Mediterranean Market

The fishmonger at the Collioure Market

The vendors spread out their wares

We went to Collioure today.  We were lucky enough to get TGV tickets from Carcassonne to Perpignan; from there we took a regional train. Altogether it was only a two hour trip.  The weather was perfect, although it was a little windy in Perpignan. Once in Collioure, we walked down the boulevard from the train station and there, waiting to greet us at the foot was the Collioure Wednesday market.

Welcome to Collioure

This particular market was a banquet for the senses.  There's always the chatter of friends greeting one another, although at this market, there were many, many English-speaking tourists who were understandable not so much interested in the fresh seafood and vegetables as they were in the pottery and straw goods.  

I'll take this one, please.

Bright colors ran riot.  There were straw and rattan carry-alls, the perfect size and weight to bring to market to hold purchases.  I intend to have one of these, but I am having trouble deciding on a color and pattern.  There were a number of pottery stands offering bright solid color pitchers, bowls, and serving pieces.  Those are for the less adventurous; more daring buy patterned pieces--stripes, or dots, or swirls of neon shades.  On a dreary winter day, it's a way to bring some sunshine indoors.

Bright solid color pottery

A potted azalea

As if the straw goods and the pottery didn't provide color enough, there were baskets and baskets of flowers. Cut stems of sunflowers, iris,  gerbera daisies, to name just a few added their paint to the palette.  Potted plants, some beautiful azaleas among them were hard to resist.

Too hard to choose

And the smells--oh the smells.  Market does not limit itself to the ingredients: fresh fruits and vegetables.  Oh no, aromas tempt us to buy "fast food": paella; empanadas; fish soup.

Happily dishing up paella from a BIG pan

There was one smell noticeably absent; the fishmonger's stall did not smell.  Everything there was fresh and evoked only the sea. The eyes of the fish were clear, the oysters had just been harvested. 

Clear eyes

I did make a little purchase.  I was tempted by many things, including the paella, but I did not relish the thought of carrying things around all day or keeping food at air temperature when it should be refrigerated.  There was a young man there at a stall offering "Eastern" desserts--I recognized many of them from my days in Baltimore's Greektown.  Baklava, crescent cookies, birds' nests.  I bought a piece of birds' nest and a piece of something very orange made with honey and saffron.  The young man told me with an absolutely straight face that his mother had made all those desserts.  I thanked him when I had finished paying and told him to convey my thanks to his mother.  We shared a chuckle.

Maybe some cheese?

Eventually we left the market and headed off in search of the Mediterranean.  Today it was the color of sapphires, and out beyond the port, it was frosted with whitecaps.

Sapphire blue

There were people actually swimming and others simply taking in the sun.  Compared to my prior visits, Collioure was hopping with tourists.  More shops were open than I'd ever seen, and the restaurants were full of guests.  Even some artists' galleries were welcoming customers. We had a nice lunch ( I especially enjoyed my Serrano ham plate), although next time, I will come to Collioure on Wednesday and buy food at the market and have a picnic.  It will be a way for me to ingest all that color and movement and sunshine and make it a part of myself. 

Collioure harbor entrance

I  wasn't able to dip my toe into the water but I did get to walk along the sand.  The city provides a little shower to rinse off the salt water and grit.  There are also some public bathrooms--not for the faint of heart, but they do what they are designed to do 






The trip home was routed through Narbonne; my friend is getting a good education in the train system.  And wouldn't you know it???? There is some sort of work stoppage affecting the trains, especially in the Perpignan region planned for tomorrow.  We timed our trip just right--everything ran smoothly, right on time, and we got to go to the market.  A great day!

Wash off the sand and salt--then have lunch!