I have a very 'general' question. Me and my family are in London at the moment but due to work thinking about moving to Brussels. I have read quite a few comments posted here and I get the impression that no expat actually likes Brussels or has anything positive to say about it.
Is Brussels really THAT bad when compared to let's say London or Berlin? All I ever read is complaining about how aggresive people in Brussels are, how women get attacked in the tube all the time for looking too 'western' how corrupt Belgium is, how unsafe and dirty, how nothing runs smoothly (cable, tv, internet, bureacracy) Does any expat actually like Brussels? I'm especially interested to hear from Brits, Is there anything you like of the city? Is Brussels much worse than London in terms of crime, pollution, etc.? By the way I LOVE London, I just want to know how it compares...
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Makes you wonder why all thoses people are staying here doesn't it....

Well I actually like Brussels. Sure it's not perfect, but where is? Once you can get over the traumas of ridiculous administration etc. it is a vibrant and fun city to live in. Plenty of great restaurants with some of the best food I've had, some lovely parks. Events-a-plenty - the jazz marathon starts on Friday. Also the location in Europe is great - driving not much more that hour or two and you can visit Germany, Luxembourg, France. I have no plans to go back to living in the UK just yet.

i agree with zed, once you stop running around like a headless chicken - which seems to be the only way to live in london, you'll find it really relaxing and generally pleasant. i especially enjoyed "car free day" last year, spent the afternoon rollerblading in streets that are usually gridlocked. people usually complain about lack of sunday shopping and what about 24 hour supermarkets?? forget it!! you'll just have to slow down and learn to take your time...

I do have to say, I've heard a lot of negative things about Belgium, especially the race relations. It is nice to see some positive feedback.

I think Brussels is great! I have been here with my partner for about half a year now. We're both from other parts of the EU and we both like Brussels a lot. You are right - you hear a LOT online (forums like Xpats are particularly bad) about how awful and dangerous it is here. To be honest, that nonsense got inside my head and stayed there for ages. It's not true. Brussels is not particularly dangerous, at least not in any of the areas that I've been in, which is just about everywhere. Yes, there are pickpockets and thefts (I've actually witnessed a laptop being stolen at Gare du Midi, but according to the paper, that "ring" has been broken) but, having lived in London I really believe Brussels is safer. There are small annoyances here (like another poster said, the initial bureaucracy is frustrating!) but that's true of everywhere. There are many advantages here. It is so nice not having constant crowds everywhere here, like you find in London. And it's much more affordable (except for restaurants, which can be quite pricey. But drinking out is generally reasonable and the beer is fantastic!). Pubic transport is reasonably priced. Rents aren't bad compared with a lot of European capitals. If you like urban exploration, Brussels has loads of cool areas worth exploring, and brilliant architecture (and admittedly some that's not so brilliant). And of course you can't beat the location - less than 2 hours to London and Paris, Cologne is 2 and a quarter hours, Amsterdam a bit more. And there's lots to see in Belgium too, and rail travel is affordable, especially on weekends.

If there's one thing that I think is way worse than London it's the shopping (and I'm not much of a shopper): the selection is much more limited (and can be geographically dispersed, making it a challenge if you're looking for something specific) and the shopping hours suck! Shops are basically open when you are at work, and also Saturdays! But grocery stores have longer hours, and there is a great grocery chain here, Delhaize.

I think that's all I'll say for now!