This morning after getting our daily shrimp delivered at our door, we headed into town. We wanted to find a bank and ATM to withdraw some pesos and then visit the old town area and a few markets.
Puerto Penasco is not a polished American tourist town full of boring franchise restaurants. If you are looking for a Starbucks or a Applebee's you are in the wrong town. It's fortune, good or bad, is directly tied to the United States. As long ago as Prohibition, when tourists were lured south of the border for cheap alcohol and gambling, to the 90's with the rapid building of condos, it's good times and bad times depend on tourism.
Right now there are countless unfinished condos lining the beaches. It's anybody's guess when, or if ever, they will be completed. This area still draws the spring break crowd thanks to the age 18 drinking law. There are signs of culture mixed in with the rough and tumble but it takes some looking.
I certainly don't want to paint a bad picture because we are having a great time and enjoying the warm hospitality of the locals.
We went to a small neighborhood vegetable market today and below is what we bought for 98 pesos, or about $7.50 U.S. Among our bounty was avocado, cilantro, tomatoes, papaya, dried beans, celery, limes, and jalapeno peppers, onion and garlic.
We then stopped at the main grocery store for some cheese, bakery items, and fresh corn tortillas. Our last stop was at a little tortilla stand for hot off the griddle flour tortillas. What a treat.
All told I think we spent under 20 dollars U.S. for everything we bought today including the pound of jumbo shrimp.
This afternoon we took Mollie on our daily beach walk and worked on her obedience lessons. She did great but has a ways to go. Good thing she is such a part of our life.
Until later
