This is what US$1 buys at my local market…

  • 5 tomatoes
  • 2 limes
  • 1 onion
  • 1 green capsicum
  • 1 large carrot
  • a handful of green beans
  • 1 bunch of coriander
  • 1 bunch of shallots
  • some birdseye chillis (thrown in for free!)
Cho Tan Dinh, D1, Saigon (near the big pink church on Hai Ba Trung)
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10 Responses

  1. megan February 15, 2009 / 4:54 am

    So jealous…! Looks great. Making anything in particular?

  2. previously.bitten February 15, 2009 / 2:42 pm

    Wow – I remember Japan, where one dollar would buy one carrot.

    What a difference five hundred kilometers, and differing economic systems can make.

    And were they delicious?

  3. Fly Girl February 15, 2009 / 8:17 pm

    Basically, you’ve purchased a small garden! If only I could get that muchfor the price at my local farmer’s market!

  4. A Girl in Asia February 16, 2009 / 1:34 am

    Megan – yes, I made a salad/fresh salsa with most of the ingredients (minus the carrots and green beans) with kidney beans, white beans and garlic, olive oil, balsamic added – was good!

    Previously Bitten – yes, they were delicious! I’m starting to go to the market more and more for daily produce…so fresh!

    Fly Girl – yeah, if only veges were as cheap elsewhere in the world πŸ™‚

  5. Shanti Wallah February 16, 2009 / 5:21 am

    That’s a lovely market because it’s next to the yummy BΓ‘nh xΓ¨o area where stall after stall serve fresh, delicious BΓ‘nh xΓ¨o.

  6. the nibbling marmot February 17, 2009 / 2:21 am

    One of my favorite things about Asian life- adding up purchases and answering, “how much would this have cost in America?”

  7. jen laceda February 18, 2009 / 5:59 pm

    Yes, yes. I remember in 2004, 10 US cents could get you 1 hour internet connection; 50 US cents for a nice bottle of water; $1 USD for a heaping plate of fried rice at our hostel/hotel. Our $100 USD = 1.5 Million dongs, though we did lose 40,000 dongs paying imaginary tolls during a sketchy taxi ride from Hanoi Noi Bai airport to Hoan Kiem Lake.

  8. Gastronomer February 19, 2009 / 9:41 pm

    I am seething, and I mean seething, with jealousy!! Friendly jealousy, of course πŸ˜‰ Live it up!

  9. Gennaro February 27, 2009 / 8:59 pm

    Wow. That’s impressive shopping. Saigon was one of my favorite cities in SE Asia. It’s really up and coming. There is such an energy there. And the local cuisine is fabulous.

  10. Baron's Life April 12, 2009 / 8:55 pm

    a $ won’t get you very far in North America.
    That was a great purchase you made…now only if you can cook and give us some recipes to try…lol

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