As per usual, I went for a long walk this morning. Just last evening, I had been researching when and where the markets are in Modica. Turns out they are on Thursdays, and switch locations between Alta and Bassa every other week. Wellโฆ.what did I find this morning? And not on a Thursday? You guessed it, a purely local, perfectly Sicilian, impromptu market! I had the best day at a local market today.
Getting there?
Without speaking any Italian, I was unable to ask questions on the regularity of this lively market, so I cannot provide any information as to its normalcy either at this location or on which days it occurs. I can however tell you the street I found it on which was Via V. Brancati in Alta.
What I Found
I quite literally bumped into this event. I was walking along, minding my own business and gawking at all of the beautiful architecture, when I turned a corner. There in front of me were a small number of trucks with their products stacked on the ground.
When my eyes and brain adjusted, I realized that it was the early set up of a market! It was about 8am, so the usual time for markets to begin here.
Produce
As I wandered a bit further into this little space and down onto the street, I saw about a dozen trucks in total. Half had local, fresh as can be, produce. I mean huge peaches, many varieties of grapes, at least four types of eggplant and so many greens!
One plant in particular I could not place for the life of me. Most stalls had it, some in huge buckets and people were purchasing it for sure. Perhaps a reader can identify this for me?
Of the most beautiful produce I found were purple and pink broccoli, long squash type things, big yellow melons and pears.
Cheese
Two vendors sold cheese and only cheese. Both had line ups, with repeat customers for sure. One stall looked like it contained the harder cheeses and the other fella the softer, fresh cheese.
I do enjoy cheese, especially very specific varieties, but I am not the type of person, like one of my daughters, who would eat cheese for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Howeverโฆ..I ended up purchasing soo much cheese! I just couldnโt resist. Iโm not quite sure how I will eat it all, but I will endeavour to find a way. I could not resist two large balls of fresh mozzarella and a large ball of โfrescaโ cheese which came out of a bucket of liquid.
Other Goods
One truck had simply hundreds of dried goods, like biscuits, biscotti, little individually wrapped cakes etc.
Another truck had every dried nut, bean, pea, and preserved olives and peppers. It was incredible the variety they pulled from their vehicle. Even the most beautiful local honey.
I saw one person selling clothing, although there was so much talking going on, Iโm not sure how many sales he made. ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ
And even a truck selling fresh fish!
The Best Part
I decided I would purchase some veggies from the truck that seemed to have all of the local ladies crowded around. This guy is so busy, he actually has paper numbers that you grab so there is no quarrelling about who was there first. ๐ And even still, there was a little tiff!!
I duly waited my turn, it took forever. While I was waiting, I was getting so much adorable and friendly interaction from the local ladies. One in particular kept talking to me and telling me things, and all I could do was smile and say โonly Englishโ and โSiโ. It was so freeking cute I could die.
Another beautiful woman, took me under her wing, and kept an eye on the numbers being called so I wouldnโt miss my turn.
As I stood there and looked around and caught these beautiful womenโs eyes, they gave me warm smiles. The kindness that exuded from these locals in Modica was next to nothing. I felt so loved, included and invited into a tiny part of their day.
This. This is what I love about travel. Today was perfect.
