2 October 2023

Grahame and I were disappointed when the date for the Referendum was announced. We would be overseas and potentially unable to “be heard”. (How frustrating that would be!!! )

We constantly checked the Australian Government website to see if voting was at all possible anywhere for us. With a little tweaking of our travel plans (think Liège) , we realised that we could be in Brussels at 9:30 am on the 2nd of October 2023, to be among the first Australians to vote here in Belgium.

We caught a local train to the Embassy District and found some familiar flags in amongst all the others. “Security” came down, examined our passports and escorted us to the 7th floor. We passed through a scanning machine, had our bags checked and we were in!

There were a couple of other Aussies who were already there to cast their votes. Hopefully in the affirmative!!

Anyway, we have now been heard. It’s nice to have a “Voice”!

Another train trip and about an hour later we were in Antwerp. We had a rendezvous-vous planned with Hayley, our friend Jenny’s daughter. This catch- up was planned last Christmas when Hayley was in Newcastle. I’m constantly amazed when meeting dates and times actually work out. Particularly when they involve travel to the other side of the world.

We emerged from the beautiful Antwerp Train Station already in awe.

The multi-storey building revealed several layers of train platforms with trains coming and going as if in a multi storey car park.

The Tourist info guy handed us a map, got out his highlighter and circled enough sights and activities to keep us busy for a week or more. Once again we have too much to see and not enough time!!

The “Diamond District” surrounds the train station and we had to walk through the edge of it to our accommodation.

I stopped to take photos and was immediately invited inside to take a closer look! Maybe I should have insisted on that kiss on the bridge in Trondheim , or placing a love lock on the bridge in Cologne. Too late now!!! Grahame had disappeared down the road.

We walked down the main shopping street looking for a lunch stop when Grahame was confronted with this guy telling him to go back and buy his wife a diamond (or two).

We arrived at our cute and cosy apartment. A picture of purple!!

We are in the Grote Markt, overlooking the square and the spectacular City Hall and Guild houses. But it gets better!!! We are directly over an ice cream parlour!!!! The view from our window is up there with the best!!!

Hayley lives nearby and, although working from home today, she could meet us during her break for a quick catch up and an introduction to the very handsome Banjo.

It was great to see her briefly. Hayley gave us some suggestions for places for coffee, places for art and history and places for recreation. We will see how many we get to cross off over the next two days. More importantly, we made plans for dinner tomorrow night.

We explored the area nearby to Hayley’s place, down by the River Scheldt.

Het Steen is a medieval fortress built in 1225 and is Antwerps oldest building. It now operates as a cruise terminal and Tourist Information Centre.

Situated beside Het Steen is the statue of Lang Wapper, an Antwerp giant bogeyman who terrorised the locals, particularly drunkards (!!!) and children. Legend has it that he had a strong dislike of the Virgin Mary. As a result, the locals placed effigies of Mary on their houses to repel the giant.

While I was researching all things Lang, Grahame was playing with the nearby Garbage Bin. To his great delight and amusement the bin reacted every time he deposited garbage in it. One time, it applauded, another it burped and finally it spoke in Flemish saying (I think) how delicious the garbage was. Needless to say there wasn’t much litter around. Grahame had deposited it all in the bin. Separately!!

Of course there is a Cathedral! It’s hard to miss! And of course, we gravitated towards it, but as it closed a few minutes after we arrived we had to be satisfied with a visit tomorrow instead.

In the square outside, however, is this delightful “statue“ dedicated to “Nello and Patrashe”, two characters from a book, “A Dog of Flanders”. Poor Nello and his stray friend visit the cathedral regularly to visit the Rubens painting held inside. After a series of mishaps they fall asleep in the cathedral and in the morning they are found frozen with only the cobblestones to keep them warm.

We found Vlaeykensgang, a medieval alley dating back to 1591. Now housing a nice restaurant, art galleries and a cocktail bar , it was once home to poor peasants and shoemakers who were tasked with ringing the emergency bell at the nearby cathedral.

We had dinner at “Het Elfde Gebod” ( the 11th Commandment ). It was packed out inside but we were happy to be outside on such a warm night. The waiter asked if we wanted the overhead heater on!! No way, but thanks for asking. Our dinner, beef stew and rabbit stew ( served with Belgian Fries of course) was delicious but the highlight of our meal was definitely found via a trip to the bathroom.

The 11th Commandment has a spectacular interior filled with saints, angels, pulpits and other religious paraphernalia.

I had to visit the bathroom, twice, to get all the photos!

And…. The view from the ladies loo looking onto the cathedral was pretty amazing too!

It was time to leave the cathedral precinct, say goodnight to Nello and head back to our quirky little Antwerp home.

I stuck my head out our bedroom window for one final look.

And what do we say to Antwerp? Ahhh that would be a big YES!!!