Caruaru

Caruaru's Bazar every Tuesday is truly one of Brazil's best known attractions - for Brazilians. It is even celebrated in many popular folk songs. Less than two hours from Recife, Pernambuco, the full market starts on Tuesdays at 4 AM in the morning and ends that evening. That's right, only on Tuesdays will you see the full spectacular version. It is huge and complete, although there is another huge market nearby called the Sulanca that sells an incredable variety of discount clothing to shoppers from throughout Brazil.

The market or if you will the Bazar, grow out of a rural regional maket that was part of the attraction of Caruaru as the center of agricultural production of the Agreste region of the northeast of Brazil. Being there even today is hard to describe due to the size and the bustling crowds. Just watch your valuables in the tight knit quarters. Take a good look at the hand made leather items as well as the clay pottery and the figures.

Today, Caruaru continues to be the second largest commercial center in Pernambuco. One of its districts, Alto do Moura is considered by the UNESCO the largest center of figurative art in all the Americas. Much of this arts and crafts can be found in the Bazar fair grounds not just on Tuesdays at the Bazar's site at the 18th of May Park in the Petropolis District. But, for the finer pieces you'll have to go up to the Alto de Moura, have some roast goat and check out the unique and world famous clay figures, especially the detailed miniatures. Incredible.

This is a good day trip for visitors to Recife, or for those that go to the famous Easter Passion at Nova Jerusalem nearby where this is a very natural stop.