This is it. My last Belgium post, I promise.
Actually, I make no promises, although there are no imminent plans to push more vacation photos in the future, even though I could go on and on about life in Europe.
It’s like being transported into an entirely different world, a fairytale if you will. It starts with the grand scale architecture, which dominates the scenery and continues on to the wrought iron balconies, framing the windows.
I could live here.
It includes the high fashion, where the men rock colored skinny jeans and oddly enough, a haircut similar to mine. Sweats, sneakers, and workout gear were nowhere to be found, unless they were of the hipster variety.
It incorporates the cobblestone streets, the bicycle paths and the city block sized palaces. It also accurately boasts a significantly better food climate than anything we have stateside (GMO’s: banned). I could literally count on one hand the number of obese people I saw in the span of a week. That is until I landed back in Newark. Then I could count on one hand the number of truly fit people I saw. I digress. The important thing to note was Brussels and Amsterdam were little slices of heaven. I would go back to either in a heartbeat. Then again, I might be biased since my nephew lives there, and he likes to play kitty with me.
In hindsight, it might not have been the best idea to show him how cats clean themselves. I hope he stops licking himself soon.
I’m sure you can imagine my absolute delight (not to be confused with afternoon delight) when my step-sister asked me if I was feeling up to going to the farmers market, just moments after our plane landed. Now I’m not entirely sure she understood what she was offering me; it being akin to giving heroin to an addict…in a good way. No twelve step program needed here; side effects are low BMI, great energy and less doctor visits. Alright maybe it’s not at all like heroin, but it’s safe to say farmers markets are my drug of choice.
Based on these photos, I’m guessing you can see why. If it’s not apparent, we may need to rethink our relationship.
And away we go….
The smell of freshly baked bread permeated everything.
The cheese, my god, the cheese.
Cherries anyone? 
Freshly cut flowers.
Bundles of fresh pasta.
White asparagus was all the rage. 
Trays of finely crafted pasties and sugared delicacies.
Radishes and broccoli galore.
More flowers, this time of an unusual variety.
Olives and tapenade as far as the eye can see.
Pies, pies, and more pies.
Homemade Quiche, with every flavor profile imaginable.
Honestly, these pictures don’t even come close to doing the market justice, nor do they properly reflect the scale of things. I would have loved to set up some comparison photos, but I’m not sure how they would have felt about me rearranging their wares, and I didn’t see a single other person taking photos; not that I let it stop me.
Suffice to say, there were bricks of cheese bigger than my head. Here’s how it worked: you point to the brick, and they give a taste. If you’re still interested, and you’d be crazy not to be, you indicate how much you want, whereupon they whip out their ginormous butchers knife, slice off a hunk, seal it in paper and hand it on over. Dream. Come. True.
Quite frankly it’s a little bit of a culture shock to be back home, although I sure do like my felines and I’m excited to get out in the yard this weekend and start digging in the dirt. If I’m really lucky, I’ll pimp out my three seasons room (translation: clean it and make if safe for people again). “Oh and there might be a farmers market on my agenda this afternoon,” she squeals with delight.
Do you frequent farmers markets in your neighborhood? What’s you favorite part about them? Are you doing anything exciting this weekend?
Fran@BCDC says
May 31, 2013 at 8:00 AMI always hear stories about European markets…your photos certainly live up to the stories, Meghan. You want to live in the big house…I want to live the farm market!!! Have a great weekend!
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:03 AMWell since the big house is just up the street from the farmers market, it’d be the best of both worlds. 🙂
Liz says
May 31, 2013 at 8:38 AMI love your earrings, almost as much as I love farmer’s markets! The best parts for me are the unexpected finds and mix of neighborhood folk. This weekend I am hosting a hot dog party (veggie dogs included, of course!) thank you for sharing your vacation pictures with us. I’m not sure how you were able to get on the plane again, it all looked so fabulous. (Seriously, those earrings, divine!!)
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:04 AMThanks Liz. Your comments always make me smile, and I’m fascinated by the veggie dogs. I’ve never had one. What do they taste like?
Stacey Belasic says
May 31, 2013 at 9:00 AMWOW! That farmers market looks incredible (to say the least)!!! I think I want to move to Europe!!!!!!!!! HAPPY FRIDAY!
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:05 AMSame to you Stacey. I hope you had a fantastic weekend.
Alex @ Brain, Body, Becuase says
May 31, 2013 at 9:07 AMooooooooh my goodness! I love my little Pittsburgh farmers market (“far mar!”) but Brussels puts us to shame, for sure. Fresh pasta?! wtf?! Also, that entire cheese experience sounds amazing.
Also, your little nephew is the cutest thing!
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:06 AMNo worries. Brussels put my farmers market to shame, although it helps to understand the people at the market, which wasn’t the case in Brussels.
The cheese thing was really a dream come true for me.
Eating 4 Balance says
May 31, 2013 at 9:32 AMThis post is like a bulk food store heaven. So much variety, and so much of everything! Those pasta bins and stacks of bread are calling to me. As is that giant mountain of cherries. No way could any farmer’s market around here live up to that 🙂
I would like to join you in living in that seeming mansion. I bet it gets cold in the winter though… Heat sucks in large houses. Eh, but if we could afford that place I’m sure that a similar home would exist in some tropical climates as well. Ha. Ha.
Feel free to post more about Belgium if you get the itch. Great recaps thus far!
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:08 AMI know the whole experience was incredible.
You are welcome to join me in the big house. I suspect we could fit a small army in there no problems. I also bet if we could afford that house, we wouldn’t need to worry about the heating bill, although we probably still would out of habit. Moving it to a warmer climate may be the way to go. 🙂
Melissa says
May 31, 2013 at 11:09 AMWow! I love my local farmer’s market (I’ll be there tomorrow), but those pictures are out of control amazing. It looks like you had a fantastic time – thanks for sharing!
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:09 AMYeah, it was really incredible. I hope you managed to snag good stuff at your farmers market over the weekend.
Jess @ JessieBear What Will You Wear says
May 31, 2013 at 11:11 AMSweet jesus… that bread.. the cheese… the pastries…. can you go back and take me with you?!
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:09 AMYes and yes.
Ashley @MilesonOats says
May 31, 2013 at 2:54 PMThese photos are glorious and make me want cheese and wine! Thank you for sharing these with us. Ah they put my Arizona farmers markets to shame!
-Ashley
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:10 AMYou are most welcome. It certainly was a unique experience. The farmers markets in Ohio look nothing like that.
Amanda Fraijo-Tobin (@FraijoManda) says
May 31, 2013 at 4:21 PMI love seeing all your travel photos! Everything just looks amazingly unreal. Although I aint gonna lie….. I giggled for like 1 min. straight at the white asparagus photo. I can’t help myself… anything remotely phallic gets me giggly. 😉
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:11 AMI can relate. I giggled like a school girl when I was there too.
Olivia @ Liv Lives Life says
May 31, 2013 at 6:43 PMYour writing is just fantastic – you capture Europe perfectly! Those pictures are gorgeous and make me want to go there. I’ll be your best friend if you bring me along next time! 😉
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:14 AMAw thanks Liv. It was such an incredible experience. I absolutely recommend a European vacation for you and your cute little Ella.
Luv What You Do says
May 31, 2013 at 10:11 PMThat market is unbelievable! Thanks for taking pictures and sharing!
My market hasn’t opened yet but I love the veggies!
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:15 AMI’m hoping you do a CSA this year. 😉
Brittany @ FreckledNettles says
May 31, 2013 at 10:14 PMIt’s okay for you to go on and on about Europe. I know what it’s like to be completely in awe of a certiain place! I traveled to Germany this past March and fell completely in love with it. From the markets, to the people, to the cities, I just couldn’t help but chat about my experience for weeks… if not months! I’m so happy to see you enjoyed yourself!
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:16 AMThanks Brittany. I’m glad you understand what with going to Germany and all. That’s on my Hubby’s bucket list of places to visit. Next time….
Sarah Pie says
May 31, 2013 at 11:28 PMHoly Cheeses!! That. Looks. AMAZING! I want all of it, now. Now if you’ll excuse me I need to wipe off my computer… Beautiful pictures ,thank you so much for sharing your trip with us.
Also your nephew is the cutest thing 🙂 I’m glad you got two got to hang out (it sounds like you taught him so very important lessons).
The farmers market in my town is small, and they usually carry more things like candy and soap than veggies… But I do like to go when it’s nice to look around. If nothing else the humane society is there and they usually let me play with their dogs 🙂
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:18 AMThe little fella is adorable; I even got to babysit one whole afternoon, and we had a great time. He’s such a good kid.
The farmers market in my normal neck of the woods sounds more like yours, although lately we’ve been rolling in the veggies. It’s safe to say produce season has started in Northeast Ohio. Yeah, although playing with puppies and pooches wouldn’t be bad either.
kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts says
June 1, 2013 at 3:16 PMMeghan,
I loved reading this, and it’s funny how I’ve observed the same things in my travels (read: visions of obese people and sweat pants slap you in the eyes when you disembark in the US).
I just bet it was delicious eating what you all brought home from that market–your nephew is a lucky kid to grow up there. Are they living permanently in Belgium? If you, you get to go back!
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:20 AMIt’s a cultural shock switching from one to the other.
My step-sister and brother-in-law are teachers over there, so they live in Belgium almost the entire year. They come stateside for Christmas and then again for the majority of the summer. Then it’s back to Belgium.
Brittany says
June 2, 2013 at 10:40 AMI feel as if you have swept me away on a magic carpet ride to a land of paradise. Although magic carpets are more middle east, you get the idea! I WANT TO GO SO BAD! Please and I am so serious, bring me with you next time. I would swoon for these buildings, and fit people, and FARMERS MARKET from the Gods!! These photos are amazing, and I can only imagine what it was like in real life!!
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:21 AMI get the idea, and I love the concept since magic and flying are both involved. If I go back, you’ll be the first to know and I’ll pack you in my suitcase. You would have loved every second of it.
Khushboo says
June 3, 2013 at 2:27 AMWow now THAT’S a farmers’ market! We have one in Mumbai but it’s almost laughable! I remember showing up with such high expectations and being very let down haha. You’ve gotten me super pumped about checking out the farmers’ market in London when I’m there over the summer! Food aside, I am loving your earrings and eye shadow- way to rock it girl 🙂
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:23 AMThanks Khushboo. I’d be interested to see what the London farmers market looks like so I hope you post some pictures for me when you go.
Allie says
June 3, 2013 at 5:58 PMSure, cheese is grand and all, but that bread?? Okay, clearly I’m on a bread kick today because I’m still drooling over those scones, but real fresh bread–How is it EVERYWHERE in Europe and NOWHERE in the states?? Seriously, Nashville has NO bakeries. Unless you count Panera. And I only count Panera if I can order a bagel smothered in PB. And then I’m really there for the PB, not the bread.
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 1:25 AMNo real fresh bread… now that is a travesty. It’s a good thing we have a fabulous place right in my neighborhood. Seriously, I’ve become a bread snob, and I can’t but it any longer at the regular grocery story, except for when my grocery store carries the bread from the local bakery because it’s that good. Go fresh or go home.
Allie says
June 4, 2013 at 7:31 AMI don’t bother buying bread any more either, except for the bag-of-sandwich-bread I keep in the freezer because it lingers around for over a month or so. Mmm, can I just walk into that bakery, stand there, and smell bread? Would that be weird? Would that stop me?
Meghan says
June 4, 2013 at 10:53 AMYou can, and not only can you smell it, but they have samples for tasting too. 🙂
Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli says
June 10, 2013 at 1:37 AMWould you just LOOK at that hunk of Swiss?! Omg, I’m in LOVE! 😯 The man-friend and I went to the Nashville farmers market today and happily skipped from tent to tent…ok, maybe that was just me! 😉 But seriously, I got some of the BEST cheese! I think it’s a white cheddar base, but it’s got veggies mixed in…if you could make a block of cheese out of ranch dressing, this is what it would taste like! I couldn’t resist…even though my crisper drawer is full to the BRIM! I convinced myself that I would eat my way through at least two others that I already have before I open this one…let’s see how long that lasts! 😉
Favorite thing about farmers markets? Omg, what’s not to love!? The sights, the scents, the free samples?!!? Heroine…indeed! 😉
Meghan says
June 10, 2013 at 8:54 AMI’m thrilled you and the man-friend were farmers marketing (I’m making it a verb now) and I want to try this cheese! Are you kidding me?! Ranch dressing flavored cheese. I swoon. Imagine the possibilities. Maybe you should make it into a sauce or something dippable, which is so you.
Juca says
September 16, 2013 at 6:26 AMI love your post and it just makes me wanna go and eat all the cherries up… what I could actually do if you would let us know where this market is because I live in Belgium! I am constantly looking for good farmer’s markets but didn’t find a good one till now so please help me out 🙂 Thx and keep on blogging, it’s really great 😉
Juca
Meghan says
September 16, 2013 at 3:35 PMThanks for stopping by. I love to see new faces. This was an outdoor market called the Sunday Boitsfort market. I hope that helps, and I hope you get to go and eat all the cherries….although cherries probably aren’t in season anymore. Hmmm, maybe you can eat all the apples instead. Oh and the cheese; can’t forget the cheese.
Askan says
May 13, 2014 at 6:27 AMVery nice pictures. And it is great to see that there are lot of people you still enchantend by markets. I had the chance to see the one in Liège in the French speaking region of Belgium. It is a bit rougher than the one you saw in Brussels. Here are some pictures: http://askan.biz/2014/04/21/127/
Meghan says
May 14, 2014 at 7:00 PMYep, I adore farmers markets regardless of which country I’m in. Thanks for sharing your pictures too.