Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Guinea Pig anyone?







Well we have been to the Feria Libre (free market) and what an experience. It is definately the place to buy your fruit and vegetable from and if you are in the mood a guinea pig or two. There are rows and rows of stalls - all selling virtually the same produce so it´s just a matter of who you like best if you buy off them. We were told it is an unsafe place but didn´t feel any threat so I guess it´s just a case of keeping vigilant.



We came home having spent $6 with about 2 kg potatoes some greens and a big bag of different fruit, including the biggest pawpow I had ever seen. (No I didn´t get tempted with the guinea pigs)



Talking of prices of food - we went back into town for our class and decided to brave on of the Ecuadorian Resturants (one of the cleaner ones I might add) where you sit down and they bring you what is on the menu that day. We had soup (which was yummy) - a plat of rice, fried pork with salsa and some salad and then a small plate of dessert for $2.00 each. Why would I ever bother cooking here?(I know why - because while that is good value and all it´s not like the food we are used to)


Other interesting prices:Bottle of nice red wine (you can get yuk red wine)$6.00. Bottle of whiskey(a known brand not the many blended cheap varieties)$13.00. 1/2 kg of mince $1.15. Packet of pasta.50c 500gm Mozerella Cheese $3.00 Brie $1.80. Cup of coffee and cake $1.20 (by the way they love cake and pastries here and have shops all over the place - so much for the diet). $1.50 gets you a dvd to keep not hire - but be careful it is not a pirated movie like the one we watched last night - every so often people would walk in front of the screen at the movie theater - dodgy. We brought two large mats yesterday for $20 each. So shopping day is quite exciting you never know what you will come home with.


7 comments:

The Kinlocher's said...

Goodmorning. Great to see the pics of the market - I take it those Guinea Pig are for eating not pets! I would leave them alone too.
Have an memory making day. love from us...

planetblu said...

Hey, thanks so much for listing those prices, it makes for excellent reading and planning. The markets sound like fun and the place to shop for fresh produce. What about the supermarket type stores. What are they like?

Take care,
R&K

Elizabeth in Ecuador (de nuevo) said...

Hola Aussies
There are really nice clean supermarkets here - the prices are still cheap by comparison to what we are used to but dearer for the locals.
We had our haircut yesterday - mine cost $5.00 and Marks $2.00. They spend ages doing it too so that is something to enjoy.

catherine said...

Poor little guinea pigs and to think we keep them as pets. Do they sell them live and expect you to take hem homeand kill them.How do you cook them I guess like chicken. Just love reading yor blog keep on having fun

The Kinlocher's said...

cheap haircuts - does the cost include washing your hair too? That must be the first hair cut mark has paid for for sometime what?

Marisa said...

Ah, the joys of pirated DVDs. I remember we rented one in Samoa without realising it - so annoying watching someone walk in front of the screen!

Elizabeth in Ecuador (de nuevo) said...

Yes Ann the haircuts include washing. If I so desire I can colour my hair again for $20.00 but I get a lot of respect with my grey hair so think I will leave it alone.