There has been a street market in la Pobla de Farnals every Friday for as long as I can remember. Probably since the first time I came here, as an exchange student with my host family… their non-vacation home is in Palencia, although now that they are retired, they can come to the beach whenever they please. It’s not very inviting in winter though, or even early spring and late fall. I hated being “forced” to come here on long weekends during the school year. I was missing out on all the social life in Palencia (uproarious laughter).
The one time it’s great to have a house in Valencia outside of summer is during las Fallas de Valencia, during the weekend of San Jose (also father’s day in Spain). Actually the festival starts at the beginning of the week, and culminates with the burning of the magnificent figures made of wood (anything flammable) that line the streets of Valencia.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb7g-eqeDLg]
(I have not watched that video, because my internet connection is so poor! But it has a lot of likes…)
Back to the mercadillo… One of the first times I was here with my Spanish host family, we went to the market, and I found a figurine in the shape of a horse (I cannot remember anything else about it, and I’ve got no idea if I still have it). The vendor was asking 2000 pesetas. I offered him 500, and he came down to 1000, and we were haggling when my host father came up, watched for a minute, and pulled out a 1000 peseta bill (green! I can barely remember the old bills…). He said something to the effect of, What? You don’t have the money? Don’t worry, I’ll get it. And he bought it for me.
I was so angry at the interruption, because of course I had 1000 pesetas. I also had cleverly stocked my pockets so that I could deny having more than whatever I wanted to pay. I mean, the purpose of a mercadillo was to bargain down to the last penny!
Yesterday I did not haggle, however, when I bought two coin purses and a cheap faux Desigual dress. They were already ridiculously cheap, and I did not want to miss any good photo opportunities before the sun set.
I’m going to try the gallery function here, and put all the photos in at once…
Food:
Clothing:
The walk home:
