Fun in a Mexican Grocery Store in PDC | Debbie's Caribbean Resort Reviews Forums

A great way to have some fun when travelling is to visit the local grocery store. We went to Walmart and MEGA in PDC – MEGA is actually slightly cheaper by a few pennies on some items.If you want to bring back some Mexican goodies, I highly recommend going through the grocery store and basically paying half price from the tourist shops. Someone online had once mentioned Glorias candies, so I bought some (hey, if it’s good enough for other tourists…), and they were delicious. They are made of dulce de leche and nuts, and are like a chewy nutty fudge. Tourist shops on Fifth had them for 8.00 a bag. They were literally half that price at both stores. Obletas by Las Sevillanas are wafers with dulce de leche inside, and the filling is made from goat milk ("leche de cabra"). Sounds awful, tastes fantastic.Tourist shops sell Mexican chocolate disks, usually a six-pack, for between eight to ten dollars US; instead, go to the coffee/tea/chocolate aisle and pick up Nestle Abuelita ("granny") for four dollars. Mexican chocolate for making hot or cold chocolate milk. They had a package of lollipops all in a string of 20, for about a dollar. Caramel flavour, and yummy. I bought Tang in Hibiscus flavour (they call it Jamaica), for seventy-eight cents. I picked up some gelatin desserts as well for under a dollar, mostly because I am going to Cuba and it has Spanish instructions.As always, both stores carry a good selection of tequila. Not the rare high-end stuff, but still some very nice tequilas if you are watching your budget.Walmart has a Dollar Zone and I picked up some great kids books and "Felicidades" banners to take to Cuba.

What do other travellers look foward to buying?

	I like to shop for and bring back pure vanilla the price is much better than you pay here in Canada. the grocery stores are a good place to buy. And I am a sucker for love those spicy lime flavoured corn chips.

	Oh man Eloisegirl, you put me to shame!Last thing in the world I even think about when on vacation is going shopping, never mind setting foot into any WallyMart. I do however love to explore the small and out of the way stores where the locals usually shop. Found some rare tequila at an amazing price last trip and hoping to get more soon.

It’s pretty rare for me to go to Squall Mart but since it is within walking distance, and we needed an extension cord, I took advantage of the grocery section. Walmart has a souvenir section as well. MEGA is a block or two north of Walmart, and beside it is a store with a weird name, like Aki/Ken or something odd. It looks like a Home Depot but is like a Costco, without the membership. Also if you buy multiples of something, you get a bigger discount.

I want details on the tequila!

	I love going into grocery stores when we are away. I love to see what the locals are eating. In Calgary they have these Asian grocery stores, I love to go wandering through them too. Mexican pastries are picture perfect. lol

	Eloisegirl,Can please you tell me the location of the Walmart and Mega in PDC. We are heading there on Feb 5th and I like the idea of being able to buy some products with spanish instructions to take to my Cuban friends.

	It’s too bad that it has become Americanized!!!

The Mexican grocery stores have had to put products on their selves to compete with Wally World. Its nice to see some familiar stuff, clamato juice is one of them. I do not shop much in Canada at Wally World so I try to avoid it in Mexico. The prices at Mega and the others is very competitive, and I like the produce far better. I try to use the flea markets and vendors for fresh produce also. "Americanized", what the h… does that mean?

"Americanized", what the hell does that mean?

Hmmmmm let’s see……..McDonald’s, Burger King, Office Depot, Walmart etc. etc. etc. Just like here in Canada.

It’s too bad that it has become Americanized!!!

So, I guess that means Canadians must feel right at home

Actually no, it’s the americans that seem to feel right at home in Playa though!- at least that’s what they’ve told us.

I don’t shop at WalMart here, nor do I frequent fast food joints, so I tend to not even notice them when I’m vacationing in the Mayan Riviera. I do however see the rich Mexican culture, the hard working Mexicans who don’t pester me for gifts like Ipods, portable DVD players or Nike runners and the best part is that I can practice my spanish when in Mexico.

"Americanized"quote]

Hmmmmm let’s see……..McDonald’s, Burger King, Office Depot, Walmart etc. etc. etc. Just like here in Canada.

Rather surprising, then, that Americans feel right at home there but Canadians don’t Out here on the west coast, I know far more people who have been to Mexico than Cuba and most mention how much they enjoy the shopping and Walmart has popped up in conversations a few times usually connected with the buying of booze ;D It’s not important where you shop ( big box , local market or upscale tourist shop) at least you are shopping and contributing to the local economy and having fun, at the same time. I’d like to thank a member who did just that and brought me back some Spanish birthday cards to take to Cuba. Thanks, TC

You’re very welcome, steffiej. I actually enjoyed "having to go to"

the Walmart to shop. It is interesting to see how chain stores/restaurants differ around the world. Here are a minor few we noticed. At the Walmart in PDC, we were amazed to see women holding up and scrutinizing fresh fish that were in boxes laid out on tables. I surreptiously took a photo since I wanted to show it at home because we naturally cannot just cull through such food items with bare hands. As eloisegirl has noted, there is a dept. which sells alcohol at that Walmart. However, Walmarts in Ontario may not, but those in the States can sell beer and wine, but I don’t think the "hard stuff". (Someone please correct me if I"m wrong.) There was also a gentleman who helped us find the card section when we first entered. An indication that cards must be a luxury to most Mexicans was that the selection was small and many were seemingly not very current; the envelopes were wrinkled and hard to locate. After chatting a bit, he invited us to see his booth by the exit to learn about excursions.

We had to chuckle over that; not just ‘vultures" at the airport now, but also at Walmart! Aaargh.

The long and the short is, learning about foreign cultures does not have to take place solely at certain "untainted" activities and sites (I’m being facetious, btw) in another country. Whenever you visit a foreign country, you learn about its culture–even how it is bowing to influences from another. It is apparent that slowly by slowly, we are all losing some of our cultural uniqueness. jmo TC

	It is just so nice when in Mexico to be able to buy items if you run out or happened to forget them at home or just did not want to laden your suitcase down with extra stuff, and so interesting to see what brands or slightly different versions of brands that you can find.

	One tasty item to buy is Cajeta, which is a squeeze bottle of goat’s milk dulce de leche. I think the brand is Coronado, and there is a picture of a goat on the label. Great on toast, ice cream, or squeeze it right into your mouth! About 4 dollars at Walmart or Mega.

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