Javier Burillo – Service in the Street in Mexico City

One thing that I have loved about Mexico City, since the moment that I arrived, was the way that the people of the capital take to the streets to sell their wares and their services. I have always found this to be something that continues the market tradition which this city once had. According to my good friend and something of a Mexico City historian Javier Burillo, the city has in fact got a long history of being the market of the nation, and many years ago people would come from all over to sell their goods.

I want to give you a brief glimpse into what you can expect to see on these streets, on any given day.

Tianguis

The tianguis is an open-air market which moves around the city and you will find that most neighborhoods have two days a week where there is a tianguis. These places sell just about everything from clothes to fresh produce, meat, cheese and even some herbal medicines. This is a great place to shop for those little bits that you need each week.

Knife Sharpener

There are lots of little sounds that you hear each day on the city streets, and one of which is a man (I am yet to see a woman doing this job but there is nothing stopping them) who sharpens up your knives. When you hear a little whistle, simply take your knives out to the street and he will change his chain from his bike wheel to the sharpening wheel, and make sure that blunt knives are a thing of the past for you.

Food

Of course the city has become iconic for its street vendors, selling food such as tacos and quesadillas among other delicious snacks. The sheer number of taco stands and quesadilla spots is absolutely crazy and there are some which attract hundreds of people each and every day. If there is one thing that you will not do in this city, it is going hungry, because there are always places open to grab some snacks.

Flowers

I love having fresh flowers in the home and when I lived back in the UK it was just something that wasn’t possible, because of the price. Here in Mexico City however the price is incredibly reasonable and they are widely available on the streets, which is why my home always has some fresh flowers in it.

Gas and Water

Every so often you will hear a booming voice asking you to buy gas or water, and this is essential for so many. These tanks of gas are what many businesses will use instead of connecting themselves to the mains. The water which is sold is potable water because the city does have some issues around this with their taps, so almost everyone will buy these big bottles of water.

These are just some of the sights an sounds which you will see on the Mexico City streets.