My great aunt Lilet, my grandmother’s younger first cousin, married Belgian Paul Campforts and found her fairytale ending in Belgium. She has resided for decades in the peaceful town of Schoten where she raised her two children, my Uncle Vince and Aunt Jeressa — who interestingly are both younger than me.
None from my immediate family has had the chance to visit her so when I found myself confirming to my friends’ wedding in the Netherlands, I thought that it was an opportune time to go to Belgium after.
From the Netherlands, I got off at the Antwerpen-Centraal Station, where my great aunt and great uncle met me. After an almost half-hour car ride, we arrived at their cozy home in Schoten. Cute and quiet, this town was where I had my most relaxing stay during that Euro trip.
Schoten made me appreciate the more laidback way of life. Most days, I would quietly sit at my great aunt’s garden just to take pause and admire the lush greens and florals in the cool spring weather. Going around, I enjoyed walking around serene tree-lined paths all over the town. I also explored Kasteel Van Schoten and had a nightcap with my great aunt at De Riddershoeve, the medieval-themed brasserie beside it. It was white asparagus season and I enjoyed the creamiest asparagus soup at Brasserie Ciconia. My great uncle brought me to Den Trol, a local pub that he has frequented since his youth. I loved the signature, mildly spicy Spaghetti van Den Trol topped with lots of cheese. My most favorite time was dinner with the entire family and enjoying grilled food and Belgian wine with everyone.
Antwerp was easy to navigate by foot. Most places I was brought to were near one another. I saw the grand interior of the Stadsfeestzaal, a shopping arcade housed inside a historic building. The area was a lifestyle haven surrounded by interesting stores and cafés. We took a breather and had espresso martinis at Horta Grand Café and Art Nouveau Zaal, a stylish and artsy resto-bar that repurposed and reused the iron rafters from 1896 of the now demolished People’s House in Brussels.
Afterwards, we visited the medieval fortress of Het Steen by the river Scheldt, the oldest preserved building in the city. Before heading back to Schoten, we had Belgian beer at Grote Markt, the central square in the old city quarter surrounded by the Guildhall, Brabo Fountain, and Antwerp City Hall.
My stay in Belgium was a little longer than usual, enjoying a meaningful time to be welcomed and acquainted with family at their home. In the next few days, I also explored the quaint city of Bruges and the capital Brussels. My visits to those cities were equally fun as well and will be shared in another story.