1,401.50 grocery bill!

[asirimarco]

Drove back into Hermosillo yesterday to go to grocery store and by luck found a Sam's Club. Stocked up for a while. Family sized packages of chicken, Italian sausage, Argentine Chorizo, produce (now we'll see how those Debbie's Green Bags work), six packs of ice tea, and other odds and ends. Got to check out stand and clerk sid $1401.50 - HEART DROPPED - then mind checked in ah - Pesos! It is always a shock the first time we buy more than a few things when in Mexico - only $106 in US dollars. Picked my mouth up off floor and paid it. Considering what we got it was cheaper then in US. Right now the exchange rate is pretty good. Gasoline for the car is higher than in US by quite a bit - about $2.25 gallon and now diesel is higher too.
It was a really nice shopping center. Not only Sams Club but a Big WalMart Supercenter, Home Depot, Office Depot, Ashley Furnitur and a block away a Costco.
There are little markets here in Kino for incidentials but perfer to stock up in the chain stores. Lots of the vacuumed packed milk available here all the way from skim to cream. Here at the campground a pickup truck comes every other day with fresh vegetables. Another with fish and shrimp. The closest bakery is in Old Kino - either have to be there real early in the a.m. or wait until the fresh batch of bread comes out at 3 p.m. In between it is slim pickins.
The wind has finally stopped blowing and today is georgous. And here I am doing laundry and paying bills. Maybe go beach combing later in Kino Viejo.
On the way into Hermosillo yesterday there was a road block with soldiers with big guns checking the cars - when we got to it they just waved us through. Don't know what it was about. Not there when we came back.

[Carolinagal]

Soldiers with big guns have been in two post in the past couple of days about Mexico on this forum. You know, I don't think I would be too comfortable there until I found out why. They must be looking for one of their own though, to just pass the U.S. people on. So watch out for the bad guys.

My heart would have really flipped at your grocery bill, glad you realized it quickly. I've enjoyed your pictures from down there, have a good time and continue the pics please.

Stay safe

Carol

[asirimarco]

Soldiers with big guns are a regular occurance in almost every foreign country - with exceptions of Canada and England (of places I've been ). In Italy the police carry Uzis. It is a fact of life, just something those of us from the US are not used to. They are not menacing - just doing their job. I remember when we were here 30 years ago there were many more soldiers around then now. In fact then they were walking all the beaches. This time have just seen them riding in trucks or at check points.

[Carolinagal]

I was not aware of this. I spent several weeks in Germany and never noticed any of their army or anyone with guns anywhere. We traveled down into Austria, Italy and except at the borders there was the border patrol, no army visible and I never noticed any with guns or tanks etc. This was in 92 and 93, The change in the times, possibly, I would still be uneasy. But thanks for the explanation.

Carol

[AlmostThere]

One time we were in MX and a truck load of soldiers with guns passed us, then further ahead they pulled over and stood in the road to stop us. They asked if we had any fruit. FRUIT!?! We said no and they let us pass. I think they were just acting out to see if they would scare us or something. I didn't think it was funny one bit and always felt a bit uneasy traveling around their country. Seemed like there was always someone trying to short change us or over charge us. In Tijuana they put my dau and son in law in jail and wouldn't let them out until they gave them all their cash. They do have some really nice people but allot of lawlessness abounds, too. JMHO

[Bethers]

Actually, most of the Americans who go into MX say that they would feel good about it if the US had guns at the border facing into Mexico - but don't like that the Mexicans do. The guns are pointed INTO Mexico - and they don't even check our passports, etc when we're just going into the border towns. The US - at the checkpoint - does have guns - and dogs to check the vehicles for drugs, etc - and that's many miles INSIDE the US. These are small towns, and while we might wonder at it - it's their way to keep it safe for us.

Carol, most of the stores here - give receipts in US $ - but when you buy liquor - at least where I get it - they do what you showed - and I almost fell over. I knew what I was spending, then there it was, showing me a few hundred dollars - well, I thought a few hundred LOL - so, yes, I understand that grocery bill.

[Sparkle]

This just shows how our conversations jump around...just like face to face conversations. When DH and I returned from Fiji we had to get off the plane in Hawaii and get on another for the final leg of the trip back into America. We were escorted AT GUNPOINT into a room. A woman asked if she could take her baby into the bathroom to change its diaper. She was refused. Dave needed cigarettes and was told to sit down and shut up. He went ballistic! He was yelling that he had served his country two tours in Vietnam and was being treated like a second class citizan. The other passengers were offering Dave their cigarettes, but he was angry for a long time after that. So the guns are there.

[avalen]

ohhhhhh my goodness, then I read the post, thank god it was peso's and not $$
so talking about Mexico, my sister wants to go into Nogales while they are here.
I'm hoping to talk her out of it, but just in case I can't, whats in Nogales? Anybody
know? They will probably do it the day they go check out Tucson.

[asirimarco]

Maybe a better explaination - Most of the Latin American countries I've been in from Mexico to Argentina have lots of soldiers - with guns - As did China. The police in Italy carried big guns. I've never been in Germany. The soldiers in Hermosillo and at the border crossing were not the least bit interested in us. In fact they barely stepped inside. But there are checkpoints here and there and they are usually run by the soldiers. Although we did not come across any from border to where we are now. Once while in Baja at the check point between North and South Baja we had to give up our apples. But then you used to have to give up your house plants between Nevada and California.
The soldiers do not make me nervous - it is just a different way of life. The border towns are a little different then the cities and towns in the interior. I haven't seen any soldiers here in KIno and except for the one check point none in Hermosillo.
Now that we are 250 miles into Mexico everything is Pesos - but you can almost always pay in USdollars if you want or use a credit card. So far this time and the last time we were traveling in the interior of Mexico we have found the people to be exceptionally honest and friendly. Including any soldiers and or police we dealt with. Got stopped for speeding once and officer was very nice and just gave us a warning.

[Cedar518]

A neighbor of mine here winters in MX every year. He and his wife love it there and say it is so peaceful and friendly. They rent a house there, don't have a camper. In fact they may have bought a place there by now. if I get to that area of TX I'll go into MX for sure.

[SeeyaGal]

Food is cheaper in Mexico, I always have to remember if something says $250 it means $25 in american dollars.
I love the Bakerys!! The ice cream is the best down there....Like Baskin & Robbins
I love buying Avacados...BIG ONES....4 or 5 for $10 pesos=$1

I have no fear of the Mexican police, they are more concerned if drugs are coming over the borders or Mexican's getting out to America. We have been searched.... not a problem...they are mostly just snoopy, they have such a hot boring job and looking into the RV's is a treat to break the boring day. Remember you are in THEIR country, BE NICE....cop an attitude and yeah you might end up in jail!
I have found from my 3 long journeys there that the crime is at the borders. I have gone deep into Mexico and the remote Indian villages and these people are very nice and want to please you. I've gone into homes of some of the poorest people and they take pride in their homes. They do have a garbage problem though.....litter everywhere.

I have to laugh though that one day we were crossing from one state to the next and we weren't suppose to bring chicken across the border. Some of the others in our group had some too so when we started seeing the next check point, I got on the walkie talkie and we relayed the message to hide the chicken! Jumped back in my seat and we cleared the check point and when the last RV crossed we put it back into the freezer

Dan is getting itchy to go back with the Mexican Connection in 2010. Not sure where they are going yet though.
I would not be surprised if Dan wants to join up with you guys in Mexico someday, he asked where you are going next!

[asirimarco]

Hi Jennie - yep we love being in Mexico - some of the nicest people around. One thing I noticed here and in Hermosillo - how clean the streets in town are. This is new. Here in Kino there are dumpsters every block and they are being used. And this a.m. we were watching them clean the beach.
And you are right about the checks - mostly they are courious about what is inside. Very seldom do they even open cupboards. And when we were in Baja - we learned to hide the apples, potatoes and chicken in the washer with clothes on top. As soon as we were through, back into the refrig.
At one check point in Baja the guards even gave us an aguave plant. That we then "smuggled" across into Calif. Have been more thourghly searched at the US borders then at any check point in Mexico. Respect goes a long way.
Almost forgot to mention just now when we came back from lunch we saw another SeeYa parked next to a house on the beach. Know any one who is here?

[SeeyaGal]

Well I know Barb & Sid Zielke are in Mazatlan....not sure who else is down there will have to check my datastorm and see who's there.

Checked the data storm and noone there near you has Datastorm so you'll just have to meet them and tell us who they are!