One of my favorite pastimes, wherever I go, is to visit markets.
It is one of the oldest landmarks of mankind civilization, are meeting places where people gather to buy, sell or just chat and exchange information. It's all very informal and dynamic, that is way like a lot markets open air or closed, from the diversity of makeshift stalls, colorful fruits and vegetables, the clash of flavors, the joyful confusion, the cries of the fair dealers and the eternal whirl of people looking for the best at the best price, everything for me an immensely pleasurable. Interestingly, I have a list of places that I consider my favorite ever and that, in my view, well worth a visit and the order does not imply any preference, just obeys a personal sensory memorial.
One of my favorite places is the Camden Market in London, which I mentioned earlier. It is simply gigantic and you can literally find a little of everything. There are from urban crafts, furniture, clothes, food and books. It is simply mind-blowing. The most curious thing is that perchance of bringing a great number of nationalities in full commercial bustle and my greatest difficulty was the choice, there was so much affordable I could not resist. There is even an area dedicated to food and I assure that there is food from around all the world, and again, the worst was to choose, I was very indecisive for a long time such was the variety and the delicious aromas emanating from the stalls, everything was very inviting.
The floating flower market in Amsterdam, along the Singel canal is another local who welcomes my preference, because like any self-respecting woman I like flowers and plants. Again it is impossible to remain indifferent to such beauty, color and smells, there is everything in floral terms and not only tulips, though one can enjoy several fascinating species of the same flower. The Dutch women are traditionally great appreciatives of flowers so much so that this market is open every day of the week for visual and olfactory delight of local and also tourists.
Towards the South, in Rome we have Portese Door, in the Trastevere neighborhood, which happens only on Sundays and I also mentioned in one of my previous texts. The whole area is closed to traffic with makeshift tents on the sidewalks selling everything, is more of a flea market, where you can negotiate prices. There is a constant merry din, typical of the Latin countries, where there is no shame and competition is huge, so do not be surprised by the appeals contained in the fairground.
The Mercat de la Boqueria, is one of the oldest of the city of Barcelona. It is a space that is a feast for the senses, with the advantage that we can taste the baked treats as well, since there are even kiosks inside where we can enjoy the famous tapas with palates of the world. It also has a dedicated area of the sea that is simply divine and who has no prejudices beware of the market traders that sympathetically offer slices of fresh fish to taste. It is a matter of trying something new, well, if you are a connoisseur of sushi, then, have the experience.
Also in Spain, but this time in the capital, Madrid, my last suggestion is the market of San Miguel, between plaza mayor and and calle mayor, for me, is a must see visit for lovers of Spanish and international cuisine. It is a beautiful space in glass and wrought iron, designed by architect Alfonso Diez y Dubé, offering a multitude of culinary proposals that will make your mouth water just by looking. It's all with good taste and quality that you will not resist.
