Thursdays

We really did find a Thursday routine. Since I’m in love with the Kollwitz farmers market. Walking up there, buying fresh fish. Thursday fish day. Smoked fish for Friday evening. Buying veg at the smallest stand: beets, every week a big bunch of beets. Eating Thüringer sausages with apple mustard. Drinking coffee’s before heading home again with a stroller full of fish, veg and cheese 

Boxhagener

Today we went back to Boxhagener platz. Loved it all over again. Girls had so much fun at the big playground in the middle while we got some good cappuccinos before strolling the market for groceries. The best smoked salmon and mackerel definitely is to be found on this very market. Besides the fish a thing that really stands out here is that every person behind the stands is so very nice and helpful. For our dog this must also be one of his favorite spots for he gets treats at several stands.

The big surprise today is the lovely little lady in the corner of the market that sells little bouquets of lilacs and lily-of-the-valley that make our house smell so nice for the next couple of days

Wochenmarkt

After hearing much about it we finally went there today: Wochenmarkt at Markthalle Neun in Kreuzberg. It really was worth the sunny bike ride to these beautiful old market halls if only to have a cup of coffee in café Neun at the entrance and for the wonderfulness of the old halls the market is in. We also had some lovely pies, let the girls play at the mini playground in the middle, bough flowers, Easter branches and this week’s groceries.  

If in Berlin I would definitely recommend a visit to Markthalle Neun and enjoy what they have to offer. We will definitely come back on Thursday night for street food Thursday. 

Noordermarkt

While in Berlin almost every Kiez has its own farmers market on Saturday, in Amsterdam we just have one: the Farmers market in de Noordermarkt. It’s, as on Kollwitzplatz, a place where tourist and locals meet.

In Berlin we visit the market weekly. Mostly for a sausage, fish or falafel lunch while the kids are enjoying themselves on the playground, but also because it’s the only place I know so far where you can get good fish and seafood.

The Noordermarkt in Amsterdam is a real only organic farmers market and it’s very nice to visit every once in a while, but it’s (for us) not suitable for the weekly stuff because it’s just too expensive.  They do have beautiful products though from the best organic lam to a stall specialized in mushrooms and very good homemade fries with homemade mayonnaise. A big part of the market also is the only weekly second hand market of Amsterdam, every Saturday and every Monday. When in Amsterdam I would definitely recommend strolling around the farmers market on Saturday morning. We only went for the fries and mayo this time.

Kolle 37 - Abenteuerlicher Bauspielplatz

After visiting the Ehrenmal we really needed to warm up a bit and have a bite. Luckily it’s not hard to find places to warm up in these December days for there are Christmas Markets to warm yourself with sausages, gluhwein and of course the Christmas spirit. This weekend there is a Christmas Market especially for children on nearby playground Kolle 37. It was the best Christmas market I visited so far. Low key, all kind of activities for children like making your own candle or baking bread rolls in the big fire and also a good chance to visit this place, swing on the huge swing and finishing it off with a tummy slider in the mud (not me)

Mauerpark

In our first weekend exploring the area we live we decided to have a look at the markets of Mauerpark. The plan actually was to go to Ikea to get the basic necessary stuff, but they we're all closed as we found out on the parking lot of one of them. And since the plan also is to fill the rest of the house with second hand stuff we hope to find on flea markets we decided to go to the only one we know at this moment and that is the well-known Mauerpark market.

Unfortunately for some reason unknown to us there was no flea market at the park today, but also without the market we found it a good place to spend our Sunday. First ate some Curry wurst und Pommes, than strolled around and took time to watch the street artist performing. Walked up the hill to look at the graffiti artist working on their painting and of course let the little one swing at one of the huge swings up there overviewing a part of Berlin. She loves to swing, but I’ve never before seen a smile this big on her face because of it.

Kollwitzplatz

Oma and Opa are visiting. We wanted to take them to one of the places we visited first time we were in Berlin together: the farmers market on Kollwitsplatz. Still a lovely place, but the market is not quite as charming anymore as I remembered, or maybe it’s just not as charming as the farmers market on Boxhagenerplatz we visited the two Saturdays before. Still a nice place where you can get your groceries, eat some really nice sausage, sauerkraut or grilled fresh fish, but if you need to make a choice I’d choose Boxhagener for less touristy and more choice if you come for groceries instead of a bite to eat.

PS check out the guy on the right, only saw this after putting him on my blog…

Boxhagenerplatz

Thanks to the fantastic new hosts of our second Berlin apartment (via airbnb) we ended up at Boxhagenerplatz on our first Saturday morning in Friedrichshain. This market alone would be enough reason for me to want to live in this neighborhood! They have everything you'd want for your Saturday groceries, from goats cheese to cheese cake and from homemade sausages to lovely I-could-eat-this-everyday smoked fishes (the trout!!!) All of very good quality and the people behind the stalls are so very nice and friendly (especially to children and dogs) The ladies of the potato stall even have gummybarchen and cookies for visiting children and dogs! And the apple man (pictured) warned me to not give his freshly squeezed apple juice to the twins for it could be to heavy for them, so very attentive!

Mercado de San Miguel

Mercado de San Miguel is a good place to try a little of a lot that Spain has to offer. A large covered market, with all kinds of stalls where you can get tapas, paellas, oysters, tortillas, jamon, manchego, chocolat, wines, beers...everybody gets what they like and then you eat it at one of the bars or many tables. 

A real tourist attraction, which is not surprising because you have a bit of everything, but also a whole lot of Spanish people that lunch here or have a drink in the afternoon accompanied with some nice snacks.