Antwerp, Belgium, 5/5/2015, National Geographic Explorer
Aboard the
National Geographic Explorer
Holland & Belgium
This morning National Geographic Explorer docked near the heart of Antwerp, in the Flemish part of Belgium. The port here on the banks of the river Scheldt is one of the largest in Europe. It has long been a major trading center, and over 600 years ago it became a leading center for finance as well. More than 80% of the world’s rough diamonds are traded in Antwerp. Now the city also has many fashion designers and numerous museums and theaters. Today, history and modernity mingle, as businesses and creative people thrive in Antwerp’s interesting surroundings.
In the course of our walking tour of the city, we strolled alongside beautiful buildings, explored tiny alleyways and lovely courtyards, and looked up at flowers hanging from arbors and windows. City Hall’s colorful flags flapped furiously in the gusty breeze. Dark, 16th-century guild houses on Grotke Markt were topped off with fanciful, gold statues that appeared to be dancing atop the gabled roofs.
At the Cathedral of Our Lady, we saw several paintings by Peter Paul Rubens surrounded by gothic architecture. We also visited his opulent home Rubenshuis. In the special exhibit, Rubens in Private, self portraits and paintings of his two wives and children were featured.
For the afternoon we had many options—photographers searched out nice compositions with our photo specialist, while other people visited the maritime museum. Many of us explored on our own, sampling authentic Belgian waffles, (so light and delicious!), or selecting some fine Belgian chocolates.
Local women demonstrated the fine art of lacemaking in the ship’s lounge during the afternoon, and they even invited us to try it ourselves. Then we had a tasting of Belgian beers, and learned about the craft of brewing the region’s beers.
Following dinner we had a lively concert by the Belgian mandolin quartet ‘Mandolinman.’ Listening to their tunes was a delightful way to end our visit to the historic city of Antwerp.
Berit grew up on the rocky shores of Marblehead, Massachusetts, where she explored the marine environment through changing tides and seasons, nurturing a love of natural history and marine biology.
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An uninformed visitor to Bruges, one of northern Europe's best-preserved medieval cities, would be forgiven for thinking it was a meticulously-constructed theme park. So magnificent are its buildings, its cobblestone streets so endlessly beguiling, its winding canals so romantic it seems almost too good to be real. But real it is, and even though Bruges is overflowing with tourists seeking to soak in its charms, it is a living, breathing city whose unequaled architecture is a reminder that Bruges has long been an epicenter of commerce and culture. Our day began in Oostende, Belgium's most popular seaside resort, where we disembarked to the rousing sounds of a local old-timers brass band. Their jazzy swing led us to sashay into buses where we embarked on a short drive to Bruges. Ever since its heyday, from 1200 to 1400, Bruges has been well adapted to visitors. No longer do outsiders have to pass through the imposing stone ports that once guarded its wealth, as a medieval traveler would have had to do, rather we entered the city along a tranquil, tree-lined canal. Once we crossed the canal that nearly fully encircles the city, we were transported back in time. When walking through Bruges, it does not take much imagination to picture oneself in another era. Our route took us through the Begijnhof, which served as a residence for single women for many centuries. Begijns were not nuns, they were unmarried or widowed women who chose to live in a community of peers. The grounds were peaceful and immaculate, and provided a level of freedom and independence that must have been uncommon for women of the era. From there, we wandered our way through the picturesque streets, across ancient bridges, past tough-looking swans, drinking fountains for horses, a local brewery and a primeval bathhouse. We enjoyed a brief boat ride in the canals, which offered stunning views of the cities Gothic architecture, although we needed to be careful to duck when passing under the low-arched bridges lest we ended up literally losing our heads in Bruges. After our charming boat ride, we continued to enjoy walking along the streets of Bruges, passing one picture-postcard image after another. Our visit took us to the Basilica of the Holy Blood, which supposedly houses a piece of cloth soaked in the blood of Jesus Christ. The vial was brought to Bruges in the 1200s by a soldier returning from the Crusades, and the golden statue of this knight holding a raised sword is a reminder of how long the struggles for control over Jerusalem have been a part of human history. While Bruges is filled with important historical sites, monuments, and art museums, the city's charisma is best appreciated by simply wandering aimlessly through its streets. There is no better city in the world for letting yourself get lost; a breathtaking site awaits around every corner. And should you ever need to find yourself again, you need merely look up in the sky and wander your way back to the tower that guide all travelers towards the central market square. Bruges has much more going for it then architecture. It is also filled with culinary delights, from the ubiquitous chocolate shops, to the guilty pleasure of a crispy Belgian waffle (locals have them plain, but you can add whipped cream, strawberries, chocolate sauce, or all of them if you so desire!) to the fine dining to be had at one of the city's excellent restaurants (Bruges is home to three restaurants with three Michelin stars, a very impressive achievement). I myself had one of the best lattes I've ever enjoyed at a trendy local coffee bar. We were let loose from our guides to enjoy the city on our own, find a good lunch spot, and wander freely until the time came to meet up again and head back to the buses that carried us to the National Geographic Explorer . Very few completely preserved cities such as Bruges still exist. Most have been left to ruin, modernized, or destroyed by one of the many wars that have plagued Europe, and Belgium in particular. Apparently, Bruges was spared from bombing during World War II by a German commander who realized that destroying a city as beautiful as Bruges would be an irreparable loss to humanity. We can all be thankful that a city as magnificent as Bruges was spared and that it can still be visited today, and hopefully, for generations to come.
It was 8 a.m. A cool breeze slightly ruffled the feathers of a grey heron as it slowly flew above the silt-laden water. It landed, emitted a guttural croak and settled itself among the reeds growing along the bank. The National Geographic Explorer was making her way towards the Ghent-Terneuzen canal. As we have come to appreciate over the last couple of days on this eye-widening journey, the city of Ghent, like so many others along the coastal fringes of Western Europe, is still very much a water-based settlement. Initially rivers traversing this region were used as natural conduits which allowed access, connection, commerce, diffusion. In Medieval times these were extended by the construction of elaborate, inter-connected canal systems, which saw the city develop into a thriving commercial hub. Following a leisurely breakfast we took to the water on our Zodiacs and in the company of local guides made our way through the labyrinthine canal network to the centre of Ghent. On our way there a plethora of warehouses, cranes, bridges, and medieval buildings were highlighted and expounded on;a veritable mobile presentation on the rich built and cultural heritage of this ancient settlement. Upon landing we were escorted to the Belga Queen restaurant, a remarkably well preserved 13th-century granary. This has been sensitively modernised and the wonderful ambiance of this centuries old building was matched by the top quality of the multi-course lunch. The afternoon was spent in the company of our local guides exploring what had been the Medieval core of this city. Here a rich array of interesting ancient buildings includes Gravensteen Castle and St. Baaf's Cathedral. The former was originally constructed in the 12th century. The castle now houses a museum among whose exhibits include weaponry through the ages and instruments of torture. This fortification had been made to impress, to impinge on the memory, and to warn off potential rivals. It remains a most impressive structure. On entering St. Baaf's one is immediately struck by the scale, grandeur and complexity of the building. The original religious foundation was established in the 10th century. Added to, rebuilt, and extended over the centuries, the cathedral was essentially raised to the greater glory of God, to elevate one's thoughts heavenward and to engage. Fashioned by the consummate skills of a team of craftsmen in the 18th century, its Rococo pulpit is an arresting centrepiece. The highlight of our visit here was the magnificent triptych, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb . This extraordinary work of art was completed in 1432 and consists of 20-panel alter piece, the work of the famous Van Eyck brothers.
