Brussels roofs

One last meeting today before heading home. This time it's the project team, and we are just meeting in the hotel because everywhere else is closed and the city is pretty deserted. Today (11.11) is always a public holiday in Belgium. I remember being flummoxed in 1982 when I was a student here as to why a country could (a) have so many public holidays (this was before the introduction if the early May bank holiday in the UK I think) and (b) have so many of them in November. I mean...why? What are you supposed to do with the time? I remember these (1, 2 and 11 Nov) being pretty miserable empty days which didn't exactly contribute to a positive view of Belgium.

I've grown fonder of the place over time, but it's hard finally to overcome that early impression.