Monday, November 14, 2011

Grocery Shopping in Chengdu

It's always an adventure to go grocery shopping in Chengdu.  I usually go to a supermarket called "Trust Mart" which is owned by Walmart.  It's about a 20 minute walk from my apt.  I have complained in the U.S. when I've had to park my minivan in the very last parking spot in the lot which meant pushing my cart the length of the parking lot.  Poor Amy.  How she suffered so. 

Tianfu Square.  The center of Chengdu.
Now, of course, I don't have a car.  So, I've learned to shop frequently so that I don't have to lug a lot of heavy groceries back on my walk.  I tried to balance two grocery bags on my bike, but cycling requires every bit of my attention given that cars drive on the sidewalks, they pass each other, and they constantly honk which is disconcerting while balancing grocery bags.


I've figured out how to take the bus to the super Walmart which is where the pictures are taken below. It costs about 30 cents to ride the bus, and they go everywhere in the city. I have been unable to locate a map in English with the bus routes marked on it, but the city is pretty easy to navigate. Chengdu has 3 major ring roads that fan out from the center of the city which has a beautiful square where the large Chairman Mao statue is located. I live between the first and second ring road, so I can hop on a bus on either ring road and get to the general area of most spots in Chengdu.

The large supermarkets are located on 2 or 3 stories instead of spread out on one floor. You have to ride these moving ramps up and down which accommodate shopping carts and tired Walmart shoppers like the little girl here. She stared at me the whole way up the ramp.



I was merrily snapping pictures in the store until an angry looking butcher told me to stop. Here are some shots I thought you all might enjoy seeing.
Chicken feet.  It's what is for dinner.

Sausages for sale.

The fruit is gorgeous and yummy.  Durians look like weapons, eh?
I've never seen anyone buy a manta ray to cook.  We are miles from the sea!



Anybody hungry for some pig feet?