We buy most of our produce, fish and meat right here in Lo de Marcos, but we still needed some kitchen items that we could probably find up in La Penita, but since we'd never been to the Walmart on the north end of Puerto Vallarta, that's where we headed today.
We thought we'd catch the 8:00 bus, so started out from here around 7:30. The "official" bus stop isn't far up the street (if you flag the driver down, he'll stop for you anywhere)... and truth is, we're not sure of the bus schedule. Anyway, we got up to the corner about 5 minutes after leaving our place and there was a bus just starting out. He stopped... his window didn't have either the Mega or Walmart written on it, so we asked... yes... he was going past the Walmart.
We picked up 5 or 6 other folks before we got out of town and headed down the road. It's a winding road... goes over the mountain.... down the other side to the coastal towns of Sayulita, Bucerias and a few others.... the Riveria Nayarit.
While the bus driver made lots of stops along the way, the bus never did get to where it was standing room only.
He did make one unusual stop... he pulled over across the road and parked... quickly jumped out... and back in. Carrying....
I don't know what it is... looked a lot like a Groundhog (or woodchuck) we'd have in Ohio... but look at that long tail and it does have a white chest. I'm think it would go 6-8 pounds (as is) and was probably a road-kill that maybe the driver saw on his way up. Anyway, I'm guessing it's someone's dinner tonight. Now... before you gag or make a derisive comment, I'll tell you that I've eaten more than one roadkill... among them freshly bumped off groundhog, a young button buck that got hit by a car, and then there was that spruce grouse that committed suicide by flying into our rig in Manitoba. So.. if fixed right, those critters can be tasty. Waste not... want not.
Okay.... on to Walmart...
Seen one... seen them all...
I know, but we did pick up some sturdy kitchen utensils, some "tupperware" like containers, and we each bought a pair of "knock-off" Crocs... for when we wade across the river. That kind of thing...
We did not buy...
Chicken Feet.
We've seen these a lot in Mexico... I'm thinking that they must boil them for a broth.. not sure. But, after dealing with Bumblefoot (only the really curious will Google this one) with Celeste's chickens, I'm looking at those dark spots on those chickens pads and wondering.... hmmmm....
We were about 1.5 hours in Walmart, then out to catch the bus back. The bus wasn't packed when we got on and we got seats... even got them together... but the next stop up the road totally filled the bus and it was standing room only.
One old guy who was on crutches got on... sat down and sang a few songs... then got up and went down the aisle with his tin cup. Bill didn't notice him and it took me too long to figure out what was going on. He got off at the next stop and I watched him stand there at the bus stop and check out his cup and say a prayer. Made me feel kinda bad... this is the Christmas season and all you know....
Up over the mountain.... and down the other side. This isn't a very good photo.. taken through the window and didn't even get the shot of the mountains I was trying to show.
About 90% of the folks got off in Sayultia... I'm thinking the beaches must be pretty good there... not sure what the attraction is... but we stayed on... past San Francisco, and back to Lo de Marcos.
It's interesting... we didn't know how much the bus cost to go from Lo de Marcos to Walmart and were charged 100 pesos (50 pesos each).... on the way back the fare was 80 pesos (40 pesos each)... so we know that when we go again we'll just hand the driver 80 pesos and go sit down. Yes, that really does work. He'll be okay with that because he knows what the price really is.
Our bungalow doesn't have an oven, but it does have a center grill-like affair...
It's in the upper right photo.... Since we only have the one skillet, I'm learning how to use that grill. This is last night's dinner... a mixture of grilled veggies and some maui-maui. I can buy all kinds of veggies here in town... and there's a fish market as well as a carnaceria. But we've found that it's important to shop fairly early... by noon some of these places have either sold out or are closed.
We're learning!
That's All For Today!
Gotta love taking the local buses, quite a fun experience.
ReplyDeleteMy cats once benefited from a wild turkey, hit in Corvallis. Some friends saw it happen, and got the bird. No Waste. Prices seem to flutter in Mexico still, eh? They did when I was a college student and went down on spring break. They sell chicken feet in Walmart here too and I wondered who bought them and how they were prepared and I won't even buy used shoes at a thrift store due to all the fungi and things feet carry.
ReplyDeleteOK, I admit to googling "bumblefoot" and it's not pretty :( However, even without that knowledge, I wouldn't be buying chicken feet. As much as I like to learn about local life, I often don't adopt the ways. Similar to that photo a few days ago, where I didn't know what was in the big cauldron ... no thanks!
ReplyDeleteUp until I read your blog and looked up "bumblefoot", I just thought it meant a clumsy person. Your last pictures have sure made me hungry. I travel on my stomach (grin).
ReplyDeleteSeems like every day is an adventure there.
ReplyDeleteIt surely is lush and green there. I like the business of shopping for meals in the morning.
ReplyDeleteI believe that critter was a Coatimundi.
ReplyDeleteYes, they use the chicken feet for broth mostly but some people will chew on the feet as well.
We have had the same thing happen to us with the collectivo taxis. The first guy charged us 13 pesos each for our trip into town but on the way back 10 pesos each was good, so since then we give 10 pesos and haven't been told otherwise since.
Your dinner looks delicious.
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