A trip to the Trastevere Flea Market

If you ever want to feel overwhelmed and bombarded by Romans, the Trastevere Flea Market is the place to do it. Entering the market I was excited to see what it had to offer especially since it was the first weekend I have been in Rome and able to experience it for myself. The first thing I noticed were the bar and food stands. Even at the flew market people gathered to have their morning espresso. The italian language filled the air as vendors yelled their items and bargains for the day, I assume. Shoppers were packed in like sardines, gathering tightly around clothes bins to try and find the best deals before others even had a chance to set their eyes on the items. The flea market was obviously a place for high crime because of how close strangers were where ever you turned, which is why I noticed both men and women carrying their bags closely in front of them, not giving anyone the chance to snatch their belongings. The majority of stands were clothes and shoes, as well as bath and kitchen items. The items were not all local, yet some other cultured items, such as Hindu customs were often found. After two hours of bargaining and browsing I started to feel extremely clostraphobic. Smoke wafted in my face so I could not breathe and people were pushing and shoving me out of the way as if on a rampage. I could not understand what anyone was saying beacause of the language barrier and at that point in time I had enough. Leaving the market I was really glad I got to experience what a typical Sunday afternoon was like for Romans from the area.