From inside Brussels, this is how it feels to be on lockdown

Days have now passed since the terrible events in Paris - and as France's friendly little neighbour, we in Belgium are of course very concerned about the investigations taking place in Brussels. It started off as little more than a "routine check-up" or "mild safety measures" in early reports, and has now escalated into a full-scale lockdown.

From a "a dog bit me once" story that people can brag about in bars years after, the situation has turned into an "alien bit my dog" story of incredulity. Rumours and whispers started to spread throughout the city at speed, stoked by the fact that there is little concrete information available.

As the night passed on Monday, we woke to increased security measures and the news that Brussels remains at a level four on the emergency scale: at risk of imminent threat. All subway stations are closed down, as well as all underground tram access. Shopping malls were evacuated yesterday, and some restaurants and bars were asked to close immediately or take their customers inside for safety.

For our little country, this is surreal - it feels like the scene out of a movie.

Brussels, our beautiful capital that never sleeps, that's always too busy meeting friends over a good beer and a laugh, that loves to tweet in all the languages of the tourists that admire her Grand-Place, is now forced to go and take a nap.

A few people remained staunchly unafraid after the Paris attacks, taking to the streets to encourage us akk to go out and drink to the good health of our country. But those voices were quickly drowned out in the last two days, with multiple raids hitting the city.

It's somewhat of a drag to not be able to go out on a weekend and have a lovely evening out with your friends. But when the words spreads that it is pretty serious out there, you start to feel that a night spent in your comfy living room isn’t that bad. To be honest, considering our legendary rainy weather, it isn't too much of a hardship.

The absence of the usual, infamous Brussels traffic jams shows us that people are taking the lockdown seriously - but in that unique Belgian way, we battle things with laughter. If we have to stay home, we nevertheless keep on smiling.

So when the army came to town, the few hardy folks still outside did what all of us would have done: they took selfies with tanks in the most improbable places. When the police told everyone "mum’s the word", we decided to flood social networks with cat pictures in the most hilarious way possible. From a simple pic of a kitty playing with a toy to a montage where the adorable feline is acting as a sniper, Belgium roared with indomitable laughter to keep the good spirits going. Some say you can learn all there is to know about Belgium's people in a month, yet after years living here you can still be pleasantly surprised by their hardiness and humour.

We don’t know yet exactly what will happen in the next few days, if kids will go to school tomorrow or if the subway is going to arrive on Wednesday (and be late as usual). But for the most part, I believe people feel safe in Brussels. And we sure as chocolate are not going to let our spirits sink.

We’ll try and start on living normally again soon, our heads held as high as our pints, and our smile as broad as our hearts. Because terrorism will never be as powerful as laughing in the face of it.