November and December 2017. During my solo trip to Taiwan – the vacation which was a catalyst to start Trip By Trip – I met Ugo. Fast forward to August 2025. Ugo is touring Europe and we decided to meet up. Showing him Antwerp was an option, but fitting the metropolis into his itinerary was…
Tag: LGBTQIA+
Brussels Pride 2026 marks 30 years of struggle, visibility, and celebration
Brussels “will shine brighter than ever” on Saturday 16 May 2026, as the city celebrates the 30th anniversary of Brussels Pride. This milestone edition, organised under the powerful theme ‘When times get darker, we shine brighter‘, is expected to draw around 200,000 people to the capital of Belgium.
Belarus adopts sweeping anti-gay information law, joining global crackdown on queer rights, criminalises “promotion” of homosexuality, gender transition, and childlessness
Belarus has adopted a controversial law banning the “propaganda” of consensual same-sex relationships, gender reassignment, and voluntary childlessness, aligning itself with a growing number of nations that criminalise discussions and positive portrayals of LGBTQIA+ identities.
Leuven wins silver at European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Awards
The city of Leuven (Louvain) in Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium received a silver award at the fifth European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Awards, held in Brussels on Tuesday 21 April 2026. The awards, organised by the European Commission, recognise cities, municipalities, and regions that excel in promoting inclusion, diversity, and combating discrimination.
NETHERLANDS | Purple Friday to move to the second Friday of October from 2026
From 2026 onwards, Dutch LGBTQIA+ organisation COC Nederland, in consultation with schools, will move Purple Friday (Paarse Vrijdag) to the beginning of the school year. The annual day of solidarity with LGBTQIA+ students will now take place on the second Friday of October, instead of in December.
Antwerp Pride 2026 adopts ‘Fearless’ theme and calls for resilience and visibility
2026 marks the nineteenth (19th) edition of Antwerp Pride. From Wednesday 5 to Sunday 9 August, Antwerp in Belgium will once again be taken over by rainbow vibes. Prides are a mix of celebration – parties – and activism and advocacy. For the 2026 edition, the organising committee focuses on fearing less and being fearless.
‘Freedom’ by Erwin Olaf enters final days at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
On 2 April, I went to Amsterdam in the Netherlands with the EuroCity Direct to interview Ype Driessen of Fotostrips.nl on his first textual novel ‘Vanilla‘. I decided to combine it with a cultural activity.
2025 North Carolina Family Visit: Leland – Wilmington – Southport – Fort Fisher – Saint James
Easter 2025. I’m visiting my uncle and aunt in Leland, North Carolina. It’s my first trip of two to the United States in 2025. I haven’t seen them live since February 2020 just before the first lockdown and I haven’t travelled to this area since 2019. I’m flying with SAS and Delta. The itinerary: Brussels…
ESTONIA | How to spend a day in Tallinn
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…
TALLINN | LGBT tour at Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom
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…