David J. Danto
Travel thoughts in my
own, personal opinion
eMail: ddanto@IMCCA.org Follow Industry News: @NJDavidD on 
Final Boarding: Loose Ends from a European May- May 2025
This is the third and final post from
my recent trip in Europe. It’s not going to be one of those
blogs with a catchy pop culture title, a perfect arc, and a poetic closing
line. This one’s just a loose collection
of thoughts, takeaways, and lessons learned before, during, and after the
trip. Think of it like the scattered
items you find in your suitcase once you're unpacked – a few wrinkled receipts,
a foreign candy wrapper, and the one outlet adapter you needed on day one but
only found on day six. Take each of
these for what it’s worth – and maybe they’ll help you on your next journey.
—
If you're flying internationally out
of Newark – stick with United. (It’s
hard to believe I just said that.)
Terminal C may not be glamorous, but it’s a palace compared to the '60s
relic that is Terminal B. The chairs,
the app notifications, the security lines – everything just works better when
you're with the airport's hometown airline.
The same probably applies to other major carriers in their hub airports,
but Newark is a textbook case of “fly the flag carrier when going
international or regret it.”
—
A lot of travelers
praise Brussels Airport for its ease of international connections. I didn’t quite have that experience. Due to ticketing quirks – my inbound was
booked by my client, my connection by me – I knew my Brussels layover would be
messy. So I
gave myself a seven-hour buffer, hoping to grab a nap and a shower at the
airport hotel before catching my flight to Copenhagen.
Well, the United flight into Brussels
was two hours late, passport control took another two hours (the line was so
long that they were handing out water bottles to everyone – though honestly,
putting the guy with the bottles behind an empty immigration booth would’ve
been more helpful), and my five-hour nap turned into a 45-minute
rinse-and-run. Was it worth it? Depends how much you value a post-red-eye
shower, I suppose.
—
On a more positive note, Brussels
security was impressive – polite, efficient, and professional both times I
passed through. By contrast, Copenhagen
security felt like they were auditioning for a TSA spinoff series called CSI:
We Hate Americans. As I mentioned
in my prior blog, by the time they finished disassembling my
bag, I was half expecting them to find Amelia Earhart in there. In Brussels, it was “can you open this?” followed by a quick “OK.”
—
One of the things I usually love
about visiting a new city is getting a sense of its unique character. In most places on this trip – Amsterdam,
Copenhagen, Gent, Bruges, Kortrijk – the personality of the city came through
loud and clear. But I didn’t quite get
that in Brussels. And here’s where I’ll
tread carefully, because this is a delicate point.
Brussels felt like a city whose
original identity was harder to find. I
grew up in Brooklyn, and I’ve seen how neighborhoods can shift completely when
any single community becomes overwhelmingly dominant. That’s not a judgment on any group – it's a
reflection on balance. When the heart of
a neighborhood starts to mirror only one cultural influence – regardless of
origin – visitors and even longtime residents may struggle to find the place
that was once there.
In Brussels, what I hoped would feel
like a European capital, instead felt like a Middle Eastern souk. Not in small pockets, but across wide swaths
of the central city. I would have preferred
experiencing more of Brussels itself – its Flemish roots, its cafés and comic
book murals – rather than feeling like I had landed somewhere else
entirely. Diversity enriches cities when
it integrates with the existing fabric, not when it overtakes it. Either that or I wasn’t interested enough in
buying used socks or lamps from the many street
vendors set-up seemingly everywhere throughout the city.
—
This trip wasn’t my first time at
Amsterdam Centraal train station, and I still haven’t
cracked the code on how to navigate it with luggage. It’s like a train station designed by Escher
– elevators that don’t go where you think they will, signage that’s about 60%
correct, and more staircases than a Hogwarts tower. One day I’ll master it. Maybe.
—
Before I wrap this up, let me give
one serious piece of advice: consult your doctor before you travel, especially
if you’re going to be gone for a while or hitting multiple destinations. Make sure your prescriptions are up to date,
and ask your physician if there’s anything you should bring “just in case.”
On this trip, having that conversation and packing a small kit of emergency
meds literally saved my butt. Without
going into too much detail, let’s just say that somewhere between Belgium and
Denmark, things went south in a hurry – and if I hadn’t had what I needed, it
could’ve turned into a miserable (and expensive) detour. Travel is about freedom and discovery – don’t
let a preventable health issue ruin the itinerary.
—
Final thought: it's wonderful to have
active vacations, where you hop between cities and soak in new experiences
every day. But balance matters. I always try to alternate those trips with
slower ones where I stay in one place, decompress, and just relax. Otherwise, by the time you're back home,
you’re more tired than before you left – and searching for a vacation from your
vacation. Also, next time, business
meetings first, then vacation after, not the other way around as I did
here. It’s better to be less tired when
you’re working with a client, than exhausted from two weeks of touring.
Thanks for following along on this European May journey. Now, back to laundry, emails, and figuring
out where to put the AC adapters so I can find them again for the next overseas
trip. The next scheduled trip…Orlando
for another conference.
This article was written by David Danto and contains solely his own, personal
opinions.
All image and links provided above as reference under
prevailing fair use statutes.
Copyright 2025 David Danto
++++++++
As always, feel free to write and comment, question or
disagree. Hearing from the traveling
community is always a highlight for me.
Thanks!