Antwerp, Belgium
September 8th, 2002
Antwerp is the world center of the diamond industry, besides being a port city! We dropped our bags at the hotel (3 flights up with only narrow stairs) and asked for a good place to eat. The restaurant we ate at had the best food of the whole trip! I ordered a lamb dish with a rich sauce made of tomato, cinnamon and chocolate. My sister got a casserole dish with a cornmeal type basis and spicy chicken. I also tried the pumpkin soup. We ate like pigs and then slowly trudged our way back to the hotel!
Sunday we dropped our bags in the train station lockers
and headed out to see Antwerp.
There is one major street which leads down the middle of town
with all the shops and restaurants.
As we walked we came across this museum of torture with a dummy
dressed like the old dungeon keepers in leather outside the door.
It was too funny, so of course we had to take our picture with it!
Then we walked past the Cathedral of Our Lady and relaxed on
the park bench for a while. Just as we sat down there was this
little girl (about 5) with a little stuffed monster chasing around
the pigeons. It was one of those classic Kodak moments, but we
weren't quick enough with the camera!
Around the other side of the church was the market square
with the town hall flying flags for just about every country in
the United Nations.
Next we visited the National Maritime Museum
which is housed in an old castle on the Schelde River. The museum
was really interesting, but not nearly as comprehensive as the one
in Greenwich.
Anyway, as we enjoyed our late lunch in the main
square the weather started to look a little ominous.
As we headed back to the train station, we were pelted with heavy raindrops from dark grey clouds!
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