Travel

Midcentury Marvel in Disneyland Paris

Hilde Heyvaert

Almost a year ago, Disneyland Paris reopened their Hotel New York after a long period of refurbishment. You might won’t why this is even worth mentioning, so let’s just dive right into it. Out of all their on-site resort hotels, the New York was the only one with a dieselpunk theme.

I didn’t take a tour of the hotel on previous visits to Disney, nor did I stay there prior to refurbishment. I did previously visit the main entrance hall and often walked past the hotel to admire its midcentury architecture.

Continue reading “Midcentury Marvel in Disneyland Paris”

Les 4 Maisons

Hilde Heyvaert

Les 4 Maisons is a Harry Potter speciality store, but it is also a clock-, steam- and dieselpunk decor shop. Are you looking for a new globe? A pen and quill set? A coffee table that used to be an ocean liner travel cabinet? This, and much more, can be found at Les 4 Maisons.

If you can’t visit the physical store in Liège, Belgium, fret not, they have a webshop! But, as you can tell from the pictures, a visit to the store is well worth it!

Continue reading “Les 4 Maisons”

Modernista Architecture in Barcelona

Nick Ottens

Modernisme is the Catalan version of Art Nouveau. Its popularity coincided with the late-nineteenth-century expansion of Barcelona, which more than doubled the city in size. Walk around the Eixample district, which rings the historical city center, and you’ll find countless examples of this organic architectural style that is rich in decoration and incorporates Arab and Gothic elements.

Some, like Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Família and Lluís Domènech i Montaner’s Hospital de Sant Pau, are well known. Others you would probably pass by if you didn’t know where to look.

What follows is only a selection. The best way to explore Barcelona’s Modernista architecture is to take a day to roam Eixample and give yourself time to gaze at the many beautiful buildings here.

Continue reading “Modernista Architecture in Barcelona”

Helcanen on the Road

Hilde Heyvaert
Helcanen on the Road

Helcanen, a Belgian artist known for her affinity for Japan, returns with a new book, a new and original take on traveling Japan that combines a beautiful vintage style with our modern times.

This first edition of her postcard-sized travel journals takes you on the road in Hyōtan-yama, a neighborhood of Higashiōsaka, Japan.

Not only is it a wonderful tale that takes you along on Helcanen’s voyages, it is also a little treasure trove for those wanting to go there themselves.

Continue reading “Helcanen on the Road”

C-mine

Hilde Heyvaert

The C-mine in Genk, Belgium is a remodeled mining site that is now used for concerts, conferences, exhibition and all sorts of events.

What makes it is the steampunk look and feel of the place. The old machinery is still present in, with handy explanation plaques to accompany it. Visiting C-mine is like walking through a combination of a mining factory from the last century combined with modern creature comforts. And that’s pretty awesome. Continue reading “C-mine”

Steampunk in Tokyo DisneySea

Hilde Heyvaert

Many a steampunk is familiar with the sights of not only Nautilus in Tokyo DisneySea, but the entire scenery of Mysterious Island. While many Disney parks have a castle at the center of the park, Mysterious Island boasts Mount Prometheus of Mysterious Island. Literally, but I’ll get to that in a bit.

Is this all there is that makes Tokyo DisneySea so worth it for ‘punks? Or is there more to the park than meets the initial eye?

Continue reading “Steampunk in Tokyo DisneySea”

Nantes Castle and Musée d’Histoire de Nantes

Hilde Heyvaert

Le Château des Ducs de Bretagne, or Nantes Castle for short, is not just the medieval home of the famous Anne de Bretagne (yes, the one from the Musketeer novels), but also a veritable source of history.

The castle has has been completely renovated and turned into a museum depicting the history of Nantes: the Musée d’histoire de Nantes. Continue reading “Nantes Castle and Musée d’Histoire de Nantes”

Les Machines de l’île

Hilde Heyvaert

Pretty much everyone who loves steampunk has heard of the almost legendary Les Machines de l’île, an area on the Island of Nantes (yes, that area of Nantes is really called l’île — the Island) where company La Machine builds their amazing wood and metal creations, including a fantastical fire-breathing dragon horse and enormous spiders that have climbed buildings and walked streets in many countries and continents.

Les Machines de l’île is the culimination of the combined masterpiece of these builders: where their ideas come to life and where you can admire them nearly year round (they close for about a month each year). Continue reading “Les Machines de l’île”