London： Aug. 29-Sept.1, 2025

 

I visited London as my last stop of my European trip this time. I've been there many times, but I discover something new each time I visit there. This time, I was impressed with the city's recent developments, revitalization, and continued expansion of bicycle and electric vehicle use.

On August 31st, many people were enjoying a holiday afternoon in Primrose Hills in north London. Looking south from the top of the hill, I saw a row of skyscrapers. The view was completely different from when I lived in London a decade or so ago.

In the City, the financial district in the east of the city, the number of skyscrapers has begun to increase since the 2010s. In 2020, the 278-meter-tall 22 Bishopsgate building was constructed. The building known as The Gherkin (180 meters, completed in 2003), once a prominent symbol of the City, is now not easy to find among the skyscrapers developed later.

 

I looked upstream (south) along the Thames from Westminster Bridge and found the skyscrapers of Vauxhall and other areas.

 

Redevelopment is are underway in many towns in London. The barracks in St. John's Wood have been closed, and construction works to develop parks, public facilities, and housing were in progress.

 

Projects such as hotel renovations are ongoing in Bloomsbury.

I saw many stylish shops on the Brick Lane, where many Bangladeshi immigrants live.

 

Stations such as Liverpool Street Station, King's Cross Station, and Westminster Underground Station have been renovated and are now clean.

Redevelopment over the past decade reflects London's prosperity. Meanwhile, there are many news reports of regional decline in the UK. I also thought of the issues that are invisible from here, such as the disparity between London and other areas.

 

When I visited London last year for the first time in about five years, I was struck by the increase in bicycle use. This trend appears to be accelerating.

I saw numerous rental bike parking lots in various locations, including near the Bank of England in the City.

On Westminster Bridge, electric garbage collection vehicles and bicycles were traveling side by side.

 

The EU flag was rarely seen in London. The distinction between the UK and EU member states (Germany, France, and Belgium) was clear. The Financial Times building held a EU flag and was one of the few exceptions.

Many analyses suggest that Brexit has brought negative effects for the UK economy. More British believe that Brexit was a failure, according to recent opinion poll.

 

However, with the increasing trend toward cashless shopping, I, as a tourist, rarely felt the division between the EU and the UK due to currency. The exhibits at the Bank of England's Currency Museum, which I visited, also emphasized the advancement of digitalization and a cashless society.

Edinburgh: Aug 30, 2025

 

I visited Edinburgh for the first time in about 30 years. While walking through this historic town, I felt a variety of emotions, including Scottish culture, its relationship with other parts of the UK (such as England) as well as with Europe, and the impact of changes in the global situation.

 

I first visited Edinburgh Castle, which locates in the center of the city. It stands on a huge rock. Since the construction in the 6th century, it has served as the residence of Scottish kings and has been the site of many historical events. (See also the top photo)

 

Edinburgh holds an international festival every August, and a military parade called the Military Tattoo is held in the square in front of the castle. This year's event had just finished on the day of my visit, and work was underway to remove the audience seats.

 

I walked down the hill a little southward from the castle and arrives at a square called Grassmarket. It is home to elegant restaurants and shops, but it was used as an execution site in the past. When I looked up the castle from this point, I reconfirmed that the castle stood on a huge rock.

I walked the Royal Mile, which extends about 1.6 kilometers east from Edinburgh Castle.

The Royal Mile is lined with historic churches, monuments, museums, souvenir shops, restaurants, and more.

 

St. Giles' Cathedral is a famous church of Church of Scotland. It played an important role in the Protestant Reformation in Edinburgh.

A statue of Adam Smith stands in front of the church.

 

Bagpipe organ players stood at various points along the street, playing Scottish music. Many tourists gathered to listen.

 

Old telephone booths remain along the street, forming part of the scenery.

 

At the eastern end of the Royal Mile is Holyrood Palace, where the British monarch stays when visiting Scotland.

 

There is the Scottish Parliament in this area. Scotland's position within the UK has been changing throughout history. England and Scotland became a personal union under the same king in 1603, and became one country (Great Britain) in 1707 through the Act of Union. However, there have been persistent movements for independence in Scotland. (See also the 2nd photo)

A referendum on Scottish independence was held in 2014 and rejected, but about 45% of voters supported independence. In the 2016 referendum on the UK's departure from the EU, withdrawal was supported by a narrow margin nationally, but a significant majority in Scotland (62%) supported remaining in the EU. The movement for independence continues to this day.

In front of the Scottish Parliament, EU and Ukrainian flags were flying alongside British and Scottish flags. The scene reminded me of the challenges which Scotland faces: its relationship with the UK and EU, and its support for Ukraine.

There is a hill called Carlton Hill to the north of Holyrood Palace. The view of Edinburgh Castle and the city was impressive.

 

The New Town spreads in the north, across the railway tracks from the Royal Mile. It was developed after the 18th century. I found histrical buildings as well as new shops and public offices.

Paris： Aug 26-29, 2025

 

 

It visited Paris for the first time in a year and three months. Once again, I was impressed various developments in the city: numerous tourists from around the world, a rich culture, accelerating shifts to bicycles and electric vehicles, the impact of a rapidly changing world, and the unchanging lifestyles of its people.

 

Central Paris was overflowing with tourists. Even with a reservation, I had to wait in line at the entrance to the Louvre Museum.

There was a huge crowd in front of the Mona Lisa. (See also the top photo)

The number of visitors had definitely increased since my last visit in 2019.

 

The exhibits were, of course, amazing. There were so many masterpieces including the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, and Delacroix's the Liberty Leading the People. 

I was strongly impressed and almost lost track of time.

 

Many tourists also flocked to Notre Dame Cathedral, which was destroyed by fire in 2019 and reopened at the end of 2024. (See also the 2nd photo)

 

I also found many tourists shopping on the Champs-Élysées. I was reminded of Paris's ability to attract so many tourists.

 

Just like my last visit lasy year, I was impressed with the growing use of bicycles. On the Rue de Rivoli, which runs north of the Seine River, two of the three lanes are bicycle-only, leaving only one lane for cars. 

Bicycle lanes have been installed in various areas, such as the Champs-Élysées and the Gare du Nord area. The number of share bicycle has also increased.

 

Electric vehicles are becoming more popular. More than half of the tourist buses I saw were electric, and they were labeled as 100% electric.

 

With the inauguration of President Trump's second term in the U.S., environmental protection efforts are facing headwinds. However, irreversible changes are also underway in European countries, such as the spread of bicycles, the shift to electric vehicles, and the expanded use of renewable energy. I thought about this while walking around Paris.

During my stay, I did not encounter any protests related to the Ukraine war or the Middle East situation. However, at the gate in front of the National Assembly, I saw a poster calling for a release of two French nationals restrained by Iran. Iran claims the two are Israeli spies.

 

Most kiosks along the Champs-Élysées displayed an advertisement for a magazine feature on how to stop Russian President Putin's actions.

 

Perhaps due to the impact of last year's Paris Olympics, renovations seemed to be underway throughout the city. The Gare du Nord station has been more clean than before, and transportation signs are now easier to read.

 

This time, I also visited several places in the northern part of the city. Tourists and locals gathered on Montmartre Hill, home to the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. 

Painters were showing off their skills in Place du Théâtre.

 

People were enjoying the evening along the

Canal Saint-Martin near Gare de l'Est.

 

Along Boulevard Magenta near Gare du Nord, suits and other clothing stores lined the streets, creating a distinctive landscape.

 

Saint-Denis, in the northern suburbs, is famous for its basilica and stadium (Stade de France). At the same time, it is known with huge immigrant population and with many riots in the past. While visiting the basilica, I reflected on France's immigration issues (and politics).

Brussels: Aug. 23-25, 2025

 

I visited Brussels for the first time in a year and three months. During that time, the war between Russia and Ukraine continued, unrest in the Middle East escalated, and President Trump started his 2^nd term in the U.S. Walking the streets in Brussels, I encountered new sights reflecting the changing world amid the unchanged scenes.

 

Upon arrival at Zaventem International Airport in Brussels, I was greeted by a sign in the pathway. It said "Welcome to Brussels, home of NATO." I've visited Brussels many times over the past 30 years and have often been greeted with messages like "Welcome to the capital of Europe" or "Welcome to the heart of the EU," but this was my first time seeing a NATO promotion. The shift in global attention toward security was evident even in these places.

During the weekend of my stay, the EU and Ukrainian flags flew side by side in front of the European Commission headquarters in the Schumer district (See also the 2nd photo). I also saw Ukrainian flags flying at the European Parliament building and the Grand Place. I encountered messages of support and solidarity with Ukraine in various places.

 

In front of the former stock exchange (Bourse), I encountered a pro-Palestinian demonstration. It was striking to see not only Middle Easterners participating, but also Israeli nationals silently circling with placards calling for an end to the attacks on Gaza. 

 

According to local reports, protests have been taking place repeatedly in Brussels this year. Following my visit in May last year, I once again recognized that the Belgian society was shaken by the Ukraine war and Middle East conflicts. (See also the 4th photo)

 

In the square surrounding the European Parliament building, a large sign reading "Democracy in action" was displayed. In recent changes in the international situation, democracy, European unity, and the EU's integration strategy are being questioned. The message reflected this awareness.

 

The displays at the House of European History, run by the European Parliament, had also changed. They emphasized the achievements of EU integration a few years ago. Now, they explained visitors the problems Europe faces and displayed EU’s willingness to tackle them.

At the final corner of the exhibit, the Nobel Peace Prize, awarded to the EU in 2012, was displayed. The award was given for its contributions to peace in Europe. 

However, a large-scale war then broke out in Ukraine, outside the EU. Refugees flooded to the EU from the Middle East and Ukraine. European countries also faced challenges such as terrorism and climate change. In the 2010s, the EU experienced the Euro crisis, and the UK left the EU in 2020. The audio guide asked, "Is the EU doing enough?", commenting that European unity was tested.

 

The European Commission's "Europe Experience" facility also frankly presented the challenges the EU faces and introduced its response. A panel on support for Ukraine stated: "The last few years have been a sharp reminder of how fragile peace is."

Across Brussels, the EU and Europe were seen facing the challenges of a new era.

 

Of course, much of daily life remains unchanged.

The area around Grand Place was filled with tourists, enjoying beer and food. Various events were held there, including the Brussels Dance Festival. The number of chocolate shops and other establishments had increased over the past year. Urban redevelopment was progressing in various areas.

 

The construction of bicycle lanes and the use of shared bikes were steadily progressing. The use of IT in shopping and other areas was accelerating.

Every time I visit Brussels, I observe both change and stability. I experienced that again this time.