Back In Belize: Strange, Funny, Interesting, Tasty Things I Saw While I Was in Mexico
The items that don’t translate so appealingly into English…(Cancun Walmart)
Though “Leche de Burra” doesn’t really scream “rub on your body” to me either. At least she is nestled on a bed of flowers.
The oh-so-close knock-offs for name brand items…(Walmart Cancun)
Who needs knock-offs when a real box of Ritz crackers is less than $2 USD?
The huge selection of CHEAP veggies, herbs and fruits just 20 miles away from us. Doesn’t everyone need fresh chamomile for 8 pesos a kilo? That’s probably enough to brew 100,000 cups of tea.
Mexicans must have an unparalleled love of yogurt. The selection is massive in all stores…scoopable and drinkable. (Tulum Chedraui)
The birthday cake section of the store or Postremania (Dessert Mania). One or two large sheet cakes are left out so that you can buy them by the slice. How many kids have dragged their fingers across these? It’s looking good so far…
I wonder why someone needed that middle slice.
Food wise, this is by far the strangest.
Huitlacoche or “corn smut”…it’s a fungus that grows on corn. Look it up: it’s a popular filling for quesadillas. That is something I need to try. I do love a mushroom and I won’t let the blueish tinge turn me off.
Anyone serving this in San Pedro?
Something slightly more palpable: my favorite beverage: Penafiel Twist. Sparkling water with lime and salt. (Bus station in Tulum where everyone was staring at me for taking a picture of my water.)
Sol beer also comes in lime and salt flavor as well as Clamato (for all you Canadians I guess?)
I wrote about beer cocktails about a year ago annd I’m still waiting for them to become the next bar thing. Seriously people! Who wouldn’t enjoy a “Ojo Rojo” (beer, Worcestershire, tomato juice, salt, lime and ice in a frosted mug) after a late night at Coco Bongo Playa Del Carmen?
Oh beer…so cheap and plentiful in Mexico.
In another direction again: Items to buy in Cancun for those who want to scream “I am an obnoxious tourist” without even opening their mouths.
Did you know shoes in Chetumal only go up to size 8? (I am a size 9…not an outlandish size at 5 foot 10.) No mas grande, bigfoot gringa.
And lastly…it seems like people hear Mexico and think DANGER. I mention that I am headed to Tulum and friends in the US send me links about a murder in Mexico City or drug gangs near Brownsville Texas.
Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the concern. But in many ways, that is like sending information about a murder in Phoenix, AZ to someone visiting New Jersey.
When in the Yucatan, I honestly feel incredibly safe. From what I can see, Mexico is serious about protecting its tourism industry. There are police stops all along the highways, local police officers all through the towns and even Tourist police monitoring the Corona commercial ready Tulum beach.
Snuggling together dressed all in black in the blazing sun. That’s dedication.
I’m back in Belize…but I do miss Mexico. I’ll be back very soon. Why not? It’s so freaking close.
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