El Mercado en San Lucas

Link to photo gallery of more market pictures.

(Click pictures in blog for larger view)

Today is Saturday - market day for my family. Jose Luis invited me to go with him to the San Lucas market. San Lucas is a small town about 2 miles from our house. My family does most of their shopping there in local shops and in the local market. There are larger more convenient supermarkets, but items there are much more costly. We stop in San Lucas almost every evening on the way home from Guatemala City to buy fresh bread and a few other items for dinner. However Saturday is the day you go to purchase your week's supply of meat and vegetables.

The market is in a large enclosed building with some shops under eaves along the outside walls. Compared to the main market in Guatemala City, the San Lucas market is small. However I was quite impressed by the size of the market and the wide variety of items available. What do you want? OK, no problem. You can likely get it at the San Lucas market. Beef, chicken, pork, ham, beans, rice, vegetables, fruit, cheese, eggs, canned and boxed goods, clothing, ... eat breakfast, wash your clothes, buy furniture. You name it, and it is likely available.

Sanitary practices with meat are lacking. It is not as bad as Eileen and I experienced in Nigeria, but still, meat hangs unrefrigerated and uncovered in the open air right where people are passing, talking, sneezing.... etc. Fortunately the weather is not hot, and there are virtually no flies or other insects (at least at this time of the year). Most stalls have refrigerators for longer term storage of meat.

Colors. Ah, the mixture of colors in the market is wonderful. From the clothes people wear, to the fresh fruits and vegetables, to the mixture of goods and items displayed in the stalls - everywhere your eyes feast on color. I think one reason colors are so noticeable is that a large variety of items are displayed together in one small area. Also the fruits are ripe and colorful. Come along and join me on a walk through the market in my picture gallery.