Exploring our local markets

No beach workout for us after a night of debauchery. So perfect opportunity to go and explore our local two markets, which we pass every day on the way to the beach, before they pack up after the morning trade is over. The set-up is typical: straight off the street a parking lot full of scooters, big open market area under a large tin roof and stall after stall of goods, mostly vegetables and the occasional chicken or pig carcasses (and this meat is obviously not fit for Western consumption regrettably, as they are not being kept refrigerated). All sorts of unfamiliar fruit and vegetables are being sold, the smell can go from sweet and delicious to fairly “unpleasant” in matters of seconds, but it is all part of the amazing experience of going to a local market. Surrounding the roofed market area are little shops, selling everything from kitchen utensils, to mats, to containers, etc. Throughout there are little food stalls selling cooked food of all flavours! The market as a whole is equivalent to a Western shopping centre  The second market was pretty much the same, with a slight different set-up, but in essence selling the same produce. Well, one young girl either took a shine for the two Western lads or was a great sales woman (or both) and offered us sampling of all her fruit. First instinct was not to taste unwashed food, but thinking that the great UK chef Rick Stein travels throughout Asia and just chomps away at all sorts of fruit and food being offered to him, we gave in to temptation and tasted her delicious mango, snake fruit, guava and many more. Well, we just had to buy some, especially the snake fruit! Having gained confidence, we progressed further into the market, needing vegetables for our dinner (stir-fried veggies with German sausages… obviously the sausages purchased at an “approved” outlet). We ended at a little stall selling snake beans of 50-60cm length, from a lady speaking no English but waving across her friend to act as interpreter and we added to our purchase a couple of chillis, some local bok-choy, fresh corn, 1kg of tomatoes and some peanuts! After having spent the amazing amount of A$5 for 1 fresh mango, 500g of snake fruit and 4 limes, the veggies cost us an additional A$4. Was this slightly increased pricing for us Westerns? We will never know, but we slept very well knowing we spent money at a local market, we ate delicious fresh food and 12hrs later, no adverse food reaction has occurred, on the contrary, we are keen for more!!!