A quiet flight home


Just landed. With forty minutes delay. It was my first time through Zaventem (Brussels airport) since the terrorist attacks. As I entered the airport yesterday, I did not see a change. The airport is as it used to be before. But today on my way home, probably my first time ever I went through two safety controls at the airport, one at the entrance door, the second – the standard one you take to get to the gates. As flight delays in Europe are today nothing unusual, I did not give it a thought as we were informed that we would start with a delay. Supposedly due to a minor problem with the aircraft. But already in my home town, while talking to a taxi driver, I realized that my home airport was closed for almost one hour. Somebody left something unattended. The standard procedure is now to evacuate and check for a bomb. Earlier today, I had to enter three different EU buildings in Brussels. All with security checkpoints. Somehow the security checks and the soldiers all around became a daily routine. You just have to have in mind to arrive a bit earlier at every place. 

The last 24 hours were well filled in. I landed in a foreign country. But although I crossed a national border still within the EU borders, nobody asked me for my ID (for that I love Europe). Then I checked in a nice hotel not far from the Schumann. Around nine pm went out to make some long exposures.


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The famous European Commission building, the Berlaymont, in Brussels, at the Schumann. Yesterday evening.


Later in the evening, I watched an American series in French (or was it German? I love Europe for that, too). Slept well the night. All morning and the afternoon made the appointments from my itinerary. Before each, however, I spent some long minutes at security checkpoints. Grabbed a bite. I made some shots. I took the 12 bus to Zaventem. Later patiently spend three hours at the airport on queuing, walking miles (in Zaventem you walk much) and reading a book. Somewhere in between shopped some cosmetics. Happily, it was long but quiet 24 hours, and it was a quiet flight home. Under the circumstances, the security measures are understandable to me. But as I summed up my day, I realized I was stuck in queues at security checkpoints for ten percent of my daytime.  A real lesson in patience, understanding, and quiet. Just another day in the EU capital.


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Rue de la Loi, a shot taken 50 m to the left from the upper one.


A quiet flight home