brüssels&antwerp
After leaving Amsterdam, we headed toward Antwerp, where my friend Rasim—whom I had met in Thailand—picked us up. Instead of going directly to Antwerp, he first drove us to Brussels.
In Brussels, our first stop was the futuristic Atomium, built for the 1958 World’s Fair. Designed as a giant iron crystal magnified 165 billion times, it’s both a monument and a museum, symbolizing optimism in science and modernity. From there, we walked through the city center, where we saw the iconic Manneken Pis—the little statue of a boy urinating into a fountain. Though small, it’s one of Brussels’ most beloved symbols, with countless legends about its origin. We continued to the Grand Place, Brussels’ main square, surrounded by ornate guildhalls and the Town Hall, one of the most beautiful medieval squares in Europe. For dinner, we tried the city’s famous mussels, though they didn’t quite win us over.
That evening we returned to Antwerp, staying in a room attached to the wall of a church. In the main square, we saw the statue of the cold, shivering boy covered with a blanket on the cobblestones. Known as Nello and Patrasche, it tells the tragic story of a poor orphan boy and his loyal dog, taken from a 19th-century novel beloved in Belgium and Japan. Sadly, they die in the cold by the Cathedral of Our Lady, but their devotion has become a symbol of unconditional love and perseverance. Rasim even told us that he had been part of the project when this memorial was created, making it feel extra special.
Rasim then gave us a wonderful tour of Antwerp.
We also visited the Plantin-Moretus Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The old printing presses and the beautifully preserved library gave us a glimpse into the rich history of printing and bookmaking.
We saw Zaha Hadidplein, home to the striking Port House designed by the famous architect Zaha Hadid—a futuristic glass structure rising above the old fire station, symbolizing Antwerp’s role as a major European port. We treated ourselves to ice cream at Gelato Factory and even passed through Antwerp’s own Red Light District by car.
The Cathedral of Our Lady dominated the skyline, an impressive Gothic masterpiece that took centuries to build and now holds works by Rubens inside. We enjoyed a cozy stop at Café Het Groene Hart, where we had two mochas, and then continued to Het Steen, a medieval fortress on the Scheldt River that once protected the city. Not far from there, we admired the bold, modern design of the MAS – Museum aan de Stroom, its stacked red sandstone boxes rising above the docks to tell Antwerp’s story as a trading hub.
We also visited the Imam Buhari Mosque, close to Rasim’s home, before heading to his brother’s restaurant where he generously treated us to pizza. The night ended in unforgettable fashion: a Dua Lipa concert in Antwerp, filled with energy, music, and atmosphere—a perfect finale to a city that blends history, art, and modern life so well.
