The next day was they day for "real" shopping as it will be my first trip to the Sunday flea market in Tonala! Many of my Mexican friends from PV have told me about this overwhelming experience, so e prepared........ but I was not!! Miles of vendors combined with multitudes of people all squeezed into a 5 foot wide aisle, combined with the sights and sounds of wares, food, and trinkets being sold from makeshift stalls and in the small ailse, make this a total sensory overload!
I was on a mission however, so I persevered. I had a list of things to buy that had been looking for and of course several things I did not have the list..........but a buyer I was. It was just too irrestiable to find so many Mexican goods at these prices. I bought two very large flower pots that I paid about $40 USD for BOTH that would have cost me about $100 USD EACH in PV. I bought a wall mask, I bought a wall plate, I bought other small flower pots, I bought a painting, I bought, I bought........ Now how do we get all this stuff back to the car? After carrying and making my friends help carry, Hery pointed out these cart people who do the hauling for for free.....only a propina "tip". So they will follow you around for as long as you want carrying all of your purchases in their cart? "Of course, he replied" What more can you ask for?
After about a couple hours of this madness we decided to get more money!! Why not? So conveniently across the street are several bank ATMs in the area and a row of great restaurants. After more cash withdrawal and full bellies we venture back into the madness for what? More shopping of course!
But time was running short and we wanted to back in PV by dark, so we had leave the shopping tasks somewhat incomplete. After dropping my friend from Mexico City at the bus depot a few miles away we head back on the road to PV with happy "shopping" faces. I begin to visualize where to put all my newly purchased items at my place in PV and I begin to make new plans to go back as soon as I can!
