Shopping in Puebla, Mexico during Saturday and Sunday Flea Market days is a treasure hunt. Vendors begin to set up on the sidewalk around 11 a.m. each Saturday on Calle 6 Sur between Calle 7 Oriente and Calle 5 Oriente. This is a pedestrian walkway lined with open-every-day, higher quality antique and folk art shops like Rene Nieto, where I found this great antique hand-painted angel figure that has a coin slot. Could it be a bank or an offering vessel?
Most of the fleas are aged, rusted metal corroded for interest, old coins and out-of-circulation peso notes, a mish-mash of old and new jewelry, posters, pottery, books, and rusted tools. A careful look can take an hour or more. Enjoy. Food vendors and musicians set up shop there, too. And, you can even say a prayer at the outdoor altar. Hollie bought old copper milagros for her mixed media art here.
The block between Calle 5 Oriente and Calle 3 Oriente is more upscale with antique and jewelry and clothing shops. Flower pots spilling over with color adorn the street.
Don’t miss the antique shops along both sides of 5 Oriente and 3 Oriente. Many have unusual pieces of furniture, lamps, redware handpainted pottery and old Talavera tiles.
This exquisite old chest of drawers is 12,000 pesos. That’s roughly $900 USD. If you can buy it, then you would need to figure out how to ship it. No small feat.
Old and new masks, table linens, embroidered blouses, shawls in various stages of use can all be found here, along with delicious fresh fried potato chip snacks drizzled with chile powder, limes, and salt.
When you plan your visit to Puebla, make sure you are here over the weekend! You won’t be disappointed. Hollie wasn’t and neither was I.
Where to stay? Hotel Real Santander, Calle 7 Oriente #13. This is my home away from home in Puebla where they take really good care of us. Ask for Carolina or Yolande if you want special service. 1,000 pesos per night double, 850 pesos per night single. Two blocks from the Zocalo and from the Flea Market, one block from my favorite restaurant El Mural de los Poblanos.
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