April 2022: On our return flight to the USA from Luanda, Angola via Brussels Air, we had a 5-hour layover in Brussels, and we decided to make the best of our time with a quick visit into the city. In my travels, I’ve spent far more time in the ex-colonies of European countries than in the actual European countries themselves—this includes the Democratic Republic of Congo instead of Belgium. So, I figured it was finally time to visit Belgium, even if it was just for a 5-hour stay.
Royale palace of King and Queen of Belgium. This was also the palace of King Leopold I, the first king of Belgium and King Leopold II(1885-1908), who ruthlessly ruled over the Congo Free State-it was anything but free-currently Democratic Republic of Congo making it his personal possession where he enslaved and tortured the Congolese to ensure ivory and rubber quotas were met in order for him to acquire over a billion dollars in wealth.
The key to short layovers is being prepared—planning the airport transfer, estimating transfer times via the subway system, and calculating the total round-trip time. It’s also important to leave a cushion for airport congestion and unexpected delays. One of the most crucial things is to travel light, with just a small carry-on that allows you to move briskly. And, of course, avoid lollygagging when exiting immigration and the airport.
Luckily, we arrived in Brussels at 7am, and immigration was quiet, so we were able to exit the airport quickly. Plus, the subway connects directly to the airport, making it easy to reach Brussels’ historical center in about 30 minutes.
Once at the Central station, we followed our GPS walking map up the hill for a short distance to the Palace of King Leopold and explored the area for about an hour before heading back to the airport. I’m glad we allowed some extra time because the airport quickly went from quiet to packed. After clearing security, we treated ourselves to some Belgian dark beers and waffles before catching our flight back to the USA.
