FLEA-STREET MARKETS: Authentic Village Market: mingle with the locals

If you want to inhale the true aroma of Goa this market is a must-see in your itinerary. Although it used to be more of an *off the beaten path* destination, more & more tourists are bravely finding their way to this Friday experience. For tourists visiting the town of Mapusa there is not much in the form of sightseeing, but spending 2-3 hours in the weekly village market & then settling down for some lunch at one of the small restaurants dotted all along the main road is what travelling is all about, isn't it?

The town's name, pronounced "Map'sa" after the Konkani words for "measure" and "fill" is an obvious indication of its commercial & trading nature. This is the capital of Bardez Taluka, Northern Goa, 13 km north of the capital Panaji (Panjim). MAPUSA market is known for its fresh farm products with farmers & traders from all over Goa and beyond.
This isn't a market for the typical tourist - this is a simple yet thriving village market for the locals to provide them with their day-to-day groceries & other items.

Basically, this market provides an altogether different experience, far from the naive glee of beaches & other touristy places!

NOTE: If you have a heightened sense of smell, prepare yourself for a smell-and-stench overload. Dried & fresh fish mixed with the smell of onions in the sun and that unmistakable aroma of a nearby open sewer proved to be too much for my travel companions, who were forced to smear peppermint lipbalm into their nostrils ;-)

      * Fruits and vegetables, fresh & dried fish, spices, etc.
      * Flip-Flops ("chapels" in Hindi) for 70 Rupees (US$ 1,50)
      * Colourful powders for applying various symbols on your skin
      * Candles, textiles, plastic toys, fake branded items (t-shirts, sports shoes, etc) ethnic handicrafts, plants & saplings, oil lamps, clay pots, wooden furniture, etc.

The prices of the products are pretty reasonable. Still just do not give what is demanded at first. Haggling & bargain-hunting are part of the whole Asian shopping experience.

NOTE: It can be rather hot, humid & tiring in the market. Bring your own water along, but there are also plenty of shops selling chilled softdrinks. To be on the safe side, try buying drinks in sealed plastic bottles, as glass bottles are usually "recycled" and there's no telling whether they were cleaned properly or not.