Longing for a trip to Europe? Well, the wait may soon be over, fingers crossed. On Wednesday, the European Commission recommended reducing entry restrictions for people who have been vaccinated with one of four approved COVID-19 vaccines. The news broke on the European Commission’s Twitter feed: “We welcome the @EUCouncil agreement on updating the approach …
What’s that old saying? April showers bring May flowers? Well, April was not a typical month in Europe. The weather has been wacky! We started the month with a surprise snowfall. Really? And it seemed so much drier than last April, but unseasonably cold. In fact, it was the coldest spring in 35 years! Yes, …
Do you have a secret place, a spot where you find peace and tranquility? A place that calls you back at the same time every year? For me, that place is a Flanders forest that explodes with color each spring. Find it in Flanders Each April, Hallerbos springs to life as wild hyacinths (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) …
I am one of those crazy people who loves to visit grocery stores when traveling abroad. Yes, I love the museums, historic sites and natural attractions, but I often slip in a side trip to the supermarket. France, Germany, Kenya, Japan or the Philippines, you never know what kind of interesting local cuisine you’ll find. …
Spring is a glorious time in Europe. From the world-famous Keukenhof tulips to Floralia 2021 Brussels at Kasteel van Groot Bijgaarden, western Europe seems to explode in color. Have you seen pictures of Keukenhof in the Netherlands, the world-famous park with millions of tulips blooming from March through April? It’s breathtaking. More than a million …
My Babymaker has arrived. No, it’s not some kind of IVF treatment. It’s a bicycle. Kind of a crazy name for an electric bike, right? If I was 20 years younger, I’d probably find it offensive, but I have to admit it is a conversation starter. The designers thought it would make people chuckle. Really? …
New words, crazy sex parties and cheap champagne. It’s a mad, mad world. We’re tired of all the COVID-19 restrictions and horrified by the rising death toll. Belgian borders are completely closed, and we can’t even go to another Schengen country! (That’s the area of 26 European countries where passport and border controls were abolished …
Valentine’s Day isn’t complete without chocolate. Belgian chocolate is paramount–and you may not even know the best of the chocolatiers.
Some people in Europe marked the start of the new year with a “dry January,” but not the Belgians. Why choose January to abandon imbibing in your favorite brew when you can choose a month with only 28 days? It’s not a surprise. Belgium has the best beer in the world. So, it’s no surprise …
Someone has pushed a giant pause button in Brussels. Like cities across Europe, we are in the midst of a lockdown, and it’s not much fun. Life began to move into slow motion on the night of March 13, 2020, when restaurants, cafes and bars were shuttered. And life here is nowhere near “normal.” Brussels …
