flea market season

content/post/2021/06/flea-market-season.md

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+---
+title: Flea Market Season
+date: 2021-06-22T17:20:00
+categories:
+    - retro
+---
+
+Last Sunday, I have had the pleasure to cycle to a local flea market again. I can't even remember the previous opportunity, except that it was too long ago. In 2020, there was a time in Belgium when the COVID-19 data told politicians that it was okay to let people organize bigger events again, albeit it being in open air. The result was yet another lockdown, a few months later... Data doesn't spill the beans when it comes to human behavior. Thus, all big indoor retro fairs got cancelled, and markets were put on a leash for a long time. 
+
+Fortunately, things are looking up again! Traditionally, the Belgian summer brings---next to days of sunburn followed with the obligatory days of thunder and rain---the beginning of the flea market season. A couple of big local ones are normally being organized around this time, but since some non-profit organizations ran out of money and motivation in 2020, we have to make do with less (and with masks, but hey, it's better than nothing).
+
+You always encounter these amazing stories when it comes to _thrifting_. In the awesome [LGR Thrifts show](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHwRzrywobA), it seems that big box PC games are always up for grabs, while I myself have yet to see a single one appear. And then there's these [impressive storage room deals](/post/2021/06/why-i-like-pawn-stars/) and equally cool looking toys in pawn shops. A few years ago, I was really happy to buy Donkey Kong Land II for `€10`. The cartridge looked like a one-off on the vendor's table, next to the usual junk. I've yet to beat that lucky break, even though according to [Game Value Now](https://gamevaluenow.com/gameboy/Donkey-Kong-Land-2?gameid=118), the price was just on point. But I was happy!
+
+I usually end up with counterfeit GBA carts (watch out with sellers that have too many games, they're usually sharks), broken pieces of electronics, or a genuine Parker fountain pen that, when thoroughly expected back home, turned out to be a cheap Chinese knock-off. Whoops. 
+
+![](../rommelmarkt.jpg "At a local flea market. No retro games in sight, as usual.")
+
+That's not to say that I do not enjoy strolling around on these markets---far from it! I've learned to temper my expectations. But just take a bit of money with you, because if you don't, you'll see something awesome you can't buy! As [this guide to collecting video games](http://recordhead.biz/guide-collecting-video-games/) states:
+
+> A solid flea market is not only a great place to snag video games, it’s also two tons of fun.
+
+Although I do contest the first bit, unless you're looking for Barbie's Groovy Games or FIFA 2007. Perhaps eBay is more effective. But who cares, I'm just glad I can mingle among others on the street again. Precautions are still taken as you can see on the photo: streets are not only littered with used masks (really, who does that?), but also with alcohol gel dispensers attached to crush barriers that manage people flow.
+
+So what do we usually end up with? Dog toys. That's right. Our Golden Retriever loves soft teddy bears, and these hand-me-downs are dirt cheap (and frequently torn apart). My father-in-law always asks us to be on the lookout for retro analog phones. He usually disassembles the unit to give the rotary dial a second life, although the last one just ended up being thoroughly cleaned and simply put into a cabinet. Old electronics are always appealing, but I have yet to spot an ISA PC card, and it's impossible to determine whether or not the thing still works. There are still so many hardware trinkets on the wish-list!
+
+Last Sunday, I cycled home with six DVD boxes of _Midsomer Murders_, while my wallet felt `€40` lighter. A sticker at the bottom of a box claimed the previous owner paid `€30` per box, so money well spent I guess. DVDs aren't particularly collectible, so they're not worth much. After watching _Death in Paradise_ and _Are you Being Served (Again)_, we were dying for some more great British series. In case you did not notice this yet, we [dislike subscription-based media](/post/2021/02/you-shouldnt-use-spotify/) and [like physical media](/post/2021/05/re-is-collecting-physical-games-worth-it/). I almost feel obligated to write that sentence, as I can almost hear the _"Netflix, you fool!"_ comments. 
+
+I'm looking forward to the next happy discovery!

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