El Supermarcado

OH MY GOSH! I just experienced the craziest grocery run I have ever done in my life. It kind of reminded me of those game shows where you run into the grocery, grab whatever you can, and then run out! When we arrived (5 minutes after the curfew lifted..apparently the grocery store opened a little earlier because it was jammed packed), no carts or any carrying items were available. I forgot to bring bags to pack...so my arms were full of the first few vegetables I could find. I found sympathy with a couple of sweet Honduran English speaking gentlemen who let me lend their cart. Within moments, we were swamped with people pressing in, food falling all over the place, "permissio" being said everywhere, and our buggy getting trapped in aisles. And little miss "Got to try to get my list done" thought she really could do that for about 2 minutes....and then gave up. (Really, Elisa? I mean, really? Really?) I managed to grab several items of necessity, and all the while my new friends let me use their buggy. I told them I would be just a minute while I ran and found the almond supply. When I came back, I couldn't find them. However, I wasn't lost for long because "Jonathan" came and got me---they were at the front of the line PAYING! I couldn't believe it! The lines were already backed up to the back of the store...and these two guys scored front row seats in a matter of minutes. I was more than happy to join them. And by then, I got all that I could possibly get. So, in less than 20 minutes, I was through with the grocery shopping. Then, Brian (our friend from the school) helped me to the car, where we waited for another 2+ hours for the rest of our shopping crew to make it through the lines. Here are some pictures I snapped of the process. I saw lots of other folks getting their camera phones out--the whole experience was unbelievable!

 I think we have enough food to last for a good while....not fresh veggies necessarily, but at least some good stuff like almonds and tortilla chips and a couple of aquacates (avocados). Also, as a fun little note, as we waited for the gang, a SUV pulled up and an American man stepped out--he's a journalist who writes some for the BBC (Patrick Aenart?). He gave me a lift home because my caravan was still waiting for one more gal in line. He's our neighbor--and now a new friend. SO...there you have it. An unforgettable shopping experience.

 

In the middle of the aisles. People brought trash bags to pile in their groceries.

  

The line waiting outside to get into the supermarcodo. It stretched to the street. We luckily missed that line.

   You can see my sweet gentleman friend here at the counter checking to make sure my groceries were all accounted for. You can see the line all the way behind us.

Traffic was CRAZY. People parked everywhere they could find a spot. And the rest of the drivers had to find a way around them.