Food, Fun and an Interesting Visitor

If you are like most people, a trip involves questions like: "What are we going to eat?" and "Where are we going to eat?"  And if you are in a foreign country sometimes you may ask "What is that?" or How do you eat (or prepare) that?" 

We have asked all of those questions - and more!
So today Dave is going to show you how to cut up a mango. Some of you may know how already, but some folks have never cut one.  He is also going to show you a local avocado and the basics of cutting one of those.  I am sure many of you have done this, but there is always someone who doesn't know how to do it.


Enough talk - cue the video! (and watch for the visitor at the very end of it.)

Avocados and Mangos

This 'n' That -Gene's Wanderings

We have been slow posting to the blog and I do apologize for that.  I haven't taken as many photos as usual because so many of the things I have seen are things we posted on our last visit.   But for today, I am sharing some of the photos I have taken.

One day in the main square, downtown, there was a group of drummers playing.  One young man was videotaping the performance although I don't know what it was for.

I also visited the Mercado Lucas de Galvez which is the HUGE local vendor market in town. This thing covers several blocks and in places has an upper level as well.  The market is somewhat divided into sections based on what is being sold.  I loved walking through the produce section.  There were mounds of lovely local produce.  Some of the prices are amazing too.

The tomatoes are 8.99 pesos for a kilogram.  That translates to about 45 cents USD for 2.2 pounds of tomatoes!
Other vegetables that you may recognize are also plentiful.

Squash, carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, and precut mixed vegetables.  There is also chayote in this picture - it is a native type of squash.

Here we have onions, potatoes (2.2 lbs for $1.11) and more carrots- (50 cents a pound!) You may also see the garlic hanging on the post above the potatoes. I almost missed it.
I also love the fresh fruits here.

Yes, I know this is mostly vegetables  - but look at the pink things here.  Those are "Pithaya" or Dragon Fruit.  I didn't get any but I have had it in the past and it is delicious.

This morning I went to the main square again for "Domingo en Merida" (Sunday in Merida.) . The streets around the square are blocked off and vendors set up around the square.  Both in the park area and in the streets. Generally the food vendors take the street area. 
I was wandering around the merchandise area and saw two ladies making the items that they sell in their booth.  Sometimes the booths are resellers and the items are made in factories elsewhere- so those that are making their own products are most interesting to me.

 I did ask permission before taking the photos and the lady in the lavender shawl smiled and said yes.

Here are some closeups of the booth.

I would have asked for prices but I didn't want to interfere with the lovely handwork they were doing.

The blog posts this year are a bit slower and less frequent because we are simply being lazy and enjoying our time here.  All is well in our Yucatecan world.