700 Years of History in Flanders
My wife Tiina and I really made the most of our time in Flanders; I had not been since childhood and Tiina only knew Brussels from one short visit. I am so glad that we could at least glimpse at 700 years of history during our weekend, starting before Rubens and finishing with MAS. Of course there was much we missed and which will tempt us back before long. The Diamond Museum and the Fine Arts one will surely draw the crowds as MAS has done.
The hotel staff, both at reception and at breakfast, were all excellent, and whilst we were there, they seemed to have to deal with a larger percentage than normal of tiresome clients (none, I am glad to say from the UK!). Its location could not be better. Were I a client from hell, I would complain about the 5 euro a day Wi-Fi charge and also about the bedside lights, which do not provide sufficient light for reading in bed. A normal client would highlight the storage space in the rooms, the large windows and a bath that even I (6ft 4in) can fit into. I am worried for Antwerp that so much is closed on Mondays and would feel obliged to warn friends of this. We went to the Maagdenhuisand and the Cathedral which covered the morning well, before we left at 13.00, and I had specifically left these until Monday, knowing we would have little choice then, but I am not sure how we would have spent the whole day in winter when so many outdoor pleasures are not available or realistic for older visitors. We could of course walk from the hotel to a wide range of attractions, and to the station, but I wonder if the city card could include public transport as an encouragement to visitors to stay at least 72 hours rather than 48 and to visit less-well known places not walkable for the elderly. Trams too have a great attraction for British visitors, as I have found in taking groups to Tallinn and to Berlin. Older people are nostalgic for the times when they operated in Britain and younger ones are intrigued by them. The route network requires some homework, but once you do this, using the trams (and buses) greatly increases the scope of a visit. The Standard Premier class gave us great pleasure in both directions on Eurostar and it seemed that many of the other clients were tourists happy to pay more for the excellent service and extra space there. The staff coped well last Thursday when lots of clients had to be rebooked after the closure of the network on Wednesday. My only complaint is about the luggage inspection at both ends. Lifting a case onto a conveyor belt is quite tough for ordinary people, and more so for the elderly and those slightly disabled. Thank you all for a very tremendous holiday.
