On the street where I live

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Published by: mimi on 10th Nov 2009 | View all blogs by mimi

If you have ever wondered where all the 'Rag 'n' Bone' men went, well they packed up all their things and moved to Brazil.

Brazilians have street vending down to a fine art. Whether it's street fairs and markets or cars, carts and bikes driving down residential streets hocking their wares. Even on the beach it is possible to buy practically everything but the kitchen sink, but I will do a separate blog on that when I am there as it is quite a sight to behold and there are many characters to be captured on film.

Over the few months that I've been here I've slowly been compiling a list of my favourites, much to the surprise/shock/shame/horror/amusement of my husband and his family. Naturally they think I am totally mad whenever I hear the familiar cries of whichever street seller happens to be driving by but I have to rush out and click away with my camera.

My street and many streets in Brazil resemble a latin-american version of the wonderful scene from Oliver's Who will buy?, when all the vendors gather in the square selling milk, roses, strawberries etc.

Get your brooms...

Orange, juicy oranges...

And my absolute favourite - the saucepan car...

Yes, you did read right, I did say Saucepan car, which I have literally translated from the Portuguese - O Carro da Panela. This is a car that comes round about once a fortnight to mend saucepans. I don't expect you to understand but over here pots and pans are really expensive and so people tend to keep them forever - about 20-25 years. Over this time period they get battered up and dented and this is where the Saucepan Car comes in handy. This handyman will come round and bash your cookware back into shape and offer a six month guarantee.

For those who share my fascination I have also captured this wonderful advert on film. Don't judge him by the state of his car though!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOLqY5Dys80

Comments

8 Comments

by Weens 2 years ago

How fantastic. You need never go shopping again.
by Chanty 2 years ago

LOL - this is very very interesting... you must spend hours by the window...hee he Bring us some more sights...
by Spangles 2 years ago

The saucepan car sounds like a brilliant idea and I heartily approve. In fact, I wish he could nip over to England because last week I dropped the lid of my favourite saucepan and its handle fell off. The handle was welded on and there is no way to reweld it, so I now have to improvise with other lids and they simply aren't the same.

I also love the contrast between the orange of the, er, oranges, and the blue of the truck.
by Rebecca Holmes 2 years ago

But where are the horse and carts? The best bit about the rag and bone man coming round was going out to stroke the horse.
And I may be regressing, but all this talk about the Saucepan car reminds me of the Saucepan Man from Enid Blyton's Faraway Tree books.
by Noel 2 years ago

It's fascinating to see how the other hemisphere lives.

The 'broom broom' man is my favourite.

Your YouTube Video might benefit from a re-branding...."the saucey pan man" might attract a few inquisitive hits!
by Agent Wayward 2 years ago

How absolutely lovely.
One day, when I am living in my own version of heaven (might be Croatia, might be the Gilli Islands, not decided as yet) I shall mend pots for people. I truly believe it must be one of the finest things that a person can do in this world.
In a small village in Hungary, the various traders come along on different days by car or van, each has it's own musical horn, so one knows which one is coming. If you place a particular sign over your gatepost, they will stop outside your house.
How lovely.
by Miss Croft 2 years ago

Quite wonderful. When I was a kid, we had a man who came around to sharpen knives
(this was back in South America - Chile to be exact - er...don't ask me if I speak Spanish...I don't anymore lol) For some reason, this has all reminded me of Monty Python's "Bring out your dead" thing lol
by Bobby 2 years ago

"Balloons for rags!" "Any scrap iron?!" These were the popular cries of the men strolling down the streets of Liverpool in the sixties, but they were shouted in such a way that you couldn't understand a word, just this wailing banshee noise which drew out all the kids, amazed at the spectacle. Great memories, though. Great pictures, Mimi.