Eating Fresh

One thing we truly enjoy about living in Loja is the low cost of fresh fruits and vegetables. Many prepackaged and processed foods in the stores are about equivalent to US prices, but the fresh foods are a BARGAIN! Take, for example, this healthy heap of fresh fruits and vegetables we just purchased at the market this morning. In total, we spent $ 13.50, and we will eat fresh cooked meals and drink fresh juice everyday this week. Here are some specific examples of the bargains: 20 oranges- $1, 1 lb. of strawberries - $1, 3 lbs of tomatoes - $1, 2 pineapples- $1, 5 avocadoes- $1, 5 red peppers- 50 cents.

the day's bounty

So, most Sundays, after our leisurely coffee, we head out to the weekly market which fills the street for about 4 blocks. The vendors line up side by side in all directions and the real estate is so competitive that some vendors can be found the night before sleeping in the sidewalks in order to protect their coveted positions in the market. The vendors range from well worn, sun hardened seniors to aspiring, young children. Some vendors stand calling your attention to their produce “Veinty naranjas un dollar” while others sit quietly peeling beans and shucking corn.

A young man counting the days profits.

While we are accustomed to examining the produce ourselves, picking out the best looking avocadoes, they generally prefer to pick them out for you quickly and move on. As we can figure, this morning Sara spent too much time examining the avocadoes that the woman rattled off something in Spanish and took the avocadoes back from our basket. And, purchasing just one lime or one bulb of garlic, don’t even think about it. They look at you as if you are loco! But 15 limes for 50 cents - How come we haven’t made more margaritas!

Mixed up among all the vegetables and fruit, you can also pick up a wool hat, socks, a new remote for your T.V. or even some fresh new underwear. In fact, one day, we noticed one vendor wearing underwear on his head to create some shade from the hot sun. Unfortunately we left the camera at home that day.

A woman getting the corn ready to sell.

Sara making some careful selections.

We can imagine the shock we will experience when returning to the US and going grocery shopping. And, certainly, it will seem rather dull to be purchasing our fresh fruit and vegetables under the fluorescent lights of a giant grocery store. And perhaps we’ll look at those little stickers that say “Grown in Ecuador” with a bit of nostalgia and think, “Ah, if only we were there right now.”