Wet Market

Mercato Porta Palazzo, the biggest open air market in Europe is normally not a so called 'Wet Market', like those we have in Singapore, but the rain is back and transformed it into a wet wet market.

The ground is wet, the people are less, making shopping seems less chaotic.

Location: Porta Palazzo

Vendors

The market at Porta Palazzo, the biggest open air market in Europe, is obviously full of vendors and they  offer beside foods mainly clothings, bags and accessories.

Most of the vendors are actually not italian, those who sell clothings, bags and accessories are mainly the chinese and africans.

While making the photo, one of the African vendor wanted to know if I did ask their permission to photograph them. I told him that I am not doing close up of any person, so it is not necessary to ask any permission since the market is a public place.

 

Location : Porta Palazzo

A Normal day In The Market

The market has slowly gone back to normal, no more long queue to get in, but still some people are wearing masks and the price of fruits and vegetables has gone up with no reason.

Location : Porta Palazzo

Lock Down The Thirtieth Day

The 30th day! Judging by the situation, most likely the lockdown will be extended till May.
There are more and more people getting out for a walk and more cars are going around, regardless the lockdown is till on.

Early in the morning at about 0930 hours, smokes were rising behind the blocks across the street, they were from the parallel street from home.

A shop selling fake flowers on the ground floor of a building was on fire, even though it was closed due to the lockdown. All the residents living above had to be evacuated. Fortunately, there was casualty.

 

Went to the market to get some traditional agnolotti for Easter.
The open air market which was very lively and vibrant is now souless. Rows of empty stalls were left in the market square, there were some people walking between the empty stalls and police were deployed at various position in the square.
The only stalls opened for business were those in the indoor market which was on the other side of the square.

Surprisingly, the entrance to the indoor market was not controlled. Anyone could just go in and out  and nobody was checking the number of people inside the market, which is weired, A police car parked not far from the entrance and some policemen were standing there monituring the situation.

In the market, there were not many people, and everyone kept a personal safety distance in accordance with the rules.

Exited from the market, in front was the famously crowded and chaotic bus stop, there were quite a number of people waiting at the bus stop, but it was far less than weeks ago,

Since I was out, why not take a tour around the square to visualise the situation.

The part where they used to sell household goods was closed.
Outside the police post, a homeless had turned a stone bench into his bed.

Completed one round of the square, while heading home, saw two policemen were questioning and checking on a couple who were walking their dog.

Under the arcade on the side of the square, two homeless were still sleeping and one was busy feeding the wild pigeons.

Location : Piazza Della Republica

Market of Santa Giulia

Piazza Santa Giulia situated in the Vanchiglia zone, very near to the historical center. The dominant building is the Santa Giulia church, the parish church is a religious building in neo-Gothic style, it was built by the Marchioness Giulia Falletti di Barolo, designed in 1862 by architect Giovanni Battista Ferrante.

Behind the church , every morning there is a food market in the piazza....

Porta Palazzo Market Getting Ready

Everyday at about 8 pm in the evening, stands are being setup at the open air market at Porta Palazzo, getting ready for the next morning.

While I was taking photo of the setting up, the workers (mainly Moroccans) shouted at me and wanted me to get lost. I was taken aback, as the place is a public place and I have all the right to take photo there.
So we had some 'discussion'.
Their reason was that, they were afraid that their photo will end up on internet and they don't want their girlfriends or whatever back home know that they are doing such job.
I assured them that I didn't take their photo and I was not interested in taking their photo.
They apologized and that ended the episode.
Well, they could have just told me in a more civilized way instead of tried to chase me away as if the place was their house.
Just wonder, what happens if their girlfriends decide to visit them in Italy?

Picking Up Fruits At The Market

Everyday at the market at Porta Palazzo, after the stalls closed up, a lot of fruits and vegetables are left on the ground, the cleaners will come and throw them away, more and more often I see people come to pick them up and bring home. Initially, my thought was sad than peoples have to pick up these thrown away food to eat. Then, one day I picked up some melons they left in boxes on the ground, they were so sweet and so edible!

 People throw away too many foods which are edible, they might not look presentable, they might be overly ripened or have some defects, but as long as they are edible, it is a waste just to throw them away.

 Whether or not, due to poverty that these people pick them up and eat them, they are actually doing something good and intelligent. The sellers throw away these fruits and vegetables because it is more convenient and cost saving than to bring them back and store them, so why not just pick them up and consume them, most of them just need some cleaning and they are good to be eaten, and the overly ripened ones are the best.....

 I would continue to pick up throw away fruits at the market, but then one friend told me to just leave them for the people who need them more than me......