River Cruise 2015 - April 30 part 2 - Antwerp at night

After spending the day in Brussels, we rejoined the Da Vinci late afternoon and cruised to Antwerp, where we spent the night.  We were offered an after-dinner walk, and, tired though we were, we  took them up on it.  Are we ever glad we did!  Heleen and Lena took us to a most incredible building by the harbour, and although it was quite late, and the museums on the 10 floors in the building were closed, we were still able to go into the building and go to the roof, up 10 LONG escalators!

 Museum Aan de Stroom is a 60 metre high tower, and 10 gigantic natural stone boxes have been piled up, and are full of historic objects and pictures.  As I said, the museums were closed, but we went up to the roof, and saw many pictures along the way. Each floor is twisted a quarter turn, creating a huge spiral staircase, which is bordered by a wall of very thick corrugated glass.  We took the escalators!  Except we had to climb the last set of stairs to the roof. 

 


The building, made of red sandstone imported from Italy, is covered with hands, which will be explained in the next blog. 

This picture shows the exodus from  the city in the 2nd war. 

Notice the cow and the horse hitched together taking some salvaged goods from the city. 

 On the roof are very high, very thick walls of glass, but thankfully, they left four openings in the glass for taking pictures.  Antwerp straddles the River Scheldt, and there are amazing views of the city from here.  This is obviously facing west.

 Another view.....

 .....and another view.....

 ......and yet another view.....

As we rode down on the long escalators, we saw various colours reflected off the corrugated glass in this tower, and I found it fascinating!  


.....until next time.....