European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 6, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Prospective buyers and Sellers look at cages Obi ads on the grand place in Brussels. Sets photo by und Wii shopping Europe s markets indoor outdoor All year round by Linda White travel editor o Market to Market to buy a at pig. Or anything else. In Europe it is possible to find plenty of specially markets even markets Lor brides. Food markets Farmers markets to americans Are commonplace. Almost every Village has one weekly and he bigger cities have them daily. Flea markets Are also plentiful. Among the Best known Are those of Metz France and Brussels Belgium. Flower markets Are not unusual but the lower auction at Alsmeyer. The Netherlands gives a different twist. Animal markets also Are plentiful and May specialize in particular animals. Brussels has a horse Market every Friday from 9 30 to 10 30 . On the place de la Duchesse de Brabant. Charleroi Belgium has a dog Market every sunday morning at place Charles ii on the Rue Vauban. Markets usually Are set up in a Central Square often not surprisingly named Market  in Many cities names of markets have survived when the specialities themselves May no longer be limited to the area or even sold there now Glove Market Handschy Enmark Antwerp meat Market Fleisc Markt Trier Vienna Etc wine Market March Aux Vins Strasbourg. On sundays the Plaza mayor in Madrid overflows with stamp and Coin collectors. The action is Lively but buyers and vendors Converse with a discreet Buzz Over the wares displayed on Long folding tables. Collectors browse through Loose Leaf books full of Coin holders looking for the coins they need to Complete their sets. Tweezers magnifying glasses and albums for hobbyists Are also for Sale. A few tables display old watches jewelry and other collectibles. Stamp and Coin shops line the streets leading to the Plaza mayor. Sunday mornings Are popular for markets. Ghent Belgium has three separate markets then the Flower Market at Emilius Seghers Plein the Bird Market at Francois Lauren Plein and the House pet and Bird Market at the nude Beesten Markt. You know when you Are near the House Pel Market by the sound of yapping puppies. They make More noise than their numbers justify for there Are far More rabbits than dogs for Sale. Some dealers Are there Well equipped with animal cages but individuals bringing their animals in cardboard boxes Are also on hand. They stand beside their animals proudly a Man with a Fine pair of Black rabbits or sadly a Little boy with his Puppy. There May be some chickens a pair of peacocks lots of pigeons. Pigeons seem to be attracting the most attention in the Early hours. Pigeons Are also popular at the year round sunday morning Bird Market on Brussels grand place. Dealers and individuals again congregate with Wood and wire cages and occasionally wine Cartons full of Birds. The constant chirping of hundreds of Small Birds is punctuated now and again by a rooster s Crow or the raucous voice of a Parrot. Bird markets Are popular in Europe including those in Paris and Moscow. Brussels also has a sunday morning bicycle Market. It s located in the Center of the Boulevard do Midi almost As an appendage to the Arab Market beside the Gare do Midi South railway station. The Arab Market bustles and seethes and everything is for Sale including roast chickens Holland tomatoes bolts of cloth and plastic bowls. At times the bicycle Market disappears swallowed up by a carnival or other entertainment taking place on its space. Fridays Are another popular Market Day and there Are of course seasonal markets. The cheese Market at Alk Meer the Netherlands takes place fridays 10a.m. To noon Spring to autumn this year until sept. 12. Porters Wear traditional costume shoulder cheese Racks to carry loads to the weigh station. Yearly markets can be found in a number of places. The first monday in september is the traditional Date for the horse Market at Elst the Netherlands. It starts at Dawn and by mid morning the restaurants around the Market place Are doing a rousing business in Beer and genever Holland s National Gin. The entire main Street is blocked off people and horses Are crowded shoulder to flank move Over the horses have the right of Way. You can Tell the horse traders they All carry canes and Wear wooden shoes. And incidentally you discover Why dutch Farmers Wear those wooden shoes. The Market is serious business. The horses of this area Are noted for their strength As work animals Napoleon once bought his horses Here. There will be a few goats for Sale a rabbi or two in a Cage beside a hopeful youngster maybe even a Llama Curling its lip at the horse beside it. But mostly it s horses. Another colourful annual Market is the Rubens Market in Antwerp Belgium each aug. 15. Stands on the Market place and surrounding streets have a big variety of items for Sale. Those running the stands Are dressed As in Rubens time 1577-1640. Peter Paul Rubens himself was nol Only a great Painter but a wealthy Diplomat As Well so the costumes Are Rich and Beautiful. If you can t get to a yearly Market or even a weekly one there Are plenty open every Day and covered at that against the weather. Florence s Straw Market is famous its proper name is the Mercato Nova or new Market. Ii is a Renaissance 16th-Century Market easy to spot by the sculpture of a boar also 16th Century sitting at the front. His Bronze nose shines because almost every tourist who comes along rubs it for Luck. The Market does have a Good selection of Straw items and carries leather and embroidery As Well. Perhaps even better known is Istanbul s grand Bazaar a pulsing Maze of shops Selling rugs brass leather and much More. The most precious items Are in its Center. But for same the Rich smells the Beautiful food the exotic spices make the egyptian or spice Bazaar Misir Cassisi next door every bit As fascinating. And the brides Market it s called the Maiden s fair and is held in mid july in the commune of Avram Lance mount Gaina Alba Romania. In the past Folk of Many regions attended this Lair and marriages were contracted according to custom. Modern attitudes have discouraged the practice and the fair officially is a folklore Day Complete with handicrafts and dancing. But who s to know if a wedding agreement is reached that Day after All it s tradition. 14 the stars and stripes