I LOVE CHANGING CLOTHES

I like to change my clothes often, not because they are dirty but because I like new once. This would be a very expensive hobby if ..... we hadn't discovered a street in Brussels where you can get the most beautiful clothes, Jeans, trousers, dresses, pullovers, coats etc, but also bedlinen, table clothes, furniture, in short ... everything to unbelievable prices.

After all it's easy to dress chic and expensive but not so easy to dress cheap and chic ! 

Last time I bought 3 winter trousers nice and warm, two pullovers, a bathrobe, a little carpet for the bathroom and a blouse, at 5 € for the trousers and pullovers, 10 for the bathrobe, 7 for the blouse and 3 for the carpet ! Which doesn't make even 50 € (55 $) At these prices I can change my clothes once a month or even more often.

What I don't like anymore I put in a bag and give it to an organization for battered women. All my friends do so  and the other women who still look after brands, and can't believe that we are dressed so modern and so cheap and that we change so often. We just let her spend their money after all it's not ours. For one pullover she would pay more then what we had spent for all our things.

This street exists since ages and the shops are mostly owned by Moroccans. Now there are people from the Netherlands, France, Germany and Luxembourg coming, I even heard some Italian, which is quite far away.



Therefore once a month we go there,  have a nice lunch and then do window shopping or just enjoy the cheerful ambiance of the crowded street. In summer we can sit outside a café and have a drink and look at the people walking by ! It is so colorful and a day here changes us into holiday mood !



Just Jot it - Change

A SPECIAL STREET IN BRUSSELS

The rue de Brabant is behind Brussels' North station and is the third commercial artery of Brussels.













I couldn't find out when exactly the rue de Brabant developed its "Shopping Mall" aspect, with the difference that the around 240 shops are all side by side in an open street and not covered. There are only shops no private houses, except apartments over the shops. Each day there are an average of 25000 pedestrians going through this street. Why does Rue de Brabant attract so many people? Because there is an impressive diversity of oriental products. Food, fabrics, furniture, spices, accessories, gadgets, but also objects made in Africa or the Middle East impossible to find elsewhere to very cheap prices. The shops are open all the time, not closed on Sundays or official Holidays which is not the case of the shopping malls still closed on Sundays in Brussels.









The whole street was taken over by a majority of Moroccan  business men and their families. You will find a lot of shops where husband, wife and children work together. Of course everybody knows everybody and there is a very cheerful atmosphere around. There is not the  slightest sign of racism in this street. You are more safe here then in other streets of Brussels. That's why it is so well known by Belgians and other Nationalities who come from France, Germany and Holland for shopping.

I have read that probably this street will be declared as a  tourist attraction.

While looking for a parking space, which wasn't easy I had to turn twice around the side streets until finally I caught a space just in front of a Kaftan store where sweaters and trousers were also sold.

And while turning around in the side streets we also went through the red light zone  also behind the North station, where real pretty girls where sitting in their windows.


empty chairs means that they are busy



Unfortunately I couldn't stop and take pictures because there were many cars behind me. But we could see enough from the girls. I only hope they work for their own and not for a pimp.

When the car was parked we had lunch in a Moroccan restaurant and then started our shopping tour. The whole street is a huge melting pot of all races and colors









It had been the second time that I have been there with my three friends and it will certainly not be the last time ! If I am not feeling good, to cheer me up I can go there, and almost feel on holidays ! And .... there are so many things to buy ! I bought two pair of trousers very chic and comfy for 5 Euros each ! Couldn't believe it ! At that price I can change trousers every day.

There are also a lot of food specialities which I would love to try.

more participants here

AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND NOVEMBER 10

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS

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To do something special on Saturday I had looked through the list of the most special and famous  cafés, bars, or brasseries, in Brussels, because we wanted to go there.  I for my photos and my two friends by curiosity. And ....  I had discovered something for me (but for the others too) a café for cat lovers.

We were full of anticipation to have a coffee and a Brussels waffle in this cat café in company of about 10 cats. I don't know exactly.

There was a terrible traffic on Saturday but finally we managed to arrive there at 3.30 ! We had to ring at the door, so that somebody could open us and no cat could escape. A very friendly lady opened and told us that the cafe was full and there was no seats available anymore. We were very disappointed, stood there with long faces and decided to come back another day and then during the week and not on a weekend.



I just could take this photo from outside  and standing on the tip of my toes I looked through the window to see the cats. Indeed the place was full.

As I couldn't take any photos, I stole them from Internet to give you an idea how it looks like.



It must be really nice. We returned home and stopped in a beautiful "Art Deco" Brasserie, where in my disappointment I forgot to take pictures ! the Art work of the stained glasses was so nice ! We can always go back there in summer.

On Sunday as all shops are closed, we had the good idea to go in the only area in Brussels where the shops are open and it's a long street with one shop besides the other where you can buy everything from a nail to a wedding dress. I would say nearly all the shops were owned by Moroccans.

It took us half an hour to find a parking and then we went to "our" Moroccan restaurant. I had lentils with lamb, absolutely delicious. Then we started with our shopping. I needed trousers and a coat.



This gives you an idea of the "Rue de Brabant" where you can shop to your hearts content and with a nearly empty wallet.

The three others needed spices, pullovers, shoes and also trousers.

There are people from the Netherlands, France and Germany coming because the prices are unbelievable cheap, there are so many special clothes, and beautiful decoration stuff.  Of course it is an Arabic street with women wearing scarfs men sitting in front of their house and as the sun was shining it was almost as if we were in Morocco.

After two hours we had our shopping done and had a lot of fun with the shop owners, they are all so cheerful, no stress and so friendly. I found a red coat, exactly what I was looking for because I needed one for next Saturday when we celebrate our 50 wedding anniversary in the City Hall of Waterloo with the mayor.

We were all happy with what we had bought and returned home, but we stopped in a Bar on our way home to have a beer because we were really thirsty and in this street there is no alcohol at all.

It had been a very nice day. My friends were happy that I "dare" driving in Brussels, because they don't. There is indeed a lot of traffic and a lot of crazy drivers. But I like it.