Sat, 26 September 2009
Looking for a school to take an MBA?
Mont-Saint-Michel is now open to followers of all faiths...
Sunbeams' guide to the white, blue, green, yellow...
One of the best healthcare systems in the world.
Southern Cross Group angry over disenfranchised Australian expatriates.
Toby attempts to survive the day with just two buckets of water.
Paola offers three tantalising recipes for the summer.
| Index | Last | Var.(%) |
|---|---|---|
| BEL 20 | 2119.3 | 0.50 |
| DAX | 5252.45 | 1.50 |
| IBEX 30 | 10726.8 | 0.59 |
| CAC 40 | 3377.59 | 1.40 |
| FTSE 100 | 4564.5 | 0.79 |
| AEX | 276.85 | 0.95 |
| DJIA | 9096.72 | -0.13 |
| Nasdaq | 1975.51 | 0.39 |
| FTSE MIB | 20341.67 | 1.65 |
| TSX Composite | 10570.54 | -1.74 |
| ASX | 4148.9 | -0.60 |
| Hang seng | 20135.5 | -2.37 |
| Straits Times | 0.00 | |
| ISEQ 20 | 442.48 | 0.27 |
Operators of Brussels' Atomium revive the 1950s for the monument's golden anniversary.At first glance the Atomium looks like an UFO. The monument's nine, oversized metal spheres are not that pretty, but they have fascinated visitors for 50 years.
More than anything else, Atomium's structure excites visitors. It stretches 102 metres into the sky, appearing effortlessly to support the steel, glass and aluminium.
Atomium, which represents an iron molecule magnified 165 million times, was the sensation of the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. This year its operators want to revive the 1950s as the monument marks its golden anniversary.
In the lowest of the nine spheres a long-term exhibit has opened showing how designers in the '50s used new forms and colours in a struggle against the predominant middle-class charms of the times.
From April 17 until October 19 - the same dates as the 1958 World's Fair - musicians, painters and historians will depict what was going on in the '50s.
However, space inside the sphere is limited, and the few cocktail seats and kidney-shaped tables exhibited don't make the entrance fee worthwhile.
There are other things for visitors who want to explore the giant molecule. On clear days all of Brussels can be viewed from the panorama level in the highest sphere. The elevator to the top sphere moves at five metres per second and was the fastest in Belgium when the monument opened. For the number of visitors who flock to Atomium today, however, it is too small. The wait is nearly one hour at weekends to get in.
We went there last sunday and it was awfull...
first wait 40 min for the elevator to go up. upstair you get ouf of the elevator on another huge row. actually the whole upper ball was one big row. So expect to wait there another 1,5 hours.. and, none of the screens upstairs works, it all out of order!! downstairs we asked (and got) our money back..
kr
Thomas
I think it woefully fails to impress. It is pretty from the outside and looks nice lit up at night but save yourself the trouble of 'going in and up'. I would have thought the inside would have some meaningful scientific or historical displays but mostly it is empty save for some silly modern art displays which weren't very interesting. We encountered lots of queue jumpers and had to hold our own in the queue. Also, the 'gift shop' area was very disorganized.
Ah, when I was there as a young teenager in 1958, it was very exciting!
Perhaps it is like seeing your favorite band 50 years later--the guitarist you thought was the most handsome guy in the world is now grizzled reminds you that you are also grey...
Brussels in 1958 was another time and another place and it is not going to impress in the days of Star Wars...
This handy guide from Expertise in Labour Mobility includes how to write a CV, application procedure, interview dos and don'ts, Belgian management culture.
Belgium’s first alternative directory assistance services - available through the shortcode 14-14 - can now be accessed on the internet.
Moving to Belgium presents a host of challenges to expats, not least of all finding the right home.
The psychological effects of global mobility can be physically painful.
Twitter
LinkedIn
Facebook
Flickr
General rating:
Rate article:
Add my rating