shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13045
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
|
|
Shopping in rural Baja...a cultural experience!
The thread on the big store burning down in BOLA prompted some reflection on small town shopping that I thought might be useful for some folks new to
Baja.
I often hear people making comments like..."that store didnt have anything" and passing that info on. This may have been true the day they went to the
store for several reasons like...the delivery truck didnt come in, or what happened a few weeks ago in the cooperative store...the fishermen hadnt
been paid for 20 weeks so the cooperative was in some serious financial difficulty so they couldnt buy good to stock their store...but other stores
had everything no problem.
Small towns have stores that vary and some stock different items other than what the main delivery truck brings to most stores. Some have ranch
contacts that bring delicious fresh ranch cheese, veggies and fruit. Others have liquor and a good variety of beverages and junk food, one store has
different meat etc.
The point is that shopping is a cultural experience in that you need to visit several stores to get the best choice of what you want. Unlike NOB, you
are expected to greet everyone as you enter the store and chit chat with the cashier asking about her family and a bit of gossip usually...which also
occurs as you meet locals by the beer fridge too. This is why a simple trip to town to pick up a couple things always takes more than an hour!
Shopping is a big part of my Spanish Immersion program as it is such a big part of the culture here. There are small neighbourhood stores on nearly
every block and even though they are a bit more expensive, folks go there to patronize the place as well as socialize with the store clerks and not
use gas to go to the bigger store.
Not so long ago...people had no kitchen cupboards to speak of so they bought what they needed for the day or the meal. Most kitchens only had a bag of
rice, lard, sugar, salt and some flour on hand and just strolled to the store before preparing food so it was usually fresh. I was always embarrased
to open my cupboards as they were stuffed with...stuff.
So the next time you are in a small village ask or wander around to visit the many stores..that may not be obvious or in someones house...you may be
pleasantly surprised at what you find!
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64749
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
Thank you Shari!
One needs to adjust to local foods, conditions and customs to really enjoy their 'out-of-country' experience!
|
|
|
vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow
|
|
Great post Shari!!
|
|
|
shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13045
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
|
|
I think its funny when people ask me if there are stores here to buy supplies...there are over 2,500 people here who have to eat! True there are
things you cant get here like asparagus, spinach and pork chops but these are replaced by things you cant get NOB like fresh ranch cheese, fresh and I
mean FRESH seafood, tamales, lots of homemade food like empanadas and sweet breads.
|
|
|
Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
Member Is Offline
|
|
After shopping for 20 years in our little stores, the clerks know what I usually buy and sometimes they help this old forgetter by reminding me they
don't see on the counter something I regularly buy. They don't do that at Safeway I bet. They also won't let me pay for anything with an old sell by
date or damaged fruit or veggies.
|
|
|
BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13195
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
very good post! so true and so different from US! and so wonderful since it makes you go to different stores looking for the tomatoes or the
potatoes or the sugar LOL
|
|
|
DaliDali
Super Nomad
Posts: 1132
Registered: 4-21-2010
Location: BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
I live within spitting distance of a small nieghborhood tienda.
Delivery trucks will sell me anything off the truck, on the spot.
Cash and carry I suppose....
Yesterday I just bought a whole chicken and chicken wings off the Bachoco truck and the natural orange juice guy delivers how ever many bottles I want
right to my kitchen counter....at the same price he sells to the tienda.
|
|
|
Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6343
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
|
|
That is what part of the adventure is when traveling to BA or other smaller towns.
One has to adjust with what is available.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
|
|
|
woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
|
|
the best thing they have in the tienditas are big smiles! you don't get many of those in the mega's NOB.
|
|
|
Mexitron
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3397
Registered: 9-21-2003
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy!
|
|
That's exactly how we ate our meals when we were camping around the Asuncion area--drive into town and try different stores every day, and of course
load up on ice and beer. Didn't miss the big stores at all and loved the uniqueness of each market.
|
|
|
Alan
Super Nomad
Posts: 1626
Registered: 4-6-2005
Location: Yucaipa, CA/La Paz
Member Is Offline
|
|
Shopping in this manner is not limited to just the smaller, rural towns. I've come to do the very same thing even here in La Paz. Even with huge
Mega-marts to choose from I often drive all over town just depending on who has what, when. The blessing is that here I can find the freshest of just
about everything I could ever need - somewhere
In Memory of E-57
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
