Market Products in Riobamba and Alausi

So what do you want to buy or eat? The market products from Riobamba and Alausi and posted today. The picture above give an idea of the fruit and vegetables available

The picture above is worth a click to enlarge it to full screen. This husband and wife bought a sheep and a little pig. The wife found it easier to carry the pig than to lead it by the rope. The pig looks comfortable enough.

Although Ecuadorian food is somewhat bland, there are spices available. However, compared to our experience in the Middle East, the spice stalls are very small.

Grinding various grains into flour is done in the market. I think we are looking at a millet grain.

MJ and Debra are looking at big cakes of brown sugar. At first we thought it was home made soap.

There are mostly live chickens in the fowl section. There was a small pen of ducks as is shown above.

Both husband and wife come home from the market with a sheep. We happened to take the picture as the lead sheep was making a lot of noise.

Although it is too cold and the elevation is too high to raise bananas, they were plentiful in the market. A stalk of ripe bananas were selling for a dollar.

Some creative items were for sale as well. The animal "feed pans" below were made of old tires. Click on the picture to see the detailed work.

Don't know the price of eggs, but they were plentiful. The three of us had a breakfast of two eggs, coffee, juice, bread and cheese for a total cost for all of us of $5.

The most disgusting thing in the market to us, was the small animals that looked like huge rats being roasted over a grill. The head, including the teeth, and most other body parts were clearly visable. Many locals say this is the best meat around. No chance we can get this meat past our minds, let alone our mouth!!!

An then there is the traditional roast pig. The "good" interior meat goes for other dishes. What is left here is the outer layer of fat which a kind of "crackling". Hard roasted pig fat is considered a good "finger food". we enjoyed watching people walk up and take a bit when the vendor wasn't looking.