Brussels and Antwerp
Belgium was our first international trip together as a couple, visited during the waning winter with the sharp wind on our faces alongside clear blue skies. This was also perhaps one of the only trips we did without excessive, obsessive and extensive planning! We just booked transportation and stay, packed a minimalistic bag and left.
The Brussels-nord bus stop is eerily similar to a dilapidated construction site in India. The path from the bus station to the city is pockmarked by unnaturally large, imposing buildings shrouded in a dirty grey varnish, occasionally interrupted by pretty sculptures and fountains and statues. We walked the length of the city that evening, trying to find our Airbnb (It was our first Airbnb experience, it has since become a vital part of planning a budget trip), reflecting on our privilege of being able to explore the world as a young couple, unbound by societal expectations imposed in our country of birth.
We finally arrived at the Airbnb, a house in the suburbs of Brussels, next to a little restaurant which we soon found out, served the best Arrabiata pasta and ice tea we’ve had till date.
The next morning, we left the house bright and early to explore Brussels. We walked along the very very crowded streets of the old town (the more touristy part of Brussels) and saw many of the different objects that feature in the ‘top 10 must see things in Brussels’ without truly experiencing or seeing the city. I think that’s when we started to make the move towards planning more curated and thoughtful trips. Our highlight of the day was a luscious vegan waffle that we bought in a shopping mall near the city center! I love sweet treats and I still think about that waffle on occasion!
The Dog of Flanders - Antwerp
We made our way to Antwerp that evening with a much better sense of what we’d like to do there. Our experience in Antwerp existed in sharp contrast to our experience in Brussels. We based our exploration on the story ‘Dog of Flanders’, a Belgian folk story popularized by a Japanese movie. The story revolves around the relationship between Nello, a little boy aspiring to be an artist and Patrasche, his faithful dog, while also navigating complex themes such as economic disparities in rural Belgium as well as thinking about questions such as what makes an artwork exceptional. A statue of Nello and Patrasche is located outside the church where the climax of the story takes place. The church also houses a painting of Rubens, a crucial motif in the Dog of Flanders. Being inside the cold stone church, decorated with exquisite paintings, brought the climax to life for both of us! We spent some more time in Antwerp visiting the diamond district, famous for jewellery workshops and then headed back to the Netherlands.
This short trip allowed us to find each other's rhythm in our approach to travel and we found out that there were so many things that we agreed on in crafting a travel experience! We shared our approach to budgeting, planning, research and organisation setting ourselves up for many successful travel experiences!
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