As we entered the port of Antwerp there was a large building with a modern geometric shimmering silver structure perched on top of it. The old structure is an old firehouse with the addition of the modern structure atop it designed by Zaha Hadid was made when it became the Port House of Antwerp. We motored on another 2-3 kilometers and docked near downtown.
Having no plans and knowing that Antwerp was famous for it’s diamond trade we hoped to sight see and maybe check out some awesome jewelry while we were out and about. The forecast called for rain, but it had said the same for several days without us getting significant precipitation.
With a paper map from the boat and the general direction of the Grote Markt in my sights we wandered the small roads of old Antwerp. Bakeries with luscious pastries that we swore we would pick up on the way back to the ship and cheese shops that we knew we would not be able to manage for the homeward journey. A small store with tons of used stuff drew Dusty in. There were LPs up front and vintage clothes toward the back. One wall had hundreds of different beer glasses. Each of the more than 400 brewers in Belgium had their own unique design for their beers. She found an old piece of Tupperware that she wanted to get, but since packing was tight we passed it up.
After about a half hour of walking we made our way to the Grote Markt and saw group after group of wedding parties entering the square and taking pictures. The buildings around us had gold statues on the peaks to indicate the guild that was represented years ago. The promised rain did begin and we started our way back toward the ship by a slightly different route hoping to see something of interest.
After window shopping at a few jewelers we came to a small square in front of a church with a film crew set up and ready to shoot. We kept to the side and watched as they set up, prepared, and shot a scene in German. So, if you see us in the background of a German movie set in Antwerp in the future you know what happened.
Working our way back on unfamiliar streets with a paper map that was rapidly turning to pulp we asked a shopkeeper, who was pulling his chairs in out of the rain, the best route back. He indicated slightly to the east of the way we had been going and we took him at his word. Starting to get soaked and surrounded by tall newer buildings without street signs I swore that our landmark museum building would be just to the left and behind those buildings, but there was no apparent way through. Another shop keeper pointed to a small gap between two buildings that brought us out where I had thought and hoped we would be.
Having made it back with my land navigation skills having been shaken a bit we opted to spend the rest of the day onboard. Without the pastries we had planned to treat ourselves to.
Tomorrow would be the cornerstone of the trip. Windmills and tulips. But the forecast of rain once again threatened our hopes.
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