I helped some friends move yesterday, which meant I had to work longer on Sunday and postpone a trip to town. I decided to make the trip today. I didn’t ‘need’ to go, but rather wanted a change of scenery and one last beer and meal off the Malecón.

I did some work this morning until noonish, then took off for town. En route, I stopped at a mechanic Contessa recommended and whose work Croft was pleased with. There’s no building, just a pit in the ground!

There’s no way I’m doing a 4,000KM trip without having my truck looked at. I know at the very least that Moya needs an oil change and to have her brakes checked.

The mechanic wasn’t there, but the other guy working said he could get all my info. Between my Spanish, pointing, and pantomiming abilities he understood that I want the oil change and brake examination as well as to figure out why my windshield wipers aren’t squirting, repair my tailgate handle,  give me a quote for repairing the AC, and that I need the truck for the 23rd. He said I can bring my truck by around 9:30 tomorrow morning and they will take a look at it and come up with a price for everything.  I told him I would write everything down and that he could put the prices on my list. This way, there shouldn’t be any confusion.

There are tons of Ford Rangers just like mine (similar vintage, too!) both on Isla and in Maz, so I know that parts will be abundant, another reason why it makes sense to have the work done here, never mind that labour will be much cheaper than in the US or Canada! I have a figure in mind of what I’d be able to pay to get everything done, but I’ll be surprised if I have them touch the AC.

Then, it was off to town, the plan being to get in a long walk before eating.

Here’s the exact route that I took. It’s just over 6KM (3 3/4mi).

By the time I neared the Fishermen’s Monument (B) I was, as usual parched, never mind famished, so I asked for pulp in my grapefruit juice. Pulp=pulpa; octopus=pulpo, another pair of words not to mix up!

I sipped my juice as I ambled down the Malecón. It wasn’t particularly busy, but there were a few people on the beach and a handful of vendors.

For lunch, I had my heart set on tacos from Copa de Leche. They’re pretty pricy since they’re at a sit down restaurant, but soooo good. They have tender beef, grilled onions, and avocado; very simple, nourishing, and healthy!

I think of Copa de leche as being a ‘Gringo’ restaurant because it’s on Olas Altas and I really don’t see many Mexicans eating at those restaurants, but my entire service, including an oral bill, was in Spanish with zero attempt at speaking to me in English, plus the prices and food are more Mexican than touristified. However it can or cannot be defined, I really like Copa de leche and their low to the ground loungey chairs that aren’t comfortable for eating but wonderful for relaxing with a cold Tecate! The bill was $95 and I added $10 for a tip. My server actually thanked me for the tip, which I don’t think was particularly generous since his service wasn’t great! I’m glad he was pleased.

BTW, here are the steps to learning to eat Mexican sauces like the one in the above picture:

1) Innocence: Add sauce to your food without thinking, take a bite, lose three quarters of your taste buds.

2) Fear: Avoid all sauce.

3) Exploration: Realising that Mexican food is sometimes bland without sauce, start tasting sauce. But you put it on the tip of your tongue and burn it and remained convinced that spicy sauce is not for you.

4) Knowledge: You get smarter and add sauce to a small bit of food so that the heat can be diffused rather than tasting it directly. A bit or two of saucy food is enough.

5) Love: You know all sauce is delicious and embrace the fact that all sauce is also intent on killing your taste buds. Add a little to your meal, take a bite or two, and add more if needed.

Next stop was the little Panamá’s by the Plazuela Machado (the original location, I believe). A vendor rattled off info about a bunch of pastries after I hemmed and hawed for a bit. She highly recommended some stuffed with cheese, but had me at the apple-stuffed thing dusted with coffee and cinnamon and sprinkled with black chocolate, which will be breakfast tomorrow. While I was there, I used their bathroom. I will confess to frequently buying a pastry just so I can do that. 🙂

Then, it was a tiny detour to the gelato place. One of my new phrases this winter is ‘¿Puedo probar ___? (may I please try) and I used it to sample their ‘Snickers’ flavour, which was sooooo good; vanilla ice cream with caramel, peanuts, and chocolate. I got a small scoop in a cup.

Waldo’s and the Mercado were next by way of the bank. My priority at the Mercado was footwear!

The ‘dressy’ sandals I bought in Kingsville, TX, ahead of my last ‘trip to Mexico’ have served me incredibly well, but I’ve worn them clear through with all the walking this winter and by the time I got to the Mercado today, my heels were sore and I admitted it was time to let them go.

When I got here in November, I saw some pretty slip on leather sandals that I really liked at the Mercado and that would be good for light walking days, but I was quoted 400 pesos, a much higher price than I could afford at the time.

I went back to the same vendor today and said that I’m an American size eight (which is five in Mexico), wanted them dark, and without anything between my toes. The lady read my mind and pulled out these:

She showed me a few other models, but there was no point. I was smitten. 🙂 I asked her how much… Now, remember this was the exact same vendor who quoted me 400 pesos in November. Today, she started at $250.

I looked at her and said, “What’s your best price?”

She laughed, “$230 is the absolute best I can do. And only because I’ve seen you spend a lot of money on dresses and other clothes from other vendors this winter and you speak to us in Spanish.” (Not sure why buying from other vendors was relevant — maybe because it meant I might be a repeat customer?)

So deal done!

They are super comfy, with a thick foam sole and leather upper. I know the sole will wear out before the upper and I’m willing to bet it’ll be cheaper to have them resoled this time next year than to buy another pair. But for 18.80CAD, if I get only a single season out of them, I will have gotten my money’s worth!

As my friend Dale used to say, another great day in Maz!