Travel around the world: Western Europe Trip

Antwerp - Rubenshuis

Our day does not start auspiciously as we mistakenly pay the parking garage where we parked overnight right after exiting the hotel instead of waiting for returning from our trip. Even though it is supposedly paid for 24h later we have to pay it again as we exit later as the machine doesn't recognize that we paid for additional hours. Besides this it is a cloudy morning as we start on foot towards the downtown area and we stop first at the Vogelmarkt (bird market). To our surprise the market is full of clothes and food but no birds in sight except a few huge rubber ducks.


Antwerp Vogelmarkt - Flowers not birds	Lots of people at the market


Not really the birds we were looking for	Lots of stands selling mostly clothes

But we persevere and after some searching finally find an area dedicated to birds, quite a few pigeons and chickens and also a few parrots and cockatiels.


Finally found the bird market	Chickens for sale


Pigeons seem to be popular	They even have fancy pigeons

Satisfied we move on to our second goal for the day the Rubenshuis - Rubens House. This is the house that the well known painter Rubens lived in even though since then there were quite a few renovations and changes to the house. Inside it is full of paintings by older masters including of course Rubens.


Interesting picture in Rubenshuis	Very adorned house


The exhibition gallery	Antwerp was known for complicated cabinets

The house also has some furniture showing how people lived in the days past. We have a brochure that describes some of it including the bed which is short as most people were sleeping seated and high so that fleas could not jump up into it. Or at least that's what the brochure says...who knows. The walls in some rooms are also beautifully done with golden filigree on velvet.


Typical bed small and really high up	One of the interesting cabinets in the house


Interesting detail in the house	Golden detail on the walls

The house is also impressive from the outside and it has quite a nice garden surrounded by a high wall. Certainly it paid to be a well known artist in those times especially as the house is right across from the former imperial palace.


Rubenshuis from outside	Rubenshuis Garden


House from the Garden	Entrance from the inner court

A pavillion in the garden is according to the brochure the only part of the house that remained unchanged since the Rubens days. We thoroughly enjoy the garden with the flowers and the small lakes with water lillies in them.


Only original part of the house	Well maintained garden


Close up of the entrance	Pictoresque water lily

After Rubenshuis it is time to explore downtown Antwerp. We pass by the former site of the Imperial Palace and arrive at the major shopping street, Meir Street that we take toward the downtown area. There are lots of shops, mostly expensive, and some impressive buildings and interesting statues.


Downtown Antwerp	On the site of the former Imperial Court


Interesting fountain	Meir Street - Central Shopping Street

We notice that streetside restaurants and murals are also common and we explore as much of the downtown area as we can as we move towards the cathedral.


One of the first skyscrappers in Belgium	Weird sculptures are everywhere


Street paintings are relatively common	There are streetside restaurants everywhere


Store on Meir Street	Typical Low Countries street

And finally we arrive at the Cathedral of Our Lady - an Unesco World Heritage site - it is impressive and quite high, we find it quite difficult to take a picture from nearby due to its height.

Antwerp - Cathedral of our Lady
Cathedral detail


Cathedral Door	Close up of statues near door

Very close by is the central square of Antwerp, Grote Markt, but before arriving there we see quite a few signs of one of the most well knowns Belgian inventions (according to the Belgians) the pommes frites. The Central Square is well preserved and has lots of typical Flemish houses and we finally also get a nice view of the cathedral from a distance.


The great Belgian invention - pommes frittes	Grote Markt - Central Square


Another view of the Central Square	Cathedral View

The highlights of the Grote Markt are the adorned City Hall and the Brabo statue in the middle of the market. Brabo is a mythical Roman soldier who killed a giant who was taking toll for passing the nearby river. The name of the region, Brabant, is supposed to come from this mythical soldier.


City Hall	Brabo statue in Grote Markt


View of cathedral and Brabo statue	Typical narrow houses

Next we walk to the nearby river, the one supposedly guarded by the giant in ages past. It is a huge river with a few seabirds and we stop to eat a few pommes frites before visiting the reconstructed castle on the riverside, quite small but nicely decorated.


Scheldt River	Het Steen Castle


Entrance to Het Steen	Dry Dock inside Het Steen

As we return to the parking garage we enjoy all the interesting Flemish buildings that are everywhere and a sign of the prosperity and trading power of Antwerp past.


Houses in the Central Square	Merchant houses near the river


Old style houses	Antwerp Bank Building

And then it is off to Netherlands towards Appeldorn. The border crossing is almost unnoticeable however the driving style changes a bit with the Netherlanders being more careful and speeding less than the Belgians. On the way however we stop in a park that preserves inland dunes it is quite interesting as we walk around across the expanse of sand while examining the green islands where nature obtained a foothold on the dunes. Interestingly there are also lots of model planes flying over the dunes and we study them as they make circles above us.


Netherlands Dunes - quite an unexpected view	Sand, sand everywhere


Glad there were a few clouds	Model planes were flying about the dunes

The plants are quite interesting and there are a few flowers however after some exploring we have to leave for our 1h drive to Appeldorn. We are staying in the countryside nearby and after taking a few bad turns we finally approach it on what appears to be a one lane road. Luckily no other car appears and we find it relatively easily afterwards. We are tired after the full day so after dinner we go to bed to gather our energy for the next day.