Mercado de la Merced
By Kate Blood
9 June 2008
Mercado de la Merced, one of Mexico City's largest retail markets, is also one of the city's greatest attractions. Aisles are packed with an overwhelming assortment of food stuffs, neon-colored piñatas, cooking gear and just about anything else a local could require for everyday or celebratory events.
The market vendors -- whose ages seem to range from 10-years to 90 -- are absolutely obsessed with the quality/appearance of goods they sell. Work spaces are cramped; yet remarkably clean and artistically arranged. Even on days when the thermometer hits 100-degrees, the interior market stalls smell like garlic, chili, smoky charcoal and lime juice -- not the rotting vegetable smell I've experienced at markets in other countries.
Products at Mercado de la Merced are displayed under naked light bulbs that create a romantic atmosphere -- giving the illusion that you've stepped back in time. Every once in a while the power goes off altogether which abruptly ends the pulsing Tejano music blaring from vendor's boom boxes.
Even without music or artificial illumination, the market's neat pyramids of papaya, cactus leaves, huitlacoche (corn fungus), dried shrimp, edible insects and skinned goat heads are fascinating.
If you go to Mercado de la Merced, the market has its own subway station: Metro Merced. The station's metro sign features a box of white apples on a pink background.
