gorging on candy and popcorn.<br />

20:00 For a smart apéritif, go to<br />

Alexander’s Bar at the Hotel Grande<br />

Bretagne (Constitution Square, tel.<br />

+30 210 333 0000, grandebretagne.gr).<br />

This ultra-civilised watering hole boasts<br />

frescoes, a string quartet, and perfect<br />

carrot juice and blueberry juleps.<br />

It’s not far from Aristokratikon (9<br />

Karageorgi Servias, tel. +30 210 322<br />

0546), a marvellous Viennese-style<br />

chocolatier. I could live there!<br />

22:00 Tables hang from the ceiling at<br />

Chez Lucien (32 Troon, tel. +30 210<br />

346 4236) in Petralona. Tiny, friendly<br />

and fun, this family-run French<br />

restaurant has a very reasonable set<br />

menu and great wine by the jug. You<br />

can’t book, but you can hang out with the<br />

old guys in the café next door while you<br />

wait to feast on perfect dauphinoise<br />

potatoes at communal tables.<br />

00:00 Psira (19 Miaouli, tel. +30 210<br />

324 4046) was the first bar in Psyri, the<br />

Soho of Athens. The Hawaiian hippy<br />

interior is fantastically kitsch, but most<br />

people sit outside to people-watch the<br />

throngs any night of the week. Try<br />

rakomelo – warm local grappa-style<br />

spirit with honey and cloves, served<br />

in small glasses.<br />

01:30 There’s always a buzzing scene<br />

at Booze (57 Kolokotroni, booze<br />

cooperativa.com), a long, narrow bar<br />

with magazines lying about on wooden<br />

tables and an impromptu theatre<br />

upstairs. Hidden down a side street two<br />

blocks away are Pop (10 Klitiou, tel.<br />

+30 210 322 0650) and daiquiri mecca<br />

Baba Au Rum (6 Klitiou, babaaurum.


Intrepid Fox<br />

K44<br />

Benaki Museum<br />

Pireos Annexe<br />

200 metres<br />

GREECE<br />

Athens<br />

Canteen<br />

Bernier/<br />

Eliades Gallery<br />

Chez Lucien<br />

blogspot.com): hip late-night bars where<br />

everyone sits outside and chats between<br />

their parked Vespas until it gets light.<br />

Day two<br />

10:00 For breakfast, head to Jimmy’s<br />

(7 Valaoritou, tel. +30 210 361 0444),<br />

an old classic on café-lined Valaoritou<br />

Street, or the wonderful eatery in the<br />

Nixon<br />

Bios<br />

Filopappou<br />

Hill<br />

Below: Purchase some<br />

special jewellery for<br />

that special someone<br />

at Fanourakis<br />

Breeder Gallery<br />

Alex<br />

Mylonas<br />

Museum<br />

Monastiraki<br />

flea market<br />

Ktistakis<br />

Kouti<br />

Psira<br />

SOFOKLEOUS<br />

Ipeiros<br />

courtyard of the Numismatic Museum<br />

(12 Panepistimiou, tel. +30 210 361<br />

2519, nma.gr), where it’s surprisingly<br />

easy to spend half an hour admiring<br />

ancient coins in old-school cabinets.<br />

11:00 Stray dogs sleep outside the<br />

smart shop-fronts of Voukourestiou<br />

Street. Around the corner, Mastiha<br />

Shop (Panepistimiou & Kriezotou,<br />

mastihashop.com) is ideal for masticflavoured<br />

gifts, from digestifs to<br />

chewing gum, in cool packaging.<br />

12:00 Kolonaki is where locals go<br />

for shopping and coffee. Fanourakis<br />

(23 Patriarchou Ioakeim, tel. +30 210<br />

721 1762, fanourakis.gr) is a jeweller<br />

with poetic and amusing designs, such<br />

as earrings made of gold flies. De<br />

Toute Facon (21 Dimokritou, tel. +30<br />

210 360 2211), meanwhile, is an<br />

eccentric gentleman’s fashion store<br />

where you’ll find everything from<br />

bamboo umbrellas to badger-hair<br />

Map illustration Jason Pickersgill/<br />

Acute Graphics<br />

Booze<br />

STADIOU<br />

Vinyl Microstore<br />

PANEPISTIMIOU<br />

Acropolis Museum<br />

ATHENS FEATURE<br />

Jimmy’s<br />

LEOFOROS AMALIAS<br />

Fanourakis<br />

Kafeneio<br />

Mastiha shop<br />

Alexander’s<br />

Bar<br />

National<br />

Garden<br />

North<br />

shaving brushes. The countless cafés<br />

along Skoufa are a great spot to people<br />

watch – and to be watched.<br />

13:30 Unchanged since the 1940s,<br />

with wood panelling and pictures of the<br />

musicians and thespians who frequent it,<br />

Kafeneio (26 Loukianou, tel. +30 210<br />

722 9056) is my favourite restaurant<br />

for a boozy weekday lunch. The charming<br />

maitre d’ has been wearing shades<br />

day and night for the past 40 years,<br />

and the suckling pig and taramosalata<br />

are unbeatable.<br />

15:30 The private Benaki Museum Pireos<br />

Annexe (138 Pireos & Andronikou, tel.<br />

+30 210 345 3111, benaki.gr) combines<br />

amazing architecture, an excellent<br />

bookshop and blockbuster shows.<br />

17:00 The red-light district of Keramikos<br />

has been colonised by art galleries,<br />

and the Breeder Gallery (45 Iasonos,<br />

tel. +30 210 331 7527, thebreeder<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

37


*PRICES QUOTED ARE FOR A RETURN TICKET IN B.LIGHT ECONOMY FROM OR TO BRUSSELS, ALL TAXES AND FEES INCLUDED, IF BOOKED ON BRUSSELSAIRLINES.COM.<br />

TICKETS ARE NOT CHANGEABLE, NOR REFUNDABLE. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE<br />

38<br />

FEATURE ATHENS<br />

NL Mijn Athene<br />

Het Parthenon mag dan het meest bekende gebouw zijn, maar Athene<br />

is meer dan enkel antiek: avant-garde kunstgaleries, designerboetieks<br />

en bars in overvloed voor de kenners. Yianni Vassiliou, directeur<br />

van galerie Bernier/Eliades in Athene, is onze gids op een<br />

tweedaagse tour met knoedels, daiquiri’s en DJ-sets<br />

Dag één<br />

10:00 Het Akropolis Museum (15 Dionysiou Areopagitou) is een<br />

must, zowel voor het ontwerp als het fantastische restaurant.<br />

12:00 Galerie Bernier/Eliades (11 Eptachalkou) is een lokaal instituut<br />

dat onderdak biedt aan een heleboel internationale kunstenaars.<br />

13:00 Kouti (23 Adrianou) is een bistro met een gaaf interieur uit de<br />

jaren ’50 en een ongeëvenaard zicht op de Akropolis.<br />

16:00 Het Alex Mylonas Museum (5 Agion Asomaton Square) huist<br />

in een prachtig neoklassiek gebouw en heeft een<br />

verbazingwekkende collectie beeldhouwwerken in haar bezit.<br />

17:30 Ktistakis (59 Sokratous) is het synoniem voor loukoumades:<br />

knoedels met honing en walnoten.<br />

18:30 Bij Vinyl Microstore (34 Didotou) zijn vaak dj’s te gast die<br />

lastminute livesets brengen en er vinden ook vaak guerrilla<br />

albumlanceringen plaats.<br />

20:00 Ga voor een sjiek aperitief naar de oerdegelijke Alexander’s<br />

Bar in het Hotel Grande Bretagne (Constitution Square).<br />

22:00 De tafels hangen aan het plafond te bengelen bij Chez Lucien<br />

(32 Troon) in Petralona. Klein, vriendelijk en leuk.<br />

01:30 Pop (10 Klitiou) en Baba Au Rum (6 Klitiou) zijn twee hippe<br />

late-night bars waar iedereen buiten zit te praten tussen hun<br />

geparkeerde Vespa’s tot het weer licht wordt.<br />

Dag twee<br />

10:00 Ga voor ontbijt naar Jimmy’s, een oude klassieker in<br />

Valaoritou Street, waar je het ene café naast het andere vindt.<br />

11:00 Mastiha (Panepistimiou & Kriezotou) is ideaal voor<br />

cadeautjes in een leuke verpakking.<br />

13:30 Kafeneio (26 Loukianou) is nog steeds hetzelfde als in de<br />

jaren ’40 en is mijn favoriete restaurant voor lunch op een weekdag<br />

met veel drank.<br />

17:00 De rosse buurt van Keramikos is ondertussen ingenomen door<br />

kunstgaleries, waarvan galerie Breeder (45 Iasonos) een stijlvol<br />

voorbeeld is.<br />

18:00 Bios (84 Pireos) is dag en nacht open en biedt onderdak aan<br />

culturele symposia in een parel van een vervaagd modernistisch gebouw.<br />

20:00 Een blok verder ligt Nixon (61b Agisilaou) waar je de perfecte<br />

droge Martini kunt drinken of een arthousefilm kunt bekijken in de<br />

aangrenzende bioscoop.<br />

22:00 Probeer als avondmaal de gigantische Libanese kipbrochette<br />

met yoghurt bij Canteen (8 Iakhou).<br />

02:00 Ontspannen maar luid, dat is Intrepid Fox (30 Triptolemou): een<br />

rockbar met een doorrookte pooltafel en een postpunk soundtrack.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

Image Alamy<br />

Clockwise from left:<br />

Don’t forget to try<br />

a famous Greek kebab<br />

in-between seeing the<br />

sights; anything goes,<br />

day or night, at Bios;<br />

check out the capital’s<br />

art scene at the chic<br />

Breeder Gallery<br />

system.com) is a stylish example, set in<br />

a converted ice-cream factory. Ask to<br />

see the all-copper private bar at the top.<br />

18:00 Open any time of the day or<br />

night, Bios (84 Pireos, tel. +30 210 342<br />

5335, bios.gr) hosts unpredictable<br />

events, from electro DJ sets to cultural<br />

symposia, in a faded modernist gem<br />

of a building. In summer there’s a roof<br />

terrace, accessed through an unmarked<br />

door and someone’s kitchen!<br />

20:00 A block away is Nixon (61b<br />

Agisilaou, tel. +30 210 346 2077,<br />

nixon.gr), where you can drink a perfect<br />

dry martini while listening to Tom Waits.<br />

Alternatively, watch an arthouse film in<br />

the adjacent cinema while eating the<br />

best burgers in town.<br />

22:00 For dinner, try the giant Lebanese<br />

chicken skewer with yoghurt at Canteen<br />

(8 Iakhou, tel. +30 210 345 1508),<br />

brought to you at oak and stainless<br />

steel tables. Head upstairs after your<br />

meal and check out Swing – a top<br />

nightspot featuring live boogie.<br />

00:00 Gazi’s alleys buzz with bars<br />

and restaurants. Those in the know go<br />

to K44 (44 Konstantinoupoleos, k44.gr),<br />

a fresh project space with pop-up stores<br />

in an old warehouse. Decorated with<br />

1960s furniture, it feels like you’re in<br />

a friend’s loft.<br />

02:00 Laid-back and loud, Intrepid Fox<br />

(30 Triptolemou, tel. +30 210 346 6055)<br />

is a rocking bar with a smoke-filled pool<br />

table and post-punk soundtrack.<br />

05:00 Catch characters of the night<br />

sobering up and chefs shopping for prime<br />

cuts at Ipeiros (Athinas Street), one of<br />

several all-night restaurants in the meat<br />

market. Order patsas – a tripe soup<br />

that’s reputed to be a hangover cure…<br />

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ANDALUCIA CARNIVAL FEATURE<br />

flavours<br />

Fiestaof<br />

February is a month of feasting in Andalucia, as locals prepare<br />

for 40 days of fasting during Lent. Grab a fork and follow Heidi<br />

Fuller-love on a Carnival-themed culinary tour of Malaga and Seville<br />

T<br />

hought to be derived from<br />

the Latin carne vale, meaning<br />

‘farewell to meat’, this month’s<br />

Carnival envelops Seville and<br />

Malaga in a riot of food and music. The<br />

fun begins with fireworks on Jueves<br />

Lardero (Lard Thursday) and ends with<br />

the frenetic feast day of Mardi Gras (Fat<br />

Tuesday), and it’s a chance to sample<br />

some of the best flavours these cities<br />

have to offer. With the 40-day fasting<br />

period of Lent looming, it’s easy to<br />

understand why food takes centre stage.<br />

Sizzling on spits at street stands,<br />

bubbling in the cauldrons of backstreet<br />

bodegas or served up in sauces at<br />

sophisticated restaurants, pork often<br />

tops the menu. Dishes to try include<br />

relleno de carnaval, a dish of pork<br />

intestines stuffed with cured ham, garlic<br />

and saffron cooked over a slow flame,<br />

and chicharrón, a deliciously textured<br />

dish made with crispy fried pork rind.<br />

Then, during Lent – the penitential<br />

period before Easter – the region’s<br />

culinary creativity is further put to the<br />

test. Meat dishes give way to delicious<br />

vegetable and seafood dishes such as<br />

garbanzos y pimientos, a nourishing<br />

stew made with green peppers and<br />

chick peas, and bacalao con puerros,<br />

a succulent cod dish served with<br />

caramelised leeks. Follow these insider’s<br />

tips to ensure that you get to sample the<br />

best of both worlds…<br />

Sapid Seville<br />

In the city of lover Don Juan and sexy<br />

cigar-roller Carmen, Carnival tumbles<br />

from the skirts of the cathedral to the<br />

hems of the outlying districts in a riot<br />

of flamenco, Sevillanas and fine food.<br />

Feast<br />

Tapas are the perfect eat-on-the-hoof<br />

Carnival food, so beat your way through<br />

the fray to Bodega Extremeña (17 Calle<br />

San Esteban, tel. +34 954 417060).<br />

This atmospheric eatery opposite the<br />

Puerta de la Carne, where meat was<br />

brought into the city in medieval times,<br />

is the place to try pinchos morunos<br />

– spicy pork kebabs brought straight<br />

from the barbecue coals to your plate.<br />

If pork isn’t your thing, make a beeline<br />

for bars like Giralda, Modesto, Las<br />

Teresas and Casa Robles in the Santa<br />

Cruz quarter, where you’ll be served<br />

saucers brimming with huevos a la<br />

flamenca (eggs baked with chorizo),<br />

morcilla frita (fried black pudding) and<br />

rabo de toro (bull’s tail in spicy sauce).<br />

For more substantial fare, follow<br />

the frock-clad crowds to Bar La Eslava<br />

FR Saveurs de “Fiesta”<br />

Février est un mois festif en Andalousie, en préambule au jeûne de<br />

40 jours auquel les locaux se préparent pour le printemps. Suivez<br />

Heidi Fuller-love à Malaga et à Séville dans un parcours culinaire<br />

sur le thème du Carnaval.<br />

La fameuse méditation de Shakespeare selon laquelle la ‘musique est<br />

la nourriture de l’amour’ se prête étonnamment bien à Séville et à<br />

Malaga durant le mois de février – le mois de l’amour – au moment où<br />

ces deux villes débordent de nourriture et de musique, tous deux<br />

synonymes du Carnaval. Le Carnaval à Séville et à Malaga se déroule<br />

durant les trois semaines qui précédent le printemps, cette année, à<br />

partir du 17 février (Mercredi des Cendres).<br />

Exquise Séville<br />

Festin Les tapas sont de petits délices parfaits pour le Carnaval, car<br />

ils se mangent sur le pouce. Rassasiez-vous avec ces bouchées<br />

carnavalesques comme les pinchos morunos (brochettes de porc<br />

épicé) à la Bodega Extremeña (17 Calle San Esteban). Pour un repas<br />

plus substantiel, suivez la foule jusqu’au Bar La Eslava (3-5 Calle<br />

Eslava), où vous pourrez vous nourrir d’agneau braisé au miel et de<br />

filets de steak marinés dans une sauce riche au whisky .<br />

Carême Pour quelques délices sans viande, promenez-vous dans<br />

Séville après le Carnaval et dirigez-vous vers les étals de poisson<br />

dans le quartier de l’Arenal. Les consommateurs printaniers s’y<br />

rassemblent pour dîner de fritures de gambas légères comme l’air et<br />

de crevettes minutes saisies à la poêle.<br />

Appétissante Malaga<br />

Festin Faites un saut à la Bodega El Pimpi (68 Calle Granada), où l’on<br />

trouve à cette époque du carnaval des tapas comme les riñones al<br />

Jerez (rognons marinés au Jerez sherry) et les délicieuses flamenquín<br />

croustillantes (boulettes de viande panées). Non loin de là, La Posada<br />

de Antonio (33 Calle Granada) dont l’acteur Antonio Banderas est<br />

propriétaire, se spécialise en viandes grillées.<br />

Carême Dès que les carnivores ne sont plus de la partie, place au<br />

poisson dans les nombreuses tavernes alignées en bord de mer.<br />

Dînez de boulettes de poisson veloutées et de brochettes de sardines<br />

cuites sur les braises. De retour dans le centre, El Chinitas (4-6<br />

Calle Moreno Monroy) est un petit restaurant local qui offre des<br />

plats de poissons et notamment le gazpachuelo – une crème de<br />

soupe de poisson.<br />

Image Getty Images<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

41


42<br />

FEATURE ANDALUCIA CARNIVAL<br />

(3-5 Calle Eslava, tel. +34 954 906568),<br />

where you can feed on cordero con<br />

miel (honey-braised lamb) and solomillo<br />

al whisky (steak fillets soaked in a rich<br />

whisky sauce).<br />

For finer dining, flee those crowds at<br />

the swanky Taberna del Alabardero (20<br />

Calle Zaragoza, tel. +34 954 502721).<br />

In this celebrated eatery, favoured by<br />

Spanish royals, Carnival specials include<br />

ternera a la Sevillana (veal cooked with<br />

olives and white wine) and pringá (a rich<br />

blend of veal, bacon, chorizo, blood<br />

sausage and ham). End your meal with<br />

one of the restaurant’s homemade<br />

desserts: choose cortadillos (candied<br />

lemon cakes), pestiños (honey-coated<br />

pancakes) or yemas (candied egg yolk)<br />

– and calories be damned!<br />

Fast<br />

Linger in Andalucia’s lovely capital<br />

when the Carnival dust has settled and<br />

you’ll discover another culinary world,<br />

filled with meat-free delights.<br />

In the fish shops of the Arenal quarter,<br />

Lenten feeders gather for light-as-air<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

tortillitas de camarones (shrimp fritters)<br />

and gambas pil pil (flash fried prawns).<br />

Ideally situated near the Convent of<br />

San Lorenzo, Az-Zait (1 Plaza de San<br />

Lorenzo, tel. +34 954 906475) is another<br />

popular spot for penitents. Dishes to die<br />

for include vegetable gazpacho served<br />

with a crunchy shrimp carpaccio and<br />

melt-in-the-mouth revuelto de bacalao,<br />

made with cod and scrambled eggs in a<br />

velvet-smooth tomato sauce.<br />

Mouth-watering Malaga<br />

Spilling out from Picasso’s museum<br />

near the cathedral and on towards the<br />

painter’s birthplace on the Plaza de la<br />

Merced, Malaga’s Carnival is full of<br />

culinary delights, culminating with the<br />

Entierro del Boquerón – a ritual mock<br />

funeral of a large model sardine, followed<br />

by an alfresco sardine-tasting session.<br />

Feast<br />

Scour the streets of this southern city<br />

and you might come across one of the<br />

typical street lunches organised by<br />

various Carnival factions, where you<br />

Images Heidi Fuller-love<br />

NL Feest van smaken<br />

Februari is een feestmaand in Andalusië, waarin de Andalusiërs<br />

zich voorbereiden op de 40 dagen durende vastenperiode. We volgen<br />

Heidi Fuller-love op een culinaire tocht door Malaga en Sevilla met<br />

als thema carnaval<br />

Het beroemde mijmeren van Shakespeare over ‘muziek als het<br />

voedsel van de liefde’ lijkt vreemd genoeg van toepassing in Sevilla<br />

en Malaga tijdens de maand februari – de liefdesmaand – wanneer<br />

de steden een voedselgevecht ondergaan en wanneer ze baden in de<br />

muziek die typisch is voor carnaval. Carnaval in Sevilla en Malaga<br />

vindt plaats in de drie weken die voorafgaan aan de vasten, die in<br />

<strong>2010</strong> begint op 17 februari (Aswoensdag).<br />

Smakelijk Sevilla<br />

Feestmaal Tapas zijn de perfecte geïmproviseerde carnavalkost,<br />

dus overlaadt men bij Bodega Extremeña (17 Calle San Esteban)<br />

carnavalhapjes met gerechten als pinchos morunos (kruidige<br />

varkensspiesjes). Voor een steviger maal moet je de massa volgen<br />

naar Bar La Eslava (3-5 Calle Eslava), waar je kan genieten van in<br />

honing gebraden lamsvlees en rundsfilet in een rijke whiskysaus.<br />

Vasten Voor vleesvrij genot moet je in Sevilla blijven hangen na<br />

carnaval en gaan wandelen langs de viswinkels in het stadsdeel rond<br />

de Arena. Mensen die vasten komen er de luchtige garnaalbeignets<br />

en kort gefrituurde scampi nuttigen.<br />

Laat het water in uw mond komen in Malaga<br />

Feestmaal Duik in de Bodega El Pimpi (68 Calle Granada), waar men<br />

in de carnavalperiode tapas als riñones al Jerez (in Jerez-sherry<br />

gemarineerde niertjes) en heerlijk knapperige flamenquín (gebraden<br />

vleesballetjes) serveert. Verder in de straat vind je La Posada de<br />

Antonio (33 Calle Granada), eigendom van de acteur Antonio<br />

Banderas, dat gespecialiseerd is in gegrild vlees.<br />

Vasten Wanneer de vleesetende massa verdwenen is, zet je koers<br />

richting de visrestaurantjes die langs de kustlijn liggen. Geniet er<br />

van zachte kabeljauwballetjes en sardines die gebraden worden op<br />

spiesen die boven hete kolen gehangen worden. Terug in het<br />

centrum is El Chinitas (4-6 Calle Moreno Monroy) de plaatselijke<br />

hotspot waar je onder de belangrijkste visgerechten ook<br />

gazpachuelo – een roomsoep met zeevruchten – terugvindt.


Clockwise from above: Malaga’s street<br />

cafés serve up a plethora of Carnival<br />

delights; Head to the seafront during<br />

Lent for sardine espetos; The region<br />

becomes a riot of colour in Carnival;<br />

Make a beeline for Seville’s bars to<br />

tuck into sumptuous tapas<br />

When to go<br />

Catch the Carnival fun in <strong>2010</strong><br />

Carnival in Seville and Malaga<br />

takes place during the three<br />

weeks before Lent, which<br />

begins on 17 February in <strong>2010</strong><br />

(Ash Wednesday).<br />

≠ Did you know?<br />

During General Franco’s 40-year<br />

dictatorship, Carnival was<br />

prohibited in Spain.<br />

can sample everything from chorizo<br />

sausages to black pudding fritters. But<br />

if you don’t luck-out on street food,<br />

dive into the Bodega El Pimpi (68 Calle<br />

Granada, tel. +34 952 228990). In the<br />

dimly lit interior, favoured by visiting<br />

celebrities, Carnival-time tapas include<br />

riñones al Jerez (kidneys marinated in<br />

Jerez sherry) and deliciously crunchy<br />

flamenquín (breaded meat balls).<br />

Down the road and owned by the actor<br />

Antonio Banderas, La Posada de Antonio<br />

(33 Calle Granada, tel. +34 952 602123)<br />

specialises in grilled meat and is packed<br />

to the rafters during Carnival. Come here<br />

for cordero (lamb kebabs), fried cabra<br />

(goat) and conejo caldereta (rabbit stew),<br />

all washed down with a bottle of<br />

Malaga’s famed pedro ximenez wine.<br />

Finally, to really pile on the pounds<br />

in Banderas’ hometown, head for<br />

Cafeteria Anglada (1-3 Puerta del Mar,<br />

tel. +34 952 443952), where traditional<br />

home-baked sweets you should give up<br />

for Lent include borrachuelos (rum baba),<br />

polvorones (crumbly almond cookies),<br />

and bienmesabe (a syrupy cinnamon and<br />

almond cream cake).<br />

Fast<br />

When the meat-eating crowds have<br />

vanished, wend your way to the seafront.<br />

In one of the dozen tiny seafood eateries,<br />

you can sup on bolas de bacalao (fluffy<br />

cod fish balls in batter), sardine espetos<br />

(sardines cooked on skewers over hot<br />

coals) and boquerones (anchovies)<br />

marinated in vinegar.<br />

Back in the centre, El Chinitas (4-6<br />

Calle Moreno Monroy, tel. +34 952<br />

210972) is a local haunt where dishes<br />

include gazpachuelo – a creamy seafood<br />

version of the city’s signature soup.<br />

Filled with matadors during the<br />

bullfight season, Refectorium (8 Calle<br />

Cervantes, tel. +34 952 218990), located<br />

just behind the bullring, is another<br />

insider’s address. After enjoying the<br />

local speciality, ajo blanco con uvas<br />

(cold almond soup flavoured with garlic<br />

and garnished with muscatel grapes),<br />

you’ll need to whisper a few mea culpas<br />

before tucking into the feather-light<br />

sponge cake brazo de gitano, egg yolk<br />

and liquor ponche de yema, and other<br />

sinfully sweet delights.<br />

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Simon Gage parties<br />

with all the right people<br />

at Milan Fashion Week<br />

and discovers a city<br />

that’s oozing with<br />

glamour and intrigue


Far left, clockwise<br />

from top: Shoppers in<br />

the know head to Cruise<br />

for interior design to<br />

die for; Tram stationturned-boutique<br />

10<br />

Corso Como is crammed<br />

with gorgeous goodies;<br />

Dedicated followers<br />

of fashion stay at the<br />

ultra-chic Bulgari hotel<br />

Left: World-famous<br />

opera house La Scala is<br />

a must – take a guided<br />

tour while in town<br />

MILAN FASHION FEATURE<br />

I’m at Dolce & Gabbana’s fashion week<br />

party, in a 19th century shopping<br />

arcade converted just for the event.<br />

The waiters look like models (they<br />

probably are models), the champagne is<br />

flowing, Signor Dolce (the shorter one)<br />

and Signor Gabbana are in attendance,<br />

Madonna’s model boyfriend has just<br />

bumped into me and Kylie’s model<br />

boyfriend is propping up the bar.<br />

Fantastic doesn’t even half cover it.<br />

Then I hear someone say: “Milan’s such<br />

a work town. There’s nothing here.” It’s<br />

one of those things that everyone loves<br />

to say, even though it’s patently not true.<br />

OK, Milan’s the industrial powerhouse of<br />

Italy, with all the working-week buildings<br />

a grown-up city needs, and it might have<br />

lost its looks a little, what with having<br />

been bombed during the Second World<br />

War. Besides, try naming a city that isn’t<br />

going to suffer in comparison with<br />

Florence or Sorrento. But to say that<br />

Milan is ugly, or boring, is to show that<br />

you just don’t know the city that well.<br />

It’s not a museum town like Florence,<br />

and hides much of its glory behind those<br />

forbidding palazzo walls, but there’s<br />

plenty to take in: from the magnificent<br />

Duomo (a cathedral so iconic that<br />

someone chose to smash a model of it<br />

in Berlusconi’s face at the end of last<br />

year) to art must-sees like Leonardo da<br />

Vinci’s Last Supper at the Santa Maria<br />

delle Grazie, and not forgetting the<br />

world’s finest opera house, La Scala.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

45


46<br />

FEATURE MILAN FASHION<br />

But it’s Milan’s glamour that really<br />

makes it – which is what you’d expect<br />

from a city colonised by the world’s<br />

greatest designers.<br />

Designer dynamite<br />

Let’s start at Gold (Piazza Risorgimento,<br />

tel. +39 02 757 7771), a restaurant/bar/<br />

food shop concept dreamed up by Dolce<br />

& Gabbana themselves. With its metallic<br />

meets white-on-white décor, Barbarella<br />

styling and fabulous little gold bags,<br />

it sets the tone for a design dream<br />

weekend. The pair also own the Martini<br />

Bar Dolce & Gabbana (15 Corso Venezia,<br />

tel. +39 02 7601 1154), a more intimate,<br />

less fancy (if you ignore the massive<br />

Murano chandelier) but still gorgeous<br />

little place in the courtyard of the Dolce<br />

& Gabbana palazzo that attracts all the<br />

right people to linger over a cocktail.<br />

And it’s not just Dolce & Gabbana<br />

who’ve spread their wings from ‘what to<br />

FR Mode de Milan<br />

Elle ne possède peut-être pas la splendeur ostentatoire de Rome ni la<br />

beauté frappante de Florence, mais si vous avez les bonnes adresses,<br />

aucun autre endroit en Italie ne surpasse Milan pour un séjour mode<br />

et design. Un reportage de Simon Gage<br />

Même si Milan cache une grande partie de sa magnificence derrière<br />

les murs impressionnants de ses palazzos, plein d’autres merveilles<br />

s’offrent à la découverte: du somptueux Duomo jusqu’aux œuvres<br />

d’art immanquables comme la Dernière Cène de Léonard de Vinci à<br />

Santa Maria delle Grazie, sans oublier le plus bel opéra du monde, La<br />

Scala. Mais c’est le glamour de Milan qui donne réellement à la ville<br />

son caractère : c’est le moins que l’on puisse attendre d’une cité<br />

colonisée par les plus grands créateurs du monde.<br />

Commençons par Gold, un concept de restaurant/Coffee Bar/<br />

Boutique de gourmet imaginé par Dolce & Gabbana eux-mêmes.<br />

Avec ses plaques métalliques apposées aux murs dans un décor<br />

blanc sur blanc, le design de Barbarella et de fabuleux petits sacs<br />

dorés de la boutique, l’endroit donne le ton pour un week-end design<br />

de rêve. Le nouvel Hôtel 5 étoiles Boscolo en met plein la vue aux<br />

Bulgari avec un design intérieur époustouflant de couleurs, y<br />

compris des thermes qui ont l’air d’être sorties tout droit du film et<br />

de la série de science-fiction Logan’s Run.<br />

Question shopping, Milan est plus que célèbre. Tous les plus<br />

grands noms du design y sont présents, la plupart du temps avec la<br />

fine fleur des boutiques de mode et de stylisme. Tom Ford (3 Via<br />

Pietro Verri) est un immense espace sur plusieurs étages d’où<br />

émane cette sensation de club pour gentlemans, tandis que<br />

Burberry (7 Via Verri) s’impose avec une boutique massive mais d’où<br />

se dégage un grand raffinement. Un magasin que vous ne trouverez<br />

nulle part ailleurs est 10 Corso Como (10 Corso Como). Lancé par<br />

une ancienne rédactrice du Vogue Italien, ce lieu hors du commun a<br />

réussi à créer un phénomène dans l’univers de la distribution en<br />

transformant un ancien site industriel.<br />

Durant la Milan Design Week, un restaurant, Nobu (1 Via Gastone<br />

Pisoni), est bien souvent complètement pris d’assaut. Il est situé<br />

dans l’immeuble Armani, avec le club privé de Giorgio dans le soussol.<br />

Si par malchance toutes les places sont réservées, vous<br />

pourriez alors vous rabattre sur Giannino (6 Via Vittor Pisani), le<br />

rendez-vous favori des célébrités qui prétendent que c’est une<br />

trattoria ordinaire, mais c’est loin d’être le cas !<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

Right: Make a dazzling<br />

start at Gold, the<br />

restaurant/bar/food<br />

shop concept by D&G<br />

Bottom: Shop in style at<br />

Tom Ford’s sumptuous<br />

multi-storey store<br />

Dolce & Gabbana’s<br />

Gold sets the tone for a<br />

design dream weekend<br />

wear’ to ‘how to live’. Jewellers Bulgari<br />

are behind what is arguably Milan’s<br />

chicest hotel (7b Via Privata Fratelli<br />

Gabba, tel. +39 02 805 8051, bulgari<br />

hotels.com), a secluded affair with its<br />

own gardens. The rooms are splendid,<br />

with marble baths and sleek masculine<br />

glamour, while the bar and restaurant are<br />

the places to be seen and the basement<br />

spa – with gold pool – must be seen to<br />

be believed. The new five-star Boscolo<br />

Hotel (4 Corso Giacomo Matteotti, tel.<br />

+39 02 7767 9611, boscolohotels.com)<br />

gives the Bulgari a run for its money,<br />

however, with its jaw-dropping interior<br />

including a spa that looks like something<br />

out of Logan’s Run. Some straightforward<br />

glamour is provided by The Gray (6 Via<br />

San Raffaele, tel. +39 02 720 8951, hotel<br />

thegray.com), which – this being Milan –<br />

still doesn’t stint on designer loveliness.<br />

Shopping heaven<br />

As for shopping, Milan is famous for it.<br />

All the major designers are represented,<br />

usually with the very best outlets they<br />

can muster. Tom Ford (3 Via Pietro Verri,<br />

tel. +39 02 3652 9600) is a multi-storey<br />

affair with a gentleman’s-club feel, while<br />

Burberry (7 Via Verri, tel. +39 02 7608<br />

201) is massive but somehow feels bijou.<br />

Dsquared2 (4 Via Verri, tel. +39 02 8969<br />

1699) and D&G (7 Corso Venezia, tel.<br />

+39 02 7600 4091) are represented,<br />

as you might imagine, with in-your-face<br />

sexiness in shops that are huge and busy,<br />

never mind the recession.<br />

One shop you won’t find anywhere<br />

else is 10 Corso Como (10 Corso Como,<br />

tel. +39 02 9002 674). Run by a former<br />

Italian Vogue editor, it’s a retail<br />

phenomenon in a disused tram station.<br />

Huge white-on-white spaces are<br />

crammed with quirky one-offs and<br />

gorgeous things that you don’t need but<br />

can’t afford to be without. There is a<br />

gallery and bookshop, too, both in very<br />

much the same warehouse vein as the<br />

main store. And don’t forget to check out<br />

Cruise (9 Via Lambro, tel. +39 02 204<br />

6803), a little gem of a design store<br />

that’s a jump and a skip from Corso<br />

Buenos Aires. Run by a Brit with a keen


Feng Shui Collection - Info + 32(0)9 2800 666 - www.hulchibelluni.com


48<br />

FEATURE MILAN FASHION<br />

Where to stay<br />

A luxurious haven in the fashion capital<br />

One expects near perfection from a hotel that’s<br />

part of The Dorchester Collection, and Milan’s<br />

Principe di Savoia (17 Piazza della Repubblica,<br />

tel. +39 02 62301, hotelprincipedisavoia.com,<br />

rooms from €199) doesn’t disappoint. Often<br />

thought of as the slightly fusty grande dame<br />

of the city’s five-star hotels, the Principe has<br />

undergone a design overhaul that now sees<br />

it rank alongside its more design-conscious<br />

competition – while retaining its old-world<br />

charm. We stayed in a new one-bedroom suite<br />

with a bathroom. The furniture is impressive;<br />

luxurious but not OTT, and modern yet still<br />

supremely comfortable.<br />

Everything in the hotel is beautifully styled,<br />

from the Thierry Despont-designed lobby<br />

and bar (filled on our visit with a terrifyingly<br />

chic fashion crowd) to the rooftop gym with<br />

panoramic views of the city. It was only the<br />

free limo service to Italy’s style capital’s<br />

shopping quarter, and a reservation at the<br />

hotel’s wonderful Acanto restaurant, that<br />

tempted us from our suite. Eliot Sandiford<br />

Right: The stunning<br />

interior of the new<br />

five-star Boscolo Hotel<br />

NL Milanese mode<br />

Het heeft dan misschien niet de voor de hand liggende pracht van<br />

Rome, of de verstommende schoonheid van Firenze, maar als je weet<br />

waar naartoe is er niets beters dan Milaan voor een verblijf in stijl.<br />

Simon Gage brengt verslag uit<br />

Terwijl Milaan veel van haar glorie verbergt achter de verboden<br />

muren van de palazzo’s, is er genoeg om in je op te nemen: van de<br />

prachtige Duomo tot kunstwerken die je moet gezien hebben zoals<br />

Leonardo da Vinci’s Laatste Avondmaal in de Santa Maria delle<br />

Grazie en, niet te vergeten, het beste operahuis ter wereld, La Scala.<br />

Maar het is de glamour van Milaan die de stad maakt tot wat ze is –<br />

wat je trouwens zou verwachten van een stad die gekoloniseerd<br />

werd door de beste modeontwerpers ter wereld.<br />

Laten we beginnen bij Gold, een concept met restaurant/bar/<br />

delicatessenwinkel dat door Dolce & Gabbana zelf werd bedacht.<br />

Met het metallic en wit-op-wit interieur, het Barbarella-ontwerp en<br />

de prachtige kleine gouden zakjes uit de delicatessenwinkel is de<br />

toon gezet voor een weekend met het design uit je dromen. Het<br />

nieuw vijfsterren Boscolo Hotel wil Bulgari overklassen met zijn<br />

adembenemend interieur, inclusief een spa die uit de science<br />

fictionfilm Logan’s Run lijkt te komen.<br />

Wat shoppen betreft, Milaan staat ervoor bekend. Alle grote<br />

ontwerpers zijn er vertegenwoordigd, doorgaans met de beste<br />

outlets. Tom Ford (Via Pietro Verri 3) lijkt wel een herenclub met<br />

meerdere verdiepingen, terwijl Burberry (Via Verri 7) een<br />

gigantische winkel heeft die toch klein en elegant aanvoelt. Een<br />

winkel die je nergens anders zult vinden, is 10 Corso Como (Corso<br />

Como 10). De winkel wordt uitgebaat door een voormalige<br />

redacteur van de Italiaanse Vogue, huist in een verlaten tramstation<br />

en is een heus fenomeen geworden.<br />

Tijdens de Milan Design Week is dit restaurant meestal volzet: Nobu<br />

(1 Via Gastone Pisoni), in het Armanigebouw en met de privénachtclub<br />

van Giorgio in de kelder. Als je er niet in raakt, kan je altijd Giannino’s<br />

(Via Vittor Pisani 6) proberen, een favoriet bij de sterren dat een<br />

gewone trattoria probeert te zijn, maar het allesbehalve is.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

eye for the best in design, it serves up<br />

an edited collection presided over by<br />

someone who actually knows what he’s<br />

talking about.<br />

When it comes to finding your own<br />

hidden gems, the Zona Tortona is where<br />

to go if it’s a designer vibe you are after<br />

– Armani and Zegna just moved their<br />

corporate HQs here. It’s especially big in<br />

April, around the time of the Salone del<br />

Mobile or, to bring it up to date, Milan<br />

Design Week; one of the most important<br />

furniture fairs in the world.<br />

Food of love<br />

During Milan Design Week, and the<br />

fashion weeks in February/March and<br />

September, one restaurant that’s usually<br />

booked out is Nobu (1 Via Gastone<br />

Pisoni, tel. +39 02 7231 8645, armani<br />

nobu.com). Based in the Armani building<br />

and with Giorgio’s private nightclub in<br />

the basement, its popularity comes as no<br />

surprise: as well as an international name<br />

for deliciousness, it boasts the best<br />

cocktails in town and probably the best<br />

service, in a temple of low-seated<br />

loveliness. If you can’t get in, or you fancy<br />

something a little more typical for dinner,<br />

you could always try Giannino’s (6 Via<br />

Vittor Pisani, tel. +39 02 6698 6998,<br />

giannino.it), a celebrity favourite that<br />

tries to pretend it’s a regular trattoria<br />

but is anything but. It may not be chic in<br />

the true sense of the word, but it attracts<br />

the right people, for good – if overpriced<br />

– traditional fare.<br />

For a neighbourhood Chinese, albeit<br />

with glam, modern décor and immaculate<br />

servers, hop over to Ta Hua (15 Via<br />

Generale Gustavo Fara, tel. +39 02 6698<br />

7042, tahua.it), with a contemporary vibe<br />

and up-to-the-minute Oriental delicacies.<br />

While you’re in the area, you could step<br />

into Ricci’s (27 Piazza della Repubblica,<br />

tel. +39 02 6698 2536). Once a very<br />

designer-y gay bar, it’s now a more<br />

relaxed, pricey but sophisticated<br />

drinking spot with a terrace looking up<br />

towards the gorgeous deco main station.<br />

So, while Milan may not have the<br />

obvious gorgeousness of Rome, or the<br />

smack-in-the-mouth beauty of Florence,<br />

if you know where you’re going there’s no<br />

beating this city for a stylish stay. And if<br />

you bump into Dolce or Gabbana – and<br />

you really might – tell them from me<br />

that they throw a great party.<br />

€99 *<br />

FROM JUST<br />

RETURN ALL-IN<br />

Fly to Milan from just<br />

€99* return all-in.<br />

brusselsairlines.com


ULTIMATE GIFT<br />

Belgium is known for its jewellery industry and quality precious stones. Diamonds may be a girl’s best<br />

friend, but nothing says ‘I love you’ like a stunning hand-crafted piece from these Belgian jewellers<br />

UNIQUE JEWELLERY THAT’S MADE TO MEASURE<br />

Fashion label Bakwani 7 is launching<br />

a jewellery line. Jewellery designs<br />

will be based on the same 15<br />

African ancestral symbols used in<br />

the label’s T-shirt collection. Each<br />

piece of jewellery will be unique,<br />

reflecting the character and<br />

universal human message behind<br />

each symbol. For example:<br />

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Give her a fabulous pair of earrings or a<br />

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So go on, spoil yourself or the one<br />

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CAPTURE HER HEART WITH THE ULTIMATE GIFT<br />

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If you’re looking for an original,<br />

personal gift for someone special,<br />

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Stefanie is a fresh, creative talent<br />

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She creates and manufactures her<br />

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Notably, she won the Flanders<br />

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Choose from stunning pieces in her<br />

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Whether you’re looking for a<br />

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dayekh.com


Mallorca was a safe haven for the high and mighty long before Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael<br />

Douglas dropped anchor. As Adrian Mourby discovers, this island hideaway was where Chopin, the<br />

great piano composer whose bicentenary falls this year, wrote some of his best-known masterpieces<br />

A<br />

teenager gets up from the<br />

bench on which she’s been<br />

sitting with some friends<br />

outside the Real Cartuja – the<br />

stone monastery that dominates the<br />

small, pleasant town of Valldemossa,<br />

shoehorned into one of Mallorca’s<br />

northern valleys. As the girl and her<br />

friends move on, she lets a hand trail<br />

idly over a grey metal bust that faces<br />

mournfully away from the Real Cartuja.<br />

Inevitably, she rubs the aquiline nose,<br />

which gleams in the midday sun. It is<br />

a very prominent nose. The girl doesn’t<br />

pause to wonder whose face she’s<br />

massaging for luck. People have been<br />

rubbing this nose for decades – and its<br />

owner would be mortified. For Frédéric<br />

Chopin was not only a most private man,<br />

but he was also very self-conscious<br />

about his nose. Nor did the composer<br />

find his time in Valldemossa easy – but<br />

then, he found life in general difficult.<br />

How one of the greatest pianistcomposers<br />

of the 19th century came<br />

to be on Mallorca in 1838 is a curious<br />

story, although this corner of the island<br />

seems to attract celebrities in search<br />

of a quieter life. Robert Graves bought<br />

a house near Valldemossa, in which he<br />

wrote I, Claudius; Andrew Lloyd-Webber<br />

and Tim Rice stayed not far from here<br />

while planning Evita; and Michael<br />

Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones<br />

currently keep a holiday home a few<br />

kilometres out of town, on the coast.<br />

Still, Chopin was the first star name to<br />

cross the Mediterranean in search of<br />

island peace and inspiration.<br />

The idea of visiting Mallorca was<br />

not the composer’s own, though; his<br />

mistress George Sand suggested it. In<br />

the 1830s, the flamboyant Sand was as<br />

well-known as her reclusive lover. The<br />

French novelist dressed in men’s clothes,<br />

smoked in public and had already taken<br />

six lovers since separating from her<br />

husband, without making much effort<br />

to be discreet. Chopin had met Sand in<br />

Paris, where he gave piano lessons to<br />

aristocratic patrons. At first repelled,<br />

he later succumbed to Sand’s desire<br />

and devotion. Nevertheless, he was<br />

uncomfortable with their relationship<br />

being talked about in public, so Sand<br />

proposed they spend the winter of 1838<br />

in Mallorca, away from Parisian gossip<br />

and in a climate warm enough to help<br />

the composer’s fragile health.<br />

Valldemossa on a sunny day seems the<br />

ideal place to hide away from a European<br />

winter. The monastery’s spacious cells<br />

look out on to a valley lush with poplars<br />

and dotted by the pan-tiled roofs of<br />

farm buildings, with palms for shade and<br />

bougainvillea for colour. Locals disagree<br />

Above: Chopin’s stay<br />

in Palma de Mallorca<br />

is commemorated,<br />

despite its brevity<br />

Left: A bust of the<br />

composer stands<br />

proudly outside<br />

Valldemossa’s<br />

Real Cartuja<br />

CHOPIN AND MALLORCA FEATURE<br />

as to which cell was actually Chopin’s.<br />

When the monastery was appropriated<br />

by the state in 1835, various families<br />

bought up the cells that had hitherto<br />

been occupied by Carthusian monks.<br />

George Sand rented two – one for<br />

Chopin and the other for herself and her<br />

two children – but as no record of cell<br />

numbers was kept, cells two and four<br />

both claim that Chopin composed many<br />

of his best-loved pieces within their<br />

walls. Today, tourists go from one to the<br />

other. Both have pianos that are said to<br />

have belonged to the composer, which<br />

is just about possible, as Chopin rented<br />

a local piano until a Pleyel (his preferred<br />

type of instrument) was delivered from<br />

Paris. The Chopin Institute in Warsaw<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

51


52<br />

FEATURE CHOPIN AND MALLORCA<br />

questions the authenticity of both<br />

pianos, however, not least because the<br />

composer was believed to be suffering<br />

from tuberculosis when on Mallorca;<br />

furniture belonging to a consumptive<br />

was always burned when the islanders<br />

could get their hands on it.<br />

Bad health dogged Chopin, which may<br />

explain his sensitive nature. Certainly he<br />

was very happy to let George Sand take<br />

care of all practical arrangements, while<br />

he wrote music or just read. The story<br />

of their time on Mallorca is hardly one of<br />

the devoted muse nurturing her genius<br />

composer, however, as the idyll soon<br />

turned sour. Sand’s reputation, as not<br />

only a writer but also a proto-feminist,<br />

preceded her in Palma de Mallorca,<br />

where the couple first took an apartment<br />

(in Calle Puigdorfila), and the local<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

aristocracy kept their distance.<br />

(Nowadays, people are much more<br />

comfortable with Chopin’s presence<br />

in Palma, and the couple’s sojourn is<br />

commemorated by another Chopin bust<br />

in the nearby Plaza de Frédéric Chopin.)<br />

Sand’s smoking and wearing of men’s<br />

clothing made her an alarming, eccentric<br />

figure, and she later complained (in her<br />

1855 memoir Un Hiver à Majorque, ‘A<br />

Winter in Mallorca’) that local families<br />

shunned them – but then, she had arrived<br />

with unrealistic expectations of being<br />

lionised, as she was in Paris. “There is<br />

a general ignorance of fashion,” she<br />

wrote of Palma’s aristocracy. “[They are]<br />

hedged in by their own apathy. Hence<br />

hospitality is in practice limited to<br />

courteous phrases.” When a marquis<br />

gallantly told Sand that his carriage<br />

Left: The stunning view<br />

from Valldemossa’s<br />

monastery shows why<br />

this area captured<br />

Chopin’s imagination<br />

Hear all about it<br />

Visit one of this year’s Chopin festivals<br />

■ Mallorca The Chopin Festival,<br />

Valldemossa Held annually over<br />

weekends in August, this festival uses<br />

the cloisters adjoining Chopin’s cell as<br />

a venue. The first concert in <strong>2010</strong> will<br />

be on 1 August and will feature pianist<br />

Ivan Martin with the Balearic Islands<br />

Symphony Orchestra.<br />

festivalchopin.com<br />

■ Warsaw Chopin’s Year at the<br />

Warsaw Philharmonic The Warsaw<br />

Philharmonic began its year-long<br />

celebration of the composer’s music on<br />

7 January. Featured artists will include<br />

pianists Lang Lang and Julia Kociuban,<br />

soprano Joanna Kozłowska, conductor<br />

Antoni Wit and the winner of the <strong>2010</strong><br />

National Chopin Piano Competition.<br />

There will also be a series of talks<br />

by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute.<br />

chopin<strong>2010</strong>.pl<br />

■ London Chopin at 200: Celebrating<br />

a Musical Imagination In 1848 Chopin<br />

left Paris for London, where he gave<br />

a number of concerts in great houses.<br />

He visited Scotland and then returned<br />

to London for his last public concert at<br />

the Guildhall. This year, the Southbank<br />

Centre hosts a sequence of Chopin<br />

concerts at the Royal Festival Hall,<br />

Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room,<br />

plus pre–concert talks focusing on<br />

Chopin as a musical innovator.<br />

southbankcentre.co.uk<br />

FR Le Pianiste<br />

Adrian Mourby nous emmène dans la retraite de Chopin sur l’île de<br />

Majorque, où le grand pianiste dont le bicentenaire sera célébré cette<br />

année, a composé quelques-uns de ses plus grands chefs-d’oeuvre<br />

C’est une bien curieuse histoire que celle qui a poussé l’un des plus<br />

grands pianistes compositeurs du 19e siècle à se rendre à<br />

Valldemossa, sur l’île de Majorque en 1838. L’idée de visiter<br />

Majorque n’était pas celle de Chopin, mais de sa maîtresse d’alors,<br />

George Sand, rencontrée à Paris. C’est elle qui avait suggéré ce<br />

voyage. En effet, Chopin n’était pas très à l’aise vis-à-vis de leur<br />

relation qui faisait jaser. Sand proposa donc qu’ils passent l’hiver de<br />

1838 à Majorque, loin des ragots parisiens et dans un climat<br />

suffisamment clément pour la santé fragile du compositeur.<br />

Bien qu’au début le couple séjourna dans une auberge de fortune à<br />

Palma (dans la Calle Puigdorfila), il posa ensuite ses valises au Real<br />

Cartuja, un ancien monastère de Valldemossa, lieu idéal pour se<br />

mettre à l’abri de l’hiver européen. Les cellules spacieuses de la<br />

Chartreuse donnent sur une vallée verdoyante, plantée de peupliers<br />

et parsemée des toits en tuiles rouges des corps de fermes. On y<br />

trouve également des palmiers pour l’ombre et des bougainvillées<br />

pour la couleur.<br />

Valldemossa apportait à Chopin une quiétude jusque là absente de<br />

son existence. “La poésie que chaque chose ici exhale et la<br />

coloration de ce paysage merveilleux restent encore préservés des<br />

regards extérieurs,” écrit-il dans ses lettres.<br />

Durant les cinq mois passés à la Chartreuse de Real Cartuja,<br />

Chopin commença à nourrir de sérieux doutes sur sa relation<br />

amoureuse avec Sand et il décida de mettre un terme à leur liaison.<br />

Il n’est donc pas étonnant que le couple quitta l’île plus tôt que<br />

prévu, en février 1839.<br />

Aujourd’hui, nombreux sont ceux qui estiment que ces cinq mois<br />

passés sur l’île de Majorque constituent l’une des périodes les plus<br />

fécondes de Chopin, produisant ce que l’on considère à ce jour<br />

comme ses plus célèbres nocturnes, études et polonaises.


*PRICES QUOTED ARE FOR A RETURN TICKET IN B.LIGHT ECONOMY FROM OR TO BRUSSELS, ALL TAXES AND FEES INCLUDED, IF BOOKED ON BRUSSELSAIRLINES.COM.<br />

TICKETS ARE NOT CHANGEABLE, NOR REFUNDABLE. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE<br />

54<br />

FEATURE CHOPIN AND MALLORCA<br />

was always at her disposal, she took him<br />

at his word and made off with it, causing<br />

a scandal. Not sending her children to<br />

Mass was the last straw.<br />

Nevertheless, Chopin seemed to be<br />

enjoying the city, as his letters show:<br />

“I am in Palma, surrounded by palm trees,<br />

cedars, olive trees, orange trees and<br />

lemon trees, aloes and fig trees and<br />

pomegranates, etc. Everything that the<br />

botanical gardens have growing in their<br />

hothouses. A turquoise sky, emerald<br />

mountains and the air from paradise.<br />

The sun shines all day long, people are<br />

dressed as though this were the summer<br />

and it is hot; at night guitars and singing<br />

can be heard for hours on end.”<br />

Unfortunately, the noise of coopers<br />

hammering (they were in an industrial<br />

part of the city) and a lack of furniture<br />

for rent necessitated a move if Chopin<br />

was ever to compose in comfort. Sand<br />

relocated their ménage to ‘Son Vent’,<br />

a furnished villa in Establiments on the<br />

outskirts of Palma. She soon fell out with<br />

the owner, however, and after a few<br />

weeks they decamped to the recently<br />

emptied monastery in Valldemossa.<br />

Here, Sand considered the locals<br />

positively hostile, describing them as<br />

ignorant, superstitious, unfriendly,<br />

untrustworthy and living in squalor.<br />

Right: The interior<br />

of the neoclassical<br />

church of the Real<br />

Cartuja, built in the<br />

18th century<br />

NL Pianist<br />

Adrian Mourby onthult hoe het eiland Palma de Mallorca het<br />

verborgen plekje was waar Chopin, de geroemde pianocomponist<br />

van wie dit jaar het tweehonderdjarige jubileum gevierd wordt,<br />

enkele van zijn meest gekende meesterwerken schreef.<br />

Hoe één van de grootste pianocomponisten van de 19de eeuw in<br />

1838 in Valldemossa op het eiland Mallorca terechtkwam, is een<br />

merkwaardig verhaal. Het idee om Mallorca te bezoeken kwam niet<br />

van Chopin zelf, maar van George Sand, zijn toenmalige maîtresse<br />

die hij in Parijs had leren kennen. Omdat Chopin er zich<br />

ongemakkelijk bij voelde dat er in het openbaar over hun relatie<br />

geroddeld werd, stelde Sand voor dat ze de winter van 1838 in<br />

Mallorca zouden doorbrengen, ver weg van het Parijse geroddel en<br />

in een klimaat dat warm genoeg was om heilzaam te zijn voor de<br />

fragiele gezondheid van de componist.<br />

Hoewel het koppel eerst op een appartement in Palma (in Calle<br />

Puigdorfila) verbleef, verhuisden ze uiteindelijk naar Real Cartuja,<br />

een voormalig klooster in Valldemossa, de ideale plaats om te<br />

schuilen voor de Europese winter. De ruime vertrekken van het<br />

klooster keken uit over een vallei waar populieren weelderig<br />

groeiden en waarin men de daken van de boerderijen als stipjes kon<br />

zien liggen, en er waren palmen die voor schaduw zorgden en<br />

bougainvilles (Zuid–Amerikaanse plant) die het geheel kleur gaven.<br />

Voor Chopin vertegenwoordigde Valldemossa rust die tot dusver<br />

afwezig was geweest in zijn leven. “De poëzie die hier door alles wordt<br />

uitgeademd en de kleuren van het meest prachtige landschap zijn<br />

nog onaangetast door het menselijke oog,” schreef hij in zijn brieven.<br />

Tijdens de vijf maanden waarin ze in Real Cartuja verbleven, begon<br />

Chopin ernstig te twijfelen aan zijn relatie met Sand en besliste hij<br />

om hun seksuele relatie op te geven. Het is dan waarschijnlijk niet<br />

verwonderlijk dat het koppel het eiland vroeger dan gepland verliet,<br />

in februari 1839.<br />

Vandaag worden deze vijf maanden op het eiland Mallorca beschouwd<br />

als de meest productieve periode van Chopin, waarin hij enkele van<br />

wat nu zijn meest gekende nocturnes, etudes en polonaises neerpende.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

She even called them “monkeys”. But<br />

for Chopin, Valldemossa represented<br />

a level of tranquillity hitherto absent<br />

from his life, saying: “Tonight the moon<br />

is marvellous. Never have I seen it like<br />

this. The poetry which everything here<br />

exhales and the colouring of this most<br />

marvellous scenery still untainted by<br />

the eye of man.”<br />

In fact, during their five months at<br />

the Real Cartuja it wasn’t the island, but<br />

his relationship with Sand, that Chopin<br />

developed serious doubts about. He<br />

decided to return to the Catholic<br />

communion and renounced their sexual<br />

relationship – although he was willing<br />

to continue living with her and have her<br />

take care of his day-to-day needs.<br />

Bearing this situation in mind, then,<br />

it’s perhaps not surprising that Sand<br />

looked for a scapegoat for her<br />

unhappiness, and blamed the Mallorcans.<br />

The couple left the island earlier than<br />

they had intended, in February 1839,<br />

sailing on a French ship, much to Sand’s<br />

relief: “When we boarded this fine brig,<br />

as clean and elegantly kept as a drawing<br />

room, we jumped for joy on the bridge<br />

and cried from the bottom of our hearts.<br />

Vive la France!”<br />

Today, however, many people consider<br />

those difficult five months on the island<br />

to be Chopin’s most productive period.<br />

Back in Paris, on 26 April 1841, he played<br />

many of the works he’d composed in<br />

Valldemossa. The private recital, which<br />

included what are now some of his<br />

best-known nocturnes, etudes and<br />

polonaises, was a huge success. And<br />

what’s also curious is that among all<br />

the postcards and CDs on sale in the<br />

monastery of Valldemossa today you’ll<br />

find, in pride of place, George Sand’s<br />

blistering attack on Mallorca. The<br />

islanders actually keep it in print, which<br />

shows their sense of humour – and that<br />

they clearly bear no resentment towards<br />

their first celebrity visitors.<br />

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offThe<br />

importance of the January transfer<br />

window isn’t limited to European<br />

football managers: with powder falling<br />

until April, now is the time to book<br />

a late-season ski break. Matt Barr has<br />

the lowdown on resorts that combine<br />

incredible snow and a short airport-toresort<br />

hop to complete your dream trip


Morzine offers<br />

challenges for skiers<br />

and snowboarders<br />

of all abilities<br />

Right: Scenic Chamonix<br />

also boasts Europe’s<br />

highest cable car<br />

Geneva<br />

Morzine/Avoriaz<br />

The nearest ski area to Geneva airport<br />

also happens to be one of the biggest<br />

and best in the world. The incredible<br />

Portes du Soleil lift system spans the<br />

border between France and Switzerland,<br />

covering some 650km of runs. Experts<br />

will be challenged by the Chavanette<br />

area and famous ‘Wall’ run, snowboarders<br />

and freestyle skiers can enjoy the Croset<br />

funpark, and beginners have the Super<br />

Morzine area, with its crisscrossing<br />

gentle blue and green slopes.<br />

Morzine is the undoubted capital of<br />

the area, home to fantastic restaurants,<br />

such as Auberge La Chalande, and<br />

infamous nightclubs Dixie’s and the<br />

Buddha Cafe. Perched high above is<br />

Avoriaz, a purpose-built town that looks<br />

like the jagged cliffs that surround it and<br />

is home to an annual sci-fi film festival.<br />

Some love its ultra-modern buildings<br />

while others frown at the concrete, but<br />

there’s no denying its validity as a ski-in,<br />

ski-out destination with the best sunsets<br />

in the Alps. morzine-avoriaz.com<br />

Chamonix<br />

There are classic ski resorts, and then<br />

there’s the daddy of them all. Actually<br />

six different skiable areas linked by<br />

LAST-MINUTE SNOW FEATURE<br />

FR La neige Last minute<br />

Comme les chutes de poudreuse sont prévues jusqu’en avril, c’est<br />

le bon moment pour réserver un break de ski de fin de saison.<br />

Matt Barr a répertorié cinq stations qui combinent neige fantastique<br />

et courte distance de l’aéroport, de quoi vous concocter un voyage<br />

de rêve exemplaire<br />

Genève Morzine/Avoriaz<br />

Le domaine skiable le plus proche de l’aéroport de Genève est<br />

également l’un des plus grands et des plus illustres du monde. Sur<br />

une superficie de quelque 650km de pistes comprenant 80<br />

remonte-pentes, les Portes du Soleil avec son système de télésiège,<br />

abrite certaines pistes parmi les plus spectaculaires, des coins<br />

secrets et les pipes les mieux entretenus d’Europe.<br />

Genève Chamonix<br />

Six zones skiables différentes reliées par des pass télésièges qui<br />

parcourent toute la vallée, le terrain de Chamonix varie depuis des<br />

espaces abordables pour les débutants, Le Tour panoramique,<br />

jusqu’aux endroits strictement réservés aux experts (et<br />

accompagnés d’un guide), l’Aiguille du Midi. La meilleure station du<br />

monde – et à seulement une heure de route de l’aéroport.<br />

Lyon La Clusaz<br />

La Clusaz, qui a longtemps attiré les vacanciers pour son sens<br />

traditionnel français de l’accueil, est en train de gagner la réputation<br />

de capitale de la France du Freestyle et du Snowboarding. Ajoutez à<br />

cela des nuits de ski sous la brillance de la pleine lune, et vous<br />

comprendrez pourquoi cette station attire à la fois la jeune et<br />

l’ancienne génération de skieurs.<br />

Turin Sauze d’Oulx<br />

La station italienne réputée pour ses soirées attire une population<br />

de jeunes qui en veulent, depuis les années 80. Les pentes les plus<br />

audacieuses sont accessibles via de vieux tire-fesses, ailleurs, dans<br />

la station bordée d’arbres se trouvent la plupart des pistes, qui<br />

serpentent, souvent baignées du soleil des Alpes du Sud.<br />

Milan Pila<br />

Aussi petite qu’elle soit, Pila déborde d’énergie avec un lift qui<br />

culmine à 2 752m et la meilleure cuisine de montagne de la planète<br />

ski. C’est l’endroit par excellence pour se laisser doucement glisser,<br />

apprécier le paysage et se réserver de longs moments pour des<br />

pauses café.<br />

Image photolibrary.com<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

57


58<br />

FEATURE LAST-MINUTE SNOW<br />

a valley-wide lift pass, Chamonix’s<br />

terrain varies from the beginner-friendly<br />

and scenic Le Tour all the way to the<br />

expert-only (and guide-advisable)<br />

Aiguille du Midi – the cable car for<br />

which is Europe’s highest, and some<br />

would say scariest, lift. From the top<br />

of the Midi, the views over to Mont<br />

Blanc are as good as it gets, while the<br />

Vallee Blanche run back to the town<br />

rates as the world’s longest: a 22km<br />

meander through crevasse fields,<br />

glaciers, cliff-strewn corridors and<br />

gentle, tree-lined forest trails. Those<br />

taking it on often experience four<br />

seasons in the one descent.<br />

Chamonix’s status as the top<br />

resort is confirmed by the incredible<br />

architecture in the town. Dating from<br />

its heyday in the 19th century, the<br />

imposing granite apartment blocks<br />

remind us that this was a favourite<br />

Parisian hangout. Add to this the<br />

Rousseau-like charm of the rustic chalets<br />

and the ancient Montenvers railway<br />

chugging up to the Mer du Glace glacier<br />

and ice grotto, and you have the world’s<br />

best resort with a fabulous Victorian<br />

twist – and only an hour’s drive from<br />

the airport. chamonix.com<br />

Fly to Geneva with Brussels Airlines<br />

from just €99* return all-in.<br />

Lyon<br />

La Clusaz<br />

Gaining a reputation as the freestyle<br />

skiing and snowboarding capital of<br />

France, La Clusaz has long tempted<br />

holidaymakers with its traditional<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

French approach to visitors – fantastic<br />

local dishes and homely, budget-friendly<br />

accommodation. Add in the full-moon<br />

skiing nights (inspired by Thailand’s<br />

beach parties), when the resort opens<br />

the Crêt du Merle slopes from 9pm until<br />

1am, and it’s no wonder that the resort<br />

attracts both young and old skiers.<br />

La Clusaz’s terrain actually spans<br />

five mountains, with enough funparks<br />

to have produced Candide Thovex, one<br />

of the world’s most famous freestyle<br />

skiers. Check out the Telemix lift, too:<br />

it’s the world’s first chairlift and gondola<br />

hybrid, allowing users to choose how<br />

exposed to the elements they wish to<br />

be on the ride up. laclusaz.com<br />

Fly to Lyon with Brussels Airlines<br />

from just €99* return all-in.<br />

Turin<br />

Sauze d’Oulx<br />

Italy’s party resort has been attracting<br />

a young, up-for-it crowd since the 1980s.<br />

It’s popular with Brits due to its fantastic<br />

nightlife, largely intermediate-friendly<br />

terrain, easy-to-access slopes and great<br />

food stops – this is Italy, after all.<br />

The most challenging slopes are<br />

accessed by the older drag lifts, which<br />

may be off-putting to some, but perfect<br />

for those who don’t mind doing some<br />

work for those powdery rewards.<br />

Elsewhere, this is a tree-lined resort<br />

where most of the red and blue runs wind<br />

their way down the often sun-soaked<br />

Southern Alps. sauzeonline.com<br />

Fly to Turin with Brussels Airlines<br />

from just €119* return all-in.<br />

Images Alamy, Getty Images,<br />

photolibrary.com<br />

NL Lastminute sneeuw<br />

Met de dwarrelende vlokjes die aanhouden tot april is het nu tijd<br />

om je skivakantie voor het late seizoen te boeken. Matt Barr geeft<br />

de feiten over vijf resorts die fantastische sneeuw combineren<br />

met een korte afstand tussen de luchthaven en het resort voor<br />

jouw droomvakantie<br />

Genève Morzine/Avoriaz<br />

Het dichtstbijzijnde skigebied bij de luchthaven van Genève is<br />

toevallig ook één van de grootste en beste ter wereld. Met zo’n<br />

650km pistes en 80 zetelliften is het liftsysteem Portes du Soleil<br />

de thuis van enkele spectaculaire pistes, geheime plekjes en goed<br />

onderhouden pipes in Europa.<br />

Genève Chamonix<br />

In Chamonix worden zes verschillende skigebieden verbonden<br />

door een skipas voor de hele vallei. Het terrein varieert van<br />

het beginnersvriendelijke en panoramische Le Tour tot de<br />

Aiguille du Midi (enkel voor experts, gids aangeraden).<br />

Het beste resort ter wereld – slechts een uur verwijderd van<br />

de luchthaven.<br />

Lyon La Clusaz<br />

Met de reputatie als dé freestyle ski- en snowboardhoofstad<br />

van Frankrijk verleidt La Clusaz reeds jaren vakantiegangers<br />

met de traditionele Franse aanpak van bezoekers. Voeg hier<br />

de prachtige skinachten bij volle maan aan toe en het is niet<br />

verwonderlijk dat het resort zowel jonge als minder jonge<br />

skiërs aantrekt.<br />

Turijn Sauze d’Oulx<br />

Het feestresort van Italië trekt sinds de jaren ’80 een jong en<br />

enthousiast publiek aan. De meest uitdagende hellingen hebben<br />

oudere sleepliften, maar verder is dit een resort omgeven door<br />

bomen waar de meeste pistes naar beneden kronkelen tussen de<br />

vaak zonovergoten zuidelijke Alpen.<br />

Milaan Pila<br />

Het is dan misschien klein, maar Pila stijgt boven zichzelf uit met<br />

een lift die tot 2.752m gaat en het beste eten in de bergen ter<br />

wereld. Dit is de plaats om rustig te glijden, van het landschap te<br />

genieten en veel koffiepauzes nemen.


Above left and above: Great food<br />

and myriad red runs await on the<br />

slopes of the Aosta Valley<br />

Below: Get into the party spirit at<br />

the fun-filled resort of Sauze d’Oulx<br />

Milan<br />

Pila<br />

Small it may be, but Pila punches above<br />

its weight with a lift that tops out at<br />

2,752m and some of the best mountain<br />

food in the world. Experts tend to go<br />

elsewhere due to the paucity of black<br />

runs and steep terrain, but this is a place<br />

for cruising, enjoying the scenery and<br />

taking in breakfast, brunch, elevenses,<br />

lunch and an afternoon snack – allowing<br />

plenty of time for coffee breaks.<br />

The slopes of the Aosta Valley are<br />

famously suitable for improvers and Pila<br />

is king of the middle ground, with 20 of<br />

its 26 runs aimed at those who love reds.<br />

The terrain reflects the run colours, with<br />

wide, open spaces ideal for practising<br />

carves and fun turns. Beginners may be<br />

pleased to know that the famous low<br />

Italian prices stretch to the ski school,<br />

too, where tuition fees can be half that<br />

of their French counterparts. pila.it<br />

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distance of 7,500 hotel beds, 40<br />

restaurants, numerous cultural<br />

sites and magnificent shopping<br />

streets.<br />

HOFBURG Vienna<br />

Heldenplatz<br />

1014 Wien, Vienna, Austria<br />

tel. +43 (0)1 587 3666<br />

vienna@hofburg.com<br />

hofburg.com<br />

Louise Hotel<br />

40 Rue Veydt<br />

1050 Brussels, Belgium<br />

tel. +32 (0)2 537 4033<br />

fax. +32 (0)2 534 4037<br />

booking@louisehotel.com<br />

louisehotel.com<br />

The Party Is Over<br />

The days of champagne and crazy dancers are gone.<br />

And that’s fine with us.<br />

At Eleven, we believe that events and communications<br />

are serious business and should aim<br />

at creating customers, building brands<br />

and getting results.<br />

WE MEAN BUSINESS<br />

www.eleven-intl.com · Ph +32 2 673 81 86<br />

Brussels · New-York · Geneva


62<br />

businesstrends<br />

Boyd Farrow rounds up what’s happening<br />

in the business world across Europe<br />

Climate change means<br />

an increase in weatherrelated<br />

catastrophes<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

Climate of fear<br />

Natural disaster figures are down,<br />

but climate change will still cost us<br />

Munich Re, a leading global reinsurance group based in<br />

Germany, has reported that natural catastrophes took fewer<br />

lives and caused much less damage in 2009 than during any<br />

other year in the last decade. In its annual look at the cost<br />

of such events, the company said: “Losses were far lower in<br />

2009 than in 2008 due to the absence on the whole of major<br />

catastrophes and a very benign North Atlantic hurricane<br />

season.” It put the 2009 death toll at “around 10,000,” well<br />

below the average of 75,000 in each of the preceding 10 years.<br />

In monetary terms, too, losses were much lower. The reinsurance<br />

giant estimated total economic losses this year at €35bn and<br />

insured losses at €15bn, compared with economic losses of<br />

around €140bn and insured losses of €35bn in 2008.<br />

Nonetheless, Munich Re’s head of geo risks research, Peter<br />

Hoeppe, warned that: “The trend towards an increase in<br />

weather-related catastrophes continues.” According to Munich<br />

Re, climate change probably already accounts for a “significant<br />

share” of weather-related economic losses. While there is no<br />

reference estimate for the phenomenon’s final cost, economists<br />

agree the bill is likely to be in the trillions of dollars.


Apple vs Nokia<br />

Smartphone makers are<br />

at each other’s throats<br />

Taxing dilemma<br />

Italian government reaping rewards from tax amnesty<br />

BUSINESS TRENDS FEATURE<br />

Apple may have just won a high-profile<br />

legal case (when a US appeals court<br />

ruled the company was not to blame if<br />

iPod owners damage their hearing by playing music too loudly), but it is likely to see the These rival phone<br />

companies are at<br />

inside of another courtroom in <strong>2010</strong>. Finland’s Nokia, the world’s top mobile phone maker,<br />

legal loggerheads<br />

has filed a complaint with the International Trade Commission, alleging that Apple’s<br />

iPhone, iPods and computers violate its intellectual property rights. The patents at issue<br />

relate to Nokia technology being used by Apple to create features in user interface, camera, antenna<br />

and power management technologies – technology that Nokia claims helps cut manufacturing costs,<br />

reduce gadget size and prolong battery life. The ITC will decide whether to pursue the case this month.<br />

Filing a complaint with the ITC is the latest step by Nokia to take on Apple in the US, where the company’s<br />

smartphones face tough competition from the iPhone and Research In Motion’s BlackBerry devices. Apple,<br />

which only entered the sector in mid-2007, overtook<br />

Nokia last quarter as the mobile phone maker generating<br />

the highest total operating profit. In October last year,<br />

Nokia sued Apple in the US state of Delaware over the<br />

iPhone, claiming it infringed 10 of its patents related<br />

to phone calls and Wi-Fi access. In December, Apple<br />

countered with its own lawsuit, saying Nokia had copied<br />

aspects of the iPhone in its devices.<br />

It seems Italians are even shadier than their leaders had supposed: a total of €95bn held illegally<br />

overseas has been declared under a tax amnesty, beating the government’s original forecasts. The<br />

amnesty, which allowed citizens to declare illegally held assets and pay a one-off tax of 5%, should<br />

have ended on 15 December last year, but Silvio Berlusconi’s government<br />

Berlusconi’s<br />

now says it hopes to raise an additional €30bn by extending it until the<br />

government<br />

end of April. The move has already sparked a row with Switzerland,<br />

now plans to<br />

after Italy claimed its neighbour was not cooperating; police and tax<br />

extend the<br />

inspectors even raided dozens of Swiss banks in Italy. The rewards,<br />

amnesty<br />

however, are considered to be worth the bother: the Italian<br />

government’s tax windfall currently exceeds €5bn (well in<br />

excess of the predicted €3.7bn), which is desperately<br />

needed to finance welfare spending and fiscal incentives<br />

to help small businesses. Italy’s economy expanded<br />

0.6% in the third quarter of 2009.<br />

Other countries are now advocating leniency<br />

for financial indiscretions. Poland’s economics<br />

ministry says it wants to reduce the maximum<br />

fine for tax avoidance, from PLN 12.2m/<br />

€2.97m to PLN 6.1m /€1.49m, claiming this<br />

will decrease barriers to entrepreneurship.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

63


64<br />

FEATURE BUSINESS TRENDS<br />

businesstrends<br />

Teens now spend<br />

more time gaming<br />

than watching TV<br />

Teenage clicks<br />

Survey of youngsters’ media use reveals new challenges for advertisers<br />

Teenagers in Europe spend more time playing video games than watching television or using the web, according to new research from Forrester. The<br />

research analyst surveyed 1,400 people aged between 12 and 17 in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK. It discovered<br />

that participants play video games for an average of 11.7 hours each week, compared with 10.3 hours spent viewing content on TV and 9.1 hours surfing<br />

the net. The survey also showed that some 44% of teens visit Facebook at least once every seven days, and 30% read blogs just as frequently – and that<br />

this demographic is twice as likely to comment on such material when compared with older netizens. Overall, however, streaming online video was the<br />

most popular reason for accessing the web, with YouTube the dominant portal in all countries except France, where Dailymotion was the leader. Even more<br />

challenging for advertisers is that simultaneous media use is also common among this group, with half of contributors listening to music and surfing the<br />

net at the same time, and 45% combining TV and the internet.<br />

Electric dreams<br />

Berlin tests innovative charging system for electric cars<br />

Germany is trialling a new service that allows electric car owners to add the cost of charging their vehicles to their home electricity bills. In a joint<br />

venture called e-mobility Berlin, Daimler and utility giant RWE have installed 500 “intelligent charging stations” across the German capital, which<br />

“communicate” with a fleet of new Smart Fortwo electric cars. Drivers can also use the charging stations to<br />

monitor rates, battery status and interior temperature using an iPhone or computer. There’s the flexibility<br />

to charge cars during off-peak times, and even turn on the air conditioning or heat remotely. Car owners<br />

participating in the trial get 18 months’ free electricity for charging, during which time e-mobility<br />

will monitor how well the system works. RWE chief executive Jürgen Großmann said: “Our<br />

technology is already creating the basis for even more climate protection in the future,<br />

Smart Fortwo cars<br />

are part of the<br />

especially the more efficient use of renewable energies.” While the first participants get to<br />

German trial<br />

drive the electric Fortwo, with a 114km range and 0-59km/h time of 6.3 seconds, Daimler<br />

will also test the technology on its new A-class E-Cell when it debuts later this year.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong>


Joe & The Juice is<br />

looking for fruity<br />

profi ts in the UK<br />

Not your regular Joe<br />

Danish coffee shop goes global<br />

Not only are coffee shop chains in Britain defying the recession by going<br />

on expansion sprees, but new players are also continuing to appear – such<br />

as London’s latest hit, Joe & The Juice, which sounds even more American<br />

than Starbucks. But while Joe is US slang for coffee and juice bars are more<br />

Californian than the Beach Boys, this high-street newbie is actually the<br />

first overseas venture by a well-known Copenhagen brand, which has<br />

franchises throughout Denmark offering sandwiches, coffee and juice in<br />

loud, beanbag-strewn premises.<br />

Hoping that enough surly Brits will be able to bring themselves to ask<br />

for a Tunacado sandwich and smoothies with names such as Sweet Kiss,<br />

Joe & The Juice plans to open 20 outlets in the UK by the end of 2011, in<br />

a bid to take on local champ Pret A Manger. It’s also close to opening<br />

premises in Gothenburg, and the Danish outfit harbours even bigger<br />

ambitions. Keen to capitalise on India’s rapidly growing branded juice<br />

segment, it’s planning a chain of outlets over the next 12 months, beginning<br />

with the Emporio Mall in New Delhi. The company is also talking to local<br />

fashion house Kimaya about a joint alliance, which could mean Joe & The<br />

Juice outlets in Bangalore and Mumbai, too. The move would see the Danes<br />

vault over everyone else in making headway in India – including Starbucks.<br />

Outlets from the<br />

Danish chain will<br />

soon appear in India<br />

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e-mail: info@banquethaler.ch • http://www.banquethaler.ch


66<br />

FEATURE BUSINESS TRENDS<br />

businesstrends<br />

Phone in your bill<br />

New payment system has<br />

no need for cards or cash<br />

Ever ordered a round of cocktails for<br />

newfound holiday friends, only to<br />

realise you’ve left your wallet in your<br />

hotel safe? If so, you’ll be pleased that<br />

Texan company ATX Innovation has<br />

developed a tool designed to pay for<br />

food and drink without cash or plastic.<br />

In December 2009 the company<br />

released a test version of TabbedOut,<br />

which enables users to pay restaurant<br />

and bar bills using mobile phones.<br />

Software at an establishment’s<br />

point-of-sale terminal syncs with<br />

a customer’s smartphone and tracks<br />

what has been ordered. The customer<br />

can then add a tip before closing the<br />

tab from their phone, with ATX<br />

generating revenue through a €1<br />

convenience charge per transaction.<br />

As a prompt to ‘forgetful’ patrons,<br />

an upcoming version will include a<br />

feature that would remind customers<br />

to settle their bill if they stray too far<br />

from the point-of-sale terminal. Of<br />

course, if you have one too many<br />

margaritas you may have a problem<br />

remembering how to use your iPhone.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

Belgium wants<br />

to crack down on<br />

online gambling<br />

Weighing up the odds<br />

Belgium to restrict online gambling despite EC objections<br />

The Belgian government has defied the European Commission by pressing on with legislation to restrict<br />

online gambling licences to betting agents and casino operators already active in Belgium. Under the new law,<br />

Belgium could prosecute citizens who gamble at any foreign site. The EC objected to the proposal in June<br />

2009, claiming that it violated EU free movement of goods and services principles, while the European<br />

Gaming and Betting Association has vowed to consider all options, including legal action. Belgium isn’t the<br />

only European country causing the EC grief in this area, however. France recently introduced legislation that<br />

would make it very difficult for new operators to get a licence from the country, and Polish politicians – who<br />

recently passed several laws that greatly restrict gambling – are now targeting gambling-affiliated sports<br />

sponsors such as the online casinos that pump around €15m a year into the country’s football teams.<br />

It seems, though, that Belgium has more to be concerned about than online temptations: a new Belgian<br />

Government Centre for Research & Information report shows that more than 22% of citizens aged 10 to 17<br />

have participated in some form of gambling for money, with 40% regularly playing real-money poker.<br />

Bright future<br />

Solar power is big business in Israel<br />

Israel’s solar technology sector is going from strength to strength as foreign investors pile into the<br />

sun-blessed country. Last autumn, German engineering giant Siemens paid €290m for Solel Solar<br />

Systems, a thermal pioneer set up 40km from Tel Aviv by a group of Belgian investors. At around the<br />

same time, start-up company SolarEdge Technologies, just outside Tel Aviv, secured €16m of financing<br />

– the largest such infusion into Israel’s fledgling solar energy industry. Among its new funders is US<br />

giant General Electric, in its first direct investment in the local sector. And with the global renewables<br />

industry booming, there is growing interest in Israel as a source of cutting-edge technology. Around<br />

40 homegrown start-ups have joined the race to reduce the cost of producing electricity from the sun<br />

and more than €500m has been invested. Israel Cleantech Ventures, a Tel Aviv company that focuses<br />

on renewable energy and water technologies, has invested<br />

Rooftops across<br />

in three solar ventures and is looking at several more deals. the country have<br />

Israel had a head start in harnessing the sun’s energy<br />

solar panels<br />

through the widespread use of solar water heating: nearly<br />

every rooftop in the country is covered with the water-heating<br />

panels. President Shimon Peres’ pledge to decrease Israel’s<br />

greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020 requires setting<br />

up a substantial solar energy infrastructure, and in the<br />

next few months a decision is expected over the creation<br />

of a network of huge 40-60 megawatt plants.


Tomorrow’s<br />

world<br />

With support from Bob Geldof, Kofi Annan and Archbishop Desmond<br />

Tutu, the One Young World summit offers a global platform for the<br />

voice of youth. Sheridan Winn reports<br />

If you’re under 25 and heading to<br />

London early this month, you may be<br />

on your way to the One Young World<br />

Summit (OYW, oneyoungworld.com).<br />

Fresh thinking on tough problems is<br />

expected as 1,500 young pioneers from<br />

192 countries gather to debate at the<br />

ExCeL centre in London’s Docklands<br />

from 8-10 February. Selected for their<br />

exceptional leadership potential and<br />

engagement in social works, delegates<br />

will discuss the issues that affect our<br />

world and generate resolutions for<br />

a better future. Bob Geldof, one of<br />

OYW’s counsellors, has said he looks<br />

forward to: “A great intellectual capacity<br />

being contained in one space<br />

– and being listened to, for a change.”<br />

Media coverage of the summit will be<br />

global, live-streamed on the internet,<br />

with various segments carried on the<br />

websites of BBC Worldwide and CNN.<br />

OYW is the brainchild of David Jones –<br />

global chief executive officer of Havas<br />

Worldwide and Euro RSCG Worldwide –<br />

and Kate Robertson, group chairman of<br />

Euro RSCG. Jones has a fundamental<br />

belief that the creative and<br />

communications industry has the power<br />

to effect positive change in the world<br />

today, saying: “It’s become my mantra<br />

that not only do we have an opportunity,<br />

but we also have an obligation.”<br />

Promoted to global chief executive at<br />

the age of 38, he was<br />

invited to take part in the Davos World<br />

Economic Forum’s group of Young Global<br />

Leaders. “I was lucky to have been<br />

promoted at a young age and was keen<br />

to find a way to give other young people<br />

a bigger voice,” says Jones. The idea was<br />

two years in gestation, and then Kate<br />

Robertson suggested the concept of<br />

creating an organisation that would bring<br />

young people together on a global scale.<br />

In July 2008, OYW was launched as a notfor-profit<br />

organisation. The inaugural<br />

summit in London was announced at<br />

Davos 2009, with the intention of holding<br />

annual summits in different world cities.<br />

Knowledge is power<br />

So, what does David Jones expect from<br />

the event? “We’ve seen the world leaders<br />

do a poor job at the United Nations<br />

Climate Change Conference in<br />

Copenhagen,” he says. “If the world<br />

leaders can’t get it right, maybe young<br />

people can help them.” He believes<br />

there is a dramatic difference between<br />

youngsters today and those of any<br />

previous generation – a difference<br />

YOUNG PEOPLE IN BUSINESS FEATURE<br />

FR Le monde de demain<br />

Avec le soutien de Bob Geldof, de Kofi Annan et de l’évêque<br />

Desmond Tutu, le sommet One Young World offre une plateforme<br />

globale d’expression aux jeunes générations. Un reportage de<br />

Sheridan Winn<br />

One Young World est le projet du chef exécutif à l’échelle<br />

internationale David Jones et de Kate Robertson, présidente du<br />

groupe Euro RSCG. En juillet 2008, One Young World a été lancé<br />

comme une organisation à but non lucratif.<br />

Jones défend l’idée selon laquelle il existe une différence notable<br />

entre les jeunes générations d’aujourd’hui et celles des décennies<br />

précédentes – une différence qui réside surtout dans le domaine de<br />

la connaissance. Il explique : « Vous pouvez vous trouver dans un<br />

village africain, assis derrière un écran d’ordinateur et avoir un<br />

accès à une somme incroyable de connaissances…un phénomène<br />

sans précédent, qu’aucune autre génération n’a connu jusqu’ici.<br />

L’éducation que j’ai reçue s’apparente plus à la formation que les<br />

individus recevaient il y a 400 ans d’ici qu’à celle dispensée aux<br />

jeunes à l’heure actuelle. »<br />

Le second grand changement concerne le pouvoir et l’influence<br />

conférés par le biais des médias sociaux. Jones ne cite que pour<br />

exemple le cas de l’activiste politique Oscar Morales, dont le site<br />

sur Facebook a rallié 12 millions de personnes dans 40 pays, pour<br />

participer à une marche de protestation contre les FARC, le groupe<br />

terroriste de Colombie : « Jamais auparavant, on n’aurait pu disposer<br />

d’un tel potentiel d’influence. »<br />

En vue d’être sélectionnée, la nouvelle génération des prochains<br />

leaders de moins de 25 ans a été invitée à soumettre une vidéo, où<br />

elle pouvait faire entendre sa voix, ses idées et ses revendications.<br />

L’un des quatre jeunes lauréats du Concours YouTube, une des<br />

initiatives dans le cadre du projet, est Opwonya Innocent, un<br />

étudiant originaire d’Ouganda. Des années durant, Innocent a été<br />

forcé de dormir chaque nuit dans un lieu différent afin d’éviter<br />

d’être capturé par l’armée rebelle. Il souhaite assister au Sommet<br />

pour pouvoir mettre son expérience de la guerre au profit de la paix.<br />

David Jones nourrit de grands espoirs pour OYW et les leaders de<br />

demain. « Certains de ces jeunes participants au Sommet inaugural<br />

sont exceptionnels, » dit-il. « Je pense que cela pourrait devenir le<br />

Davos pour les moins de 25 ans. »<br />

Illustration Nils Davey<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

69


Tomorrow’s<br />

world<br />

With support from Bob Geldof, Kofi Annan and Archbishop Desmond<br />

Tutu, the One Young World summit offers a global platform for the<br />

voice of youth. Sheridan Winn reports<br />

If you’re under 25 and heading to<br />

London early this month, you may be<br />

on your way to the One Young World<br />

Summit (OYW, oneyoungworld.com).<br />

Fresh thinking on tough problems is<br />

expected as 1,500 young pioneers from<br />

192 countries gather to debate at the<br />

ExCeL centre in London’s Docklands<br />

from 8-10 February. Selected for their<br />

exceptional leadership potential and<br />

engagement in social works, delegates<br />

will discuss the issues that affect our<br />

world and generate resolutions for<br />

a better future. Bob Geldof, one of<br />

OYW’s counsellors, has said he looks<br />

forward to: “A great intellectual capacity<br />

being contained in one space<br />

– and being listened to, for a change.”<br />

Media coverage of the summit will be<br />

global, live-streamed on the internet,<br />

with various segments carried on the<br />

websites of BBC Worldwide and CNN.<br />

OYW is the brainchild of David Jones –<br />

global chief executive officer of Havas<br />

Worldwide and Euro RSCG Worldwide –<br />

and Kate Robertson, group chairman of<br />

Euro RSCG. Jones has a fundamental<br />

belief that the creative and<br />

communications industry has the power<br />

to effect positive change in the world<br />

today, saying: “It’s become my mantra<br />

that not only do we have an opportunity,<br />

but we also have an obligation.”<br />

Promoted to global chief executive at<br />

the age of 38, he was<br />

invited to take part in the Davos World<br />

Economic Forum’s group of Young Global<br />

Leaders. “I was lucky to have been<br />

promoted at a young age and was keen<br />

to find a way to give other young people<br />

a bigger voice,” says Jones. The idea was<br />

two years in gestation, and then Kate<br />

Robertson suggested the concept of<br />

creating an organisation that would bring<br />

young people together on a global scale.<br />

In July 2008, OYW was launched as a notfor-profit<br />

organisation. The inaugural<br />

summit in London was announced at<br />

Davos 2009, with the intention of holding<br />

annual summits in different world cities.<br />

Knowledge is power<br />

So, what does David Jones expect from<br />

the event? “We’ve seen the world leaders<br />

do a poor job at the United Nations<br />

Climate Change Conference in<br />

Copenhagen,” he says. “If the world<br />

leaders can’t get it right, maybe young<br />

people can help them.” He believes<br />

there is a dramatic difference between<br />

youngsters today and those of any<br />

previous generation – a difference<br />

YOUNG PEOPLE IN BUSINESS FEATURE<br />

FR Le monde de demain<br />

Avec le soutien de Bob Geldof, de Kofi Annan et de l’évêque<br />

Desmond Tutu, le sommet One Young World offre une plateforme<br />

globale d’expression aux jeunes générations. Un reportage de<br />

Sheridan Winn<br />

One Young World est le projet du chef exécutif à l’échelle<br />

internationale David Jones et de Kate Robertson, présidente du<br />

groupe Euro RSCG. En juillet 2008, One Young World a été lancé<br />

comme une organisation à but non lucratif.<br />

Jones défend l’idée selon laquelle il existe une différence notable<br />

entre les jeunes générations d’aujourd’hui et celles des décennies<br />

précédentes – une différence qui réside surtout dans le domaine de<br />

la connaissance. Il explique : « Vous pouvez vous trouver dans un<br />

village africain, assis derrière un écran d’ordinateur et avoir un<br />

accès à une somme incroyable de connaissances…un phénomène<br />

sans précédent, qu’aucune autre génération n’a connu jusqu’ici.<br />

L’éducation que j’ai reçue s’apparente plus à la formation que les<br />

individus recevaient il y a 400 ans d’ici qu’à celle dispensée aux<br />

jeunes à l’heure actuelle. »<br />

Le second grand changement concerne le pouvoir et l’influence<br />

conférés par le biais des médias sociaux. Jones ne cite que pour<br />

exemple le cas de l’activiste politique Oscar Morales, dont le site<br />

sur Facebook a rallié 12 millions de personnes dans 40 pays, pour<br />

participer à une marche de protestation contre les FARC, le groupe<br />

terroriste de Colombie : « Jamais auparavant, on n’aurait pu disposer<br />

d’un tel potentiel d’influence. »<br />

En vue d’être sélectionnée, la nouvelle génération des prochains<br />

leaders de moins de 25 ans a été invitée à soumettre une vidéo, où<br />

elle pouvait faire entendre sa voix, ses idées et ses revendications.<br />

L’un des quatre jeunes lauréats du Concours YouTube, une des<br />

initiatives dans le cadre du projet, est Opwonya Innocent, un<br />

étudiant originaire d’Ouganda. Des années durant, Innocent a été<br />

forcé de dormir chaque nuit dans un lieu différent afin d’éviter<br />

d’être capturé par l’armée rebelle. Il souhaite assister au Sommet<br />

pour pouvoir mettre son expérience de la guerre au profit de la paix.<br />

David Jones nourrit de grands espoirs pour OYW et les leaders de<br />

demain. « Certains de ces jeunes participants au Sommet inaugural<br />

sont exceptionnels, » dit-il. « Je pense que cela pourrait devenir le<br />

Davos pour les moins de 25 ans. »<br />

Illustration Nils Davey<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

69


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that lies in knowledge. He explains:<br />

“You can be sitting in an African village<br />

at a computer terminal and have access<br />

to unbelievable knowledge, in a way<br />

that no previous generation has had.<br />

The education I received has more in<br />

common with how someone was<br />

educated 400 years ago than the<br />

education young people have today.”<br />

The second big change is the power and<br />

influence available through social media.<br />

An example, Jones cites the political<br />

activist Oscar Morales, whose Facebook<br />

website inspired 12 million people in 40<br />

countries to protest against the FARC<br />

terrorist group in Colombia.<br />

Supporting roles<br />

Morales will be one of the counsellors<br />

to chair the plenary sessions of OYW.<br />

In addition to Bob Geldof, Kofi Annan<br />

and Desmond Tutu, other members<br />

of this luminary group will include<br />

Professor Nick Haysom, United<br />

Nations director of political affairs;<br />

Zhang Deguang, first secretary-general<br />

of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation;<br />

Elio Leoni-Sceti, chief executive of<br />

EMI Music; Carole Stone, managing<br />

director of online market research<br />

agency YouGovStone; Martin Davidson,<br />

chief executive of the British Council;<br />

and Dr Santanu Das, founder of<br />

TranSwitch Corporation. Bob Geldof<br />

NL De wereld van morgen<br />

Met de steun van Bob Geldof, Kofi Annan en aartsbisschop<br />

Desmond Tutu, biedt de One Young World top een globaal platform<br />

voor de stem van de jeugd. Sheridan Winn brengt verslag uit<br />

One Young World is het geesteskind van global chief executive<br />

David Jones en Kate Robertson, group chairman van Euro RSCG. In<br />

juli 2008 werd One Young World gelanceerd als een nonprofitorganisatie.<br />

Jones is ervan overtuigd dat er een groot verschil is tussen<br />

jongeren vandaag en die van de vorige generatie – het verschil zit<br />

hem in kennis. Zijn uitleg: “Je kunt in een Afrikaans dorp aan een<br />

computer zitten met toegang tot een enorme hoeveelheid kennis,<br />

zoals geen enkele vorige generatie dit ooit had. Het onderwijs dat ik<br />

heb genoten had meer gemeen met het onderwijs van 400 jaar<br />

geleden dan met het onderwijs dat jongeren vandaag krijgen.”<br />

Het tweede grote verschil is de macht en invloed die via sociale<br />

media beschikbaar zijn. Als voorbeeld citeert Jones politiek activist<br />

Oscar Morales, wiens Facebookpagina 12 miljoen mensen verspreid<br />

over 40 landen ertoe aanzette een protestmars te houden tegen de<br />

terroristische groepering FARC in Columbia: “Vroeger was je er niet<br />

in geslaagd zoveel invloed uit te oefenen.”<br />

Om geselecteerd te worden, werden uitzonderlijke jongeren<br />

uitgenodigd een video in te sturen waarin ze praatten over hun ideeën<br />

en doelen. Eén van de vier winnende jongeren uit de aanverwante<br />

YouTube-wedstrijd is de Oegandese student Opwonya Innocent.<br />

Jarenlang was Opwonya gedwongen elke nacht op een andere plaats<br />

te overnachten zodat hij niet door het rebellenleger gevangen zou<br />

worden genomen. Hij wil de top bijwonen om zijn kennis van oorlog<br />

te gebruiken om de vrede te beïnvloeden. David Jones heeft grote<br />

hoop voor OYW en de leiders van morgen. “De top wordt bijgewoond<br />

door een aantal uitzonderlijke jongeren,” zegt hij. “Ik ben ervan<br />

overtuigd dat dit het Davos voor min-25-jarigen kan worden.”<br />

says of their roles: “Those of us who<br />

are conducting the workshops and<br />

seminars will probably find our own<br />

thinking dislodged.”<br />

David Jones is keen to stress that<br />

OYW is a grassroots organisation. “It’s<br />

not for us, the organisers, to say what<br />

it is that we want to be agreed,” he says.<br />

To ensure open debate, the opinions of<br />

30,000 young people from all over the<br />

world were polled through YouGovStone.<br />

This research identified six key issues<br />

for discussion: political leadership,<br />

global business, inter-faith dialogue,<br />

the environment, the media and the<br />

challenges surrounding global health.<br />

“The counsellors will chair the debates<br />

and resolutions will be passed,” explains<br />

Jones. “These resolutions will be passed<br />

into the global political system. For<br />

example, Bob Geldof will raise the<br />

resolutions at the G2, G10 and G20<br />

summits, and Nick Haysom will feed<br />

them in to the United Nations. OYW<br />

will have an impact in the real world.”<br />

So what does success look like<br />

for Jones? “We’d like to think that in<br />

10 years’ time, some delegates will<br />

run their countries, global companies<br />

or NGOs,” he replies. But both he and<br />

Robertson knew that OYW needed to<br />

think more broadly than expecting<br />

delegates to comprise only “smart,<br />

corporate 25-year-olds from Western<br />

multinationals”. To avoid such a skew,<br />

they decided to invite two delegates<br />

from each country in the world, plus<br />

proportionate representation from<br />

YOUNG PEOPLE IN BUSINESS FEATURE<br />

Illustration Nils Davey<br />

the bigger countries – so the greatest<br />

number of participants will come from<br />

China, India and Indonesia. “This is the<br />

first major event designed to reflect<br />

the world population,” Jones says.<br />

Sponsorship for the summit has also<br />

been approached from a grassroots<br />

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three cheques of €1m apiece from three<br />

multinational ‘official sponsors’, Jones<br />

and Robertson opted for a new business<br />

model. Companies were invited to<br />

sponsor the delegates, at a cost of<br />

€3000 each. “We’ve had to work much<br />

harder, but it means we preserve<br />

objectivity,” explains Jones.<br />

Leading the way<br />

To be selected for OYW, outstanding<br />

young people were invited to submit<br />

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place to avoid capture from the rebel<br />

army. He wants to attend the summit to<br />

use his knowledge of war to influence<br />

peace. David Jones has high hopes for<br />

OYW and its leaders of tomorrow. “There<br />

are some amazing young people attending<br />

the summit,” he says. “I believe it can<br />

become the Davos for under 25s.”<br />

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Twix XL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . € 2.00<br />

Côte d’or (milk chocolate) . . . . . . . . .€ 1.50<br />

Kinder Bueno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . € 1.00<br />

SAVOURY SNACKS<br />

Pringles (hot&spicy or salt) . . . . . . € 2.00<br />

FRESH FRUIT*<br />

Chiquita Pineapple Stick. . . . . . . . . . .€ 1.50<br />

*Not available on our fl ights to Strasbourg<br />

Our apologies if your selection is no longer available<br />

minimum<br />

€ 5.00<br />

maximum<br />

€ 200<br />

ON BOARD MENU AIRLINE<br />

All products are sold onboard at stated sizes and subject to availability. Prices are subject to change without notice. Passengers may not consume alcoholic<br />

beverages which they have supplied themselves, have purchased as duty free goods, or have been supplied by third parties. Customs regulations require<br />

passengers to declare all items purchased. Returned goods and enquiries should be made to: LSG Sky Chefs, Luchthavengebouw 53, 1930 B-Zaventem.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

81


UN<br />

D P


*SUBJECT TO MINOR CHANGES FOLLOWING CHANGES IN AIRPORT SLOTS. ALL FLIGHTS ARE IN LOCAL TIMES.<br />

in the news<br />

NEWS AIRLINE<br />

More connections between Belgium and the UK<br />

Brussels Airlines has optimised its fl ight off ers between the two countries, with a number of changes<br />

that allow passengers to make return day-trips. As from 10 January <strong>2010</strong>, there’s a greater frequency<br />

of fl ights to London, Newcastle and Bristol<br />

P<br />

assengers will be pleased to hear that Brussels Airlines has<br />

increased flight frequencies between Belgium and the UK,<br />

including a new route to London Heathrow.<br />

From early last month, Brussels Airlines moved its operations<br />

Brussels – London Heathrow<br />

Dep Arr. Days<br />

07:30 07:40 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

09:50 10:00 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

London Heathrow – Brussels<br />

Dep. Arr. Days<br />

06:50 09:00 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

08:30 10:40 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

from London Gatwick to London Heathrow, and there are more daily flights 09:55 10:05 M Tu W Th F S Su 10:50 13:00 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

between the cities, too. The airline now offers four daily flights on weekdays 19:15 19:25 M Tu W Th F S Su 11:15 13:25 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

between the two capitals, creating a suitable solution for passengers who<br />

21:25 21:35 M Tu W Th F S Su 20:15 22:25 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

wish to return on the same day.<br />

Additionally, Brussels Airlines has increased the number of flights<br />

between Brussels and Newcastle, and Brussels and Bristol. As part of<br />

a new codeshare with bmi, there are now three return flights every<br />

weekday between these two major UK cities and the Belgian capital.<br />

Passengers can also continue to connect between Brussels and other<br />

UK airports. There are five daily flights between Brussels and Birmingham,<br />

and four daily flights between Brussels and Manchester. Furthermore, in<br />

another codeshare with bmi, passengers are able to fly between Brussels<br />

and East Midlands, Leeds Bradford and Edinburgh.<br />

For a complete schedule of all flights between Brussels and the UK,<br />

visit brusselsairlines.com<br />

Thanks to more flights from Brussels<br />

Airlines, the sights of Bristol (left) and<br />

Newcastle are more accessible than ever<br />

Brussels – Newcastle Newcastle – Brussels<br />

Dep. Arr. Days Dep. Arr. Days<br />

09:35 10:05 M Tu W Th F S Su 06:25 08:45 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

15:30 16:00 M Tu W Th F S Su 12:05 14:25 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

20:00 20:30 M Tu W Th F S Su 16:30 18:50 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

Brussels – Bristol Bristol – Brussels<br />

Dep. Arr. Days Dep. Arr. Days<br />

09:35 09:45 M Tu W Th F S Su 06:30 08:45 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

15:55 16:05 M Tu W Th F S Su 12:05 14:25 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

19:35 19:50 M Tu W Th F S Su 16:40 18:50 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

83


84<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

in the news<br />

Davantage de connexions entre<br />

la Belgique et le Royaume-Uni<br />

Brussels Airlines a amélioré son off re de vols entre les deux pays,<br />

avec un certain nombre de changements à la clé permettant aux<br />

passagers de faire l’aller-retour le même jour. Depuis le 10 janvier<br />

<strong>2010</strong>, les fréquences ont augmenté à destination de Londres,<br />

Newcastle et Bristol<br />

Nos passagers seront ravis<br />

d’apprendre que nous avons<br />

augmenté nos fréquences de vols<br />

entre la Belgique et le Royaume-<br />

Uni, avec notamment une nouvelle liaison vers<br />

Londres Heathrow.<br />

Au début du mois dernier, Brussels Airlines a<br />

déplacé ses opérations de l’aéroport de Londres<br />

Gatwick vers Londres Heathrow. De nouveaux<br />

vols ont également été ajoutés entre Bruxelles<br />

et Londres, ce qui porte désormais les liaisons<br />

entre les deux capitales à 4 vols journaliers - un<br />

horaire parfait pour les passagers qui effectuent<br />

un aller-retour dans la même journée.<br />

Mais ce n’est pas tout ! Brussels Airlines a<br />

également augmenté ses fréquences entre<br />

Bruxelles et Newcastle, ainsi qu’entre Bruxelles<br />

et Bristol. Grâce à un nouvel accord de<br />

partenariat avec bmi (codeshare), 3 vols<br />

journaliers sont désormais assurés entre les<br />

deux villes britanniques et Bruxelles.<br />

Les passagers pourront aussi continuer à se<br />

rendre, au départ de Bruxelles, vers d’autres<br />

aéroports de Grande-Bretagne : 5 vols<br />

quotidiens vers Birmingham et 4 vols quotidiens<br />

vers Manchester. De plus, en partage de<br />

code avec bmi, les passagers pourront rallier<br />

East Midlands, Leeds Bradford et Edinburgh<br />

depuis Bruxelles.<br />

Pour les horaires de tous nos vols entre<br />

Bruxelles et le Royaume-Uni, veuillez consulter<br />

le site brusselsairlines.com<br />

Meer verbindingen tussen België<br />

en het Verenigd Koninkrijk<br />

Brussels Airlines heeft haar vluchtaanbod tussen beide landen<br />

geoptimaliseerd met een aantal wijzigingen zodat passagiers op<br />

ook dezelfde dag kunnen terugkeren. Vanaf 10 januari <strong>2010</strong><br />

werd de frequentie van de vluchten naar Londen, Newcastle en<br />

Bristol verhoogd<br />

Passagiers zullen verheugd zijn dat we onze frequentie tussen België en het VK hebben<br />

verhoogd, inclusief een nieuwe route naar London Heathrow.<br />

Begin vorige maand verhuisde Brussels Airlines haar activiteiten van London Gatwick<br />

naar London Heathrow. Er zijn ook meer dagelijkse vluchten tussen beide steden. Wij<br />

bieden nu op weekdagen 4 dagelijkse vluchten tussen beide hoofdsteden, zodat passagiers ook de<br />

mogelijkheid hebben dezelfde dag terug te keren.<br />

Bovendien heeft Brussels Airlines ook het aantal vluchten tussen Brussel en Newcastle en tussen<br />

Brussel en Bristol verhoogd. Door een nieuwe bmi codeshare vlucht zijn er nu elke weekdag 3 heenen-terugvluchten<br />

tussen de twee Britse steden en Brussel.<br />

Passagiers kunnen ook nog steeds een verbinding tussen Brussel en andere Britse luchthavens<br />

maken. Er zijn 5 dagelijkse vluchten tussen Brussel en Birmingham en 4 dagelijkse vluchten tussen<br />

Brussel en Manchester. Bovendien kunnen passagiers in een codeshare met bmi tussen Brussel en<br />

East Midlands, Leeds Bradford en Edinburgh vliegen.<br />

Voor een volledig schema van alle vluchten tussen Brussel en het Verenigd Koninkrijk, ga naar<br />

brusselsairlines.com<br />

Bruxelles/Brussel – London Heathrow<br />

Dép./Ver. Arr./Aan. Jours/Dagen<br />

07:30 07:40 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

09:50 10:00 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

09:55 10:05 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

19:15 19:25 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

21:25 21:35 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

London Heathrow – Bruxelles/Brussel<br />

Dép./Ver. Arr./Aan. Jours/Dagen<br />

06:50 09:00 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

08:30 10:40 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

10:50 13:00 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

11:15 13:25 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

20:15 22:25 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

Bruxelles/Brussel – Newcastle<br />

Dép./Ver. Arr./Aan. Jours/Dagen<br />

09:35 10:05 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

15:30 16:00 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

20:00 20:30 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

Newcastle – Bruxelles/Brussel<br />

Dép./Ver. Arr./Aan. Jours/Dagen<br />

06:25 08:45 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

12:05 14:25 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

16:30 18:50 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

Bruxelles/Brussel – Bristol<br />

Dép./Ver. Arr./Aan. Jours/Dagen<br />

09:35 09:45 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

15:55 16:05 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

19:35 19:50 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

Bristol – Bruxelles/Brussel<br />

Dép./Ver. Arr./Aan. Jours/Dagen<br />

06:30 08:45 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

12:05 14:25 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

16:40 18:50 M Tu W Th F S Su<br />

M = lun. / M. F = ven. / V.<br />

Tu = mar. / Di. S = sam. / Z.<br />

W = mer. / W.<br />

Th = jeu. / Do.<br />

Su = dim. / Zo.<br />

*SOUS RÉSERVE DE MODIFICATIONS MINEURES DUES À DES CHANGEMENTS DE TRANCHES HORAIRES DANS LES AÉROPORTS. TOUS LES HORAIRES DES VOLS SONT DONNÉS EN HEURE LOCALE *AFHANKELIJK VAN KLEINE WIJZIGINGEN AAN LUCHTHAVENSLOTS. ALLE VLUCHTEN ZIJN IN LOKALE TIJD


in partnership<br />

Book your flight and cruise<br />

in one package with a new<br />

Brussels Airlines partnership<br />

Brussels Airlines<br />

and MSC Cruises<br />

introduce Fly&Cruise<br />

Book your return fl ights and a cruise experience<br />

in one fantastic, fun-fi lled package this summer.<br />

This off er is valid for fl ights departing from<br />

Brussels Airport<br />

B<br />

russels Airlines is pleased to announce a new partnership<br />

with the world’s most modern cruise line. The airline has<br />

teamed up with MSC Cruises to offer an outstanding deal<br />

for this summer: passengers can now book a package that<br />

includes flights, cruise and transfers, all for a reasonable price.<br />

Imagine visiting six different cities in one week, spending your nights<br />

in a luxurious four-star floating hotel and waking up in a different port<br />

each morning. You can do this aboard an MSC cruise ship, where Italian<br />

NEWS AIRLINE<br />

design and cuisine come together to create an unforgettable holiday<br />

experience. While adults relax by the pool or on the massage table,<br />

the young ones can take part in activities organised by the Mini-Club<br />

or the Kids Club. You can rest assured that on an MSC cruise, everyone<br />

in the family will be pampered.<br />

What’s more, this combined flight and cruise deal ensures you<br />

a smooth connection. For example, a Fly&Cruise eight days/seven<br />

nights Mediterranean package aboard MSC Splendida would start<br />

with a Brussels Airlines flight from Brussels to Marseille. Passengers<br />

then sail from France to Spain, Tunisia, Malta, Sicily and Italy, returning<br />

finally to France, from where they fly back to Brussels. The whole<br />

package, including return flights, costs from just €899 per person.<br />

This Fly&Cruise offer is valid for cruise departures from Marseille<br />

or Venice on the ships MSC Splendida, MSC Fantasia, MSC Musica and<br />

the soon to be launched MSC Magnifica. Brussels Airlines return flights<br />

are valid from Brussels to Venice or Marseille. This offer is valid from<br />

March to November <strong>2010</strong>.<br />

For reservations and the brochure, contact your travel agent<br />

or download the Fly&Cruise brochure from msccruises.be<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

85


86<br />

AIRLINE NEWS<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

in partnership<br />

Brussels Airlines &<br />

MSC Croisières lancent<br />

Fly&Cruise<br />

Cet été, réservez une fantastique formule de<br />

vacances tout compris, qui combine un vol allerretour<br />

et une croisière. Cette offre est valable<br />

pour les vols au départ de Brussels Airport<br />

La première compagnie<br />

aérienne belge, Brussels<br />

Airlines, a le plaisir de<br />

vous annoncer son<br />

nouveau partenariat avec la flotte<br />

de navires de croisières la plus<br />

moderne du monde. Brussels<br />

Airlines et MSC Croisières<br />

proposent à leurs clients une offre<br />

extraordinaire pour cet été. Les<br />

passagers peuvent dès à présent<br />

réserver une formule qui comprend<br />

les vols, la croisière et les<br />

transferts pour un prix tout à fait<br />

avantageux.<br />

Imaginez que vous visitez 6 villes<br />

différentes au cours d’une semaine,<br />

en logeant dans un hôtel de luxe<br />

flottant 4-étoiles et en vous<br />

réveillant chaque matin dans un<br />

nouveau port. Désormais ce rêve<br />

est à votre portée, à bord d’un<br />

navire de croisière de MSC, où le<br />

design italien et la cuisine se<br />

marient pour vous apporter<br />

l’expérience d’un voyage<br />

inoubliable. Tandis que les adultes<br />

se relaxent le long de la piscine ou<br />

sur la table de massage, les jeunes<br />

peuvent participer à des activités<br />

organisées par le Mini-Club ou le<br />

Kids Club. Tout au long de la<br />

croisière MSC, laissez-vous aller<br />

les yeux fermés, avec la certitude<br />

que chacun sera choyé.<br />

Cette formule combinée vol et<br />

croisière vous garantit une<br />

transition en douceur. Ainsi, un<br />

forfait Fly&Cruise de 8 jours/7<br />

nuits en Méditerranée à bord du<br />

MSC Splendida, commence avec<br />

un vol Brussels Airlines, de<br />

Bruxelles à Marseille. Ensuite les<br />

passagers montent à bord du<br />

bateau qui va les emmener depuis<br />

la France, vers l’Espagne, la Tunisie,<br />

Malte, la Sicile et l’Italie, pour<br />

revenir en France, d’où ils<br />

reprennent leur vol de retour à<br />

destination de Bruxelles. Le forfait<br />

total comprenant le vol aller-retour,<br />

est proposé à partir de seulement<br />

899 € par personne.<br />

Cette offre Fly&Cruise est<br />

valable pour les départs de<br />

croisières de Venise ou de<br />

Marseille à bord des bateaux MSC<br />

Splendida, MSC Fantasia, MSC<br />

Musica, et MSC Magnifica dont<br />

l’inauguration est imminente. Les<br />

vols aller-retour Brussels Airlines<br />

doivent être opérés à partir de<br />

Bruxelles vers Venise ou Marseille.<br />

Offre en vigueur de mars à<br />

novembre <strong>2010</strong>.<br />

Pour les réservations et la<br />

brochure, contactez votre agence<br />

de voyage ou téléchargez la<br />

brochure Fly&Cruise sur le site<br />

msccroisieres.be<br />

Brussels Airlines & MSC<br />

Cruises introduceren<br />

Fly&Cruise<br />

Boek deze zomer uw vluchten en een cruise-ervaring<br />

in één fantastisch pakket. Deze aanbieding is geldig<br />

voor vluchten die vertrekken vanuit Brussels Airport<br />

De leidende Belgische<br />

luchtvaartmaatschappij,<br />

Brussels Airlines, kan u<br />

met trots een nieuw<br />

partnership aankondigen met de<br />

modernste cruisemaatschappij ter<br />

wereld. Brussels Airlines en MSC<br />

Cruises bieden klanten een<br />

uitzonderlijke deal deze zomer.<br />

Passagiers kunnen nu aan een<br />

voordelige prijs een pakket boeken,<br />

inclusief vluchten, cruise en transfers.<br />

Stel u voor: 6 steden bezoeken in<br />

één week, overnachten in een<br />

luxueus drijvend 4-sterrenhotel en<br />

elke ochtend in een andere haven<br />

ontwaken. Nu kan u dit ervaren aan<br />

boord van een MSC cruiseschip,<br />

waar het Italiaans design en de<br />

Italiaanse keuken zorgen voor een<br />

onvergetelijke vakantie-ervaring.<br />

Terwijl de volwassenen ontspannen<br />

aan het zwembad of op de<br />

massagetafel, kunnen de jongsten<br />

deelnemen aan de activiteiten die<br />

door de Mini-Club of de Kids Club<br />

worden georganiseerd. Wees<br />

gerust, iedereen wordt op een MSC<br />

Cruise in de watten gelegd.<br />

Deze deal, die vluchten en cruise<br />

combineert, verzekert u van een<br />

vlotte verbinding. Een Fly&Cruise<br />

van 8 dagen/7 nachten op de<br />

Middellandse Zee aan boord van de<br />

MSC Splendida start met een vlucht<br />

van Brussels Airlines van Brussel<br />

naar Marseille. De klanten varen<br />

vervolgens van Frankrijk naar Spanje,<br />

Tunesië, Malta, Sicilië, Italië en keren<br />

uiteindelijk terug naar Frankrijk, van<br />

waar ze naar Brussel terugvliegen.<br />

Dit hele pakket, inclusief vluchten,<br />

kan al vanaf €899 per persoon.<br />

Dit Fly&Cruise-aanbod is geldig<br />

voor vertrek van de cruise vanuit<br />

Venetië of Marseille op de schepen<br />

MSC Splendida, MSC Fantasia,<br />

MSC Musica en de nog in te<br />

huldigen MSC Magnifica. De<br />

vluchten met Brussels Airlines zijn<br />

geldig van Brussel naar Venetië of<br />

Marseille. Deze aanbieding is geldig<br />

van maart tot november <strong>2010</strong>.<br />

Contacteer uw reisagent voor<br />

reservaties en de brochure of<br />

download de Fly&Cruise-brochure<br />

van msccruises.be<br />

Relax on the luxurious<br />

MSC Splendida as part<br />

of the Fly&Cruise offer


DE KOOKWINKEL SOLY<br />

150 JAAR<br />

www.dekookwinkelsoly.be<br />

Van kleine keukenhulpen tot professioneel keukenmateriaal<br />

MA - ZA 09.30 - 18.00 UUR (opening hours)<br />

De Kookwinkel Soly<br />

Kasteelpleinstraat 65<br />

2000 Antwerpen<br />

de.kookwinkel.soly@pandora.be<br />

Tel/Fax 03 2320045<br />

SECURING<br />

OUR BORDER<br />

CONTROLLING<br />

MIGRATION<br />

The UK Border Agency uses<br />

new technologies to support<br />

our staff, combat fraud and<br />

secure the UK border.<br />

Electronic passport gates<br />

scan passports, make<br />

security checks and improve<br />

our service to customers.<br />

Fingerprint checks at<br />

the border<br />

verify the identities of non EEA<br />

nationals with biometric visas,<br />

entry clearance or ID cards.<br />

Probe and scanning<br />

technologies<br />

detect and prevent prohibited<br />

items from entering the UK.<br />

UK Border Agency staff<br />

use customs and immigration<br />

powers to combat fraud<br />

and tackle smuggling and<br />

immigration crime.<br />

Detector dogs<br />

at the border prevent illegal<br />

goods and people from<br />

entering the UK.<br />

Tougher checks can take longer.<br />

Your cooperation at the border is appreciated.<br />

www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk<br />

Please report any<br />

suspicious activity to<br />

an officer or call<br />

Crimestoppers on<br />

0800 555 111.


†PRICES QUOTED ARE FOR A RETURN TICKET IN B.LIGHT ECONOMY FROM OR TO BRUSSELS, ALL TAXES AND FEES INCLUDED, IF BOOKED ON BRUSSELSAIRLINES.COM. TICKETS ARE NOT CHANGEABLE, NOR REFUNDABLE. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE<br />

88<br />

Fares<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

choose how you fly<br />

Cancellation possibility<br />

Select your seat prior<br />

to travelling<br />

Check-in closure<br />

Luggage allowance<br />

Extra fast through<br />

security via fast lane<br />

Priority check-in<br />

Premium seating<br />

Newspapers<br />

Meal and drink service<br />

Access to Lounge<br />

Miles & More<br />

Change to an earlier<br />

flight at the airport the<br />

day of departure<br />

Change of booking<br />

Three great products in Business and<br />

Economy for flying around Europe<br />

Whether you want premium Business Class service, time-saving and total<br />

fl exibility, or the lowest fare guarantee† to 60 European destinations, Brussels<br />

Airlines has just the ticket for you. Check out which option suits you best...<br />

Economy class<br />

■ From €99 return all-in<br />

■ No refund possible<br />

■ Yes, for check-in online<br />

■ 40 minutes before departure<br />

■ 20kgs checked + 6kgs hand luggage<br />

(1 piece), ski equipment for free<br />

■ No<br />

■ No<br />

■ No<br />

■ No<br />

■ For sale on board (see menu card)<br />

■ No lounge access*<br />

The low<br />

fare you<br />

can trust<br />

■ 125 or 750 miles per flight depending<br />

on fare level<br />

■ No<br />

■ Subject to availability, €50 change fee +<br />

difference between old and new fare<br />

■ Flexible premium economy fares<br />

■ Fully refundable if cancelled prior to departure<br />

■ Yes<br />

■ 40 minutes before departure<br />

■ 20kgs checked + 12kgs hand luggage (1 piece),<br />

golfbag for free, ski equipment for free<br />

■ During peak hours in Athens, Birmingham,<br />

Bristol, Brussels, Budapest, Frankfurt, Hamburg,<br />

Lisbon, London Gatwick, Manchester, Milan<br />

Malpensa, Moscow, Newcastle, Prague, Venice<br />

■ Yes<br />

■ Middle seat free if possible<br />

■ Free<br />

■ Free<br />

■ €15*<br />

■ 1,250 miles per flight<br />

The best<br />

economy<br />

class in<br />

Europe<br />

■ Free if seats available upon departure<br />

* Free for Miles & More Frequent Traveller and above, and Star Alliance Gold<br />

**If same fare category or lower is no longer available, then a fare differential is charged. Fully flexible fare category available<br />

■ Free subject to availability within the same<br />

fare category**


Business class<br />

■ Business Class return fares<br />

■ Fully refundable if cancelled prior to departure<br />

■ Yes<br />

■ 40 minutes before departure<br />

■ 30kgs checked + 16kgs hand luggage (2 pieces),<br />

golfbag for free, ski equipment for free<br />

■ During peak hours in Athens, Birmingham,<br />

Bristol, Brussels, Budapest, Frankfurt, Hamburg,<br />

Lisbon, London Gatwick, Manchester, Milan<br />

Malpensa, Moscow, Newcastle, Prague, Venice<br />

■ Dedicated b.business check-in at Brussels<br />

■ Guaranteed middle seat free<br />

■ Free<br />

■ Gourmet dining service, champagne<br />

■ Free<br />

■ 2,000 miles per flight<br />

■ Free<br />

■ Free subject to availability<br />

The class<br />

that puts<br />

you first<br />

PRODUCT LINE-UP AIRLINE<br />

Keep up to date with our fantastic weekend<br />

sales and seasonal promotions. Subscribe<br />

to our e-newsletter at brusselsairlines.com<br />

Free upgrade from P1 to VIP Valet Parking at Brussels Airport. Call +32 (0)2 715 2123 to book,<br />

or see 'manage my flight' on brusselsairlines.com<br />

Next time<br />

don’t forget to<br />

check in online<br />

brusselsairlines.com<br />

Premium Business Class service for<br />

top segment business travellers<br />

Dedicated product for corporate<br />

travellers, offering best value for<br />

money (flexibility, time saving &<br />

onboard service)<br />

Our low fare leisure product. Fares<br />

starting from €99 return all-in<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

89


90<br />

i<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

loyalty programme<br />

Triple Miles promo on our<br />

six Spanish destinations<br />

Celebrate the Spanish Presidency of the European<br />

Union by flying to/from Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao,<br />

Malaga, Seville and Palma de Mallorca from 01.02.<strong>2010</strong><br />

to 30.04.<strong>2010</strong> and get triple miles on b.fl ex economy+<br />

and b.business. Sign up at miles-and-more.be<br />

Sky Shops, a new Miles & More<br />

partner in Belgium!<br />

Earn 1 mile for every euro* you spend at the 26 Belgian Sky Shops in both<br />

terminals at Brussels Airport. Simply show your Miles & More card at the<br />

time of payment and start earning miles with your favourite products<br />

*minimum total expenditure of €25 on the same day<br />

Sky Shops, le nouveau partenaire de<br />

Miles & More en Belgique!<br />

Cumulez 1 mile par euro* dépensé dans chacun des 26 Belgian<br />

Sky Shops des 2 terminaux de l’aéroport de Bruxelles. Présentez<br />

tout simplement votre carte Miles & More au moment du paiement<br />

et cumulez de précieux miles grâce à vos articles favoris<br />

*sur une dépense totale de minimum 25 € par jour<br />

Triple Miles sur nos six<br />

destinations espagnoles<br />

Célébrez la Présidence Espagnole de l’Union Européenne en<br />

voyageant de/vers Madrid, Barcelone, Bilbao, Malaga, Séville et<br />

Palma de Mallorca du 01.02.<strong>2010</strong> à 30.04.<strong>2010</strong> en b.flex<br />

economy+ et b.business. Enregistrez-vous sur miles-and-more.be<br />

Driedubbele mijlenpromotie op onze<br />

zes Spaanse bestemmingen<br />

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economy+ en b.business. Schrijf nu in via miles-and-more.be<br />

Sky Shops, een nieuwe Miles & More<br />

partner in België !<br />

Verzamel 1 mijl per euro* bij uw aankopen in één van de 26<br />

Belgian Sky Shops in de terminals op Brussels Airport. Om<br />

mijlen te verzamelen voor de aankoop van uw favoriete poducten<br />

hoeft u enkel uw Miles & More kaart te tonen bij de betaling<br />

*minimum totale besteding van 25€ op dezelfde dag<br />

Become a Miles & More member now Sign up online on miles-and-more.be or ask our cabin crew for an application form


Set up your own username and<br />

password – it’s easy!<br />

If you don’t have your Miles & More card at hand with you all the time, but<br />

you use our online site regularly for transfers and operations, there’s an even<br />

easier way to log on thanks to the possibility of creating your own username<br />

and password. Just four simple steps, and you can log in to miles-and-more.be<br />

whether or not you’re carrying your Miles & More card<br />

MILES & MORE AIRLINE<br />

1. Log in using your card number and PIN. 2. Click on “My profile” followed by the icon “Personal data”. 3. Enter the user name and password<br />

you would like to use. 4. Click on the “yes, save changes” button. The new data will be saved and your profile updated accordingly.<br />

Créer votre propre nom d’utilisateur<br />

et votre mot de passe : simplissime !<br />

Vous n’avez pas constamment votre carte Miles & More sous la<br />

main, mais vous vous connectez régulièrement pour faire des<br />

transferts et des opérations en ligne ? Découvrez alors une façon<br />

encore plus facile de vous identifi er, grâce à la possibilité de créer<br />

votre propre nom d’utilisateur et votre mot de passe. En quatre<br />

étapes seulement, vous pourrez vous identifi er pour accéder à<br />

miles-and-more.be, avec ou sans votre carte Miles & More.<br />

1. Identifiez-vous en utilisant votre numéro de carte et votre code PIN.<br />

2. Veuillez cliquer sur « My profile » (« Mon profil ») et ensuite sur l’icône<br />

« Personal data » (« Données personnelles »). 3. Entrez le nom<br />

d’utilisateur et le mot de passe souhaités. 4. Cliquez sur le bouton « yes,<br />

save changes » (« Oui, sauvez les modifications »). Les nouvelles données<br />

sont ainsi sauvegardées et votre profil mis à jour.<br />

Miles & More partners<br />

Airlines<br />

Adria Airways<br />

Aegean Airlines<br />

AII Nippon Airways<br />

Air Astana*<br />

Air Canada<br />

Air China<br />

Air Dolomiti<br />

Air India<br />

Air Malta<br />

Air New Zealand<br />

Asiana Airlines<br />

Austrian Airlines<br />

Blue1<br />

bmi<br />

Brussels Airlines<br />

Cirrus Airlines<br />

Condor<br />

Continental Airlines<br />

Croatia Airlines<br />

Egypt Air<br />

Ethiopian Airlines*<br />

Jat Airways*<br />

Jet Airways<br />

LOT Polish Airlines<br />

Lufthansa<br />

Lufthansa Italia<br />

Lufthansa Private Jet<br />

Lufthansa Regional<br />

Luxair<br />

Mexicana<br />

Qatar Airways<br />

Scandinavian Airlines<br />

Shanghai Airlines<br />

Singapore Airlines<br />

South African Airways<br />

Spanair<br />

Swiss International<br />

Air Lines<br />

TACA International Airlines<br />

TAM<br />

TAP Portugal<br />

Thai Airways<br />

International<br />

Turkish Airlines<br />

United Airlines<br />

US Airways<br />

* on selected routes<br />

Hotels<br />

Accor Group: Sofitel<br />

Hotels & Resorts/<br />

Pullman Hotels &<br />

Resorts/MGallery<br />

Best Western/Best<br />

Western Premier<br />

Global Hotel Alliance<br />

Hilton/Conrad<br />

Hotels & Resorts/<br />

Doubletree/Embassy<br />

Suites Hotels/Hilton<br />

Garden Inn/Hilton Grand<br />

Vacations/The Waldorf<br />

Astoria Collection<br />

InterContinental Hotels<br />

& Resorts/Crowne Plaza/<br />

Express by Holiday Inn/<br />

Holiday Inn Hotels &<br />

Resorts/Hotel Indigo/<br />

Staybridge Suites/<br />

Candlewood Suites<br />

Raffles Hotels &<br />

Resorts/Swissôtel Hotels<br />

& Resorts/Fairmont<br />

Hotels & Resorts<br />

Hyatt Hotels & Resorts/<br />

Andaz<br />

Innside Premium Hotels<br />

Stel uw gebruikersnaam en<br />

wachtwoord in – het is eenvoudig!<br />

Als u uw Miles & More-kaart niet steeds bij de hand hebt,<br />

maar u de website regelmatig gebruikt voor transfers en<br />

verrichtingen, is er een eenvoudigere manier om in te<br />

loggen door uw eigen gebruikersnaam en wachtwoord aan<br />

te maken. Slechts vier eenvoudige stappen en u kunt<br />

inloggen op miles-and-more.be, of u uw Miles & More-kaart<br />

bij hebt of niet.<br />

1. Log in met uw kaartnummer en PIN-code. 2. Klik op ‘My profile’ (‘Mijn<br />

profiel’) en vervolgens op het icoontje ‘Personal data’ (‘Persoonlijke<br />

gegevens’). 3. Geef de gebruikersnaam en het wachtwoord dat u wenst te<br />

gebruiken in. 4. Klik op de knop ‘yes, save changes’ (‘Ja, wijzigingen<br />

opslaan’). Op deze manier worden de nieuwe gegevens opgeslagen en<br />

wordt uw profiel geüpdatet.<br />

Jumeirah<br />

Kempinski Hotels/<br />

Pan Pacific Hotels<br />

and Resorts<br />

The Leading Hotels<br />

of the World<br />

Marriott Hotels &<br />

Resorts/Courtyard<br />

by Marriott/Renaissance<br />

Hotels & Resorts/JW<br />

Marriott Hotels &<br />

Resorts/Marriott<br />

Vacation Club<br />

International/Fairfield<br />

Inn by Marriott/<br />

SpringHill Suites by<br />

Marriott/TownePlace<br />

Suites by Marriott/<br />

Residence Inn by<br />

Marriott<br />

Mövenpick Hotels<br />

& Resorts<br />

Mandarin Oriental<br />

Hotel Group<br />

NH Hoteles<br />

Orbis Hotel Group<br />

Radisson SAS/Park Inn<br />

Hotels/The Regent<br />

Hotels<br />

Ramada Worldwide/<br />

Wyndham Hotels &<br />

Resorts<br />

Sheraton Hotels &<br />

Resorts/Westin Hotels<br />

& Resorts/The Luxury<br />

Collection/Four Points<br />

by Sheraton/Le Méridien<br />

Hotels & Resorts/St.<br />

Regis Hotels & Resorts/<br />

W Hotels/aloft<br />

Shangri-La Hotels and<br />

Resorts/Traders Hotels<br />

WORLDHOTELS/Lindner<br />

Hotels & Resorts<br />

Taj Hotels Resorts<br />

and Palaces<br />

Car rentals<br />

Avis<br />

Europcar<br />

Hertz<br />

Sixt<br />

Others<br />

Anson’s<br />

ASSTEL<br />

Bank of America<br />

Barclays Bank<br />

buch.de<br />

Citibank Russia<br />

Clarima<br />

Cornèr Bank<br />

DenizBank<br />

Deutsche Bank<br />

Die Welt/Welt am<br />

Sonntag<br />

Diners Club Austria<br />

Financial Times<br />

Deutschland<br />

FOCUS<br />

Frankfurter Allgemeine<br />

Zeitung<br />

LOT/Citibank<br />

Lufthansa Miles & More<br />

Credit Card<br />

PAYBACK<br />

Piraeus Bank<br />

Porsche<br />

Sparkassen<br />

Süddeutsche Zeitung<br />

T-Home<br />

T-Mobile Deutschland<br />

Travel Value Duty Free<br />

TV Spielfilm<br />

VISA Austria<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

91


92<br />

AIRLINE SAFETY ON BOARD<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

safety<br />

For your safety<br />

and comfort<br />

Welcome on board our fl ight today<br />

and thank you for choosing Brussels<br />

Airlines. Please read the information<br />

below regarding smoking and safety<br />

regulations on board. Should you<br />

have any questions, please ask your<br />

cabin attendant.<br />

Electronic devices<br />

No personal communications or radio<br />

emitting devices, such as portable<br />

telephones, radios, GPS locators,<br />

games or remote-control toys, may be<br />

used on board*. Please ensure that<br />

your telephone is switched off before<br />

and during the flight. Items such as<br />

personal computers and electronic<br />

games may be used during the flight,<br />

but must be switched off during takeoff<br />

and landing.<br />

Smoking<br />

In accordance with government<br />

regulations, smoking is not permitted<br />

on any Brussels Airlines flight.<br />

Passengers should be aware that there<br />

are smoke detectors in the aircraft’s<br />

toilets and that any breach of this rule<br />

may incur penalties.<br />

Safety procedures<br />

You will find an information sheet on<br />

safety procedures in your seat pocket.<br />

Please read it carefully and please listen<br />

attentively to all safety announcements<br />

and instructions from the crew.<br />

Alcohol<br />

Passengers are not allowed to consume<br />

alcohol they have brought with them<br />

or bought on board. Alcohol may be<br />

served on board, but our cabin crew<br />

will not serve any passenger who they<br />

feel has already had too much to drink.<br />

*For the complete list of items whose use<br />

is restricted, please see your safety card<br />

located in the seat pocket in front of you.<br />

Pour votre securite et<br />

votre confort<br />

Nous vous souhaitons la bienvenue à<br />

bord de notre vol, et vous remercions<br />

d’avoir choisi Brussels Airlines. Veuillez<br />

lire les informations suivantes<br />

concernant les consignes de sécurité<br />

et l’interdiction de fumer à bord. Pour<br />

toute question, n’hésitez pas à vous<br />

adresser à notre personnel navigant.<br />

Appareils électroniques<br />

Aucun appareil de communication ou<br />

émetteur radio personnel, tel que<br />

téléphone portable, radio, système<br />

GPS, jeu ou jouet télécommandé ne<br />

peut être utilisé à bord*. Veuillez vous<br />

assurer que votre téléphone est bien<br />

éteint avant et pendant le vol. L’utilisation<br />

des ordinateurs et jeux électroniques<br />

est autorisée pendant le vol, mais ces<br />

appareils doivent être éteints lors du<br />

décollage et de l’atterrissage.<br />

Interdiction de fumer<br />

Conformément aux réglementations<br />

gouvernementales, tous les vols<br />

Brussels Airlines sont entièrement<br />

non-fumeurs. Nous rappelons aux<br />

passagers que les toilettes de l’avion<br />

sont équipées de détecteurs de fumée,<br />

et que toute infraction à ce règlement<br />

peut entraîner une amende.<br />

Procédures de sécurité<br />

Vous trouverez dans la poche de votre<br />

siège une fiche d’information concernant<br />

les procédures de sécurité. Veuillez lire<br />

cette fiche et écouter attentivement<br />

toutes les annonces et instructions de<br />

l’équipage en matière de sécurité.<br />

Alcool<br />

Les passagers ne sont pas autorisés à<br />

consommer l’alcool qu’ils ont emporté<br />

ou acheté à bord. De l’alcool peut être<br />

servi dans l’avion, mais notre équipage<br />

refusera de servir tout passager qu’il<br />

soupçonne d’avoir déjà trop bu.<br />

*Pour la liste complète des appareils dont<br />

l’utilisation à bord est interdite, veuillez<br />

consulter la fiche de sécurité rangée dans<br />

la poche du siège devant vous.<br />

Voor uw veiligheid en<br />

comfort<br />

We verwelkomen u graag aan boord<br />

van deze vlucht en danken u om te<br />

vliegen met Brussels Airlines. Lees<br />

aandachtig onderstaande informatie<br />

over roken en veiligheid aan boord.<br />

Als u vragen heeft, kunt u die stellen<br />

aan het cabinepersoneel.<br />

Elektronische apparaten<br />

U mag aan boord geen (communicatie)<br />

apparaten gebruiken die radiogolven<br />

uitzenden, zoals draagbare telefoons,<br />

radio’s, GPS-apparaten, spelletjes of<br />

speelgoed met een afstandsbediening*.<br />

Zorg ervoor dat uw telefoon is<br />

uitgeschakeld voor en tijdens de vlucht.<br />

Elektronische toestellen zoals personal<br />

computers en spelletjes mag u tijdens<br />

de vlucht gebruiken, maar moet u<br />

uitschakelen bij het opstijgen en landen.<br />

Roken<br />

In overeenstemming met de Belgische<br />

wetgeving is roken verboden op alle<br />

vluchten van Brussels Airlines. Wij<br />

wijzen u erop dat de toiletten aan<br />

boord zijn uitgerust met<br />

rookdetectoren. Een inbreuk op het<br />

rookverbod kan bestraft worden.<br />

Veiligheidsprocedures<br />

U vindt een informatieblad over de<br />

veiligheidsprocedures in het<br />

opbergzakje voor u. Lees het<br />

zorgvuldig en luister aandachtig naar<br />

alle veiligheidsmededelingen en<br />

instructies van het cabinepersoneel.<br />

Alcohol<br />

Passagiers mogen geen alcohol<br />

gebruiken die ze hebben meegebracht<br />

of aan boord hebben gekocht. Alcohol<br />

kan aan boord worden geserveerd,<br />

maar ons cabinepersoneel zal geen<br />

alcohol schenken aan passagiers die<br />

volgens hen al voldoende hebben<br />

*In het opbergzakje voor u vindt u uw<br />

veiligheidskaart met daarop de volledige<br />

lijst van apparaten met gebruiksbeperkingen.


92<br />

AIRLINE SAFETY ON BOARD<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

safety<br />

For your safety<br />

and comfort<br />

Welcome on board our fl ight today<br />

and thank you for choosing Brussels<br />

Airlines. Please read the information<br />

below regarding smoking and safety<br />

regulations on board. Should you<br />

have any questions, please ask your<br />

cabin attendant.<br />

Electronic devices<br />

No personal communications or radio<br />

emitting devices, such as portable<br />

telephones, radios, GPS locators,<br />

games or remote-control toys, may be<br />

used on board*. Please ensure that<br />

your telephone is switched off before<br />

and during the flight. Items such as<br />

personal computers and electronic<br />

games may be used during the flight,<br />

but must be switched off during takeoff<br />

and landing.<br />

Smoking<br />

In accordance with government<br />

regulations, smoking is not permitted<br />

on any Brussels Airlines flight.<br />

Passengers should be aware that there<br />

are smoke detectors in the aircraft’s<br />

toilets and that any breach of this rule<br />

may incur penalties.<br />

Safety procedures<br />

You will find an information sheet on<br />

safety procedures in your seat pocket.<br />

Please read it carefully and please listen<br />

attentively to all safety announcements<br />

and instructions from the crew.<br />

Alcohol<br />

Passengers are not allowed to consume<br />

alcohol they have brought with them<br />

or bought on board. Alcohol may be<br />

served on board, but our cabin crew<br />

will not serve any passenger who they<br />

feel has already had too much to drink.<br />

*For the complete list of items whose use<br />

is restricted, please see your safety card<br />

located in the seat pocket in front of you.<br />

Pour votre securite et<br />

votre confort<br />

Nous vous souhaitons la bienvenue à<br />

bord de notre vol, et vous remercions<br />

d’avoir choisi Brussels Airlines. Veuillez<br />

lire les informations suivantes<br />

concernant les consignes de sécurité<br />

et l’interdiction de fumer à bord. Pour<br />

toute question, n’hésitez pas à vous<br />

adresser à notre personnel navigant.<br />

Appareils électroniques<br />

Aucun appareil de communication ou<br />

émetteur radio personnel, tel que<br />

téléphone portable, radio, système<br />

GPS, jeu ou jouet télécommandé ne<br />

peut être utilisé à bord*. Veuillez vous<br />

assurer que votre téléphone est bien<br />

éteint avant et pendant le vol. L’utilisation<br />

des ordinateurs et jeux électroniques<br />

est autorisée pendant le vol, mais ces<br />

appareils doivent être éteints lors du<br />

décollage et de l’atterrissage.<br />

Interdiction de fumer<br />

Conformément aux réglementations<br />

gouvernementales, tous les vols<br />

Brussels Airlines sont entièrement<br />

non-fumeurs. Nous rappelons aux<br />

passagers que les toilettes de l’avion<br />

sont équipées de détecteurs de fumée,<br />

et que toute infraction à ce règlement<br />

peut entraîner une amende.<br />

Procédures de sécurité<br />

Vous trouverez dans la poche de votre<br />

siège une fiche d’information concernant<br />

les procédures de sécurité. Veuillez lire<br />

cette fiche et écouter attentivement<br />

toutes les annonces et instructions de<br />

l’équipage en matière de sécurité.<br />

Alcool<br />

Les passagers ne sont pas autorisés à<br />

consommer l’alcool qu’ils ont emporté<br />

ou acheté à bord. De l’alcool peut être<br />

servi dans l’avion, mais notre équipage<br />

refusera de servir tout passager qu’il<br />

soupçonne d’avoir déjà trop bu.<br />

*Pour la liste complète des appareils dont<br />

l’utilisation à bord est interdite, veuillez<br />

consulter la fiche de sécurité rangée dans<br />

la poche du siège devant vous.<br />

Voor uw veiligheid en<br />

comfort<br />

We verwelkomen u graag aan boord<br />

van deze vlucht en danken u om te<br />

vliegen met Brussels Airlines. Lees<br />

aandachtig onderstaande informatie<br />

over roken en veiligheid aan boord.<br />

Als u vragen heeft, kunt u die stellen<br />

aan het cabinepersoneel.<br />

Elektronische apparaten<br />

U mag aan boord geen (communicatie)<br />

apparaten gebruiken die radiogolven<br />

uitzenden, zoals draagbare telefoons,<br />

radio’s, GPS-apparaten, spelletjes of<br />

speelgoed met een afstandsbediening*.<br />

Zorg ervoor dat uw telefoon is<br />

uitgeschakeld voor en tijdens de vlucht.<br />

Elektronische toestellen zoals personal<br />

computers en spelletjes mag u tijdens<br />

de vlucht gebruiken, maar moet u<br />

uitschakelen bij het opstijgen en landen.<br />

Roken<br />

In overeenstemming met de Belgische<br />

wetgeving is roken verboden op alle<br />

vluchten van Brussels Airlines. Wij<br />

wijzen u erop dat de toiletten aan<br />

boord zijn uitgerust met<br />

rookdetectoren. Een inbreuk op het<br />

rookverbod kan bestraft worden.<br />

Veiligheidsprocedures<br />

U vindt een informatieblad over de<br />

veiligheidsprocedures in het<br />

opbergzakje voor u. Lees het<br />

zorgvuldig en luister aandachtig naar<br />

alle veiligheidsmededelingen en<br />

instructies van het cabinepersoneel.<br />

Alcohol<br />

Passagiers mogen geen alcohol<br />

gebruiken die ze hebben meegebracht<br />

of aan boord hebben gekocht. Alcohol<br />

kan aan boord worden geserveerd,<br />

maar ons cabinepersoneel zal geen<br />

alcohol schenken aan passagiers die<br />

volgens hen al voldoende hebben<br />

*In het opbergzakje voor u vindt u uw<br />

veiligheidskaart met daarop de volledige<br />

lijst van apparaten met gebruiksbeperkingen.


94<br />

AIRLINE WELLBEING ON BOARD<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

comfort<br />

Your personal<br />

wellbeing on board<br />

Nowadays, for many passengers, fl ying<br />

regularly is part of life. However, the body is<br />

sensitive to change and fl ying still isn’t part<br />

of a normal daily rhythm. Brussels Airlines<br />

cares about your comfort, so here are a<br />

couple of hints on how to keep your body<br />

happy and healthy in the air.<br />

Before<br />

■ Drink plenty of water and avoid excessive<br />

intake of alcohol, coffee and tea<br />

■ Take time to have a stroll around the<br />

terminal after check-in<br />

■ A light snack is fine, but avoid heavy meals<br />

before flying<br />

■ Dress in loose, comfortable clothing<br />

■ Apply moisturiser to keep your skin<br />

feeling fresh<br />

During<br />

■ Drink plenty of water and avoid excessive<br />

intake of alcohol, coffee and tea<br />

■ Exercise helps you avoid cramps and is<br />

good for circulation, even on short flights<br />

(see below)<br />

■ Don’t eat too much<br />

Exercises<br />

Stretch and flex your leg muscles, as well as<br />

your arms, shoulders and neck, from time to<br />

time. This will improve your general level of<br />

comfort and stimulate your circulation.<br />

Stretch and rotate your ankles and legs while<br />

sitting in your seat.<br />

Votre bien-être à bord<br />

De nos jours, il est de plus en plus courant de<br />

prendre l’avion régulièrement. Cependant,<br />

le corps est sensible aux changements, et<br />

voler implique toujours une modifi cation<br />

du rythme normal. Pour Brussels Airlines, la<br />

question de votre confort est une priorité.<br />

Voici donc quelques conseils pour garder un<br />

corps léger et équilibré jusque dans les airs.<br />

Avant<br />

■ Buvez beaucoup d’eau, évitez une consommation<br />

excessive d’alcool, de café et de thé<br />

■ Prenez le temps de vous balader un peu<br />

dans l’aérogare après l’enregistrement<br />

■ N’hésitez pas à prendre un en-cas léger, mais<br />

évitez les repas trop lourds avant d’embarquer<br />

■ Portez des vêtements amples et confortables<br />

■ Appliquez une crème hydratante pour<br />

garder une peau fraîche<br />

Pendant<br />

■ Buvez beaucoup d’eau, évitez une<br />

consommation excessive d’alcool, de café et<br />

de thé<br />

■ Faire de l’exercice permet d’éviter les<br />

crampes et est excellent pour la circulation.<br />

Essayez les exercices décrits ci-dessous<br />

■ Ne mangez pas trop<br />

Exercises<br />

Etirez et fléchissez de temps à autre les<br />

muscles de vos jambes, vos bras, vos épaules<br />

et votre nuque. Cela améliorera votre confort<br />

général tout en stimulant votre circulation.<br />

Etirez et dessinez de petits cercles avec vos<br />

chevilles et vos jambes lorsque vous êtes assis.<br />

Uw persoonlijk<br />

comfort aan board<br />

Vandaag maakt vliegen voor heel wat<br />

passagiers deel uit van het dagelijkse<br />

leven. Ons lichaam is echter gevoelig voor<br />

verandering en vliegen kan ons dagritme<br />

danig in de war brengen. Uw welzijn ligt<br />

Brussels Airlines nauw aan het hart. Daarom<br />

geven we u enkele tips om ook in de lucht uw<br />

lichaam fi t en gezond te houden.<br />

Vooraf<br />

■ Drink veel water en vermijd overmatig<br />

gebruik van alcohol, koffie en thee<br />

■ Neem de tijd om na het inchecken even<br />

door de terminal te wandelen<br />

■ Een lichte snack mag, maar eet niet te<br />

zwaar vóór u het vliegtuig neemt<br />

■ Draag losse, comfortabele kleding<br />

■ Gebruik een vochtinbrengende crème zodat<br />

uw huid fris aanvoelt<br />

Tijdens<br />

■ Drink veel water en vermijd overmatig<br />

gebruik van alcohol, koffie en thee<br />

■ Oefeningen voorkomen krampen en zijn<br />

goed voor de bloedsomloop. Probeer<br />

onderstaande oefeningen<br />

■ Eet niet te veel<br />

Oefeningen<br />

Strek en buig nu en dan uw benen, armen,<br />

schouders en nek. U zult er zich beter door<br />

voelen en het stimuleert de bloedsomloop.<br />

Strek en draai uw enkels en benen terwijl u in<br />

uw stoel zit.<br />

1 2 3 4<br />

Stretch and rotate your ankles and legs while seated 1 . Flex and stretch your calf muscles 2 , as well as your arms 3 , shoulders and neck 4 periodically. This<br />

will improve your general level of comfort and stimulate your circulation.<br />

Illustrations Kurt Parton/illustrationroom.com.au


94<br />

AIRLINE WELLBEING ON BOARD<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

comfort<br />

Your personal<br />

wellbeing on board<br />

Nowadays, for many passengers, fl ying<br />

regularly is part of life. However, the body is<br />

sensitive to change and fl ying still isn’t part<br />

of a normal daily rhythm. Brussels Airlines<br />

cares about your comfort, so here are a<br />

couple of hints on how to keep your body<br />

happy and healthy in the air.<br />

Before<br />

■ Drink plenty of water and avoid excessive<br />

intake of alcohol, coffee and tea<br />

■ Take time to have a stroll around the<br />

terminal after check-in<br />

■ A light snack is fine, but avoid heavy meals<br />

before flying<br />

■ Dress in loose, comfortable clothing<br />

■ Apply moisturiser to keep your skin<br />

feeling fresh<br />

During<br />

■ Drink plenty of water and avoid excessive<br />

intake of alcohol, coffee and tea<br />

■ Exercise helps you avoid cramps and is<br />

good for circulation, even on short flights<br />

(see below)<br />

■ Don’t eat too much<br />

Exercises<br />

Stretch and flex your leg muscles, as well as<br />

your arms, shoulders and neck, from time to<br />

time. This will improve your general level of<br />

comfort and stimulate your circulation.<br />

Stretch and rotate your ankles and legs while<br />

sitting in your seat.<br />

Votre bien-être à bord<br />

De nos jours, il est de plus en plus courant de<br />

prendre l’avion régulièrement. Cependant,<br />

le corps est sensible aux changements, et<br />

voler implique toujours une modifi cation<br />

du rythme normal. Pour Brussels Airlines, la<br />

question de votre confort est une priorité.<br />

Voici donc quelques conseils pour garder un<br />

corps léger et équilibré jusque dans les airs.<br />

Avant<br />

■ Buvez beaucoup d’eau, évitez une consommation<br />

excessive d’alcool, de café et de thé<br />

■ Prenez le temps de vous balader un peu<br />

dans l’aérogare après l’enregistrement<br />

■ N’hésitez pas à prendre un en-cas léger, mais<br />

évitez les repas trop lourds avant d’embarquer<br />

■ Portez des vêtements amples et confortables<br />

■ Appliquez une crème hydratante pour<br />

garder une peau fraîche<br />

Pendant<br />

■ Buvez beaucoup d’eau, évitez une<br />

consommation excessive d’alcool, de café et<br />

de thé<br />

■ Faire de l’exercice permet d’éviter les<br />

crampes et est excellent pour la circulation.<br />

Essayez les exercices décrits ci-dessous<br />

■ Ne mangez pas trop<br />

Exercises<br />

Etirez et fléchissez de temps à autre les<br />

muscles de vos jambes, vos bras, vos épaules<br />

et votre nuque. Cela améliorera votre confort<br />

général tout en stimulant votre circulation.<br />

Etirez et dessinez de petits cercles avec vos<br />

chevilles et vos jambes lorsque vous êtes assis.<br />

Uw persoonlijk<br />

comfort aan board<br />

Vandaag maakt vliegen voor heel wat<br />

passagiers deel uit van het dagelijkse<br />

leven. Ons lichaam is echter gevoelig voor<br />

verandering en vliegen kan ons dagritme<br />

danig in de war brengen. Uw welzijn ligt<br />

Brussels Airlines nauw aan het hart. Daarom<br />

geven we u enkele tips om ook in de lucht uw<br />

lichaam fi t en gezond te houden.<br />

Vooraf<br />

■ Drink veel water en vermijd overmatig<br />

gebruik van alcohol, koffie en thee<br />

■ Neem de tijd om na het inchecken even<br />

door de terminal te wandelen<br />

■ Een lichte snack mag, maar eet niet te<br />

zwaar vóór u het vliegtuig neemt<br />

■ Draag losse, comfortabele kleding<br />

■ Gebruik een vochtinbrengende crème zodat<br />

uw huid fris aanvoelt<br />

Tijdens<br />

■ Drink veel water en vermijd overmatig<br />

gebruik van alcohol, koffie en thee<br />

■ Oefeningen voorkomen krampen en zijn<br />

goed voor de bloedsomloop. Probeer<br />

onderstaande oefeningen<br />

■ Eet niet te veel<br />

Oefeningen<br />

Strek en buig nu en dan uw benen, armen,<br />

schouders en nek. U zult er zich beter door<br />

voelen en het stimuleert de bloedsomloop.<br />

Strek en draai uw enkels en benen terwijl u in<br />

uw stoel zit.<br />

1 2 3 4<br />

Stretch and rotate your ankles and legs while seated 1 . Flex and stretch your calf muscles 2 , as well as your arms 3 , shoulders and neck 4 periodically. This<br />

will improve your general level of comfort and stimulate your circulation.<br />

Illustrations Kurt Parton/illustrationroom.com.au


96<br />

AIRLINE SAFETY ON BOARD<br />

relax<br />

What’s that noise?<br />

Aircraft, like any other form of motorised transport, are full of odd noises and<br />

movements that can be disconcerting when you’re not used to them. At Brussels<br />

Airlines we understand passengers’ concerns and are passionate about reassuring<br />

you, so we’ve prepared this short guide to set your mind at ease<br />

■ Just before or after start-up, the lights and air conditioning suddenly go off<br />

and back on.<br />

Don’t worry: This is a changeover of power source, from an external generator to<br />

an internal one.<br />

■ During taxi you see part of the wing moving down and backwards.<br />

Don’t worry: These are flaps extending to provide more lift during take-off. After<br />

take-off they will retract until just before landing.<br />

■ Immediately after take-off you hear a noise from below the floor.<br />

Don’t worry: This is the landing gear retracting into the body of the aircraft.<br />

■ During climb the sound of the engines diminishes.<br />

Don’t worry: The engines go to a lower power output after initial full throttle for<br />

take-off. They also go to ‘idle power’ just before descent.<br />

■ During climb you hear a whirring noise, changing in intensity or tone.<br />

Don’t worry: This is the sound of the flaps retracting. You’ll hear the same noise<br />

just before landing, when the flaps extend again.<br />

■ You see the wing-tips moving up and down during turbulence.<br />

Don’t worry: The wings are flexible and built to cope with heavy turbulence.<br />

■ You see a flashing light through the windows.<br />

Don’t worry: This is usually the strobe lights on the wing-tips reflecting off<br />

surrounding clouds. Lightning can also be seen at night, but this is no indication of<br />

the distance of the storm – the heart of the storm will usually be further away.<br />

■ After landing you hear a blowing sound (sometimes with increasing engine sound).<br />

Don’t worry: This is the engine’s thrust reversers, redirecting the airflow of the<br />

engines forward to slow down the aircraft.<br />

■ You experience heavy deceleration after touch-down, sometimes accompanied<br />

by a pulsating braking.<br />

Don’t worry: Braking can be heavier or softer depending on the length of the<br />

runway. The pulsation is from the anti-skid device (just like in a car), which<br />

prevents the wheels skidding on wet ground.<br />

If you have any questions that aren’t covered here, just ask your flight attendant. For<br />

those who need reassurance, Brussels Airlines, Brussels Airport and the University<br />

of Ghent have set up a special two-day course designed to help passengers get over<br />

their fear of flying. For further information, visit vliegangst.org<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

C’est quoi ce bruit?<br />

Comme tous les moyens de transport motorisés, un avion émet<br />

toutes sortes de bruits bizarres et effectue des mouvements,<br />

qui peuvent inquiéter si vous n’y êtes pas habitué. Chez Brussels<br />

Airlines, nous comprenons parfaitement le malaise que cela<br />

peut occasionner chez les passagers, et nous mettons tout en<br />

oeuvre pour vous rassurer. Voici donc un petit guide des bruits<br />

et des mouvements qui vous aidera à voyager l’esprit tranquille<br />

■ Juste avant ou après le démarrage de l’avion, les lumières et<br />

l’air conditionné s’éteignent et se rallument subitement.<br />

C’est tout à fait normal: Il s’agit d’un changement de source<br />

d’alimentation électrique: on passe d’un générateur externe à<br />

un générateur interne.<br />

■ Quand l’avion roule sur la piste, vous voyez une partie de<br />

l’aile s’abaisser et reculer.<br />

C’est tout à fait normal: Les volets se déploient pour offrir<br />

plus de portance lors du décollage. Après le décollage, ils se<br />

replieront jusqu’au moment de l’atterrissage.<br />

■ Juste après le décollage, vous entendez un bruit<br />

provenant du sol.<br />

C’est tout à fait normal: Ce n’est que le train d’atterrissage<br />

qui se replie dans le fuselage de l’avion.<br />

■ Le bruit des moteurs diminue pendant l’ascension.<br />

C’est tout à fait normal: Les moteurs diminuent de puissance<br />

après avoir fonctionné à pleins gaz lors du décollage. Ils<br />

passent également en mode ‘puissance réactive’ juste avant<br />

la descente de l’avion.<br />

■ Durant l’ascension, vous entendez un vrombissement dont<br />

l’intensité et la sonorité varient.<br />

C’est tout à fait normal: Les volets sont en train de se<br />

replier. Vous entendrez le même bruit juste avant<br />

l’atterrissage, quand ils se déploieront à nouveau.<br />

■ Quand l’avion traverse une zone de turbulences, vous voyez<br />

les extrémités des ailes bouger de haut en bas.<br />

C’est tout à fait normal: Les ailes sont flexibles et conçues<br />

pour résister à de très fortes turbulences.<br />

■ Vous voyez une lumière clignoter à travers les hublots.<br />

C’est tout à fait normal: Il s’agit généralement du reflet des<br />

lumières stroboscopiques qui se trouvent à l’extrémité des ailes<br />

de l’avion sur les nuages environnants. La nuit, vous pouvez aussi<br />

parfois voir des éclairs, mais ceux-ci n’indiquent en rien la distance<br />

de l’orage : le cœur de l’orage sera généralement plus éloigné.<br />

■ Après l’atterrissage, vous entendrez parfois un soufflement<br />

(pouvant être accompagné du bruit des moteurs qui va augmentant).<br />

C’est tout à fait normal: Il s’agit des inverseurs de poussée<br />

du moteur, qui redirigent le débit d’air des moteurs vers<br />

l’avant afin de ralentir l’avion.<br />

■ Après l’atterrissage, vous sentez une forte décélération,<br />

parfois accompagnée d’un freinage pulsé.<br />

C’est tout à fait normal: Le freinage peut être plus doux ou<br />

plus musclé selon la longueur de la piste. La pulsation<br />

provient du système antidérapant (comme dans une voiture),<br />

empêchant les roues de déraper sur le sol humide.<br />

Si des interrogations subsistent, n’hésitez pas à vous adresser au<br />

personnel de cabine. Pour les passagers souffrant d’anxiété, Brussels<br />

Airlines, Brussels Airport et l’Université de Gand ont mis sur pied une<br />

formation spéciale de deux jours, dont le but est d’aider à surmonter<br />

cette peur. Pour plus d’informations, voir vliegangst.org


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98<br />

AIRLINE OUR FLEET<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

in the air<br />

Brussels Airlines aircraft are a regular sight taking off and landing at Brussels Airport as well as at the<br />

70+ destinations we serve across Europe and Africa. Check our fl eet line-up to fi nd out more about the<br />

aircraft you’re fl ying on<br />

Airbus A319<br />

Number 4<br />

Destination Europe<br />

Seats 132<br />

Wingspan 34.09 metres<br />

Length 33.84 metres<br />

Height 11.76 metres<br />

Cruising speed 850 km/h<br />

Number 5<br />

Destination Europe<br />

Seats 142<br />

Wingspan 29.90 metres<br />

Length 33.40 metres<br />

Height 11.13 metres<br />

Max cruising speed 927 km/h<br />

Number 12<br />

Destination Europe<br />

Seats 97<br />

Wingspan 26.30 metres<br />

Length 31.00 metres<br />

Height 08.50 metres<br />

Cruising speed 755 km/h<br />

Airbus A330-300<br />

Number 4<br />

Destination Africa<br />

Seats 284<br />

Wingspan 60.30 metres<br />

Length 63.66 metres<br />

Height 16.91 metres<br />

Cruising speed 870 km/h<br />

Boeing 737-300 Boeing 737-400<br />

Number 5<br />

Destination Europe<br />

Seats 164<br />

Wingspan 29.90 metres<br />

Length 36.45 metres<br />

Height 11.13 metres<br />

Max cruising speed 927 km/h<br />

AVRO RJ100 AVRO RJ85<br />

Number 14<br />

Destination Europe<br />

Seats 82<br />

Wingspan 26.30 metres<br />

Length 28.30 metres<br />

Height 08.50 metres<br />

Cruising speed 755 km/h


98<br />

AIRLINE OUR FLEET<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

in the air<br />

Brussels Airlines aircraft are a regular sight taking off and landing at Brussels Airport as well as at the<br />

70+ destinations we serve across Europe and Africa. Check our fl eet line-up to fi nd out more about the<br />

aircraft you’re fl ying on<br />

Airbus A319<br />

Number 4<br />

Destination Europe<br />

Seats 132<br />

Wingspan 34.09 metres<br />

Length 33.84 metres<br />

Height 11.76 metres<br />

Cruising speed 850 km/h<br />

Number 5<br />

Destination Europe<br />

Seats 142<br />

Wingspan 29.90 metres<br />

Length 33.40 metres<br />

Height 11.13 metres<br />

Max cruising speed 927 km/h<br />

Number 12<br />

Destination Europe<br />

Seats 97<br />

Wingspan 26.30 metres<br />

Length 31.00 metres<br />

Height 08.50 metres<br />

Cruising speed 755 km/h<br />

Airbus A330-300<br />

Number 4<br />

Destination Africa<br />

Seats 284<br />

Wingspan 60.30 metres<br />

Length 63.66 metres<br />

Height 16.91 metres<br />

Cruising speed 870 km/h<br />

Boeing 737-300 Boeing 737-400<br />

Number 5<br />

Destination Europe<br />

Seats 164<br />

Wingspan 29.90 metres<br />

Length 36.45 metres<br />

Height 11.13 metres<br />

Max cruising speed 927 km/h<br />

AVRO RJ100 AVRO RJ85<br />

Number 14<br />

Destination Europe<br />

Seats 82<br />

Wingspan 26.30 metres<br />

Length 28.30 metres<br />

Height 08.50 metres<br />

Cruising speed 755 km/h


100<br />

Brussels Airport, the home base of Brussels Airlines,<br />

is tailored to suit the needs of all passengers: business<br />

travellers who seek a full service product, holiday<br />

passengers and low fare seekers alike. Brussels<br />

Airport aims to be amongst the most welcoming and<br />

efficient airports in the world. Over the last few years,<br />

international surveys and ratings show that the airport<br />

comes very close to reaching this ambitious target<br />

Transport to/from Brussels Airport<br />

Car rental<br />

The car rental companies are located<br />

in the arrivals hall level 2. To return<br />

your car, follow the signage at Brussels Airport<br />

for Front Park 1. Returning your car is simple<br />

and should take no longer than 10 minutes. Avis<br />

is the preferred partner of Brussels Airlines, for<br />

preferential rates, see the Avis link on<br />

brusselsairlines.com<br />

At Brussels Airport over<br />

10,000 parking spaces are<br />

available within walking distance of the<br />

passenger terminal. All year round we offer a<br />

range of parking products tailored to the needs<br />

of each customer including promotions for city<br />

trips and holiday packages. Park in FP3 for 14<br />

days and pay less €7 per day. Brussels Airlines<br />

passengers are entitled to a free upgrade to VIP<br />

Parking when flying Business Class.<br />

Taxis<br />

Taxis are continuously available<br />

outside the arrivals hall, level 2. We<br />

advise you to use official taxis carrying a yellow/<br />

blue licence emblem. Wheelchair users can<br />

reserve a taxi with Taxi Hendricks via tel. +32<br />

(0)2 752 9800 or hendriks.be<br />

Buses<br />

The bus station is located at level 0 and<br />

provides bus services to many cities<br />

around Brussels Airport. For more information<br />

you can contact:<br />

■ De Lijn: tel. +32 (0)70 220 200 or delijn.be<br />

■ MIVB/STIB: tel. +32 (0)7 023 2000 or stib.be<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

at the airport<br />

■ Airport Express:<br />

Antwerp–Brussels Airport–Antwerp:<br />

tel. +32 (0)52 334 000 or<br />

airportexpress.be<br />

The Netherlands–Brussels<br />

Airport–The Netherlands:<br />

airportxpress.nl (stops at<br />

Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Breda)<br />

Trains<br />

The train station is<br />

located at Brussels<br />

Airport at level -1. The Brussels<br />

For more information please visit our website: brusselsairport.be<br />

LEVEL 2<br />

LEVEL 1<br />

Airport Express takes you up to<br />

four times an hour to the centre of LEVEL -2<br />

Brussels in 15 minutes. From there you can<br />

connect to the Belgian and international rail<br />

networks. For more information please contact<br />

NMBS/SNCB via tel. +32 (0)2 753 2440 or b-rail.be<br />

GATES A28-A39<br />

LEVEL 0<br />

Persons with<br />

reduced mobility<br />

Brussels Airport is fully adapted to<br />

the needs of persons with reduced mobility<br />

(PRM). PRM who are accompanied can borrow a<br />

wheelchair in the departures hall to go to their<br />

gate and may apply for special assistance at the<br />

airport to proceed from the car park, bus or train<br />

station to the gate or vice versa. Always inform<br />

your airline of your specific needs.<br />

Communication<br />

A wireless internet connection (Wi-Fi/<br />

Hotspot) is available throughout the<br />

airport buildings. Wi-Fi access cards can be<br />

purchased at the Communication Centre in the<br />

arrivals hall level 2, or through the vending<br />

wi<br />

fi<br />

wi<br />

fi<br />

wi<br />

fi<br />

BRUSSELS AIRLINES<br />

TRANSFER & SERVICES<br />

Beside Gate T61<br />

GATES A40-A72<br />

GATES T61-T72<br />

BRUSSELS AIRLINES<br />

LOUNGE<br />

A57<br />

BRUSSELS AIRLINES<br />

TRANSFER & SERVICES<br />

Opposite Gate A40<br />

machines situated near the airline lounges, at<br />

the various Relay Shops and in the concourses.<br />

Lost, found and<br />

refused objects<br />

■ In the terminal: go to the<br />

information desk in the arrivals hall – level 2<br />

(opening hours 6am-9pm). For more information,<br />

tel. 0900-70 000 daily 7am-9pm<br />

■ Left on board: go to the Brussels Airlines desk<br />

in the baggage reclaim area<br />

■ Lost baggage: go to the Brussels Airlines<br />

desk in the baggage reclaim area,<br />

tel. +32 (0)2 723 3052


T-AREA<br />

LEVEL 4<br />

LEVEL 3<br />

LEVEL 2<br />

LEVEL 0<br />

LEVEL -1<br />

DEPARTURES<br />

ARRIVALS<br />

BUSES<br />

TO GATES A/T<br />

BRUSSELS AIRLINES<br />

SALES & TICKETING<br />

RAILWAY STATION<br />

BRUSSELS AIRLINES<br />

SUNRISE LOUNGE<br />

T-GATES BUS ARRIVAL<br />

BRUSSELS AIRLINES<br />

LOUNGE<br />

ATM (Cash machines)<br />

There are 8 ATMs at Brussels Airport:<br />

2 in the arrivals hall (level 2), 1 in the<br />

baggage reclaim area (level 2 airside), 2 in the<br />

departures hall (level 3), 1 on level 4 next to the<br />

Brussels Café, 1 at the beginning of Pier B and 1<br />

in Pier A shopping area (level 1).<br />

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Airline lounges<br />

Relaxation Zone<br />

Wireless Internet Access Zone<br />

Check-in<br />

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Supermarket<br />

At arrivals level the supermarket<br />

offers a wide range of bakery<br />

products and fresh vegetables as well as a large<br />

assortment of non-food products. There is also a<br />

Post Office service available.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

101


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CITY GUIDES<br />

* NEWCASTLE<br />

*<br />

BIRMINGHAM*<br />

MANCHESTER *<br />

BRISTOL *<br />

BILBAO *<br />

HAMBURG<br />

* WARSAW<br />

* PRAGUE<br />

VIENNA *<br />

* BUDAPEST<br />

*<br />

ATHENS *<br />

BERLIN<br />

* FRANKFURT<br />

* GOTHENBURG<br />

* NICE<br />

* BOLOGNA * VENICE<br />

* MILAN-MALPENSA/MILAN-LINATE<br />

*<br />

PORTO *<br />

LISBON *<br />

FARO * MALAGA*<br />

LONDON<br />

*<br />

HEATHROW<br />

COPENHAGEN<br />

* KRAKOW<br />

* MADRID<br />

* TURIN<br />

* ROME<br />

TOULOUSE *<br />

*<br />

SEVILLE *<br />

PALMA DE MALLORCA<br />

MARSEILLE *<br />

* BARCELONA<br />

STRASBOURG *<br />

GENEVA<br />

LYON *<br />

*<br />

* CATANIA * PALERMO<br />

* NAPLES<br />

*<br />

FLORENCE *<br />

VILNIUS<br />

* BRUSSELS<br />

Get the lowdown on cities from across the Brussels Airlines network with<br />

our essential guides compiled by locally based writers. And don’t forget<br />

to look out for different destinations in next month’s issue of b.there!<br />

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Florence ITALY 112<br />

Lisbon PORTUGAL 113<br />

Marseille FRANCE 114<br />

Milan ITALY 115<br />

Newcastle UNITED KINGDOM 116<br />

Nice FRANCE 117<br />

Oslo NORWAY 118<br />

Seville SPAIN 119<br />

Tel Aviv ISRAEL 120<br />

Toulouse FRANCE 121<br />

Turin ITALY 122<br />

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VIENNA VENICE<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

103<br />

MOSCOW/<br />

DOMODEDOVO *<br />

TEL AVIV *


104<br />

BELGIUM POPULATION 10,414,336 CURRENCY EURO GDP† €26,190 DIALLING CODE +32<br />

BRUSSELS<br />

AIRPORT CODE BRU AVERAGE TEMP (FEB) 3ºC<br />

In February, lovers can<br />

hop on a tandem bicycle<br />

(provelo.be) and visit<br />

some of Brussels’ most<br />

romantic vista points. If<br />

you’re in a less intimate<br />

mood, catch Tokio Hotel<br />

playing at Forest National<br />

(forestnational.be), or the<br />

El Greco exhibition at the<br />

Bozar (bozar.be). As Nina<br />

Lamparski discovers,<br />

there’s no such thing as<br />

boredom in this city<br />

RUE DES MINIMES<br />

Art galleries and restaurants rub<br />

shoulders on this pretty street, which<br />

links the pompous Justice Palace to the<br />

Sablon Square and was once inhabited<br />

by former mayor Jules Anspach. Come<br />

here if you want to experience Brussels<br />

from a more unconventional angle<br />

– without suffering people overload.<br />

Culture vultures Stretched across<br />

three floors, the intriguing Jewish<br />

Museum of Belgium (21 Rue des<br />

Minimes) showcases rare religious<br />

objects from the 16th century, as well<br />

as documents illustrating traditional<br />

Jewish home life. Until 21 February it<br />

also features an exhibition of the works<br />

of painter Arno Stern. The Schana B.<br />

Gallery (7 Rue des Minimes), meanwhile,<br />

is the permanent home of seven glass<br />

sculptures by artist Corneille, co-founder<br />

of the CoBrA movement launched in<br />

1948. And don’t miss the amazing<br />

Huelgas Ensemble & Bl!ndman concert<br />

inside the beautiful Minimes church<br />

(62 Rue des Minimes) on 10 February.<br />

Must eat Cheap and fresh, sushi at the<br />

L’Herbe Rouge (34 Rue des Minimes,<br />

tel. (0)2 512 4834) is among the best<br />

in downtown Brussels. For something<br />

more substantial, try L’Arrière-Pays (60<br />

Rue des Minimes, tel. (0)2 514 7707),<br />

which serves hearty Belgo-French fare.<br />

A highlight is the chicory gratin with<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

INFO<br />

The city is served<br />

by Brussels<br />

Airport, located<br />

in Zaventem.<br />

Train Trains from<br />

the airport run<br />

every 15 minutes<br />

at peak times.<br />

The journey takes<br />

20–25 minutes<br />

and trains go to<br />

Brussels’ three<br />

mainline stations.<br />

Tickets cost €5,05<br />

one way.<br />

Bus The no. 12 runs<br />

every 30 minutes<br />

between the<br />

airport and Rond-<br />

Point Schuman.<br />

The journey takes<br />

about 40 minutes.<br />

A one-way ticket<br />

costs €3.<br />

Taxi A taxi from<br />

the airport to the<br />

city centre costs<br />

about €38. The<br />

journey should take<br />

around 25 minutes.<br />

Tourist office<br />

The main office<br />

is on Grand’Place<br />

(tel. (0)2 513<br />

8940, brussels<br />

international.be).<br />

ham – a must unless you’re not a fan<br />

of the herb’s slightly bitter taste.<br />

Must drink Neither slick nor fancy,<br />

Chez Richard (2 Rue des Minimes) is the<br />

Sablon’s legendary ‘local’. This ain’t a joint<br />

for posh cocktails: people come here to<br />

sip Ricard, eat a few oysters, tell jokes<br />

and make peace with the world. Hot tip:<br />

come here on a Friday night around 11pm<br />

to get drunk with old-school Brusseleirs.<br />

Shop till you drop There are a wealth<br />

of antique vendors here. For ancient<br />

artefacts, visit Gallery Drees Archeo<br />

(22 Rue des Minimes), specialising in<br />

Egyptian, Greek and Roman civilisations.<br />

MANNEKEN PIS<br />

Use Brussels’ infamous landmark of the<br />

silly peeing boy as a starting point to<br />

get away from the Grand’Place and its<br />

tourist traps. Forget lace and chocolate<br />

– the capital’s true essence unravels in<br />

narrow alleys where underground and<br />

mainstream styles collide.<br />

Must drink Easy to miss in passing,<br />

Nüetnigenough (25 Rue du Lombard) is<br />

simply too good a place to not be shared<br />

with fellow bar flies. A bit art nouveau,<br />

a bit Bauhaus, a bit 1940s, this curious<br />

The Bozar Centre<br />

for Fine Arts is an<br />

art deco masterpiece<br />

modern-day brasserie celebrates an<br />

insatiable lust for the good life. From<br />

monk beers to proper Italian espresso,<br />

everything tastes better here. Open<br />

every day till late, the address also has<br />

soups and tapas. A serious favourite.<br />

Shop till you drop So hip it hurts, the<br />

fashion at Matinée (11 Rue du Lombard)<br />

targets urbanists who care about how<br />

they look without caring what others<br />

think. The winter collection includes<br />

red ankle boots, thick mohair scarves,<br />

Miss Sixty jeans and Desigual diaries.<br />

Hard up? Run to the second-hand<br />

clothes store at 64 Rue du Midi for<br />

original 1950s stuff. There’s no sign<br />

above the door but the display window<br />

features a wall covered in black and<br />

white photographs. Record fans,<br />

meanwhile, will want to take a spin to<br />

the Arlequin record store (7 Rue du<br />

Chêne). The facade’s graffiti features<br />

music icons such as Jimmy Hendrix<br />

and Bob Dylan.<br />

Must eat The charming corner<br />

bistro Les Gens Qui s’Aiment (corner<br />

Rue du Midi/ Rue de Lombard, no<br />

booking) is perfect for an intimate but<br />

laid-back Valentine’s date, especially<br />

†PER COUNTRY PER CAPITA<br />

*PRICES QUOTED ARE FOR A RETURN TICKET IN B.LIGHT ECONOMY FROM OR TO BRUSSELS, ALL TAXES AND FEES INCLUDED, IF BOOKED ON BRUSSELSAIRLINES.COM. TICKETS ARE NOT CHANGEABLE, NOR REFUNDABLE. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE


St. John’s<br />

International School<br />

Drève Richelle 146, 1410 Waterloo, Belgium<br />

Tel. 02/352 06 10, admissions@stjohns.be<br />

www.stjohns.be<br />

Un<br />

Saut Tandem<br />

SENSATIONS !<br />

“St. John’s provides an<br />

environment for broad<br />

thinking, respect for<br />

others, importance of<br />

academic achievement<br />

as well as the benefi ts<br />

of involvement in sports<br />

and arts activities.”<br />

“St. John’s is a great<br />

school with lots of<br />

diversity in the teachings<br />

as well as the students<br />

and activities.”<br />

“Great education and<br />

wonderful support for<br />

family and parents and<br />

student groups.”<br />

“St. John’s lives up to<br />

its reputation.”<br />

These are some of the<br />

comments we received<br />

when we asked parents<br />

what they think about<br />

the school. St. John’s<br />

International School is<br />

widely regarded as one<br />

of the best international<br />

schools in Europe.<br />

We invite you to come<br />

take a look for yourself<br />

if this is the school for<br />

your family! Make an<br />

appointment to tour the<br />

school and speak to<br />

teachers and students.<br />

Une idée cadeau ORIGINALE !<br />

Ou simplement réaliser<br />

votre RÊVE !!<br />

Skydive Center Spa<br />

Aérodrome de Spa<br />

Route de la Sauvenière, 122 • B-4900 SPA<br />

tél: +32 87 26 99 06 • fax: +32 87 47 57 32<br />

email: info@skydivecenterspa.be<br />

www.skydivecenterspa.be<br />

©Willy Boeykens - Skydiving Images<br />

A British education for international families<br />

in the heart of Europe.<br />

With 1220 students coming from 70 different countries, we follow the<br />

UK (England) National Curriculum up to the age of 16 adapting it to<br />

refl ect the multinational and multicultural nature of our School. With<br />

impressive academic results, we are unique in Belgium in the range of<br />

courses we offer Post-16: A Levels, International Baccalaureate and our<br />

own Foundation course. Crèche facilities for children from 1 to 3 years<br />

of age are also available.<br />

Call us for a School tour and fi nd out how we prepare students for the<br />

21st Century.<br />

The British School of Brussels vzw<br />

Leuvensesteenweg 19, 3080 Tervuren, Belgium<br />

Tel: +32 (0)2 766 04 30 - Fax: +32 (0)2 767 80 70<br />

Email: admissions@britishschool.be - www.britishschool.be


106<br />

BELGIUM POPULATION 10,414,336 CURRENCY EURO GDP† €26,190 DIALLING CODE +32<br />

BRUSSELS<br />

COASTLINE 66.5KM BORDER COUNTRIES FRANCE, GERMANY, LUXEMBOURG, NETHERLANDS<br />

given that its name translates as ‘the<br />

people who love each other’.<br />

Sleep soundly Its amenities might not<br />

be the most modern, but no other hotel in<br />

Brussels can offer the views you’ll enjoy<br />

at the Saint Michel (15 Grand’Place, tel.<br />

(0)2 511 0956, atgp.be, rates for rooms<br />

with Grand’Place view from €105). Set<br />

right on the Grand’Place, certain rooms<br />

look directly over the stunning square.<br />

But make sure you ask, or you could find<br />

yourself faced with bleak house fronts<br />

on the other side of the building.<br />

Dance the night away Pull your loved<br />

one close and carve up the dance floor<br />

to Cuban rhythms at Montecristo (25<br />

Rue Henri Maus). Saturday nights can<br />

be jam-packed and a great laugh, if<br />

you’re not scared of human contact.<br />

Alternatively, Café Central (14 Borgval)<br />

has a solid DJ line-up playing soul and<br />

electro house – visit lecafecentral.com<br />

to find on what’s on now.<br />

MOLENBEEK-SAINT-JEAN<br />

A short hop across Brussels’ canal,<br />

this multicultural neighbourhood has<br />

become a hotspot for contemporary<br />

cultural events, cheap exotic food<br />

and some of the best furniture stores<br />

to be found in Brussels.<br />

Must eat Renowned for its warm<br />

atmosphere, good service and yummy<br />

food, the New Queue de Vache (198<br />

Rue Osseghem, tel. (0)2 410 1529) is<br />

a master of traditional Belgian cooking.<br />

Those who prefer a great piece of meat<br />

over glamorous décor will love it.<br />

Culture vultures Rivalling the<br />

underground arts culture of Berlin, the<br />

Event Brewery (58 Rue Delaunoy) is one<br />

of the city’s best kept secrets. Once an<br />

old bottling plant, the huge building now<br />

hosts contemporary theatre groups,<br />

a film school, music production<br />

companies and the insanely talented<br />

designer collective Addictlab. Call<br />

(0)2 410 7878 or email info@event<br />

brewery.com to visit. Also nearby is<br />

the superb Kaaitheater (20 Place<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

INFO<br />

Distances in km<br />

from Brussels<br />

Antwerp 47<br />

Arlon 187<br />

Bastogne 150<br />

Bouillon 156<br />

Bruges 96<br />

Dinant 93<br />

Ghent 56<br />

Hasselt 77<br />

Knokke 94<br />

Leuven 26<br />

Liège 98<br />

Mechelen 26<br />

Mons 56<br />

Namur 63<br />

Tournai 84<br />

For more info, go to<br />

visitbelgium.com<br />

Enough room for two<br />

in one of the luxurious<br />

tubs at Café Pacifi c<br />

Sainctelette), showcasing innovative<br />

theatre, dance and concerts.<br />

Shop till you drop A visit on a Sunday<br />

to the street market on Rue de Brabant<br />

is a fun and vibrant affair. The whole area<br />

turns into a noisy, bustling bazaar where<br />

you can buy anything from silk underwear<br />

and handbags to make-up, brooms and<br />

DVDs. Be sure to try the delicious<br />

Moroccan deserts on offer.<br />

Sleep soundly Sensual, playful and<br />

simply gorgeous, boutique hotel Café<br />

Pacific (57 Rue Antoine Dansaert, tel.<br />

(0)2 213 0080, hotelcafepacific.com,<br />

rates from €119) is the perfect<br />

Valentine’s hideaway. Located just<br />

across the canal, it features 13 themed<br />

rooms decorated by designer Valérie<br />

Barkowski. While the Deluxe Room<br />

lures with a naked woman’s body<br />

floating across the wall, the Duplex<br />

offers a more minimalist approach<br />

and has a fantastic bath.<br />

Dance the night away Although you<br />

need to get a cab to get there, the<br />

parties at Recyclart (21 Rue des<br />

Ursulines) are among the best in town.<br />

While the warehouse is not an official<br />

club per se, the venue hosts weekly<br />

events open to the general public. Visit<br />

recyclart.be to see what’s on in February.<br />

WOLUWE-SAINT-<br />

LAMBERT<br />

Although the general vibe is a tad posh<br />

and ‘suburban’, this commune also<br />

claims one of Brussels’ best swimming<br />

pools, great shopping and a unique<br />

bookstore. Grab a metro in central<br />

Brussels and, after a 10-minute ride,<br />

get off at the Tomberg stop.<br />

Culture vulture Seek shelter from<br />

the howling wind inside the heated pools<br />

of the Poseidon swimming complex<br />

(2 Avenue des Vaillants), which boasts<br />

Jacuzzis, a ‘water playground’ for<br />

toddlers and a solarium. By the way,<br />

the same building also hosts an ice rink.<br />

Must eat Food and literature are<br />

combined in most unexpected ways at<br />

Cook & Book (251 Avenue Paul Hymans,<br />

tel. (0)2 761 2600). This concept<br />

restaurant, launched in 2006, features<br />

outrageously decorated library spaces<br />

dedicated to different themes, such as<br />

travel, music, art de vivre or comics.<br />

Browse through books while you indulge<br />

in some delicious Italian food.<br />

Shop till you drop With more than<br />

130 stores, the Woluwe Shopping Centre<br />

(200 Rue Saint-Lambert) is a retail<br />

paradise. Alongside the usual suspects<br />

such as fashion stores Zara and Petit<br />

Bateau or furniture haven Habitat, you’ll<br />

also find underwear label Princess Tam<br />

Tam and shoe mecca 1001 Pattes.<br />

Dance the night away Don a glam<br />

outfit and grab a cab to the recently<br />

opened Martini Spirito Bar (18 Rue<br />

Stassart), located inside a converted<br />

church. The latest hotspot in town, it<br />

attracts the city’s beautiful people<br />

– expect to rub shoulders with PR<br />

girls and media professionals.<br />

€99 *<br />

FROM JUST<br />

RETURN ALL-IN<br />

Fly to Brussels from<br />

60 premium European<br />

destinations with fares from<br />

just €99* return all-in.<br />

brusselsairlines.com<br />

†PER COUNTRY PER CAPITA<br />

*PRICES QUOTED ARE FOR A RETURN TICKET IN B.LIGHT ECONOMY FROM OR TO BRUSSELS, ALL TAXES AND FEES INCLUDED, IF BOOKED ON BRUSSELSAIRLINES.COM. TICKETS ARE NOT CHANGEABLE, NOR REFUNDABLE. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE


108<br />

SPAIN POPULATION 40,525,002 CURRENCY EURO GDP† €24,160 DIALLING CODE +34<br />

BARCELONA<br />

AIRPORT CODE BCN FLIGHT FREQUENCY FOUR TIMES DAILY AVERAGE TEMP (FEB) 9ºC<br />

As if the Catalans need<br />

an excuse to party,<br />

February brings Carnival<br />

(Carnestoltes) before Lent.<br />

On a more serious note,<br />

DocsBarcelona, the<br />

respected international<br />

documentary film festival,<br />

provides an edifying<br />

glimpse of real life. Judy<br />

Thomson attempts to find<br />

the best of both worlds<br />

LA RAMBLA<br />

Off-season is the perfect time for<br />

strolling down this tree-lined boulevard<br />

leading to the port, so you can enjoy its<br />

colourful flora and fauna and not miss<br />

the Miró mosaic under your feet.<br />

Sleep soundly A classic 19th-century<br />

hotel has recently morphed into the<br />

Internacional Cool Local Hotel<br />

(78-80 La Rambla, tel. 933 022566,<br />

hotelhusainternacional.com, rooms<br />

from €88), with chic minimalism in the<br />

rooms, a chill-out roof terrace and an<br />

unbeatable view of the Liceu opera<br />

house and La Rambla.<br />

Culture vultures The largest of the<br />

city’s 40 food markets, La Boqueria<br />

(89 La Rambla) is a feast for the senses<br />

– and more vibrant than ever with the<br />

stall holders dressed up for Carnival.<br />

Stock up your larder and get great gift<br />

ideas from the endless range of cured<br />

hams, olive oil, wine, dried fruits, nuts<br />

and handmade chocolates. Then, to<br />

feed your other senses, visit Arts<br />

Santa Mònica (7 La Rambla). This<br />

17th-century convent that’s born again<br />

as a cutting-edge arts centre always<br />

has something stimulating to see.<br />

Must eat Avoid the tourist traps<br />

selling ready-made paella and nip along<br />

a side street into the plazas of the Gothic<br />

quarter for a better selection. Taller de<br />

Tapas (9 Plaza Sant Josep Oriol, tel.<br />

933 018020) has an extensive range<br />

of succulent tapas you can sit down to,<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

INFO<br />

El Prat airport is<br />

about 12km from<br />

the city.<br />

Bus There are two<br />

Aerobuses, one<br />

from each terminal<br />

(A1 and A2),<br />

stopping in Plaça<br />

Espanya, Plaça<br />

Universitat and<br />

Plaça Catalunya.<br />

Tickets cost from<br />

€5 single and the<br />

journey is about<br />

30-40 minutes.<br />

Train Trains run<br />

from the airport<br />

to Sants and<br />

Passeig de Gràcia<br />

from 6.08am until<br />

11.38pm and take<br />

about half an hour.<br />

Tickets from €2,80.<br />

Taxi A taxi to the<br />

city centre is<br />

approximately €25,<br />

depending on the<br />

traffic and your<br />

amount of luggage.<br />

Tourist Office<br />

The main branch<br />

is beneath Plaça<br />

Catalunya (tel. 932<br />

853832, barcelona<br />

turisme.com).<br />

This 17th-century convent on<br />

La Rambla now houses the<br />

Arts Santa Mònica centre<br />

from grilled razor clams to chickpeas<br />

sautéed with squid, while Taxidermista<br />

(8 Plaza Reial, tel. 934 124536) gives<br />

a new spin to Catalan dishes in stylish<br />

surroundings in this majestic square.<br />

Must drink Start from the top with<br />

a coffee at legendary Café Zurich (1<br />

Plaza Catalunya), where clients have<br />

been people-watching for over 80 years,<br />

then wind up treating yourself to a caña<br />

(draught beer) at La Cava Universal<br />

(4 Plaza del Portal de la Pau), which is<br />

a suntrap, even in February.<br />

Dance the night away At Moog (3 Arc<br />

del Teatre) there’s techno and house<br />

daily from midnight to 5am, while nearby<br />

BLVD Boulevard Culture Club (27 La<br />

Rambla) is a popular club with a range<br />

of dance music in different spaces.<br />

GRÀCIA<br />

Until the late 19th century, this<br />

charming neighbourhood was a separate<br />

village. Now its narrow streets are<br />

brimming with boutiques and buzzing<br />

at night with a cool, young crowd.<br />

Culture vultures Gràcia is home to<br />

a lesser-known Gaudí house, the brightlytiled<br />

Casa Vicens (24 Carrer de les<br />

Carolines), as well as one of his best<br />

known creations – the Park Güell. And<br />

don’t forget to catch one of the films<br />

from the DocsBarcelona festival (2-7<br />

February, docsbarcelona.com) at<br />

arthouse Cines Verdi (32 Calle Verdi).<br />

Must eat Good-value food and<br />

atmosphere at Roure (51 Riera San<br />

Miquel, tel. 932 377490) – don’t miss<br />

their midday paella on Thursdays. If<br />

you’re on expenses, guzzle seafood at<br />

King Juan Carlos’ favourite, Botafumeiro<br />

(81 Gran de Gràcia, tel. 932 184230).<br />

Must drink Pretty squares such<br />

as the Virreina or Rius i Taulat have<br />

attractive terrace cafés, like local<br />

favourite Café del Sol (16 Plaza del Sol).<br />

Shop till you drop Find one-off<br />

original designs for women at El Piano<br />

Tina Garcia (20 Calle Verdi) and<br />

comfortable style in luscious colours<br />

at Instinto (17 Astúries).<br />

SITGES<br />

An easy 40-minute train ride away,<br />

this picturesque whitewashed resort<br />

with a cosmopolitan atmosphere<br />

makes a refreshing day trip or<br />

weekend seaside break.<br />

Sleep soundly An exquisite<br />

modernista villa with only 11 rooms<br />

set in a garden, El Xalet (35 Carrer Illa<br />

de Cuba, tel. 938 110070, elxalet.com,<br />

rooms from €60) is unbeatable value.<br />

Culture vultures Possibly the gay<br />

mecca of the Med, Rua de la Disbauxa<br />

is wild during Carnival. On 14 February,<br />

gay and straight revellers alike let their<br />

hair down at the Debauchery parade.<br />

Must eat Lunch overlooking the<br />

sea on the terrace of family-run hotel<br />

La Santa Maria (52 Passeig de la Ribera,<br />

tel. 938 940999) is an essential stop.<br />

Try Sitges’ own salad, xató – a delicious<br />

mix of escarole and salt cod in a unique<br />

nutty sauce.<br />

€99 *<br />

FROM JUST<br />

RETURN ALL-IN<br />

Fly to Barcelona from<br />

just €99* return all-in.<br />

brusselsairlines.com<br />

†PER COUNTRY PER CAPITA<br />

*PRICES QUOTED ARE FOR A RETURN TICKET IN B.LIGHT ECONOMY FROM OR TO BRUSSELS, ALL TAXES AND FEES INCLUDED, IF BOOKED ON BRUSSELSAIRLINES.COM. TICKETS ARE NOT CHANGEABLE, NOR REFUNDABLE. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE


†PER COUNTRY PER CAPITA<br />

*PRICES QUOTED ARE FOR A RETURN TICKET IN B.LIGHT ECONOMY FROM OR TO BRUSSELS, ALL TAXES AND FEES INCLUDED, IF BOOKED ON BRUSSELSAIRLINES.COM. TICKETS ARE NOT CHANGEABLE, NOR REFUNDABLE. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE<br />

SPAIN POPULATION 40,525,002 CURRENCY EURO GDP† €24,160 DIALLING CODE +34<br />

BILBAO<br />

AIRPORT CODE BIO FLIGHT FREQUENCY TWICE DAILY AVERAGE TEMP (FEB) 10ºC<br />

Bilbao in the tail-end of<br />

winter has plenty to keep<br />

you happy. In-between<br />

shopping for alternative<br />

fashions in the old town,<br />

refuel in a tapas bar with<br />

delicious seafood and<br />

local wine. This month<br />

also sees the pre-Lent (17<br />

February) Carnival take<br />

over the city, with parades<br />

and concerts for all the<br />

family. Scott Adams puts<br />

on his party hat<br />

CASCO VIEJO<br />

This intriguing tangle of cobble-stoned<br />

lanes is home to bars, shops and<br />

restaurants that ooze Basque charm. As<br />

night falls, the action moves up a notch.<br />

Sleep soundly Perfect for the budget<br />

traveller, Hotel Sirimiri (3 Plaza de la<br />

Encarnación, tel. 944 330759, hotel<br />

sirimiri.es, doubles from €58) has clean,<br />

quiet rooms, along with a gym and sauna.<br />

Culture vultures The city centre<br />

comes alive throughout Carnival from<br />

10 to 16 February, with daily events<br />

including street parades, concerts and<br />

fireworks. For post-Lent entertainment,<br />

flamenco superstar Sara Baras performs<br />

at the Teatro Arriaga (teatroarriaga.com)<br />

from 16 to 21 of this month.<br />

Shop till you drop Funky, locally<br />

designed urban wear dominates<br />

Atakateak (2 Calle Somera), but you can<br />

also stock up on hand-crafted gifts.<br />

Dance the night away Bilbao’s<br />

nightlife explodes at the disco Conjunto<br />

Vacio (4 Muelle de la Merced). DJ Alberto<br />

Gabilán rocks the house over two dance<br />

floors with electro and modern Spanish<br />

beats. The trendy crowd dress to impress<br />

and know their moves.<br />

THE RIVER<br />

From early morning until late evening,<br />

the views along the peaceful Nervión<br />

River offer a panorama of beautiful<br />

INFO<br />

The stunning<br />

airport, designed<br />

by Santiago<br />

Calatrava, is 12km<br />

from the centre.<br />

Taxi A single<br />

journey for up to<br />

four passengers<br />

costs around €20<br />

and takes about<br />

15 minutes.<br />

Bus Bizkaibus<br />

A3247 leaves from<br />

in front of the<br />

arrival hall from<br />

6.15am to 12am,<br />

every 30 minutes.<br />

The route goes<br />

through Gran Via,<br />

in the centre of<br />

town, before<br />

arriving at<br />

Termibús, which<br />

connects with the<br />

metro and local<br />

trains. A one-way<br />

ticket costs €1,30.<br />

Tourist office<br />

You’ll find a tourist<br />

information stand<br />

in the departure<br />

hall of the airport<br />

and a larger<br />

office in the town<br />

centre (11 Plaza<br />

Ensanche, tel. 944<br />

795 760, bilbao.<br />

net/bilbaoturismo)<br />

Revel in contemporary<br />

luxury at the Palacio<br />

de Oriol Hotel<br />

images. Hire a bicycle from your hotel<br />

and cruise along at your own pace on<br />

two wheels while enjoying the urban<br />

and architectural sights.<br />

Sleep soundly The modern Barceló<br />

Nervion Hotel (11 Paseo Campo de<br />

Volantín, tel. 944 454700, barcelo<br />

nervion.com, doubles from €70) has<br />

stunning river views as well as a great<br />

restaurant serving local specialities.<br />

The bar does excellent daiquiris.<br />

Culture vultures Spend some<br />

time exploring the Museo Bellas Artes<br />

(2 Plaza Museoko) – you’ll find<br />

masterpieces by Spanish and Basque<br />

artists. Don’t miss the works by El Greco<br />

and Sorolla in the permanent collection.<br />

Must drink The open terrace of<br />

the café of the Guggenheim Museum<br />

(2 Avenida Abandoibarra) is the perfect<br />

place to sit with a mixed drink or glass of<br />

rioja wine while enjoying the views.<br />

PLAZA MOYUA<br />

AND AROUND<br />

In contrast to the old town, this area,<br />

with its wide, tree-lined streets and<br />

modern shops, is perfect for retail<br />

therapy. Take advantage of the end<br />

of the Spanish sales before indulging<br />

in some fine Basque food.<br />

Sleep soundly Treat yourself to the<br />

luxurious old-world accommodation at<br />

Hotel Carlton (2 Plaza Federico Moyúa,<br />

tel. 944 162200, aranzazu-hoteles.com,<br />

rooms from €105).<br />

Must eat Flavours of the sea entice at<br />

Getaria (12 Colon de Larreategui, tel.<br />

944 232527) – try spider crab, sea bass<br />

with goats’ cheese or the mouth-watering<br />

seafood and rice stews.<br />

Shop till you drop Join the throngs of<br />

shoppers looking for bargains along the<br />

elegant Gran Vía and Calle Rodríguez<br />

Arias, which are home to international<br />

brand outlets as well as smaller<br />

boutiques such as that of Spanish<br />

designer Adolfo Dominguez.<br />

SANTURCE AND<br />

THE PORT<br />

Get a taste of traditional Basque<br />

maritime life in this fishing village,<br />

a 15-minute train ride from Bilbao.<br />

Sleep soundly Situated in a stunning<br />

19th-century mansion, the Palacio de<br />

Oriol Hotel (27 Avenida Murrieta, tel.<br />

944 934100, nh-hotels.com, rooms<br />

from €70) offers contemporary designer<br />

elegance, a first-class restaurant and<br />

beautiful gardens.<br />

Culture vultures Take in the<br />

picturesque harbour scene, with<br />

colourful fishing boats presided<br />

over by the impressive statue of the<br />

Virgin of Carmen – the protector of<br />

Spanish fishermen.<br />

Must eat A popular haunt of local<br />

fisher-folk and their families is Cofradia<br />

de Pescadores (in front of the statue of<br />

the Virgin of Carmen, tel. 944 610211),<br />

which boasts delicious fish dishes. The<br />

rice and seafood stew is excellent,<br />

particularly when washed down with<br />

a glass of local rueda white wine.<br />

€119 *<br />

FROM JUST<br />

RETURN ALL-IN<br />

Fly to Bilbao from just<br />

€119* return all-in.<br />

brusselsairlines.com<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

109


110<br />

ITALY POPULATION 58,126,212 CURRENCY EURO GDP† €21,925 DIALLING CODE +39<br />

BOLOGNA<br />

AIRPORT CODE BLQ FLIGHT FREQUENCY TWICE DAILY AVERAGE TEMP (FEB) 4ºC<br />

Bologna in February can<br />

be a wonderfully vigorous<br />

affair, with the city’s<br />

myriad bars and eateries<br />

full to bursting with lively<br />

locals putting the world<br />

to rights – in-between<br />

mouthfuls of tasty<br />

lasagna. For a raucous<br />

night out to remember,<br />

meanwhile, indie rockers<br />

Kasabian are in town on<br />

the 19th, playing the hip<br />

Estragon club (visit<br />

estragon.it for details).<br />

Oscar Xavier gets into<br />

the groove<br />

PIAZZA DELLA<br />

MERCANZIA<br />

Wander the enchanting medieval<br />

patchwork of streets, in the shadow<br />

of the iconic two leaning towers.<br />

Shop till you drop Go for the classic<br />

Italian look at Zinelli (5 Piazza della<br />

Mercanzia), where you can pick up<br />

tailored shirts and bespoke suits. Or<br />

for a more modern take on the bella<br />

figura, Bang Bang 2 (also 5 Piazza<br />

della Mercanzia) stocks clothes and<br />

accessories for the discerning bag lady.<br />

Must eat Al Pappagallo (3c Piazza<br />

della Mercanzia, tel. 051 232807) is one<br />

of the city’s best-loved honey pots,<br />

where you can dine on classic local fare<br />

including guinea fowl breast with grapes.<br />

Culture vultures Head to the<br />

Museo Civico Archeologico (2 Via<br />

dell’Archiginnasio, closed Mon) – an<br />

intriguing treasure trove where you’ll find<br />

relics from prehistoric times, the ancient<br />

Greeks, Romans and Etruscans.<br />

VIA SAN FELICE<br />

A chic shopping street leading<br />

away from the centro and heading<br />

northwards, go here for some serious<br />

shopping and to mix with the glamorous<br />

beauties of Bologna.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

INFO<br />

Guglielmo Marconi<br />

Airport is 6km<br />

outside the city.<br />

Bus A shuttle bus<br />

runs from the<br />

airport to the train<br />

station every<br />

15 minutes. The<br />

journey takes<br />

about 20 minutes<br />

and costs €5.<br />

Other buses serve<br />

Modena and Siena.<br />

Taxi The journey<br />

to the city centre<br />

takes between<br />

20 and 30 minutes,<br />

and will set you<br />

back about €18.<br />

Tourist office<br />

The main office is<br />

in Piazza Maggiore<br />

(tel. 051 239660).<br />

Enjoy live jazz while<br />

you eat or drink at the<br />

lively Bravo Caffè<br />

Sleep soundly The Best Western<br />

Hotel Re Enzo (26 Via Santa Croce,<br />

tel. 051 523322. hotelreenzo.it, rooms<br />

from €79) is rather business-minded,<br />

but with a stylish edge and good value.<br />

Alternatively, San Felice (2 Via Riva<br />

Reno, tel. 051 557457, hotelsanfelice.it,<br />

rooms from €90) is a comfy bolt-hole.<br />

Ask for a top-floor room for added quiet.<br />

Must eat For traditional comfort food,<br />

the Trattoria Danio (50 Via San Felice,<br />

tel. 051 555202) is hard to beat: try<br />

the homemade pappardelle. Equally<br />

impressive is the Osteria del Cirmolo<br />

(86 Via San Felice, tel. 051 522432), with<br />

its lighter flavours, including aubergine<br />

parmigiana with scamorza cheese.<br />

Shop till you drop Find a number<br />

of contemporary designers under one<br />

roof at I Love Shopping (21 Via San<br />

Felice, closed Sun and Thurs afternoon),<br />

or stock up on cutting-edge undies<br />

at Ricamarte (45 Via San Felice),<br />

specialising in ‘intimate apparel’.<br />

VIA ZAMBONI AND THE<br />

UNIVERSITY DISTRICT<br />

If you yearn to live out your student<br />

days once again you could do a lot<br />

worse than hanging out in Bologna’s<br />

boho quarter, which is a great place<br />

for bar-hopping.<br />

Must drink If you fancy a bit of live<br />

music, a visit to the Cantina Bentivoglio<br />

(4b Via Mascarella) is a must, with jazz<br />

on offer most nights and a huge wine<br />

cellar to work your way through. And<br />

Le Stanze (1 Via del Borgo S. Pietro)<br />

is a wonderful old bar where you can<br />

have a leisurely drink by candlelight.<br />

Must eat A veggie restaurant in<br />

red-blooded Bologna? Centro Natura<br />

(6 Via degli Albari, tel. 051 235643) is<br />

hugely popular with the local student<br />

population, with an all-organic menu that<br />

includes a frittata of vegetables with<br />

ricotta cheese. The Bravo Caffè (1 Via<br />

Mascarella, tel. 051 266112, closed<br />

Mon) is a nice mix of trad décor and<br />

an innovative menu, including veal in<br />

barbera wine with puréed potatoes.<br />

OUT OF TOWN<br />

Bologna is surrounded by a number<br />

of sights and museums, all easily<br />

reached from the city centre.<br />

Culture vultures The Museo Ducati<br />

(3 Via Antonio Cavalieri Ducati) is<br />

a suitably racy celebration of the big<br />

red motorbikes. The museum (and<br />

actual factory) is open for guided tours<br />

only, easily arranged via the website,<br />

ducati.com (which also has directions).<br />

Alternatively, get a bit of exercise with<br />

a stroll up the hill to the Santuario di<br />

San Luca (36 Via di San Luca). Don’t<br />

worry if the weather’s not looking too<br />

clever; you can walk the whole way from<br />

Via Saragozza under 4km of arched<br />

porticoes. The hilltop church dates from<br />

the 18th century and is the sanctuary of<br />

the blessed Virgin of San Luca, but this<br />

is really all about the view – looking out<br />

across the city and on towards the<br />

surrounding countryside.<br />

€139 *<br />

FROM JUST<br />

RETURN ALL-IN<br />

Fly to Bologna from just<br />

€139* return all-in.<br />

brusselsairlines.com<br />

†PER COUNTRY PER CAPITA<br />

*PRICES QUOTED ARE FOR A RETURN TICKET IN B.LIGHT ECONOMY FROM OR TO BRUSSELS, ALL TAXES AND FEES INCLUDED, IF BOOKED ON BRUSSELSAIRLINES.COM. TICKETS ARE NOT CHANGEABLE, NOR REFUNDABLE. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE


†PER COUNTRY PER CAPITA<br />

*PRICES QUOTED ARE FOR A RETURN TICKET IN B.LIGHT ECONOMY FROM OR TO BRUSSELS, ALL TAXES AND FEES INCLUDED, IF BOOKED ON BRUSSELSAIRLINES.COM. TICKETS ARE NOT CHANGEABLE, NOR REFUNDABLE. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE<br />

ITALY POPULATION 58,126,212 CURRENCY EURO GDP† €21,925 DIALLING CODE +39<br />

CATANIA<br />

AIRPORT CODE CTA FLIGHT FREQUENCY TWICE WEEKLY AVERAGE TEMP (FEB) 10ºC<br />

Colourful, vibrant Catania<br />

celebrates her patron<br />

saint, Agatha, with<br />

processions and firework<br />

displays in February.<br />

Acireale and Sciacca are<br />

the hot spots for Carnival,<br />

while Sicily’s early spring<br />

is welcomed to the tune<br />

of folk music and dancing<br />

at the Almond Blossom<br />

Festival in Agrigento.<br />

Ellen Grady joins the fun<br />

THE CENTRE<br />

Catania’s handsome Cathedral Square,<br />

a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will be<br />

packed with worshippers from 3-5<br />

February for the festivities in honour<br />

of St Agatha, martyred at the age<br />

of 13 in AD 251 after undergoing<br />

horrifying tortures. One of the most<br />

significant and emotional religious<br />

celebrations in the world, thousands of<br />

white-robed divoti carrying great wax<br />

candles follow their much-loved patron<br />

saint in a 24-hour procession through<br />

the streets of the city.<br />

Culture vultures The sumptuous<br />

Diocese Museum (Piazza Duomo Via<br />

Etnea) next to the Cathedral displays<br />

paintings, silverware and memorabilia<br />

of St Agatha.<br />

Sleep soundly Follow the celebrations<br />

from the luxurious Una Hotel Palace<br />

(218 Via Etnea, tel. 095 250 5111,<br />

unahotels.it, doubles from €102, special<br />

offers for St Agatha’s feast), which has<br />

a marvellous penthouse restaurant.<br />

The executive rooms have private dining<br />

rooms and windows overlooking the<br />

route of the procession.<br />

Shop till you drop You’ll find dainty<br />

St Agatha’s olives made with pistachio<br />

marzipan, and pastries called St Agatha’s<br />

breasts, at Nonna Vincenza (7 Piazza San<br />

Placido). These are inspired by the olive<br />

tree that sprang up on the spot where<br />

she stopped to fasten her sandal on her<br />

INFO<br />

Fontanarossa<br />

Airport is 5km from<br />

the city centre.<br />

Bus The Alibus<br />

shuttle service<br />

connects the airport<br />

to the city centre<br />

and the rail station<br />

with a 15-minute<br />

journey. Buses run<br />

every 20 minutes<br />

from 5am to<br />

midnight, and the<br />

ticket costs €2.<br />

Other services are<br />

available to all<br />

major Sicilian<br />

destinations,<br />

including Taormina<br />

and Palermo.<br />

Taxi The journey<br />

from the airport to<br />

the centre for up to<br />

four passengers<br />

costs €25, and takes<br />

about 20 minutes<br />

(tel. 095 330966,<br />

24-hour service).<br />

All major car-hire<br />

companies are<br />

represented at<br />

the airport.<br />

Tourist office 172<br />

Via Vittorio<br />

Emanuele (tel. 095<br />

7425518, comune.<br />

catania.it).<br />

Head to Cathedral Square in<br />

early February to join the<br />

festivities for St Agatha<br />

way to prison, and the fact her breasts<br />

were torn off during the martyrdom.<br />

ACIREALE<br />

A stone’s throw to the north of Catania,<br />

on a cliff at the foot of Mount Etna<br />

(Europe’s largest active volcano)<br />

surrounded by lemon groves, friendly<br />

Acireale is a great place to enjoy this<br />

month’s Carnival (see carnevaleacireale.<br />

com for specific dates), with parades of<br />

enormous satirical floats.<br />

Sleep soundly To get the most out of<br />

the Acireale Carnival experience, you<br />

should stay with a family. A good choice<br />

is the central Palazzo Leonardi (241<br />

Corso Savoia, tel. 095 891501,<br />

palazzoleonardi.it, doubles from €70),<br />

where they’ll regale you with information<br />

over a wonderful Sicilian breakfast. All<br />

rooms have private bathrooms, and<br />

there’s a lovely garden.<br />

Shop till you drop Very special<br />

Carnival confectionery can be found<br />

at Condorelli (26 Via Scionti).<br />

MONTALLEGRO<br />

Bus your way down to Montallegro,<br />

a peaceful country village close to the<br />

sea. With lovely surroundings, a good<br />

hotel and the best restaurant in Sicily,<br />

it’s an ideal strategic base for getting<br />

your energy back while checking out<br />

the action in nearby Agrigento, with its<br />

magnificent Doric temples, and the<br />

ancient fishing village of Sciacca.<br />

Culture vultures Hop over to<br />

Agrigento to welcome spring at the<br />

Almond Blossom Festival (1-7 Feb),<br />

featuring music and dancers from all<br />

over the world and ending with a torch-lit<br />

Friendship Procession along the UNESCO<br />

World Heritage Site Valley of the<br />

Temples. And don’t miss Sciacca, where<br />

they’ll be celebrating the 110th edition<br />

of their quirky Carnival (11-26 Feb). It’s<br />

a mad party, during which Carnival King<br />

Peppe Nappa hands out wine and grilled<br />

sausages to the revellers in fancy dress.<br />

He goes out with a bang – the fireworks<br />

on the last day are worth the trip!<br />

Sleep soundly There are just seven<br />

comfy rooms at the Relais Briuccia<br />

(1 Via Trieste, tel. 339 759 2176,<br />

relaisbriuccia.it, doubles from €90),<br />

a beautifully restored old house, but<br />

they all have a Jacuzzi, and if you ask for<br />

the suite you’ll have a private terrace<br />

offering stupendous views.<br />

Must eat Capitolo Primo is the<br />

restaurant of the Relais mentioned<br />

above. This is where young Damiano<br />

Ferrara, Sicily’s most talented chef,<br />

unleashes his inventiveness, taking full<br />

advantage of the fresh local produce to<br />

create dishes to tickle your tastebuds<br />

and delight the eye. Try the bomba,<br />

a feather-light pastry ball with prawn<br />

stuffing, served with pistachio-toasted<br />

mackerel fillet, candied cherry tomatoes<br />

and lemon parfait.<br />

Shop till you drop For good local<br />

wines try Rizzuto Guccione (Contrada<br />

Piconello) – the syrah is simply superb,<br />

and they will ship.<br />

€139 *<br />

FROM JUST<br />

RETURN ALL-IN<br />

Fly to Catania from<br />

just €139* return all-in.<br />

brusselsairlines.com<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

111


112<br />

ITALY POPULATION 58,126,212 CURRENCY EURO GDP† €21,925 DIALLING CODE +39<br />

FLORENCE<br />

AIRPORT CODE FLR FLIGHT FREQUENCY FOUR TIMES WEEKLY AVERAGE TEMP (FEB) 6ºC<br />

February is one of the<br />

best months to visit<br />

Florence: it may be cold,<br />

but the days are sunny<br />

and there are few tourists,<br />

leaving you space to enjoy<br />

the fine food, excellent<br />

shopping and culture.<br />

Visit the annual Artisan<br />

Chocolate Fair to fill up<br />

on chocolate goodies for<br />

Valentine’s Day, or live<br />

like a local and head to<br />

Sant’Ambrogio. Kamin<br />

Mohammadi takes a tour<br />

PIAZZA DEL DUOMO<br />

AND AROUND<br />

The magnificent Piazza del Duomo<br />

is now fully traffic-free, making<br />

wandering between the splendours<br />

of the square and other sites around<br />

the piazza more pleasant than ever.<br />

Sleep soundly The Four Seasons<br />

Hotel (99 Borgo Pinti, tel. 055 26261,<br />

fourseasons.com, rooms from €295) is<br />

set in the city’s largest private park, just<br />

10 minutes from the Duomo. With its<br />

frescoes and bas-reliefs restored over<br />

seven years, it’s like staying in a museum.<br />

Culture vultures The Medici’s<br />

magnificent Renaissance palace, the<br />

Palazzo Medici Riccardi (1 Via Cavour)<br />

houses stunning frescoes and important<br />

artists, as well as the unmissable<br />

Cappella dei Magi (the Magi Chapel).<br />

Must eat Occupying the covered<br />

courtyard of the magnificent Palazzo<br />

Tornabuoni, Obika (16 Via de’<br />

Tornabuoni, tel. 055 277 3526) is<br />

a mozzarella bar devoted to the best<br />

buffalo mozzarella available in Italy,<br />

serving it up in various tasty dishes.<br />

Must drink Newly reopened and<br />

refurbished, Colle Bereto (5 Piazza<br />

degli Strozzi) is once again the coolest<br />

watering hole in town, with great<br />

aperitivos and live DJ at weekends.<br />

Strut your stuff with Florence’s most<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

Caffè Rivoire serves the best<br />

hot chocolates in town<br />

INFO<br />

Florence Peretola<br />

Airport is 4km<br />

north of Florence.<br />

Bus The Vola in Bus<br />

service runs from<br />

the airport<br />

to Santa Maria<br />

Novella station<br />

every 30 minutes.<br />

Tickets cost €4,50.<br />

Taxi A taxi from<br />

the airport to the<br />

city centre takes<br />

25 minutes and<br />

costs about €20.<br />

Tourist office<br />

The main office is<br />

at 29 Borgo Santa<br />

Croce. There’s also<br />

one outside Santa<br />

Maria Novella<br />

station, and at<br />

1 Via Cavour<br />

(tel. 055 23320,<br />

firenzeturismo.it).<br />

fashionable crowd. And if it’s cold<br />

outside, Caffè Rivoire (5 Piazza della<br />

Signoria) serves the richest hot<br />

chocolates in town, a Florentine<br />

speciality with a mountain of<br />

whipped cream on top.<br />

Shop till you drop For out-ofthis-world<br />

menswear and accessories<br />

that require a second mortgage, check<br />

out Florentine designer Stefano Ricci<br />

(5 Via de’ Pescioni), if only to see the<br />

luxurious interior of his flagship store.<br />

SANTA CROCE<br />

This lively neighbourhood features<br />

narrow streets dotted with leather<br />

workshops, dominated by the imposing<br />

Santa Croce church.<br />

Sleep soundly The gorgeous Relais<br />

Santa Croce (87 Via Ghibellina, tel. 055<br />

234 2230, baglionihotels.com, rooms<br />

from €225) provides five-star luxury,<br />

with some rooms overlooking the church.<br />

Culture vultures Seek out Giotto’s<br />

frescoes of the life of St Francis in the<br />

huge Basilica of Santa Croce (Piazza di<br />

Santa Croce). This is also the burial place<br />

of Florence’s great and good, including<br />

Michelangelo and Galileo.<br />

Must eat Reliably good, Baldovino<br />

(22r Via S.Giuseppe, tel. 055 241773)<br />

serves up a modern take on traditional<br />

Italian dishes.<br />

Must drink Stop off at the café/bar<br />

and Wi-Fi hotspot Moyo (23r Via dei<br />

Benci), which also does one of the best<br />

aperitivos in town, served up to a young<br />

and lively international crowd.<br />

Shop till you drop The annual<br />

Artisan Chocolate Fair (4-7 Feb) fills<br />

up the Piazza Santa Croce with stall<br />

after stall of delicious handmade<br />

chocolates, many from artisan<br />

chocolatiers based in Tuscany.<br />

SANT’AMBROGIO<br />

East of the centre, this is the<br />

neighbourhood in which to make like<br />

the locals at the fruit and veg market,<br />

pick up bargains at cheap clothes stalls<br />

and browse the flea market.<br />

Culture vultures The Tempio<br />

Maggiore (4 Via Luigi Carlo Farini) is<br />

one of the most beautiful synagogues<br />

in Europe.<br />

Must eat At acclaimed chef Fabio<br />

Picchi’s private member’s club and<br />

cultural centre Teatro del Sale (118<br />

Via dei Macci, tel. 055 200 1492) you<br />

can dine cheaply, canteen-style, on his<br />

delectable food, drink his own wine<br />

and take in an evening show for just<br />

€30 – plus a €5 membership fee.<br />

Must drink The most charming<br />

café and bar in Florence, Caffè Cibrèo<br />

(5 Via del Verrocchio) is unbeatably<br />

cosy in the winter with its wooden<br />

ceiling and comfy theatre seats. Come<br />

here for the best cappuccino in town,<br />

or great evening aperitivo.<br />

Shop till you drop If the Chocolate<br />

Fair has left you craving more, handmade<br />

chocolates in a variety of flavours are<br />

sold at Bottega del Cioccolato (50 Via<br />

de’ Macci).<br />

€99 *<br />

FROM JUST<br />

RETURN ALL-IN<br />

Fly to Florence from<br />

just €99* return all-in.<br />

brusselsairlines.com<br />

†PER COUNTRY PER CAPITA<br />

*PRICES QUOTED ARE FOR A RETURN TICKET IN B.LIGHT ECONOMY FROM OR TO BRUSSELS, ALL TAXES AND FEES INCLUDED, IF BOOKED ON BRUSSELSAIRLINES.COM. TICKETS ARE NOT CHANGEABLE, NOR REFUNDABLE. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE


†PER COUNTRY PER CAPITA<br />

*PRICES QUOTED ARE FOR A RETURN TICKET IN B.LIGHT ECONOMY FROM OR TO BRUSSELS, ALL TAXES AND FEES INCLUDED, IF BOOKED ON BRUSSELSAIRLINES.COM. TICKETS ARE NOT CHANGEABLE, NOR REFUNDABLE. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE<br />

PORTUGAL POPULATION 10,676,910 CURRENCY EURO GDP† €15,500 DIALLING CODE +351<br />

LISBON<br />

AIRPORT CODE LIS FLIGHT FREQUENCY TWICE DAILY AVERAGE TEMP (FEB) 11ºC<br />

Lisbon’s Atlantic<br />

neighbour Rio may take<br />

centre stage for Carnival,<br />

but there are some great<br />

parades in local Sesimbra.<br />

Also worth seeking out<br />

are the thought-provoking<br />

‘suspended time’<br />

installations by Jane<br />

and Louise Wilson at<br />

the Gulbenkian Museum<br />

(see museu.gulbenkian.pt<br />

for details). Matthew<br />

Hancock explores the<br />

city’s hidden treasures<br />

BAIXA<br />

This downtown riverside suburb is<br />

Lisbon’s commercial heart, which<br />

pulses with street life.<br />

Sleep soundly The Evidencia Tejo (2<br />

Rua dos Condes de Monsanto, tel. 218<br />

886182, evidenciahoteis.com, rooms<br />

from €80) offers affordable boutiquestyle<br />

rooms in the heart of the Baixa.<br />

Culture vultures Still evolving MuDe<br />

(24 Rua Augusta) is becoming one of<br />

Europe’s top museums of fashion and<br />

design, set in a former bank.<br />

Must eat The Casa do Alentejo (58<br />

Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, tel. 213<br />

469231) serves sumptuous southern<br />

Portuguese dishes, such as pork with<br />

clams, in a splendid tiled dining room.<br />

Must drink A powerful ginginha<br />

(cherry brandy) in the tiny A Ginginha<br />

(8 Largo de São Domingos) guarantees<br />

you a glowing view of Lisbon.<br />

Shop till you drop First-rate<br />

Portuguese flavours – from pungent<br />

cheeses to vintage ports – can be found<br />

at Manuel Tavares (1a Rua da Betesga).<br />

ALFAMA<br />

The city’s oldest quarter is an alluring<br />

tangle of back alleys that lead between<br />

the castle and the river.<br />

Sleep soundly With rooms abutting<br />

the castle walls, Solar do Castelo (2 Rua<br />

Take in work by modern artists<br />

from around the world at the<br />

Gulbenkian Museum<br />

INFO<br />

Lisbon (Portela)<br />

Airport is located<br />

within the city.<br />

Bus The Aerobus<br />

leaves every<br />

20 minutes from<br />

7.40am to 11pm<br />

for the city centre,<br />

terminating at<br />

Cais do Sodré.<br />

Tickets, which are<br />

valid all day, cost<br />

€3,50 and can be<br />

bought onboard.<br />

Taxi The 20-minute<br />

journey into the<br />

city centre costs<br />

about €15, with an<br />

extra charge for<br />

luggage in the boot.<br />

Prices increase<br />

by 20% at night,<br />

weekends and on<br />

bank holidays.<br />

Tourist office The<br />

Lisboa Welcome<br />

Centre is located at<br />

15 Rua do Arsenal<br />

(tel. 21 031 2700,<br />

visitlisboa.com).<br />

das Cozinhas, tel. 218 806050, heritage.<br />

pt, rooms from €175) is a small,<br />

tastefully furnished hotel that offers<br />

a breakfast to die for – served in the<br />

courtyard when the sun shines.<br />

Culture vultures Tune into distinctive<br />

Portuguese fado at the excellent Casa<br />

do Fado museum (1 Largo do Chafariz de<br />

Dentro), which explains all you need to<br />

know about this mournful musical style.<br />

Must drink Sink in the comfy sofas<br />

of Pois Café (93–95 Rua São João da<br />

Praça), where you could easily hole up<br />

all day over a steaming hot chocolate<br />

and a cake or two.<br />

Shop till you drop Little changed<br />

since it opened in the 1930s, quirky<br />

Conserveira de Lisboa (34 Rua dos<br />

Bacalhoeiras) specialises in tinned fish,<br />

with wooden cabinets stacked with<br />

canned sardines, squid and mussels.<br />

SANTOS<br />

Dockside Santos is known as the district<br />

of design, with fashionable cafés and<br />

bars serving a range of designer shops.<br />

Sleep soundly Recently renovated<br />

York House (32 Rua das Janelas Verdes,<br />

tel. 213 962435, yorkhouselisboa.com,<br />

Image José Manuel Costa Alves<br />

rooms from €120) combines the feel of<br />

a former Carmelite convent with ultra<br />

chic décor, overlooking a courtyard.<br />

Culture vultures Though this puppet<br />

museum mostly appeals to children,<br />

the Museu da Marioneta (146 Rua da<br />

Esperença) also has plenty for adults,<br />

including risqué shadow puppets and<br />

scary life-size satirical marionettes.<br />

Must eat Guarda Mor (8 Rua do<br />

Guarda Mor, tel. 213 978663) serves<br />

sublime prawns fried in lemon and<br />

wonderful salted cod cakes, as well<br />

as a range of warming soups.<br />

Must drink A popular bar with<br />

students, Peróla (25 Calçada Ribeiro<br />

de Santos) packs in the locals thanks<br />

to table football, inexpensive drinks<br />

and lively music.<br />

Dance the night away Club<br />

B.leza (50 Largo Conde de Barão)<br />

has hosted top African and Latin<br />

bands for over a decade in its fine<br />

16th-century building.<br />

SESIMBRA<br />

An hour south, Sesimbra is a popular<br />

weekend retreat from the capital.<br />

A former fishing village with great<br />

beaches, it also hosts the region’s<br />

best Carnival parade in mid February.<br />

Sleep soundly Right on the seafront,<br />

the Sana Sesimbra Hotel (11 Av. 25 de<br />

Abril, tel. 212 289000, sanahotels.com,<br />

rooms from €95) comes with glass lifts,<br />

sauna and pool, restaurant and groovy<br />

rooftop bar.<br />

Culture vultures Hanging over the<br />

town is a battlemented Moorish castle<br />

that encloses a church and cemetery,<br />

offering dazzling views over the coast.<br />

Must eat It’s hard to resist the fresh<br />

fish and seafood straight from the<br />

Atlantic at Pedra Alta (13 Largo dos<br />

Bombaldes, tel. 212 231791) – but<br />

leave room for crêpes for dessert.<br />

€119 *<br />

FROM JUST<br />

RETURN ALL-IN<br />

Fly to Lisbon from just<br />

€119* return all-in.<br />

brusselsairlines.com<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

113


114<br />

FRANCE POPULATION 64,057,792 CURRENCY EURO GDP† €23,250 DIALLING CODE +33<br />

MARSEILLE<br />

AIRPORT CODE MRS FLIGHT FREQUENCY THREE TIMES DAILY AVERAGE TEMP (FEB) 7ºC<br />

In February – which takes<br />

its name from the Latin<br />

verb ‘februare’, to purify<br />

– where better to cleanse<br />

the soul than Marseille?<br />

As the terraces start<br />

to fill with the peoplewatching<br />

population,<br />

Molly Simpson sticks<br />

on her shades and sets<br />

out in search of some of<br />

the more sun-drenched<br />

spots to while away<br />

an hour or two…<br />

VIEUX PORT<br />

Against a panoramic backdrop and<br />

adorned with spectacular yachts and<br />

crumbling fishing boats, Marseille’s<br />

harbour beautifully portrays its rich<br />

diversity of cultures and communities.<br />

Surrounded by cafés and restaurants<br />

both chic and sultry, this vibrant setting<br />

is a gateway – to the atmospheric<br />

quarters of Le Panier on the north side,<br />

and the boulevard of La Canebière<br />

that separates the convivial Belsunce<br />

quarter from the designer shopping<br />

streets to the south.<br />

Sleep soundly Steeped in history,<br />

the Grand Tonic (43 Quai des Belges,<br />

tel. (0)4 9155 6746), tonichotel.com,<br />

rooms from €85) is housed in a building<br />

from the early 1900s. But it offers<br />

contemporary style and modern<br />

comforts, including large flatscreen<br />

TVs and hydro-massage bathtubs.<br />

Culture vultures Musée<br />

d’Archéologie Méditerranéenne (2 Rue<br />

de la Charité) boasts a number of<br />

outstanding artefacts, including some<br />

beautiful pottery and glassware. The<br />

museum’s Egyptian collection is<br />

particularly notable.<br />

Must eat La Cuisine au Beurre (72<br />

Quai du Port, tel. (0)4 9190 9529) is<br />

the perfect place to people-watch with<br />

a plate of chunky chips and a bowl of<br />

steaming mussels. La Table de l’Olivier<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

Mingle with<br />

the cool crowd<br />

at Trolleybus<br />

INFO<br />

Aéroport de<br />

Marseille Provence<br />

is 20km north-west<br />

of the city centre.<br />

Bus A shuttle bus<br />

connects the<br />

airport to Marseille<br />

every 20 minutes<br />

or so, and the<br />

journey takes<br />

between 25 and<br />

30 minutes.<br />

Tickets cost €8,50.<br />

Taxi A taxi to the<br />

centre of Marseille<br />

from the airport<br />

costs about €40<br />

during the day and<br />

€50 at night. The<br />

journey takes<br />

around 30 minutes.<br />

Tourist office<br />

The main office<br />

can be found at<br />

4 La Canebière,<br />

close to Vieux Port<br />

(tel. (0)4 9113<br />

8900, marseilletourisme.com).<br />

(56 Rue Mazenod, tel. (0)4 9191 1704),<br />

meanwhile, serves up an explosion of<br />

east-meets-west flavours using local<br />

produce in sophisticated surroundings.<br />

Dance the night away Le Crystal (148<br />

Quai du Port) is a kitsch setting serving<br />

equally chintzy cocktails that’ll get you<br />

in the mood for late-night revelling, and<br />

Trolleybus (24 Quai Rive Neuve) draws<br />

the city’s in-crowd with acid jazz and<br />

hip-hop until the early hours.<br />

CARRY-LE-ROUET<br />

A train or car ride of less than 30<br />

minutes will find you in Carry-le-Rouet.<br />

This seaside town is the beginning of<br />

the lesser-known ‘La Côte Bleue’,<br />

offering pine forests bordering the<br />

sea that are ideal for coastal walks<br />

and laid-back living. Visit this quaint<br />

resort and imagine you are one of<br />

the town’s more famous residents,<br />

Nina Simone, who lived here until her<br />

death in 2003.<br />

Sleep soundly Should relaxation be<br />

on the agenda then family-run B&B Villa<br />

L’Oursinade (25 Allée de la Calanque,<br />

(0)4 4244 7077, provence-en-famille.<br />

com, rooms from €65) can provide the<br />

perfect escape, with its calm and<br />

picturesque setting overlooking<br />

the Mediterranean.<br />

Must eat Le Galion (3 Quai Prof Emile<br />

Vayssière, tel. (0)4 4244 5340) provides<br />

diners with port-side views while they<br />

wash down simple, freshly caught<br />

seafood with the finest local wine.<br />

And La Brise (Quai Emile Vayssière,<br />

tel, (0)4 4245 3055), perched on the hill,<br />

is perfect for slurping bouillabaisse.<br />

Panoramic views, rattan chairs and<br />

sublime service justify the price.<br />

Dance the night away Make a night<br />

of it at Casino Barrière (Avenue Aristide<br />

Briand) – if dinner and a dabble on the<br />

poker tables or slot machines doesn’t<br />

suit, catch a cabaret show instead.<br />

LE PLATEAU<br />

The iconoclast will adore this charming<br />

‘anything goes’ district, where Cours<br />

Julien and Place Jean-Jaurès offer<br />

boutique and trendy cafés that make<br />

up the commonly known ‘Le Plateau’.<br />

The arty, bohemian vibe creates<br />

the perfect setting for a day spent<br />

shopping or musing at the myriad<br />

galleries and workshops.<br />

Shop till you drop Oogie (55, Cours<br />

Julien), is a 400m2 collection of services,<br />

aptly named a ‘lifestore’. Comprising<br />

a hair studio, restaurant, café, bookstore,<br />

clothing stores and a gallery – the list<br />

goes on – this is one-stop shopping and<br />

dining at its quirkiest and most fun.<br />

Culture vultures Those who share<br />

a passion for canvasses and sculptures<br />

will adore the convivial surroundings<br />

of gallery Galerie Anna Tschopp (197<br />

Rue Paradis).<br />

Must drink L’Enoteka (28 Boulevard<br />

Notre Dame) is a place to linger – it<br />

offers over 70 different wines served<br />

by the glass, along with a tasty plate<br />

of charcuterie or cheese.<br />

€99 *<br />

FROM JUST<br />

RETURN ALL-IN<br />

Fly to Marseille from<br />

just €99* return all-in.<br />

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†PER COUNTRY PER CAPITA<br />

*PRICES QUOTED ARE FOR A RETURN TICKET IN B.LIGHT ECONOMY FROM OR TO BRUSSELS, ALL TAXES AND FEES INCLUDED, IF BOOKED ON BRUSSELSAIRLINES.COM. TICKETS ARE NOT CHANGEABLE, NOR REFUNDABLE. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE<br />

ITALY POPULATION 58,126,212 CURRENCY EURO GDP† €21,925 DIALLING CODE +39<br />

MILAN<br />

AIRPORT CODE MXP/LIN FLIGHT FREQUENCY SEVEN TIMES DAILY AVERAGE TEMP (FEB) 3ºC<br />

There’s plenty to see and<br />

do in Milan this month.<br />

If you’re in town on<br />

16 February don’t miss<br />

the annual Carnevale<br />

Ambrosiano – a huge<br />

street festival in honour<br />

of the city’s patron saint,<br />

Ambrogio, when most<br />

of the centro is taken up<br />

with floats and parades.<br />

Earlier on, you can still<br />

catch the sales (generally<br />

till the second week of<br />

February), so make sure<br />

you leave room in your<br />

suitcase for those extra<br />

purchases. Matt Barker<br />

tries to pick up a bargain<br />

NAVIGLI AND<br />

PORTA TICINESE<br />

Milan’s canal district is a hive of busy<br />

bars and restaurants, with plenty of<br />

small, independent shops to explore.<br />

Shop till you drop The shelves of<br />

La Vineria (4 Via Casale, closed Sun and<br />

Mon morning) are groaning under the<br />

weight of wine bottles and olive oil. Or<br />

for vintage fashions, try Renuns-Strascé<br />

(21 Ripa di Porta Ticinese), which sells<br />

clothes and accessories dating from the<br />

1940s to the 1970s.<br />

Culture vultures Dating from the<br />

5th century, the San Lorenzo Maggiore<br />

church (Corso di Porta Ticinese) includes<br />

16 Roman columns and the beautiful<br />

chapel of St Aquilino.<br />

Must eat Offering rustic charm in the<br />

heart of the city, Al Pont de Ferr (55 Ripa<br />

di Porta Ticinese, tel. 028 940 6277) is<br />

a proud flag-waver for northern Italian<br />

flavours; try the oven-roasted rabbit<br />

with potatoes. The Osteria dei Binari (1<br />

Via Tortona, tel. 028 940 6753, closed<br />

Sun) is another big favourite with locals,<br />

who are tempted by hearty Lombardian<br />

fare such as costoletta meat cutlet and<br />

excellent cheesecake.<br />

The sparkly new<br />

Prada store wins<br />

style points<br />

INFO<br />

Malpensa Airport<br />

is 48km from the<br />

city centre.<br />

Train The Malpensa<br />

Express runs from<br />

the airport to<br />

central Milan,<br />

taking around<br />

40 minutes and<br />

costing €11.<br />

Bus A shuttle bus<br />

runs from the<br />

airport to Centrale<br />

station. The<br />

50-minute journey<br />

costs €4,50, with<br />

buses leaving<br />

every 20 minutes<br />

between 4.30am<br />

and 12.15am.<br />

Taxi A taxi into<br />

central Milan takes<br />

about an hour and<br />

costs €75.<br />

Tourist office The<br />

main office is at<br />

19a Piazza Duomo<br />

(tel. 027 740 4343,<br />

milanoinfo.eu).<br />

Sleep soundly If you’re going to<br />

be basing yourself in the area, try the<br />

Hotel Milano Corso Genova (20 Via<br />

Conca del Naviglio, tel. 025 810 4141,<br />

hotelmilanocorsogenova.it, rooms<br />

from €90). Bright, modish and nicely<br />

understated, go for one of the<br />

Superior Rooms, which are huge.<br />

QUADRILATERO D’ORO<br />

Small but perfectly formed, head to this<br />

celebrated cluster of shopping streets,<br />

with most of the action along Via della<br />

Spiga and Via Montenapoleone.<br />

Shop till you drop Every big-name<br />

Italian label has a flagship here, from<br />

Versace (14 Via Sant’Andrea) to Roberto<br />

Cavalli (42 Via della Spiga) and many<br />

more, including the new bespoke store<br />

from Prada (3 Corso Venezia).<br />

Must drink Caffè Cova (8 Via<br />

Montenapoleone) is the pit-stop of<br />

choice for discerning fashionistas,<br />

though mere mortals may find its<br />

po-faced chicness a tad ridiculous. For<br />

a more traditionally Milanese take on<br />

café culture, visit Pasticceria Sant’<br />

Ambroeus (7 Corso Matteotti) for<br />

a glass of red wine and a slice of cake.<br />

SEMPIONE<br />

The city’s green heart, Parco Sempione,<br />

is the backdrop for a constant display<br />

of Milanese daily life.<br />

Must drink Overlooking the park,<br />

Living (2 Piazza Sempione) is a swanky<br />

lounge affair, while Freak (16 Via<br />

Agostino Bertani) is a lively bar (and<br />

a decent spot to eat), with late hours<br />

and a hip clientele.<br />

Must eat Still one of the city’s best<br />

restaurants, L’Altra Pharmacia (3 Via<br />

Rosmini, tel. 023 451300, closed Sun)<br />

is always a popular spot; it might be an<br />

idea to book in advance. Stick to the<br />

classics and order risotto alla Milanese.<br />

Fabbrica (2 Viale Pasubio, tel. 026<br />

552771), meanwhile, is a well-loved<br />

pizzeria. The house speciality is<br />

calzone peppina, made with fresh<br />

mozzarella and prosciutto.<br />

Culture vultures The mean and<br />

moody looking Castello Sforzesco<br />

(Piazza Castello) is home to a number<br />

of museums, including the Museum<br />

of Ancient Art, the Collection of<br />

Applied Arts and the Museum of<br />

Musical Instruments.<br />

MAGENTA<br />

One of the centro’s main thoroughfares,<br />

Magenta is an elegant parade of shops<br />

and bars. Head here for an authentic<br />

Milanese afternoon.<br />

Culture vultures The Teatro Litta<br />

(24 Corso Magenta) is worth a visit, even<br />

if you don’t intend to watch anything.<br />

A baroque jewel, it’s a classic piece of<br />

Lombard architecture – with a great bar.<br />

Must drink The Colonial Cafe (85<br />

Corso Magenta) is a great place for<br />

a leisurely coffee during the day, or<br />

a buzzy cocktail bar in the evenings.<br />

Biffi (87 Corso Magenta) is one of<br />

the city’s grand cafés, and an excellent<br />

spot for afternoon tea.<br />

€99 *<br />

FROM JUST<br />

RETURN ALL-IN<br />

Fly to Milan from just<br />

€99* return all-in.<br />

brusselsairlines.com<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

115


116<br />

UNITED KINGDOM POPULATION 61,113,205 CURRENCY BRITISH POUND GDP† €25,625 DIALLING CODE +44<br />

NEWCASTLE<br />

AIRPORT CODE NCL FLIGHT FREQUENCY THREE TIMES DAILY AVERAGE TEMP (FEB) 3ºC<br />

What better way to<br />

shake off the winter<br />

blues than with a trip<br />

to the north-eastern<br />

jewel that is Newcastle?<br />

Marissa Carruthers<br />

dons her winter coat<br />

(unusually for a<br />

Newcastle lass) and<br />

heads out into the city<br />

for a taste of Geordie<br />

humour, serious shopping<br />

and top-class dining,<br />

before taking a sneak<br />

peak at the Chinese<br />

New Year celebrations<br />

CITY CENTRE<br />

With an endless selection of high-street<br />

shops, quirky boutiques, classy cocktail<br />

bars and cute cafés there’s plenty<br />

to keep you busy in the centre of<br />

Newcastle. Then catch up on the city’s<br />

culture with a stroll down historic<br />

Grey Street, lined with stunning<br />

Grade II listed buildings.<br />

Must eat If you enjoy Chinese and<br />

Thai food you should check out Stowell<br />

Street, where you’ll find an array of<br />

restaurants and cafés. If you’re there<br />

on 14 February, you’ll get to see the<br />

street come to life with a traditional<br />

parade, music and dancing to celebrate<br />

Chinese New Year.<br />

Must drink Try Collingwood Street<br />

if you’re looking to knock back some<br />

cocktails. Head to the tropical-themed<br />

Floritas (floritasbar.com) and tuck into<br />

the long list of drinks on the menu.<br />

Shop till you drop If it’s well cut<br />

cloth and designer chic you’re after then<br />

Cruise (15-17 Princess Square) offers<br />

an endless line of labels. Or for quirky<br />

boutiques, hit the cobbles of High Bridge.<br />

Sleep soundly Get a good night’s<br />

kip at the Royal Station Hotel (Neville<br />

Street, tel. (0)191 232 0781,<br />

royalstationhotel.com, rooms from<br />

€83/£75), set in the heart of the city.<br />

Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine<br />

February <strong>2010</strong><br />

INFO<br />

Newcastle<br />

International<br />

Airport is 11km<br />

north of the city.<br />

Taxi You can get<br />

a taxi from outside<br />

arrivals. The<br />

journey to the city<br />

centre will cost<br />

about €17/£15 and<br />

takes 10 minutes.<br />

Train The metro<br />

runs from the<br />

airport to various<br />

locations across<br />

the city centre.<br />

Trains depart every<br />

15 minutes until<br />

11.59pm. The<br />

journey from the<br />

airport to the city<br />

centre takes<br />

25 minutes and<br />

a single ticket<br />

costs €2,35/£2.90.<br />

Tourist office The<br />

Tourist Information<br />

Centre is at 8-9<br />

Central Arcade (tel.<br />

(0)191 277 8000,<br />

visitnewcastle<br />

gateshead.com).<br />

The award-winning Sage<br />

Gateshead, on the south<br />

bank of the River Tyne<br />

GOSFORTH<br />

Escape the hustle and bustle of the city<br />

in this leafy quarter that’s home to<br />

a mix of restaurants, bars and shops.<br />

Sleep soundly For stylish sleeping,<br />

try the The Townhouse Hotel (1 West<br />

Avenue, tel. (0)191 285 6812, thetown<br />

househotel.co.uk, rooms from €83/£75)<br />

– a beautiful converted Victorian<br />

townhouse run by two friends who<br />

have a real eye for chic.<br />

Culture vultures View some of<br />

the finest contemporary art from<br />

established and upcoming artists<br />

before having a coffee in the café<br />

at Opus Art Gallery (West Avenue).<br />

Must eat For fine dining, Loch Fyne<br />

(West Avenue, tel. (0)191 255 9320) is<br />

a must. This spectacular restaurant, set<br />

in a former church, offers a menu packed<br />

with sumptuous seafood. Or for a bit<br />

of Mediterranean flair, try Adriano’s<br />

(90 High Street, tel.(0)191 284 6464).<br />

GATESHEAD AND<br />

THE QUAYSIDE<br />

Wrap up and take a stroll along the<br />

Quayside. Take in the stunning views<br />

of Newcastle’s iconic bridges, enjoy<br />

a meal at one of the many restaurants<br />

or stop off and have a drink at a bar.<br />

Shop till you drop Meander in and<br />

out of the stalls, selling everything from<br />

art and crafts to locally sourced food,<br />

that line the Quayside at the Sunday<br />

market (10.30am to 4pm).<br />

Culture vultures For unparalleled<br />

views of the Tyne and award-winning<br />

contemporary architecture, visit The<br />

Sage Gateshead (St. Mary’s Square,<br />

Gateshead Quays). Enjoy a coffee and<br />

then stay for a show in the stunning<br />

concert hall.<br />

Must eat Soak up the smells of the<br />

delectable Indian dishes at the upmarket<br />

Raval Luxury Restaurant and Bar<br />

(Church Street, Gateshead Quays,<br />

tel. (0)191 477 1700). Or for classic<br />

cuisine, try renowned chef Terry<br />

Laybourne’s Café 21 (Trinity Gardens,<br />

Quayside, tel.(0)191 222 0755).<br />

JESMOND<br />

This quaint suburb boasts a life of<br />

its own and is just a stone’s throw<br />

from the city centre.<br />

Shop till you drop Hit the quirky<br />

Clayton Road for a row of unique<br />

boutiques. Don’t miss trendy The<br />

Loft at number 12, for labels on the<br />

ground floor, a salon on the first and<br />

a juice bar in the loft.<br />

Dance the night away Take in<br />

the quirky clutter of As You Like It<br />

(Archbold Terrace) for a fun-filled<br />

evening of entertainment. From live<br />

bands to jazz, funk and soul, there’s<br />

something for everyone housed<br />

over three floors, with four bars and<br />

a garden terrace.<br />

Must eat Caffé Z (Goldspink Lane,<br />

Sandyford, tel.(0)191 230 4981)<br />

perfectly combines Italian romance<br />

with Hollywood glamour – and the<br />

linguine with mussels is delicious.<br />

€139 *<br />

FROM JUST<br />

RETURN ALL-IN<br />

Fly to Newcastle from<br />

just €139* return all-in.<br />

brusselsairlines.com<br />

†PER COUNTRY PER CAPITA<br />

*PRICES QUOTED ARE FOR A RETURN TICKET IN B.LIGHT ECONOMY FROM OR TO BRUSSELS, ALL TAXES AND FEES INCLUDED, IF BOOKED ON BRUSSELSAIRLINES.COM. TICKETS ARE NOT CHANGEABLE, NOR REFUNDABLE. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE


†PER COUNTRY PER CAPITA<br />

*PRICES QUOTED ARE FOR A RETURN TICKET IN B.LIGHT ECONOMY FROM OR TO BRUSSELS, ALL TAXES AND FEES INCLUDED, IF BOOKED ON BRUSSELSAIRLINES.COM. TICKETS ARE NOT CHANGEABLE, NOR REFUNDABLE. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE<br />

FRANCE POPULATION 64,057,792 CURRENCY EURO GDP† €23,250 DIALLING CODE +33<br />

NICE<br />

AIRPORT CODE NCE FLIGHT FREQUENCY THREE TIMES DAILY AVERAGE TEMP (FEB) 9ºC<br />

It’s hard to escape the<br />

festivities when the<br />

French Riviera’s most<br />

prolific Carnival hits the<br />

streets on 12 February.<br />

This fortnight of flower<br />

parades, soirées and<br />

concerts attracts over<br />

a million spectators to<br />

party, until it draws to<br />

a close as the papier<br />

mâché giants from the<br />

processions dance their<br />

way to the beach and are<br />

ceremonially burnt in<br />

a flurry of fireworks on<br />

the 28. Nelly Brown,<br />

well-known party pooper,<br />

goes in search of some<br />

downtime options<br />

PROMENADE DES<br />

ANGLAIS<br />

The charismatic heart of the city<br />

combines the glitzy façade of the<br />

Promenade – with its belle époque<br />

buildings lining the pebbled<br />

waterfront – and the old town, with<br />

its narrow and rambling streets.<br />

Culture vultures Wander your way<br />

through the cool alleys of the old town,<br />

constructed during the 17th and 18th<br />

centuries. In the Musée des Beaux Arts<br />

(33 Avenue des Baumettes), sculptures<br />

by Rodin and Degas vie for attention<br />

with paintings by Van Gogh and Monet.<br />

Must eat Snug and Cellar (22 Rue<br />

Droite, tel. (0)4 9380 4322) is Nice’s<br />

answer to the gastro pub, serving<br />

up delicious dishes such as scallops<br />

on a bed of puréed chickpeas and<br />

medallions of prime veal with a twist<br />

of local ratatouille.<br />

Dance the night away Le Ghost<br />

(3 Rue Barillerie) is the place to go for<br />

disco, electro and soul – hit this happily<br />

raucous haunt a block back from the<br />

Cours Saleya. Knock-out cocktails<br />

cost about €10 a throw.<br />

Join the fun at one<br />

of Nice’s vibrant<br />

Carnival parades<br />

INFO<br />

Nice Côte d’Azur<br />

Airport is 7km west<br />

of the city centre.<br />

Bus The 99 bus<br />

departs for Gare<br />

Routière, the<br />

central bus station<br />

just outside the<br />

old town, every<br />

20 minutes. Tickets<br />

cost €4 and the<br />

journey takes<br />

about 30 minutes.<br />

Taxi The journey<br />

from the airport<br />

to the city centre<br />

takes 20 minutes<br />

and will cost<br />

around €30.<br />

Tourist office<br />

The main office is<br />

at 5 Promenade<br />

des Anglais (tel.<br />

(0)8 9270 7407,<br />

nicetourisme.biz).<br />

Shop till you drop Maison Auer<br />

(7 Rue St François de Paule) is the spot<br />

to scoop up holiday gifts. And don’t worry<br />

about packing them into your luggage<br />

– the store offers international delivery.<br />

Stock up on Provençal truffles, as well<br />

as wine, chocolate and cheese infused<br />

by the fragrant tuber, at Chef Bruno<br />

Clément’s specialist shop, Terres de<br />

Truffes (11 Rue Saint François de Paule).<br />

EZE VILLAGE<br />

The perfect retreat from the madding<br />

Carnival crowds is the medieval village<br />

of Eze. Simply hop on the 112 bus<br />

(every 20 minutes from Nice’s Gare<br />

Routiere) to unwind in historic<br />

natural surrounds overlooking<br />

the Mediterranean sea.<br />

Sleep Soundly The rooms at Château<br />

Eza (Rue de la Pise, tel. (0)4 9341 1224,<br />

chateaueza.com, from €180) are well<br />

worth splashing out on, not only for<br />

the magnificent panoramic views but<br />

also for the splendour of staying in<br />

a 400-year-old fairytale castle.<br />

Culture vultures The patrimony of<br />

this village is so vast that the list is<br />

endless. The good news is that<br />

everything can be visited simply by<br />

stumbling upon it. Sitting amongst<br />

the Jardin Exotique, for example, are<br />

the remains of a fortress steeped in<br />

history – visit the pictorial account of<br />

the castle’s life and fate.<br />

Shop till you drop Visit the perfume<br />

‘laboratory’ Fragonard (Eze-village,<br />

fragonard.com) for signature perfumes<br />

as well as soaps, lotions, cosmetics and<br />

antique jewellery, and linens, glass and<br />

wicker for the home.<br />

Must eat La Bergerie (3835 Avenue<br />

Diables Bleus, tel. (0)4 9341 0367)<br />

serves up its famous gigot (leg of lamb<br />

slowly braised in the open wood fire) in<br />

a handsome vaulted restaurant.<br />

PLACE GARIBALDI &<br />

THE PORT<br />

Admire the lights, trees and fountains<br />

covering the recently renovated Place<br />

Garibaldi or wander down to the port,<br />

where traditional wooden fishing boats<br />

outnumber the swanky yachts.<br />

Culture vultures The Acropolis<br />

Cinémathèque (3 Esplanade Kennedy)<br />