August 2025. We’re travelling to the Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and more specifically their respective capitals Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. Are they interconnected by rail? Yes, but not in the most straightforward or userfriendly way possible. The Rail Baltica project should remedy this. Unsurprisingly though, this megaproject faces political and budgetary hurdles. It…
Tag: Africa
Brussels Airlines freezes long-haul expansion for 2027 after difficult first half of 2026
Brussels Airlines has shelved plans to expand its long-haul fleet in 2027 after a first half of the year marked by soaring fuel prices, the Ebola outbreak in East Africa and repeated strikes in Belgium pushed the carrier to a loss.
Belgium tourism reaches new heights as record visitor numbers underline the country’s growing appeal
Today is the National Holiday of Belgium. On 21 July 1831, Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha took the constitutional oath to become King of the Belgians.
Brussels Airport closes first half of 2026 with 3.6% passenger growth despite Middle East / Strait of Hormuz conflict
Brussels Airport welcomed almost 11.7 million passengers during the first six months of 2026, despite industrial action and disruption caused by the conflict in the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz. The airport also reported strong growth in cargo traffic, underlining its role as one of Europe‘s leading freight hubs.
Lorenza Maggio to succeed Dorothea von Boxberg as Brussels Airlines CEO
Lorenza Maggio has been appointed as the new chief executive officer of Brussels Airlines, pending approval by the Board of Directors of SN Airholding. She will succeed Dorothea von Boxberg, who is leaving the airline at her own request on 31 August 2026.
France welcomes 102 million visitors and earns €77.5 billion from tourism in record-breaking 2025
I turned 45 in June. I have this tradition – when possible – of not being in Belgium for my birthday. From Sweden in 2013 to the Châteaux of the Loire Valley in 2014, Lake Orta in 2015, Rome in 2016, London in 2018, North Carolina and Virginia in 2019, England in 2022, and Rotterdam…
COLORADO | Denver Art Museum
September 2025. After Oscar came to London in June 2024 and I joined him there for a day, I’m now going to his hometown of Denver in Colorado. My second trip to the United States in 2025, after visiting my uncle and aunt in Wilmington, North Carolina. No, Denver is is not on foreign tourists’…
66 countries criminalise gay sex
The number of countries where consensual same-sex sexual relations are illegal has risen to 66 following the adoption of a new anti-LGBTQ law in Niger in June 2026, marking a reversal after years of gradual global decriminalisation. Specialist on the subject is the blog 76 Crimes. When Colin Stewart started that project, the list contained…
Lufthansa Group confident in summer fuel supply
The Lufthansa Group has moved to reassure travellers ahead of the summer season, stating that jet fuel supply is stable across its network. Dieter Vranckx, chief commercial officer, confirmed that the group’s six European hubs – Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels, and Rome – as well as its global operations, face no immediate risk of…
Brussels Airlines has fuel for at least next 4 to 6 weeks
Brussels Airlines has received assurances from its fuel suppliers that kerosene deliveries are secured for the next four to six weeks, CEO Dorothea von Boxberg announced on Wednesday. The airline has hedged 80% of its kerosene, locking in prices and shielding itself from recent price spikes. This strategy provides a competitive edge, particularly over United…