We just took a 2.5 day school trip to Antwerp (Antwerpen), in neighboring Belgium. We mainly went to Integrated Conference, which was a bit hip and arty for my taste, but had great moments – the big highlight for me being Theo Jansen’s talk about his magnificent Strandbeesten. We also made a point of experiencing a bit of Antwerpen while we were there. Here are some things I really enjoyed:
![b_nicehouses](http://blog.ninastoessinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/b_nicehouses-1024x617.jpg)
#nicebelgianhouses
![b_bookshopping](http://blog.ninastoessinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/b_bookshopping-1024x591.jpg)
Finding yet another old bookshop
![b_interface](http://blog.ninastoessinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/b_interface.jpg)
This physical tram station interface
![b_waffle2](http://blog.ninastoessinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/b_waffle2-1024x697.jpg)
OMG waffles!
![b_churchskeleton](http://blog.ninastoessinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/b_churchskeleton-1024x637.jpg)
This structure of the cathedral’s aisle
![b_gravestone](http://blog.ninastoessinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/b_gravestone-1024x532.jpg)
This gravestone lettering, worn into a stencil version of itself over 4 centuries
![Nighttime Sightseeing](http://blog.ninastoessinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/b_sightseeing.jpg)
Nighttime sightseeing
![b_beers2](http://blog.ninastoessinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/b_beers2-1024x637.jpg)
Exploring Belgian beers (and drawing letters on beermats)
![b_raclette](http://blog.ninastoessinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/b_raclette-1024x560.jpg)
The boys being funny
![b_plantin](http://blog.ninastoessinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/b_plantin-1024x533.jpg)
Plantin-Moretus (feat. Mark)
![b_vdkeere](http://blog.ninastoessinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/b_vdkeere-1024x625.jpg)
Wooden letters by Hendrik van den Keere
![b_punches](http://blog.ninastoessinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/b_punches.jpg)
Punches! these mindbogglingly perfect little sculptures of type
![b_korrekturen](http://blog.ninastoessinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/b_korrekturen-1024x576.jpg)
17th-century text corrections
![b_leo](http://blog.ninastoessinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/b_leo-1024x584.jpg)
This smiling lion