Empire Market at Waterloo

Every couple of weeks, the Belgian tourism office sends out an email with information about events taking place in and around the region.

A few weeks ago the email mentioned an Empire Market at Waterloo.  I clicked on the website link and saw photos of costumed re-enactors and some merchants selling period stuff.  It looked like a smaller version of a Renaissance festival only different time period.

As it wasn't far away (30 minute drive) I thought it was worth checking out.  Neither kid was interested (big surprise) so Kyle and I didn't take them.

The main landmark of Waterloo is this lion - the site is called "But (pronounced "boo" in French) de Lion" which all Americans call "Lion's But."  This huge hill and its lion statue were built by the nations that defeated Napoleon in this location.

At its foot was the Empire Market, which was as pictured.  There were re-enactors and tents and merchants.  What I couldn't tell from the website but could determine from being there was that the four photos on the website were the sum total of the market.  There were about six guys dressed as soldiers, four tents, a couple of wagons and four market stalls.

That was it.  Kyle and I were really glad we hadn't made the kids come.

So we spent about five minutes at the market, climbed to the top of Le But de Lion, looked over the fields of Waterloo, visited the panorama and then went home.