Markets – Gredig

There are basically two types of markets: the local outdoor markets (cho) and the supermarkets (sieu thi). The sellers at the outdoor markets are the local people who are there rain or shine early in the morning. Depending on their products they can stay for the morning or stay all day. The ladies selling vegetables are there from before sunrise and go home at dusk. They sell fruit, veggies, seafood, meat, noodles (bun, banh cuon), and all sorts of things. There’s always a risk buying or eating there.
One time Anton accidentally knocked over a small basket of tiny corn. For a moment I thought they would make me buy it or get mad, but they just picked it up from the dirty street, dusted it, and replaced it in the basket. It was a great reminder to wash, wash, and wash again.
I’ve bought seafood and it was fresh. I’ve seen a fish kicked itself out of their bowls a few times. I haven’t had the courage to buy meat there however. The thought of meat sitting on the counter in the room-hot tropical temperature handled by multiple people just scares me. Of course, it doesn’t escape me that the meat we eat from the local stalls and restaurants are from these markets. Still, I can’t bring myself to buy any meat there. I actually buy less meat here even though Lukas and I enjoy eating meat. Luckily there is tofu at the markets too. There’s a stall that makes fresh tofu and the other venders also sell them. They sit by the side of the road, and during days that are especially dirty like dusty or rainy days, I head towards the bread store:)

The supermarkets are what we are familiar with as stores with refrigerators and freezers. Food there is more guaranteed to be safer but not always. The prices are a little higher but it evens out if you take into account that the local sellers somehow cheat you. There are fewer supermarkets so it’s not convenient to go to like the local markets.

Mornings are always bustling at the local markets: