Going to the fresh market

When I was young, my mother would often bring us along when she goes to the market. Bringing us along means extra help for carrying the bags of fresh goods. I don't mind too much when I accompany her except during the times when we go to her suki (patron) butcher for the meat for her small business. I truly disgust it when male butcher make some comments like 'oh, how pretty is your daughter'. Ew, people shouldn't make uncomfortable comments like that to young children; nowadays it's called sexual harassment. Going back to what I was saying earlier, going to the market was okey. I just wished that my mother should have taught us how to buy properly, how to choose the right product, especially how to haggle. Anyhow, I still learned something from it. Before we go home, she would almost always buy some native foods or kakanin like kutsinta or suman. Uhmm, that made my day. I think my Lola Maring also did that, buying kakanin from the market for she would always serve us some when we visit her.
Nowadays, I still like going to the fresh market. I like choosing my vegetables by feeling them, checking out their quality. I don't know how it started but I always, always go to the vegetable section first..then to the fish and meat sections. Last is to the fruit section. I guess everybody has their own route when buying their ingredients. One time, my husband joined me to the market and he automatically turned to this specific row of fish vendors. Oh well, that's his route.
Now is my time to bring my own daughter to the market. She likes to come along especially when we stop to buy her favorite tinapa or other fresh fish. And just like any other market day I had, I also buy some suman or sapin-sapin before I go home. Having some suman with sugar after getting back home still brings me to that place in time when I also got home from a market day with my mom or a visit to my Lola.