TRAVELLIVE 3 - 2018

Tr≠Ìc khi Æ’n Antwerp (Antwerpen trong ti’ng Hµ Lan vµ Anvers
trong ti’ng Ph∏p), t´i Æ∑ bi’t Æ’n c∏i tn Æ∆c bi÷t cÒa thµnh phË
qua truy“n thuy’t v“ g∑ khÊng l Druon Antigoon. G∑ khÊng lÂ
nµy th≠Íng hay ch∆n c∏c tµu bu´n qua lπi Î cˆa s´ng Scheldt Æ”
Æfli ti“n "lÈ ph›". Nh˜ng ai kh´ng tr∂ sœ bfi Druon Antigoon ch∆t
m†t mÈt bµn tay vµ quºng xuËng dflng s´ng!
C©u chuy÷n v“ s˘ t∏c oai t∏c qu∏i cÒa Druon Antigoon l‰t Æ’n
tai Silvius Brabo, mÈt chµng l›nh La M∑ trŒ tuÊi. Silvius Æ∑ chi’n
thæng Druon Antigoon, vµ cæt bµn tay cÒa g∑ khÊng l quºng
xuËng dflng Scheldt nh≠ mÈt c∏ch Æ” tr∂ thÔ cho nh˜ng nπn nh©n
cÒa hæn. BÎi th’ mµ Antwerp, trong ti’ng Hµ Lan vµ ti’ng Anh
cÊ, c„ ngh‹a lµ "näm bµn tay Æi"! Ngµy nay, khi Æ’n gi˜a qu∂ng
tr≠Íng lÌn Grote Markt cÒa thµnh phË, bπn sœ bæt g∆p b¯c t≠Óng
chµng thanh nin Silvius Brabo Æang xoay ng≠Íi l†y Ƶ, näm Æi
bµn tay cÒa g∑ khÊng l Druon Antigoon ÆÈc ∏c.
Antwerp lµ thµnh phË cuËi cÔng trong hµnh tr◊nh Amsterdam
- Brussels - Bruges - Ghent - Antwerp cÒa t´i trong chuy’n ngao
du T©y ¢u vµo cuËi n®m 2017. MÈt vµi ng≠Íi bπn ngh‹ rªng t´i c„
ph«n h¨i "hµo ph„ng" cho mÈt thµnh phË ›t Æ≠Óc d©n du lfich nhæc
Æ’n khi Æ’n Bÿ, thay v◊ dµnh nhi“u thÍi gian h¨n cho "Venice cÒa
ph≠¨ng Bæc". Nh≠ng vÌi hai ngµy l≠u lπi Æ©y, t´i lπi th†y hËi hÀn
khi m◊nh kh´ng th” Î l©u thm Æ≠Óc n˜a.
N’u cÚng c„ k’ hoπch kh∏m ph∏ thµnh phË lÌn th¯ hai Î Bÿ nµy
trong n®m nay, nh†t Æfinh bπn kh´ng th” b· lÏ 10 Æi“u sau Æ©y.
Prior to arriving in Antwerp (Antwerpen in Dutch
and Anvers in French), I had learned that the
city got its unique name from a legend about a
giant called Druon Antigoon. The giant exacted
a toll from passing boatmen on the Scheldt river.
Those who refused to pay had their hand cut off
and thrown into the river by Druon Antigoon.
The story of Druon Antigoon's monstrous deeds reached Silvius
Brabo, a young Roman soldier. Silvius went on to defeat Antigoon,
chop off the giant's own hand and toss it into the river to avenge
his victims. Hence the name Antwerp, which means "throw the
hand" in Dutch and Old English. At the city's Grote Market, you
will find a statue of a young Silvius Brabo mid-throw, disposing of
the hand of the evil Druon Antigoon.
Antwerp was the last destination on my Amsterdam-Brussels-
Bruges-Ghent-Antwerp European tour in late 2017. Some might
think I spent rather "too much time" in such a little known city
of Belgium instead of visiting the popular Bruges - referred to as
"The Venice of the North". My two-day stay in Antwerp did not do
it justice, and I regreted not staying longer.
If you are planning to explore this city, the second largest in Belgium
in 2018, do not miss the following 10 things to do in Antwerp.
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TRAVELLIVE