La braderie

This past weekend was the largest flea market that I have ever seen. Ever. It is what people from all over France, Europe, and even the world, come to see. The market is called "La Braderie" (which is essentially the word for flea market in French). It's famous for selling furniture, books, clothes, toiletries, and pretty much a bunch of junk. But man is it fun! If you've ever been to a Chinatown, canal street in NYC, or any other flea market in the USA selling fakes of name brand items direct from China, just multiply that size by 1000 and voila: La braderie.

 I decided to go on Sunday afternoon because that is when most if the families attend. Saturday and in the evenings the braderie has been known to have many occurrences of pick pockets, thefts, and a lot if drunken quarrels. Therefore, my Saturday night I stayed in for a quiet evening of French TV that I cannot understand. 

Sunday I met up with a friend to check out the market and try the northern european coastal delicacy of "des moules-frites" (mussels and fries). One cannot attend la braderie without having tried des moules frites! Many restaurants throughout Lille will save all the shells of the mussels and toss them on the streets to show off to their competitors just how many mussels they've sold. (See picture below) 

It was insane! There is supposedly a winner each year for the one restaurant who sold the most moules frites. I'm not sure whether they actually win a prize or if it's purely for bragging rights. 

After walking through the narrow, cobblestone streets of Old-Lille, my friend and I stopped for some seriously delicious mojitos. While we sat and conversed in French, he saw one of his friends from university. I forgot his friends name but he was very nice! He's from a small country in Africa so French is his second language. It was great for me because he spoke French very slowly so it was easy for me to understand him. He even attempted to speak a bit of English. It was very, very basic, but I give him some serious props for trying like he did. I know more French than he knows English, yet I am always so timid to speak. He, however, had no shame. I envy the Europeans and their thought process on new languages. They always seem to try any language regardless of skill level. I always fear someone will think I'm stupid for not being able to communicate efficiently, even though French is my second language. It seems like in the US, there is such an awful stigma placed on those who communicate slowly, with poor grammar, or that just don't quite understand something. In Lille, when someone communicates slowly or with poor grammar, a person will ask "where are you from?" out of curiosity and perhaps to help him or her in their native tongue if possible, rather than saying "are you stupid?" for not speaking perfect French. People here have MUCH more patience for others than back home. I love it. 

Anyway, the friend from Africa then left and my friend and I continued through la braderie. After a few hours of people watching and rummaging through everyone's junk we decided to try des moules frites!!! We stopped at a cafe in the Grand Place de Lille (the grand plaza of the city) and began our feast. One bucket of mussels, two orders of "french" fries, and two huge beers (called Blondes) and we were set.

 I must say, the mussels weren't that bad. Just the texture is sick. And the aesthetics of the mussels was a bit off putting. Regardless, like true northern Frenchies, we finished them. They tasted like the ocean! But never again. Okay, maybe once a year for la braderie...

Thus concluded my first trip to the great flea market of France! 

Bisous à tous!! (Kisses to everyone!)

Xoxo

Claire