Antwerp

To be quite frank, I found Antwerp rather disappointing. Not to say that it wasn’t a wonderful city to visit nor to say I didn’t have good experiences there, it was just a very mediocre city for being the second largest city in Belgium. The main turn off of the city however, was a surprise. I entered into Antwerp’s main museum, Museum aan de Stroom, expecting to be blown away by the history and culture that Antwerp had promised. Instead I entered into one of the most disorganized and disinteresting museums I have ever been in. Exhibits failed to explain what they were presenting to the public and how it had any relevance to anything. Furthermore, as I perused around this informational hodgepodge and I started to think I may have found a connection between what was being presented in an exhibit it would flip to a completely different, unrelated, topic. For example, one exhibit started off with the parade of the giants in Belgium(actually pretty interesting if you would like to research it further) and then as I turned the corner they began explaining the time in which girls are considered to turn into women in many areas of South America. Those two topics don’t correlate and have no business being put next to each other.

Now there were many saving graces during my time here. The city was able to capture it’s history in it’s cobblestone streets and old buildings that seemed to have more memories than I. Furthermore, art was a commonality in the streets. Walls were painted with cartoons and there was even a street that acted as a blanket for a puppy and child.

In addition, the printing museum was truly fascinating. This museum, which holds the two oldest printing presses in the world, is about the history of the printing press, it’s effect of society, and the Plantin-Moreaus family which was controlled the largest printing operation in the world during it’s peak.

Finally and probably the biggest saving grace of Antwerp were my bunk mates. Hostels are tricky things. While none are exactly alike they all offer you the chance to meet extremely interesting people – for better or for worse. I have been lucky so far. In Amsterdam the two Germans I met were hilarious and wonderful to hang out with and in Antwerp the three Australians and one Canadian I met were equally as hilarious and even more fun to be around. Especially when traveling alone, it’s these interactions with people that have a lasting effect on me. I think it’s going to be the interactions and connections that I make with people, not things or places, that will escape my memory last.