Fleeing to the Flea market: Marollen Brocante!

intimiating shopkeeper against fire

After casually saving Bruxelles this morning, I knew I was off to a good start in this flea market in Marolles. This pocket of Brussels is essentially a historic place for social gatherings and, more famously, for its antique furniture and second-hand items which you will not find in an urban store around the city. The fact that this place attracts a good chunk of tourists every day it is held makes it safe to say that the choices to choose from are many.

Often, we end up having nice conversations with the shopkeepers, who hand out excellent deals depending on your bargaining skills and rapport, so I tend to go home empty-handed. Well, not today. I was able to get a couple of things that caught my eye. After all, a trip around this maze of interesting artworks and pieces is super tantalizing for impulse purchases.

A fun thing about the Marolles neighbourhood in Brussels is that it immediately reflects the reality of a survival economy. While the main event here is a brocante, or the commerce of second-hand items, this area has been historically used for the same purpose since the late 19th century. Many vendors travelled great distances to unload and sell their wares to fellow traders and merchants who also survived on similar trade acumen. Interestingly, many shops around this square are actually descended from those merchants who first set up shop here and now sell antique products in high-end storefronts today. Looking at the vast spectrum of products one can still find in this flea market, it is easy to admire the history of trade unfolding before us, especially in this grand metropolis of Europe.

Comments

Climbing the tallest church of our savior in Copenhagen, Denmark : )

Every road I took or boat I ferried on, I was just not able to escape the sight of this magnificent building in Copenhagen. Out of a lingering, unreconciled curiosity, I stepped into the Church of Our Saviour, which describes itself as Lutheran-Protestant. Since the actual interior was under construction at the time, I took a ticket to climb up the 400 steps and catch a bird's-eye view of the city. To be honest, I knew nothing about this 17th-century marvel, so all my next discoveries were as much overwhelming as serendipitous. The Baroque design inside was accentuated by actual pieces of the construction, including previously mended façade portions and statues, which oddly added to the spiritual effect of the climb. As I ascended over some creaking and thin wooden steps, I began realizing that the tower is really, really tall. I mean, the 90 m height totally creeps up on you with the full effect of a cardio workout as you carefully squeeze past woodwork and other descending peopl...

The Parakeet Problem, Belgium : )

I think parrots are the orange cats among birds, because what else can explain how captivating their nonchalance can be, especially amidst the litany of crows, pigeons, and ducks that patrol each city. Sometimes I am able to get a response from a few of them, but these green citizens of Belgium are rather smug and settled with their complicated history of invasiveness. As one story goes, tropical ring-necked parakeets were first released into the city by an amusement park in Brussels wishing to contribute to developing birdlife, and over the last five decades, their population increased by 250-fold. This is no surprise of course—parrots are basically green pigeons, and they are smart in surviving urban environments. Now it does become a concern for Belgium's native bird species like the wood nuthatch, who cannot successfully compete against these big parakeets to find burrows in trees for nesting. From a Darwinian context, it is only a matter of time that parakeets dominate the b...

Staycation in Gingelom, Belgium!

Look, I started this trip with a rainy morning, so I will make sure you relive it again with me. Sure, I had a couple of cakes and coffee to pump up my spirits when the joyful cloud of grey decided to accompany me on this vacation. And where else would I be headed to, but Gingelom, the most eventful of all municipalities in Belgium. I am being slightly sarcastic, but I actually had a great time—so why was I there in the first place? Let me take you back one month, talking with my friends about how nice it would be to enjoy the summer of Belgium in a relaxing BnB somewhere we have never visited before. And in that research, we discovered Gingelom. The official webpage for Gingelom describes it as a landscape of sunken lanes, orchards, rolling fields, authentic monuments, and much tranquility. That was the bait, and we were hooked. Right, back to the bus we come—fortunately rather empty and peaceful towards this side of town in Limburg—and to be at complete liberty switching seats ...

Young

Search This Blog