Rastro flea market,
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Spain
Rastro flea marketVisited: March 2002 (and several times before) More pictures of Rastro flea market:
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Although Madrid is relatively quiet on a Sunday morning, there is always to Rastro market you can go to if you are in need of people around you. Ribera de Curtidores is converted into an open-air flea market, and you can find a lot of stalls also in adjacent streets. You can expect anything from handmade lamps to Tshirts, from second hand furniture to underwear, from saxophones to paintings, and much more. 
The market has become a sort of a tourist destination, but by far the majority of people around are "gatos" (people from Madrid). At some stalls I wondered who would buy some of the absolute crap that was lying on the streets. Apparently, there are so many things around which don't make any sense at all. Or so it seems, because probably someone else would go crazy for them.
The origins of this market go back to the 16th century, when there was a slaughterhouse in this neighbourhood (also called "rastro", hence the name), and stalls were erected in its vicinity. Gradually more shops were founded here, and they can be visited any day of the week. It is only on Sunday morning that the market stalls are there and crowds gather here, hunting for deals.
