Antwerp Grote Markt

Antwerp, the largest city in Flanders, is nice on an Autumn afternoon. It's 1.2 million inhabitants are known, not as 'Antwepers', but as 'Senors' after the Spanish rule of the low countries. It's a large port, the third largest in Europe, and back in the 15 century was the largest. I read on a sign that, in GDP terms, the port of Antwerp was worth more to the Spanish crown than the entire of the Americas. If you were to judge the former wealth and importance of the city from the architecture of its many market squares, you'd have to conclude that the sign is probably not over stating things.

Belgium -- Flanders particularly -- really does feel tectonic. It's a dollop of Holland, a dollop of France, a sprinkling of Germany and a dash of Britain - a real cultural crossroads. It's a wealthy place, but does have a slight air of dysfunction. It has a sort of Italian style institutionalised disorder feeling about it. But that only adds to the charm.Read more