As the train pulls into Antwerp, I mentally high-five the stars that had aligned so neatly, to make today happen! The chances that I’d be on an office trip to Belgium, while my dear friend Carrie revisited her hometown, were as slim as a reed! Yet here we are together, hugging delightedly, laughing, starting off to explore Carrie’s Antwerp!

Curiously, Carrie’s not leading me out yet! She’s pointing at the arched splendor of the dome, of marble and stone, rimmed with gold and glass. It’s not unlawful, I suppose, for a station to look like a royal ballroom… But goodness! Departing from such elegance, I’d be missing my trains all the time!

Outside we chat-walk, chat-pause, and chat-laugh, in no particular order. We’re passing through the elitist finishing school of the world’s diamonds – Diamond district – where their rough edges are polished off, before their sparkling entry into high society. We browse the shop windows a bit, but the inviting cafes everywhere clearly have a stronger draw..!

Over a la Dame Blanche – a heavenly Belgian chocolate

sundae – Carrie tells me Antwerp is the Mecca for Rubens worshippers. They come here in droves, in adoration of his life’s work. And what about the fa… er generously proportioned ladies he loved to paint? Do they flock here too? Chuckling, we raise a chocolatey toast to the maestro – someone (sigh!) has to do the hard work!

Out again, Carrie’s drawing my attention to several street corner statuettes of Virgin Mary. Tax evasion

Madonna’s, she calls them! Apparently in the 16th century, if you convinced authorities the lamps were to honor the patron saint set above, the tax on gaslights was waived! So many beautiful figurines gaze down, half smiling at the ingenuity of tax dodgers!

We’re almost at Grote Markt, the large cobbled square lined by Guild houses. Here Carrie narrates the legend of Antwerp: Brabo a brave soldier cut off (and flung into the river!) the hand of the giant Antigoon, who had been forcing townsfolk to pay tolls for crossing the bridge. The legend likely gave Antwerp its name (“hand throw” in Dutch) and the city its symbol! We’re clicking pictures of the iconic statue/fountain, when Carrie titters, “Brabo’s facing the wrong way though! The river is actually behind him!!” But we leave Brabo to his own directional devices – you don’t cross swords with a soldier!

Inside Stadthuis, the City Hall behind Brabo, each baroque architectural detail and artwork accentuates Antwerp’s past prosperity – notwithstanding the evaded taxes! And the classical Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady nearby, is impressive and awe inspiring. Yet it is the original Rubens paintings in the cathedral that knock my socks off! It’s one thing to see a great painting in books or online – but seeing them in the vast cathedral, lending even that immense expanse just the right balance of color, light and vibrancy, is simply staggering! My pardons, they’re so much more than just Rubenesque nudes!

A fun festival is underway at a square – medieval cut outs, and much singing. Carrie shrugs good-naturedly, “we love celebrating festivals, always accompanied by lots of beer and eats!” We tarry over a pint from a wonderfully wide selection of Belgian brews, and delectable snacks… Uhmm, heavenly!! The stars didn’t just align, they’re showering manna from above! The vibe is relaxed, laid-back, a city comfortable with itself…

Walking by Het Steen, a medieval fortress by river Scheldt, Carrie regales me with more quirky stories of more oversized trolls! They’re about a giant who lures evil doers to their deeds by tricking them, using his ability to pass as normal sized! If the Lange Wapper statue hadn’t stood there in testimony, I’d have sworn Carrie made them up!?

Still smiling, head shaking, I’m taken to Cogels-Osylei. A phantasmagoria on a street! It’s like the architects all came together to demo for a “Period Architecture 101” class! Every late 19th century architectural style is on display, in an unbelievable stack of stunning mansions – a veritable smorgasbord of la Belle Epoque.

But all good things must come to an end! Settled on the train I reflect, Antwerp’s like an extension of that eclectic mix on a street. As multi-faceted as its diamonds. A beautiful patchwork of seemingly contrary blocks each with its own identity, yet patterned into a larger Antwerpian tapestry beyond compare! Antwerp shows how mythical quirky giants, quaint street Madonna’s, yet a fine station and an elaborate cathedral, with masterpieces you’d give your right hand for, can coexist in perfect harmony. It is a city that cherishes its legends and prosperous history, while also being a leading fashionista, thriving as much in brilliant diamonds as in its trendy nightlife scene. And I recognize, the day is also largely Carrie – she knew how to make Antwerp special and unforgettable, what to pick out to inspire my awe, still keeping it light and funny! The quirky and amazing aspects magically interwoven together. I wave, smiling my thanks to my dear friend, as the train I didn’t miss(!), pulls away…

A flash mob event video at Antwerp station in 2009, featuring the song “Do-re-mi” from Sound of Music went viral – the video shows the grandeur of Antwerp Station:

Gallery: