Being an ExPat - What it is Like to Live in Ecuador: supermaxi

Showing posts with label supermaxi. Show all posts

Saturday, September 3, 2016

Let's Do This - Multiplazas, The Duke Boys, and Bam Bam

A local pharmacy will sell you Bactrim sans prescription.

And so we move forward. The previous evening something happened that was not so good. My wife, began having problems with her stomach. She had a rough night to say the least. The good news is Ecuadorians have a remedy for the 24 hour bug which our landlords clued us in to. A quick trip to the pharmacy or tienda for two Bactrim Forte. One will usually do but we buy 2 just in case. You see in Ecuador no prescription is needed for antibiotics and you can buy by the pill. Within eight hours of the Bactrim my wife was on the Physically able to Perform list. Guess what. I got it next. I however, am allergic to Bactrim. It is a strong antibiotic and I am allergic as I know because a prescription in the U.S.A. resulted in hives. I had to live with the stomach bug for three days.

Then Dad #2 got it. He lived with it as well. Finally, Mom got it while we were in the Galapagos. She finally took the Bactrim and had a mild allergic reaction (itching) but felt better the next day. We did not eat the same foods and Brenda and Linda never got sick. This leads us to believe it was not food, just an unfortunate bug.

Tamera and I have not experienced anything like this since moving here and we later found out a bug was going around. My apologies to our guests.

And so we move forward again. I talked before about all the wonderful gifts my parents brought. I want to also mention a gift my cousin Brenda brought. A Kindle Fire complete with full library. It is very hard to get English language books here and Tamera and I both love to read. We are very fortunate to have such a generous, supportive, and kind family. By that I mean on Tamera's side as well as mine. To us there is no difference between the two and readers should know that.

The Portoviejo Multiplaza

And so we move forward yet again. As my wife was not feeling well it was decided she should stay home and rest. Today was the first venture out of Crucita and to Portoviejo. There were multiple items on our agenda so this development was just a little stressful for me. You see I rely on my wife for translation more than I should. When we moved here my Spanish acumen consisted of asking the time, someone's name, counting to ten, where is the shoe store, and ordering beer; not necessarily in that order.

What will you find on the streets of Portoviejo? The Duke Boys!

Now, I would have to drive in a large Ecuadorian city for the first time. You see, we have almost always taken a bus or cab. When my our friend Rob visited he drove and I navigated. That was before the earthquake. Now all our landmarks are gone (is that the General Lee?), there have never been many street signs, roads are closed, stop lights/signs are mere suggestions, and driving here takes some getting used to. I would also have to translate in stores as well as at street markets, make sure the costs given are what is paid, and make sure our change is correct.

Thankfully, I was able to postpone a shopping trip to Picoasa until the next day when Tamera could help. My family understood.

Supermaxi!

Our first stop was the Multiplaza. Here you find Supermaxi grocery, our stated destination. Supermaxi has more import items than other stores in my limited experience. You will find TodoHogar which I equate to the U.S.A.'s Bed, Bath, and Beyond, KyWi Ferretero which is the U.S.A. version of Home Depot, electronics, toy, and clothing stores. You will also find KFC, a pharmacy, ice cream shops, etc. As at most large malls your car is protected by private security.

I don't mean one or two out of shape "rent-a-cop" types riding around in a golf cart or little truck. They are large and in charge. They are at the entrances and exits and in one mall, in towers looking over the entire establishment. By the way, I have found it is impossible for one or even two men to keep four women together in a mall, or market regardless of country. We explored, we shopped, we found bagels, we had a blast.

You will find a few things other than language and security differ in the stores here. One is the lockers. If you have bags or backpacks you must put them in a locker before you enter a store. This costs nothing and the key has a security tag on it. This tag reminds you not to forget your bags very loudly. It is the same tag used on clothing to prevent shoplifting. I think it is a great idea. The second is the carts. When you walk into Supermaxi there are red carts. Do not take them. Instead, walk a little further and take the silver cart. Once you navigate the grocery store and have everything you need the silver cart gets emptied at the register. As your items are rung up you push the silver cart to the side to be picked up and returned by staff. A bag boy at the far end of the register counter has magically appeared with a red card in tow. He bags your groceries and puts them in the cart. DO NOT HELP! It is his job and he will look at you as though your are loco just as he looked at my Dad. Once you have paid it is time to go to your car. The bag boy brings your groceries and loads them into your car. The tip should be $0.25 per cart. We came, we saw, they bought us a new coffee maker.

Sweeties from the local dulcerias!

And we move on yet again. We head back in the general direction of Crucita. There is a little roadside stand on the way. It is made of bamboo and wood. It is not a place most people might stop however, I was clued in to this piece of heaven by our friend Tamy. I want the family to try ensalada de frutas. It may seem like just a fruit cocktail. As explained in a much earlier post it is really not JUST a fruit cocktail as it is homemade daily and is the most delicious fruit I have ever tasted. Ice cold and amazing. Everyone has one. I think they share my affinity for this tasty treat. One cup is $0.25.

As we move on for our final time before heading home I inform my family that we are headed to Dulceria Bam Bam. Bam Bam is located in Rocafuerte which is famous for its dulcerias or sweets shops. Bam Bam was introduced to us by Tamy who says it is the best one. So far I must agree. We have tried others but Bam Bam is the best.

BAM BAM!

Dulcerias make a number of items but are not considered panaderias (bakeries) because they don't make breads. They are specialty sweets shops. Ice cream, cookies, cakes, candies, and my favorite; Rompope (rom-po-pay). Rompope is like a caramel eggnog infused with what else? Rum. Now, recipes vary by each region so aguardiente can also be used as in the linked recipe. I've only ever had the rum variety. It is very rich, thick, and sweet. Ecuadorians drink it not just at Christmas as we originally thought, but throughout the year. It is consumed by the cup or in small shot glasses. We also enjoy it in coffee and it makes an excellent ice cream topper. The family gave the rompope mixed reviews but overall, the dulceria was an excellent stop.

As we walk into Bam Bam we see a huge glass display case containing all the cookies and candies made fresh that day. There are literally over a hundred choices and of course everyone wants to know what each one is.

I have no idea. Really. I know what I've tried and like but I haven't tried close to all of these treats. Twenty candies are $1. I won't say how much my family spent because I don't know. Suffice it to say we still have plenty left two weeks later.

Pumped with sugar highs we head home. My wife is feeling much better, hungry even. That is good because tonight we will head to Napoli for beachfront pizza.

Nothing like a slice on La Playa.

Napoli is one of two oceanfront Italian restaurants in Crucita; the other being Genoa. Both are delicious as evidenced by my wife liking one best and me liking the other best. Napoli sports a brick oven and excellent thin crust pizza as well as a full Italian menu. At some point we will blog about the restaurant but suffice it to say everyone enjoyed a good meal including a langoustine pizza that it out of this world. When washed down with Club (a South American pale lager), Sangria, or just a coke, the meal was simply delicious. This all takes place overlooking the Pacific from huge bay windows of this second floor restaurant. We had them open to feel the cool breeze of course. The perfect end to a great day. Chao!

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Saturday, January 2, 2016

Tamera's Take: Auld Lang Syne, Cats, and Año Nuevo (Part 2)

Tamera's Take is about being here.

Are you ready? I am.

Does anyone really know the words to Auld Lang Syne? Or the tune for that matter? I have to admit, I do not. Of course I know the condensed version sung in the U.S. at midnight on New Year's Eve (Año Nuevo). The version everyone remembers at the end of the movie, It's A Wonderful Life. George and Mary Bailey. Zuzu's petals. The "every time a bell rings, an angels gets his wings" version.

One of my favorite Monigotes.

There is a little more to Auld Lang Syne. Inspired by fragments of traditional songs from earlier times, the Scottish poem was written in 1788 by Robert Burns, with all of the melancholy and nostalgia that it still evokes today.

However it was not intended as a New Year's Eve song, any more than It's A Wonderful Life was intended as a Christmas movie. Such as life, things have a way of finding their place and settling in.

Three days ago, our friend Tamy took us on a tour of Portoviejo. We were joined by two others, Bonnie and Luc, who we met at the Navidad Fiesta last week.

Bonnie and Luc arrived in Crucita a few weeks before we did.

This was no ordinary excursion. Nothing Tamy does is ordinary. She puts a lot of thought and care into everything. Our goal for the day was to view themed displays for the Año Viejo contest. That was just the beginning.

The theme? Save It or Lose It. I say Right on!

A map of the displays was in the local newspaper,
El Diario. With map in hand, the five of us were off for another adventure.

First stop was the home of Tamy's mother & father in law. Not to view a display, but for the first of many treats. Mangos! Ripe, sweet and delicious mangos from their farm.

With map AND mangos in hand, the five of us were off (again).

Tamy drives us through the city of Portoviejo and some of the surrounding parishes. She does not simply point out areas of interest. She gives us details about the buildings, people, and economics. But more importantly, she gives us the respective cultures of each area. I am amazed at the diversity.

As with any city, there is wealth, there is extreme poverty, and there is prejudice between those "classes". A product of all that diversity. It is human nature I suppose.

Mamey Mata Serrano

If you really want to get to know a culture, you have to look past some of those things. You have to look past your own comfort zone. You have to set aside the things you know, to make room for the things you do not know. If you can do this, you will almost always have an experience to remember.

Representing the Rural Life of Ecuador

Continuing on our tour, we stop at several displays to take photos. I should mention that the judging of the displays took place on December 31st. First prize is $3,000 USD, second prize is $1,500.

Photos of all 24 entries were printed in the Año Nuevo edition of El Diario. I think we saw about half of them during our tour.

Time for another treat!

Mamey Mata Serrano! In Ecuador, this fruit does not occur on a large scale, but it is found in small farms on the coast, mainly in the provinces of Esmeraldas, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas and Manabi.

It has the size and appearance of a small cantaloupe. We live in the province of Manabi.

Tamy sees Mamey being sold at one of the street vendors and tells us that we "must try this". We will hear that phrase a lot. We are told that this fruit is in season for a very short time, and it is not available everywhere in Ecuador. We happen to live on the coast. Lucky us!

Portoviejo El Centro

Since we have already passed the vendor, we have to make a few turns to get back to him. This is another opportunity to absorb more culture. We drive through the fabric district. I had been wondering where to buy material. I am not sure why since I left my sewing machine back in the U.S. We are told that the fabric district is safe during the day, but not at night.

Not our cat. Our cat's local friend.

And...the electricity is out again. This does not happen too often, but it does happen.

I am usually totally unaware of it unless I happen to be using WiFi at that time.

I was using Wifi to write this segment of our blog.
Now I am using Notepad so that I can continue.
As soon as the electricity is back on I will copy and paste.

A few extra steps, but it is all part of the way of life here in Crucita.

I also take the time to say hello to a white cat who frequently stops by to visit.

He poses for a photo.

We make our way back around to the busy street. There are a lot of tall buildings - tall for Ecuador; many vendors set up all along this street; but NO street parking.

Tamy pulls up to the vendor and through the window asks the man something in Spanish. I catch a few words. Not enough to know exactly what she asks him. But in her normal style, she turns to us and translates. She then goes on to explain that Mamey can be difficult to peel and cut away from the large seed. The man is doing it very skillfully and quickly. Apparently if you do it wrong, the fruit will have a bitter taste.

A few cars honk their horns at us. The man says something to Tamy and she tells us that he said "do not worry about them, it is fine to stay where we are". We do. It is not.

We are greeted by a police siren and flashing lights. Apparently the No Standing law applies here as well as New York City.

Recognize Anyone?

Another circle through the fabric district and back to the vendor, where our Mamey has been peeled, sliced and put into bags for us to eat. It appears to be about 3 or 4 pounds of fruit. Total cost = $2.50 (50 cents per person). It was rico (delicious).

I cannot begin to describe the taste. I will not even try. If you find yourself in Ecuador, along the coastal area, in December - you must try this!

After we take photos (fotos) of more displays, my husband asks Tamy about something he read in a blog about "the largest flea market in Ecuador located in Portoviejo", and does she know where it is.

Puzzled look. What is a flea market?

We explain.

No. There is no flea market.

We are told that Ecuadorians do not sell used clothes, household items or furniture. They give these things away to people who need them. Silence from the gringos. I cannot speak for the others, but for my part, this is another lesson on how things should be. I will not forget it.

The mood is suddenly lifted as Tamy asks us if we like coconut milk Now I have the puzzled look. I thought it was called agua de coco. It is. But this is not.

Now you have the puzzled look.

Ecuadorians are concerned too.

Agua de coco is the clear liquid inside the coconut. As I have mentioned in earlier blogs, the top of the coconut (husk on) is cut off so you can use a straw to drink the agua. Coconut milk is white because it is made from the pulverized coconut meat.

A street vendor is selling ice cold coconut milk.

Yes. Of course we want some.

Apparently this woman makes the best coconut milk in the city. It is important to only buy from vendors who make sure everything is clean. We are told this many times. Our Ecuadorian friend will not be with us all the time. We have to learn these things. It is not offensive to walk away if you think a restaurant or food cart is not clean. But do not mistake worn for dirty. I cannot stress this point enough. If you do, you will probably miss out on a lot.

That will definitely be your loss.

As we drink coconut milk, we turn a corner and find ourselves in Portoviejo El Centro. This can only be described as THE shopping district. Located at "9 de Octubre e/ Chile y Ricaurte" is the store Super Exito. I promise, there is an address in that sentence. I will explain how addresses work in another segment of Tamera's Take.

Superheroes everywhere. Emelec!

Super Exito seems to be the landmark of this outdoor shopping and food extravaganza. Take a cab or a bus to get there. To experience and take full advantage of El Centro, you will have to walk it.

Lalo's in Portoviejo El Centro

In front of Super Exito are two restaurants that look like outdoor lunch counters.

They are identical except that one sells sandwiches, hot dogs and hamburgers (Lalo's); the other sells more traditional Ecuadorian food.

Flea Market - No, but yes.

Remember that "flea market" we asked Tamy about? I think El Centro is what that blogger was trying to describe. Yes, we found it, but no - it is NOT a flea market.

This is not a shopping day though. Jason and I have already made plans to go back to Portoviejo El Centro on our own for a day of shopping and eating. After we go, we will tell you all about it.

Electric Mosquito Racquet

At this point we have spent hours taking photos of displays for Ano Viejo; we have had mangos, mamey and coconut milk. We have to find a restroom!

SuperMaxi is just around the corner.

SuperMaxi break done. We could not leave there without buying a rechargeable Electric Mosquito Racquet. I love this thing.

A lot of fun for $5.83 and no mosquitos.

As we give out a few more coins to the Widows of Ano Viejo, we come to the final part of our tour of Portoviejo. The World of Monigotes and Fireworks! It is not called that. But it should be.

Some coins for this Widow of Ano Viejo!

Thousands of paper mache Monigotes. Thousands of Fireworks. A landing strip between them. You do not want fireworks sold next to monigotes. Especially since the fireworks are constantly being demonstrated for potential customers.

Just think about it for a minute.

Paper mache. Fireworks. Paper Mache. Fireworks.

Got it? Okay.

These are not wimpy wambly wombly fireworks. These are badda big badda boom fireworks. All legal - here.

Although we have already bought two monigotes in Crucita - the Pilsener Futbol Toro & Peppa Pig, we see Sylvester Cat and buy him for $5.00 USD.

Tamy has taught us a lot about the bargaining ritual, and I have observed her enough times that I think I got the best deal on our Sylvester monigote. It turns out that I did. Practicing a few more phrases in Spanish before we got there did not hurt.

Special Fireworks for Sylvester!

As Jason mentioned in New Year's Eve Part 1, we have to wear yellow underwear (bragas amarillas) for good luck on New Year's Eve.

You cannot buy them yourself. Someone has to buy them for you. Jason and I buy for each other.

I would be remiss if I did not remind you that the Ecuadorian people are generally smaller than us Gringos. Keep that in mind when shopping for clothing. Enough said.

Fotos, fotos and more fotos. Monigote and yellow underwear in hand.

Shoppers in El Centro.

On to Fireworks.

There is a very specific type of firework used to blow up your monigote on New Year's Eve. You will need several for each monigote, depending on its size. They are craft paper colored triangles with a fuse on one corner - four for $1.00. We bought eight of them, along with some regular size roman candles (25 cents each) and mega size roman candles ($2.00 each).

The man we bought the fireworks from gave us a bunch of jumping jacks for free.

We are now as ready as we can be for Año Nuevo. (That is code for come back for Part 3. You will not be disappointed.)

Feliz Año Nuevo

After our trip to World of Monigotes and Fireworks, we intended to take the bus back to Crucita.

Tamy insisted on driving us home. I should have known she had a surprise for us.

Bam Bam Dulceria in Rocafuerte.

But that story, my cyber friends, is for another day.

We hope you all had a Safe, Fun & Happy New Year. We did!

Questions? E-mail us!

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Saturday, December 19, 2015

Living on the Edge - Money, Shopping, and Tequila

Bienvenidos Canada!

Ah, Christmas time. Back in the good old USA they have been shopping in preparation for the big day. Some (very few actually) are done already as we are. Some are just getting geared up for the push. Some will wait until the very last second. Then there are those who did it all in January.

One of the Malls In Portoviejo

Here in Ecuador it is probably much the same. Yes, they celebrate Christmas here. Yes, we hear all the traditional carols, though most times they are in Spanish. There are sales in the stores, there are elves in the malls, there are Christmas lights, decorations and trees up everywhere. What there are not, are mobs or rushes. No huge lines, people being rude, pushing or shoving. Shopping has not been a nightmare and I am profoundly grateful. I do not like to shop and I especially hate Christmas shopping in the USA.

Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas, just not what you are compelled to do to "celebrate". Seems like a good time to talk about shopping and bills though.

We have done a good bit of shopping since we got here. Not for Christmas but to get the creature comforts we felt were needed. I did not really want to do it. We have read about so many things you can not get here that I was just a bit worried. As has happened with most things here, I should not have been worried at all.

Buy at the HiperMarket. Starting at $999.

First things first. Rent. Real estate companies do not handle many rental properties because there is little money to be made for a lot of work. There is not much you can find on the internet. There are plenty of rentals available though. For Rent (Se Alquiler) signs are everywhere. Our five bedroom, five bathroom house was not on the internet. Our agent found our house for us by driving around Crucita. We are a block off the beach with ocean views and within walking distance of too many restaurants, stores, and cantinas to count. Our rent is $700 a month USD.

Utilities. We all hate that monthly electric bill and some of us also have a gas or oil (or both) bill depending largely on where you live. Hot water heaters, air conditioning (in Florida), and heating your home will take large bite out of any Christmas budget. We read a lot about these costs in Ecuador prior to coming and I am happy to say they were largely true. Our electric, water, and gas cost us just a little under $50 for the month. WI-FI is another $25. Our Skype phone number and US calling plan is a another $6.50. Our one month utility total was $81.50 USD. Many rentals can be had which will include utilities. You just have to shop around. Short term rentals abound and a beachfront condo can be had for a month at the same price as our home.

Direct TV is pay as you go. We do not use it but the cost for Bronze service including HBO and Cinmax is $33 a month. We will have it soon but right now, we have plenty to do without it.

Budget $120 USD and that will cover all your utilities. Everything.

Beautiful Produce

Food. A subject near and dear to my heart. We have had to do a little bit of searching. There are 3 main supermarkets (mercados) here. SuperMaxi, which is a higher end market. Southerners think Publix. HiperMarket is another. They are the Walmart equivalent in that they have groceries and household items, including furniture, appliance, hardware and gardening sections. SuperMaxi and HiperMarket are both located in actual shopping malls. Aki is yet another market that we have not visited yet but we will. Right now HiperMarket is our go to shopping experience. The mall also has food court with KFC and Carl's Jr. So you fast food junkies can get your fix. They also have a few organic eateries and vegetarians can generally find something. Vegan not so much. You will do better to cook your own I think. These stores have all the baking needs, vegetables, meats, and canned goods you could want.

Peanut butter!

You may not find the brands you are used to but you can find the equivalent easily enough. There is no reason not to purchase the Ecuadorian made or Latin American brands. They are less expensive (no import taxes), fresher (because they are made or grown here), and you support the local economy. If you live here, that is you too.

There are two prices for everything. There is the price for Cedula carriers (the Ecuadorian national ID) and there is the US or English price. You pay a percentage based tax (7.5%) if you are not a citizen or are without a Resident VISA. As soon as you have your Resident VISA, you get your Cedula, These prices are clearly marked on the tags. So far, we have paid no additional taxes. The citizens who work at the stores have been more than happy to use their Cedula number, as they collect rewards points for use.

After many trips into Portoviejo, we have since discovered that we can find almost all of the items we need in our own back yard. That is to say, right here in Crucita. There is no "Super" tienda. There are many tiendas and street vendors.

Fresh herbs. All you want!

Vegetables are my favorite because they are not genetically modified. They are not dyed or waxed. They have not been stored for months. They have taste. A five pound bag of oranges is around $2 or $3 in the supermarket. That is about ten oranges. They look like oranges are supposed to. They are not dyed or waxed, meaning you are not paying to have them look unreal. They are delicious. Here is the really cool part. In our town the vendors ride around on bicycles and small trucks. They come by your front door. If you keep your ears open, you can walk out and catch them. After awhile, they get to know you and come by regularly. We bought 2 large green peppers, 6 tomatoes, a bag of mangos, cilantro, 6 ears of corn, and a large pineapple- all for $4. You can plant the seeds from them and grow your own. There are so many fruits and vegetables I have never seen before. It will take us a long time to try them all. I am game!

Meat can be bought from the local stores but the fresh meat is best bought from the super markets. I know there are butchers around and will find them but for now, $6 for six sirloin steaks, $2 for four chicken quarters, $3 for eight pork chops, and $3 for a pound of fresh ground chuck seems pretty reasonable. Lunch meats, hot dogs, and other sausages are plentiful.

Fishing boats of Crucita

Fish is available in the supermarkets but living in Crucita, I do not buy from them. We have all the fresh fish we could want right here. The fishermen will sell off the boat, there is the market on the north end that is jumping at 6:00 AM, and the south end also has a small market. Fish is brought in all day long. Mahi, Sea Bass, Snapper, Swordfish, Sardines, Drum, in short, everything. Mahi (Dorado) cost us $5 for three pounds at the actual fish market.

South fish market in Crucita. Yep, our fish they are cleaning!

You pay a bit more there but you do not have to wait and they have everything already packaged. Pacific shrimp is $5 a pound. We have not had crab, lobster, oysters or about 100 other different kinds of fish yet. You get the picture. Like the vegetables, vendors come right by your front door almost every day.

Bakeries are plentiful, Breads, cookies, cakes, you name it. They are fresh and they are delicious. We bought butter cookies form a vendor on the bus to Portoviejo. $0.50 a package. They were still warm and made with cane sugar. They taste just like the Pepperidge Farm Bordeaux cookies for a fraction of the price. We bought loaves of Pan con Queso (Bread with Cheese) on the bus too. $0.25 a loaf. They are about the size of croissants. You can buy sandwich bread, hamburger and hot dog buns, tortillas, or fresh baked at the supermarkets as well. I have not found bagels, though cream cheese is available. They offer a range of prepared food at their deli/bakeries as well.

Spices and oils are also plentiful and affordable. I bought a bag of 100% saffron, 5 grams for $2. A large light olive oil was $4. Peanut butter can be had as well. It is more expensive than meat. You can expect to pay $3 for a little bag or $9 for a jar. The biggest surprise for me was spaghetti sauce. $9 for a small jar. Pasta cost next to nothing though so go figure. I will make my own sauce from scratch and freeze or bottle it.

Hair dye. Loads of the stuff.

Cosmetics were something we thought were hard to get, based on all of the blogs we read. Not true. Hair dye for days. The same price range as the USA. Walls of it. Shampoo, conditioner, soaps, make up, perfumes and lotions. All available. All very comparable to US pricing and quality.

Clothes and shoes can be expensive, especially at the malls. Payless Shoes has everything you see in the US however, prices range from $30 to $50 USD. Shirts can be had from $5 on up. Socks are $4-$6 for a set of three. Underwear is $4-$6 per pair depending on what your style is. Sunglasses and readers are $2 unless you want RayBans or the like. There are plenty of designer stores if that tickles your fancy. As with anywhere, mall prices are outrageous. If you are willing to explore you can find bargains. The flea market in Portoviejo is on the horizon.

Whiskey. Yep.

Another item near and dear to my heart is alcohol. I loves me some cocktails. I am first and foremost a whisky man. Neat is the way to drink it. No other way. Black Owl Whiskey can be had for $12 a fifth. It is very good. There is a fire or cinnamon version as well. There are American versions available but I refuse to pay $50 for a fifth when comparable is available, They have rum and vodka and with all the fruit it's a good thing. I haven't seen Jager but this is a small village. There are party towns close by and I'm sure you can find what you want. Wine is another thing. We have even had locals tell us it is too expensive which was surprising. At restaurants perhaps. There is a cork fee at many. We found some wonderful South American wines for as little as $5. With all the fruit available, sangria is amazing. Tequila is an item easily found. I do not see Jose Cuervo which is a blessing. Horrible, Americanized tequila in my opinion. Here you will find lots of blanco (white) tequilas. Very smooth and delicious. Then there is beer. Pilsener is the brand here, their Budweiser if you will.

Vodka for my Lady.

You can get Budweiser if you like sex in a canoe (if you do not get the joke my apologies). There are other "imports" to be had as well. I like beer and the Pilsener is very good. $1.40 a liter but here is the neat part. $0.50 of that $1.40 is the bottle deposit. You keep your bottles and return them to the beer truck when it comes around. They trade you out, and the beers are now only $0.90.

All of these items can be found in the supermarkets. They can also be found in the tiendas of Crucita. Get to know the locals and you will have the honor of drinking their homemade liquor. We had rice "shine" that was amazing. I'm told they also use cane sugar but I have not experienced that yet.

Pet supplies are another item we read were either hard to come by or expensive. That was, unless you went with sub par food. They have Purina products here for both dogs and cats, canned food, supplies such as litter, litter boxes, brushes, leashes, toys, etc.

Purina is here but there are better options.

The local food is just like it is in America. Some is not good, some is. A little experimentation goes a long way. You will not find Eukanuba or Blue but there are quality foods here. The cost is comparable to US pricing.

Next week we will tell you all about the Christmas party. Many of the children in rural areas do not get much for Christmas. We have volunteered to help at a party for a few hundred kids. I can't wait. A lot of kids stare at the long haired gringo with blue eyes. Apparently, I stick out in a crowd. I think we are going to have some fun!

We'll also start getting into restaurants and cuisine. You should expect it to be a running theme because as we're rapidly finding out, all the cultures and subcultures have their different takes on food. That makes for gastronomical heaven as far as I am concerned. As an amateur cook, I am loving the fresh delights we see every day.

Right now it is time to go to Calle Malecon and have some Ceviche (say-bee-chay) de Pescado (fish). A couple of shots of tequila blanco sound really, really good at the moment too. Ceviche is becoming a daily dietary need I think. That will set us back around $15 unless we have more than one shot. Adios!