Antwerp.

After a 5 hour journey through Belgium, I finally arrived in Antwerp and was greeted by an something I had never experienced before - having to make my own bed in the hostel! But for less than £15 per night I didn’t feel like I could complain, especially since it was located right next to one of the main attractions of Antwerp - Central Station, which is widely regarded as one of the best train stations in the world (see below). So I quickly dropped my bags, grabbed a wide angle lens and set off to explore the first new city of my trip.

Central Station, Antwerp

Knowing that I was basically just going to look at a train station, I was managing my expectations quite conservatively. However, as soon as you enter the building what you are greeted with is absolutely amazing; probably one of the most impressive buildings that I’ve ever seen. This experience was only elevated by the fact that there was a stall giving out free drinks, so I took the chance to grab a bit of help for my budget and headed towards the old town of the city.

Grabbing some food on the way, I found the main square (Grote Markt). The whole area felt very unique, perhaps because I had never visited Belgium before, but the architecture was very different to other Western European cities. I sat down for a beer nearby, thinking it best not to go for the 9.5% volume option after a day of only one meal (something I felt I would have to get used to). I was still aware that I didn’t really know what to do on my own; I was more comfortable and had got over the initial anxiety of being alone but still hadn’t experienced a proper day of walking round a city solo. So, in the hope of preventing another moment of ‘what do I do now’, I booked onto a free tour for the next day. After a long day of traveling and still feeling the effects of the overnight bus to Paris, I headed back to the hostel for an early night.

St. Charles’ Church

Allowing myself a much need lie in, I left the hostel at 11:30 and went to grab some Belgian waffles for breakfast (which were definitely as good as you’d expect). I walked around with my camera for a while and then met up with the tour group. The tour guide described the rich history of the city, and also explained how the architecture I had been admiring was actually all imitation, and had been rebuilt to look like it was original. But either way they had done a good job of making it all look authentic. After the tour, I went back to St. Charles’ Church which the guide had mentioned and went inside to see the Rubens painting that they owned, something which can be done in a number of churches all throughout the city since he is from Antwerp.

I spent the rest of the evening having a few beers, getting some much appreciated Vietnamese food and ending up sat outside the cathedral. Music was playing, the sun was setting; it was a nice moment that made me feel I had really appreciated my time in Belgium.

Sometimes it is difficult to explain why you like a place. I definitely hold some sentimentality towards Antwerp; it will always be the first city I travelled to solo, and I had really enjoyed it. That is most likely part of the reason, but certainly not all of it. It has great (all be it imitation) architecture, good food, friendly people and a long and rich history. For me it will always be the beginning of my journey, but I would come back for more reason than to reminisce.

So Far:

Days: 6

Countries: 3

Stops: 4

Distance Travelled: 755 miles/ 1215km