The Markets Are Here !!!

So it 6am and again I am awaken by the noise in the square below this time with the sounds of some 100 white vans that appeared in a convoy into the historic old town square below. It takes about an hour for them to set up ready to start business in this little town this week. The vans are like the transformers toys and with all sorts of wind out and up canopies that transform a little van into it own little shop with under cover area that ends up being 3 to 4 times bigger than the van it's self. So within no time the beautiful cobble stone square below disappear and now from above it starts to look like a shanty town of all sorts of white tent roofs.

In years gone by the food and clothes markets were a very important part of life for the small village people as it was their connection and a life line for all the important things that a department store in the big city's would have offered.

As we have been to several of these small town markets it would appear that today it's is more a group of Gypsy's moving in and fleecing the local business on a weekly basis. Thus taking the towns money and not paying any taxes.

There are of course the original genuine Italian food and veggie stalls and in the past this gave diversity and was needed and welcomed but now it has been overtaken by the cheep imported goods sold by illegal immigrants.

But not all the markets that we have been to have been this style some are still as there have been for years and don't let in the unwanted store holders so it still gives the town a chance to have opportunities but not take away from the main town shop that support the local community.

Today I do fine one of the original Italian rice sellers and manage to score some Carnaroli Rice so we can make a traditional risotto later in our journey.