Ode to Al Campo

Fresh produce in bulk a week's
worth for less than a hamburger
on the street. Five mushy tomatoes
to every good, two dirty potatoes
for half the washed. Carts with grime-
cemented wheels putter beside strangers
in the aisle. One hands me a plastic bag
out of reach. Cashier delights in my awe:
today I can afford to be full all week.


--

The other expat teachers turned me onto a fresh grocery store that's well worth the 25 min walk there and the crammed bus ride back from San Isidro. To put things in context, my after-church lunch the other day in Bajo San Isidro cost 90 pesos for a breadless hamburger and mineral water. At Al Campo, I got all my fruits, meat, and veggies for just under 85 pesos!

Let's just say I'm one happy Al Camp-er...