My wife is flea market crazy. I don’t mean that she likes or is slightly interested in flea markets. Oh no, she’s completely and totally bonkers, nuts, out of her ever lovin’ skull, just can’t get enough of, crazy about flea markets. She has dragged me to the most God awful, disgusting, trashy yard sales, jumble sales, boot sales, garage sales and impromptu street markets in broken down Grange Halls, dilapidated industrial sites, abandoned warehouses, trash strewn vacant lots, very scary dead end streets and deserted parking garages in every city we have ever visited just so I can have the immense pleasure of gazing upon and fondling acres of other people’s useless and discarded junk.
Budapest has proven to be an exception to this otherwise nightmare scenario. Wendi has coerced me into two flea markets here and, I have to admit, they are terrific. Big, sprawling old school Markets, untouched by the tidal wave of cheap third world tshirts and trinkets. These are Markets were you can still find hidden gems and long forgotten items for a bygone era. Exactly the kind of Markets that made them popular to begin with.
Our first stop was at the Szechenyl Market is the middle of the large city park. The smaller of the two, Szechenyl has a bit of a yard sale feel but was still really interesting.
Our last visit was at the Ecseri Market and it is the pièce de résistance. Located in the suburbs southwest of Budapest, getting there required two Metro transfers and a 20 minute bus ride, but was well worth the effort. A truly terrific treasure trove.
Better hurry, this kind of market is rapidly disappearing.
Very dangerous environments these flea markets! I can’t attend them for fear of buying stuff that is interesting but totally useless to me. So I din’t attend unless looking for something specific. Camden and Bermondsey are still good sometimes as are the numerous little boot sales around the country. I know people who make a second income off buying stuff at sales and flogging it for a fortune on ebay! Yes….very seductive places and totally, exhausting!
Flea Markets Rule ! I’m GREEEEEN with envy.
The Market is amazing. It is easy to see why would have to get something just to say you did!
Thank you for sharing your adventures.
BUT !! Did you buy anything ? It looks like great fun… Find out if I need a license to sell Haleakala Harv’s Hot Dogs. I’m ready for a change..
I WANT TO JUMP THROUGH THE SCREEN AND RUN AROUND BOTH MARKETS WITH WENDI!
You couldn’t pay me to walk through all that stuff!! It’s almost claustrophobic.