Horto das Enxurreiras
Stalls: 129-144
Mr. Carlos Cerqueira, 72 years old, has been working in Bolhão for 65 years. His stall has existed for over a century and was started by his father, Aníbal Cerqueira, when the market was just an open-air market, in a square.
The story of Mr. Aníbal Cerqueira, born in Marco de Canaveses, begins when he — still at a very young age — leaves his home village and comes to work for some farmers in the city of Porto. Shortly afterwards, he starts working in a garden and learns to be a gardener, often times coming to work for various family houses in the city, fixing their gardens. On one such occasions, he meets the woman who would become the mother of Carlos; they fall in love and before they get married, she makes him promise her that they would have their own garden, close to their future home. The father of Mr. Carlos agreed; kept his promise, and the two of them bought a plot of land from a farmer to build their garden. From then onwards, Mr. Aníbal started coming to Bolhão to sell the plants that he would grow and take care of; and Carlos, only 5 years old, would always accompany him on his trips to the market.
Years later, the family business was taken over by his son, Mr. Carlos, who keeps selling plants. Many of the plants sold at his stall, still come from the garden created by his father, in which Mr. Carlos keeps working.
As for the name "Horto das Enxurreiras," it is also worth sharing a curious story: At the time they built their house and garden, their family was the only one in the street and, for that reason, "the gentlemen from the City Council" asked the mother of Mr. Carlos what name would she like to be given to the street. The lady suggested "Rua das Enxurradas", meaning the torrents street, because when it rained, a flood of water would run down the street, and it would thus honour its name. But the gentleman counter-proposed calling it "Rua das Enxurreiras," meaning the place where floods happen, perhaps because, according to Mr. Carlos, it would sound better to him. So, from "Rua das Enxurreiras," followed "Horto das Enxurreiras," a vegetable garden and a stall, which still exist today.
