October 12, 2022
This morning I walked to the Ruzafa market to pick up the produce on my list and maybe a little meat. (I wanted to have an abundance of food on hand for my friend who is arriving this afternoon.) It was 10:00, but it was quiet for a Wednesday. Some shops were closed, and others were open. Hm…
When I reached the market, I remembered that today was a national holiday. Not to worry—I have enough food on hand. I stopped at a little health food store/bakery and got some avocados. They didn’t have much gluten-free stuff, but there were some interesting items, and the woman working there was friendly. Finally, I checked to see if the Consum grocery store was open. Nope.
On my street, there is a small fruit and vegetable shop. I stopped there the evening I arrived, and the owner scared me off a bit. I had forgotten eggs at the grocery store and was going to grab a half dozen from him. They seemed expensive—2.20 euros. I only had a 20, and he didn’t have the correct change. I didn’t have anything smaller. He told me to take the eggs, and I could pay him later. His delivery was a bit abrupt, though, and I got nervous. I decided to go without the eggs until the next day.
So, the veggie man’s shop was the only other place where I could pick up some produce today. I walked in and grabbed a lemon and some bananas. Then he asked if I wanted any spinach. Oh, he’s hiding some vegetables in the back! I asked if he had broccoli. He opened a refrigerator, and there were two beautiful broccoli crowns. Forget the spinach.
Then he asked where I was from and how long I would be staying in Valencia. We talked about the differences between the US and Spain. He understood that it was more stressful to live in the US. In fact, he brought it up. I told him I had visited Spain several times and studied here twice. Then he grabbed his map from the top drawer and suggested places to see on the Mediterranean Coast. Very kind of him! He also complimented my Spanish and thought it was great that I was “living” and enjoying my travels. Who needs the big market? The veggie man just got a new customer.
Wandering Shannon 