July 2024. Steve and I are cruising on the Norwegian Getaway, a Breakaway class ship by Norwegian Cruise Line or NCL. Interestingly, our stay on board happened shortly after the Getaway paid a visit to the dry dock for some refurbishments. The route? Piraeus, which is the port of Athens in Greece; followed by Mykonos;…
Month: November 2024
REPORT | Ensor 2024 exhibitions in Antwerp: Plantin-Moretus, MoMu, FOMU and KMSKA fine arts museum
Until January and February 2025 you can go and see James Ensor related exhibitions in four museums in Antwerp. under the umbrella name ‘Ensor 2024’ the Museum Plantin-Moretus, fashion museum ModeMuseum (MoMu), photography museum FotoMuseum (FOMU) and the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen, KMSKA) have put up temporary…
REVIEW | Beethoven House & Museum in Bonn
In late 2023, Dennis had the idea to visit Bonn in North Rhine-Westphalia for its Christmas Market. A good idea. We chose Bonn over Cologne or Aachen, as Cologne’s – and Aachen’s – Weihnachtsmarkt is a mass tourism event. Even if Bonn used to be the capital of the German Federal Republic when it was…
ANTWERP | Volunteers offer a new perspective on the MAS collection
In the Viewing Depot of Museum At the Stream (Museum Aan de Stroom, MAS) in Antwerp, visitors can enjoy three new presentations that offer a different perspective on the MAS’s collection. Sixteen volunteers delved into the museum’s depots and selected their favorite collection item.
REVIEW | Amtrak’s Crescent overnight sleeper train from New Orleans to New York in a roomette
June 2024. For our first visit to the United States of America since the COVID-19 pandemic, we flew to New Orleans via London Heathrow with British Airways. After two days of exploring NOLA, Amtrak‘s Crescent overnight train brought us from Louisiana to New York, where we we stayed one night only before flying home.
ANTWERP | Flemish Culinary Centre Smaakhaven at Loodwezen to open in 2029
On 7 October 2024, Tourisme Vlaanderen aka Tourism Flanders presented the concept for the new culinary experience centre Smaakhaven or Taste Haven in Antwerp. Smaakhaven is intended to become the reference point for anyone passionate about food, both at home and abroad.
Belgian Travel Organisers see drop in last-minute bookings, increase in organised trips and rising prices
The Association of Belgian Travel Organisers (ABTO) periodically sends out updates regarding travel and travel booking trends in Belgium. For the period of May to July 2024, the association saw a drop of last-minute bookings, TravMagazine reports. Also, the cost of travel has risen.
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE | Before you sail, online check-in and Embarkation Day
July 2024. Steve and I are cruising on the Norwegian Getaway, a Breakaway class ship by Norwegian Cruise Line or NCL. Interestingly, our stay on board happened shortly after the Getaway paid a visit to the dry dock for some refurbishments. The route? Piraeus, which is the port of Athens in Greece; followed by Mykonos;…
The Belgian Pride declared bankrupt, but Brussels Pride 2025 will go ahead
Brussels Pride 2025 will go ahead as planned, continuing to celebrate and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights, despite recent turbulence within the organising community. The event’s mission has remained steady even as The Belgian Pride, the non-profit organisation behind Belgium’s first pride march, recently filed for bankruptcy.
REVIEW | Bonn Christmas Market
In late 2023, Dennis had the idea to visit Bonn in North Rhine-Westphalia for its Christmas Market. A good idea. We chose Bonn over Cologne or Aachen, as Cologne’s – and Aachen’s – Weihnachtsmarkt is a mass tourism event. Even if Bonn used to be the capital of the German Federal Republic when it was…