SHOPPING IN ECUADOR

Today Chuck, Jim and I went on a mission to buy flowers at the Feria Libre, the huge farmer's market here in Cuenca. This market is for locals (not advertised to gringos because of the incidence of pickpocketing). We love this market because you can buy anything here, straight from the grower. We went clear to the back side of the market to the two stalls where Chuck regularly buys flowers. He spotted a huge bunch of gladiolas and asked the lady how much they were. She held them up, then grabbed another bunch to put with them and said they were $4. Chuck hasn't learned yet how to keep a poker face so his jaw dropped. We were happy to pay this puny sum - and the vendor added in a white rose.


Then we went to the flower lady next door, so we could give her business as well. She had lovely
bunches of mixed flowers. We had a hard time deciding and made Jim choose. Here is his $1 choice:




Chuck discovered that the glads were quite heavy

Here's a typical look at the area in and around the market.




By the time we got to the flower market we had already detoured to the bread lady's house. She puts a sandwich sign on the sidewalk when she is open. You buzz to get in and there is a tiny store off the garden. There we purchased lovely home baked whole grain bread, limes (4 cents each or 16 for 50 cents) and a jar of guayaba jam (like guava). So, we already had stuff in our bags by the time we purchased the flowers. Then we headed back to the food Coop, since we were in the neighborhood. This is the same store that had the "beef jerky of pig." Today's big find was:

Literally, "hamburger of chicken."

Here's another delicacy in these parts, "humitas" which are like tamales but wrapped in banana leaves to steam, instead of corn husks.

I was bummed that the plantains were no longer on sale at 20 for $1. We did buy some anyway. Here's our receipt from that store:


The price you can see after the item is the per kilo price. Here's what we bought:

4 Granadilla (orange fruit) .44
1 mango .22
1 corn cake (like corn bread) .43
1 hand small bananas .31
3 plantains .50
4 tomatoes .51
1 bunch cilantro .18
bag of limes .39
8 peppers (anaheim type) .77
2 liters yogurt 3.98
bunch of avocadoes 1.24
bunch spring garlic 1.08
dried fruit 1.02

We barely made it home with our heavy bags. Here's the sum total of our morning's shopping - all for about $22:

And, Jim wearing his new hat, from yesterday's shopping expedition:


This was only one part of our day today. More to come, such as "Benihana - Ecuador style," "Organic Produce - Audrey's Trip to the Countryside," and "Jim Goes to the Dentist."

Hasta luego,
Audrey