CYBER CRUISE - MIDI MARKET IN BRUSSELS

Sir Arthur and Lady Pookie my cruise companions are ready to go with you to the market !

And off we go to the Midi Market in Brussels. Keep your handbag safe, there are pickpockets ! No other dangers.

The Midi market is reputed to be the biggest in Europe behind Ventimiglia on the Italian Riviera! On average 450 stand holders (mostly Morrocans) sell here their wares, mainly foodstuffs and clothes of all varieties and prices. The market takes place all around the Midi train station. It is very easy to reach by public transport (underground, train, tram, bus), but also for car drivers to get to, due to the new immense (paying) car park that has been opened in this area . So many office blocks have grown like mushrooms around here! Each sunday the market opens at dawn and closes around 2 pm.

As the weather was so sunny I thought we could do a walk over there, I hadn't been at the midi market since at least 25 years ! And then only when we had visitors from abroad.

I took the train at Waterloo station (not in London, but here in Belgium) and went to the "Gare du Midi" which means "South Station" . This is the most important station of Brussels where all international trains arrive. It only takes 20 min with the train from Waterloo to Brussels and on sundays there are special prices so I only payed 3.50 € (!) for a return ticket, without having any parking problems. In the parkhouses I would have payed more then the double as they are quite expensive. Usually during the week you would pay for a train ticket 5 € and 7 € with return.

The market is really around the station.

click on the pictures to make them bigger The first stand when we come out of the station, thermos, coffee machines and other household machines and instruments All kind of spices from the whole world you can find her and you will see many Chinese, Japonese, Indians, Arabs etc. here to buy the spices of their country. You also have DVDs of all musics of the world, Arabic and Japonese, Indian and English etc. There are a lot of Moroccans here in Brussels, about 400 000, which in total has around 2,090,000 inhabitants. Certainly 80 % of the stands are helt by Moroccans or Turks. There is also a Turkish community in Belgium.

When I walked through the market I thought that I see here more women with scarfs then I had seen in Morocco or Turkey. These are Moroccinian teapots. The traditional pot to make Couscous Fruits vegetables, fish, meat everything you wish ! Potatoes a Moroccinian dad with his son Jeans, trousers, dresses, cardigans, T-shirts whatever you want. I bought Jeans (stretch) for 5 € (a little more then 5 $) ! And they are very comfortable, I wear them every day ! Fashion jewlery, but also silver and watches "Italian" leather shoes for sometimes less then 10 € ! A friend of mine bought some real leather shoes for 4 € and they are really nice.

Sometimes I wonder if these things haven't "fallen" off a truck ! I am not in Morocco, I am at the Midi Station in Brussels ! I am sure you all know Tintin with his dog Milou, which has been translated into "Snowy" for the English speaking people.

Tintin was "born" in Brussels and here you see the office building where all decisions are taken. Cheap, cheaper, the cheapest !

Now we can rest a little and have one of the Brussel's hot waffels. They taste phantastic and are often sold in these kind of cars.

This woman tried to haggle as it is the use in her country, but here is nothing to do, she had to pay the price !

We are now back to the Station and if you wish you can take a box of belgian "Godiva" pralines with you !

I hope you enjoyed your walk through the crowd ! Sometimes you really can get squeezed !

Our M/S Lifecruiser Cyber cruise continues, my hat parade too, schedule here