Just trying to get to the flea market

We made it to the flea market today. This was my second attempt to find the flea market -my first was last week - and although I thought I had cross referenced the metro map and my city map well, I ended up wandering in circles through the city and never found it. On my way back to the metro to go home I asked someone for directions to the flea market and they told me that I should have gotten off at a different stop. So, this week, armed with new knowledge, my interior decorating-flea market savvy friend and I loaded up our double strollers and headed out.

I usually avoid taking my double stroller on the metro unless Ryan is with me because often times the only way to get down into the station (or onto the platform once you have made it into the station) is by taking the stairs. There are NO elevators, but usually there are escalators that you can take. (Get this: there is even a sign that shows mothers with strollers how to properly use the escalator. Admittedly, it's a weird experience riding an escalator with a stroller and tons of people around and none of them looking at you like you are total sinner, or bad mother, or both.) Today though, I took the double because I knew I wanted Landon cooped up so that I could browse at the market. Well, heck of a day to take my double because literally 75% of the escalators were down for maintenance. As my friend and I took turns helping haul the others' stroller up and down the zillions of stairs (we had to switch trains 3 times each way), I felt myself literally out of breath. We joked that we felt like we were taking a cardio/weight lifting class - for free! Fringe benefit of city life baby.

Once we got to the "right" stop, we asked for directions to the actual market and found that we were still about 1.5km (roughly 1 mile) from the market. We started walking and found ourselves right in the middle of road construction, trying to navigate with our strollers. The road construction ended and as we looked around we realized we were in a sketchy part of town. Our eyes met as to say, "Ready for a little jog?" So, we upped our pace and when that particular street ended, there was the market. At this point, I wasn't quite sure if the market was just internet lore and map trickery since I felt like I had drug my children across the world to get there, so I was happy to finally see it.

Within a couple of minutes my friend had made her first purchase (a beautiful lamp for only 10€) as I slowly looked around. Admittedly I was a tad ADD about the whole thing, as I couldn't quite focus on just one "shop" at a time. I did find a perfect teal-ish buffet with red accents and a marble top that would be gorgeous in my new veranda for only 80€, and had I had a car with me, I would have bought it on the spot. We are going on vacation tomorrow (more on that later) but I'm planning to go to the market - with the car - first thing Monday morning. I figure if the buffet is still there, I should be able to score it for 50€. If not, I'm sure something else will pop up.

We eventually made it home, sore limbs and all. When we got in the elevator Brayden said,
"Whew mom, that was a hard day!" and I rapidly agreed.

In our "Aim to not be Lame" campaign, we are heading out on our first European trip since our arrival in Brussels. We are headed to Normandy and Paris for the weekend. Stay tuned for pictures...I am hoping to get quite a few!