In my previous post I mentioned experiencing King's Day in the Netherlands for the first time and how I wasn't expecting the vrije markt (free market) as a recurring activity, where citizens sell used items at a reduced price. This happens all over the country and here are some of the highlights of the few free markets I passed that day.
The first free market we visited in Amsterdam was located in Bijlmermeer, where vendors sold the usual market items, that weren't necessarily pre-loved but were definitely at a good price. The food stands were the ones that stood out, especially those that sold Surinamese dishes and snacks, like viado, saoto soup (soto ayam), teloh, bara and samosas.
Because of the large Surinamese population in Bijlmermeer, the marketplace (that's also there outside of the holiday) sells a range fruits and vegetables consumed in Suriname, like ginger, peppers, antroewa (African, Surinamese or Vietnamese eggplant), okra and bhata (aubergine). A downside is that the sellers raise the prices because of the high demand for these goods.
The vendor that caught my full attention was one selling Javanese-Surinamese snacks, with a deal I couldn't pass: three Indonesian snacks for five euro's. What I had to purchase was the in banana leaves wrapped steamed sweet snack dokun/dokoen, which is made from grated cassava and coconut.
One lumpia and another pastry were my second and third choices. The dokoen was sticky and sweet and brought back memories from my childhood, because it's been years since I last had this snack in Suriname. The pastry and lumpia were also flavorful, but cold as the seller fried those earlier that day and not on the spot.
Another treat we couldn't resist were the grilled chicken satays (skewered meat), that were hot off the grill and a sign of warmer seasons ahead. The satays were delicious and a nice change of snack option. The satay sauce I could do without though, because of the lack of spiciness and watered down flavor.
After that we proceeded to another part of Amsterdam - Vondelpark - where the free market experience comes through, with more citizens - children and adults alike - participating. Whether it is by selling (used) items, picknicks or by facilitating games. One game that was creative and funny was where a participant needs to throw an object through a hole in a carton, with the king's face on it and a text "The King Is Hungry".