It’s been a long time since I went to a zoo. I remember going to Manila zoo, Malabon zoo and, of course, the Wildlife in Quezon City when I was little. I was supposed to go to Zoobic Safari last year, but to no avail.

So, here’s my chance to finally get in touch with wildlife. Last Saturday, we had a chance to visit Antwerp, one of the biggest and prettiest cities in Belgium. We immediately barged into the zoo to take a look at the animals, and have snapshots of them as well.

Traveling to Antwerp is quite simple: from Ghent Sint-Pieters station, we took a train going to Anterwepen Centraal. Since the zoo is nearby the train station, we had it as our first stop. For adults, it usually costs around € 18.50 to enter.

To give you some history about the Antwerp Zoo, it’s considered as one of the oldest and largest in the world-dated back since 1843. It also houses thousands of animals from various parts of the globe. This is why we need an ample of memory space in our digicam ‘coz we really get to capture LOTS.

Lovely Flamingos in Antwerp Zoo

We got to see those penguins, sea otters, seals, angel fishes and various sea creatures; deer; lionesses, tigers, leopard and black panther; buffalos and oxen; elephants; owls, eagles, pigeons, flamingos & various birds; camels and donkeys; etc. We also watched a very cool seal show. Also, the nature surrounding it is something that beckons us to take some more shots!

Train Stations and Architecture

*(L-R:) Antwerp Central Train Station & Antoon Van Dyck Statue*

One of the things that really amaze me is the architecture. The pristine Romantic, Medieval and Renaissance and pillars are well-preserved and part of the country’s past and culture. Some are even a mix of the old and the contemporary, making them truly one of a kind! I also discovered lots of statues of Belgian figures who contributed to its thriving history.

Shopping & Entertainment

A MUST thing to do in Antwerp is, ehem, shopping! We really got some pretty cheap stuff from the shopping center of the city. I’m so happy that I landed on H&M, one of my favorite shops, which is not currently available in the Philippines [yet].

I bought some souvenirs and makeup[!] in Bozzy, one of the gift shops I randomly stumbled upon. Of course, getting a cutesy hat in H&M truly made shopping worthwhile.

We also got to try Ben & Jerry’s specialty brownie ice cream. I’ve been lemming for Ben & Jerry’s so long, since it’s such a rare find in the Philippines.

I also got to meet a human statue, in the guise of Nostradamus.

*Human Nostradamus Statue*