Rossio Christmas Market, Lisbon, Portugal

Good evening, friends!

Welcome to my second post in this super interesting community!

This weekend I went to Lisbon. The purpose was a Christmas lunch for a small group of friends. As I went by transport, I ended up arriving earlier than the scheduled time, which gave me the opportunity to explore downtown Lisbon... When I arrived in Rossio, I came across a Christmas market. And what's more, it was free to enter. Which was the best invitation I could have had, because even though I had free time, paying to visit a market wasn't on my mind, as time quickly passes and we have to leave because of commitments.

Well, luckily I had the time, so I ended up discovering the dozens of stalls set up in Praça D Pedro IV, in the heart of Rossio!

^{The emblematic and unmistakable Restauradores train station}

^{The entrance to the Christmas market}

^{The traditional stalls selling sweets... For the sweet tooth!}

^{A little shop selling coscurões and filhó
(wikipedia link for the curious ones, and a Youtube video of the process of making them - the accent of the man is priceless!!!)}

^{A stall selling sour cherry, sangria and mulled wine}

^{A Christmas market without cheese isn't a Christmas market, right?}

^{And what better combination of cheese, chorizo and sausages and homemade bread than a fine vinho verde?}

^{The ham and cheese sandwiches really sold well among the tourists}

^{I didn't expect this stall.... Piri-piri. Anyone who has been to Angola, Mozambique or even Cape Verde will know that Portuguese Piri-piri is one of the most highly rated. In my case, I can't even come close! Ahahaha}

^{Another obligatory stall}

^{And the more than famous Cream Custard tarts!}

^{...and the most varied options, including those with almonds}

^{Marshmallows and cookie straws are some of the most famous toppings among hot chocolate lovers.}

^{German Glühwein
...at its appreciator ;)}

^{Essences for infusions}

^{The handicrafts. These are made exclusively by hand}

^{Refrigerator magnets made of cork}

^{Detail of filigree pieces made with dehydrated plant support! I was very impressed by the originality and delicacy of each of these pieces. If I was engaged to someone, I'd already have a Christmas present for her!}

^{Hats for all tastes and shapes}

^{Stainless steel fashion accessories (not so traditional)}

^{A house of articles made exclusively from cork and cork by-products}

^{Art is always present at this type of event}

And now something that many of you will find strange... A Dolls' Hospital. That's right, there's a house in Lisbon, which has been operating since 1830, that repairs dolls. Nowadays, it's rare for a child to have just one or two dolls that are passed down from generation to generation, but in the old days it was almost obligatory, as the dolls were made of plasticine and their costumes were boiled by hand! Real works of art. Children, or adults who had had these dolls, wanted to see them restored, to recover a dormant childhood memory... It's good to dream, isn't it?

^{And I couldn't leave out a nativity scene... which is increasingly rare in the homes of families celebrating Christmas}

^{The solution to all problems, but which unfortunately seems further away from our realities every day}

At these Christmas markets, it's all too common to see Santa Claus sitting in a huge armchair, flanked by his elves, or fairies, and where parents are invited to take their little ones to have their photo taken for posterity... One wonders why, at this particular fair, instead of Santa Claus, there was a Mickey Mouse in his place!!!! All right, he's nice and much more recognizable all over the world, but I wonder if there's an explanation for this... I'll see if I can find a reason!

This is the reason we've all been waiting for! Santa Claus isn't taking pictures with the children because he's too tired... He must have been playing cicerrone on the streets of Lisbon all day! 😅

I hope you enjoyed this little tour of the Rossio Christmas Market with me.

I hope you enjoyed my second post in this group!

Bem Hajam 🍀

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Photographic edition with PhotoScape X