I've just acquired a new video editor (Apple QuickTime Pro) which takes the HUGE video files from my iPhone and compresses them down to a reasonable size for uploading to YouTube. Try the link below and let me know how it works out:
FYI: This is a huge fruit and veggie market which sets up every Thursday and Sunday in a field in Phase 7 - a 20-25 minute walk from us down the main drag (Sarovar Path aka Cricket Stadium Road) where all of our other shops are lined up. There are also vendors selling spices (big burlap bags full), vegetable oils, jilebis, popcorn, cookies, crisps, samosas and other sundries.
The video captures a little of the sense of the market which is a cacophony of visual delight with a strong audio track! The vendors tend to group according to their wares: mountains of tomatoes, heaps of bananas, stacks of apples, red carrots, green beans, mangoes a-go-go and all of the other items Hansi has mentioned. Aside from certain staples (potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, carrots, eggplant and the like) the market has delectable seasonal goodies which is what makes it such a treat. Last summer mangoes (many, many varieties - same as we have with apples or peaches) were everywhere. Now we're seeing lots of apples, oranges, tangerines, peanuts, green beans, cauliflower, bitter gourd - the list is long and our enjoyment of it all is great.
Competition is keen so the vendors are hawking the virtues of their wares at full voice - gotta love it. When we come across a fruit or vegetable that we don't recognize, there's always a customer to ask and help out since the vendors, by and large, don't speak English. The same applies for prices, although we can usually get the drift by holding up fingers - everything is sold by the Kg (all kinds of weigh scales, accuracy questionable but what the heck, right?). Sometimes people will just stop and tell us what the price should be because us "foreigners" might be overcharged (ya think?). Actually that's unfair to say - by and large I'd say we pay the same as everyone else.
When it comes to auto-rickshaw fares that is definitely NOT the case, however. Typically the initial fair quote is more than 2-3 times what an Indian would pay. We bargain down to about 2 times what the fare should be and then pay the full fare anyway when we add in a tip. Example: In Sector 17 which is about 10kms from our apartment in sector 3B2, an Indian would pay 80-90 rupees:
"How much to 3B2?"
"200 rupees."
"No way, we'll pay 100."
"Not possible, 180 only."
"No, no, still way too much."
"OK, 150."
"Nope, we'll ask this other driver" (as we walk away).
"No, no. 120."
"All right" (we agree reluctantly and hop in).
Twenty-five minutes later after a wonderful ride through the traffic, which is up and personal in a rickshaw, we arrive and give the driver 200 rupees anyway (I know, I know but it's the principle of the thing and it's only about $4).
Rob
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