How can you find out everything about a country in just a few minutes? Go to a marketplace! Nothing tells the picture of locals and their culture better than colorful trading rows. Təzə People tells you the stories of 5 marketplaces all over the world and what’s worth checking out there.
Union Square Greenmarket
(New York, USA)
History
This is a rather young marketplace – opened in the 1970s. But it quickly became the busiest on Manhattan. In the summertime, more than 150 local farmers, fishermen and bakers sell their produce here. And in the weekends, up to 60 thousand people come here to buy and chat with their favorite merchants. The main feature of this market is that it provides the biggest selection of organic products in the whole of the United States. And not only common people come here to buy those, but also chefs of the best restaurants.
Things to buy
Fresh vegetables and fruits from local farms, pastry, fish and meat, flowers, coffee, sweets and wine. If you happen to be in New York, come to the marketplace on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays – from 8am to 6pm.
Things to check out
At the marketplace’s website, you can see the list of farmers selling their products on a given day. Master classes for children and culinary workshops, as well as lectures in organic farming are being held at the marketplace. Also, New York’s aspiring artists exhibit their works here – also available for purchase.
El Mercado Central
(Santiago, Chile)
History
Built in 1868 in a neo-classical style, this marketplace was named the country’s cultural heritage site. Blueprints of the roof and the truss work made of cast iron were developed by Englishmen Edward Woods and Charles Henry Driver.
Things to buy
Fresh fish and seafood. The Chilean seashores are rocky and hard to reach, but local fisherman are prolific in catching rare oceanic delicacies – which has turned the central market of Santiago into one of the best fish markets in the world.
Things to check out
There are frequent performances of live bands here, as well as gatherings of local craftsmen. There are restaurants and cafes on the premises, where fish and seafood purchased at the marketplace can be cooked for you. People in Santiago are sure that Mercado Central is the heart of the country’s lifestyle. If you want to fully grasp the atmosphere and see how locals communicate – get there early! It is usually crammed with tourists by noon.
Borough Market
(London, UK)
History
This marketplace nearby the London Bridge is well-known since the 13th century. Although it is believed that trading here began two hundred years earlier. The marketplace moved into new buildings in the 19th century, but it has always been changing – along with the development of the UK capital city. Its famous entrance in the art-deco style was built in the 1930s.
Things to buy
People come here to buy fish, meat, dairy products, bread, apples and honey. You can find food from all over the world here – Spanish salami, French cheese and Portuguese figs. You can also try antelope or kangaroo burger here. But local fish soup and cider are topping the sales chart.
Things to check out
Borough Market has been fondly loved by cinematographers. Guy Ritchie filmed several scenes from his “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” hit movie here, while Alfonso Cuaron filmed the marketplace in the “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” film.
Központi Vásárcsarnok
(Budapest, Hungary)
History
The marketplace was built in 1897 and reconstructed a hundred years later. The building is bright and spacious, decorated with panoramic with stained-glass windows and tiles. Travelers consider Budapest’s marketplace as one of the most beautiful in the world.
Things to buy
Fruit vodka – palinka – in a tubby bottle, the Pick salami and Unicum bitter drink, strings of red onions, canned paprika and apple-pepper vinegar, which Hungarians use to treat many illnesses.
Things to check out
After lunchtime, merchants would give you a good discount on fruits and vegetables. Local restaurants and souvenir shops are operating on the third floor of the marketplace. Twice a month, the Budapest Opera orchestra performs on the mezzanine floor.
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
(Bangkok, Thailand)
History
This marketplace, with more than 100-year-long history, occupies the longest canal in Thailand. It was built by King Rama IV. Trading rows represent a labyrinth of boats, which are constantly on the move to reach a potential buyer. Initially, this marketplace was designed to sell agricultural products, but its range quickly expanded. Nowadays you can buy anything you can eat in Thailand here, as well as souvenirs.
Things to buy
Tropical fruits and vegetables, spices and herbs, fish and seafood, herbal incenses, handmade goods and souvenirs.
Things to check out
Shrimps and fish can be cooked right in a boat, then served with a bag of rice. Dim-sums and pad-thai are made on another boat. And bartering here is considered as an honorable skill.
