Breakfast today comprised of pastries and coffee on a litter-strewn pedestrian mall not far from the hotel. The surrounding area had been cleaned up since last night but the area where we had seated ourselves was still waiting to be done.
We took the metro then train to Antwerp. We had bought ourselves a return ticket on the train but didn’t realise that being the weekend, we could have got the ticket for just over half.
Antwerp’s railway station was impressive with I think three levels of train platforms held in a historic shell and facade. We walked along the long pedestrian mall to the Gothic old town square (Grote Markt) and the river. The historic buildings of Antwerp, even though nice, were getting too much like those of Brugge, Ghent and Brussels. We enjoyed the atmosphere of the square more than the specific buildings.
We made our way back to the station area and checked out the Diamond exchange area. As indicated by the book, there wasn’t much much to see per se, as the activity is housed within the faceless office blocks.
That completed our excursion to Antwerp and we were back on the train to Brussels. Pulling into Gare du Nord was a bit of a shock. We could see brothels where women with next-to-nothing (G-string and bikinis) waiting in the windows like what I remember from Amsterdam but much skimpier.
After a rest, we had dinner on Rue de Bouchers again.
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- Antwerp’s magnificent railway station.
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- Antwerp’s magnificent railway station.
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- Looking back at Antwerp’s magnificent railway station.
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- Around Antwerp’s Grote Markt.
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- Antwerp Catheral.
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- Antwerp Catheral.
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- Around Antwerp’s Grote Markt; Stadthuys or City Hall.
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- Around Antwerp’s Grote Markt; Stadthuys or City Hall in the background.
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- Around Antwerp’s Grote Markt.
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- Looking towards Antwerp Cathedral.
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- The diamond exchange area of Antwerp.
