A Trip to the Market

A Trip to Italy is not complete unless you take a trip to the market. We have been here a week and a half and have visited 3 different street markets AND have gone to I think maybe 5 different Esselauga's (a local grocery store chain). On Saturday we left Gio napping with the kids and took a quick trip to the market up the street. It is like a T. The clothing and shoe vendors are all lined up down the street under big pop up tents and their cars stationed behind them. The food vendors are lined up down the center of the T.

I find street markets fascinating. There are so many different foods there: cheese Vendors selling 100s of cheese varieties, meat vendors selling chicken and veal and rabbit and pig, tons of fruit & vegetable vendors with fresh produce ( you wouldn't believe the strawberries Rod and I bought last week). But what is also fun to see are the variety of people pushing their way through the crowded stalls.

When you come to a big city like Milan you have to dress warm and carry your shopping bags. I thought this woman was sweet in her fur hat and collar


This is one big stick of bolognia that Oscar Meyer would be proud of.
The meat trucks serve raw meat on one side and a small cooked section on the end with roasted chicken and fried vegetables to snack on.
Olives, capers, and other brined items and salted dried fish
Cheese stand (notice the wheels-- these trucks can fold up and drive away)
Check out the cool cauliflower. It looks like an alien life form.
This guy selling fis was also eating a sandwhich with his other hand. (kind of grossed me out a little after I just completed my food handlers safety permit at work a few weeks ago)
Rachael and Rod buying strawberries, artichokes (in season now 10 for 3 e),
This is the stack of boxes beginning to form from the food vendors as they get ready to pack up for the day.

Rod commented on how all of the young women are hot but what happens when they get older? The we saw this lady all decked out in her fur, sunglasses, leggings and high heeled boots for her trip to the market. Very elegant!


In the end we rushed through the market, picked up a couple of things and I found a pair of sparkely ink Lilly & Kelli shoes for Lottie for 15e. I would have payed $25 at Nordstrom Rack for the same pair. So it was a good trip. Sometimes you dont find anything.