Errand Day in Downtown San Miguel

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Since Ian has rented a scooter, it's easier for us to get around and get things done. We need to exchange some US money into pesos. This is a great way to save money around here. It's ok to use US money at Super Mega or Chedraui for groceries as they give a fair exchange, but if you use US money at stores and cabs, they often give you 10% exchange as opposed to 12% you will get at the bank. The banks are all busy with locals exchanging their money. Some banks have limits of how much you can exchange, so we end up going to two different banks.

We wanted to have another look at the Mercada Municipal while everything is open so we go back there for a better look. It's easy to spot each other in the market as we are about a foot taller than most of the Mexican people. I had already had breakfast but Ian was starving so he has rancheros at a local diner there. It turns out to be fried eggs on top of tostados with some kind of ranchero sauce, rice and beans on the side, served with tortillas and a dish of halepeno peppers, limes, chopped raw onions and salsa. Obviously this is not something I can eat, but he really enjoyed it. His breakfast and two bottles of water and tip was $3.

We are a little further than we normally go by walking from the condo so there are new streets for us to explore. We leave our scooter at the market and both go in search of some new shorts. We each brought a few pairs but I got bleach on one of mine cleaning and Ian wants something cooler than his denim shorts. We find some clothing stores, the sales people are very helpful in finding your size. I easily find a pair of shorts that fit me nice for $18. A few streets over, Ian finds some shorts he really likes and buys 2 pairs. We also find a little stand selling fresh flour tortillas so we pick up some of those. By now, it is really starting to get hot out and I am sweating through my T shirt, so we head back to the market for our scooter then scoot back to the condo.

I am happy to stay home for a bit, watch TV, catch up on emails while Ian does some solo exploring on the scooter around town. He finds some new stores, one is like a Mexican costco called Sams Club. He can't buy anything there because he doesn't have a card. He watches a couple of guys getting arrested by the police. He picks up our laundry which is really needed as we are both out of clean clothes. Driving around he smells something wonderful, so he stops at a barbeque store to buy some barbeque beef which comes with a whole smoked onion and a few plastic bags of sides, one is some kind of cole slaw, rice, beans and some kind of mystery salsa. There is enough food to feed a family of 4 for $8. We make tacos with the beef. Ian tries all the sides, I stick to some leftover rice with mine. The beef is good but very salty.

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