It was a Wednesday afternoon, my mother told me to come with her to the market to buy goods.
We stopped by the sea to check if it was low tide because we were planning to get some seafood. When we got there, it was high tide, so we just sat for a while, looking at the beautiful sunset.
It was so amazing and refreshing. It was my first time seeing a sunset at the sea. It felt good to appreciate the wonderful view.
Later on, we decided to go to the market because we might be caught out at night if we stayed longer. The first thing we looked for was the fish area or people selling fish because it had been so long since we had eaten fish. As we go there, various fish are displayed. We approached each vendor and looked at their fish.
Luckily, our favorite fish was there, which is tulingan or mackerel tuna in English. This fish is so delicious whether you cook it as paksiw, fried, or escabeche, you never get tired of eating it. The cost of tulingan is 200 pesos per kilo.
The only thing you can say is, "Oh my god, such a high price." It is even higher than pork meat, which is 150 pesos per kilo. See the difference? Fish is more expensive than pork meat and even chicken. But we cannot always eat meat because it is also bad for our health. We need to eat fish as well because it contributes to having a healthy body.
After buying fish, someone called my mother to come with them and let us finish buying the 1 kilo of pork meat left. My mother was hesitant to buy it, but later on, they convinced her. They were so happy because all of their meat was already sold out. We also bought dried fish. As we were about to go home, I saw the Ukay-Ukay store and asked my mother to stop there. It is where people can buy clothes such as t-shirts, dresses, pants, and more at affordable prices.
I told my mother to have a look and maybe we could choose some that fit us. When we got there, I was so happy because prices had dropped to 20 pesos only. This store is special. If it is a new arrival, they sell it for as much as 85 pesos. As days pass, the price lowers until it gets to 10 pesos only. We were so lucky to get good timing.
Since we do not always go to the market, we took this opportunity to choose some clothes because some of our clothes are worn out due to long years of use.
I was surprised because it was my mother's first time going there, but I had been there many times. While we were choosing clothes, we tried them on to check if they suited us or were comfortable to wear. More and more people came because there were so many beautiful T-shirts, shorts, and jackets at such affordable prices. People who just have enough money to provide for their needs wouldn't miss buying them, right?
After we finished choosing our clothes and giving them to the seller to calculate the amount, we went to the store that sells spices. When my mother chose spices, she was shocked because each spice, especially ginger, cost 25 pesos. It wasn't large though. As well as ceyote, which cost 30 pesos each.
All of them were at a higher price. We don't know where to buy from those who sell at lower prices, especially those experiencing financial difficulties or income instability. They often look for such affordable prices like us. We limit or lessen the goods we buy to balance our financial needs.
Even though we would love to buy more, we can just keep saying that someday we can have it, we can buy it. After that, we went to the sari-sari store and bought soft drinks because we were exhausted and thirsty. So we rested there for a while. Since the sun had not disappeared yet, we decided to walk home to save money and get some exercise.
As we walked through the streets, we saw these beautiful flowers.
These flowers are only seen in the streets. It is very common in the streets.
We also talked about various stores, establishments, and vendors selling vegetables, goods, and more. It feels good to spend this quality time with my mother.
A few minutes later, I coincidentally saw my stepfather in a store buying something. We rushed to go with him, and my mother told him to take us along with him. So, we rode on his motorcycle and went home.