The breeze of Brussels

The Luxembourg Square round about, which is popular for after work meetings place in Brussels. (Photo:Luke Anami/Standard)

Brussels serves as the capital city of the European Union. With more than 200,000 foreigners making up the ‘international community’, it’s one of the most racial tolerant cities, writes LUKE ANAMI

Brussels, the capital city of Belgium, is not an ordinary city for first comers and my preparations had to be thorough, notwithstanding that it was the last days of winter season in Europe.

When I got the chance to visit Brussels, news of my father-in-law’s death coming close on the departure date almost made me cancel the trip.

Prof Simeo Esipiku, a man who had taught for more than 35 years in top USA universities, had just passed on. But here I was planning for my first ever visit to Europe. The sombre mood that engulfed his death and the fact that I had to leave family members grieving was too harsh to bear.

Nevertheless, duty beckoned and I had no alternative but to juggle between Kakamega, Eldoret and Nairobi counties in a span of four days and still travel 6,000 miles over North Africa and across the Mediterranean Sea.

European capital

Since the end of the Second World War, Brussels has been the main centre for international politics. Hosting principal European Union institutions as well as the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the city has become the polyglot home of numerous international organisations, politicians, diplomats and civil servants.

The preparations for the visit were intense stealing away the excitement of flying for over six hours nonstop. An interview for an Schengen visa, and frequent visits to the Belgian Embassy in Nairobi meant I was entirely on travel mode three weeks before the actual date of travel.

As I found out, one requires a travel insurance including medical cover. It must cover the duration of the requested visa and annual insurance may be required if you are requesting a multi-entry visa.

My purpose for a stay in Brussels was to undertake a study on how the European Union, especially its monetary union works vis-a-vis the East African Community, which is still negotiating one. That meant I had to schedule appointments with senior EU and European Community officials and MPs well in advance.

Having been a victim of food poisoning in various cities that I had previously visited, this time round I made adjustments just in case!

My love for ugali and kuku (chicken), a Kenyan meal far away from my motherland, was not lost to Customs officials at JKIA when they rummaged through my bag that contained a packet of local maize meal, tea packs, and  wimbi (millet) flour, among other local food stuffs.

As for the chicken, I had been reliably assured that the fowls were in plenty in Brussels and rather cheap compared to the ‘ingokhos’ in Kakamega.

Armed with my luggage, the journey was on.

Flying over the entire North Africa, including Sudan, Egypt, and Libya and over the Mediterranean Sea through to Italy and the beautiful Alps mountains at night was without any hitch save for what was going in my mind given the situation I had left behind.

It was a chilly Saturday night when our KLM flight touched down at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol at 5.00 am Kenyan time. Travelling alongside my Kenyan colleague Paul Gitau, an economist at the Ministry of East African Community, we had finally reached the famous airport.

If you are the type of person who keeps your vital invitational documents in your check-in luggage, you could be in for a rude shock as customs officers at Schiphol expect sound reasons and demand evidence for reasons of your travel and destination. This is a famous transit airport to big European cities globally.

“Why are you travelling to Brussels, and which hotel will you be staying at?” the customs official cordially asked. I tried mumbling something to the effect that I was here to study—blah blah blah but he cut me short. “Your letter please,” he said. I reached for one and he was satisfied.

Currency change

Travelling to Europe meant we change our currency to Euros, something that Gitau made sure I had done while at JKIA.

“You may need something and find your Kenyan shilling valueless,” he said.

Exchanging at Sh109 to the Euro, the currency notes at JKIA proved handy when we finally landed in Brussels after connecting a flight from Schiphol.

Getting out of the airport to where a taxi driver was waiting for us proved herculean.

When everyone had disembarked from the plane, we took our sweet time to visit the washrooms. That was the beginning of our nightmare.

By the time we came out, there was no sign of other travellers so we had to rely on signs at the airport to get out. There was more drama at Brussels Airport since we expected our passports to be checked once again by customs officials.

We did not know that a passport with a Schengen visa is  stamped once at the port or airport of entry in countries under Schengen visa.

Travelling in Europe has been simplified with the introduction of the Schengen visa. As a visitor to the Schengen area, one enjoys the many advantages of this unified visa system. With a Schengen visa, you may enter one country and travel freely throughout the Schengen region during the validity of the visa. Internal border controls are limited with no or few stops and checks.

Schengen origin

The name ‘Schengen’ originates from a small town in Luxembourg where in March 1995, seven European Union countries signed a treaty to end internal border checkpoints and controls. More countries have joined the treaty over the past years. At present, there are 22 countries under the Schengen scheme, all in Europe.

So we were not subjected to more customs duty checks, thanks to the European Union system.

By then we had wasted over 30 minutes. Worried that the taxi driver scheduled to pick us could leave and therefore, find ourselves in trouble, we struggled looking for the exit only to realise we had taken a wrong turn— not once but twice.

One hour later and now fully panicked, finding my luggage with the precious maize flour was next on my mind.

“Check on your ticket for a number that will guide you to where to find the luggage,” said an airport attendant after we had almost given up of ever finding our precious cargo! By then only our bags were the on the conveyer belt and an attendant was already taking them to the unclaimed luggage storeroom. What a close shave!

Instructions were that we be picked up at the Riley Shop.

“There, I can read your name,” I said to Gitau. Stepping out at the parking bay on a chilly Sunday morning, the taxi took less than 20 minutes to our Thon Apartments, a self catering apartments, next to the European Union Parliament building.

With enough food to last me the entire period of my stay, this one-bedroom apartment booked by good friends, Daniella and Simon, was just right as I revisited my bachelorhood days in the kitchen.

Although historically Dutch-speaking, Brussels has increasingly become a French-speaking city. Language barrier was a problem when visiting stores and supermarkets where few people spoke English.

Belgium stayed without a government for over a year and offers a lesson in devolved government systems with structures that work effectively. The country was split into three language regions—Dutch-speaking Flanders, French-speaking Wallonia and bilingual Brussels making it possible to form a coalition government much like ours.

Diplomatic centre

However, there was no bloodshed or killing of people because they had disagreed to agree. Imagine Kenya without a government even for a day!

The presence of the EU and the other international bodies has led to there being more ambassadors and journalists in Brussels than in Washington DC.

 The EU formally declared Brussels its capital, though the Treaty of Amsterdam also gives Brussels the seat of the European Commission, the executive branch of the EU and the council of the EU, the legislative institution at European Union.

With this kind of makeup, it’s little wonder that the ‘international community’ in Brussels numbers at least more than 200,000 people making it one of the most racial tolerant cities globally.