Find yourself in the French Antillean town of Marigot on a Tuesday or Saturday morning, and you'll encounter an intense world of sights, smells, sounds and tastes. Shuffle your way past the typical melange of touristy junk stalls, and you'll discover the real reason this market is so unique. Hiding in the shelter of shady gazebos are the local gastronomic specialities.
Everything from freshly caught seafood to fruits and organic vegetables grown by the resident Rastafarians, can be found in this busy waterfront bazaar.
Colourful displays of pickles, jams and spices are stacked among ripe mangoes whose fresh scents mingle somehow harmoniously with those of fried plantains and creole barbecued chicken. Music from local artists looking to make it big and well known calypso favorites fuel the morning's bustle with a youthful, jovial energy.
Despite the island being only half French (the other Dutch) you'd be hard pressed to find a more authentic representation of the island's local culture. Nearly all of the friendly faces behind the stalls will be chatting noisily in Creole- a dialect of French, and many wear the traditional head wraps and dresses of their culture.
Tourists will have no trouble communicating however, as almost everyone speaks (and haggles) in english as well.
An inspirational playground for any culinary explorer, one can't help but get lost in this authentic and vibrant taste of the French Caribbean. Go ahead and name your price for a bag of chewy-tart tamarinds, or a sip of St. Maarten's own Guavaberry rum, and enjoy on the dock of the nearby sleepy marina. Whether you choose to sip a cocktail, sample some fresh exotic produce, or even just browse (although with so many tempting offerings you may find it a challenge), the Marigot Market is a carnival of tropical treasures too rich in culture to pass by on a trip to St. Maarten.
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