Views from the Pompidou

I would recommend the Futurist exhibition on at the Pompidou centre at the moment to any and all, it ranks as the best exhibition I have visited in my exhibition visiting life. And the side benefit is that in rising to the sixth floor on glass fronted escalators is that one is rewarded with these views.

Caffe Nation

Deserving a post all of its own, even though I didn't get a picture of it, is Caffe Nation, the best cafe in Antwerp which we smelt out thanks to the exquisite roasts they use. We went each of the four days, had three baristas and each made brilliant coffee. In particular I loved an earthy Ethiopian blend which made a wickedly delicious espresso. They also have a long list of inventive drinks like Dr Pepper (ie coffee with lemon-pepper and honey) or Bouchee Blanc (ie a white chocolate mocha). The mood is chilled, you can sit for hours overhearing lame philosophy conversations and see creative types doing their thing.

Antwerpen

Highlights included, the Museum of Contemporary Art - not normally a fan but this was, to me, contemporary art at its dicursive best. The national gallery and its collections of Rubens, Van Dyke and Magritte (on different floors). Dinners at Fiskebar where the swordfish was utterly sublime and Yohji Yamamoto's flagship store which reminded me of the extreme beauty of simplicity.

Below are selected snapshots of the fun we had including, but not limited to, the Bed and Breakfast where we stayed whose Dutch name was "Bed, Bad & Brood", an allegedly 400kg chocolate elephant and the famous cathedral.