6. Belgium allows the personal possession of cannabis

Although Belgium historically had a strict stance towards all drugs, Belgium relaxed their laws on the personal possession of cannabis in 2003. Now in Belgium it is legal to possess up to 3g of cannabis. Recent comments have hinted at stricter policies but will likely mostly affect smoking in public, while possession continues to still be technically legal.

7. The Belgian King can mobilize troops in independent Congo

Although the Congo declared independence in 1960, the Belgian King can by law mobilize the ‘Belgian-Congo’ military and take any necessary means to protect the country in a war, or even implement proactive measures in times of peace. Naturally, this is a law that has not been invoked much in the past few decades.

8. ‘GAS’: a ban on civil and social practices

The biggest source of Belgium’s weird laws is the Communal Administrative Sanctions (Gemeentelijke Administratieve Sancties, or GAS). These were a number of relatively minor laws, with fines up to €250. Introduced in 1999, they gave local authorities the power to address petty nuisances. A number of municipalities used GAS to cover their civic duty, like restricting children’s games for safety reasons.

9. Dogs and oxen can propel army vehicles

Several of Belgians weird laws revolve around the pursuit of advancing technology. One such law dating to 1939 concerns the military, which dictates that ‘beasts of burden (horses, oxen, dogs, etc.)’ can be requisitioned for any vehicles employed by the army. Although, perhaps that wouldn’t be useful if a drone runs out of fuel.

10. You can keep your last cow, pig, goats, sheep, and chickens

Belgian law provides a list of items that a bailiff cannot seize. Although a handy list, it includes some outdated elements such as livestock and one month’s worth of livestock feed. It is yet to be seen if this law would safeguard the chickens and pork fillets in your freezer.

The high five is a hand gesture that occurs when two people simultaneously raise one hand each, about head-high, and push, slide, or slap the flat of their palm against the flat palm of the other person. The gesture is often preceded verbally by a phrase like “Gimme five!” or “High five!” Thursday, 15 April was considered as National High Five Day in the US.

Lamont Sleets had been reluctantly put in touch with the holiday’s founders, and he explained that his father, Lamont Sleets Sr., served in Vietnam in the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry — a unit nicknamed The Five. The men of The Five often gathered at the Sleets home when Lamont Jr. was a toddler. They’d blow through the front door doing their signature greeting: arm straight up, five fingers spread, grunting “Five.” Lamont Jr. loved to jump up and slap his tiny palms against their larger ones. “Hi, Five!” he’d yell, unable to keep all their names straight. Years later, Sleets started high-fiving his Murray State teammates, and when the Racers played away games, other teams followed

However in the era of Covid-19 how do you celebrate a day like this or any day that you want to do a high five with someone. An air five is a variation where the hands of the participants never actually touch, needing only line of sight to make the gesture. It has an advantage for participants who are otherwise too far apart to achieve physical contact at the moment of the gesture. And in the time of the pandemic, you do do that too!

1. Gambling at a home poker game is illegal in Belgium

The Belgian laws restricting games of chance mean that prohibitions apply to commercial contests, sweepstakes, lotteries, and even private poker games. These games require a license from the Kansspelcommissie or no-one wins any financial gain. A law from 1851 gives the Belgian National Lottery a monopoly on all lottery and scratch card games.

2. No night-time police raids

A Belgian law prohibits police raids for eight hours each night – between 9pm and 5am – unless in specific circumstances. Some media sources claim this 1969 Belgian statute is what led to the escape of one of the Paris bombers living in Belgium; Belgian authorities had to wait until the morning to conduct a raid. This law initially banned night police raids on private homes as a civilian consideration to safeguard family privacy – but a Belgian law that recent terrorism events have shown needs an urgent review.

3. You can drive straight into oncoming traffic

A driver who wants to turn into a road typically has right of way unless otherwise indicated. This means that if you’re driving on a highway and a car approaches from a small country road to your right, you must slow down and let them in. There were talks in recent years, however, about abolishing this rule. For cyclists, in certain one-way streets, they can ride in both directions if indicated by a traffic sign, even when car traffic is only one-way.

4. The Belgian flag is unconstitutional by law

Today’s Belgian tricolor flag of black, yellow, and red contradicts the Belgian Constitution. The Constitution states the ‘Belgian Nation adopts red, yellow and black for its colors’. Belgium’s colors are based on the coat of arms of the Duchy of Brabant: a golden lion with a red tongue and claws on a black field.

The original Belgian flag did indeed go through a few shuffles after the Belgian revolution of 1830, starting out as red over yellow over black, with horizontal lines rather than today’s vertical ones, but later was rotated with a changed color order for various reasons (one including to distance itself from the horizontal Dutch flag and align more with the vertical French one). What didn’t happen, however, was an update of the draft Constitution, leading to almost two centuries of a constitution contradiction.

5. No Dutch royals on the throne

The Dutch were banished forever from holding public authority in Belgium. A decree in 1830 debarred members of the House of Orange-Nassau (the Dutch royal family). Implemented after the rule of Dutch King Willem I between 1815 and 1830, some say the Belgian revolutionaries found Willem’s rule less than satisfactory. As such, the law bans the Dutch royal family from holding the throne, any position in the public sector, or standing for elections in Belgium. As the law has constitutional status, abolishing it is a difficult process.

An ocean breeze puts a mind at ease.

Yes, yes it does. Although you’re technically not by an ocean, the gulf breezes have the same effect. Take a few moments to stop and notice how it feels against your skin. Breathe in deeply and then exhale slowly. Ahhh, instant relaxation.

We dream in colors borrowed from the sea.

What are your dreams filled with? Calm, relaxing coastal colors? Happy blues and greens? Indeed, coastal waters provide inspiration for life and dreams.

Happiness is a day at the beach.

Simple but true. Life is just better at the beach. Everything is better at the beach! With no where to go and no where to be, a day at the beach is just what you need.

The waves of the sea help me get back to me.

There’s something calming and reassuring about the steady lapping of the waves. The back and forth of the tide-pulled waters can be soothing to the soul. Take some time out to just be.

May you always have a shell in your pocket and sand in your shoes.

This is the perfect beach anthem. Let’s raise a glass to the beach and toast to it beauty and benefits. Cheers!

Prompt from 30 Blog Post Ideas for April