Flea Market Marollen Brussels

Old style Brussels

Davy from Brussels

""Flea Market Marollen" Brussels is a place I love to spend my day to look at dead people's stuff. I've just bought a postcard, stamped in 1915..."

"Dear mother and father,"

I'm standing on the Vossenplein daily flea market in the historical Marollen district. It has been around since 1873. Many locals – including myself - love spending their day here. It's always fun to look at dead people's stuff.

"My eyes have seen many tears since I had to leave home so suddenly. Life here is quite lonely and hard and cold."

I've just bought a postcard, stamped in 1915. It has a church in ruins on it. I purchased a great many of my possessions here: dragon drinking glasses; bedroom furniture; an interbellum rich man's portrait; the only CD and record I own (I cannot play them); my 70s shades; a statue of a llama and a 1950s vacation photo of a family that isn't mine.

"Time goes slow. Days are spent waiting. We don't know what will happen, nor when."

After I have crossed the flea market three times and have noticed that many wristwatches' pointers stand still, I go for an appetizer: cooked snails sold at a little stand nearby.

"It feels like ages since I last saw everyone. I long to come back home soon and eat a hot meal prepared by mother."

While the market vendors slowly clean up in the afternoon, I always have a late lunch and a good Trappist beer in one of the many traditional cafés. I can highly recommend La Clef d'Or. Get 'Stoemp'. It doesn't get any more 'Brusselish' than this dish.

"All my love, 20th of April 1915, Ypres."

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Brussels Spotter Davy

About me I adore all things past, so I studied History in Ghent. I also like to read books, so I came to Brussels to study English literature. I stuck around. I can now read books in Brussels’ historical centre. I take my bike to go to concerts, museums, the theatre, parks and bars. I love being in a bathrobe. I try to write short stories and travel the world. Why Brussels? Although Brussels has some big and ugly skyscrapers, people are mostly down-to-earth. I can buy and eat snails on the street. I can go to the bakery dressed in...

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Vossenplein

Used postcard:

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Dec 2, 2025

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