Tienges

Today was an interesting day. I found out that every Thursday in Mexico City is a day where anyone can bring goods to sell on the street. They call it 'Tienges.' It was set up a long time ago so farmer's could bring their goods to town and in order to have a direct sale and avoid paying the middle man. Since then I think it has lost its original purpose and its more of a free-for-all. You can find anything from hats, to cheap toys, to pirated music, to clothing and fruit--the marketplace has virtually everything for sale. Only the food items are marked with a price and the rest is unmarked--so you have to ask how much each item is and there is a little room to barter. It reminded me of how I think a marketplace would look like on the movies. They are small booths lined up side by side on both your right an left. Canopys made of a plastic tarp or cheap fabric is strung between each side of the walkway to act as a rooftop.

Alfonso (Poncho) and I ate at one of the stands on the side of the road. I honestly have no idea all of what I ate but I know that one was some kind of tortilla made of pumpkin flour, another was filled with zucchini and a fungus that grows on corn and lastly one filled with spicy pork and veggies. Each one was delicious in their own way and unlike anything I had ever tasted before.

Tienges may have become something other than intended so many years ago, but is still a custom...and a pretty cool one at that. I can't wait until next Thursday.