Dale confirmed this morning our tentative plans to meet at the Mercado today for lunch. I’d been up early working and was eager for a break, so I took off around 10:00 to do some shopping before meeting her at noon.

My first stop was the clothing aisle in the Mercado, where I wanted to buy a peasant blouse in dark purple or rose. I found a shop that looked promising and had lower prices than the one where I bought my dresses.

I thought that the clerk was very good. I said I wanted a blouse and didn’t know how to say peasant style, so I showed a dress with a bodice in that style and she understood. We then went through colours and she dug deep to find exactly what I wanted. I didn’t feel pressured.

I love the detailing at the sleeves and down the front, but not the boxy shape. I’ll see if I can find someone who can nip in the waist a little.

I was able to knock 60 pesos off the quoted price and got it for 290 pesos.

It’s been so long since I’ve bought nice new clothes that the prices never cease to amaze me, but, really, $24 for a nice top is nothing!

Then, I did an amble around the area, just to see what was open on a late Monday morning before ending up at Waldo’s to get a few things on my list. Dale was coming into Waldo’s as I was coming out; good timing!

She did her shopping, then we went back to the Mercado for a bit before going upstairs for lunch. Unfortunately, my enchiladas today, while tasty, were nowhere near as yummy as they were last time. Dang! But we still came out of there stuffed for 90 pesos, including the tip, for both of us!

We did a bit more shopping after and I finally found an apron in the style I’ve been looking for, which I was able to bargain down to a mere 70 pesos, so I snatched it up. I’ll have to see if I can find a seamstress to put a few darts it as it is definitely made for a stereotypically corpulent abuela, but the price was too good to not grab it!

Pinafore-style apron, a bit shorter than what I would have liked, but I’ve never seen in person an apron in this style in any length. I bought my last one on Etsy! The colour scheme is acceptable and I love the large pockets in the front. It is *huge* though! 🙂

I was initially quoted six dollars in English and I asked in Spanish for a price in pesos. That wound up being 75 (15 pesos less than the USD price). I countered with 60 pesos and the lady said the best she could do was 70. Shop in the currency of the country you’re in, folks! 🙂

Dale then wanted to show me a new bar she’s discovered that has photographs of old Maz along the walls. It’s called Edgar’s and the beer was cheap. Two Tecates were just 37 pesos!

The sign made me laugh “Ladies welcome (GentlemAn also)”

We looked at a bit more clothes after as Dale was looking for a blouse and I was looking for a skirt, but we struck out. We parted ways at the corner of Leandro Valle and Aquiles Serdán, where she got on a bus and I headed off towards the panga.

En route, I stopped in at Ley to see if they had my favourite yoghurt in stock. They had one, yay! There was another flavour there that made me curious as there was an ingredient I wasn’t sure about. I asked a lady next to me if ‘pasas son uvas secas’ (literally ‘pasas are dried grapes’) and she looked at me for a moment looking rather bemused before smiling and saying yes. I will try the raisin one the next time I see it!

I can’t believe it’s quarter to four already as I have work to do unless I want to be working by 6:00 again tomorrow. But I have to say that the break in routine was really welcome!