Discover Flemish Brabant like a local
Expat ambassador Dorka finished all 24 walks in our walking brochure: ‘After completing all 24 walks, I realised how hard it would be to pick just one. Anyway, these are the five walks I’d be happy to go on again any time of the year.’
Sander will be taking us along to the region he was born and raised in, the Zenne River Valley. Trekking into the great wide open is one of his favourite pastimes. This time around, he's sharing his favourite haunts with us as a special favour – the spots that even as a local, continue to fill him with wonder.
No favourite walk or bike ride this time, but you do get a cosy chat with Anne! Anne came to Leuven to study, but fell in love... with the city, the region, the culture and ultimately – with someone living there! Anne – a local now herself- can’t wait to share a few of her favourite (secret) spots in Flemish Brabant with us.
Meet Walter! There’s no denying it. He’s a creative jack-of-all-trades and a busy bee on top of that! As a singer, poet and author – nobody tells stories quite like him. He and his band ‘Arjaun’ perform songs in the local dialect. Walter has become one with the Pajottenland (to the southwest of Brussels) to such an extent that he's become a symbol of it himself. The first thing he says, tells you the kind of person he is straight off: ‘Hobbies? I haven’t got time for them. I’ve only got time for passions!’
When it comes to being Flemish Brabant born and bred, Myriam is the real thing. She's never lived anywhere else. She spent her childhood in the Pajottenland (west of Brussels) and love landed her in the Hageland (east of Brussels) once she'd grown up. In addition to working as a social worker, her favourite pastime is working as a guide. She knows how to weave an interesting tale and loves a good time that comes paired with a nice glass of wine – from the Hageland, of course...
Luc will be our guide today. He was born and raised in Meise, on the north-western outskirts of Brussels. Luc loves his hometown and plays an active role in town life. As a neighbourhood clean-up coach and ambassador for the cycling and walking network, he does his bit to make his cherished home region a destination that visitors can enjoy themselves in.
Mia will be our guide today. She was born and raised in Tienen and has spent the entirety of her career working at Tienen's famous Sugar Refinery. She’s actively involved in club life and feels intimately tied to the green landscape of the Hageland and the Gete River Valley. Even if it's just for a quick nip out, Mia is ready with her walking shoes laced or her bike at hand for a trip through the region
Ingrid will be our guide today. Her office is in Leuven, where she works as an independent psychologist. As a therapist, two of her most important goals are to help her patients get more in touch with themselves and to ground their ability to live in the here and now. For Ingrid personally, nature is the best place for her to unwind. ‘I simply can’t manage without my daily dose of fresh air!’
Robin has volunteered to be our next guide. He grew up in Tervuren's but moved to Leuven, so that he could live where he works. On the weekends though he likes to make his way back to his old stomping grounds.
Our guide today is Vital, who recently retired from a career as a politician and PR officer. Born & raised in Flemish Brabant, Vital knows his region by heart!
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