If you’ve ever wandered near the eastern edge of the Zócalo, over by the Templo Mayor, you might have heard them: street vendors selling scarves, hats, sunglasses, purses, desk items and whatever else might be useful from tarps spread out on the sidewalk. As people pass, the vendors call out: “10 varos! 10 pesos mire! Todo le vale 25 pesos!”
The vendors all have slightly different cadences, so when they shout at the same time, their voices turn into this sort of chaotic roar, almost banshee-like at times. It’s amazing, annoying and slightly terrifying if you’ve never heard it before. What is all that noise in the background? Is it really people?
Moneda Street in particular — where the photo above was snapped, looking down Moneda from the Zócalo — is so crowded it’s often impossible to walk on the sidewalk. Pedestrians walk in the narrow strip of space between the cars and the gutter. Or they just walk in the street.
For the past few days I’ve been listening to the vendors’ cries from our second-floor kitchen at the Fundación Herdez, where I’m taking a cooking class. Today on my way home I recorded a snippet of what it sounds like to walk through there. This was taken in the small area of space that borders the Metropolitan Cathedral, at the head of Moneda Street.
I’m not necessarily complaining about these vendors, by the way. I’m just sort of… in awe. How do they not lose their voices at the end of the day?
I’ve always loved that street for the sound track. I wonder how much of the speech rhythm might date back to Aztec times?
Jim, funny you mention that. I think Crayton has proposed the same idea — that or the cadence came from priests giving mass.
You hear the same cadence in all Mexican markets, but the Tepito accent is unmistakable. I’ve always said it’s a Mexican Cockney (and may have both Nahuatl and Otomi mixed in). Like English Cockney (which has Yiddish and German in it), it’s as much to keep outsiders from understanding what’s said as to communicate with the insiders.
There’s a great diorama reconstruction of the market of Tlatelolco at the Museo de Antropología in Chaputepec. It was the world’s greatest bazaar in the early sixteenth century. Whenever I see it, in my head the soundtrack sounds just like that corner of the zocalo.
I also find it fascinating to hear the sounds on the streets. Here in Mazatlan we live in Centro Historico and we have folks riding up and down the streets on their bycicles singing/calling out what they are selling and for how much. Donuts, camarones, aqua, and some other things I haven’t quite understood yet. Then we have people go by with political recordings, advertising of other forms, musica in the cars and taxis, etc. and supposedly we live on one of the more quieter streets. We then have lots of birds singing, church bells ringing and occasional horn honk.
Thanks for another great post.
Thanks Janice, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Also: I wish we had mobile doughnut vendors!
My girl friend used to work in the city offices across from the Cathedral back in ’98-’99 and the noises I remember most from days spent there are traffic and the Aztec dancers with bells on their ankles. I wonder if they’ve reduced the sidewalk vendors from years past
Hi Sparks: I was just talking to a friend about this today and he said that six or seven years ago it was even more crowded than it is now. You had to elbow your way down the street. Also, I haven’t seen or heard the Aztec dancers the past few afternoons — I wonder if they’re there during the week, or if it’s just a weekend thing.
I think that part of the charm of the downtown areas all over Mexico are the sounds – I live just behind the Cathedral in downtown Puerto Vallarta and I could not sleep at night if it were not for all the vendors and the church bells and gas trucks and the knife sharpener and the bread seller and the paleta guy and the water truck….sometimes the silence when you leave the city is deafening.
“Pop Street Sound” EP was released somewhen in 2003 by an independent mexican artist, Wakal. He mixed street sounds from Mexico City with electronic music. Since then to now, I didn’t remember it. Not exactly remarkable but funny, you can listen a couple songs here http://tinysong.com/oZXZ and here http://tinysong.com/Oh6G
I happened upon your blog recently (not sure how) and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I spent many years in my 20s in Mexico, and my then boyfriend (now husband) moved home to Los Angeles with me. I haven’t had as many opportunities to visit now that adult responsibilities have set in, and I miss it. Thanks for the description of Moneda, and if you can believe it, they’ve cleared the area out. It used to be even more packed!
Interesting link re: b/varos. I’ve always gone with b grande and you’re spelling looks strange. Good to know we are both right!
I remember passing by that street some years ago. An army of granaderos was walking towards the vendors, so they soon grabbed the blankets beneath their stuff and ran away. It’s kind of sad how precarious is existence when being mexican. On the other hand, I also remember once a street vendor around that area explaining to me the magic herbs he was selling and what they could do, it is one of the coolest speeches I’ve ever heard.
I would KILL for a button that transports me to the Centro whenever I need it. Which would be right now.
One of my favorite memories is soaking in the sun, the high altitude and the smell of the incense not long after landing in Mexico City for the first time. It was a total, “wow so this IS Mexico” moment.
Glad I could be your catalyst. Had a similar moment today inside the Portales Market — one stand had big clay pots overflowing with cactus, fava beans, peachy ensalada de pata. Some days I just don’t want to be anywhere else.
I’m not sure if I’ve been in this area on my trips to the DF, but I find the vendors on the Metro to be really fascinating. It’s almost like they are sing-shouting at the top of their lungs. Amazing that they can do that day after day after day…
Definitely. And it’s so interesting that they all have a similar cadence. Today I saw a lady, not on the Metro, but on the sidewalk near the market selling a stone that acted as a lint-remover. She kept calling over and over: “A stone, a stone that removes lint, it will remove all lint, 10 pesos…”
Hi lesley, first of all I want to say that it the first time that I read your blog, I have to say that it is awesome, I like it so much.
Well I’m Mexican and I have to say that it is interesting the way that you talk about Mexican stuff, I’ve never seen them in that way as the sound of the centro historico, it is a great post.
congratulation for your blog, I’ll be on the lookout. 🙂
Thanks Andrew, I appreciate your kind words. Saludos!
Thanks for this great post. I’m recently back from Mexico City and already missing that unique DF soundscape.