Bucerias, Mexico     November 10, 2023

After an excellent sleep and breakfast, we found a bank to change money.  The XE rate is 12.79 pesos/dollar and I got 12 so that’s pretty good.  The exchange booths were only giving 11.60.  I may have exchanged enough for the whole trip because I try to use my credit card when I can because I am finding I am almost getting the XE rate with my card so that is definitely a bonus.  I have a Home Trust Visa which is one of the few that doesn’t charge international fees and is also free.  It’s pretty handy except when places want effectivo (cash).

Along the way-

We also walked by a few memorials from Day of the Dead-

We caught a bus to Bucerias.  The bus stop is only 2 short blocks away from the Rosita.  It’s a great way to get around but there are few tourists using them.  I don’t care about that, I just think they are missing out on seeing and experiencing how the Mexicans live.  We had to change buses once and it took about an hour to get there.  Our driver had the music cranked and he played air guitar or drums, talked the whole way on his phone, ate and drank.  He was busy!

I like Bucerias-

 because you can sit close to the water-

To keep hydrated, Lynne managed to keep up with me as she had a Diet Coke for every beer I had-

There were a lot of hawkers bothering us but I have to remember they are just trying to make a living and when they are told “no thank you” they go away.  Lynne bought a necklace and some earrings - she paid too much 😜 until I told her how to properly barter.  They ask a price and you cut it in half and go from there.  They will walk away if it’s a ridiculous offer.  I bought some obsidian earrings which I also did last time I was here and then promptly lost one so I’m glad I got a new pair.  The man didn’t have ones I liked so he left his jewelry covered board with us and disappeared for about 15 minutes.  He returned with a perfect pair.  

I visited with a woman from Montréal, not Québec she said, who has been coming here for a few years to bartend.  She gets paid 250 pesos/day ($19.55) but makes between $150-$200 Canadian in tips.  She lives in a brand new studio condo with a pool on the roof for $1000 Can/month.

After a few beer and a few short dips we went to the market-

where Lynne got a couple of t-shirts with much better bargaining skills!

We went to a great seafood place where Lynne had a shrimp salad which had Maggi sauce (soy sauce) as a dressing-

and I had ceviche-

It was so good.  They don’t serve beer but you can walk down the street to the depository and buy your own and bring it back to the table.  Across the street they were shucking oysters-

and a couple women were washing dishes-

Now that’s my kind of pharmacy-

except I hate tequila!

We caught an air conditioned bus home and that sure made the trip seem shorter.  The bus was packed.  Once back at the hotel we went for a swim and the pool was really busy too.  We then headed back to the room where I wasted the evening away on my IPad.    

Jane bought a subscription to LiveBarn so we can watch Mitch’s away hockey games.  I don’t know if I like it or not because I can’t see unless I zoom in so everything’s  up close and I also don’t like it when Mitch hits other players but that’s the game I guess.

Tomorrow I get my 2 new teeth and then who know?  Life in paradise!