As democracy in Europe comes under growing pressure, the annual ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map and Index identify steps forward on LGBTI rights in several countries.
Tag: Vatican
Passenger Locator Form to mostly disappear, except if you enter Belgium from outside the European Union, including stopovers
On Friday 4 March 2022, the Consultative Committee of Governments in Belgium has announced a major relaxation of coronavirus countermeasures in the Kingdom under Code Yellow. You will only need to wear a face mask on public transport (train, tram, bus, metro) and in hospitals or other collective care facility. This ‘almost back to normal’…
2025 WorldPride in Kaohsiung, Taiwan
InterPride has announced Kaohsiung City in Taiwan wil host WorldPride 2025. A bold choice. The other bidding city (pride) was Washington DC‘s Capital Pride.
“No photos!”
2020. Corona. Travelling is a different game. Yet our Fernweh acted up too often. So we arranged a train trip to Germany and Austria. Specifically to Leipzig in Saxony, several spots in Bavaria and returning home with ÖBB‘s Nightjet from Innsbruck in Tyrol to Brussels in Belgium.
Geographic Centre of the European Union of the 15
April 2021. As COVID-19 still rages and we still live under coronavirus countermeasures, Oriol and I were looking fore hiking trails. As a long-time follower of Denzil‘s Discovering Belgium, I looked for inspiration on his hiking and nature blog and settled for ‘A 23 km hike around Viroinval‘.
What to expect from Antwerp Pride 2021 amidst coronavirus countermeasures?
No parade for Antwerp Pride 2021. The ‘Empire of Freedom’ – or ‘Rijk der Vrijheid‘ in Dutch – comes a little too late, says the organising committee. But there are several main events. Bars and restaurants also plan their pride events.
Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Italy: go by train
So, Italy won the the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest, in Rotterdam. Måneskin won thanks to the popular vote with their song ‘Zitti e buoni’. “Sit still and be good“. So, the ESC goes to Italy in 2022. But where and when?
So we can travel, but where to?
From today, we can travel to and from Belgium. That travel can be non-essential. But while we can leave Belgium for another member state of the European Union or a member state of the Schengen Area, it is important to research which country is welcoming tourists.
Belgium allows non-essential leisure travel from and to EU Member States
The Consultative Committee of Governments has as expected decided to allow non-essential leisure travel from and to member states of the European Union. Starting 19 April. But it’s not a free pass.
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg, Vatican City, Monaco, San Marino, Singapore, Baarle-Hertog / Baarle-Nassau, Neutral Moresnet, Malta, Gibraltar. I love-love-love microstates, small nations and other quirks of geopolitical history.