Off track in Antwerp

[kerouac2]

I had to come to Antwerp today before going off the map tomorrow.  The train station is considered to be one of the 5 most beautiful stations in Europe although it was nearly demolished in the the mid-20th century due to damage dating from World War 2.  The station was closed in 1986 and all of the repairs were done that year, using lighter modern materials to prevent collapse.  But in 1998, Antwerp was converted from a terminus to a through station due to the Thalys from Paris to Amsterdam.  This wasn't completed until 2007, so at ground level practically everything has changed from the old days.  I noticed that there were three different levels of tracks, and the big concourse now is where the old tracks used to come to an end.

[kerouac2]

The Radisson Blu Hotel across the esplanade probably thinks it is just as impressive. Sorry but no.





Right next to the station is the Antwerp Zoo. I didn't have the time or the urge to visit, but I did walk a little closer to investigate.







The price of a ticket to enter is more than 30 euros. WTF?



I turned around to walk back out and was pleased that the back side of the entrance pillars displayed less arrogant animals.



Here is what municipal lawns look like during the Great Drought of 2022.



And then there was this thing.

[kerouac2]

I didn't need to see more of Chinatown, but I liked seeing that the arch of the gate framed the train station.



Just like most big train stations, though, the side streets are not the most elegant part of town.





Yum!









But wouldn't this stuff melt on its way back from Australia?

[onlyMark]

The turtle that's on fire... what does it say?
Post 2, 2nd and 3rd photos - no parking regulations then....

[whatagain]

hi Mark.

An hommage to Mieke the turtle.
Because i don't remember of i drowned itvin the gasket under the waterpump.
Or if i had it cooked behind the heater in winter.

Maybe flemish humor...
Note that the zoo is written in French, dating from the time notables zll spoke french.

The zoo is splendid but more like a museum, showing how zoos were made in early 19th.
Not so nice for the animals...

Antwerp is written Antwerpen in Flemish.
I had never seen the chinese area.
Waiting for more.
Been a few times as a kid, then during my army time and back a few months ago.

[kerouac2]

Then I was on the main shopping street of the city.





Near the train station, all of the shops cater to Antwerp's main industry.





There do not appear to be ny height restrictions for new buildings.



a Belgian fast food insitution



a place reserved for diabetics?



The tramway network is quite extensive and a bit sloppy.



Not too many buildings seem to have survived the war, but some of the biggest ones did.

[kerouac2]

Some of the mistakes of the 60s and 70s are being correected. Maybe.

[kerouac2]

The municipal bicycles are a completely different design from most European cities.

[fumobici]

Alcohol forbidden lol. Where do they think they are, North America?

[kerouac2]

I thought that this vintage building was quite elegant in its own way.



Unfortunately, it has fallen on hard times. I imagine that a complete renovation is planned at some future date.





The main boulevards came to an end here and just beyond was the historic centre. But since I had walked so much and it was 32° I did not go any farther.



Did Jesus die for the sins of the gays?





Up a side street, this building seemed to be calling out to me. I had no idea what it was.



It wasn't very old by European standards.



It is the old stock exchange, not being used for much these days.



Perhaps business picks up in the evening.



I will not explain the presence of the Lego pterodactyl.



The walls were lined with maps of everywhere in the world. This was probably very useful to explain the comings and goings of diamonds and other things.



New Zealand is snuggled up suspiciously close to Australia.





another remnant from when the French language dominated the entire country





I don't know if this is a major hot spot of the city.



In mid-afternoon it didn't look like it.



Back near my hotel, the opera was a major landmark.



And then it was a right turn at this church to get a well deserved shower.

[onlyMark]

Aug 25, 2022 20:57:32 GMT whatagain said:

An hommage to Mieke the turtle.
Because i don't remember of i drowned itvin the gasket under the waterpump.
Or if i had it cooked behind the heater in winter.

Ahh, ok.

[bjd]

Thanks for this, Kerouac. We were in Antwerp in the mid-1990s and I don't remember it at all like that. I do remember the train station and there were tons of diamond merchants in the street just beside it. We must have been in the historic centre more than in the shopping areas you show.

And as for speaking French, when we tried to buy sandwiches in a small place where you asked for the various ingredients, the clerk refused to speak French and we had to speak English, not knowing any Flemish. But I remember liking Antwerp a lot.

[whatagain]

Bjd, it always makes me ill at ease to read comments thzt some Flemish refuse to speak French.

I really don't know if they are plain stupid or if they pretend they could but actually can't speak French.

I guess i will probably never know since i speak 99pc of the time in flemish.

Last i was in Antwerpen we spoke French and Flemish, quite confusing the waiter.

[kerouac2]

The police officer at the immigration bureau did his best to speak French to me as soon as he saw my passport, but I felt compelled to continue speaking English.

I can't continue this report for about 10 days probably. The ship sails in 35 minutes.

[bjd]

Have a good time, Kerouac.

Whatagain, today I mentioned Kerouac's photo report to my husband. His first reaction was remembering that sandwich place in Antwerp and how angry he was about thier refusal to speak French. I can't say it bothered me too much, although I did remember it right away. It isn't very "commercial minded" to refuse customers but perhaps this particular clerk had some problem with French-speakers.

[cheerypeabrain]

Bon Voyage Kerouac.

Interesting photos...never been to Antwerp me.

[mich64]

Enjoy your adventure! I look forward to seeing more of your photos. We drove around/through Antwerp once and I wished we had time to stop. Interesting photos.

[lugg]

I had no ideas how interesting and varied Antwerp is ... now I hope to go some day. Fabulous photos K2 .,

[kerouac2]

Just a few more photos of Antwerp, to which I must return some day.



This was a small renovated shopping gallery next to the hotel which seemed very chic. I went there to go to the Delhaize supermarket in the basement.



Just a view alongside the train station



This stuff is why venal people come to Antwerp.

[kerouac2]

Since the zoo is adjacent to the train station, I had to take another look at it. The ironwork is impressive.



There were lots of youth groups being ushered in.



This is the companion to the flaming turtle on the other pillar. I still have not looked up the story of them.



The camel on top was excellent from both sides.





I continued to admire the interior of the train station.



I had to get a covid test here, which turned out to be useless and for which nobody asked even though I had to pay 50 euros being non-Belgian.





And then it was time to leave. Antwerp will still be there some day.

[bixaorellana]

I'm really happy to see these pictures of Antwerp. The city made quite an impression on me, so I do recognize lots of what's shown here. I didn't see the Gothic/Moorish stock exchange, though, as I would have certainly remembered that. Of course I remembered the Chinese arch, as it was what I had to pass through to get to my little abode.

Aug 25, 2022 20:07:37 GMT kerouac2 said:

Here is what municipal lawns look like during the Great Drought of 2022.

That's in reference to the penultimate photo in #1. Here is my picture of the area in front of the train station taken in June of 2018. It looked better then, but even so I wrote: You are so right about the drought, Whatagain. All the grass is turning yellow and the little garden where I was in Ghent was really suffering. I don't know how Antwerp is keeping the zillions of public plantings so perky. --
                     

[fumobici]

Great closing set of images, Antwerp looks well worth seeing. I miss visiting cities in Europe, I'm still not comfortable doing so but maybe before too long. The woman riding the rental bike past the train station is my favorite.

[lugg]

The train station is magnificent

[bjd]

Sept 4, 2022 15:45:42 GMT fumobici said:

I miss visiting cities in Europe, I'm still not comfortable doing so but maybe before too long.

Why? Because of covid?

[fumobici]

Yes. American cities too, for the same reason.