Markets

Sunday was a glorious day here with clear blue skies and beautiful misty sunshine over the mountains.  We decided to go up to Almocageme market to get some eggs - normally double yokers - some more of Fernanda's lovely orange jam (our marmalade) and mango chutney.

She sells her own cheese, goat, sheep and also smoked ones plus amazing jams, chutneys and chouricos.  Everything is beautifully presented in glass jars with gingham trim tied with straw, which I always return to her

which she appreciates.  I swopped her one of my homemade lemon curds for a cheese before Christmas and have also given her samples of my cakes, which she really likes.  After stocking up we decided to go and have a look at a market about 20 minutes away in a village called Sao Joao das Lampas. 

There are weekend markets all over the area, you just have to know which one is on where.  For instance, the Almocageme fruit and vegetable market is on every Saturday and Sunday.  It also has a weekly market on a Thursday morning selling mainly household items, clothing and shoes as well as a couple of stalls with cheese, meats and olive oil, and vegetable plants.  Sao Pedro on the outskirts of Sintra has a market on the second and fourth Sundays of the month, Cascais has one on the first and third Sunday of the month close to the autodromo as well as one in the centre of town on a Wednesday (including a clothing, household section etc) and Saturday morning (fruit, vegetables and flowers only).  Sao Pedro and Cascais (autodromo) also do a great line in Pao com chourico - a wood baked large roll filled with thin slices of chourico.  Absolutely divine and a wonderful way to keep your hands warm in winter.  The fruit, vegetable, meats, cheeses, plants etc are usually local people and the clothing, household, shoes etc are Gypsies.  Always in black and the women have amazing long black hair.  The children are usually in tow and asleep under tables or in the backs of vans.  They have incredibly loud voices as they shout their wares - some with megaphones - which adds to the general noise and hustle and bustle.

We made our way through the countryside to Sao Joao das Lampas and found the market spread along the main road and round what looked like their park.  

Now if you are short of anything plastic for the house try this stall

What about lighting?

Need a new pair of jeans?

Isn't her hair amazing?

What about some new garden plants as Spring is coming?

Now the tiled floors are rather cold, so how about some nice sheepskin slippers

Nice set of corsets hanging above if you look carefully!

Every woman needs a new handbag

And every man needs a new implement to play with

Or would he prefer this selection?

You can never have enough towels

Need a new sofa or wardrobe or table?

And just in case you are dying of hunger, what about a cake or some wonderful bread?

We thoroughly enjoyed wandering between the stalls in the sunshine enjoying the shouts of the ever enthusastic Gypsy girls and boys but lunch was calling so we set off for Praia das Macas for lunch and then a walk along the beach to enjoy the sun and the waves.  A perfect way to spend Sunday.