The Solidarité Cycling Tour

11 volunteer bikers and 1 driver completed the 140 km bike tour challenge on the weekend of 22-24 July, 2011. The rainy weather forecast had scared away a few others but our little group remained determined and our enthusiasm brought us a completely dry weekend, just perfect for cycling. There was not a single drop of rain and some of us even got a little burnt by the sun.

The monks' gift to Belgium and mankind

What's the best thing about Belgium? Not the multitude of tourist attractions for sure, or the endless shopping opportunities. Definitely not the ever so friendly customer service.

Waterloo Trip

When I saw the notice about the re-enactment of the Waterloo battle in the Stage Committee newsletter, I knew immediately that I would spend my hard-earned €25 to go there! Given my interest in all things Napoleonic, there was no other choice.

Kraków day by day

After the advert in the Stage Committee newsletter, I was the first to buy a ticket for the Poland trip and the first to arrive at the bus that would take us to Charleroi, afraid of being stuck in the metro (as actually happened to some others). How could I have ignored this opportunity to go to the country of the upcoming presidency? Kraków here we come!

Dear diary, I’m in love!

European triangle trip: Brussels – Luxembourg – Strasbourg



The group in Strasbourg



It all started on May 7th 2011 at 10am in front of the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels, the first corner of the European triangle. I met with about eight other participants of the trip to discover the European institutions in Brussels. However, even with such a small group it was difficult not to lose each other in the overcrowded buildings. I definitely liked the Council best as we had a great tour and I got a nice 'petite poche' for my mobile; the Berlaymont was more like a huge playground for children; the EESC and Committee of the Regions at least had some punch to offer but way too many small stands; and I was simply too tired at the end of the day for the Parliament. First day summary: What the hell am I going to do with all of these flyers and pens?!

A whistlestop tour of medieval Brussels

Mention Brussels and you'll often be met with groans or remarks about what a boring city it is... and I have to say, as excited as I was at the prospect of doing a traineeship at the European Commission, the thought of moving to Brussels didn’t exactly fill me with enthusiasm. But over the last few weeks I’ve grown quite fond of the Belgian capital, and a tour of its most important medieval landmarks convinced me that it is anything but boring.

Big Bang in a Brussels landmark

Sunny days are meant for things like these: exploring a new city, relaxing in the park… and discussing the nature of the universe. On Saturday April 2nd nearly 40 stagiaires met beneath a cloudless sky for a double whammy event: a tour of the Atomium and a Science Café discussion on the origins of the universe.

The Atomium is a massive replica of an iron crystal’s structure that was built for the World’s Fair 1958 Expo. It is over 100 metres tall and has become a Brussels landmark. As the stagiaires waited beneath its giant glistening spheres it was clear different people wanted different things from the day; some were there just for the view from the Atomium rather than views on the universe.

Going crazy in Antwerp

While we had all expected to just have a quick scenic tour of Antwerp, within minutes of our arrival we found ourselves racking our brains, trying to figure out what the hell "Zot van A" was supposed to mean. What made things even more confusing was that all the locals we asked seemed to be giving different answers.

The day had started at Brussels Central Station at 10.20 with a 45-minute train ride to Antwerp. Upon arrival at Antwerp-Berchem, the outgoing Stage Committee, consisting of Anna, Milos and Christos, handed us quizzes with architectural and cultural questions on the Cogels-Osylei district. So our group of about 40 people split up into teams and the competition began.