Bankerohan

Bankerohan is the name of our market near our house.

You get there by trike by telling them 'sa palengke"

There you can find rice (lots and lots of rice).  Feel free to touch it because then you'll know the grade you want.  See if it has rocks it in or if it feels to your liking.  (Don't worry you'll pre-rinse it before you cook it so it's fine)

Or you'll find eggs, no worries about the lack of refrigeration, eggs are never sold refrigerated here so it's ok.  You can find varying sizes of eggs as well as eggs from different kinds of birds.  The most common eggs being chicken and quail eggs.  But be forewarned that the eggs that are died purple are salted!!

Or you can buy many forms of dried noodles and sauces or oils bagged up. 

But some noodles are wet, you just fill your bag and they'll weight it and you pay.

Then of course you can buy a bag of blood if your recipe calls for that.  

Or dried fish.  You'd be absolutely amazed at two things in regards to this, the first is how many different kinds of fish you can get dried and the second is the smell.  Wow!!

And of course the meat section with its non-refrigerated hanging meat.  Again, please feel free to touch and see what feels the best to you.

And of course you can get anything, including a boneless pig face complete with eyes, ears and snout.  Yes we did indeed squeal out loud when the man showed us how the eye was still in tact, and yes everyone around us thought that was quite comical!!  Stupid foreigners... don't they know this is perfectly normal!

Of course you may also pick up some coconut charcoal which you can use on your own home grill.  

Or perhaps some banana leaves which double as wonderful disposable plates if you so desire!  In fact, certain restaurants always use these as plate liners.  Imagine, so little waste and it certainly doesn't go in the landfill!  

These big pots over the fire were actually in the middle of the road, reducing the road down to one lane.  I think they are cooking Sago which is a lot like tapioca.  

These boys were having a squirt gun fight in the road.  It is after dark, their parents were not near and that car behind them is actually driving past.  Can you imagine the outrage we'd had at home about this!  Seems so risky to us but yet nobody batted an eye.

And of course fresh fish!  This young man was so excited to be in the picture, in fact, I have one without him and he asked me to take another with him in it.  Incidentally my favorite part of this picture is the man in the background with his shirt tucked up above his belly.  This is often how me appear in this country.  Apparently they say, The sun has risen when someone does this!! (It's not appropriate for women though)