Shopping at the Market of the Abattoir in Brussels

When I moved to Brussels in 2005, I tried to do most of my grocery shopping at the market at the Zuidstation/Gare de Midi, which is known for being colourful and cheap. In Spring and Summer, this market, which takes place every Sunday morning, attracts a lot of tourists who want to soak up the noisy and vibrant atmosphere.

After more than 10 years of living in the Belgian capital, I discovered that there was a market that was even cheaper and easy to reach as well. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 7am to 2pm, you can do your grocery shopping - and a lot of other shopping as well - at the market of the Abattoir in Anderlecht. You can find any type of food here and save a lot of money as well if you know where to buy your stuff... This market is colourful as well since it attracts just about any nationality living in Brussels. If you don't like big crowds, try to go there on a Friday morning.

The market is easy to reach. Just take the metro to the stop of Clemenceau and follow the masses. The famous Foodmet - huge variety of food, cheap prices - is located in the former slaughterhouse, to your left. Make sure to have some cash money on you, since not everybody accepts a bank or credit card. And beware of pickpockets!

Let's soak up the atmosphere with this gallery of pictures!

An Afternoon in Pairi Daiza III

I have to admit that Pairi Daiza is indeed a beautiful zoo, but it misses the cosiness of both Antwerp Zoo and Planckendael. And it is a lot more expensive: I paid 36 euros for my entrance ticket and the various restaurants and snack bars are not cheap either. So, if you have a limited budget, better spend it on the two other zoos that I have just mentioned.

This is the last part of the pictures!

A Visit to Pairi Diaza II

Some facts about Pairi Daiza:

• The zoo opened in 1994.
• Originally, it was conceived as a beautiful park with birdhouses.
• Now, the park houses 700 species.
• It is subdivided into 9 worlds, representing the 5 continents.
• It has been named the best zoo in Europa.

Enjoy the second part of the pictures!