Village Life in Holland and Belgium, 2006

Part 4: Bruges and Antwerp

On Tuesday 2006-05-09 we docked in Ghent (Belgium) and went by bus to Bruges, touring for the whole day. Belgian chocolate is famous and we had a tour of a chocolate factory (with purchases afterward). Wednesday 2006-05-09 was spent in Antwerp, where Peter Paul Rubens lived and worked.

Click on an index image to see it at a larger size.

Touring Bruges

Bruges cathedral tower	Another tower; during restoration they found a tower inside the twoer	Sculpture, didn't have a chance to find out the artist	Alice waiting for the boat
Interesting sculpture	Swans in, or next to, the love lagoon	Low bridge; water is rising	Brightly decorated inter-palace connection
Restored house of the mayor (?) of Bruges, now used as general government buildings	Cholocate mixing machine	Baroque, not in focus	The last supper (by Rembrandt)
Church of Our Lady: barrel vault	Church of Our Lady: stained glass	Church of Our Lady: stained glass	A water bird (loon?) on its nest
A pair of ducks

Touring Antwerp

House of Rubens: tulips in its garden	More garden flowers	House of Rubens: more of its garden	Sculpture: the hand of a giant which the hero Brabo cut off in a titanic battle, saving the city of Antwerp
Statue of Peter Paul Rubens (put up after he became famous)	Clock tower of the Antwerp cathedral	Roofline of Antwerp cathedral	Not sure what it is, but it's pretty
Suspended crucifix	Triptych of the Crucifixion, by Rubens	Brabo cutting off and throwing the giant's hand	Statue of Brabo, and town hall
Antwerp town hall	het Steen, a defensive castle on the Antwerp waterfront

Copyright © 2006 by James F. Carter.