On Saturday night, they set up temporary metal stands for the vendors along with tarps for shade in two rows around the perimeter of the park. The streets that circle the plaza are closed to traffic during this time and around three sides temporary restaurants and food carts are set up. I say restaurants becuause they actually have waiters to take your order and serve. You can have a full meal here.
The carts serve snack foods. Here you can get something cool to drink, Yucatecan style ice cream cones and paletas (frozen fruit bars), french fries (the best I´ve ever tasted), marquesitas (a crepe filled with cheese and topped with nutella or fruit spread), fried plantains, and salchichas (hot dogs).
Mexicanos snack like nobody´s business, but the government is trying to promote good health so you will also find a medical trailor, much like the ones we see for blood donations, where anyone can enter for a simple physical. Outside are doctors and nurses who will check your blood pressure. Oh, and don´t forget the pharmacy across the street where you can fill your prescription.
The market is a great place to buy souvenirs, jewelry, blouses and guayabera shirts. Most items are made locally, you just have to check the tags. Here you can bargain with the sellers, in fact it´s expected, even if you think everything is cheap, keep in mind it´s all relative. Since most Americans aren´t used to bargaining, it can be a challenge at first. Each time I visit, I get a little better at it. Especially if one plans to by more than one item from a particular seller, you should ask for a discount to buy more. Just know when to stop and be reasonable and polite. Graciousness will get you far here.
After a siesta, it was time to find a new place for cena (dinner). Since it´s very hot here, people don´t come out until around 8 or 9 pm for cena. They might just come out for a snack and a serenade or have a complete sit down dinner. Some of my friends and family are about safety at night. Let me say that in the centro, there is no cause for concern. They close off some of the streets and restaurants put out tables and chairs so that patrons may dine al fresco. There are hundreds of people in the streets enjoying the cool evening breezes, shopping and having dinner. Most restaurants also have live music outdoors.
This is La Bella Epoca hotel and restaurant. It was formerly one of the colonial homes and the interior is beautiful. The way many restaurants fill their tables is to have waiters stand outside with menus inviting passersby inside and showing them the menu. I have passed by this restaurant with an amazing band many times and decided to try it out. There was a little rain and so I was offered seating in the balcony. The one on the right to be exact. The food was delicious or muy rico as one would say here. I had camarones de Maya, shrimp in a delicious slightly sweet achiote sauce with steamed vegetables and rice, accompanied by fresh bread, salsa and habanero sauce on the side and since they didn´t offer wine, a cold beer.
Inside one of the dining rooms.
View from the balcony of the park across the street.
1 comment:
¿Comiste elote con crema?
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