Hey there my Steemit friends. This is one of my favorite series to write about. This part of my life comes very natural to me, quite frankly I get excited when I find a great deal and after more than 11 years of travel I know a deal when I see one! However it seems to always be related to food! Other than hotels and transportation that is pretty much all I spend my money on.
Blackberries
These aren't only blackberries that I get for a dollar a pound here in Ecuador. They are a primary reason and example why I simply will not live long term in my home country of the United States. Blackberries are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. They are full of powerful antioxidants, vitamin C and much more. They keep your immune system strong and healthy. I for one believe they should be affordable for everyone!
Guess what they are affordable for everyone, from Mexico to Argentina; but once you cross into the United states they go from about a dollar a pound to up to ten dollars a pound or more depending on the exact location. I'm from Up-state New York. When I visited there last summer I almost fell back on my heels when I saw that little 8 ounce container for $4.99 plus tax!
My father who I was with at the time thought nothing of it as he was used to these prices; but I thought it was worse than highway robbery. I thought it was disgusting. With the obesity and health crisis in my home country I thought it was really shameful. I don't only say this because they were so expensive. I say this because they were so expensive compared to all the food that is terrible for you!
No wonder everyone eats so poorly in the United States. For the same price of a pound of blackberries you can buy four boxes of sugary cereal, ten bags of potato chips, five pounds of gummy bears, thirty donuts on sale, or go to McDonald's and get ten hamburgers off the dollar menu!
It hit me like a ton a of bricks. I said to myself just on principle I can't live in my own country. This is a broken system and it's insulting. Besides that I'd be so compelled to eat terribly as healthy food is so expensive by comparison.
Here in Ecuador buying a pound of black berries is one third the price of a box of cereal, less expensive than a McDonald's cheeseburger, even less expensive than a can of soda out of vending machine! In Ecuador, your body and your wallet is rewarded for eating well! Where in America it's like a financial punishment.
To me this is how things should be and are exactly what every human on the planet deserves to have fair access to. I know this post is about Travel Pro Deals; but this one really is a craw in my side. These blackberries have great significance to me and are why I simply can't live in my own country.
Frankly I find it upsetting and it makes me sad. So yes, blackberries and them being the main representation of why I refuse to even live in my own country is the Travel Pro revelation I wanted to share.
One note, I know people are going to say that they don't grow in the winter in NY and they are an import product. Well this was in the summer I saw these prices, and we are are talking about health and nutrition not just food.
You can laugh but with the obesity, diabetes, cancer, and overall health epidemic; worst case scenario the government should subsidize foods like this so we can have a healthier population. Then again a healthier population would fly in the face of the pharmaceutical companies, so I guess never mind. It's just a very sad state of affair in my home country and I find it very disturbing.
Bananas
Here in Ecuador not only do you have access to these smaller sweeter kind of bananas, you have the one common banana you find in the states, you also have the fat burro banana, red bananas, plantains, even maduro bananas that are to be cooked and get sweet and jammy and are often eaten with fresh cheese!
Since Ecuador is a producer of bananas they are very cheap. This bunch in the first photo only cost me about 25 cents at the local open air market in Guayaquil Ecuador. One typical banana back where I'm from in the states is about 25 cents, here it's five cents so being only five times as expensive isn't as bad compared to ten times as expensive with my beloved blackberries.
Blackberries are much more nutrient dense than bananas. I suppose the healthier the food the more expansive it is back home in the US. It's a real tragedy from my stand point; but I suppose I already ranted enough about that. Sorry, Next....
Cauliflower
Cauliflower, this is something that most people won't buy when traveling. But if you are a crazy cooking "Travel Pro" hotel chef like I am then buying one of these heads of broccoli for 30 cents is down right exciting! At the open air market is where I got this guy.
I chopped it up and threw'em into my vegetable Thai red curry chicken soup. It was a real healthy addition. Between this cauliflower, the cabbage, carrots, and red onions. I had so much soup for about one dollar I lived on that for three days! Now that's a Travel Pro Deal! 33 cents a day for food! We'll the chicken and water cost another dollar fifty so I suppose it was more like 83 cents a day for food!
Talk about affordable nutritious eating. After years of living in countries similar to Ecuador this is what I'm used to when it comes to food prices. I've lived on as little as 300 dollars a month in this country! I suppose that's another revelation!
That was including my $180 per month one bedroom furnished apartment, utilities, internet, food, water, and entertainment! So I hope I'm not judged too much for my "Travel Pro" mind set and revelation regarding the blackberries. I think I ate $120 of them last month in US prices. So anyway, thank you so much for taking the time to learn about these three "Travel Pro Deals" in Ecuador. Until next time -Dan "World Travel Pro!"
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With over 11 years of travel experience I answer travel and international lifestyle questions. Leave a question in the comments and I may make a Steemit post just for you!
