Bouillon, Belgium

Bouillon is a city that is situated in the province of Luxembourg, in the western section of Belgium. It is located very near the French border and is surrounded by Ardennes.  The city is filled with incredible castle structures and many historical sites to see. 


Brief history of the city ~ The city of Bouillon is the location where Godfrey of Bouillon first left for the Crusades in 1095.  Godfrey was the fifth and the last on the line of The Dukes of the House of Ardenne and owned the castle until 1096. He sold all of his Duchy to Otbert, prince-bishop of Liege to enable him to finance the First Crusade. Godfrey conquered Jerusalem and died there in 1100 with the title "Defender of the Holy Sepulchre," and the castle was not bought back and remained to Liege for nearly six centuries. Further, the city of Bouillon was, at one time, under the rulership of the French-specifically King Louis XIV in 1676.  After Waterloo, the second treaty of Paris (1815) granted the ancient sovereign land of Bouillon to the Netherlands. In 1830, after the Belgian Revolution, the Dutchy was integrated into Belgium.


Our first stop ~ Chateau de Bouillon or the medieval Castle of Bouillon.  (Patrick and I didn't go to Archeoscope anymore (although it is always recommended for travelers who has no idea about the city) where there are exhibits and show explaining the history of the city and the First Crusade ~ because hubby patiently explained to me weeks before the trip the vast rich history of Bouillon, and Godfrey and the First Crusade (Patrick has books in the house).. Anyway, the Chateau Fort was established in the late 900′s and was formerly owned by Godfrey of Bouillon. The Chateau Fort houses long, vast corridors, and dark dungeons for tourist exploration and the medieval charm of the Fort is truly amazing and unforgettable. I find the Chateau Fort incredibly interesting and walking through its stoned structures, seeing the walls and the fortifications, the ramparts, the vast rooms, and the dungeons always makes me feel at awe at how marvelous medieval architectures are and how they're able to preserve it for us to experience it up to now.  A guidebook is given and just follow the number guide and you'll easily understand what you are looking at with the explanations in the book.  The Chateau is accessible from 10 am to 6:00 pm and the cost of admission is 6.50 Euro for adults (and 4.50 Euro for children).


We're also able to watch the annual Falconry Demonstration (offered between the months of March and November) called the Ballet de Rapaces as part of the Castle of Bouillon visit. The show lasted for about 1/2 hour, just a short time for us to see the beautiful falcons and their abilities.  At the end of the tour, there's a "Scriptura" exhibition, which is in the old tag-covered dockyard which shows how learning how to write has evolved from the Middle Ages to the present day.


Outside the castle, we visited the church of Bouillon.  Patrick and I (on silent agreement) always make sure that we visit the town's church every time we visit a new city.  Also in the city, we saw the old town's cinema, the Hotel de Ville (town hall), and went inside the Ducal Museum (which is just beside the town hall). The Ducal Museum is housing exhibits pertaining to the First Crusade to the present and and guests can take in the breath-taking sixteenth and seventeenth century architecture that the museum is famous for. 


Ultimately, Bouillon is a source of historical exploration that Patrick and I (though exhausted for the day) have truly enjoyed. :D

Fiancée Visa Processing

Part II of my blog is now all about Fiancée visa processing... I divided the process into 3 portions: 
First, gathering the requirements (1.1 Philippines and 1.2 Belgium), cost, and its timeline. 
Second, visa appointment, interview, and its timeline. 
Third (and I believe the grueling part), is the waiting part, checking the website for updates, requirements after the decision was given, cost, and timeline.


My Situation:  Patrick proposed to me! (Smile from ear to ear). And we can't wait to start our lives together. There is no time to lose! We have to process our papers ASAP. 


First part - Gathering requirements


I.1 PHILIPPINES


September 2010
1.  Get a copy of birth certificate and CENOMAR in NSO.  What I did here is ALL online.  Go to this link https://www.ecensus.com.ph/Secure/frmIndex.asp to have your birth certificate and CENOMAR delivered right at your doorstep. (DISCLAIMER: I don't have any monetary gain by promoting their website nor am I liable for any transactions you make with them. I posted the link for info purposes.)  Isn't that so convenient! No need to stand on queue for a long time. It's great for working individuals who doesn't have to file for leave of absence just to get birth certificate and CENOMAR. 
<<From the website ~~ e-Census accepts requests for delivery within and outside the Philippines.
• LOCAL REQUEST: delivery destination is within the Philippines; PhP315.00 per copy for copy issuance of birth, marriage and death certificates, and PhP415.00 per copy for Certificate of No Marriage Record (CENOMAR or Singleness). The additional Php15.00 serves as the Documentary Stamp Tax (Sections 173 and 188 of the Tax Code and Revenue Memorandum Order 13-2008) per copy of certification issued.
• FOREIGN REQUEST: delivery destination is outside the Philippines; US$20.00 per copy for copy issuance and US$25.00 per copy for CENOMAR (Singleness).>>

~ I ordered 2 copies of birth certificate and 2 copies of CENOMAR and the documents were delivered 4 days after.

2. Go to barangay and get a resident certificate ~ I think this cost Php 50 in our barangay in QC and you get this the same day.  

3. Then go to city hall to get the barangay certificate authenticated. ~ In QC, you have to be very assertive so you can get the authenticated certificate the same day. Another Php 50 for this.

4. Also in the city hall, get the mayor's certificate.  ~~ Now, this is going to be challenging because in QC, the signatory is really the mayor (not even OIC or a stamp pad), so I really have to wait until the mayor signed the document...I have to pay another Php 50 for this (or more? I can't remember ~ I'm having a memory gap LOL!) I got the mayor's certificate 4 days after (after a lot of calling and pestering them every day following up that one precious paper).

5. And while you are at the city hall compound, might as well go to Hall of Justice. Why? Because you will be needing a Special Power of Attorney (Dutch: Volmacht) authorizing your fiance (or the one who is going to process your papers in Belgium) to sign on your behalf. Please have the SPA notarized by a judge in RTC (Hall of Justice) Cost: SPA is Php150-250 (you can haggle! :D) and notarization is Php100. Notarized documents are ready after 2-3 days.

6.  One thing good about being in QC is that most government offices are within the area.  And I am talking about the NBI office (which is also just adjacent to the city hall).  Renewing is just easy and very fast.  Same day processing as well for Php115.  Here is the link for more info http://www.nbi.gov.ph/faq.htm 
(NOTE: NBI clearance is only required in the embassy on the day of your appointment and doesn't need to have red ribbon.)


7. By the way, I also want to add in this list of requirements a photocopy of my passport, affidavit of passport, and have it notarized. Why? Because Patrick's town hall asked for my national ID, and as we all know, we (Filipinos) don't have a national ID but our passport ~~ and so they asked to have an authenticated copy of it.  Now, I don't know if this holds true for other town halls or just in West Vlaanderen.  Anyway, affidavit is Php150-250 (depends on where you have it done ~ again, if you have the charm and power in haggling, you can always use it. :D) and authentication (from RTC again) is Php 100. Notarized documents are ready after 2-3 days.

8.  Now that I have all the official and notarized documents, I went to Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and have all of them authenticated again ~ or should I say re-authenticated (red tape is really big in our country! ~ hence, the red ribbon on the documents).  Regular processing takes one week for you to have your documents back (I'm not sure the cost though, from Php75-150 per document I think..) and expedite service  is next day processing, so if you are in a hurry, you can avail this express option (the cost is still reasonable).  You also have an option to have your documents delivered to you by DHL (they have a booth located inside the DFA itself) so you don't have to go back after you have brought your documents for authentication...Or for some reason, you cannot personally go to DFA, in the internet day and world, there is always an option to do things online  (what a wonderful and convenient world we have now isn't it?) ~ here is the link http://authenticationexpress.com/index.html and you can ask for their services. (DISCLAIMER: I don't have any monetary gain by promoting their website nor am I liable for any transactions you make with them. I posted the link for info purposes.)

My Checklist:

• a. Birth certificate + DFA authentication (red ribbon) <I have 2 copies: 1 to send to Belgium (town hall's copy) and 1 for my copy for the embassy>- ✔ 
• b. CENOMAR + DFA authentication (red ribbon) <I have 2 copies: 1 to send to Belgium (town hall's copy) and the other for my copy for the embassy> - ✔
• c. Resident certificate (barangay and Mayor certificate) + DFA authentication (red ribbon) - ✔
• d. Special Power of Attorney (notarized) + DFA authentication (red ribbon) - ✔
• e.  Copy of passport, notarized affidavit + DFA authentication (red ribbon) - ✔

9.  After completing DFA authentication of documents, I went to Belgium embassy and have the following legalized: 1 Birth certificate with red ribbon, 1 CENOMAR with red ribbon, Resident certificate with red ribbon, passport copy with red ribbon, and SPA with red ribbon. (Note: This is NOT yet lodging of the application for visa).  Please click this link for more information (cost and schedule) on legalization of documents: 
http://www.diplomatie.be/Manila/default.asp?id=28&ACT=5&content=18&mnu=28. 
Authenticated documents were released after a week.


10.  As soon as I received the legalized documents from the embassy, I mailed them to Patrick through International Express Mail Service (IEMS).  There are other couriers as well like DHL, but (for some reason) I always prefer the postal service.  Again, I'm not sure how much I paid for it because it depends on the weight but what I'm sure of is I didn't pay more than Php2500 for the package.  Patrick received the documents a week after.


NOTE:  After we are done with the DFA authentication, Patrick and I decided to call the embassy for an appointment to apply for fiancée visa. We were given an October 18 appointment.


Timeline for preparing documents in Philippines: 2-4 weeks.


I.2 BELGIUM


October 2010
1.  Only after Patrick received my papers was he able to do his part of the work.  ALL documents should be translated to their official language (Dutch, French, German) for the town hall to process the Marriage Declaration Act (akte van aangifte van huwelijk) which the Belgium embassy requires for fiancee visa.  Good thing, he knows someone who is doing this kind of translation for visa or legal purposes ~ the very good-hearted and kind Mr. Van Bogaert who is actually a Philippines honorary consulate in Antwerp who helped us in so many ways possible to prepare our documents in Belgium.  For those who are interested, you can e-mail Mr. Van Bogaert at pb.vanbogaert@skynet.be and I am sure he will be willing to assist you.

2. While waiting for our papers to be translated, Patrick went ahead and complete the other papers that the embassy requires.

a.  Original Affidavit of Support “called Bijlage 3bis / Verbintenis Tot Tenlasteneming / Prise en charge/Annexe 3Bis”, legalized by town hall.

b. Family Composition called “Composition de Ménage / Samenstelling Van Het Gezin” to be obtained from town hall.

c.  Photocopy of his resident or Belgian ID card.

d. Recent proof of income of the sponsor (must be within the last 3 months).

Note: For both a and b requirements from the town hall ~ they are free and can be processed the same day.

Patrick's Checklist:

• a. Original affidavit of support - ✔ 
• b. Family composition - ✔
• c. Photocopy of Belgian ID - ✔
• d. Proof of income (for the last 3 months) - ✔
• e. Marriage Declaration Act - Pending (as we are still waiting for the translations of my papers)

3.  Also, with Mr. Van Boegart's assistance, he gave Patrick all the necessary papers that the Philippine embassy in Brussels will be requiring from us. For documents a, b, and c ~ Patrick sent them to me via e-mail (as I have to fill some of it out), then I scanned and e-mailed them back to him.
a.Affidavit of Single Status

b. Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage

 c. Notice of Intended Marriage

d. Evidence of Customary Law 

One of the challenges that Patrick faced while processing our papers in the Belgium side is time. He has a full-time work and he cannot ask permission all the time to go out and "do this and that" for our papers.  Town hall schedule only extends their service hours on Wednesdays (from 2-6PM) ~ and that's the only day he can go there (after his 5PM work) to submit papers (or follow it up). (Please take note that town hall schedules vary from every municipality.) My translated papers were done 3 days after Patrick has given them to Mr. Van Boegart (who is in Antwerp), but he can only go and get it back on the next weekend ~ again, because of his work.  And so before we know it, two weeks had lapsed, and still no Marriage Declaration Act. :-(


Back in Manila, a week before my embassy appointment, I went ahead and did my medical exam. It was in the Clinic of Dr. Peralta which is also located in Makati (very near the Belgian embassy).  I paid Php7800 for the medical examination and the accredited doctor will return the results of the exam and medical certificate directly to the embassy.  I didn't get to see my medical exam results, (although I can if I requested it in the embassy), but I just phoned the clinic the next day to follow up if there is anything wrong with my health and they told me that everything is well and good and that they will forward the results and certificate to the embassy within the week.


Although not in the primary list of requirements from the embassy website, Patrick and I also prepared printouts of e-mails, chat history, snail mail, cards, pictures, phone bills, etc. ~~ that proves that you are in a relationship. I remember printing out our e-mail correspondence from 2009 and our conversation in messenger (it's good to save your chat conversation history) and I run out of ink! Then our pics from his trips in Philippines (with me of course) then our Europe trip together. (I brought with me 2 albums :D) You have to come in prepared as you don't know what they might ask of you.


Checking my list of requirements (I also advise you to have a checklist) ~ I have everything with me in my bag ~well, except the Marriage Declaration Act. :-(


Timeline for preparing papers in Belgium:  6-8 weeks


Second Part: Interview


October 18 @ 8AM Belgium embassy ~ I feel uneasy this time (compared to the time I was interviewed for visit visa).  Maybe because Patrick is not with me this time (I feel secured when he is around) or maybe because our requirements were not complete yet (the Marriage Declaration Act is still pending) or maybe the combination of both ~ I am not used to not having Patrick around anymore and I am not used to going to battle missing an ammunition.  Anyway, I was called 30 minutes after my appointment time (there are a lot of people there that time), and as usual, the lady in the counter ask for the basic requirements first:  Please click the link for complete info on requirements for fiancée visa
http://www.diplomatie.be/Manila/default.asp?id=28&ACT=5&content=11&mnu=28

The interview went well and lasted for a good 20 minutes. (Please read my previous blog on interview tips). This time, unlike the visit visa interview, she asked me things about my relationship with Patrick. Here are some of the questions asked:

1.  Who is your fiance? - (Here you have to know his complete name) :)

2.  How did you meet him? 

3.  When did you meet him?

4.  Have you seen him in person? When? Where? How often? - At this point, series of questions will be asked based on your answer from the previous question. You also need to be very definite with your answers especially with dates and places, circumstances or occasions.

5. Tell me about your fiance. Where does he work? Who are his friends? Hobbies? Tell me anything you know about him - At this point, the lady is establishing how well you know your man.

6. Have you met his family? Give me the names if you know them.  

Then the lady asked for proof of relation and that means the letters, cards, e-mails, pictures, etc.  They need the original and 2 sets of photocopies of each (Yeah 2 sets!). Then I was asked of the papers from Patrick and I told her I have all of it except for the Marriage Declaration Act because my papers are still being translated. She did some typing in her computer and told me to pay the fee.  She then gave me my visa reference number and a checklist paper for my pending documents.  And since I still need to photocopy in 2 sets of the "proof of relation," it was also in the checklist with the Marriage declaration act as my pending documents. I still have time before the embassy closes at 12 noon, so I went ahead and have the papers and pictures photocopied.  I was afraid that the pictures will not be returned back to me and so I just pick 10 pictures to submit to the embassy.  All was accomplished by noon that day. :D

As soon as I was home, I e-mailed Patrick my visa reference number and we talked that night about how the interview went.

Back in Belgium, a week after I lodged our application, Patrick was able to get the translated documents from Antwerp.  

Wednesday that week, geared with so much anticipation that finally the translated papers were with him and the town hall can finally start processing our papers for the Marriage Declaration Act ~ lo and behold ~ the man who's assigned to do our papers was on vacation! What a stressful and frustrating week that was! 

November 2010

Time flies so fast for others, but not for me who is waiting when that Marriage Declaration Act will be done.  It also didn't help change the stress level I have when Patrick e-mailed the Belgian consul in Manila asking if there is a deadline for pending documents or they will proceed with sending my papers from Manila to Brussels even without the Marriage Declaration Act.  He just replied Patrick that incomplete papers are ground for visa denial. He didn't answer if there is a deadline or if my papers were sent already to Brussels. That time I was really upset. After all the works I have done on my end, I cannot accept that only for that one paper alone (which, on Patrick's defense, is also not his fault ~ he didn't know that there is only one man doing that kind of paper in his town hall and he didn't know that the man will be on his vacation) can make the difference in their decision.  I even remember Patrick going directly to the Burgemeester (Mayor) to consult our case, but he just told him to wait because there is only one man in the town hall who is authorized to do that kind of papers.

Second week of November when Patrick finally received a post mail from the town hall stating that he has an appointment with them a week after. November 23, when finally, the precious paper was given to us!

Patrick was also interviewed in the town hall that day.  Most of the questions were also about our relationship. He was asked a couple of times on what language we communicate on, and he told the man we converse primarily in English.  Apparently, not many can speak well English here (because the 3 major languages spoken in Belgium are Dutch, French, and German), and Patrick has to prove the man that he can speak well English. He showed him our e-mail correspondences and chat conversations. After 30 minutes of interrogation, the man told Patrick that he will forward the papers to Brussels and all we can do is wait.

Our original plan was to get married on my birthday (December 8), but we just had our pending paper sent to the embassy and we cannot expect Brussels to send a decision a week after. And so the original plan was postponed to February 15 (Patrick's birthday).

November 30 when I received a call from the embassy scheduling me for an appointment on December 7.

December 2010

Second interview was intensive.  I was asked inside the office to fill out first some questionnaires.  The questionnaire is all about basic information about myself and my fiance like address, phone number, work, family members, etc. Then I was called to go inside another office of a Caucasian lady (which I believe is the consul or an immigration officer from Belgium ~ I might be wrong though).  Question and answer portion lasted for almost 3 hours ~~ and believe me, it was draining! She asked me things and events from the time Patrick and I met to the present.  So don't be intimated by this, because questions will only be about him and you, and your relationship.  You might not know everything about your man (because I don't know if he has a favorite movie or not), but you should know a good deal about him, especially the thing that matters.  The good thing about the interview was I'm seated and even she throws intimate questions on me, we are in the privacy of her room.

Third part: Checking the website for updates, requirements after the decision was given, cost, and timeline.

A week after the interview, I can already check the status of my visa online https://infovisa.ibz.be/InfovisaNl.aspx

And here is the English translation (I am using Google Chrome browser and it has an option to translate foreign language to English) 

January 2010

Waiting...and waiting..and more waiting...and no new update from the website...

February 2010

Patrick and I are both getting uneasy and restless and missing each other so much!! It has already been 6 weeks since the documents were registered in the Immigration Department and no new update yet. Our plan of getting married on his birthday is again postponed. :-(  And this time, we didn't set the date anymore. We decided that we will get married as soon as the visa is granted ~ this way, we don't set ourselves up on being  disappointed ~ less stress and more years in life. Well, that is easily said than done I know. 

I googled for blogs (if there are any) about fiancée visa and their experiences ~ but there are none :-( and so I promised myself, I will write a blog about my experience, and I will make it as informative as possible (because I know, in this way, I can make a restless mind and heart be calm when they get some answers (at least) to their enormous questions.)..and I feel better already...knowing that I can be of help even to a single restless soul.

Second week of February, Patrick cannot take the idea of not doing anything but wait, and so he e-mailed the immigration department in Brussels to inquire for the status of our application. He was given the contact person's e-mail who is actually the one handling our case.  He was told that investigation was still ongoing and status of visa will be updated from the website, but he is to expect an inspector officer (from the federal police) to visit his house any day of the following week or the next.

March 2010

First week of March, Patrick received a mail for an appointment the week after in a federal police station. March 8, he was interrogated in the police station the same way as I was interrogated in my second interview. He told me he was questioned for nearly 2 hours by not one but two officers. We found out that most questions the visa officer asked me in Manila were also asked by the police officers to Patrick. This is for sure to check the consistency of our answers and if we are really being honest all throughout the process.  Finally, the police told Patrick that there will be a local police officer who will check his apartment, and that would be the last of the all inspections required.  Two days after, the house was inspected.  Patrick told me that they even checked my closet! (I already have my closet from my last trip and had left a lot of my stuff there plus Patrick had been buying for me some winter clothes since November).

Two weeks after the inspection ~ March 21, we received the good news!

English translation:

The next day, I received an e-mail from the embassy informing me of my visa approval and was requested to submit the following documents through e-mail on or before April 12 to issue the visa: one-way ticket with confirmed dates, travel insurance with coverage of 30,000 Euro valid to all Schengen countries and valid in 3 months. We submitted the requirements 2 days after (again, we opted for an AXA insurance, and Patrick paid 80 Euro, valid for 3 months).

March 31 was my flight. April 1, reunited with Patrick. And finally, April 8 ~ we got married! :D

Timeline from the lodging of the visa application to visa approval: 20 weeks or 5 months

“the longer you wait for something,the more you appreciate it when you get it… anything worth having is definitely worth waiting for…”

Visit Visa Processing (to Belgium)

I have been wanting to write a blog about the visa processing for both visit and fiancée visa to Belgium (from Manila) to help Filipinos like me (in my own little way) on documents that they will need before and during the application and interview process and give them a timeline of events (based on my own experience of course) so they will have a bigger picture of how long it will take for them to receive response and final decision from the embassy ~~ but time is always a challenge.. and now that I have the whole day to write, it's better to do it now than procrastinate. Again, I reiterate, the timeline on this blog is based on my own personal experience ~~ series of events or documents the embassy will ask (other than what is published in their website), and the timeline for every step may vary on a case to case basis. 


My Situation:  Patrick and I were introduced June of 2009 and became officially in a relationship September of the same year.  October of 2009, I have to leave for US to take my exam and so our plans of Patrick coming to Manila to meet my family only materialized April 2010 (although this is already Patrick's 3rd time to visit the country). Before I left again for US, Patrick and I went to the Belgium embassy in Makati (April 16, 2010) to lodge then my visit visa.


Visit Visa: ~ We called the embassy for an appointment <~ 1 909 1014545 (PLDT only through landline or SMART mobile phone); ~ 1 903 1014545 (Bayantel only through landline); ~   1 900 1014545 (Globe through landline and GLOBE mobile phone)> <Please ALWAYS check http://www.diplomatie.be/manila/ for updates>.  The earliest date available that time was May and so Patrick emailed the embassy to request if they can give us an earlier appointment as he will be leaving Manila last week of April and I will also be leaving by May. The embassy replied and gave us an earlier slot (April 16) for the lodging of the visa application.


Requirements for Visit Visa:  Months before Patrick came for his Manila trip, we're already talking about me applying for a visit visa to meet his family.  And so, he came prepared with his papers. 

1. Original Affidavit of Support called “Bijlage 3bis/Verbintenis Tot Tenlasteneming / Prise en charge/Annexe 3Bis”

2. Family Composition called “Composition de Ménage/Samenstelling Van Het Gezin” 

<1and 2 were both obtained from Patrick's town hall>.

3. Photocopy of his Belgian ID card (front & back)

4. And recent proof of his monthly income (for the last 3 months).

I also came prepared for the appointment ~ Passport, application form (can be downloaded from the website) with two 2x2 pics with white background, application fee (Peso equivalent of 60 Euro), a letter of invitation from Patrick (which he only wrote the day before the appointment) and my certificate of employment. I also brought with me bank statement and credit card bill statement in case they will ask. 


For information on requirements from the website please click this link:
http://www.diplomatie.be/Manila/default.asp?id=28&ACT=5&content=12&mnu=28


Interview:  The lady in the counter first asked me for the basic requirements (Patrick's papers in bold letters) and my passport and application form with pics. Then the following questions (as I remembered them):
1.  What is your purpose on applying for the Schengen visa? ~~ My purpose is to visit Patrick's family and tour the country. 
2.  How long do you plan to stay? ~~ I will be staying for 14 days.
3.  How are you related to the sponsor? (referring to Patrick)  ~~ Patrick is my boyfriend.
4.  Will you be staying in his place or in a hotel? ~~ We'll be mostly touring around Belgium and the neighboring countries, but while we're in Belgium, I will be staying in his place.
5.  Do you already have an itinerary? ~~ Not for now. Not until we have the decision on my application.
And that's it.  She did not ask me for any bank statements or credit cards and not even my certificate of employment.  She then asked me to pay the fee and I was given a slip of white paper with my name and date and visa number as reference.  Then I was told that we will know the decision through a call or an e-mail.  She did not give us any time frame. As I am leaving Manila the month after, I have to ask from her back my passport (apparently, the embassy is keeping the passport with them during processing) and requested her to send me the result via e-mail.


A few interview tips:  Be polite and look at the visa officer in the eye when you answer. ONLY answer what is asked! Do not offer information or documents that is not asked from you.  The ladies in the counter are all Filipinos and so do not be ashamed to talk to them in Tagalog (or Taglish for that matter) if you cannot explain yourself well in straight English. Be very honest about your situation as they can see right through you and they will know when you are not being consistent with your answers.  Do not be intimated if they raise their voice sometimes (as I overhear them do). They sometimes have to do it for emphasis or if you misunderstood their question and they have to re-ask it with a louder voice.  Do not be overwhelmed with people being interviewed and were asked a lot of questions before you (You can hear other people being asked there because there is no private cubicle for questioning). Remember, your circumstance is different than theirs.


Result:  May 25, 2010 ~ I received an e-mail from the embassy and was informed that my visa application has been approved (Yehey!). Furthermore, for them to issue the visa, I was requested to submit through e-mail on or before June 30 a  round trip ticket with confirmed dates, travel insurance with a coverage of 30,000 Euro to all Schengen countries and valid for the duration of the stay, and my passport.  We send them (through e-mail) the ticket and the travel insurance (I got an AXA insurance. If I remember right, Patrick paid 20 Euro for the travel insurance.  You can click this link for a free quotation though ~ http://www.axa-schengen.com/) before June 30, with an explanation that I am still not in Manila (so I can't give them my passport yet), but will be back last week of July and will go straight to embassy for visa stamping.  I came back to Manila July 27 and went to the embassy July 28 (no need to call for appointment, I just emailed and inform them the day I will go for my visa stamping). My visa was released 3 days after that.


Visa Conditions: I am to report to the town hall within the first 8 days where I will be staying in Belgium and request an official paper stating my registration of stay.  The paper from the town hall will then be given to the Belgian embassy in Makati as proof that you traveled and you are back (I think more on they want to make sure that you return back and didn't overstay :D).


Time Frame: From the lodging of visa application to email notification for the result ~ 5 weeks.

Paris, France

Paris is the capital and largest city of France. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region. The Paris metropolitan area is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe -- and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The Paris region receives 45 million tourists annually, 60% of whom are foreign visitors -- and that includes moi!


It has always been my childhood dream to see Paris in all its glory!  Paris for me (as a kid obsessed with fairy tales) represents a place where princes and princesses live -- (then as a teenager) where poshest of the poshest go, where fashion is not just a statement but a way of life -- (then as an adult), a place where stereotypical do not exist, where history and modernization are both very much alive, where the east and the west, north and the south collide but create a spectrum of culture that is uniquely vibrant yet in harmony- diverse but united -- to quote Morrie "a tension of opposites."


I was so excited all throughout the ride to Paris.. I remember having a nonchalant, just-another-ordinary-day kind of attitude..I was even singing along with Bon Jovi as Patrick turned his CD player on.. but deep down inside, I'm going crazy with anticipation!  


Our first stop, Eiffel Tower.  Right after we checked in our hotel and unloaded our luggages, we headed straight to the train station.  With the map on hand, we decided to just walk and leave Opi (our car) behind.  From the map, it seems that the train station to Eiffel Tower is just near..but after walking for almost 20 minutes, I told Patrick to ask around because I know we are lost!  We sat in a cafe and order a much needed soda for glucose supply (2 Cokes for 10 Euro-- very pricey!) and then Patrick asked the waitress for that metro train station -- which luckily for us is just across the street -- and it cost us 10 Euro! LOL. Anyway, after the train ride, we walked for a few blocks, then lo and behold -- the amazing Tour Eiffel!  Another check in my bucket list.. and what a beautiful site indeed.  We walked the whole stretched of the street and not minding at all that we've walked for I think 4 km at least..We are just so mesmerized by the beauty in front of us..


Back to the hotel -- feeling so exhausted (for me -- walking and for Patrick -- driving and walking) we just hit the sack thinking that tomorrow will be another hectic but beautiful day.


The next day, after an early breakfast, we hit the road once again -- and this time with Opi.  We have a lot in the itinerary and we have to cover it for half day since Patrick  still needs to drive us to Germany before dinner time.  We went to Champs Elysees, Grand Palais, Petit Palais, The Louvre, Notre Dame, The Palais de Justice, The Pont Alexandre III bridge and so much more (check for the pics).  The half day tour of Paris city center is just not enough.. I feel we're just window shopping and not going inside the store where all the action is..like swallowing food without chewing or at least tasting it..like going to a club and leaving even before the party begins..you know what I'm saying?  It's just not enough.. I need time to savor Paris.. need time to have everything sink in.. then I can say I have truly seen and feel Paris!  I have to be back here..I need to be back here.. Sweetie, GPS or not.. we have to be back here..

Reims, France

Reims -- a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies 129 km (80 miles) east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire.


From Rimboval (where we stayed the night before - thanks to Dominique and Carine for accomodating Patrick and me), we went for a quick stop to Reims en route to Paris.   The first half of our day was spent visiting the magnificent historical landmarks of Reims, several of which are included in the World Heritage List maintained by UNESCO.  We started by visiting the sublime Notre Dame de Reims, which is illuminated by the pure, radiant expression of its famous smiling angel, a masterpiece of French Gothic sculpture.  Apart from its status as champagne capital of the world, Reims possesses one of the most impressive Gothic cathedrals in France – formerly the coronation church of dynasties of French monarchs going back to Clovis, first king of France.  Thus, the Cathedral of Reims (damaged by the Germans during the First World War but restored since) played the same role in France as Westminster Abbey did in England.  The glowing stained glass and lacy stonework of Champagne's cathedrals are testaments not only to an enduring Christian faith, but also to a common will to assert France's unique place in the world through its art, its technical mastery, and its architecture.

Also not to be missed is the Palace of Tau. The former Archbishop's Palace was built by Mansart and Robert de Cotte in 1690. Today it houses the cathedral's museum with tapestries, sculptures and artifacts from the kings' coronations. 

Then, just nearby is Saint Rémi Basilica (which, unfortunately, we're not able to visit due to time constraints ), the largest Romanesque pilgrimage church in northern France. As the name indicates, it was built in honor of Saint Rémi.


After our quick stop to this historical place, we hit the road again..and call it a blessing, I saw this very old but beautiful chateau on top of the tunnel!  I don't know what it's called, but I'm just amazed on how old architectures are preserved in this part of Europe.

Montreuil, France

By the 19th century, Montreuil was a sleepy medieval town on the coaching road from Calais to Paris. Famous writer Victor Hugo spent a brief stay here and was inspired to use it as the setting for his famous novel - "Les Miserables". 


Montreuil - pronounced as Mon-trey - (or something like that) LOL -- is known (of course for those who have read the novel) as being the setting for Victor Hugo's Les Miserables, and every year (July-August), a festival stages the play in the town (which I was not fortunate to see as we were only there for half day).  


The charming walled town of Montreuil is a perfect destination for a weekend getaway.  With its beautiful old houses and churches, its imposing ramparts and its cobbled streets (not to mention good restos) - it's very ideal for such romantics like Patrick and me.  A little trivia - or to quote Kuya Kim "kaunting kaalaman" - the first ramparts were built in the 9th century by the count of Ponthieu. In the reign of Louis XIV, Vauban strengthened and modernized the ramparts.  Victor Hugo spent only half day in this town on Sept 4, 1837, when he was on a voyage to the north with his mistress, and the town was immortalized by this great novelist when he decided to use it as the setting for Les Miserables.


The town ramparts are best appreciated by taking one of the walks around the town walls - which Patrick and I did.  We walked for I think a good 4 kilometers!  The views of the town and surrounding country is just awesome and the walk is all worth it!

Le Touquet, France

"Paris by the sea." Le Touquet has a reputation as the most elegant holiday resort of northern France, the playground of rich Parisians and wealthy British, with many luxury hotels..




Second on the list -- I want to see the beach! and so we went..and not only a beach -- but we went to THE BEACH in Le Touquet -- where the rich and famous have their own vacation houses (per Dominique).. and this is the best place and time to go.. it's summer, and people go here on summer! We might bumped into some celebrities or royalties..who knows...

Well, it's beautiful all right..when it comes to beaches, I'm a little bit bias..well you know -- being Filipino and having seen the best beaches in town like Bora for instance..well, this is no Bora... but, what's interesting here is that this is the rendezvous place for class A people.  Well, I don't know about that since I just see people as people, not about their status..but I guess being here, makes me really see the difference between the elite and the average.. They said that most people who comes here actually owns a vacation place near the beach - a condo or a house -- and is just there for the summer break.. there are transient units for rental or hotels, but, as I say, this is a place for well-to-do people -- so why rent if you can have a place of your own, right?  Restaurants are a little bit pricey -- well for me it is! and the souvenirs -- oh boy -- I can afford the post cards though!  It was a nice experience. I was hoping we could have stayed longer, but we don't own a condo here..and not practical to stay in a luxurious hotel for the night..and besides, we still need to go to Rimboval. We didn't bumped into some royalties, but I saw James Bond's car!  :D

Dadizele Belgium

Basilica of Our Lady in Dadizele. Monumental Neo-Gothic church from 1878 in a steel construction. In the interior, a miraculous statue of Our Lady, venerated since the 14th century.

My first day in Belgium -- well technically my second day as I arrived in Wervik around 7PM the day before and slept way past midnight (must be the jet lag) -- woke up real early because our first itinerary -- hear Sunday mass @ the Basilica of Our Lady of Dadizele.  I was really looking forward for this to thank God for the safe flight, and of course, for this trip in general -- an opportunity to be in Patrick's home town and country and in Europe for that matter to learn more about the place, the people, and the culture.  Geared with a lot anticipation and pumped with adrenalin, we headed off to the first in our list -- Basilica of our Lady of Dadizele.

The Basilica is just amazing! From the entrance where I was greeted with the towering glass windows, to the beautiful antique organ, to the century old paintings, to the gothic-like interior at the back of the altar..Wow! The mass, as expected is in Dutch, (and Patrick is translating it to me once in awhile) but since Catholic mass is just the same format in all churches in the whole world, I can understand at what part of the mass to respond -- and I am answering in English. I even sang the Lord's Prayer in English. :D

After the mass, we went to the garden beside the Basilica called the Rosary Garden.  Here, they have the whole mysteries of the rosary in marble statues surrounding the garden and a big center stage to highlight the garden.  It was really a site to see.  It was a beautiful and memorable experience to say the least..