Antwerp

On Friday before a dinner with friends, we decided to leave for a trip to Antwerp the next day!

To be honest I had very low expectations, and thought that spending the night was too much for this place. How wrong I was! It was everything I thought Paris would look like, narrow streets with little shops and restaurants spilling out onto them. It was really romantic, and I feel that every corner we turned was another visual surprise in terms of architecture.

We paid to walk through Rubenshuis; it was a first using the audio guides and did it make a difference! Usually we just aimlessly wonder around trying to figure out what we are staring at, but this changed the entire experience for me. I walked out feeling like I knew a lot more about Antwerp and had more appreciation for the city. I am so glad we decided to spend the night, as we attended a jazz/blues live show in some bar near the center. This was definitely a highlight.

The next morning we did our usual run, we ran all the way along the peer, past the MAS, museum Vleeshuis, back past the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen,Gotisch Antwerpen – 14de tot 16de eeuw and so many more. A definite must do when running is to run through the De Voetgangerstunnel. The underwater tunnel was completed in 1931, it was amazing to go down the wooden escalator and run the 572m tunnel to other side of the city. You get rewarded with such a beautiful view when you come up on the other side which definitely makes it worth it!

The shopping in Antwerp is a must, lots and lots of brand names for very cheap prices in one street on your way to the historic center.

Ah thank you Antwerp you blew my mind!