Traditional Or Modern Supermarket?
Costa Rica has a mix of different markets. You can decide which you choose, the supermarket or the traditional market. Whether you live in Costa Rica or are just for a visit, at some point you are going to end up visiting a grocery store. It can be a bit intimidating to think about shopping at a supermarket that you are unfamiliar with and not speaking the language and dealing with a foreign currency, don't sweat it it easier than you think.
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Whatever your heart desires can be found here, and more; everything is negotiable. Winding alleyways, souvenirs, unfamiliar fruits, shoes, handmade goods and more. There doesn’t appear to be rhyme or reason to the market’s layout, items hanging from the ceiling, strewn across the floor, displayed on countertops.
Music through out the streets, sounds of the waves from the outdid markets to sounds of cashiers and people chatting away. In Costa Rica the traditional markets are labelled: Fruta, Verdura, cereales, cosmeticos, cerveza. Here you can probably find what you need, it’s just a question of finding its spot but you catch on pretty quick.
Every time you’ll be faced with a choice, supermarket, or traditional market. This is yours and visit a store in terms of products and experience or in what you may need both have something to offer its just on preference.
The traditional market offers you above all else, a delighted experience. Every market is different, some indoors, some outdoors, some one long street, some many winding alleys. What they share is the presence of merchants lining the way, peddling their wares. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the market, to get the lay of the land, so that you know where to go when your needs. It’s a fantastic way to take in the sights, sounds and scene of a new place while interacting with locals.
Markets will have the best prices in town and you can often get better deals by making deals and using the local language. Vocabulary words, presenting not only opportunities but incentives, to practice speaking. Without Spanish, you’re much more likely to get ripped off.
A handful of markets in paths connect the various areas of the market, meat of any variety, chicken, pork, beef fresh from the farm, fish from the sea. Produce, easily the freshest and cheapest in town, has its alleyway as do stalls for clothes and souvenirs. Saturday mornings the market expands from the centre out and all around. The path is also lined with sodas and eateries serving traditional food.
The traditional market is best for getting fresh food at cheap prices, as well as souvenirs and random other knickknacks. For prepackaged goods, a supermarket or other store might be a safer choice.
Supermarkets in Costa Rica, generally speaking you’ll have to bring your own bag unless you want to pay for one and no one bags your groceries, that’s a U.S. American thing. The supermarket is good for finding certain packaged goods or American brands/foreign knockoffs. You can find shampoo, cosmetics, soap, and things of that sort.
This is also a good spot for Nonperishables like canned vegetables or cans of tuna. Additionally, if you have dietary restrictions, this is where you have a better chance of finding vegan/gluten free items other than just fresh fruits and veggies.
Wait there’s more we haven’t even gotten into the potential other places you could shop: weekly farmer’s markets, bakeries, dessert and cake shops, specialty butchers, corner stores, the possibilities are endless. Walking through the neighbourhood, you see all kinds of shops, some bustling, some empty. What awaits you on your journey to finding that which you seek is, most importantly, an adventure. Pura Vida!!
