Mercado Romano, Roman Market and Enjoying Outside Time

People in Sevilla tend to be a happy lot. They patiently wait in line, they sing in the streets, the women even have “happy hair” http://www.enjoylivingabroad.com/my-blog/taking-your-hair-on-the-road What I’ve seen about "happy hair" is that it’s long, flowing, curled rather obviously with a curling iron, and looks sexy, or movie style, at least I would think men would think so. Looks to me like somewhat of an effort to produce daily, but then I remember friends doing the same in Canada in the early years. Confession, I’m a wash and run type, never took the time, but can admire from “afar”. 

Before visiting the market we have some photos to show you of just "hanging" about in Sevilla.

Ivan's picture of a picture posted in the Triana club we visited a couple of weeks ago.

Another of Ivan's pictures from Triana club

Columbus's boat midway up a statue with lion topping it. I liked the picture of boat better than the lion.

Menu at Vineria San Telmo, like the painting.

We've been to this restaurant a few times. The food is always very good, in fact it's included in some tapas tours. In our, maybe five times there, service was sometimes a bit questionable. The deserts though are made by the owners and I'm told they are wonderful! Certainly look good.

What is available to eat at this stall at Mercado Romano

Mercado Romano, Roman Market is at the Alameda on Saturday and we ran into many, many stalls of Spanish products with vendors dressed loosely like Romans. They were cooking all types of meat on large round BBQ’s, heated by coals. 

The bottom shelf is for coals, this is just a display of offerings.

Main drink to go with was Sangria (why?) or beer and there was paella, octopus, jamon, of course, a food fest with a vendor fest. 

Paella, rice, seafood, vegetable, sometimes meat, whatever recipe (or whatever is in the fridge) they go by.

Warning: if you do come to Sevilla and see a "sandwich board" with offerings of different types of paella, that means they are frozen and microwaved for consumption by non-suspecting tourists. Don't buy! The dish is properly made fresh and served on weekends, as part of the menu of the day, or tapa. It is truly tasty in all variations, although Bruce usually gets the mussels and clams in it from me.

We spoke to a man from Madrid so vendors to this annual market must come from all over Spain to attend. Booths included hand crafts, but some not so, imported from places like India. There were Spanish cheeses, meats, olives and products made from (naturally), spices, candies, textiles, leather and many others. 

Spices and herbs for tea, eating and cure of illnesses.

As said many times, we love markets and this was a particularly interesting one. 

Array of helmets, chain mail breast plate of Roman dress

We had plans for lunch on Sunday with Ryan and Angela so took them there as well, although they’d been there the evening before the booths were closed, food tents open.

Men dressed in the above pictured regalia sang and entertained everyone, mostly children. 

The orange blossoms are out! Hip Hip Hooray! The smell is heavenly and only on certain blocks but since I've had my nose in the air the last two weeks, hoping for a whiff, not being a snob, I found some. Ivan says there is a perfumery that bottles the smell, didn't make it there, hopefully another time.

So funny, we saw a blended orange, lemon tree, sometimes people graft the two together. I saw a lovely looking lemon on the pavement and rushed over to pick it up. Ivan and Bruce wondered "what the ... is Bev doing?" Came back to them and said I've got another lemon in my purse haha. Seems to happen often here, just another thing I love about being in Sevilla. 

Cheers, Bev, Bruce and Lexi Cat saying Bye Bye to Sevilla again.