Puerto Escondido herself

Saturday, Feb. 26

What happened to the week?
We did spend one day wandering around the center of town again. It is interesting to us.

The stores are small, wide open to the street, and usually only sell a few items. To us that's the norm for clothing stores and shoe stores but most other places manage to be departmentalized. Not so here.

I love the garages for oil changes or tire changes or hand washing the vehicles. Generally there are no walls (why make it hotter??), there is probably a tarp for protection from the burning sun, cement slabs to drive up on to have the oil changed. Uncomplicated and to the point!

One shop will sell ice creams, next will be a little restaurant, then a ladies clothing shop, maybe a glasses shop, and so on.


Super Che is the largest of grocery stores here. Even so, the front half is filled with household goods. You can even buy a motor bike there. The food prices are significantly lower than at home. Even Bran Flakes is cheaper here! I often buy Starbucks iced coffees (in the bottles) and they are cheap. I love Manchego cheese, I hope I can find it at home. The bakery section is quite amazing, much larger than the produce section, I'm thinking that's why many Mexicans are so round! Many times I can't buy tomatoes or bananas because they are 'out'. We have certainly done fine shopping there tho. Even a 6 pack of beer can be under $5. Cdn.


I know we bought and packed extras of so many toiletries and we could have bought the same thing here - for less! Live and learn.

We have made friends with Rick and Sandy who are from Calgary. They stay down here for 4 months (for the last 5 years). Jim and Rick have a lot in common in that they both worked for pipeline companies. Sandy and Pat have nothing in common - her first husband shot her in the eye. She is an amazingly tough lady and had made her life work well from that point on.

Last Thursday we went to lunch with them, they know the good places! We had a wonderful dinner together in a great family run cafe. They make about 6 items and you can choose any item, plus soup or salad for a set price of $5 or $6 Cdn. I had a wonderful filet of fish with a spinach salad with hunks of carrot and jicama on it and served with a fresh strawberry dressing, Jim has an excellent roasted pork with a special mole sauce on it and he had a super potato soup.

Rick invited an older man along, Donovan, who is from Victoria. His wife has ms and is unable to travel with him but he spends some time down here each winter. Very nice man, a little sad and lonely.

Today, while waiting for Jim at our favourite coffee shop, I chatted with a young woman who is from Vancouver and her 'man' grew up in Campbell River.

Canadian tourists are definitely in the majority here this year (at least compared to Americans).