Sunny-Day
Shopping and Rainy-Day Relaxing
In Amstelveen
and Amsterdam
Vanam
Jwala Narasimha Rao
The Hans
India (27-10-2024)
{The Friday Market is
situated at ‘Stadshart Amstelveen’ the central square and main shopping
area of the city, making it easily accessible. It began as a local initiative
to bring farmers and small-scale producers closer to consumers. Over time, it
has evolved into a multicultural marketplace offering wide range of goods
including varieties of food and Household Items}-Hans Editor’s Note
‘Sunny Day Shopping’
and ‘Rainy Day Relaxing at Home’ in Amstelveen were thrilling. As John
Keats described, ‘A Thing of Beauty is Joy Forever’ we can choose to see
the beauty in the most simple and common things around us, and this beauty
becomes a source of unending joy for us. When we had been to ‘Sligro Mal
and Vibrant Friday Market’ in Amstelveen and enjoyed the ‘Incessant
Drizzle and Rain’ sitting in my son Aditya’s house, especially looking
through glass doors the front and backyards, we recollected John Keats.
‘Sligro Mal in
Amsterdam’ is a part of the larger ‘Sligro Food Group’ a prominent
Dutch Company specialized in food retail and wholesale products. It caters
primarily to business customers such as restaurants, hotels, catering
companies, and small food enterprises as a wholesale store, offering a vast
selection of products, from fresh produce and meats to beverages, kitchen
supplies, and non-food items like cleaning materials.
It is a one-stop shop
for food industry professionals, aiming to meet the diverse needs of the
hospitality sector. The store layout is designed to facilitate efficient bulk
shopping, with dedicated sections for various food categories and specialized
departments for high-demand items. We went round ‘Shopping’ and ‘Window
Shopping’ and purchased an ‘Old-Fashioned Small Grinder’ (What in
the olden days, Indians used as the small stone slab called ‘ROLU’ to make
small amounts of pickles, by way of stirring with a smooth grinding stone
called ‘KALAM RAAYI’) and few more specialized items. It was a wonderful
experience.
We also had the
pleasure of exploring the ‘Vibrant and Captivating Friday Market in
Amstelveen’ by seeing which we were ‘Spellbound’ for a while. As we walked
and went around in the market, it depicted as a ‘Hub of Energy’ where local
sellers and buyers were ‘Brought Together’ in a bustling yet,
extraordinarily, and simply superbly, ‘Well-Organized Environment.’ From
fresh produce to unique (local) products, it offers a delightful blend of
culture, quality, and perhaps affordability and thus serving, as a vital hub
for local commerce, with variety of goods obviously at one convenient location,
fostering community interactions and supporting small businesses as well as catering
to the diverse population of Amstelveen and nearby areas.
The Friday Market is
situated at ‘Stadshart Amstelveen’ the central square and main shopping
area of the city, making it easily accessible. It began as a local initiative
to bring farmers and small-scale producers closer to consumers. Over time, it
has evolved into a multicultural marketplace offering wide range of goods
including varieties of food items, fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses,
textiles, garments, bags, belts, needles and thread for tailoring, warm
clothing, household items etc. The list is incomplete. Its growth reflects the
increasing demand for ‘Organic and Local Products’ as well as the
international demographic of the area.
Through
the ‘Friday Market’ Sellers obviously gain direct access to a wide
customer base, enabling them to sell their products without intermediaries,
thereby improving their profit margins. And Purchasers, looked like enjoying
competitive prices, fresh products, and a wide variety of goods, including
international and local items. The market contributes to local revenue through
permits, boosts local economy, and promotes sustainable trade practices by
supporting local producers. We all had ‘Tastiest Breakfast, there, before we
left the place after a two hour.
The ‘Tradition of
Weekly Open-Air Markets’ including ‘Friday Market’ deeply rooted in ‘Dutch
Culture.’ These markets are often organized by municipalities to create
spaces for local sellers, including farmers, craftsmen, and small businesses,
to offer fresh produce, textiles, and other goods. In Amsterdam, there are over
20 such weekly markets operating in different neighborhoods, on different days.
Among others, these include the Albert Cuyp Market, the Dapper Markt, the
Noorder Markt, and the Ten Kate Markt, each with its own distinct charm.
Vendors transport goods
using small trucks or vans. Fully equipped vehicles, some with goods to be
marketed by vendors, some empty, and some even using them as shopping platform,
are seen. Fresh produce and perishable items are transported in refrigerated
vehicles, ensuring quality. Goods come from local farms, nearby wholesalers,
and international suppliers through road networks. The Friday Market opens
around 8.30 AM and probably closes by around 4.30 PM. When market is not there,
it functions as a lively ‘Public Square’ of multifunctionality, making
it a dynamic community space, where residents and visitors gather for leisure, outdoor
seating, social interactions, to host variety of cultural events, concerts,
exhibitions, and seasonal markets etc.
This market has become
a key social and commercial event in the local community, providing a unique
shopping experience and supporting the local economy. Such markets not only
foster a strong sense of community but also boost the local economy by
supporting small-scale producers. The efficient transport system and the
well-utilized central space, which serves as a bustling marketplace on Fridays
and transforms into a lively public square for events and gatherings on other
days, show how multifunctional urban spaces can be.
India, as well as
Telangana, with rich tradition of local markets, could benefit immensely from
establishing similar well-organized markets, perhaps even on a larger and
improved scale. These markets would enhance the livelihood of farmers and small
businesses, including hereditary skilled professionals and craft persons, offering
consumers fresh, affordable products while promoting sustainable trade. This ‘Astounding,
Enthralling, and Utility Amstelveen Friday Market’ clubbed with an ‘Improved
Model for India’ may be given a thought. ‘One Should Not Miss Visiting
Friday market’ as and when one tours Amsterdam.
Experiencing ‘Incessant Drizzle and
Rain’ from midnight and throughout the next day, really makes a fantastic chill
in the physique, particularly to see the rain through the glass doors and
windows, as in our case, but not before a stay of about 45 days in Amstelveen
(Amsterdam) in my son Aditya’s house. In ‘Amstelveen’ obviously
influenced by its proximity to the North Sea, over the course of the year, the
temperature typically varies with four seasons broadly, the Winter Spring,
Summer, and Autumn (September to November). For visitors like us, late Spring,
the whole of Summer, and early Autumn (June-September) before it gets cool and
wet are ideal to stay.
The scene that unfolded before us,
while sitting in the living room of Adity’s house in Amstelveen and watching
through glasses, and viewed the ‘Drizzle and Rain’ steadily drape the lovely
backyard, its droplets tapping rhythmically against the rainproof dining table
and chairs, and the lawn, freshly soaked, sparkling with a lush vibrancy, speaks
of both tranquility and transformation. Beyond the backyard, the front road, at
times quiet and still, is occasionally animated by the passing of cars. The sky
gave a look like a cloudy canvas.
The weather, typical of Amsterdam's
fickle climate, hinted at the arrival of autumn. Each passing hour brought subtle
shifts, the rain alternating between a steady drizzle and brief pauses, as well
as on and off sunshine, while the breeze grew cooler. In fact, Just a day
before, on the threshold of autumn, the gardener, with careful precision, trimmed
the overgrown branches of the trees, perhaps knowing that this act of cutting was
not an end but a renewal. Each trim encourages fresh growth, allowing the trees
to thrive once again. The fallen branches signaled the promise of rebirth, a
cycle of life deeply tied to nature's rhythm.
The ‘Rain whispered secrets
of growth after the gardener pruned, with each fallen branch making a silent
promise of tomorrow's bloom.’ In this quietness and amidst the
peaceful scene, a craving stirred within us, a longing for a particular dish (What
we call in India, the Hot ‘Mirchi Bajji’ over a Hot Cup of Tea (Chai) or Coffee
or any other Hot Drink! And instantly my wife served them.
