Exclusive Video: the planned destruction of Antwerp, Belgium

Watch how bent politicians are planning the factual destruction of large populated areas of Antwerp city. How would you react?

[Update: Antwerp VLD politician Ludo V.C. (in spite of a strong YES vote by his party) and Antwerp Mayor Patrick J. decided to follow their personal conscience and will vote NO in the upcoming referendum regarding this planned killer project. I admire and applaud their honest concern for the wellbeing of their fellow Antwerp citizens. Let's all bury this insane destruction of Antwerp-city under an avalanche of NO votes October 18. Update 18 Oct 2009: during a city referendum today 60% of Antwerp voters rejected the "Lange Wapper" overpass/bridge (the threshold being 50%). What happens next will be decided by the government in Brussels]

Antwerp: erotic underwear model promotes riding a bike

During national car-free day last weekend, Antwerp city used this “woman” dressed in erotic underwear to promote “riding a bike” near the riverbanks. She gave me a free photo shoot, although several shots are way too provocative to post at this place.

Come on guys, try riding a bike dressed like this

Video: Antwerp Killer “Lange Wapper” Bridge evokes massive protest

No, you’re not watching a weird stop-smoking educational video (the smoke you see is a digital effect), but a protest video to stop the planned Antwerp “Lange Wapper” killer bridge that will turn large parts of Antwerp-city into a polluted and noisy danger-zone (check endangered zone: half of downtown Antwerp), a heavily polluted town where thousands of children will inhale toxic particles and diesel fumes, just by living near a planned new bridge that could easily have been replaced by a tunnel.

Historic Antwerp cathedral dwarfed by the planned nearby huge traffic viaduct, an insane concept

[Video and discussion in English]. “Yes We Can” stop that noisy killer bridge, inspired by corporate greed and bent politicians. [Protest website in Dutch]. How would you react if some money-grabbing politicians endangered the health of your children?

[Update 18 Oct 2009: during a city referendum today 60% of Antwerp voters rejected the "Lange Wapper" overpass/bridge (the threshold being 50%). What happens next will be decided by the government in Brussels.]

Free Belgian beer for everyone!

bollekesfeest beer festival Antwerp, Belgium - Aug 21, 2009

The annual Antwerp “bollekes” beer festival (http://www.bollekesfeest.be) was celebrated this year by a crowd of 100,000 during a three day weekend at the end of August 2009. The opening on Friday Aug 21 featured free beer, along with the entire city council and Mayor throwing chocolates in the form of small hands, an ancient tradition.

But before I happily continue posting more stories, I feel it’s time for a blog format make-over. Like Bob Dylan once said, “The Times They Are a-Changin’ “, with an ever increasing number of former regular readers exclusively focusing on social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter. I know, my hit-rate is still high at 300-400 daily visitors, with a blog counter almost reaching half a million uniques, but after three years it’s time for a format change. There’s no stopping Facebook, is there?

Parts of Antwerp Calling will be relocated to a Belgian network I’m already posting on for ages (in Dutch, the language spoken by my close friends & relatives), while I will focus on covering predominantly visual local stories at Antwerp Calling in English, whenever I find the time. I’ll make sure you will enjoy the updated format. See You Later, Alligator

(video) And you really think Belgians can’t dance?

Video I shot during a recent family party in the Antwerp, Belgium suburbs. And you really believed Belgians couldn’t dance?
[Update August 2009: during the summer months I will update this blog only whenever real news from Antwerp breaks.]

The 2009 Antwerp Summer Break

Much like these tempting women (actually, they’re male) below, shot last weekend in front of the Antwerp riverbank “steen” castle (thanks guys, your free posing provided me with a much appreciated and popular online photo session), don’t we all need our summer break?

Well, I sure do. So while I’m off to work on my tan and muscles in a cheap cabin along the rainy Belgian coast on a secluded island resort in the South China Sea, rest assured that I will keep you posted 24/7 via WiFi whenever any worthwhile news breaks in sleepy Antwerp this summer. But please, do err on the side of caution and skip checking CNN first – I’m convinced you know who to trust when reliable coverage of Antwerp, Belgium is vital

Enjoy the summer of 2009, wherever you may be.

[Update July 11th: returned from the beaches in Zeeland, Holland, only a 1h drive from Antwerp, yet so different. Hottest day of the year (33°C/92°F) July 2nd, but we're back enjoying the chilly Belgian rain. Tempted to fly off to the Med. Happy birthday Belgium!]l

Antwerp, a gay city: instructions for visitors

As mentioned on antwerppride.com, Antwerp is “Europe’s gay harbour”, so as a native I feel the natural urge to provide some essential instructions for visitors. Obviously, being a straight visitor can be a confusing endeavour in this gay town, so just follow my steps and don’t get into trouble. [Note: all shots taken outside the Antwerp Navigaytion 2009 grounds - 2008 images and video]

Upon disembarking from your cruise-liner, you will notice a huge sign stating “Antwerp, gay”. It’s considered courteous to have your picture taken right in front of this gay entrance sign. So even if you’re Muslim, straight & just married, only walking your dog or strolling with your 3 yo child: please, follow the rules – this is a respected gay town and we adhere to a zero tolerance policy. [My photo: the entrance to the gay city of Antwerp, Belgium, right above the cruise terminal). OK, all clear, you're in and safe, for the time being.

Next: obligatory rules of engagement. When strolling along the riverbanks, you will notice a huge number of semi-naked muscle males and individuals of undetermined sex. Approach with caution, but please, keep smiling! Being gay, some of the Antwerp natives will try to touch you or show you "what they've got": no panic, just go with the flow and stay safe! [My photo: staying safe when engaging the gay Antwerp natives. Notice how even the elderly dress 'wild'. ]

Common mistakes: gender confusion or assuming the gay locals are trying to ’seduce’ you. Warning: the Antwerp locals (both male & just having a break, on my shot below) only care for themselves (memorize this word: “narcissism”) and their attempts to show off have no emotional connotation whatsoever. In their world, you’re only a throw-away toy. So behave like one and stay safe, capito?

Entertainment & appropriate behaviour is another confusing issue for visitors to the gay city of Antwerp. Yes, it is perfectly OK to board a vessel with 200 semi-naked men/women dancing, but please, dress appropriately! Also, in case you don’t comply with physical minimal conformity standards your stay in Gay Antwerp might become a very short one. My pictures below: left: appropriate dress and show-off attitude. Right: totally unacceptable “let’s look at the zoo animals” gazing behaviour from straight visitors – warning: you may be deported

Anyway, I hope your visit to gay Antwerp will be an enjoyable one (provided you follow our zero tolerance policy towards non-tolerance, obviously). Just in case you wanted to enjoy a non-gay romantic river view, or visit our  “steen” (“stone”) castle museum that used to house the national Belgian maritime museum: sorry folks, it’s been turned into a drag queen venue. But hey, don’t let that spoil the fun: visit the gay port of Antwerp, the most liberal gay town on the face of the planet (I’m sorry, this write up was posted under duress   )

Antwerp gay pride & Navigaytion 2009: drunken queens on a boat

Quote from the ‘Antwerp Pride’ website:  www.antwerppride.com (check out event promo video 1, video 2)
“The city of Antwerp, clubs, cafés, fetish bars, erotic shops, bookshops, museums, LGBT organisations welcome you and your friends to Antwerp for the second edition of Antwerp Pride. Join ten thousands of visitors for an unforgettable pride weekend in Europe’s gay harbour, Antwerp. The combined forces of the large gay community and the support of the city of Antwerp will ensure another exciting edition.” Europe’s gay harbour? Someone must be joking. (But even the Russians in the Ukraine covered it]

OK, take two, now without the “we just love an influx of 30,000 cash-spending tourists, and we would bend over backwards to attract them, even if they came from Uranus” PR:  ‘Antwerp Pride 2009 is a yearly gay event that focuses on its highlight, Navigaytion 2009, a commercial “drunken queens showing off on ten riverboats” event surrounded by numerous huge parties, an open air fetish & leather-scene show and countless activities where gay emancipation has long been replaced by cashing-in on the influx of gay tourists.

If you care for my 2008 Navigaytion pictures and video, feel free to check them out.  Just added: some 2009 shots

[Update June 27, 10 pm: I just returned from Navigaytion, having taken 300 shots from the elevated riverbanks. Blazing sunshine, friendly & wild, be it with much less visitors. I was overcome by a "I've seen this too many times" feeling: people enjoying the culture of unadulterated narcissism in open air. The crowded was mixed (though +90% gay) with a yearly 'let's peek at this weird gay zoo" part where a large crowd of tourists and locals gazed at (and photographed) the Navigaytion crowd from the elevated riverside terraces. At times, it became funny, though slightly embarrassing. Anyway, Navigaytion 2009 turned out to be a predictable, perfect carbon-copy of its 2008 edition. "]</

Antwerp 2009 “Sinksenfoor” funfair opening night

Trust me, at the opening of the 2009 “Sinksenfoor” funfair I only had Belgian waffles. No 75m (230 ft) speed-rides for me.

Reach out and touch an Antwerp local

I’d love to meet you. Don’t run now: it’s all quite simple and I’d like to explain.

When I started this blog way back in 2006 I basically jumped on the blogging bandwagon because “all my friends were doing it”: it seemed a natural and easy way to share a small part of my life. Although I spent virtually all of my free time with my diving buddies in those days, I actually met several expats (notably from the US and NZ)  living in Antwerp through blogging – empathic people who invited me into their homes and who became acquaintances. Unfortunately most expats have an embedded social expiry date by nature. 2007 turned into a pivotal year: no longer being able to dive after an injury, my longstanding close diving friendships faded surprisingly fast, with my last family members moving out of Antwerp in 2008.

A US expat once elaborately explained how hard it was to bond with locals in Antwerp, being a new face in town. But trust me, at times it’s just as complex for many who were born in this place. Dutch speaking Belgians have a reputation to keep their distance, with an Antwerp urban setting anno 2009 further complicating building new social contacts with relative strangers. While it’s great knowing I have some close friends and family to share my most personal emotions with, meeting some of the Antwerp inhabitants who actually read this blog could be a delightful experience. I’ve met amazing people through blogging and I’d love to repeat the experience.

So if you’ve been reading this blog and feel we might put a smile on each other’s face, don’t hesitate: reach out and touch an empathic Antwerp local. There’s no need to rush   Contact information can be found at “about the author”.