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: Monaco
COPENHAGEN | Gefion Fountain – Little Mermaid – Langelinie
I turned 44 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…
LUXEMBOURG 2025 | Schengen – European quarter Kirchberg – City Museum – Diekirch – Alstom Coradia Stream HC
We haven’t travelled to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg since 2018 and 2019, but in January 2025 we returned to get a taste of the Alstom Coradia Stream HC which the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois (CFL) runs under the name Série 2400. The Coradia Stream HC was a candidate to become NMBS…
RAINBOW EUROPE MAP AND INDEX 2025 | United Kingdom, Hungary and Georgia drop dramatically on LGBTQIA+ rights ranking
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has dropped six places on this year‘s ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map and Rainbow Index, as Hungary and the Republic of Georgia also register steep falls following anti-LGBTI legislation. The data highlights how rollbacks on LGBTI human rights are part of a broader erosion of democratic protections across…
What is Schengen?
We haven’t travelled to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg since 2018 and 2019, but in January 2025 we returned to get a taste of the Alstom Coradia Stream HC which the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois (CFL) runs under the name Série 2400. The Coradia Stream HC was a candidate to become NMBS…
United Kingdom introduces mandatory Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for US, Canada, Australia, EU citizens from 2025
The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is expanding its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme to citizens of the European Union. Applying for the British ETA will cost you 10 pounds sterling.
RAINBOW EUROPE MAP AND INDEX 2024 | These are the LGBTQIA+ friendly and LGBTQIA+ unfriendly countries in Europe
2024 is worldwide a major election year. This is also the case in Europe. The Rainbow Map and Index by ILGA-Europe show(s) the continent – and yes that includes the United Kingdom – is not equipped against attacks from the far-right.
ILGA-EUROPE | Alarming surge in transphobic speech across Europe sparks concern for June 2024 EU elections
Ahead of the elections throughout the European Union coming June, a new ILGA-Europe report shows a stark rise in anti-LGBTQIA+, and in particular, transphobic statements from politicians across Europe.
Andorra
September 2023. Oriol and I are flying to Toulouse for a road trip in Occitania and (French) Catalonia. We include the Principality of Andorra, which I can finally tick off the bucket list, and Llívia, Spain‘s exclave in France. Besides Toulouse we visit Mont-Louis, Villefranche-de-Conflent, Perpignan and Carcassonne.
QUEER ANDORRA | Entre Nous, the only gay bar in the village
September 2023. Oriol and I are flying to Toulouse for a road trip in Occitania and (French) Catalonia. We include the Principality of Andorra, which I can finally tick off the bucket list, and Llívia, Spain‘s exclave in France. Besides Toulouse we visit Mont-Louis, Villefranche-de-Conflent, Perpignan and Carcassonne.