Amsterdam to Antwerp - 7 Nov 2023

I arrived in Amsterdam and cleared immigration. I had already bought a train ticket but had some time to kill. I found a Starbucks and got a stroopwafle mocha. I then took some time to figure out how to use the trains. Last time I was in Europe was in 1994.

If you plan on going, here is a tip. The trains and platforms are listed on monitors (like flights are). You find your train number and platform number, then find the door to go down to the platform. Don't just go down anywhere because most platforms only service 2 trains. Once at the platform, the next train will be listed. If you are really early like I was, it doesn't show your train.

Instead of waiting for my ticket time, I took an early train. I found a seat, stowed my luggage and settled in. I saw a rainbow right away, so that has to be a good sign, right?

I love train travel. It's efficient, clean and so easy. After being up all night, I did not want to drive to Antwerp, Belgium.

I even saw a windmill in the Netherlands.

About an hour and 45 minutes later, I arrived in Antwerp Centraal station. This train station is so pretty.

Wow. It's so pretty. I was having a hard time walking and looking everywhere.

This is the entrance you walk into/out of the train station. There are many restaurants and stores within the station. Also, have a few Euros in your pocket, you have to pay to use restrooms.

This is looking down toward a platform.

This is the outside of the train station.

Not sure why this guy is riding a camel. I need to research that.

Here is the route I have taken so far.

My room is about a mile walk. If you are not as cheap as I am, this would be a good time to take a taxi or Uber. I have time before I can check in, so I decided to walk, dragging my suitcase and computer bag. Not so bad except those cobblestones make it difficult and loud. It was a great walk, so many interesting things to see. This is looking back at the train station.

David Teniers the Younger statue, he was a Flemish painter, in front of the AX Armani Exchange building.

The AX Armani Exchange building.

Almost every building is amazing.

Beeldhouwwerk van Anthoon Van Dyck statue. He was a portraitist and painter.

I could see this church for a long time. It took up a whole city block or more. Cathedral of Our Lady which was built in the 1300s.

I thought I was close, but it took a few minutes to get to the front.

Pieter Appelmans Monument. Pieter was one of the architects of the Cathedral of Our Lady.

Finally found the front. Wow!

Closer picture of the entry over the door.

The square around the Cathedral of Our Lady.

This is the statue of Nello & Patrache. It's a story of a Flemish boy and his dog, whose grandfather died, and a bunch of stuff went wrong. They came to Antwerp and froze to death in or by the church.

This area has a lot going on.

Everywhere you look there is something so pretty or cool to see.

I found a little restaurant called Only Kebab. I ate lunch, which was terrific and sat there awhile. It was getting about time to start work, so I moved over to MyTea Antwerpen and drank a bubble tea while I worked.

Once it was time to check in, I walked to my hotel. My room is on the 5th floor, which means the 6th floor in the US. Europe counts the ground level floor as 0. Thankfully, the host carried my suitcase up the winding staircase. No elevator, which isn't a big deal, but these stairs are going to kill me. It's a cute little place.

The views are great.

This is the view from the kitchen/bathroom.

Seriously, these stairs, I am too clumsy for them. Plus, the lights are motion activated so you have to go up a couple in the dark before that section turns on.

I went back to Only Kebab and got the same thing again for dinner. The Christmas decorations are pretty.

Here is my route within Antwerp.