Stores, Malls or Markets in Brussels

Marché du Midi

This large market is held every Sunday morning (until 1 p.m) around the railwaystation (Midi/Zuid). You can find all sorts of exotic fruits, vegetables, dried or fresh fish, Moroccan bread, big baskets full of olives of all kinds, spices, plants but also clothes, shoes, DVD's, CD's, etc. You can very often find there what you couldn't find anywhere else in the city. And for a cheaper price. I like going there to buy some fresh food but also to enjoy the atmosphere. It's kind of hectic when the stallholders yell the prices to the people passing by. When I'm there, I don't feel I'm in Belgium, but in a real "souk" somewhere in a North-African country ;-) Very entertaining.

Abattoirs

The next subway stop after the Midi Station (Clemenceau, actually the last stop).
This is the same market but it's held every Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning until 1p.m. This market is better if you want to buy fish and/or meat because it's right in the slaughterhouses. It's also more convenient when it's raining (which is often the case here) because you have a roof on your head.

What to buy: Whatever ! You can find everything you need.

The best place to buy loose tea. It's very different from traditional tea shops. You can smell all of them or taste one or two sorts every day. An etiquette indicates where they come from and their composition. You can also find teapots, cups, tea boxes, books, candles etc.

The area around the main outdoor antique market has a number of very fine shops. Some of the best are on the road leading up the hill from the Centraal station to the antique area : Rue Lebeau.

We noticed that Belgians seem to be especially fond of antiques from the far east. This particular shop was very well presented with (very expensive) items from all over the world : but especially from the Sulu Archipeligo (see map)

The Sunduk, of funeral ornaments are especailly fine. Most come from the 19th century and are mainly found in wood, but sometime in stone or coral.

The artfork shows that there was a distintive mix of older belief systems with the newer doctrines of Islam arriving with merchants in the 10th Century. They vary acording the age, sex and tribe of the deceased, but feature an array of figures and symbols, some even human in nature. They were placed with the face heading towards Mecca.

I've only scratched the surface here - but the friendly Gallery staff seemed pleased to talk about the individual items - even if you can't afford them !

As an Englishman it seemed a little strange to me that people would willingly pay to have various bits of clothing or souvenirs emblazoned with the symbols of the European Union. I know we are ?All friends together now? but it still seems somewhat naff to plaster yourself with the symbolism of the armies of faceless eurocrats who run our lives.

If however it appeals to you (you good europeans) then there are a number of shops around the Grand place area and inparticular on rue de Marche aux herbes with names like 'Euroland' or 'Euroshop'.

I also found (if your interested) an interesting website that see certain 'worrying' signals in the choice of symbols made for the E.U. check out their complete claptrap at :

www.inplainsite.org/html/ european_union.html

There are many locations in which you can buy bottled beers in Brussels, from supermarkets to "Night shops".

It is however worth seeking out specialist shops where the shopkeeper, like here, is knowledgable about his stock and is willing to discuss the various merits of his stock. I think he spoke from extensive personal experience.

Each beer in Belgian has an appropriate glass, and you can usually tell the more modern brews as they have had to develop a new glass alongside the beer which is different to all the others on the market.

What to buy: This particular shop also sells over large glasses (about 80 Euro and up each) and beer that is packaged like champagne.

What to pay: Most average around 2-4 Euro each

This is the street where you can find turkish specialities in Brussels : food, belly dancer belts, music, furniture and in particular, textiles for a very good price. A little bit of Turkey in the heart of Brussels.

You can find the stalls of painting right at the Grand Place, they maybe in the middle or in any side within the square...The artist are painting on the spot, you can watch them too doing it in water color..there are many that are ready to pack up but if you want those they maked, you can wait for it in a while.

What to buy: None other than the real painting of a belgian artist of the Grand Place.

What to pay: From my own opinion is not that much, it' can be cheaper to the one you expect...depends to the painting.

What to buy: Brussells is an excellent city for buying the famous Brussells lace, tapestries, souvenirs of the famous Mannekin Pis, and my favourite, chocolates (the Bouchees are absolutely addictive!)
And some of the cobbled shopping streets are so pretty....