Day 1 28/6/08 - Belgium

London -> Brussels -> Antwerp

Highlight

• Another uneventful ride on the Eurostar, then sprinted across the station to catch the connection to Antwerp.
• Weather was quite grey and even rained when we started, but improved steadily as the day wore on.
• Checked in to our huge hotel room in Hotel Euro, then wondered around the streets. Very much like Brussels but without the tourist traps, so it seemed like we were in the “real” Belgium. There were only a few chocolate shops which you have to hunt down, and not many a waffle place in sight.
• Started hitting the shops in the high-street, and got really caught up there, picking up a few accessories from H&M, and a new handbag at Fossil.
• Made it to the popular vogeltjesmarkt in Theaterplein, where all the usuals were out in force. It was very nice as it wasn’t too large and they had all the stuff we wanted to eat (snails and chips!!).
• Spent some good times wondering around, taking in the sights and smell, and of course, people watch the fashion conscious Antwerpians.
• Spent the rest of the day hitting the designer districts. Slokky even managed to pick up a 55% cashmere sweater for €29, and I decided to get some Belgium designer wear with a skirt from designersremix.com by Charlotte Eskildsen.
• Kammenstraat for the "cool" edgy stuff, including Fish & Chips with their live DJs.
• Walked into Yohji Yomi and Het Modepaleis (Dries Van Noten) to see how expensive everything was.
• Delighted ourselves in the Walter Van Beirendonck design studio.
• Wondered around the same square while the light was good, before heading to the harbour to see the Gay festival in full swing. Unfortunately you needed a ticket to go in, so we just watched from afar.
• A great, casual meal at Docks Café, before a slow stroll back to the hotel, catching the sunset by the harbour and the rest of the gay parade.

Food

• Jabba Dabbe Doe chips with mayo
• escargots in celery soup
• taste test dried fruit and olives
• Pierre Marcolini chocolate
• taste test Philip's Biscuits
• dinner at Docks Café:
  • fisherman’s platter (grey shrimps, snails, perwinkles)
  • Besse lamb with caramalized fennel and onion
  • mussel in white wine with chips
  • dame blanche