All About Royal Families

Belgium is known for its amazing 'old' cities. One of them is Antwerp, located in Flanders, the Dutch speaking part of the Country. Some history After the decline of Bruges (end of the 15th century), Antwerp became more important. Foreign trading Houses moved from Bruges to Antwerp and the city even became the sugar capital of Europe! This sugar was imported via Spanish and Portuguese plantations. Moneylenders and financiers also established businesses here. The most famous landmarks of Antwerp are: 1/ The Town Hall Town Hall Antwerp Belgium Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp Belgium Grand Place Antwerp Belgium Het Steen - The stone The Scheldt Of course there are a lot more famous landmarks of Antwerp,  but this blogpost is to small to  list them all. Antwerp has hidden treasures like the Vlaeykensgang. Vlaeykensgang Did you know: Peter I of Russia  (Peter the Great) visited Antwerp.  He was the first

Visitors and Readers of this blog know that I like to visit Antwerp. That city really is a shopping Walhalla. Antwerp also is a fashion paradise with a big F. Today I don't tell about Fashion or Shopping. Arriving in Antwerp is really special. Most of the visitors arrive by train. The train station is called: Antwerpen Centraal Outside view of the Station Inside view of the Station As you can see, the architecture really is phenomenal. Old things are mixed with new elements here on the picture: the Letter A from Antwerp Antwerp Central - amazing architecture - Belgium Antwerp Central - Belgium The different floors: the old ones ... Trains at Antwerp Central the new ones ... Stairs in Antwerp Central  And a lot of stairs :-) I have enjoyed my day in Antwerp, shopping & nice drinks. It was good weather till I returned home. Holiday in Belgium (my home country) can be good :-)

On January 8th. 1930, Princess Marie José of Belgium married Prince Umberto. He was a member of the House of Savoy.   Source picture the Italian Wikipedia Princess Marie José received the title: Princess of Piedmont. Last year, on a flea market, I found some old Belgian Magazines  written in French. Some people will think, oh, that's junk,  for me it was a treasure. The Magazines were from 1930 and they tell about the Marriage of Princess Marie José of Belgium and Prince Umberto. Old magazine about the wedding of Marie José of Belgium and Umberto of Italy - 1930 Princess Marie José of Belgium Princess Marie José of Belgium in the same magazine Umberto of Italy Royal families of Belgium and Italy the wedding of Princess Marie José of Belgium and Umberto of Italy After the marriage the royals met pope Pius XI. You can see this  on the last picture.

Grand Duke Jean will attend an academic session. This academic session will take place in the Neumünster Abbey in Luxembourg . The event is organized on the occasion of  the 65th. B-Day of the association of the 'Anciens Combattants' (Veterans). Own picture: Luxembourg City taken in 2007 Neumünster Abbey is an important place for the history of Luxembourg. During World War II, the Nazis used the Abbey to imprison political resistors to their occupation of Luxembourg.  On June 6th. 1944,  there was the landing in Normandy (France), also called D-Day.