Journey Jots Recap on ... My Estonian and Belgian Adventures

From the Baltics to Wallonia

Why a Recap Post?

Not only do I love wrap-ups, but I also think there’s no harm in reminding you of some older posts 🙂

Along with this publication, I post in FlashFacts, which features shorter posts about each country.

I believe recaps are helpful if you’ve missed a few bits and pieces or if you just want everything neatly in one place.

So, let's move on to these 2 destinations...

Tallinn (photo taken by the author)

Estonia

This was my very first trip to Estonia, and I'm sure it won't be my last. My post about Tallinn and its well-preserved medieval city center—one of the best in Europe—is here:

Exploring Tallinn: A Journey Through Estonia’s Medieval Marvel

Currently, main focus for the Journey Jots publication is to present my visits to certain European UNESCO heritage sites, especially those that don’t often pop up in travel blogs. Visiting Estonia had long been a dream of mine, and I finally had the chance to spend a few days there in rainy March.

To promote this post, I published 2 short pieces in my FlashFacts publication. If you're not subscribed yet, do it because it's free and you'll get daily doses of general knowledge.

Here are the FlashFacts I shared:

• Marzipan might have originated in Estonia

• Estonia has a unique smoke sauna culture

I have also posted some did-you-know notes, and I here are a few interesting facts:

• Estonia was the first country to allow online voting in national elections (in 2005).

• Estonia offersa “digital nomad visa,” allowing remote workers from around the world to live and work in Estonia for up to a year.

• Estonia has one of the fastest public Wi-Fi networks in the world, with free Wi-Fi widely available, even in rural areas and forests.

• Skype was developed in Estonia.

• Estonia has one of the highest literacy rates in the world, with nearly 100% of the population able to read and write.

• The island of Kihnu in Estonia is known for its matriarchal society, where women manage the island's traditions and daily life while men are often away fishing.

• One of my favorite historical events linked to Estonia is the Baltic Way, a peaceful political demonstration in 1989 where 2 million people joined hands to form a human chain spanning 690 km across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

Ghent (photo taken by the author)

Belgium

As with Estonia, this trip to Belgium was also my very first trip to this country, and I'm also certain it won't be my last. My post about Belgium didn’t focus on a city, but rather on the country’s industrial and engineering masterpieces, particularly the century-old, still operational boat lifts along the Canal du Centre:

Belgium’s Industrial Masterpieces: The Canal du Centre Boat Lifts

To promote this post and share more of what I saw, I published 5 short pieces in my FlashFacts publication. If you're not subscribed yet, do it because it's free and you'll get daily doses of general knowledge.

Here are the FlashFacts I shared:

• monks have been brewing beer in Belgium for centuries

• in Brussels, the most famous statue is of a peeing boy

• Antwerp is the epicenter of the world diamond trade

• in Antwerp there is a beautiful Art Deco pedestrian tunnel under the river

• René Magritte's surrealism was both witty and thought-provoking

• the Ghent Altarpiece was a target of both Hitler and Göring during WW2.

And here are a few more interesting facts about Belgium:

• Belgium produces over 220,000 tons of chocolate annually, and Brussels Airport is the largest point of chocolate sales in the world, selling 2 tons daily!

• The Belgian city of Spa is where the word “spa” originated, thanks to its famous natural mineral springs used for therapeutic purposes since Roman times.

• Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French, and German. Brussels, the capital, is officially bilingual, with French and Dutch being the main languages.

• The saxophone was invented by Belgian musician Adolphe Sax in 1846.

• Brussels’ Atomium, built for the 1958 World’s Fair, represents an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times.

• The Battle of Waterloo, where Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated in 1815, took place near the town of Waterloo in Belgium.

• Belgian fries, often mistakenly called “French fries,” are traditionally served with mayonnaise.

• Belgium is famous for its waffles, with two main types: Brussels waffles, which are light and crispy, and Liège waffles, which are sweeter and denser.

• Belgium is also known for its comic strip culture, with the Comic Strip Museum in Brussels celebrating famous Belgian characters like Tintin and The Smurfs.

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I’m adding a post I published about WW1 sites in western Belgium:

11/11 Armistice or Remembrance Day

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Next week, I’ll be sharing Notion Travel Planners like this one, so subscribe to get them delivered right to your inbox.

Both destinations amazed me with their history and beautifully restored historical buildings. I plan to go back soon and explore both a bit more.

From exploring Tallinn’s medieval streets to uncovering gems like the Ghent Altarpiece, every moment felt like a journey through time. I hope this recap inspires you to plan your own getaways to these beautiful countries.

Thanks for following along!

If you want me to write about something more specific like the Estonian countryside, and cuisine, or Belgian cities of Ghent, Bruges, Ypres, Antwerp, or Brussels, please leave a comment.

And one last thing - this publication will stay free forever, but if you feel I deserve a cup of matcha 🍵 here and there, then please buy me some - the next drink’s on me! ☕