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Beautiful Belgium well worth visiting at a slower pace

Why rush around in airports when you can let the train take the strain?

The unique Dock HQ Building in Antwerp, Belgium. Images: Ron Smith.
The unique Dock HQ Building in Antwerp, Belgium. Images: Ron Smith.

Planning a break to the beautiful and vibrant Belgian city of Antwerp, I was put off by all the flying horror stories. The travelling should be as much a part of the holiday as being there.

For us, the holiday started when we boarded the 08.13 from Keith to Aberdeen. The luggage regulations are simple: if you can carry it, you can bring it, and that includes my pocket knife and bottles of Irn-Bru. As you have the luggage with you all the time, it does not suffer rough handling that is normal at airports.

At Aberdeen it is a short walk along the platform to the sleek LNER London train, and we had opted for first class. This is not expensive if you book well in advance. Food, drinks, hot, cold and alcoholic, were served to Edinburgh, and again afterwards.

At Newcastle we went into the first class lounge for more tea before walking across the road to the dedicated bus service to the ferry.

Check in was quick and easy, and we were in our comfortable two-berth cabin in no time.

Ruben’s House is worth a visit when in Antwerp.

We had elected for an early dinner, and were attacking the buffet as the ship smoothly slipped into the North Sea. The buffet has a huge variety of food for all nationalities and tastes. The only problem is that you could easily eat too much.

There is plenty of entertainment on board. There is a nightclub with a live band, a lounge with a live singer, manned children’s area, bar, games machines, three cinemas, and even a Starbucks. These areas are away from the cabins, so there was no noise other than the steady throb of the engines. The trip takes around 15 hours, so once again, no rush for anything.

After a huge buffet breakfast, we docked at Ijmuiden for the half-hour bus ride into Amsterdam. The bus drop-off/pick-up point is beside the magnificent Centraal Station.

Four minutes’ walk and we were buying our tickets for the train to Antwerp.

Antwerp’s magnificent Central railway station, from the hotel dining room.

Amsterdam Centraal is a monumental station, full of elegance and style. It is an international railway hub, and you can catch trains here for London, Paris, Brussels, many destinations in Germany, and Switzerland. Very tempting, but not for this trip.

Antwerp Central station is another monumental Railway cathedral. The imposing frontage dominates the whole side of the square. On the right-hand corner is the entrance to the Antwerp Zoo. Facing you, across the square, is our hotel, the Radisson Astrid.

The railway station has a large tourist office where they sell products made in Antwerp, and Antwerp Cards. These are ideal for tourists, they give you free entry to a host of places, and unlimited use of public transport. It is certainly easy to get around on the dense tram network.

The main tourist office is in a recently reopened castle, the “Het Steen”. Boat trips can be taken here using the Card, or longer boat trips that you have to pay for. There is a quite disturbing museum to the Red Star shipping line. From Antwerp they shipped hundreds of thousands of refugees to the US and Canada. Their stories will make you think.

On the pier of an old dock is the MAS. This is a 10-storey modern block, covered with red stone imported from India, with gold hands all over it. The views from the top are wonderful.

The striking modern MAS exhibition building. 

The centre of Antwerp has a remarkable shopping street. The Meir is an old-fashioned big, wide street with shops all along it. Shopping is a big thing in Antwerp, and I can see why.

One gem to explore is St Andrew’s church. It is such a Scottish church. There is a large saltire in the floor, and a huge, almost life-size wood carving around the base of the pulpit. This shows Jesus beckoning to St Andrew who is in a boat with his brother.

The carved wooden pulpit in St Andrew’s church. 

There is also a large monument to two Scottish ladies in waiting. When Elizabeth I beheaded Mary, Queen of Scots, these two ladies escaped and came to Antwerp. They joined this church, which at that time was in a poor area of the town, and spent the rest of their lives doing charitable work here.

There really is a lot to see in Antwerp.

The return journey was as relaxing as the outward. Would we do it again? Yes, definitely. Is it quicker? No. But does that matter? Is it cheaper? Very much so.

Also, the two nights on the ferry avoided two hotel nights in Antwerp.

The journey was an integral part of the holiday, the way travelling should be.

Travel facts
It is vital to book well in advance. Booking the Keith to Aberdeen section of the trip with Scotrail (www.scotrail.co.uk) and the Aberdeen to Newcastle part direct with LNER (www.lner.co.uk) gave the best deals
The ferry, DFDS (www.dfds.com) frequently offers good deals, especially away from peak times, and you book the connecting buses and meals all in one price
Radisson Blu Astrid Hotel: radissonhotels.com
Antwerp tourist board: visitantwerpen.be

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