Going to Local Markets Throughout Our Travels

On March 5, 2024March 5, 2024 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Africa, Asia, Egypt, morocco, Rwanda, South America, VietnamLeave a comment

One of the things that we enjoy whenever we travel, is to visit markets with local vendors selling fresh foods as well as various arts and crafts. It is important to know before you go what the local customs are regarding haggling with the person selling their items as to whether the price given is not negotiable or whether there is an expectation that you will barter with them over the price that you are willing pay for the item. If you visit the market with a local guide, you are likely to get some free samples of foods as you walk through the market, which is a great way to get a taste of some items that are unique to the country that you are visiting.

We have been to many markets and bazaars during our travels, but some of the most memorable have been in locations that were more exotic. There are times when going to a market can be overwhelming due to the crowds as well as people who will try to approach you and take you through the market. Do not fall for that trap as they are trying to make money off of your purchases and do not necessarily have your best interest at heart. It is best to go with a guide if you are uncomfortable or at a minimum make sure that you do your own bartering and choose only the stalls that you are truly interested in.

Dry Goods and the Rice Paper We Needed to Cook Dinner in Hanoi

Touring a Local Market in Tangiers, Morocco – One of the most diverse markets that we visited was the one in Tangiers, Morocco. The variety of colors and smells were almost overwhelming with the spices, fresh produce, seafood, and meat that would be trimmed in front of you. You could even buy bones for soups and other parts of the animals as nothing goes to waste. Even though we didn’t buy anything, we were able to try several things as we walked through the stalls from olives to a fresh tangerine. Each owner was very proud of the items that they had to sell and were definitely keen on making sure that you knew anything you wanted about what they had on display.

Khan el-Khalili Bazaar in Old Cairo, Egypt – Visiting markets wherever you visit is certainly worthwhile, but there is something very special about the bazaars in the middle east. Khan el-Khalili Bazaar in the Old Town Center of Cairo, Egypt, also known as Old Cairo, is certainly one of them. They can be quite busy and you need to be aware of your circumstances to avoid pickpockets or those who might want to take advantage of you. In most bazaars it is usually customary to bargain over the prices and the vendors don’t take offense to it. In fact, to get the best price, you might even start to walk away before the vendor offers a lower price that seems reasonable to you. Haggling, though, does not mean offering a ridiculously low price that might be viewed as an insult.

Buying Ingredients for Our Cooking Class in Hanoi, Vietnam – We decided to take a cooking class during our trip to Hanoi, Vietnam where our chef took us to a local market to buy all of the ingredients needed for our dinner. Obviously we wouldn’t have been able to navigate the market without the help of our chef and there were plenty of ingredients that we can’t necessarily find at home. We were told that the local people of Hanoi, like in a lot of cities, go to the market every day or at least every other day in order to buy fresh ingredients for their meals.

Artisan and Craft Market in Quito, Ecuador – In order to walk to the old town quarter of Quito in Ecuador from our hotel, we had to walk through Parque El Ejido. It is a lovely park that has a nice artisan and craft market as well as plenty of open space. Located right in the city, it can be quite busy at times as families gather to have a picnic or play a game of soccer. There is also an interesting arch located in the park, simply called Arco de El Ejido with a statue of two men battling one another.

Visiting the Busy Kimironko Market in Kigali, Rwanda – We spent about a day and half in Kigali during our trip to Rwanda to trek to see gorillas and chimpanzees. Of the things that we saw while we were in Kigali was the Kimironko Market, which is the busiest market in Kigali. Like many markets, the number of vendors and the variety of products available can sometimes be overwhelming. It is often a sensory overload with all of the fragrances, colors, and people bustling through the narrow walkways. We were there with a guide, but it could have easily been visited on our own, but you do have deal with many people coming up to you and trying to get you to spend money in their particular section of the market.

This is just a random sampling of the markets that we have visited and each one was memorable in its own way. In addition to these year-round markets, visiting the holiday markets as well as the festival markets can be equally fascinating and are definitely highlights of any trip taken during one of those occasions. We often don’t actually buy anything at one of these markets, but we still walking through them to get a sense of the lives and culture of the place that we are visiting.

What is the Most “Touristy” Thing That You’ve Done?

On June 10, 2021June 10, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Egypt, England, Mexico, morocco7 Comments

When traveling, we always try to have the most authentic experiences as possible. There are times, however, when a tour that we take includes something that is there just for tourists. They are often photo opportunities that locals believe that the people visiting want to take home with them, but often they aren’t realistic to the actual culture. More often than not, when we end up doing one of those types of things, we literally cringe when we see what we’re about to do. It doesn’t mean that we don’t enjoy them, it is just that we realize that it is a staged activity done just for tourists.

We have actually ridden camels twice, once in Morocco and then again in Egypt. It wasn’t as if we were riding a camel to get from one place to another, it was just us on a camel while someone walked us around. It wasn’t as if we saw people riding camels, although we know that they do in the desert, so it is just something that people have come to expect to do when they visit those countries. Another thing that we did when in Morocco was to see a snake charmer. Interesting as it was, it was still just a planned stop along the tour for us to take photos and tip the snake charmer in order for him to make a living.

When we were in Prague, at the end of the tour, we went to what was supposed to be a medieval restaurant, complete with cobwebs on the ceiling and waiters dressed in garments from the period. Having a meal at a wooden table in a dungeon, while fun, is probably not the way it would have been hundreds of years ago. When we visited Warwick Castle in England, one of the towers was set up as a torture chamber. It was basically a haunted house experience with people jumping out at you. Again, fun, but not anything representative of turn of the century Europe.

When we were in Cabo, we swam with dolphins in a large aquarium. It would be quite fascinating to swim in the wild with dolphins, but that would be a completely different experience than swimming with a dolphin that has been trained to do tricks. We took a cruise on a pirate ship in Puerto Vallarta where they put on a show and entertained the guests throughout the tour. Clearly these activities are a little different, but still very touristy. Obviously it is hard to completely avoid all of these types of activities, so when they happen it is best to just role with it and have fun. The camel rides were probably the most touristy of all of the activities that we’ve done. What is the most touristy thing that you’ve done when traveling?

Pan-Seared Turkey Breast with a Saffron Cream Sauce

On April 21, 2021April 21, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn morocco, RecipesLeave a comment

Pan-Seared Turkey Breast with a Saffron Cream Sauce

Turkey is something that is very versatile and served year-round in many places where we have traveled, but here in the United States it seems to be reserved for holidays. For this particular recipe, we chose to use a deboned turkey breast with the skin on. We also seasoned it with saffron, which certainly reminded us of our time in Morocco.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Equipment

Cast-Iron Skillet

Ingredients

1 Turkey Breast deboned with the skin on
1 Shallot sliced thin
1 clove Garlic minced
2 cups Turkey or Chicken Stock
1/4 tsp Saffron
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tbsp Parsley for garnish

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat
Add the turkey to the skillet skin-side down and reduce the heat to medium
Cook for about 15 minutes until the skin is crispy and then flip the turkey breast over
Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees
Remove the turkey from the pan, tent with aluminum foil and let rest while completing the sauce
Add the shallot to the skillet and cook for a minute and then add the garlic and cook for a minute longer or until the shallot is tender
Use a half cup of the broth to deglaze the skillet using a spoon and then add the rest of the broth and saffron. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add the cream, salt, and pepper. Cook for another minute or two
Cut the turkey into single serving portions, pour the sauce over the turkey and serve with angel hair pasta