A day in Flanders – Antwerp
June 1, 2007
The foray in Antwerp began from the impressively massive Antwerpen Centraal Train station, a masterpiece unto itself. They are still expanding it to add more shops in its staggering 3-5 storey-high building, with train platforms nearly on each level.
The distance of about a km and a half paves the way from the central station to the historic core (Grote Markt) is a massive pedestrian vein known as the “Meir” of shops ranging from the kitsch to the large department stores.
Antwerp is known for its avant-garde designers and has since become a shopping magnet for hard core shoppers. Walked around the historic centre for a while, and wondered how long it would be before I filled myself to saturation point with 16th century late gothic guild houses.
Caved in and bought Leonidas Chocos (12-15 pieces cost only approx 4.50 Euro?!) in one of the stores – apparently Leonidas is merely a standard brand [for the common man] in Belgium, with other atas ones that cater to the likes of the Royal Family. Such chocolate cafes are the norm, and hey, Belgium is unashamedly a food/dessert haven. One must not, for instance, mistake the Belgian Waffle for the Liege one – anything that is not strictly rectangular is counterfeit.
Past the historic centre to the small river Scheldt, lies a strange statue of Lange Wapper at the foot of the Steen castle (now a maritime museum).
According to 16th century Flemish folklore, the Lange Wapper is a legendary character whose powers include inexhaustible ways of changing his form and height to – guess what - get close to the women or drink their breast milk.
Looks like there is no end to a debauched medieval mind.
Post Script:
Some stories say: On one occasion he disguised himself as a newly-starched white handkerchief and lay down on the street. He was picked up by an unsuspecting passer-by and ended up in the pocket of her skirt. On another occasion he took the form of a newborn baby and laid himself on a stone bench outside the Butcher’s Hall pretending to be a foundling. A woman who had just given birth to a child took pity on the crying baby and gave him her breast.
