Mango Madness

The next time you go to the grocery store and think $2.50 is a lot to pay for a pineapple, please remember us over here in Japan.  I went to the Japanese farmer's market today for my fresh fruit and veggies, which are usually much fresher and somewhat cheaper than those that are available in our Commissary.  To be just, I did pick up a big bag of eggplant for around $1.20, and I got a huge bag of basil for $1.00.  But certain fruits are beyond "pricey" in this here country.

Like these mangoes...

For those of you who may have a hard time reading the price tag for these 3, yes count them 1...2...3, mangoes - it reads...

... 5,500 Yen.  And in today's amazing exchange rate of 82 Yen to the USD (I'm being fascitious here, the Yen has recently dropped significantly!) that's $65.00!!!!!  Now granted, they are individually wrapped, and come in their own cardboard box, but all I have to say is those better be the best #$%! tasting mangoes you ever put in your mouth for $21.67 a piece.

Now if your budget was a little smaller, perhaps you could afford the 1,000 Yen ($11.82) watermelon.  That's a personal size watermellon, not a big, honkin' US grown one.

Alas, even the Commissary let me down as I was greeted by this week's "special" in the produce department...

Is $2.04 for one apple really "extra savings"?