I've been noticing the amount of merchandise that is sold 'on the move' here in Mexico City. Mobile vendors are one of the city's distinctive qualities. I've collecting photos for this post for a while, but this week saw someone who wins the prize for the most unusual merchandising. It was a close call with the shoelace vendor, but there are several of them around, but this this the first mobile ironing board salesman I've seen.
At night they are carefully wrapped up and tucked away, out of sight, but as daylight appears, so do Mexico City's push carts, thousands of them, crawling out from under tarps and behind unmarked doorways to enliven the streets of the city with their colorful offerings. Usually one-person operations, these mobile stores offer everything from food to house plants, shoe laces, books and cleaning supplies. The vendors often hawk their wares with pregones, prayer-like cries, almost like little songs, that add to the musical character of our city. They are also a great reminder of the Mexican gift for invention, creating something out of little.
