A Market to Love

We’ve been here four months and just now, just now, found a market for field-fresh fruit and vegetables that is not located in the rather ominous, Avenida Central.  It’s an outdoor but covered tienda in the heart of the restaurant-rich San Francisco area.

One the day we made the dry run to Albrook to confirm how to travel to Valle Anton. Instead of taking the bus back home, we returned to Parque Omar once again—our third visit.  We had made our second trip there a few days before but some of my photos were blurred because of condensation on my camera lens.  Plus apparently, my apartment keys with electronic fob fell out of my bag on that trip.  We returned so that I might re-take some photos and also see if anyone had found my keys and turned them into the office.

The parque was just as amazing and beautiful as it was on our very first visit but not nearly as green.  The summer, dry-season is taking its toll already.   And of course, my keys were not there.  Finding them will be nearly impossible.

Looking for a nice place for a late lunch we walked a slightly different route home and merely stumbled upon Market San Francisco. Whoa!!!!!  I could not believe my eyes.   I was in awe of the long rows of bins filled with colorful fresh produce, herbs, and eggs.  I touched eggplants, examined cabbages, and sniffed fragrant melons.  Pineapples just driven in from the farm were being unloaded, two by two direct from the truck to the bin; $.75 each.  For $9 we loaded our backpacks and a bag with as much as we could carry:  two garden-ripe tomatoes, onions, scallions, an avocado, a papaya, a few potatoes, green beans, a bag of guandu (pigeon peas), a cantaloupe, and a pineapple.  We returned a day or so later, watched a boy playing with a frisky little kitten, and bought sandia (watermelon), a cabbage, and fresh corn.

I will admit, it’s a hike to the San Francisco market but it’s worth the effort plus it’s a good way to get the day’s hearty walk done. 

Here’s a story of good fortune.  After tearing the apartment apart looking for them, we reported my misplaced, more accurately said, lost keys to apartment management.  I guessed a new key and fob would cost $50 to $100.  That morning we noticed men working on the two heavy glass doors to our building.   The operations manager replaced my key almost immediately but said I’d have to wait a few days for a new fob.  But it will be at no cost.  No Cost??   As luck would have it, new electronic locks were being installed on the heavy glass apartment building doors.  Everyone gets new fobs!!!!