The Market of Thieves in Naples

The Piazza Garibaldi Train Station in downtown Naples is a good example of organized chaos and I found myself squarely in them idle of it. That so many people come and go, jockey for parking, flag down taxis or even manage to just walk around is strictly an Italian thing. No, make that a “Napolitano’ thing. Because I’m more convinced than ever that there is a difference between the two. Naples is an entity all its own, and Piazza Garibaldi is like no other place in Italy that I know of.

I wasn’t here to catch a train however. Piazza Garibaldi is well known for a lot of different reasons. But one of the best is that it has a market on the far side of the piazza. Right behind a towering statue of old Garibaldi himself. The “Garibaldi Market’ is the most common nickname for this maze of vendors and their wares, but I prefer another label that is perhaps known only to the locals: “Mercato di Ladri” or the “Thieves Market”.

While it’s true that many of the vendors sell typical market items like shoes and sweaters and socks and the like, a lot of other vendors sell merchandise that you may want to think twice about: designer purses that look like the real thing but cost a heck of a lot less, leather jackets, watches and more. I’m drawn to the tennis shoes that sure look like they sports a Nike emblem but actually doesn’t. A closer examination shows the word “Mike” not “Nike”. And of course there are plenty of computer programs, music and DVDs for sale. I’m going to feel guilty about this, but Christmas IS right around the corner, and I do have some shopping to do.