Visiting IJ-Hallen 'the largest flea market in Europe'
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Every first weekend of the month, an excellent flea/vintage/trash and treasure market takes place in Amsterdam. And you catch a ferry to visit! Of course, I was dying to go.
My friend and I visited in May on a gorgeous sunny Amsterdam day. It's such a fun day out. The market is filled with a mixture of bric a brac and clothes, young people and Turkish grannies alike looking for a bargain. The Dutch, living up to their notorious cheapness, like to sell their things once they don't want them anymore, so lots of the stalls are manned by kids my age selling their old H&M gear (i.e. do not want).
While there was a lot of junk, there were also a lot of name brand clothes that were in a good shape being sold for a euro or two. We stumbled across one or two "proper" vintage stalls with clothes (mostly my fave rayon 80s dresses) so that was a fun! And I also bought an old biscuit tin with an Amsterdam scene on it - complete with canals, tulips and XXX symbol. Sooo cute! (Oh yeh, I'm into collecting tins now. I also got a caramel one in Brittany).
The other market highlight is the people watching! There are some crazies that will knock you over on their mission to sort through a bit pile of sweatpants. And there also some amaze hipsters kitted out in truly cool outfits that are worth the journey alone to see.
IJ-Hallen is awesome - if you find yourself in Amsterdam on the first weekend of the month, go!
