It rained today in Antwerp, so I was glad I had planned stayed in town and would never be too far from my hotel refuge, if I would need it.
I started the morning with a walk along glistening wet streets to find breakfast, and then explored the area around the Royal Museum a bit.
My objective here was to see this building, another stunning example of Art Nouveau architecture that has found a place here in this city.
My course carried me then to the city center, where I visited the diamond museum. Antwerp has been a major focus of diamond trade dating back to the 15th century, and this museum was founded to celebrate that.
In truth, diamonds weren’t high on my list of things to see in Antwerp, but the rain was heavy and I needed to find shelter indoors.
The museum was … OK. That’s about the best I can do. Diamonds just aren’t something I care about. I was hoping this museum might change my mind, but it didn’t.
Yes this pin is very nice, but I don’t even know if I consider it beautiful. It’s nice and boring.
There were a few interesting displays about the history of diamond mining and man made diamonds, but they weren’t enough to redeem a dull subject for me and possibly made me like diamonds even less.
If I buy a diamond I’ll buy man made. They’re the ethical diamonds, if such a thing exists.
And so I moved on to the museum of musical instruments (although I think that’s not the proper name).
This is a museum I added to the list as soon as I read about it. I grew up playing musical instruments have previously visited a similar museum in Vienna.
There’s something about the music we hear and the instruments on which it is created.
Combined, they can transmute our world for a moment. They can transport us to another time and place, plucking the strings of hidden memories in our brains.
As I walked in, the docent approached me almost too enthusiastically, talking about the instruments, such as this hurdy gurdy. He pointed out that I could hear it playing on their website.
His favorite instrument, he opined, was the nun’s trumpet. It is a string instrument that make’s a sound mimicking the trumpet that we know so well today. They are obviously different, but the similarities are impressive.
I explored the many displays of the museum, listening to the instruments when I was able, and talking to the docent as he periodically stopped by to gush about something or other. His joy was infectious and I truly appreciated it.
After a long stay looking and listening to the extraordinary collection of instruments I departed into the rain to find lunch at one of the many restaurants here specializing in fried food (including french fries, of course).
Following lunch I made final one stop in St. Charles Borromeo Church, but by then the cold and rain had wrought their work upon me and I escaped back to my hotel for a late afternoon nap.
Dinner was a simple sandwich and more beer at last night’s neighborhood bar, where tonight was amateur night. Amongst the several performances of all sorts, I listened as a very tall man read something about midget wrestling, and it made me a bit uncomfortable.
Back in the hotel lobby, I found the tree up and lighted, and I climbed the stairs in search of an early bed. My flight leaves early from Brussels and I have a 530 train to catch.
The Christmas season is upon us my friends. And it is time for me to return home and prepare.
Thank you all for joining me on this journey and I wish you all an amazing holiday season. See you in the new year.
With Love,
Butterblogger
butterblogger 