Dale came over this morning as I was starting on the apartment pics post, so I closed up and followed her out to breakfast on the beach. The only option on the breakfast menu was eggs, so I ordered chicken tacos off the lunch menu! This was my first real breakfast in Mexico! 😀 Dale insisted on treating me and I provided the tip. We got out of there for something like 140 pesos total!
She then took me for a walk through the main part of the village. Yes, I will have pictures at some point. 🙂 My camera ran out of juice this morning, sorry!
We made our way to the grocery store, further away than I expected (it’s not far, the village is bigger than I expected). The store, called The City Deli, NOT the mercado, is small, but has the essentials except for meat (as far as I could tell) and is no worse than some of the small grocery stores I’ve shopped at in Canada. I asked for “las cosas para hacer el fuego” (the things to make fire) and was offered matches and a lighter. See, no language barrier! 😀
I got whatever looked good for food to get me through a few days (more details below the pic), as well as a broom for inside, and a pair of heavy duty flip flops for beach walking. I was disappointed by the avocados, though, and didn’t buy any.
Grand total for all this?
Let’s add it all up, shall we?
flip flops (EXACTLY what I was hoping to find)
broom
matches
red onion
2 small tomatoes
2 small orangey things (clementines?)
1 banana
1 apple
1 block of Oaxaca cheese (apparently tastes like Monterrey Jack, but has the texture of mozzarella)
1 container of strawberry yogurt
1 package of corn tortillas
1 bottle of electrolyte juice Dale highly recommended (not my usual thing, but if I’m not going to have much appetite, a good thing to have on hand)
2 small packages of macaroni
1 package of crackers
Total amount paid: 218 pesos (18.26 CAD/16.11USD)! That includes the shoes and broom! There are no prices marked anywhere in the store and I won’t worry about prices from now on. I was sure I was going to have to ask Dale to spot me some money since I only brought 300 pesos with me. Hah! I think I might be able to afford living here as long as I don’t get into the habit of eating out a lot!
The village is small, with a paved main road and some services, including a police station and a basketball court for the kids. There are a lot of restaurants on the beach, too. Not much was open today in the village proper, but it’s a holiday so there might be more going on Monday. Really, this is way more than I’m used to at Haven and I doubt I’ll get bored, especially once the internet is reliable! Plus, Mazatlan is just minutes away on the ferry! It’s probably a 10-minute walk to the grocery store, so 15 minutes to the village ferry. This is another ferry that goes to a different part of the city. Dale is going to show me the ropes!
Once you find where the locals eat you just may find that you can eat out for as little or even less than you can cook yourself as long as you stick to tacos. It is also very acceptable to bring your own beer to these taco stands with tables outside as long as they do not sell beer and few do.
Ask about the vegetable / fruit truck. It used to come to the RV park every couple of days. Take your own bag. Fresh vegetables and fruit are remarkably cheap. These trucks usually cruise the streets blasting their own signature song so you know they are coming.
BBQ chicken is available somewhere on the main street as I recall. It is cheap and I am told it is very good. You can buy 1/2 a chicken for a few pesos.
Keep posting, I love reading!
Speaking of beer, I did not see it on your purchase list! It is a necessity of life!
“Hot Cakes” are a popular breakfast item in Mexico. They are generally served with no butter and just basic sugar syrup, no Quebec Maple Syrup. I once found breakfast cereal served with yogurt and fresh fruit instead of milk. It was very good!
I don’t like ‘breakfast food’ as it is thought of in the US and Canada. There’s nothing worse than all those carbs first thing in the morning. Tacos for breakkie with just a hint of heat are more my speed! 🙂
Granola-type cereal is often served with yoghurt and fruit. I used to eat that all the time until I got off the unhealthy breakfast food bandwagon.
Croft, I agree that it can be cheaper sometimes to eat out than cook. Depends on what I’m cooking and what’s cheap at the restaurant. I don’t want to be enormous when I leave here! 🙂
There is a fruit and veggie truck. Need to get the scoop on that for non RV park residents.
No chicken today. Will keep my eye out for it! My neigbour Charles LOVED those chickens!
I prefer to have my beer on the beach at a bar than at home. 😀
Your nose will tell you when there is chicken!
Indeed! 😀
Take your laptop to the Carmelita’s on the beach and spend 13 pesos on a drink and you can sit all day and use their internet. Everyone else does.
Get Dale or Debra to tell the veggie truck guys to start stopping at your place. They usually come about the same time daily give or take 30 minutes. I never ever buy veggies or fruit at the Super Deli. Being as it is a special weekend it might take a few days to sort things out. The mercado is in Centro in Mazatlan and you will love it. Take your camera. If I can’t get something on the veggie truck I go there. However often ask the veggie truck guys to bring me special things and they do. One of the fellows, Miguel also has a store in his garage. Debra can tell you where it is. Also ask her about the resident rate for the panga and the current cost to Centro, usually 30 pesos.
The chicken lady is about 2 blocks from you but only on certain days.
I like the breakfasts in Mexico… fruit with lime! Yum!
They do pretty go with omelets too. Always love the culinary part of a trip… shopping, eating, thinking about it, tasting new things.
Have more fun!
…oops meant to say current cost on the pulmonia to Centro.
I went to Carmelita’s and there was no internet today. I learned this after I asked and ordered a beer. 🙁 Thanks for the fruit and veggie truck tip, plus the chicken lady! Thanks for the panga tip!
Vicki, no omelets for me, as you know. Fruit with lime sounds good!