I have now a big problem - today we managed to get orientated and have found out just how wonderful this City of Antwerp really is.
We took off about 9 .30 a.m. and headed back through the main shopping centre, but with the shops closed everyone was heading from all directions towards the open fruit market we visited yesterday. We carried on past that area and ended up at the Town Hall and main square where William and Sandra had spent a great New Years Eve some time ago, with an ice rink set up , and followed with fireworks on the nearby river. There were horse drawn coaches (photos later) to be hired, we found the start of the underground tours - looks good for another visit - a walk through the underground canals. The girls saw a cafe with the word "Slagroom" on the main board but eventually discovered it meant whipped cream!!!! - for the waffles and apple tart.
We bought tickets for a two hour harbour cruise and then took a slow wander up to dock where the boat was due to leave - The area was very quiet , being a Sunday morning, but we eventually found a bar that was open - and from the looks of things frequented by "tranvestites" at night - but we had beers and the girls had red vodka - a first and very tasty.
Doing some doodles I did one of my oldest of a motor launch - but the disturbed William chappie drew wheels on it !! very strange and well worth a visit to an analyst.;
The adjacent drawbridge - one of many was lifted to let boats though the docks - and a short time later we joined our ship.
This is where it gets difficult - this dock complex is 70 miles inland, it is the 4th largest in the world after Zebrugger, Shanghi and Singapore and the lock gates from the main river are the largest in the world. The river has such a high tidal lift that it would have made loading and unloading so dangerous and expensive that many years ago the City Fathers decided to build the dock complex away from the river and keep the water level constant. All along the river banks there are car parks, with great steel gates which roll over to seal the car parks and allow for an additional three feet above ground level in case there is a flood or exceptional high tides.
Back to the docks, the scale of the place is unbelievable, all sorts of ore carriers, oil, and container ships. the container depot is immense with miles of cranes, and the oil, petro chemical complexes are amazing. The investment in this area must run into the Billions of pounds.
There was a commentator on the boat who was very good and able to maintain our interst - and just to make our day the sun shone so , that added to a few beers led to four happy chickens at the end of the day.
After the trip we hit dry land and were surprised that after a short walk through the marina we found ourselves only about 800 yards from the flat. A bonus which allowed us to get back by 4 .30 in time for a snack and a wee glass of wine.
We will now see what the evening has to offer - in the interim I am watching the final holes of the Loch Lomand Open golf - where the weather looks good. This is what annoys me - every time we go away the weather is good at home.
We took off about 9 .30 a.m. and headed back through the main shopping centre, but with the shops closed everyone was heading from all directions towards the open fruit market we visited yesterday. We carried on past that area and ended up at the Town Hall and main square where William and Sandra had spent a great New Years Eve some time ago, with an ice rink set up , and followed with fireworks on the nearby river. There were horse drawn coaches (photos later) to be hired, we found the start of the underground tours - looks good for another visit - a walk through the underground canals. The girls saw a cafe with the word "Slagroom" on the main board but eventually discovered it meant whipped cream!!!! - for the waffles and apple tart.
We bought tickets for a two hour harbour cruise and then took a slow wander up to dock where the boat was due to leave - The area was very quiet , being a Sunday morning, but we eventually found a bar that was open - and from the looks of things frequented by "tranvestites" at night - but we had beers and the girls had red vodka - a first and very tasty.
Doing some doodles I did one of my oldest of a motor launch - but the disturbed William chappie drew wheels on it !! very strange and well worth a visit to an analyst.;
The adjacent drawbridge - one of many was lifted to let boats though the docks - and a short time later we joined our ship.
This is where it gets difficult - this dock complex is 70 miles inland, it is the 4th largest in the world after Zebrugger, Shanghi and Singapore and the lock gates from the main river are the largest in the world. The river has such a high tidal lift that it would have made loading and unloading so dangerous and expensive that many years ago the City Fathers decided to build the dock complex away from the river and keep the water level constant. All along the river banks there are car parks, with great steel gates which roll over to seal the car parks and allow for an additional three feet above ground level in case there is a flood or exceptional high tides.
Back to the docks, the scale of the place is unbelievable, all sorts of ore carriers, oil, and container ships. the container depot is immense with miles of cranes, and the oil, petro chemical complexes are amazing. The investment in this area must run into the Billions of pounds.
There was a commentator on the boat who was very good and able to maintain our interst - and just to make our day the sun shone so , that added to a few beers led to four happy chickens at the end of the day.
After the trip we hit dry land and were surprised that after a short walk through the marina we found ourselves only about 800 yards from the flat. A bonus which allowed us to get back by 4 .30 in time for a snack and a wee glass of wine.
We will now see what the evening has to offer - in the interim I am watching the final holes of the Loch Lomand Open golf - where the weather looks good. This is what annoys me - every time we go away the weather is good at home.
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