Today I was shopping for a few items at Tienda Inglesa. What a surprise, they offered single (2 in a pack) wrapped carrots. Why ? Because I am single at the moment, I was happy to buy just 2. A few other items and my shopping day was done. At the cashier, watching the price tipping, I realized first time what was going on.

  My 2 carrots.

2 carrots for almost 30 pesos, o.k. they are big ones, but still, it is c. –,70 cents US !
YES SEVENTY CENTS – for one carrot. I thought, may be I’ll find some gold inside
the carrot, but nothing. Bad luck.

  The 4 items for over 10,–$US.

At home I checked my shopping again and what can I tell, 4 veggie items added up to 259,90 pesos. Makes for a few greens over 10,–$US ! Is that Uruguayan gourmet style ? Not quiet, because 3 items of the four are tax discounted to 10% !!

That means it is government-subsidized food, basic food. But still, a few green leaves, a few tomatoes, 2 carrots and 2 bananas TEN DOLLARS !! Of course the salad mix is an gourmet item, taxed with 22% instead the 10% for normal food.

Todays receipt with items and the tax difference.

Just for your information, surviving food for the poor in Uruguay is not taxed at all. That is rice (depends on the producer), onions, potatoes etc. It came up in my mind to leave the country if this ridiculous price increase goes on. We know that prices almost doubled in the last 4 years, but slowly it goes over the top.

I won’t start a basic discussion over that theme. We all know that crude oil barrels are on the deepest level since years. Does anyone think the petrol price is a cent down on gas stations in Uruguay ?? No way – still as high as a year ago. Who is putting all that money in their pocket ?

  And here it is again.

Back to my 4 shopping items from today. One banana I had already for lunch, what a feast. One carrot I cut in half for my 2 dogs, also for lunch. All 3 of us had then some water !! Salad etc. will be a side dish for tonight’s diner. Leaving Uruguay ? Why, over a carrot ?

We like it here – read my blog entries ! Then I had an idea, where to go, if prices are flying so high in Uruguay? So – I checked out a few prices in other countries. Not cheap stuff, no, TOP QUALITY GOURMET STYLE food. As we live on „high gourmet level“ here in Uruguay then I only may compare the best, right ??  One example down here.

This top quality marmalade is –,99 cents per 250gram jar, in Alemania ! In Uruguay we
have a similar size and quality for around 8,–dollars US. Who cares, we make our own
jam ! But how long, when will they start to sell strawberries in a „x 2 pack“ ??

See the following pics and explanations and you can make up your mind yourself. For equal 10,–dollars US, you can buy, by example in Germany, a complete top class gourmet meal for at least 2 persons !!  Same situation you’ll find in North America !!

Gourmet style and quality soup, different tastes, one can 390ml for US$1,49.

Gourmet style and quality fish filets (pike-perch), 500g for US$4,99.

Gourmet style and quality noodles, different types, 500g for US$1,39.

And to round the gourmet feast for two :Ice cream, different tastes,
500g for US$2,29. 4 items, a whole meal, for 10,–US$ !!!

Conclusion : I stick to my philosophy : Uruguay – love it or leave it !!!