South of the Border-A shock to the Senses

After the border crossing, we began our journey down the street being approached by everyone! It was extremely overwhelming, every store was filled with tchotchkes, when Alejandro stopped at the first place, the eager owner opened the taxi door for us and we had no choice but to go in and see her wares! She was an hilarious lady and spoke in the typical Mexican accent, slow and with major emphasis on ‘e’. The battle began with My Lord Dr King and her regarding the price of a man bag, she wanted 90, he wasn’t paying more than 20, she was right onto everything when I showed interest in her fake Michael Kors, she pounced and so my strategy after that was to look at everything and nothing in particular. After some hard haggling we left with the bag and a tshirt for 50 bucks, pretty good deal but we did pass on the free tequila, it’s best to have your wits about you, in my opinion
As we walked out the next store owner said “ok my turn!” And that phrase must have been uttered a dozen times as we wandered the street, you see we were the only real bait that day. The show shine guy tried his hardest to shine my boots but after the third no he finally got it.
There was no getting way from the zonkey photo booth, resistance was futile, we had those Mexican blankets on our shoulders in a heartbeat and we were being pushed up the steps of the little wagon. It was fun though.
We wandered into one of the pharmacias, unashamedly advertising their antibiotics for sale, so naturally we asked for the vicodins because why not right? They told us. Don’t sell controlled substances and so that ended that.
Further down we got to another store with Cuban cigars and My Lord Dr King made a purchase sure to get one of us arrested at the border. I was lucky enough to carry that little gem in my purse. At that point we stumbled into a great little shop selling shoes, great casual shoes, it was at this point my bladder gave me a less than gentle reminder to attend to the ever pressing need and I politely asked to use his facility. He agreed but said he had to check first and then advised me that it was not functioning and I’d need to use the bucket to flush …. It’s been man years since this has been necessary for me but I’m no stranger to flushing with a bucket.
With that need met I could focus better on the bargains and My Lord Dr King got some stunning shoes which have been commented on several times.
We finally made it down to the end and crossed over,to head back to our designated ‘safe’ lunch spot, not without great tempting to dine elsewhere from the sprukers out front of their establishments but we listened to Alejandro and pressed on.
About half way back down the long road that is revolución st and man selling chains approached My Lord Dr King, insistently, we walked and refused his wares but he continued like a toddler Ina super alert candy aisle, he walked step to step, pushing this Gordy gold chain with a diamonte marijuana leaf, so jot My Lord Dr King’s style, his mistake was to take it and look at it, then giving it back saying not thank you. ” you take. 10 dollar”
“No thanks”
“It good, it gold you take 8 dollar”
“No I don’t like the marijuana leaf”
Whipping the leaf off in one swift move,
“You take, 7 dollar,”
“No man”

He just wouldn’t stop, we thought we’d lost him at the next block but there he was again…

This is where I thought it could turn ugly, I was prepared to run
“4 dollar you have, 4 dollar,”
“Oh alright, you’re a persistent guy and I appreciate that.”

So for 4 dollars My Lord Dr King had a fancy gold chain, which by the next morning had begun to turn his skin green! That’s fancy shit that Mexican street gold!

We arrived at our restaurant and were the only ones, here we got to try our Spanish, we did ok, we can order dos cervecas all damn day, that food was spectacular, best Mexican food ever!