The Mercado San Juan is both a totally ordinary and yet somewhat different market in Mexico City. I personally associate exactly two memories with this market.

Firstly, the Mercado San Juan is the market right next to the Selina Hostel – like not right next to it but very close by – where I used to eat this incredibly delicious muesli with fruits. I got the tip from someone in the hostel. Like someone from the hostel ate this muesli, I went there and asked about it.
Fortunately, I found the stall based on his description and…. Yummy!!! Really really delicious! And, as always, super cheap 😀 I wasn’t there every morning, but I’ve been there a few times 😀 😉

Now that I’ve sat in this market several times and spooned my muesli, I thought at some point that I had to check out the rest of the market. I realised on Maps how big this market is and that I basically always used something like a side entrance. Like it doesn’t really matter where you enter a market, but the official entrance was a different one. So I went to the main entrance and well… memory number two

Apart from the muesli, I remember the Mercado San Juan because of the insects and also because of well…. the butcher scenes that I observed. For a start, roasted scorpions and all sorts of other things are being sold here – even dipped in chocolate. Of course, there is also a good selection of sauces and drinks. It reminded me a bit of what I’d heard about Asia. I didn’t actually notice the spider in the background of one of the photos until later – I have a phobia of spiders – which was also the reason why I stayed so calm and was able to take my photos. And yes, I know it was in a container. Unfortunately, that doesn’t change my phobia though… (affenface)

When I went a little further into the market, I also saw TRIGGERWARNING skinned animals and how they were put into various parts and, to be honest, also how the skin was removed from a dead animal. That was…. It’s pretty shocking but also to a certain extent fascinating at the same time. Like an accident you don’t wanna watch, but can’t look away. Like I mean I’m a very curious person and stuff and it wasn’t directly that bad in a way, but you just don’t expect it. And I could very well understand if there are people who would want to be warned. Because it’s not for everyone to walk in on a scene like that unprepared. Because after a brief period of shock fascination, it was enough for me too. And yes, I have put pictures of it on the website – you can’t see like really much though, but just to warn you.

Go or not? For the insects, yes – although you can probably get that much more often and extreme in Asia – for the animals, no. Like it’s interesting somewhere, but it’s also really strange and weird and everyone should decide for themselves. I found it interesting for a short time and, to be honest, I basically wandered into it unknowingly. So it was okay, but then, as I said, it was enough.  
And while we’re on the subject: In Mexico or Central America, meat or fish is often just lying around. Even whole animals. So it’s quite possible that you’ll come across things that shock you at any market.