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Article #118: Vegetarian food

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General summary of the city of many to follow. The first statue which
Hasselt is the capital city of the meets you when you enter the town is the
province of Limburg. Though it may not equestrian one made by Marc Cox as a
have the charm of other cities in tribute to Arnold IV, who was the Count
Belgium, it has a hospitable aura to it. of Loon. Arnold IV was the person who
The affable town with a population of confirmed the rights of a "city" to
about 77,000 people is reputed for its Hasselt in a Charter of Liberty.
nightlife, shops and its pedestrian The Grote Markt (Market Square) is the
center. So famous is the friendly nature biggest open space in the city. You can
of its citizens, then quite aptly two have a gala time here, as this place is a
years ago, Hasselt acquired the status as hum-drum of business. A center of all
'most sociable city of Flanders.' commercial activities, it is also a place
Hasselt came into existence in the 7th to wine and dine to your heart's content.
century on the Heelbeek, a tributary of Food and Drink:
the river of Demer. The name Hasselt The famous flavored alcoholic beverage,
comes from Hasaluth, which means spiced with juniper berries called
hazelwood. The city of Hasselt is 'Jenever' is very much loved in Hasselt.
reputed to be home for interesting In fact there are quite a few factories
buildings like St. Quentin's Cathedral, and industries dedicated to the
the abbey of Hercekenrode in Kuringen and production and distribution of jenever.
Refugehuis. In fact, the Refugehuis is The cuisines are a mix of French and
the oldest building in the city. The city Flemish. Like most parts of Belgium,
is also famous for numerous museums like people in Hasselt are fond of mussels
the National Genever Museum, the complimented with mayonnaise and French
Stellingwerff-Waerdenhof Museum etc. fries. By the way, did you know that the
The Demerstraat and the Koning famous "French fries" are actually
Albertstraat are two of the famous shop Belgian? History has it that American,
streets in the city. The shops Hoogstraat English and Canadian troops discovered
and Kapelstraat are household names; them when they arrived at the Flanders
however the items that they sell are coast during the First World War. During
premium priced. With the opening of the those times, the Belgian Army spoke
modern shopping complex three years ago, French and gave the term "French fries."
Hasselt has become all the more popular. Belgian or French, the world loves French
In fact many regard the city as an fries and Hasselt is no exception.
example city for good manners, good Other than jenever, the all time favorite
facilities and etiquette. Beer and French wines also score high
Places of interest: with most people. People favour the dark
The Japanese Garden is one of the most double lager beer and the white beer.
beautiful sights in Hasselt. It is There are some people who go for the
located in the Kaparmolen Park in the lambic beer which is fermented drink with
north-east part of the city. It is open a fruity flavor.
from April to October at designated Non-vegetarian food like sea food,
timings. The Japanese people from Itami, chicken, paling in't groen (eel with
which is Hasselt's sister city designed vegetables and herbs) are generally eaten
the garden as per the 17th century model. voraciously here. The hotels deal in
The Japanese Garden is the biggest traditional Flemish dish, Mediterranean
Japanese garden in Europe and has about food and French cuisine. There are some
250 Japanese cherry trees. Various events hotels which also serve ethnic and
in relation to the Japanese culture takes continental food. Biscuits and Waffles
place in the Japanese garden. served with chocolate and icing sugar are
The most important church of Hasselt is also served to sweeten the tastebuds.
the Saint Quintinus Cathedral. It was in Hotel and Accommodation:
this place that the first settlements in Parkhotel NV
the Hasselt area were formed. The church, Ibis Hasselt Centrum
and especially the tower, reveals the Express By Holiday Inn Hasselt
different building stages of the town. Holiday Inn Hasselt
The lower part of it shows the remnants Entertainment:
of the Romanesque church that stood The Ethias Arena and Grenslandhallen in
during the 12th century. Hasselt are popular event centers. Both
In the Kapelstraat, in proximity to the are known to be a foundation to stage an
Market Square is the Church of Our Lady. array of events lining from classic to
On the same spot a chapel was built in the contemporary. The infrastructure of
the 14th century by the members of the the auditoriums and the seating capacity
Our Lady Virga Jesse fraternity. The has to be seen to be believed. Both the
statue of the Virga Jesse, a Madonna entertainment venues are equipped with
statue belonging to the 14th century is a high quality acoustic sound. With an
popular tourist attraction. Some other ultra chic infrastructure and fibre optic
interesting sights are the Baroque Altar network, you can be assured to get the
and the tombs of the abbesses of the best in terms of visual appeal and sound.
Abbey of Herkenrode. Concerts, theatrical events, shows,
Things to do: fairs, exhibitions, parties, dances,
Among all things you can do when you are skits, sporting events are all played in
in Hasselt is visit its museums. Ethias Arena and Grenslandhallen. Not
Hasselt has a museum called the National only are they entertaining to the common
Genever Museum, dedicated to the popular public, but they also form a profitable
local drink, jenever. In the museum, the avenue for business people to showcase
visitors can learn about the history and and exhibit their products and services
the distillation of their favorite through seminars, meetings and
alcoholic drink. exhibitions.
The Fashion Museum gives a nice overview Shopping is another form of indulging and
of the evolution of fashion. You can pampering oneself. In fact, more than
partake in the theme expositions which 175,000 tourists come to the city each
are feature here regularly. week to shop and it goes without saying
The Stellingwerff-Waerdenhof Museum is the Hasselt is one of the biggest
home to rare historical artifacts and shopping cities in Belgium.
documents about the history of the Kiewit in Hasselt is the venue for the
evolution of Hasselt, Limburg and the annual Pukkelpop festival, which is
County of Loon. What you get to see here Europe's biggest alternative music
are ceramic objects, church treasures, festival with more than hundred concerts
paintings and other articles of historic being played at the end of August.
importance. Rimpelrock, a musical festival for the
There are a lot of places and boutiques elderly people (over 50 years of age) are
to shop from in Hasselt. The shopping also played here.
street is lined with ordinary fashion Biography:
shops. The street is broad and there is Author: Meredith Booney
less traffic. After shopping, you can Website: Meredith Booney is a freelance
relax your tired feet by sitting on the travel writer with over 20 years of
benches along the pedestrian sidewalks. experience writing for travel journals,
The 'Fruitmarkt' reveals the first statue newspapers and magazines.






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