When we lived in Latvia, we were very close to the big central market. It is a Unesco World Heritage site and Europe's largest market. It has the most amazing selection of meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, local bakeries, kafejnicas for a cheap but delicious lunch, and lots of souvenirs. You could also find many locals selling things they had grown in their own garden or made with their own hands. I would go a few time a month and buy as much meat, cheese, and produce I could carry. I would bag the meats into portions and freeze them. We would eat like kings for a fraction of the super market prices. There was so much selection. The fruits and vegetables were the most flavorful! Many were local from Latvian farmers while other produce was brought in from Poland and other nearby countries.
After moving to Myanmar, I wanted to do something similar and stock up on meats in the freezer. I was quickly relieved of that notion. The poor storage of the meats, in the markets as well as the grocery stores, I was lucky if I could get the meat home before it spoiled. Our refrigerator barely worked and with the frequent power outages, we couldn't keep anything frozen for long.
The fresh produce left little to be desired. Most of the produce in the grocery stores was shipped in from China and Australia. We even had apples from my home state of Washington. It was mostly flavorless, hot housed, GMO produce.
Locally it depended on what season it was. Avocado season meant that there were tons of avocado sold on the street, except they were awful, poorly managed, over ripe and rotten on one side, the other side would be weeks until it would be ripe. After a while I just gave up on avocados. Mango season was a big deal, I tried a few times to get good mangoes, but failed at that too. By that point I was so fed up with Myanmar. I was fed up at throwing good money after bad. I had stopped trying with Myanmar and just wanted to leave.
In Thailand we seem to have found a middle ground. Some great local produce, some shipped in from far away lands. Bulk meats are available at the grocery stores and I'm back to stocking the freezer.
I'm still exploring the city, shops, and markets. There is also a man that drives by once a day selling fresh produce, but so far I haven't been quick enough to buy from him.
Most importantly, I have a freezer that works!!!!!
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