Tres cher

The other day I bought red bell peppers for $18 / kilo. This is the most expensive country in Africa! Things are definitely cheaper at the street stalls, below, than at the large supermarkets, but the supermarkets are nice and peaceful and all the prices are marked, so if you're feeling tired or testy, they're the way to go.



Actually, maybe some price reviews would be interesting.

Quart of soy milk - $4 to $7
Quart of 100% juice - $2 to $6
1.5 l bottle of h20 - $.75 to $2
Chicken breasts - $16 per kilo (but the last time I bought them I threw up. I would be willing to pay more to eliminate this added feature)
Organic mint & thyme tea - $8 per box (but it’s so unusual and delicious!!)
Native hibiscus tea - $2.50 per box (and it’s really good, too!)
1 lb of pasta - $2
One month of birth control pills - $2.20!! Finally, a deal!!
Four-hour trip in a car rapide - $4. A deal, but the drivers are reckless and the passengers "unsavory," according to my Senegalese friend. They're sweetly painted, though! Below is a photo of one.



So, not cheap. And you might think I am simply not a good negotiator, but I assure you, I am. :) The problem is, the ground here is sandy and salty and apparently not good for growing a lot of things. So they import mandarin oranges ($3 / kilo) from Morocco and cheeses and wines from France. But it’s not just the food; we actually rent our one-bedroom downtown apartment for more than we were paying in DC! Here is a photo of our living room. The giant artwork on the wall is a traditional Senegalese weaving.