Today began with only the briefest of plans—I wanted to see a local food market. Phil took me to Plaza de Mercado, Las Americas. It is one of the smaller markets in the city, but close by and of a manageable size. The other markets are enormous, requiring loads of walking and steps. I love going to food markets wherever I travel. This one was notable for a few things. First, nearly all the meat was pre-wrapped. This is a huge contrast to Mexican markets, where meat is butchered to order. Second, there was the large variety of spices and herbs. Some were for cooking, others for medicinal purposes. And, as I’ve noted previously, this is a dog friendly city. There was a high proportion of pet supply shops.
When we’d finished looking around, we took a walk to the location where the police gunned down Pablo Escobar. He’d been on the run and hiding in a friend’s home. Quite appropriately, the building where they finally shot him is now painted blood red.
A short ride took us to the River Walk Park. I wish I’d been here to see the Christmas decorations lit up, they look amazing. We strolled around a bit, then sat in the shade and watched happy dogs playing fetch, running, and enjoying themselves. I was impressed by how well they behaved. If only I could teach Pookah to be as responsive to commands.
In addition to seeing a food market, I wanted to visit a local crafts shop. An online search only gave a few options. The one that looked most promising is in a massive mall in the Poblado neighborhood. It got great reviews. We got lost a couple of times trying to find the shop, the mall is sprawling and has terrible signage. When we finally located it, it took one glance to determine it wasn’t what I wanted. The goods on sale were, let’s say, shlocky. Anyone for a Beatles gewgaw? Or an imitation Turkish lamp? I wasn’t.
A few words about the Santa Fe mall. It is upscale, enormous and could be located almost anywhere in the world. Currently there is an ice-skating rink in one of the central areas. Loads of restaurants, several kids’ playgrounds, amusement areas, and a movie complex make it an entertainment venue, as well as a shopping mall. I was glad to leave.
Still looking for local crafts, we headed back into central city. At last, I found some shops selling souvenirs and decent quality local crafts. I was happy to be in what felt like a “real” place, as opposed to the sterile atmosphere of the mall. I ended up buying more than I intended and now must figure out how to pack it all.
So, my day with no plans became a shopping day. Thank you, Phil, for being such a good sport about my craft quest!