I have spoken before about the Central Market of San José; perhaps soon I will dedicate a 100% piece to it—its history, vendors, and characters.For a couple of years, Paquito the rooster and his owner wandered the streets of San José. His owner allowed tourists and passersby to take photos and pet Paquito. It has been a long time since I last saw them in San José or at the Central Market, where they had been familiar figures for years
I suppose this is partly due to the fact that there are fewer and fewer regular customers, since the city of San José—especially the area where the market is located—virtually lacks residential housing and has become more of a transit zone and workplace than a place to live. And yet, day after day, it receives thousands of people who, from its opening until its closing, stream in search of curiosities, seasonal items, traditional food, a better price, or even rarer and more esoteric items that are difficult to find in shopping centers and malls.
It is difficult to explain, but the market has a curious personality, with a distinctive scent of spices, freshly made food, and leather. As I mentioned before, the market shares with the central avenue its democratizing character—it is one of those places and experiences that everyone, regardless of our upbringing, origin, or history, has in common.
I have witnessed government ministers in office having lunch at a counter alongside a humble woman who might have no more than $10 or $15 for her daily commute.
The Central Market is definitely a distinctive place in Costa Rica, a tourist destination visited by thousands, and something that we Costa Ricans sometimes forget is, after all, a manifestation of ourselves and of the personality and spirit of the country over the years.
One day, with my camera in hand, I was fortunate enough to capture this photograph of a diverse group of people energetically streaming into the market, embarking on the adventure of exploring its corridors, investigating its sections, and haggling over its prices.