Flea Market Marollen Brussels
Old style Brussels
"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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