On my final day in Distrito Federal we visited the massive Mercado de la Merced. It is one of the largest markets in Mexico and covers an entire city block. We took the subway to Merced station and you can take the exit directly into the market itself.
The sheer volume of food and goods was overwhelming at first- my eyes just kept darting from left to right trying to take in all of the colors, smells, sounds, people…..it was incredible! The fruit stands showcased tons of mangoes and papayas that just permeated the air with a tart, tropical scent that made me want to pluck one up and take a bite. There were piles of different kinds of mole and stacks of dried chiles next to stands selling shoes and purses. Well-priced denim skirts hung directly over the delicious-smelling smoke rising from carne asada being tossed on hot cast iron grills and there was a constant stream of people navigating their way through all of this lively activity. It was awesome.
Instead of trying to explain it any further, I’ll just treat you to a bunch of photos I snapped while making my way through the Mercado de la Merced. If you’re even in Mexico City I highly recommend you take a few hours to join the parade of people shopping in the market.
Giant blankets of crispy chicharronesFor more information here's an excellent (and very long!) essay on Mercado de la Merced. Photos and a map are also here.
1 comment:
You have a great eye, excellent photos!
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