Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
% Ground Floor
^ Cobbler
Inthearcadessur-
roundingthecentral
courtyardyoucanshop
forleatherbagsand
wickerwork, fado tapes,
Madeirawineandhoney
cake.Farmersupfrom
thecountryfortheday
sellbread,bunchesof
herbsandseasonalfruits
fromupturnedcrates.
Aswellasbargain
leatherbags,youcan
alsobuyhandmade-and
hard-wearing-Madeiran-
styleanklebootsand
stylishnaturalleather
sandalsfromBarrose
Abreu (left) .Thestallof
thiscobblerislocated
ontheright-handsideof
theentrance.
& Fruit and Veg
Upstairsisthe
domainofthefruitand
vegetablesellers,packed
withcolourfulandsweet-
smellinglocalproduce.
Asyounegotiatethenar-
rowaisles,don'tbesur-
prisedtobeoffereda
freesliceofmango,
passionfruitorblood-red
tomarilloasyoupass,in
thehopethatyouwill
lingerandbuy.
* Herbalist
) Butchers
The Fruits
of Madeira
InFunchal'smarket,
eventhecommonplace
cantakeyoubysurprise:
thetinyhoney-scented
bananas,nobiggerthan
youringer,arethebest
youwillevertaste.
Ignoreshinyimported
applesandtomatoesin
favouroflavoursome
varietiesthathavebeen
grownontheislandfor
centuries.Nowisyour
chancetotastelantern-
shaped pitanga (Brazilian
cherries),sugarcane,
pricklypears,loquats,
custardapples,guava,
pawpaw,passionfruit,
pomegranateandquince
-allgrownlocally.
and Bars
Thebutchers'shops,
sellingfresh,cookedand
driedmeatandsausages,
areinaseparatearea
reachedfromstreets
aroundthemarkethall.
Ringingtheperimeterof
thehallarehole-in-the-
wallbars,where
shoppersandmarket
workerssnackonlittle
dishesofgarlic-lavoured
beans,saltyolivesor
sweetcustardpastries.
Ontheirstloornear
thestairs,onestallis
devotedtofreshand
driedherbs,allcarefully
labelled.Therearebunch-
esoffeverfewforhead-
aches,andfenneland
eucalyptussweetsto
sootheacold.
( Fish Market
Ifthefruitstallsarea
tasteoftheGardenof
Eden,thenoisyishmar-
ket (right) ,inthebase-
ment,lookslike
ascenefrom
hell,withits
knife-wielding
stallholdersin
blood-stained
aprons,hacking
intotunaand
espada ish.
19
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