Buying grocery is a whole new experience

Ok so while in the US I was buying all my own groceries and cooking my own stuff. Not everything I made tasted good but at least I knew what to buy and what to do with it.

Since I have been here in Kolkata, I dont seem to do any of that, everything is taken care of so after complaining about being idle at home, mother asked me to take a trip to VIP market and get her the stuff she needs, vegetables... Oh boy.... First of all the name VIP market is extremely deceiving, you get all sorts of stuff there but you have to mind the muddy ally ways and the strays and the oh so unforgettable stench of everything rotten..  Maybe its the heat !!!!!!!!!! People in this area though will argue with me and make sure I know that is one of the best places to buy fresh produce.

The vegetable area is indoors and its like a farmers market, everything fresh and from a local farm, or so they say. Anyway I buy all the stuff on the list and to me everything looked fresh... Maybe it's my accent or maybe the fact that everything looked so fresh from outside but I was CHEATED...  I mean who they hell cheats you on vegetables? Have I lost my touch or am I just stupid, this time I was both....

Over the next three days I was told 90% of what I bought was ROTTEN inside..... On well there goes my boasting about being independent and knowing what to buy. I am not asked any more and its back to the veggie vendor who comes to the house every morning.......... If you are here and decide to go to VIP market, make sure you go with someone local or be fooled like me.

I would say so far the best place for groceries and all that fun spices and house stuff would be Big Bazar.... Just dont bother with the 100 sales men who are hired to walk around and promote various company products but other than that, there is parking, its clean, AC running, and organized, in-fact a lot more organized than major grocery stores in the US and Southern Africa. 

If you are in Zambia, Big Bazar is a combo of Shoprite and Pep and if you are in the US, it is like a Target superstore or a combo of Marshals and Shoprite or A&P... Either way its less stressful in my experience but the cost is a little higher than local small stores. Its worth it !!!!!!!!!!!!