On a Sunday morning, there is nothing better than getting up early and heading over to Gare du Midi for the open air market that takes place there each week.
I'll be honest, Midi is not the type of place that you look forward to going to the other 6 days of the week, but on Sunday, it's a great day. If you happen to get to the market before 10:00, it's easy to get everything you need and be back in the car, metro, bus or tram in 20 to 45 minutes.
At the market you can find everything from fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, to clothing, home supplies and mattresses, plus everything in between. Granted it's organized chaos, with vendors yelling and screaming, but it's all in good fun.
In the past I've had people warn me about this market (pickpockets and such), but I've never had a problem. You just have to be aware of your surroundings (like anywhere) and you'll be fine.
My favorite place is pictured above. there you'll find a huge array of olives, baked goods, sweets and so on, but the main attraction here is the flatbread with olives, fresh cheese and honey. I know, it doesn't sound that wonderful, but I can assure you, if you have it once, you'll be coming back each week to have it again. you'll bring people specifically for this item. The mint tea is very sweet, but compliments the warm, sweet and savory wrap very well.
After eating, make sure to walk around the different stalls selling fresh produce from all over. Everyone has their favorites and the people working there will recognize you if you go often. You can end up spending significantly less here than at the grocery store. It's not uncommon for me to spend 10 euros and go home with an entire grocery bag filled with fruits and vegetables.
If you're awake on a Sunday morning, I'll see you there.
Live from BXL,
Darren
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