Mercada de fruitas y mercada de floras

Today Kimpson took me to the produce and flower markets. I'm really grateful that Kim's a bonafide local. I'm getting to see bits of Mexico that I never would have stumbled upon as a tourist. Though dandy that I'm getting to experience real Mexico, it's also a tad daunting. Kim and I somewhat stand out, we were the only non-natives I saw. We were both modestly dressed and far from gussied up (t-shirts and yesterday's left over makeup), but we got chants of blondie, loads of whistles and our pictures taken none the less....slightly uncomfortable, but well worth getting to see authentic Mexican culture.
Life-size pinatas covered the entrance, most favored Disney characters. Definitely the highest population of paper mache I'd ever seen.

The produce market was ultra crowed and loud. I couldn't get over all the scents: the ripe, tropical aroma of fruit, the smell of freshly crushed spices.....the occasional waft of sewage. The grocers swindled us a couple of times (quoting higher prices to us than than other patrons or telling us one price then charging another), but we still came out with better quantity and quality produce than we could get in the states.

All of the produce soaks in betadyne and water to kill off miscellaneous bacteria before it's safe to eat, because the plants are sometimes fertilized with manure so you're at risk for ecoli and such.

These were just cute. You know you've never seen such adorable pineapples.