At sunset, a small army of volunteers is dedicated to lighting the large hundreds of candles that, in the streets of the old town of Lagoa, around the Convento de S. José and its arch, set the tone for the Mercado de Culturas, this time dedicated to Jewish culture .
In the streets, the sounds of Jewish and Sephardic tradition music intersect, with the smells of kebab…or bread and sausage. The tents sell Portuguese crafts, but above all Moroccan, as is becoming a habit at this type of event. But there are also traditional sweets, liqueurs, craft beer, aromatic herbs and teas, stone sculpture to be performed live, among many other attractions.
Inside the Convento de S. José, in addition to painting and photography exhibitions, there is a kosher grocery store, where you can buy wine, olive oil, jams, sweets, produced in Portugal but according to Jewish precepts. A way to get in-depth contact with this year's theme at the Mercado de Culturas à Luz das Velas, which is Jewish culture.
There are also monuments to visit – the Convent and Chapel of S. José, as well as the Igreja da Misericórdia, in the square, which presents the result of the restoration work to which it was subjected.
In the streets, there are three stages, where music and dance take place throughout the night.
Yesterday, Saturday, the night was full of floods, in such a way that the organization of the fair extended the time for another hour, until 1:00 am. But today, the fair should return to its normal time, between 17:00 and midnight.
When the sun goes down, and the candles start to glow in the dark, it's the ideal time to visit this Culture Market. For many people, even from Lagoa, it is the opportunity to discover the streets and monuments of the city that were still unknown.
Photos of: Elisabete Rodrigues/Sul Informação
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