Traveling at Home – Phototour of Freiburg Market

Saturday I woke early to perfectly azure skies and warm fragrant air wafting in through my window. It was not a day to waste and the kind I always revel in when I’m traveling. So I decided to be a traveler at home. I have only rarely seen the main market in Freiburg before 11am when it is so full of people. So armed with my camera I biked into town at 7:30am to be a traveler and see my adopted hometown as a traveler again. Join me on a photo tour of the market.

I am a big fan of the movie Under a Tuscan Sun. Walking around the market I am reminded of the first scene of Francis in Cortona at the market, with her describing all the sights and contrasts. The market really is the center of most European towns and Freiburg is no different. Our market is in the large plaza surrounding the cathedral. The farmers bring their wares from the surrounding areas so everything is fresh and in season. Now it is white asparagus season and strawberry season. In October, the new wines come in and people stand around with small glasses of the cloudy sweet wine.

The one thing I have no way of capturing in pictures is the sound. I love the sounds in a market. So early in the morning, there are very few customers so the shop tenders are talking to each other in the local dialect. Then as the customers start coming the sounds of commerce erupt. The people are friendly and efficient, jabbering away about “how many kilos of potatoes” and “try some of this asparagus” and “have a free apple with your vegetables.” Everything is local, fresh and cheaper than the store. You can even get meats, sausages (yes those are two different places here), cheeses, eggs, bread and even flowers and herbs. It is just a vibrant mix of people and food. So no more wistful prose, on to the pictures.