#MarketFriday πͺ Gao Ming Trading Company π² Paramaribo, Suriname
It's #MarketFriday again, so @Sreypov and I set off to find a Chinese market with hard-to-find in Suriname items. πΆββοΈποΈ
π Gao Ming Trading Company π’
#MarketFriday hosted by @dswigle
Market Friday Community
CARBON, CARBON
Β Β Β A recent post by @blueeyes8960 had me thinking all about carbon, something that life in the western hemisphere and extreme latitudes seems to produce very much of.
Β Β Β In Cambodia, we took a lot of things for granted, especially all the locally produced fruits, vegetables, and food products.
Β Β Β Considering our life in Suriname is very wasteful compared to our life in Cambodia, we have given up a lot of foods we once used to eat daily, knowing these foods are now imported from the other side of the world and/or not grown in Suriname.
SIN FOR A DAY
Β Β Β Every few months we miss our comfort foods, so we go out looking for imports, usually Indian goods, but today was a Cambodian mission.
Gao Ming Trading Company
Β Β Β We walked way too far to get to Gao Ming Trading Company, but hopefully we won't need anything from here for another month or two.
Β Β Β When I noticed it wasn't a brand name supermarket, I became hopeful we might be able to afford a few items inside. We masked up to get ready for an execution-style temperature check and a mandatory spray of alcohol on the hands to be granted entry.
Check Those Prices
Β Β Β Upon entry my eyes immediately began scanning prices, and although 99% of things were wildly priced, these post-economic downturn prices didn't trigger feelings of rage and violence like the prices at other brand name supermarkets.
Mysterious Products
Β Β Β The place was impressive even though it looked a bit like a standard oversized Chinese corner shop from the exterior.
Β Β Β There were many rare and hard-to-find products here, unfortunately few of them had Latin letters of any kind, making ingredient lists a mystery without the use of a smartphone translation app.
We Can Dream
Β Β Β There were many more things we wanted to buy than we were capable of buying, all this due to extreme inflation and our limited pandemic income. If you're actually reading this post, tell me what fruit is shown in the above picture and I'll give you a 1 HIVE tip.
Cashews, We Haven't Forgotten You
Β Β Β Cashews are something @Sreypov and I both used to use in our many of recipes, but they're now an old forgotten friend in Suriname. Here a 1kg bag was being sold for 380 SRD, nearly $32, which is 5 times more than we pay for them in Cambodia.
Don't Tell The @KidSisters
Β Β Β There were even blueberries and strawberries here, nearly $7 for the big tub of strawberries. If Srey-Yuu (@KidSisters) was with us, we would've had to have purchased them. It's her favorite fruit, she even mentioned it in her television interview, so we will have to come back with more money.
More Next-Time Items
 |  |
|---|---|
 |  |
Β Β Β Well, we certainly were happy to see many items we used to eat in Cambodia available at Gao Ming. We were salivating for some stinky tofu and dried banana blossoms, but we will back for the rest of thes items in the future.
A Few Scores
 |  |
|---|---|
 |  |
Β Β Β @Sreypov had already been here once before because our neighbor took her by car a few weeks ago, but she felt rushed and didn't have enough time to look at all the products. She told me she thought she saw fennel seeds, and she was correct, even at a reasonable price.
Β Β Β We also scored some sesame seeds, oolong tea, and dried chilies, so we will be sharing some recipes very soon that we've been longing to make for months.
π THANKS FOR READING π
 |  |  |  |  |
|---|
  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|---|
Congratulations, your post has been added to Pinmapple! ππ₯³π
Did you know every user has their own profile map?
And so does every post as well!
Want to have your post on the map too?
#POSH Facebook Link
Stinky Tofu...? Sounds yummy... π LOL! There is so much food here that I wouldn't have any clue how to prepare or eat: dried bean curd skin, lotus seeds, banana blossoms, stinky tofu...!
Regarding the mystery fruit β it's hard to tell how large it is from the photo, but it looks a bit like a breadfruit, or more likely: a durian. I've never seen one in real life, but a Malaysian in one Discord server is always talking about durian and I'd love to try it sometime! (oh, and if I win the 1 HIVE, just keep it because your family needs it more than I do right now!)
I remember hearing SreyYuu mention strawberries in the TV interview! So, you say the strawberries were priced at $7, is that USD? If so, that's about 30 HIVE. I'd like to send that to you so you can get a container next time for your family to enjoy! π
Hi @thekittygirl you are smart! I am with my girls like this fruit so much but Justin donβt like it, he said its smells so bad but Iβm smell like delicious. In my country have them so much but here this is first time to sawed them. I think they maybe from China.
I think they must come from far away, I have never heard of durian in the Caribbean.
!ENGAGE 25
ENGAGEtokens.Nailed it, durian indeed.
I myself love the smell of durian, but not the taste, which is the opposite of most people.
You won the tip fair and square. I wouldn't put up anything I can't afford to give. I have just been thinking about putting Easter eggs in my posts to see who's really reading.
Srey-Yuu's account is now worth around $200, so she could buy the store out of strawberries if she wanted to, but of course we're doing everything in our power not to withdraw any HIVE, and so far so good.
Well, if you insist on a strawberry tip, I have an idea. Perhaps we could document the experience and Srey-Yuu could make a post about it, set you as the beneficiary.
Either way, if you want to send anything, please send to @KidSisters, then I'll have her transfer it to my account so she can learn how to transfer HIVE. I'll give her SRD in cash and then walk to the store together for a #WednesdayWalk, @thekittygirl strawberry edition.
!ENGAGE 100
That sounds like a fabulous idea! She learns how to transfer HIVE, she gets her strawberries, and you get a WednesdayWalk post out of it! π
By the way, you probably already know this, but hey... Sometimes it is risky sending HIVE to other accounts here because of the variance in account names. For instance, you are @justinparke, NOT @justin-parke or @justin.parke but many have dashes or dots in their names. PEAKD has a great feature to help prevent problems in sending to the wrong account! If you go to someone's blog page, there is a drop-down menu under "Actions" that includes an option to "Send HIVE/HBD" so you always know you're on the correct account before sending funds! I almost always do that to be sure I have the right spelling of an account name, and it might be worth teaching SreyYuu that method, too.
I will send the HIVE to her now! π
Wow!! Thanks @thekittygirl.
Also thanks for the tip with the username profile advice. Better to be safe than sorry.
I think this will be a lesson for Srey-Yuu because she's never lost any HIVE yet. Maybe the transfer of the HIVE to my account and me handing over the SRD will crystalize the value in her mind.
Either way, I am determined to make this experience as educational as possible. I will definitely have her send the HIVE to me by herself. She had previously tried to buy buy HIVE with HBD on the market, but that quickly ended in frustration.
This will be an easier task for her, plus there's strawberries involved. I see a @thekittygirl strawberry-themed Wednesday Walk brewing.
!ENGAGE 60
ENGAGEtokens.ENGAGEtokens.Wow, what a lovely big marketfriday Photography πΈ. You caught me right there. Thanks for sharing
Thanks @shubbysplendor. It was a bit far to walk comfortably, but we'll be back for the decent prices on rare items.
!ENGAGE 10
Oh that's lovely. Will be waiting patiently π
ENGAGEtokens.ααααααΌααααααα»αα αΌαα α·αααααΆαααΆαα
αααα»αα αΌαα α·ααααααααα·αααΌαααα
!ENGAGE 10
ENGAGEtokens.A very nice market! I see cashew nuts... those are my favorite! I can eat the entire bag in one sitting, LOL! It seems that you have everything you and @Sreypov will need for cooking a wonderful meal! What is your favorite dish?
Have a good evening, my friend @justivparke and take care.
Thanks for stopping by @silversaver888.
The trip was mostly for @sreypov's ingredients, and she found most of what she wanted, and I was also able to get a few things I can use my South Asian style cookign.
Favorite dish? That is a tough one. If it is from @Sreypov, I guess that is probably Larb Tofu, but we haven't found all the ingredients yet for it here. Asian mint is non-existent here in Suriname, and they instead have mint that is better for tea.
My favorite dish that I make is probably a wax pepper curry, of which I haven't shared on Hive yet, but will soon come. I managed to find some suitable peppers at the Chinese store.
!ENGAGE 25
Pepper Curry! Sound yummy! Do share your recipe! And let me know when you do, and that is if you remember. I'd love to try cooking that here if I can find the ingredients.
Have a good evening, my friend @justinparke, and take care π₯°πΊπ€
ENGAGEtokens.I am shopping this store almost as much as you are! :) I love it! I see @thekittygirl has already given you the durian name, it is actually quite easy if you are used to Asian fruits. I love them! We get them, but, only when they are in season.
The cashews are more expensive there than here, ditto with the strawberries. Is it that the store has Chinese products, which are imported that makes it expensive? If that is the case, you would find that almost anywhere, except, of course, Cambodia. I am sure that American goods are probably more expensive than local foods in Cambodia if you are able to find them.
As unpleasant as it is, I find the same thing here.
Stinky Tofu?? I cannot tell you how appetizing that sounds to me! :)) I like tofu, so I am sure I would like it, but, the name brings differing visions to my head. I hope that your financial situation changes and also that you will eventually make it back to Cambodia. Will you be able to get back in there if you are married? I remember the story, but, I am unclear if you can go back there without a problem.
I want to thank you for taking me shopping. I really do like that store! It is hhhhhuuuuugeeee!!!! Thank you! I want to thank you for being a part of #MarketFriday! Each week, I post for the challenge to provide a different look of American culture, some of it over the top and some, everyday things. Sometimes, I just show places that I have gone to, all having an entry fee to qualify it for the #MarketFriday tag! It is a challenge to find new things during the pandemic, but, we still have to live, so we have been able to pull it off. It shows off how much we are alike and how different life can be. In the end, it makes it an experience that I look forward to. I appreciate the love and support you give to #MarketFriday! It Is heartwarming to see how many posts into the challenge, including you. Thank you! Truly! Your participation adds a unique flavor to the mix. I just love clicking on the link and having a new world open up, right before my very eyes! Thank you again for being a part of all this! It was lovely! I hope you have a wonderful week!
Fridays are all about the #MarketFriday Challenge! Looking to take part in it? Here is how:
How to Participate:
Go to the market! Any market will do! Food, clothing, plant, or animal, if you wish. You can go to the zoo, an art auction, and restaurants. Anywhere or anything that you pay money for any kind of service.
Take pictures! Be creative! Itβs fun!
Tell us a little bit about the market, what brought you here?
Post the picture.(s)
Donβt forget to use the MarketFriday Community #196308 to post from or hashtag it! #MarketFriday by @dswigle If you hashtag it, drop the link to your post here so I can easily find them.
As always, please remember! #MarketFriday loves you!
Upped and reposted
!tip .20
Yeah, the prices are just really weird and don't make sense. We pass 10 cashew trees on the way to the store where they sell imported Chinese cashews, but yet Suriname has no cashew industry.
I think Suriname's biggest problem is that everybody wants to leave and go to Aruba, Amsterdam, Curacao or Miami. The prospect of staying here to farm just isn't interesting.
I think the strawberries are an American import here, and in Cambodian they came from the mountains of Thailand. Our biggest problem is our local spending power is 1/6th of what it was in Cambodia, and it's so hard adjusting to such a huge loss in the standard of living while being surrounded by 6 times more wealth than in Cambodia.
Right now Cambodia isn't issuing any visas on arrival, and I now need a corporate sponsor to get me in, which is no longer an option. We though we could make it to Nepal, but they decided to not let in tourists when they opened their borders yesterday.
The main thing is to get to a cheaper cost of living country with more opportunities in the local community. Suriname is a bit like the USA, and my lack of formal education prevents me from doing a lot of things I could do in Cambodia.
Thanks for your kind words @dswigle. I am glad to be a part of #MarketFriday.
!ENGAGE 200
ENGAGEtokens.π Hi @justinparke! You have received 0.2 HIVE tip from @dswigle!
Check out @dswigle blog here and follow if you like the content :)
Sending tips with @tipU - how to guide.