Things have CHANGED in Montañita!

Amelia and JP VLOG 210: This was our first time in the main area of Montañita for 3 months, since before the quarantine began. We got a recommendation to check out El Pueblo Market near the main entrance of Montañita for some hard-to-find items like non-wheat flour, balsamic vinegar, flax seeds, etc. We were VERY impressed with their selection.

Many of the items they carry can be found at Supermaxi, but since the closest one is located in Salinas over an hour away, it’s not very easy or affordable to get there. Our friend Ravi at South India Restaurant here in Olón told us the taxis are now charging $40 to go to that Supermaxi. That’s roughly double what they charged before the pandemic.

We spent $72 on our visit to El Pueblo Market, but $26 of that went toward a bottle of wine and a bottle of bubbly. We also bought a bar of organic soap for $5, 1kg of garbanzo flour for $6.10, two Pacari chocolate bars for $7.25, 1 pound of flax seeds for $2, a bag of quinoa pasta and chia pasta for $8, almond milk for $4.50, soy milk for $3, tofu for $4 and vegan cheese for $4.50.

Everything was a little more expensive than Supermaxi, but not significantly and the savings in time and money were significant. These types of “American” items are challenging to find and more expensive so we don’t buy them often. We mostly eat fresh fruits and veggies from the local mercados. We bought 4 bags of produce yesterday here in Olón for $6.

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