Flea Market in Amsterdam

Spring is the time of the year when flea markets start up again all over Europe and few things are more pleasurable than spending a lazy weekend browsing, never knowing what one may find, and even if one comes home empty handed the experience has not been wasted. For such occasions are opportunities to step into the past, rummage through the nostalgia of yesteryear – sometimes with a smile of delight at recognizing a familiar item; at other times aghast at tastes of the past – and perhaps come across something special. I am attracted to such places wherever I happen to be and can spend hours there. This particular market was typical of many others, but its location on a square in Amsterdam was pretty. Business is well underway and the two sides – sellers and buyers – are happily involved. I like the varied but typical poses adopted by those wondering whether to buy – the man crouched over some object, the woman with her hand over her mouth looking slightly doubtful, and the people examining the merits of the painting. Location: Amsterdam, Holland