Market Day

Every Wednesday there is a mercado in the town center. Well, actually it fills the streets surrounding the center.

It's not quite a farmer's market. In this mercado you can find everything from clothes to bootleg CDs to small chirping chicks dyed blue, fuschia and red and all wearing little caps. My first impression when I saw them was OMG!!!!!! How cruel. PETA and other groups would be all over this situation. But this is Mexico, and things are very different.

The mercado is fun to walk through. And it seems EVERYONE heads there by 10 a.m. or so. Abueltias carrying their mesh bags for purchases, abuelos heading there to talk with friends about the latest happenings and children hoping for a special treat.

I'm heading there myself after I finish this entry. It's a unique experience and something you don't see in the states.

Scooby Doo

Watching television here is interesting. Most of the shows are in English with Spanish subtitles.
The shows are current...that is to say the season of ER that eneded in May is being shown currently and is about halfway through the season. But I'm getting to catch some shows I missed. Which is kinda cool.

Then there are the shows that are dubbed. It's interesting to watch, or rather hear.

Take Scooby Doo for example. Those of us from a certain generation grew up watching Scooby and the gang from the Mystery Machine. And yes, if I have an opportunity to catch a Scooby rerun I watch.

But Scooby in Spanish just isn't the same. While the voice has a certain quality and distinction to it, the Scooby 'voice' is missing.

Seriously, aren't we all used to hearing Scooby say 'Raggy, where are you?' Or 'Rover here'

I just can't seem to get into Scooby in Spanish. But at least it's available if I want to watch it.

Sights and sounds

Most people here have scooters as their means of transportation. It makes sense. Most of the streets are pretty narrow and scooters are easy to navigate in tight spots.

There are also a lot of cars and bicycles. But one mode of transportation really stands out. There are still some people who use horse drawn carts.

I was walking back from the mercado a few days ago when an older man passed me in his horse drawn cart. What made it stand out was the fact he had affixed a California license plate to the back. I wish I´d had my camera with me. I need to make it a point of carrying it with me.

One sound I´m still getting used to is the mobile advertising. People will mount huge speakers in their car trunks and affix a megaphone in top and drive down the streets announcing sales and upcoming dances.

And even candidates in this Sunday´s local election use the same method. I guess it´s more effective that 30-second TV spots.

I wonder what would happen in candidates in the US did this?