Always something to do

Shopping in Puerto Vallarta can be an adventure. Unlike the States, "big box" stores like Costco and Home Depot are a new concept. Our local paint store carries only paint; no brushes, tape, paint pans and other supplies. Here you have to go to another shop if you want to find the paint supplies. It can be frustrating at times, but you have to realize that is how the market place operates and just calm down.

But in the last year, Costco and a Home Depot have both opened in Vallarta. What can't be found at Costco or Home Depot there is always Wal-Mart. So off I went to our neighborhood (actually about 5 miles away) Wal-Mart on public transportation. 

The bus system is made up of either a "Blue Bus" or "Green Bus". They are independently operated, with no bus schedule, no wheelchair left, cash only (unlike Metro in Seattle...they give you change), plastic seats, sometimes entertainment like someone playing the guitar and from time to time someone with chickens. When you want to get on, you flag them down (no official bus stops) and when you want off, you stand up and it will sorta pull over and let you off. Move quickly.... it waits for no one. 

At home in Seattle, I wouldn't consider myself a regular Wal-Mart shopper only having been there twice. But, drop me in Vallarta and I can push, shove and navigate the narrow aisles with the best of them. Since the Cruise Ships dock just across the street from Wal-Mart, it is filled with Americans shopping for whatever they can find. Listening to people as they shop.... is a reality show in the making. Americans seem to forget they are in a different country and items are in Spanish, not in "American". I overheard a woman frustrated by the fact that she couldn't find ketchup. She turned to her husband and loudly announced, "I AM TRYING to FIND the ketchup, why aren't these things in English?" Ok..honey...you are in Mexico not Bellevue.

My list was a bit more challenging, like finding shelf liner (not successful), sand paper (success), a shop vac (success), clock (oh, please...that's easy; success), paint brushes (success), fluorescent light bulbs (expensive here, but found them), and lastly a six pack of beer (of coarse I found that). Two hours later, I left in a taxi for home. 

So, I am busy painting our living room and dining room. After deciding that we need to have some warmer tones on the walls, I went to our local paint store...remember it is PAINT ONLY and purchased it.  Ready to go, I headed down to the store. We needed to have it to match a color in a pillow (I know...I know...). Quiero que coincida con este color. (I want it to match this color) Y en acabado mate (mate finish) en cinco galones (five gallons). Quanto? How much?

Got what I needed and headed home with my 5 gallons of paint, my pillow and my note pad.