Surprise! Antwerp!

Antwerp was on my route from London to Fulda. That is the only reason I choose to spend a few days here along with it meeting the single criteria of I hadn't been before. I'd never been to Belgium so I also got to add a whole country to my travel resume. All in all, there was nothing of any actual knowledge of the city that brought me here. Many times The Universe is kind.

One of my pet peeves is people who stop in a high traffic area. I say high traffic but really I mean people who stop in front of me. You know these individuals. They are just ahead of you on an escalator, a busy sidewalk, going through a doorway, or getting off the train. In Antwerp, I became one of those people. In my defense, it was not my fault. Nothing prepared me for the Antwerp train station. It is unbelievable. Built between 1895 and 1905, when it replaced an earlier version from 1836, it is a grand introduction to the city. The amazing architecture sweeps you off your feet from the second you step off the train or, in my case, rooted my feet to the immediate first placement of the platform. I can't understand why everyone didn't have the same reaction.

Just off the train

The entryway

The building was heavily damaged during World War II and actually considered for demolition. Luckily for all of us, it was repaired instead and provides a breathtaking beginning to the visit. The ceiling was redone using plexiglass so that additional beams didn't need to be added. A little creative problem solving went a very long way.

The Cathedral of Our Lady was recommended as a primary stop by my AirBnB host. It did not disappoint. The sculpture of Nello and Patrasche (from the book A Dog of Flanders) by Batist Vermeulen is a lovely piece at the entry of the church adding a touch of whimsey to an incredibly sad story as the boy and his dog are found frozen to death. The boy wanted to see Rubens' Descent from the Cross and were found beneath the painting on Christmas Day. The sculpture shows them as if asleep under a blanket of cobblestones.

This was the first church I visited that required an entry fee. I always think of the story of Jesus raging through the church that has become a market when money is necessary to go in a religious place. It costs about $12.50.

This church is a Roman Catholic cathedral. The seat of the Diocese of Antwerp, it was started in 1352, first phase complete in 1521, and has never been ‘finished’. Ok. What do they still need to do? Everyone I talked to said I must go here. The passion the people who live here have for their community is so very refreshing. This is the largest cathedral in Belgium with the tower rising 404ft. The gothic architecture is swoon worthy and displays is collection of paintings by Peter Paul Rubens (thank you for the complimentary term Rubenesque)

Duh. Of course I’m having Belgium waffles while in Belgium. You will notice very little of my adventure is food oriented. I’m not a foodie. I like it. I don’t like it. I don’t really care what it is if you make it taste good. It’s also not possible for me to tell you what spices were used. Gordan Ramsey speak is all blah, blah, blah. The House of Waffles was right outside the cathedral beckoning me to try it out. In the United States we have The Waffle House and, although I love it dearly, this is not that. There was a long list of toppings available and you can choose the crispiness of the waffle. I decided to keep it simple opting for chocolate and cream on the soft version. BUT this waffle with chocolate and cream was a whole experience. The chocolate was, as everywhere in Europe, actually chocolate. If you’ve never had chocolate outside of the US, you’ve never had chocolate. Hersheys isn’t even legally recognized as chocolate (no kidding). And that cream! No idea except to tell you I have never tasted anything like it. Licking both bowls and the plate received serious consideration. It would be well within the realm of possibilities that I would eat here everyday, trying every single option if time allowed. Not only for the food either as the staff were so very affable and the environment so friendly. They were swamped and not rattled one bit, calmly explaining how long it would take for certain orders. Completely pleasant to the customers and each other while continually doing a most superior job. One of them referred to their group as the Dream Team and I absolutely agree. This would be one of my top recommendations to anyone going to the town center and/or cathedral.

The KMSKA - Royal Museum of Fine Arts is a free museum in Antwerp. There are no free museums in my area of South Carolina and actually only one of any note in the entire state. This speaks to the value we put on knowledge being available to everyone regardless of socioeconomic status. This neoclassical building commands your attention as it sits staunchly, surrounded by a garden with sculpture in attendance and a gentle pool nestled before its entrance. Quite majestic. It was built between 1884 and 1894. In 2011, the museum closed for renovations that ended up taking eleven years but added a wing to further its expansion of acquisitions. The collections include works from the fourteenth century on through the Modern era featuring an impressive compilation of Rubens.

Its interior is as fabulous as the exterior including a cafe and a restaurant with a very well laid out bar. The museum regularly holds events open to the public encouraging participation in enjoying all it has to offer.

Antwerp was an immense pleasure. The city center was walkable featuring a multitude of architectural treasures. People were friendly. This is definitely somewhere I'd like to spend more than the few days allotted to pass through.