Red Star Line museum in Antwerp

Can you imagine what these people must have felt when they saw the Statue of Liberty from the Red Star Line ship? The museum opened in Antwerp in September 2013 and I enjoyed my first visit there a few weeks ago.  
"Between 1873 and 1935 the Red Star Line shipping company transported almost three million people from Antwerp to America and Canada. The buildings of the Red Star Line still exist (although in very bad shape). They are located in Antwerp near the Scheldt (river), from where the ships set off on the transatlantic voyage. It remains a place of remembrance, a "lieu de mémoire" for the millions of emigrants who set out for a new life in the States via Antwerp".
http://redstarline.eu

Happy 2016

How 'bout starting the year on an optimistic note with something typically Belgian and something everyone likes? A colorful note by our oldest living cartoonist Marc Sleen (born in 1922) on a wall in  Antwerp should do the trick. This wall with Sleen's most famous character Nero who embarks on a journey to the North Pole adds to the charm of the well known Kloosterstraat.

"This street has charming antique and vintage design stores dispersed all over. It’s a small district that comes alive on Sunday, provided that the weather is dandy.This amiable avenue harbors several venues where you can enjoy a beverage and an excellent meal. You even get to witness some locals wandering through this delightful decor. People who say that money can’t buy you happiness don’t know where to shop apparently!" from http://www.spottedbylocals.com/antwerp/kloosterstraat/

...while everyone else keeps on walking ... in Antwerp

..and suddenly, the ladies seem to be biking in Antwerp

Antwerp

A quick tour around Antwerp on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

From Amsterdam to Brussels via Antwerp

Getting back home from Amsterdam where I spent a short weekend, proved to be difficult, because in the Netherlands, boats always have priority and you might suddenly find your road up in the sky right in front of you. I am sorry I lost part of the head of the man on the boat but all pictures were taken either in a hurry or by iphone or from the car or all of the above. The triangle picture is the "Sportpaleis" in Antwerp (on the picture just up from it) which is an arena originally built for sport events but now, apart from the Diamond Tennis Games,  mostly used as a concert or event hall.  The glass construction in the last picture is what is to become the new home of the Council of the European Union in Brussels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sportpaleis

http://www.european-council.europa.eu/the-institution/europa-building

Antwerp, random shots

It is true, what people say, that when you live in a city your vision becomes oblivious to the obvious. I noticed that on my day trip to Antwerp, a city which I do not know all that well. Everything looked different, unsual and interesing, while I had travelled less than 60 km from Brussels. These shots are just randomly taken. Dan Zollman is one of the city photographers in Antwerp and his and his colleagues photos are on open-air exhibit near the cathedral. Planning on showing you some of the more classical Antwerp shots next.  

MAS Antwerp

The Mas (Museum aan de stroom - Museum at the stream) taken in the afternoon when I arrived in Antwerp and in the evening when I left with two in between impressions. 

The Museum is a relatively new construction but has been photographed and written about many times. 

Have a look at Linda's (blogger of Occasional Scotland) posting here:

http://occasionalscotland.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/skywatch-friday-de-countrified.html

http://www.mas.be/MAS-EN

•  Antwerp’s newest - and largest - museum!The MAS is the city’s new icon, ‘a bridge’ between port and city. Standing sixty metres high, the MAS affords a breathtaking 360° view of the city, the river and the port.
• … an open house. You can walk in and out at will. The MAS Boulevard is a succession of escalators leading from the ground floor to +9. Along the way you have wonderful views of Antwerp through the 6-metre-high glass panels.
• … high-end architecture in a lively new part of the city The MAS is an architectural gem in a lively new district, walking distance from the city centre. It is the perfect place to start or end your visit to the seaport.

Antwerp and Brabo, last night

                                       photos by Graham

The seasons' spirit also made it to Antwerp. The first two pictures show the town hall and the good observer notices the statue of Brabo right next to the Christmas tree. Even though the word "Antwerp" is said to be derived from " aan de werpe"  (translated as "at the throw")  referring to where the river throws its sand, the Brabo story tells it differently: "More than 2,000 years ago, when Antwerp was just a small settlement in the Roman empire, Druoon Antigoon - a giant from Russian descent - built a large castle along the river Scheldt. He exacted a toll from every passing ship sailing down the river. The giant cut off the hands of sailors who were unable or unwilling to hand over half of their cargo, and threw their hands in the river.One day, the Roman soldier Brabo sailed along the giant's castle. He refused to pay the toll and challenged Antigoon to a duel. Brabo managed to defeat the giant, cut off his head and hand and threw it in the river. According to popular etymology the city's name - Antwerpen - is derived from the act of Brabo throwing the hand ('handwerpen' in Flemish). The hand symbolizes the free waterway, which was vital for the city's survival. The hand also became a symbol of Antwerp and appeared on city seals as early as in the 13th century.Even today it is prominently visible in the city: the hand is displayed on the city's coat of arms and a local delicacy, known as 'handje' is shaped like a hand"

http://www.aviewoncities.com/antwerp/brabofontein.htm

Tram and bus

Bourla 2

All right, since Jérôme asked yesterday, here are the pictures of the restaurant on the first floor.