I love to visit markets as I travel, and when possible buy my food in them. As you would expect, different cities, different markets: some seem ‘boutique,’ others are part of daily shopping. Some are mainly wholesale, others retail. But nowhere, before visiting Chile, had I been anywhere that markets and vendors are so everywhere!
In many parts of Santiago, Chile, there seem to be only three activities: selling things, buying things, and trying to walk past the buyers and sellers without tripping.
From the Central Market downtown to the Vega Central market a half-kilometer away, the streets are lined with stalls, open-air markets, open-fronted stores selling all kinds of merchandise and food, and even people selling used, found and broken objects on the sidewalk.
Near the Central Station, blocks of the main boulevard and its side streets are so jammed with stalls, tables, sidewalk peddlers and open-fronted stores that it’s not even possible to stop to take pictures.
Today’s blog is just a taste of all that variety, and in some cases pathos. Later, I’ll be able to give more attention to two markets in Santiago, and one in Valparaiso. But for now, we’ll start at the Mercado Central in Santiago, and take a walk.
We’ll start in the building called the Mercado Central, but which is really primarily the seafood market; most of the rest is either outdoors, or in the huge Vega Central. The market building, replacing earlier ones, sits next to the Mapocho River. The dome, seen from inside above, was built in Scotland by a Glasgow ironfounder, and then disassembled and shipped to Chile.
Inside, rows and rows of tables show off all kinds of fish and shellfish, both at wholesale and retail. Another wing of the building has many small restaurants serving food from the market.
Only a sample of course: We have other stops on our walk today. Just outside the market building, there’s a long plaza filled with produce stands and more.
Around all the markets we vsited, many shops had open fronts on the outside; since Santiago’s climate is quite moderate, that’s possible! In June and July, the coldest months, the average temperatures are around 50°F. Of course, for we Nortes, summer in December was quite a treat!
Leaving the Central Market and crossing the Cal y Canto Bridge, we struck a course toward the Vega Central, passing several large warehouse and market buildings selling various kinds of supplies, but mostly not to the public. For us, the action was in the streets; several streets are set up with canopies and awnings to form a street of shops.
Here you could find not food, but shopping carts, toys, hardware, clothing, kitchen equipment, whatever—even bicycle repair. Just like a store or a market stall…but without a building.
But after passing through that area, as we approached (and eventually missed!) La Vega Central, we found a different level of street market, one without regular stock or packaging—one that showed a level of deep poverty.
Here, on blankets and mats spread on the sidewalk or in front of shops, vendors offered used shoes, discarded keyboards, worn and damaged pots and pans; anything that could be sold for a few pesos. It is hard to walk by, but certainly nowhere near as hard as it must be to live that way.
Following what we thought were the right directions, we eventually found ourselves hot, tired, and slightly discouraged, and several blocks past the market. When in doubt, drink tea and eat. We did, and decided to find Vega another day.
Three days later, we returned, and had no trouble finding La Vega; we had walked right past it, and even looked inside one door without recognizing it! Considering that it’s one of the largest and busiest we’ve visited, that’s a bit surprising.
If the Central Market has mainly seafood and a bit of the rest, the proportion is reversed at La Vega Central and its satellite, Vega Chica across the street. And the “everything else” is a broad category there. Cakes by the dozen, for a start.
All kinds of housewares, containers, canning equipment, and colorful mops and brooms to sweep it all up. Even a few stands specializing in wedding supplies and supplies for Quinceanera parties.
But, of course, the produce is the heart of this market, and Chile has a different assortment than we’re used to…that’s for another day. And since it was summer, many things long out of season at home were fresh and beautiful, including apricots, cherries and more.
Some of our big surprise came from the varieties of corn available, such as these. In Valparaiso, we met another variety, with an incredibly heavy cob, that’s used only to make certain dishes such as Chilean pastel de choclo.
As with many markets, no need to wait to get home to eat; Vega Chica has many tiny restaurants and food stands; when we passed through many of the patrons were market workers.
And, true to the standard of anything, anywhere, as we left the market we found several vendors with chickens for sale, stuffed headfirst into black trashbags attached to carts.
On the same day, only a metro ride away, we visited another market that might almost have been in another world—a handicrafts and gourmet food market at Los Dominicos, east of the city center, almost suburban. A true day of contrasts!
Great market experience!