Taste Belgium's more than 300 beers
by flyfreak
Belgium is there to taste them all, or at least many of them, its more than 300 different sorts of beer. My most favourite ones are the sweet ones from Lindeman's with taste KRIEK (cherry), PERSIK (peach) and heaven, oh heaven, CASSIS. In the picture below you see another three classical beers - (from left to right) the HOEGAARDEN, the LEFFE and the KONIJNK (in Antwerp they call it a "Bolleke"). As you can see, each beer has its own glass, a nice thing for collectors (tip: the cheapest way to get them is at the Sunday market at the Vlasmarkt right at the river Schelde, just opposite of the restaurant Zuiderterras). You don't get them at all bars and restaurants, but you will get a big beer selection at PATER'S VAETJE in Blauwmoezelstraat 1. It is easy to find because it is just next to the Cathedral in Antwerp. It is a nice place with a terrace (so great to be there in summer!) and great beer selection.
visit the surrounding areas as...
by irisbe
visit the surrounding areas as well.
Take the bus 18 at the Groenplaats and let you drive to the Middelheim park, open air museum with appealing statues.
The Park consists out of 2 places, seperated by a road.
It is closed on Mondays
Middelheim Park is nice in any seasons but if you want to take the best pictures
I would recomend Spring or Autumn because some of the statues are located under
a tree and in Summer it might be too dark to take the right shot. Should you want to view the pictures on different sizes, then feel free to visit my travelogues you can visit my e-albums on webshots
As long as I can remember,...
by chanzey
As long as I can remember, Antwerp has been my fave place to go shopping (Guys, don't read any further - Girls, do continue). When you leave the train station on the lefthandside, you immediately face the Meir, the main shopping street. First you come across a lot of restaurants and grand cafés (which don't seem very special to me though), but at the first crossroads you turn right into this square surrounded by more restaurants and bistro. Here you can surely find a good place to eat or have a drink. There are many different food styles you can choose from.
Continueing on the Meir, you will find traffic has been banned from a large part of the shopping area. So you can go crazy and shop. Do not forget about the smaller streets to left and right, they can often surprise you with beautiful boutiques and shops. Here are some tips: Habitat (interior design), Dille&Kamille (cookery, interior design), Cora Kempermann, Mie Katoen - which happen to be my favorites.
Sending a postcard...
by belgianchocolate
You will probably want to send a postcard
to your family and friends.
Please don't use ordinary stamps.
(alberrekes - with the head of our king)
Since the general postoffice is at the groenplaats ,
walk in and buy some arty or historical ones.
Take a number and in the meanwhile visit
the cardshop at the back.
Even the building might worth giving some notice.
The public area is called 'the marble parlor'.
Art Nouveau in Fine Arts museum area
by Norali
During our walking (Nov. 30), we reached it after leaving Leopold Dewaelstraat. You know? the one on which Ann De meulemeester boutique is. Your choice: entering the Fine arts museum (more of my style) or strolling in the neighbourhood.
Dannie explained the difference between a Art Nouveau house and a Art Nouveau influenced house.
Whilst the latter has the Art Nouveau "trimmings" on its facade (the whip lines, the flowers ..), the former requires, in addition, more research in its design. From outside, they may seem the same but the difference is the cohesion between interior and exterior.
If I understand it well, the Art Nouveau house was thought from the interior first then outside setting was designed accordingly, never separately.
For Belgian plots of land being cut deep, townhouses here use to be rather long than large. Art Nouveau houses are thought according to the need of light. For that, it requires the use of iron-glass structure, central stained-glass ceiling or dome in premices that need to me more enlightened. Windows are also designed according the need of enlightning. Wide windows for study rooms and dining- rooms and less light for smoking rooms, for instance. Inside, skylights are used for staircases too.
One can "guess" from outside, by looking at the buildings, the use of rooms, since you would notice wider windows..etc.. Yes, you read "guess" since they wouldn't show you all. Hence the use of a specific glass whose blurry effect allows to preseve intimacy, while letting light come...
Want to know more? I had a chance to find this website, user-friendly with infos to "get it all": historical facts, evolution, research in the use and properties of building elements, technical points, the influences, the trends, the Masters... Art Nouveau around Europe.
Website is in French and Dutch but it is edited by a team from Brussels, "Art Nouveau capital city".
http://www.bruxelles-art-nouveau.be/ I remembered that during my very first walk (July), with Dannie in Antwerp, I didn't want a picture of this "boat house" on Schildersstraat. It was cute, yes! I knew it was Art Nouveau but I saw it as the obvious thing in Belgium.
It took the rehearsal mini-meeting in mid- October to arise my interest in the building. Meanwhile, what happened? I don't know.
I've been always interested in design, architecture but so far, I've never pushed it that far to make research on Art Nouveau. You know, going beyond the surface :) It's at that very moment that I started researching on it... and I recommend checking the above website. You'll learn a lot without being bored.
You may be interested in Horta museum too. English, French, German and Dutch there. http://www.hortamuseum.be/
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pastry buffet, sundays in Antwerp Bourla!
Antwerp Central Station
Antwerp's Cathedral
Cleaning Antwerp Tower
