Mercado Municipal, Rua 25 de Março and Luiza's Birthday Party

After a late night on Friday we arrived at the Municipal Market feeling a bit worse for wear, the smell of strong fish was certainly not welcome as we arrived!! From the most amazing variety of fruit to a huge selection of cachaçhas, the market had everything you could think of. On the top floor there were the restaurants and lanchonetes selling typical pasteis and sanduíches de mortadela. Think Borough Market in London or Mercado San Miguel in Madrid but about ten times the size!

After being handed countless samples of tropical fruit, we decided to go somewhere slightly less bustling for some lunch and a rest! 

We found a small café about 5 minutes walk from the market,it was clear it was somewhere tourists did not often frequent! We were intensely stared at for 5 minutes but once they realised we spoke Portuguese we weren't quite so interesting!

I decided I needed a serious sugar boost so ordered açaí with granola and strawberries, yum! the café owner was super friendly and let me have a go at making caldo de cana-de-açúcar (pure sugar cane drink). He gave me a glass of it to try and, as is obvious from the name, it was SO sweet, I don't understand how people can drink it on its own!

Açaí with granola and strawberries!

This...Became...

This! (Pure sugar cane)

Feeling rather smug with ourselves,(my açaí was 4 reais, around £1.20), and rejuvenated we headed for Rua 25 de Março. The street where everyone goes to find a bargain. It goes on forever, and you can literally find anything. Before I left, Luiza had oddly asked me to buy stick on moustaches, I thought they would be hard to find, but there were hundreds of fancy dress shops and I found them in the first one. There was also a part of the street dedicated to fakes, so if anyone wants a Louis Vuitton bag or a Prada purse or anything else let me know!!

It went on like this for hours!

 After what felt like half an hour I realised it was already 5 o'clock and rushed home as I had promised Luiza I would help prepare for her party. 

Beijinhos (little kisses!), a party food favourite!

I had a great time. Brigadeiros, coxinhas, good company and lots of caipirinhas, the ingredients for a perfect Brazilian party! Before I knew it it was 3 in the morning, 4 hours before I had to be up to leave for Itu. More to come about my day in Itu soon...