 |
|
|
So one Saturday afternoon I struck out to this Persa after getting directions from a close friend. For starters, I can tell you it's basically a two block long flea market filled with the most incredible of things. The streets are closed and filled with tons of people walking about looking for deals. There are large warehouse like buildings that house indoor shops. If you're a treasure hunter then the Persa is your dream, you can find just about anything imaginable if you look hard enough. You can buy pets, socks, dvd's, art, furniture, shoes, clothes, makeup, watches, luggage, perfume, bikes, computer stuff, military surplus, stereos, game systems, books, auto parts, music cd's and so much more. There's some etiquette or rules of the game you have to observe when at the Persa. First off, for the ladies who may be reading this article, I highly advise you to NOT carry a purse. I repeat DO NOT CARRY A PURSE. Many of the people who are at the Persa are not there to shop for goods; many are there to get YOUR goods. So be careful, purse snatchers abound. It's best to simply put some cash in your front pocket. If you are a man and carry a wallet, and you just don’t feel manly without it then it's best to put your wallet in your front pocket, making it near impossible for a pickpocket to rob you. The best option is to just not carry a wallet but again it's your choice. Never pull out a wad of cash when you're paying for anything at the Persa. There are "spotters" around everywhere that are there to see who has what and who looks to be the best and easiest potential target for robbing. I can tell you now; you will see many things at the Persa that I like to call, "on the fringe". Things "on the fringe" are items that may be illegal in nature or questionable at best. The basic rule of thumb is..........don't ask, don't tell. When I said you can find or buy just about anything at the Persa I wasn't exaggerating at all. In fact it's a running joke all over Santiago that if your car stereo is stolen on Thursday, you can go to the Persa and buy it back on Saturday. Of course there are just as many legitimate items also there to be obtained. In fact the Persa is one of the best places in town to buy furniture. Handmade cabinets, bedroom furnishings and living room furniture sets, all of the highest quality at the most reasonable prices are available. There's one whole warehouse sized building that has nothing but furniture. Mattresses, desks, couches and more in various colors and styles waiting for your perusal can be found in the main furniture warehouse. You can furnish your entire house or apartment at the Persa and all for much better prices than you would find at regular department stores. Be sure of
what you want when shopping for things at the Persa, there is no return
policy, and just because you found a vendor selling one day does not mean
he will be in the same place or spot the next time. This is one of the
things that makes the Persa so much fun, it's like treasure hunting............you
have no idea what you will find or where.
Ok, so you’re sitting there no doubt thinking if they’re such great items to resell on eBay then how come the vendors themselves are not doing this already? Well the fact is, we all know to set up an eBay seller's account you have to have a credit card. Almost all who operate booths or shops at the Persa deal strictly in cash. Very few of the shop owners have a credit card to be able to setup a seller's account on eBay, and at this particular time there is no alternative for those outside of the U.S. without credit cards that would allow them to be able to set up an account. So many items that would be eBay worthy in Chile in fact never make it to eBay because of this reason, and most vendors just rely on the weekly sales of their wares to sustain them. Thus, for an eBay savvy person, the Persa can supply you with the necessary trinkets and items to put on eBay to keep a steady income stream into your pocket. Besides the great shopping, and excitement of the street, you can also get good eats. There are little restaurants sprinkled all throughout the Persa, especially in the indoor warehouses. There is even one indoor cafe where you can be serenaded by guitar whilst you enjoy your food. Imagine a semi romantic experience while in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the shopping frenzy. As a word of caution, do not buy anything from any street sellers. Now a street seller is someone who is basically walking down the street with some item for sale like say, a digital camera. He will tell you that he is trying to get up some money to buy food for his starving hungry children at home. He will make you a deal that will seem out of this world, but in reality, you are about to get scammed or robbed. Many of these street sellers prey strictly on tourists, so be careful at all times. Besides that, there is nothing you can find on the streets that you would not find in many of the other shops and booths anyways, so don't chance it. Keep your eyes moving at all times, and if you are a female it's best to go with someone rather than alone. Remember to not carry a purse and never flash any cash. If you follow these simple street survival rules you should be ok. If you choose
to drive, then lock all belongings into the trunk of your car and park
in a paid for lot, which is more advisable than parking on the street.
Don't worry about how to get there, ask anyone and they will be able to tell you, or you can just jump into any city cab and tell the cabbie you want to go to the Persa. They all know the way, and it's a short ride since most Chilean cabbies drive like they are qualifying for the Pole Position for a formula race. If you see me some place down there on any Saturday, say hello and buy me lunch.........after all you would not know about this gem of a spot if I did not tell you! Hahhaaaa The following is a list of articles that Jon has written for the magazine:
To contact
Jon Click Here
|
Chile's
Simple Pleasures - 