| The Belgian police force is not quite the friendly bunch you find in
the Netherlands, but the country is relatively free of street crime and
you shouldn't have much cause to come into contact with them. As far as
personal safety goes, it`s fairly safe to walk anywhere in the centres
of the larger cities at any time of day, though you should obviously be
wary of badly lit or empty streets; parts of Brussels and Antwerp
especially can be intimidating and are best avoided after dark. If you
are unlucky enough to have something stolen, report it immediately to
the nearest police station. Get a police report number, or better still
a copy of the statement itself, for your insurance claim when you get
home.
With regard to medical emergencies , if you're reliant on free treatment
within the EU health scheme, try to remember to make this clear to the
ambulance staff, and, if you're whisked off to hospital, to the medic
you subsequently encounter. It's a good idea to hand over a photocopy of
your ¬111 on arrival at hospital to ensure your non-private status is
clearly understood. In terms of describing symptoms, you can anticipate
that someone will speak English in Flemish Belgium and in Brussels,
though in parts of Wallonia you'll be struggling unless you have some
rudimentary grasp of French.
Outside normal working hours, all pharmacies are expected to display a
list of open alternatives on their windows. Weekend rotas are also
listed in local newspapers.
Emergency numbers
Ambulance & Fire 100; Police 101 |
