Paletera – Marchanta

La Paletera / La Marchanta

La Paletera and La Merchanta both push carts around with food items for sale that they think people might want to purchase. La Paletera pushes a cart usually filled with candies and cookies while the Merchanta could push a cart or hold a bucket or basket atop their heads filled with different edible items.

La Paletera / The Pallet Pusher

La Paletera Street Vendor usually has a cart, sometimes the cart is an old baby buggy or stroller, that has a box on top laden with treats. Many times this box even has drawers so they can carry more items in a small space. They sell all types of ready made, packaged dulces y golosinas/ candies and treats and snack foods. There are galletitas/ cookies or crackers, cigarrillos/ cigarettes, billetes de la lotería/ lottery tickets and much more. They are usually around where there are public events, busy street corners and Hospitals.

La Marchanta (e)/ The Merchant Woman

La Marchanta (or Merchanto for males) Street Vendor usually carries a huge basket on her head filled with fruits, vegetables, flowers and whatever else she can fit into the basket and mound atop her head. It is quite amazing the load she can carry on her head and still walk at a decent pace.

She usually comes abound around lunch time for the lady of the house to buy what she needs for lunch so she does not have to leave the house. They might carry some avocados or bananas and some carry a variety of sweets also. The male version, El Marchante, usually has a large box or a tricycle with a cart offering his variety of wares.

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