Every Saturday morning, here in Limerick, magic happens. Diverse people from all around the county come to one place to try and make a living. It doesn't matter what they are selling, sinks, divinity, pastries, meats, or even the cloths off their back. They come. They sell. They make the world go round. They try and make a living. Then they do it all over again the next week.
Growing up, there always seemed to be those scenes in the movies where the main character happens upon these types of street markets. And since I grew up watching them buy the best pastries and the most beautiful flowers, I've always naturally wanted to go to one. But I've never been to one before now. And let me begin by saying that it was worth the wait...... The locals of Limerick call this magical place the Milk Market. So naturally after hearing the name, I thought the items for sale would all be of the edible type. I wasn't wrong there, I just wasn't completely right. The market takes up a few city blocks, which coming from America you'd think, "Wow, that's pretty big!" But keep in mind that things are smaller here in European countries and that includes their roads and space provided. Some vendors prefer to sell on the outskirts, while others (and mainly the food vendors) prefer to be in the heart of the market which is housed in the center and looks like a small warehouse of opportunity. When you walk into the market the first booths you see are those selling random goods. And when I say random, I mean the randomness things you could EVER think of. Here on the outskirts of the market you'll find everything from cheap knockoff design handbags,shoes, and makeup, to bundles of extra Twilight books (that if you are interested you can find for a steal of a price!), you can also find a new sink if you are in the market for one, as well as a variety of good winter wool socks, to even the worlds weirdest looking fishing rods that will increase your daily catch by at least three times your normal rate.....or so I was told. These random booths upon booths are fun, and if you had a lot of extra time they are fun to rummage through and find hidden gems that the world now considers junk, old, or of no use. If you've ever lost anything in your life, anything at all, you'd probably find it there. As you work your way farther into the market and into the large warehouse type of building, I'm just going to warn you that your stomach will growl and no matter how much food you stuff into your face, your stomach is going to keep growling. And that's a good thing, because there are so many good foods to try. Ever since I arrived here in Ireland I have been craving a good old fashioned hot dog! The meat here is different and most of what they call hotdogs here are basically sausage. It's just not the same. So those of you going to Sam's club anytime soon, please take a moment and buy their hotdog and eat it for me! Anywho, even though I am not much of a sausage fan, that's hotdogs were irresistible. And to top it off, the vendor had every type of topping you could imagine! He grilled the sausages right in front of you and handed them over so hot you have to switch your plate from hand to hand until it cools down. Now, the food was delicious, but what I loved was the way they treated every customer like they were their first. Extremely grateful that you even stopped by let alone bought from them. You can tell many of these vendors rely on their weekly sells, most of them family business or small local startups. I got the same vibe from many of the vendors I visited. The little old ladies at the jewellery booths took the time to show you a EVERYTHING they had and thought would look good on you. And I mean everything. Because when they spend all day everyday piecing together jewellery, you can bet they put their hearts and souls into them. They genuinely want their pieces to go to the right person. And most of the time, they find the perfect home as if it was you they were making it for all along. If you've always wanted to go to Willy Wanka's Chocolate factory but don't want to chance turning violet or being sucked down a river of chocolate, then the milk Market is waiting for you. I honestly can't describe how many sweets you can find here. Literally ANYTHING you want from the creamiest brownies and fudge, the worlds largest croissants and breads, the flakiest coconut cakes, the sweetest pies, and the cutest macaroons of all flavors. And in all honesty, I visited the macaroon vendor a couple times because he was the cutest baker I've ever seen! I thought it was money well spent. Got to support those local vendors (wink wink!) What amazed me most was the magnitude of people that both came to sell and those that arrived to buy. Every week without fail, the people come. To think of the time and effort it takes to prepare for a few simple hours one day a week is astounding. The little old ladies work away for hours to provide earrings, the macaroon baker starts cooking his little delicacies days before, the meat vendors cure their meats weeks in advance. Everything has to be thought out, planned, and executed perfectly. All for a few simple hours. A fact that many of the consumers who visit hardly take the time to think about or notice. But if you ask, the vendors are more than happy to tell you how much of their heart and soul go into their products because to them it's not just a milk market, a bracelet, or a simple macaroon, it's their lives work, their passion, and their living. They come, they sell, they make the world go round. Then, even if you won't be at the milk market early the next Saturday morning before the sun comes up, you can bet they will be.
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February 2016
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