The Waterloo Market, Belgium

Gert and I have twice enjoyed one of the Europe's top 10 markets ... the Waterloo Market, in recent days.  We first heard of it via BBC's Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is and loved the idea that we could rummage around, with the possibility of finding both genuine antiques and quirky collectables there.  As a New Zealander, from a country young in collectable material history, I loved the age of everything ... and the European flavour too.

The market is held every Sunday, in the carpark of the Carrefour supermarket in Waterloo.  There are so many small stalls that it took us 3 hours walking to explore them all today.   Last weekend, unprepared for the heat and having left the house without breakfast, we gave up our exploration as heat exhaustion set in.

This Sunday we were ready.  A good breakfast, sunhats, a bottle of water, comfortable shoes ... no worries, mate.  We were off and wandering with relaxed intent.

And I came home with a few small treasures.  I couldn't afford the beautiful 19th century travel writing desk at 40euro, nor could I justify the darling old 1960s opera binocular glasses 10euro, or the exquisitely-shaped whisky hip flask but ... I did buy a pipe-rack for 7 euro.  The quote on it will make a pipe-collector of me.  And I picked up my first, a clay-pipe, for 3euro.

But it was the little blue leather coin purse pictured below, by Neiman Marcus, that I loved best.  The woman gave it to me for 1euro when she saw I only had a 20euro note.  I wasn't even haggling because she had only wanted 3euro total. 

It works like a pelican's beak perhaps.  The silk-lined leather pouch expands as you fill it with coins.  I love it.

Parking isn't usually a problem, there are clean toilets in the Carrefour complex, and there is a range of places to eat.  The market itself is laid out in an easy to explore grid too - so we backtracked to a couple of retailers, just in case the traveling writing desk became justifiable  ... 

Highly recommended.

 

Terri Windling and Brenda Ueland

"But the moment I read Van Gogh's letter I knew what art was, and the creative impulse. It is a feeling of love and enthusiasm for something, and in a direct, simple, passionate and true way, you try to show this beauty in things to others, by drawing it. And Van Gogh's little drawing on the cheap note paper was a work of art because he loved the sky and the frail lamppost against it so seriously that he made the drawing with the most exquisite conscientiousness and care. ”

Brenda Ueland, from If Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit.

I found this extract this morning, just as I had set up my work station for the day, down here in the big country kitchen, and I thought it was surely something to share. 

I have Terri Windling's blog in my google reader and most days, she has something like this to share with whoever cares to read her.  She is a writer, artist, and book editor interested in myth, folklore, fairy tales, and the ways they are used in contemporary arts.


 

A mozzarella snob writes ...

It was bad enough when I became particular about my wine, and realised that I preferred Italian, French and Spanish wines over the wine of any other countries.

I am a woman of limited income ... I can't afford to be particular, not really, however it happens.

Next came the problem of good coffee.  Italian espresso and cappuccino ruined me.  I returned to Belgium and ended up buying a Nespresso machine, for the times between visits to Genova.

This time, I was introduced to mozzarella di bufala campana made by Casa Madaio. 

It is so good! 

Francesca and Norma sell it down in Le Gramole ... if in Genova, I cannot recommend trying it highly enough.

As per the photograph, I put some of the mozzarella on focaccia, with lettuce and tomato.  I took the photograph but really, I was desperate to eat it. 

None of these are paid advertisements ... it's just me writing of the things that I love and find.  And this particular small feast is so easy to create for yourself if passing through Genova.  You don't need a kitchen but the mozzarella ... it's truly delicious.

Fertal Lahcen, artist

Imagine, always traveling, meeting people ... hearing their stories. 

Alex and Mina have their blog, ...sending postcards. Who could resist reading them: 'During the autumn of 2009, we sold our house, quit our jobs, and were married in the sun. We left our life-long home on the prairies of Canada to run away together and see the world. This travelogue was created to document our extended honeymoon - the often mundane, seldom peculiar, and sometimes extraordinary details.'

I found this artist over on their website.  Turn the volume up when you watch Fertal describing the materials he uses to create his artworks.