If you would like make any comments or ask any questions, you can email me (Brenda) or Bob at bwb819@aol.com

We have enjoyed our hummingbird feeder, watching the four hummingbirds come from sun up to sun down.  We recently discovered what happens when  you leave the feeder out after dark.  About 12-15 fruit bats swarmed our balcony and as many as four of them landed on the feeder at one time.  It was hard to capture their picture as they fly so fast.  I sent Bob out to retrieve it. It was like a scene from a horror movie!

 

 



 

 

Today we decided to shop at the weekly Chapala market.  Each small town has it's own once a week market.  Chapala is on Monday.  As I am the cook every other Mon.-Thurs., it made more sense to shop the Monday market than to wait until Wed. and shop the Ajijic weekly market.  We had heard rumors that the Chapala market was less expensive.  It was definitely larger and had more Mexicans than Americans.  We found the prices to be less expensive as they sold mostly to Mexicans.  The Ajijic market caters more to American and Canadians.  You can not find certain  things like string beans and "sweet corn" on the cob at the Chapala market.  The vendors there were very friendly and had each of their produce marked as to the price per kilo.   In Ajijic there is  no price shown, you can ask them, but you must know Spanish to understand the answer and we are still learning! 

 

 These are Cornish hen eggs.

 

 Chapala is preparing for Halloween also.

 

 I don't know what this food was.

 

 These iguanas were very glittery in the sunlight.  I love iguanas.  I raised a  6" one to become 3 ft. named George. 

 

 

Bob at the market.

 

 

 

 I really wanted one of these...and only $15!  I picked one up and had a hard time not giving the guy the $15.  Good thing Bob was with me to say "no".  The guy was saying something about in 3 months...delicious.  That is not what I had in mind.

 

 

 This man had sweet potatoes in this wheelbarrow.  Bob's sister said to be sure and get her some sweet potatoes from the man with the wheelbarrow!

 Fruit and veggies in plastic cup, plus coconut juice.

 

 Need some skinny pants...they have everything at the market.

 

 These containers have things like fabric softener, glass cleaner, detergent in  them and you can buy as little or as much as you want.  Bring your own bottle or they will put it in a plastic bag.

 

 Glittery sandals.

 

 This is our purchase from the market. 1 papaya, 1 jima, 7 cucumbers, 2 onions, 2 1/2 lbs of grapes,   3 cantaloupes, 1 pineapple, 5 mandarin oranges, 5 carrots, 6 tomatoes.  It came to $5.50.  The same items in the Ajijic market would probably have been about $11.00.

 

Next stop...Walmart.  Walmart is everywhere!  But, this is not exactly like our Walmart as it is 95% in Spanish so you'd better know the words for sugar, ham, cheese, bread, sour cream, etc.  Also just because it looks like a brand you know, like Cheetos for instance, you can't be sure it is the same.  We bought a bag and yes it was Cheetos, but with some kind of really hot stuff on it!  We buy some of our meat there.  Mostly staples, milk products, some fruit or veggies we can't find elsewhere.  Their bakery section  is very good.  I had gone into the restroom to wash my hands, and all of a sudden a woman with a full cart of groceries wheeled her cart into the bathroom and into the handicap stall!  Never seen that anywhere before! 

 

 

 

Tomorrow is our gardener's 21st birthday.  His name is Angel.  He is an extremely hard worker.  He is one of the oldest in 7 children and rides his bike about 10 miles each way to take care of our property.  We are just one of his many jobs.  At his young age, he has saved his  money and bought a piece of property and wants to begin building a house.  We are totally impressed!  It is the custom to break open a piñata with your family so we gave him one filled with candy and a card with money.