RAPID CREEK MARKETS

Rapid Creek markets are Darwin's only undercover setup, and specialise in a cornucopic variety of fresh produce and prepared food. While all of Darwin's markets have a number of takeaway food stalls, Rapid Creek mostly focuses on fruit and vegetable produce, trinkets are pretty thin on the ground here.

MINDIL BEACH MARKETS

Historically, markets have always been something that Darwin does pretty well. Of the 4 main markets held every week during the dry season (Mindil Beach, Parap, Rapid Creek and Nightcliff) the Mindil Beach markets are far and away the most popular with visitors. Although they rate highly on every Darwin tourism publication out there, and despite the fact that as a local I tend to only visit them about 2 or 3 times a season, they definitely still bear mentioning as a must-do for any visitor to the city.

PORTOBELLO

Portobello Markets, London

BRADERIE

It's all action in Lille at the moment as this weekend welcomed the nationally famous 'Braderie de Lille' (where the city basically transforms itself into a giant open air flea market). It takes place every September and about 2 million people show up and expect to be fed.

A BREAK IN THE CLOUDS

The rain let up for one or two hours yesterday - long enough to grab my bike and explore some of Lille's adjoining suburbs and marvel once again at the extreme abundance of cycle paths (many of which leave the road system entirely and take you through green groves with wild flowering forget-me-nots). Golden sunlight filtering through the freshly rainwashed green leaves in the eternally gorgeous citadelle park/forest prompted me to think for the 680th time that I really should picnic there.

Earlier that morning I braved the tropical style downpour to visit the Vieux Lille markets (classed as one of the 100 prettiest markets in France). New seasons treats included fresh peas (which remind me of being a kid, my grandma always made me shell them), gariguette strawberries (a French variety I think, longer, sweeter and silkier than your standard strawberry - the best come from Plougastel in Brittany*). An unplanned 'treat' was the sweet talking cheese seller who skilfully bombarded me with a tasting a range of sheep milk cheese from the Alps, unpasteurized gruyere from Savoie and before I knew it had wrapped up a modest block in some waxed paper before I had asked the price. I shouldn't have asked the price. In these situations it's just best to hand over 20 euros and be happy if you get some change out of it.

*As an aside, the French apparently consume 2.5kg per person per year of strawberries. Considering I buy about 1/2 kilo a week for the entire season, I must be taking up the slack for a lot of people.