I rolled into Antwerp by train, like many visitors to the city, arriving at the city’s ornate Central Station. I’d heard that the station was impressive, it makes the most beautiful list often enough, and the stone, iron, and glass architecture didn’t disappoint. I’ll let the architectural community argue over the appropriate style of the station, and I’ll just appreciate the dome and the turrets, the marble and the glass, and the gold.

The Central Station was completed in 1905, and although it has been refurbished and expanded a couple different time, the station’s opulence has not been diminished. Today the station has four levels and 14 tracks that connect Antwerp with the rest of the country and the rest of Europe. Does it look somehow familiar? Perhaps you’ve seen the Sound of Music flash mob video

If you find yourself with time to kill, there’s plenty to keep you occupied besides marveling at the architecture – you’ll find over 30 diamond and gold shops at the station. If that doesn’t provide you enough to choose from, just wander into the diamond district, adjacent to the station. Although the Antwerp diamond trade has had its share of bad press lately, nearly 85% of the world’s rough diamond business still passes through here. Most diamond businesses are closed on Saturday and Jewish holidays; window shopping will definitely be easier on your budget.

With tastes more budget inclined, you can pop next door to the Antwerp Zoo. Established in nearly 170 years ago, the Antwerp Zoo is one of the oldest in the world. Admission will set you back about $30, depending on the exchange rate, but it’s a cheaper afternoon than shopping for gold or diamonds.

There was snow on the ground, although in was heading into the middle of March, and although the blue skies did little to stave off the bitter cold, it did make everything just a little bit prettier.

As the story goes, and you can choose to believe it or not, Antwerp got its name from a giant who charged a toll to anyone who wanted to cross the Scheldt River. You dared not refuse to pay the toll as the penalty was to have one of your hands cut off and thrown into the river. There would have been a lot of one handed people were in not for our hero – who cut off the giant’s hand and threw it into the river. The name evolved from the Dutch word for hand, “werpen” and the Old English word for “throw.”

If you don’t like that story’s version, there are plenty of others, but the bags of chocolate hands available in the local Antwerp chocolate shops help me decide which story I want to believe.

If you don’t like the giant and the hand story,there’s another giant story that may capture your heart and imagination.

It may look like just another romantic castle, but Het Steen is a medieval stone fortress built along the Scheldt River by the Vikings during the Middle Ages. The fortress is the oldest building in Antwerp, and has served time as a prison, a church, museum, and a war memorial.

Now, as for the giant reference. At the entrance bridge to the Het Steen is a statue of a giant and two humans. The giant represents one who used to terrorize the city dwellers during medieval times. Antwerp has serious giant envy.

Take a roll around the Antwerp by bicycle, located at rental racks around the city. Reasonably priced, reasonably located, and the most convenient way to get around this medieval city.

Pedaling into the city’s town square, you’ll find rows of guild houses lining Grote Markt. Guilds were associations of tradesmen, sort of a cross between a modern day union and a fraternity, and guild houses and guild halls were their meeting places.

The city’s original guild house were destroyed by fire, the presents ones having been built in an elaborate Flemish renaissance style. Take a close look at the roofs of the guild house – you’ll see a variety of statuary depiction on the top.

The Antwerp City Hall is located along Grote Market, and is an impressive example of Flemish and Italian inspired Renaissance architecture. When it was built in the mid-1500s, the ground floor of the building was occupied by small shops whose rent payments helped to pay for the construction of the building.

In the center of the town square is a fountain with a statue of Brabo – the hero who fought off that toll-demanding giant – depicting our hero throwing the giant’s hand into the river. While it’s easy to chalk up the statue to the legend, there’s also a not-so-subtle political message to the statue – a reference to Dutch politics of impeding free access to the Scheldt River.

The interior of Antwerp’s City Hall is filled with art, most of which dates to the 19th century. Official and ceremonial offices are located in the building.

The Gothic-styled Cathedral of Our Lady, a Roman Catholic cathedral, was completed in 1518. It is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

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The ornately decorated interior of the Cathedral has four works by Baroque painter Rubens. The Cathedral is open to visitors for a fee (approximately $6.50) and is also open for traditional worship services. It’s worth the time to explore the various artistic styles, take in the Rubens, and take a moment to take in the religious significance of the location.

The main sanctuary, as well as the smaller worship areas surrounding the main worship area, are full of art, some impressive and significant, other more local and traditionally focused.

After a busy day of touring Antwerp, stop off at one of the many chocolate shops in the city for a tasty treat – or enjoy a refreshing beverage at one of the local bars. While many of the local beers were unfamiliar to me, I did recognize this Stella Artois sign. The Belgian Stella can be found in the U.S.

I may have rolled into Antwerp, but I sailed out in style – onboard the River Splendor, one of two new ships launched by Vantage Deluxe World Travel. The inaugural sailing of the River Splendor included the christening of the ship, a stop in Bruges, and ending up in Amsterdam. Be sure to check back for upcoming features on the ship itself, as well as my time in Bruges and Amsterdam.

NOTE:  My time spent in Antwerp was as a guest of Vantage Deluxe World Travel for the inaugural sailing of the River Splendor. Most, but not all, of my expenses were covered by Vantage. As always, the opinions expressed in this post are my own. You may refer to my disclosure policy for further details about my policies regarding accepting sponsored travel.

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I’ve lived in the greater Seattle area most all of my life, and during that time I’ve seen a lot of changes in the downtown skyline. No matter which direction you’re looking, there’s always something to catch your eye.

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Last week I joined the This Week in Travel team of Chris Christensen, Gary Arndt, and Jen Leo to talk about all things travel – and, of course, TBEX (Travel Blog Exchange) coming up June 1-2 in Toronto, Canada.

Take a look.

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April’s travel plans were sidelined a bit by a nasty little allergy attack. I’m a chronic allergy sufferer, and although I usually manage to keep my sinuses clear and my ears unblocked, I know better than to fly when I can’t do it. Pain or a blown eardrum just aren’t worth it.

So here’s where I did go this month:

• SEA/SAN/BOS/SAN/SEA – 7,183 miles
• SEA/ORD/SEA – 3,436 miles
• SEA/HNL – 2,680 miles (Headed off to Honolulu to speak at Travel Weekly’s Hawaii Leadership Forum at the Royal Hawaiian Resort)

Total miles flown in April:  13,299

Total hotel nights in April:  5

Year-to-Date

• Miles flown 2013:  89,221
• Hotel nights 2013:  44

Photo credit:  personal collection

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(l to r) Bhama Roget, Richard Nguyen Sloniker, Angela DiMarco, and Cheyenne Casebier in Boeing Boeing, 2013. Photo: Andry Laurence.

Fasten your seatbelt, sit back and relax, and enjoy your trip back to the glory days of flying with Seattle Repertory Theater’s production of the French farce, Boeing Boeing. This last production of the season has been around the block a time or two, it was originally staged in 1962, but in a city known for its relationship with the aerospace industry, Seattle-ites embraced the retro, overlooked the camp, and enjoyed a laugh at the silliness – and it is silliness – that played out on the stage.

The plot line is agonizingly simple.

Bernard (played by Richard Nguyen Sloniker) is a suave man about town, the town being Paris, with a penchant for engagements to stewardesses. Three stewardesses. All flying international schedules, who somehow manage to never be in Paris at the same time. There’s Gloria (played by Bhama Roget), his fiancee from the Unites States, and Gabriella (played Angela DiMarco), his fiancee from Italy, and Gretchen (played by Cheyenne Casebier), his fiancee from Germany. One might be forgiven for getting them and their schedules all confused, but Bernard keeps everything straight with the help of a master listing of flight schedules. Which he needs so he knows when to switch out photos to the right loved one.

Life goes along swimmingly for Bernard, wining and dining three attractive, sexy women, until Boeing ups it game in the aerospace world and develops faster planes. This means, somehow, that all the stewardesses have more time to be in Paris with Bernard and, to Bernard’s distress, his carefully laid plans go awry.

(l-r) Anne Allgood and Mark Bedard in Boeing Boeing, 2013. Photo: Chris Bennion.

On hand to witness the mayhem and the maneuvering required when three women are in the same place at the same time, is Bernard’s long time pal Robert, nimbly played by Mark Bedard in a fine turn of physical comedy. And helping Bernard try to keep everything straight, despite it falling apart all around him, is his long time housekeeper Berthe, played by Anne Allgood in one scene stealing moment after another. These two

There are no complicated back stories, no subtle political message, no ridiculous red herrings balling up the eventual boy-gets-the-right-girl ending. It’s silliness through and through, and if the production can manage not to take itself too seriously, so can you. This fond look back at an era that can only be resurrected on stage provides an evening of silly laughs and “if only” kinds of comments. Not a bad way to spend an evening at all.

Boeing Boeing was written by Marc Camoletti, and translated from French by Beverley Cross and Francis Evans. It was directed by Allison Narver.

Location:  Seattle Repertory Theater, 155 Mercer Street, Seattle Center Campus

Run Dates:  April 19th – May 19th, 2013

Tickets:  Start at about $25

Photo credits:  Courtesy of Seattle Rep

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While I was at ITB Berlin last month, I sat down for an interview with Gary Bembridge of the Travel Bloggers Podcast. Along with me, was Rick Calvert, CEO of TBEX and the CEO and co-founder of New Media Expo.

Set in the midst of the world’s largest travel trade show, it was a busy and noisy time, but I always welcome the opportunity to talk about TBEX, to talk about travel blogging and its future, and to talk about travel.

Take a listen.

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Once upon a time there were two brothers, named Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, who lived in Germany. If those four opening words sound familiar, “once upon a time”, it’s because of the fairytales of those brothers and how their collection of children’s and household tales became one of the best known works of German literature.

2013 celebrates the 200th anniversary of the first edition of the Grimms’ popular stories, with the anniversary providing a reason for literature fans and cultural travelers to make Germany a travel destination. The Brothers Grimm collected a total of more than 200 texts, using a variety or oral and written sources to create their collection. Their work has made them leading figures in German and European literature.

At the heart of the celebrations for this 200th anniversary, is Expedition Grimm, a major regional exhibition in Hessen. This will include an exhibition (runs April 27 – September 8, 2013) along with various events throughout the Hessen region, giving visitors a chance to appreciate the fairytales they remember from childhood.

If you’re looking to do a road trip, consider the German Fairytale Route, one of the oldest and best known of the almost 200 scenic routes in Germany. The Germany Fairytale Route runs for nearly 375 miles, from Hanau in the north to Bremen in the south, and links together important places in the lives and works of the famous brothers.

In Hanau, where the brothers were born, you can visit the Brothers Grimm Fairytale Festival (May 1st – July 1st, 2013). In Steinau, where the brothers spent their childhood, you catch a Grimm-based puppet festival. You can find the manuscripts of the famous fairytales on display as part of a permanent exhibition at the Brothers Grimm Museum located in Palais Bellevue. While driving near Kassel, the route wends through lovingly restored medieval towns, a seemingly picture perfect spot for all those fairy tales to be set, including the village of Bad Wildungen-Bergfreiheit (the Snow White village) and the Little Red Riding Hood region between Alsfeld and Fritzlar. And don’t forget the Bremen Town Musicians when you get to the end of the line.

Make this year your own personal “once upon a time” and find Europe travel deals to Germany or beyond. You never know, your own personal fairytale may just come true.

Photo credit:  via Wikimedia Commons (Sleeping Beauty Castle)

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Mother Nature can be a fickle friend, teasing us with sun and blooms one day and the next sending showers bordering on snow. As travelers, we learn to make the best of it, ducking into a museum in inclement times and walking in the park in better ones.

Despite a Spring with weather all over the map (literally and figuratively), I still marvel at what Mother Nature has wrought.

Ah, springtime! While in Dublin you confused me into thinking I was back home in Seattle. Overcast days, a spot of rain now and again, and a peek of blue sky.

We layered up to walk around the cemeteries and ruins outside of Dublin.

And when we finally got to the gardens at Powerscourt, we were rewarded with a bit of blue sky and a hint of sun.

After Dublin it was off to Berlin, where Mother Nature must have been having quite a laugh at us travelers. The first day there, when I got to do a bit of sightseeing, taunted me with sunny blue skies that necessitated sunglasses.

It was warm enough to enjoy the outdoor exhibits at the Topography of Terror and to sit for a bit and take in the horror of what had happened in that very spot.

But by the time I had another free day in Berlin, Mother Nature was laughing at my complacency and sent a little snow my way. From blue skies to snow, she certainly was keeping me on my traveling toes.

By the time I got to Brussels, Mother Nature had a lot more of that white stuff in store for me. The first day was windy and cold, but when I woke up the next morning, the white stuff covered the ground.

I still wanted to get out and see a few of the sites, but with the snow coming down so hard that I could keep my glasses clear of it, I gave up and burrowed into my hotel and got some work done.

Fortunately, as I headed on to Antwerp, the snow was more of a dusting than a dumping. The snow made the cobblestone streets a bit slippery, perhaps Mother Nature telling us to watch our step, but it was still easy enough to get around.

But I still wouldn’t want to be riding a bike in this weather.

The weather in Bruges was a mixed bag of wind, rain, and icy snow. I braved a canal ride, but it was bitterly cold to the very core of my being.

Perhaps the bitter cold was Mother Nature’s way of sending me inside, saying it was time for a little chocolate? I agreed that it was a marvelous idea, a chance to warm my hands and toes along with satisfying my taste buds.

Not quite so cold, but Mother Nature was still a bit gloomy, while wandering among the canals in Amsterdam.

It was a mixed bag of Spring weather that Mother Nature sent my way, but travelers can’t be deterred by the trivialities of snow, rain, sleet, or cold. You’ve got to enjoy where you are, try to make the best of it, and hope that Mother Nature has something better in store for you right around the corner.

Here’s to hoping the rest of Spring is a bit warmer!

This blog post is part of a round up on the topic of Nature. To see how other travel bloggers have interpreted this theme, and for a lot of great travel reading, head on over to Green Global Travel to find more.

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On rainy Seattle days, I enjoy thinking about how lovely the coast of Spain is. Roses, located on the north end of the Bay of Roses, is a great beach getaway spot. And the Hotel Vistabella, where I stayed, provides a lovely view of the sand and surf.

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Lots of traveling going on this month with a  long trip to Europe starting things off. Let’s count up the miles!

Flights

• SEA/IAD/BRU/DUB – 6,677 miles (a round about way – more on that later – to get Dublin for a TBEX site visit)
• DUB/SXF – 826 miles (in Berlin for a week at ITB Berlin, the world’s largest travel trade show)
• SXF/BRU – 401 miles (back to Brussels for a few days of sightseeing before meeting up with travel blogger pal Chris Gray Faust to head to Antwerp and the start of a Vantage River Cruise (the inaugural sailing of the River Splendor).
• AMS/IAD/SEA – 6,164 miles
• SEA/HNL/SJC/LIH – 10,266 miles
• SEA/ORD/SEA – 3,436 miles
• SEA/LIH/OAK/SEA – 5,833 miles

And with that, and the last flight coming home today, I’m done with traveling for the month.

Total miles flown in March:  33,603

Total hotel nights in March:  21 (I’m including nights spent in our rental apartment in Berlin and those onboard the ship)

Year-to-Date

• Miles flown 2013:  75,922
• Hotel nights 2013:  39

Photo credit:  personal collecti0n

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