Shopping Bahia Style

 

Not knowing the language, communication on everyday things is difficult.  Hey, I'm an intelligent guy, been many places, run businesses and organizations, however starting from scratch in Portugues is challenging.  The fundamental question is how to live day to day, when you can't speak or are learning to speak.  The first thing is grocery shopping. 

Best place to start are supermercados (supermarkets) where the prices of each item are fully displayed. Let's do a little math before going shopping. 

Math is universal folks. Doesn't change. Monetary systems do. Currency contrast "R$" = (Brazilian Real) vs "$" = (United States Dollar)

Example: R$3,00 equals three Brazilian reais.  Notice the comma in the Brazilian currency is used like the decimal point in US currency.  When I first traveled to Brazil, I was hungry at the airport waiting for a connection.  I bought a hamburger and it cost R$46,00.  I freaked out! I can't afford a sandwich!  I was thinking US comma in hundreds or thousands.  I called my musician friend in the US; this place is crazy expensive! He said calm down and explained the system.  

That is the price, however monetary conversion rates change daily. Example a whole fresh chicken may cost R$20,00 however, in conversion rate it would cost $5.00 USD.  To know for certain, I Google "US Dollar to Brazilian Real".  I know it is not fun to talk about the math, but it's better to understand upfront so you don't waste money learning.  

My wife and I usually go to a new store together. She tells me what an acceptable price in Bahia is. Prices will vary from store to store depending on the cliental. In the US, what you pay in for a steak in Walmart is not the same as Whole Foods. Hey look (above) my favorite ginger ale! Grab a pack! The price is only R$2,99!  Hold on baby, that actually means R$2,99 per can. A pack of 6 cans is R$17,94. Brazilian stores will always show you the lowest unit price. You have to do the math. 

Ok, so why are the eggs not refrigerated? Wait a minute. Milk is either powdered or liquid in a box at room temperature? Will this make me sick? Baby, we live in a hot tropical climate. The cost of refrigeration would make the price out of reach. Brazil developed eggs and milk that can be stored at room temperature, however once you open the milk it needs to be refrigerated.  

Got it! Why are there pnues (car tires) in the cat food section? Goodyear is good brand, but it's strange to have all these different things jumbled together. I know baby, Supermercados carry many items, electronics, appliances, cellphones, household items and food of course. Some stores don't have the space, so they improvise. 

A couple of mercado examples.  

Hiperideal is like the Whole Foods of Bahia. Top of the line. Expensive. You won't find tires here. Great for specialty items. A good variety of American products. The products will vary from store to store. I found Stubb's BBQ sauce in Salvador. Tastes like home!  

 

If the regular flavorful Brazilian cows are not good enough for you, they have a Black Angus Picanha burger! 

Believe it or not, Mexican flavor is in Bahia. However, good luck finding a tortilla, I haven't seen one in any store yet.  There is plenty of Mexican sauce to go around. 

Gbarbosa sells everything! If you are an impulse shopper, put a limit on your card. Tons of sales and great deals. This is a normal everyday store. No frills. They got tires and cat food folks. 

You have to watch the sale signs. This one for Pepsi Black below "Leve 3 Pague 2" which means Take 3 Buy 2 for R$4,13 per unit.  Regular price per unit is R$6,19.  I don't need that much caffeine. 

Speaking of caffeine ladies and gentlemen, they have Starbucks! However, once you taste local Brazilian coffee at R$7,00 per unit, I don't think you will pay R$25,00 per unit for Starbucks on a regular basis.  Maybe special events or I like a change of taste for my coffee pallet. Some mercados have fresh ground Brazilian coffee. It's wonderful! 

There are larger Supermercados that sell in bulk and units that cater to families and businesses. Small convenience stores are called mercados too...the prices however are not convenient. 

The Granddaddy of them all is the Feira! The Feira is a world unto itself and deserves its own segment. Speaking Portugues is highly recommended there, and it took me over a year to feel confident.  Now, I am a regular and know the vendors well enough to shop on my own. 

Thank you for reading my travel blog. My name is Howard W. Tucker. I am honored to be your guide to Bahia, Brazil. I have traveled to Bahia for 10 years. I am currently a resident of Brazil, living in Bahia with my wife and family.  As my travel companion, I will be introducing you to sights, sounds, people and culture of this incredibly amazing and diverse country.  

I welcome your thoughts and suggestions about places we can both explore so please feel free to contact me at htvision4edu@gmail.com