Market Day

Tuesday is the small market day in Jarretaderra, the little town next to Puerto Nuevo. John, Lisa,( Molly J) Angie and Natalie (La Fiesta) are checking something out in the photo at left.
There are abarottes ( small grocery stores) that are called mini-supers on just about every other corner, yet this market is loaded with locals, tourists, and boat people. It looks like a swap meet with, dollar store and veggie stands and used clothing. No one seems to bargain at the veggie stands- you just line up with what you want to buy and the man on the adding maching runs a tab. Some of the locals use a washtub to fill up with tomatos. Either huge family or a restaurant.

Dogs run around freely in the town
as well as children.

We like Jarretaderra as you don't have to drive so far - it is right next to Nuevo. The houses are colorful, but with lots of bars on windows and the streets would challenge four wheel drive. We feel very safe there, despite some gang tagging in places.

As a contrast, we bought tennis racquets at Walmart this morning, thinking it would be easy to find courts. It is, but being able to play on them is the problem. The Racquet club is very elegant, surrounded by million dollar homes and a beautiful golf course- across the entrance road to Nuevo from Jarretaderra. Hardly anyone plays on the one over in Paradise and you have to have a "special" card to play and be berthed there. Plan 2 had us checking out the local racquet club: $40 a day, not bad if you can last all day. Us old farts would fall on the net and not get up. There are hotels with courts - so more investigation. The people in Jarra don't play tennis, and their soccer field, alongside the expensive hotels is always empty. They are busy earning a living.

The best part of Jarretaderra is the tortilla factory, and Claudio's restaurant. These fellows took the mystique out of tortilla making: dried and heated (very hot) corn kernals are put in a grinder machine with water and the dough is transferred to the tortilla machine, and put in piles in a warm place. We usually buy a half kilo that lasts a week.


The guys thought our fascination with the machines was pretty funny, but then they work there and it is an every day thing to them.

Next week we will ask why they have all those portable ice coolers. Small roadside stands open up with whatever can be carried in the coolers, things prepared at home to sell in the stands. Voila, a restaurant is born. Two of our favorite, cheapo stands folded, so we found another one in front of one of the tourist restaurants - tacos and a drink. Lunch was $6 for both of us. How cool is that?