The Scene spent the day in Antwerp with painter Luc Tuymans. Do you have a favorite hangout in the Belgian city? What's your favorite Luc Tuymans painting? Send us your suggestions and ideas and read your comments below.
• From: frank; Antwerp • Posted: Aug. 8, 2006 • Comment: To any prospective tourist: Antwerp is without any doubt the most dynamic city in Belgium and far abroad. Antwerp offers a unique mix of modernity and rich history. A very explicit example of this spirit (and probably one of Antwerp's best kept secrets) is the small town of Lillo. After driving through the huge petrochemical installations of the harbour for miles (and after managing to find the right turn), you suddenly find yourself immersed in a living postcard: an authentic, inhabited "Polder" fisherman village where time seems to have frozen. Nothing beats the view of a distant nuclear power plant while standing in the middle of the eighteenth century. The best way to visit the city is with a local who can show you the best spots and pubs. I've introduced a lot of European and American friends to Antwerp, and all of them took the plane home with a lot of good memories and a most refreshing hangover.
About Antwerp politics and attitudes: feeling proud about your "turf" is a good thing and if you ask me, it takes that special Flemish brand of pathological modesty to think otherwise. Looking at it from a distance, the right-winged party mentioned on this page is just a recent example of how Antwerp people prefer to deal head-on with problems, political and others. Antwerp is too commercial to be a city of some kind of self-centered fascists. It also has a very active left movement and was the birthplace of the Flemish Green Party. Even the Arab-European League was born here; like 'em or not (I don't), but they do have the "Antwerp" style of being outspoken and not avoiding conflict when conflict might just be what the doctor prescribed. Antwerp has been called Belgium's political laboratory and that's how it is. But this has nothing to do with tourism and I've never heard one complain about it -- ever.
• From: Fah; Belgium • Posted: May 15, 2006 • Comment: The city is nice but I would hardly say that people there friendly. A "nouveau riche" attitude, mixed with the pseudo-nationalism (reflected in the votes in the Vlaams Belang), make the natives of the city a bit closed upon themselves, not really open to anything foreigner, new or different. This robs the city of a true cosmopolitan feel and makes it feel more like a "oversized countryside village with some extras".
Service in stores is not impressive as "service with a smile" is not part of the usual habits. Often enough I almost feel like I am disturbing instead of being a paying costumer.
Also, as someone said in another comment, the city can feel rather sleepy, even boring, lacking energy and dynamism.
The old aspects of the city, with it's monuments and museums are by far a lot more interesting than the pseudo-cosmopolitan feel of the XXI Century Antwerp.
Still worth a visit for sure, as part of a circuit that could also include Brussels and some cities in the Netherlands.
• From: Ann Driessen; Amersfoort • Posted: Mar. 3, 2006 • Comment: Tuymans and The Scene were right: Go for it and see it! Fine arts, fascinating history, excellent food, fabulous shops...you will have it all!
• From: Jeffrey Adkins; Orlando • Posted: Mar. 2, 2006 • Comment: Not only Antwerp is fascinating and beautifull but you can find there the best chocolate, best diamonds (70% of all diamonds worldwide still pass throug Antwerp) and friendliest people... . A little street to discover Vlaeykensgang in one word amazing.
• From: Jeffrey Adkins; Orlando • Posted: Mar. 2, 2006 • Comment: I have been to Antwerp. There is no music scene. Not one clasic rock bar. There are some beautiful places. I would rather visit Brussels. Antwerp was a place of empty flats for rent. Don't believe the hype of all the tourist traps. The city is sleepy. I don't care about DJ's, Disco's, international musicians. I want live music from local blues and rock musicians.
• From: Jaja; Antwerp • Posted: Mar. 2, 2006 • Comment: Haha, look at all the Antwerpians defending their city! Not without reason are antwerpians called the least modest people in Belgium. But it's true, Antwerp has alot to offer, and it's also quite affordable if you want it to be. 33% of the people you see walking on the street are fashists but that's still better then 50% voting for Bush.
• From: Lenny; Amsterdam • Posted: Feb. 27, 2006 • Comment: Antwerp is realy a fascinating city. Try B&B Camesina (Mozartstraat). A breath of fresh art(with print of Luc Tuymans), fantastic rooms and super breakfast. Have a drink in cafe Hopper on Sunday afternoon and check out the exhibitions in MUKHA.
• From: Hellemans; Antwerp • Posted: Feb. 24, 2006 • Comment: Congratulations. Antwerp is an excellent choice for 'the scene'. Just one advise for visitors: you can easily walk most distances in the city center. Definitely the best way to discover the ancient city. (runners: you'll find a magnificent track on the 'Ringfietspad' passing tree parks; or on the left bank of the river where you have a nice look on the skyline). Antwerp is well-known since centuries for it's hospitality. It is the source of the wealth of our city. The extreme-nationalist Vlaams Blok is indeed a blot on the city and a threat for our welfare.
A propos: for the greatest Belgian artist you could have suggested a quickvote between e.g. Antoon Van Dyck, Panamarenko or Rik Wouters, Fred Bervoets or James Ensor, Franquin or Francois Schuyten. Any Belgian pop- or rockartist would be more significant than one-hit-wonder Plastic Bertrand: Tom Barman (Deus), Jan Leyers (soulsister),... But even they will recognize that Jacques Brel would be the best choice for greatest Belgian artist.
• From: Dirk Vandeputte; Antwerp • Posted: Feb. 24, 2006 • Comment: A nice idea this special report! I only regret that much of what I find in the text - both Tuymans' and CNN's - is highly inaccurate and full of errors. Too many historical inaccuracies to deal with in this email. I'll mention just one (there's much more than this though): the photograph of the tombstone with the skull on it. This is the stone that originally covered the tomb of the painter Quinten Matsys (well, it's a copy - the original is in a museum). Matsys didn't commit suicide: the skull was a common theme on 15th century tombstones - it was there to remind people of their own mortality. The stone is attached to the wall of the cathedral's north tower, where in the past many people jumped to their death, but there's no connection with Matsys' stone.
• From: Ronny Van Turnhout; Antwerp • Posted: Feb. 23, 2006 • Comment: If you're planning on going out some evening in Antwerp, I really think you should stop by 'De Pelgrom' in 'De Pelgrimstraat'. (It's really close to the cathedral and the ancient centre of Antwerp.) This bar is the last one of the bars that were situated in a cellar. In the middle ages they would stock wheat in these cellars and they kept the atmosphere alive. You sit on a wooden bench drinking your pint by candlelight. It's really worth seeing.
• From: Frank Herman; Cultural Heritage Unit, Antwerp • Posted: Feb. 23, 2006 • Comment: "The Virgin and Child Surrounded by Angels" painted by Jean Fouquet, in the Antwerp Royal Museum of Art is indeed the most intriguing painting one can discover in Antwerp, a trip worth on it's own. Concieved as part of the Melun dyptic (ca. 1450 AD), the other panel "Etienne Chevalier and Saint Stephen" is not in the Louvre,Paris (France) but in the Staatliche Museen Gemäldegalerie, Berlin (Germany).
• From: Jacob Jordens; Antwerp • Posted: Feb. 23, 2006 • Comment: Quite poor from Tuymans to show just his wife's painting at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Either it's a small small world, unless Tuymans is blind for all the other talent in his city.
• From: Tanguy Veys; Gent, Flanders, Belgium • Posted: Feb. 23, 2006 • Comment: In an interview today in a Flemish newspaper (De Morgen) Luc Tuymans says that the worst thing in Antwerp is the political party "Vlaams Belang" (Flemish Interest). Not a very democratic statement about a party that has 33% of the votes in Antwerp.
• From: Ed; Belgium • Posted: Feb. 23, 2006 • Comment: Tanguy Veys (cf. post earlier) works for Vlaams Belang. It is indeed the ugliest side of Antwerp / Belgium.
• From: Oliver; Antwerp • Posted: Feb. 23, 2006 • Comment: good view, true about 'vlaams belang' respect!
• From: Bart; Antwerp, Belgium • Posted: Feb. 23, 2006 • Comment: The restaurants Absoluut Zweeds and Confituur no longer exist ... try brasserie Le Zoute Zoen (Zirkstraat, trendy and cosy) or Huis De Colvenier (Sint-Antoniusstraat, classy). Top-notch Italian: de Gulden Beer (Grote Markt, in the heart of the Old Town) or nearby Arte (Suikerrui). Café d'Anvers is indeed past its prime: the venue and music are still right, the crowd isn't. Real clubbers better check for parties at Petrol (d'Herbouvillekaai, rave-like location) or Café Capital (smaller club in the midst of the city park) in WeekUp magazine, a free flyer on Antwerp's nightlife. While megaclub Red & Blue is located at the edge of the red light district, you won't find any gay bars there. Try Popi Café (Plantinkaai, near Old Town) just to have a drink or D-Club (Damplein) for larger-scale trendiness. Final tip: the Antwerp Zoo (Astridplein, next to the central station) is a gem.
• From: Johan, Antwerp • Posted: Feb. 22, 2006 • Comment: It's the greatest city in the world! Just go out on friday or saturday and walk around in the city center and the south district from traditional beer café to lounge bar to disco party to dance hall to whatever you want. Antwerp has got it all! The food is even better. Go eat at the Soeki Bar in the Volksstraat or at the Bla bla bla at Oude Vaartplaats. The shopping is the best. Some of the greatest designers live there and you'll bump into some fantastic musiscians. One warning though. You'll never want to leave.
• From: Pieter, Antwerp • Posted: Feb. 22, 2006 • Comment: You could best describe Antwerp as an "alternative" destination for a city trip. It has a lot of history and beautiful buildings to offer, while being very trendy at the same time. But in contrast to cities like Brussels, Bruges or Amsterdam, it isn't yet washed over by millions of tourists (even if there are already quite a lot of them). Oh, and for those in the USA with Jewish roots: Antwerp is also called the "Jerusalem of the West" because of its large orthodox Jewish population (about 50.000 people, many of whom are Chassidim). The Jewish Quarter is like a miniature version of the "real" Jerusalem. Definitely worth checking out!)
• From: Harry Tintner, Embourg • Posted: Feb. 20, 2006 • Comment: your poll question shows your abyssal lack of knowledge : listing a 1 (stupid) record plastic bertrand while omitting Jacques Brel is not only a serious professional mistake but, more than anything else, une faute de mauvais goût".
• From: Cindy; Brussels, Belgium • Posted: Feb. 23, 2006 • Comment: Plastic Bertrand -of all people- on a list of greatest Belgian artists? Why not Johnny Halliday then!? (sic!) I would have expected names like Jan van Eyck, Paul Delvaux, James Ensor, Pierre Alechinsky or Victor Horta for his buildings or Panamerenko for his flying objects. Writers Georges Simenon, Hugo Claus or Amélie Nothomb. Musicians/singers/bands like Toots Thielemans, Jacques Brel, dEUS, Zita Swoon, Hooverphonic, Technotronic, Axelle Red, or Praga Kahn (or even 2 Many DJs). The "20th Century Ballet" of Maurice Béjart or Anne-Teresa De Keersmaeker's company "Rosas". Filmmakers Stijn Coninkx and Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne. Belgian couturiers such as Dries Van Noten, Martin Margiela, Dirk Bikkembergs, Walter Van Beirendonck, Gérald Wathelet and Ann Demeulemeester or even Elvis Pompilio for his hats. Jewelry designers such as Wouters and Hendrickx and Nadine Wijnants. Maybe even Adolphe Saxe?
CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.
External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com
Pay service with live and archived video.