Off to Loreto!

Parque Marina Loreto

Today we are off to Loreto for a shop till you drop day.  It's windy on the beach, so why not a little trip to town?  It's an hour and a half drive down Mex #1, and one "check point charlie" by the Federales to get there.  We arrive about 11:30 and head for the marina for a little dog walk before we find lunch on the square.

Over the past seven years, as we visit Loreto, we notice improvements to the town and waterfront, probably aimed at the cruise ship business.  This year we notice the immense bronze sealions out at the end of the marina.

Gulp!!!

The marina consists of a new loading / unloading dock for cruise ship shore tenders and then about 50 pongas tied up all along the edges of the area protected by a sea wall.  Seven or eight huge sea lion sculptures grace the entrance.

Capitan Peter Pelicano at your servi

All is quiet in the marina today and on the streets...and the square...and the shops.  No doubt about it, Loreto needs more than one cruise ship a month for Dec. - March!

Tourist street of shops leading to marina

We find one restaurant open on the square and a wonderful meal of guacamole, chips (totopos) and a chicken enchilada.  Yum!  And sitting outside, the perros could sit with us...under the table.

No words needed!

We take a tour of the shopping street, finding shop owners tucked away in the back of the stores somewhere as there are no, as in NO, customers.  And we really have enough blankets....

Pottery....and more pottery...and more...

Sombreros??

Then it's off to the "health food store"....which always impresses me as more of a "feed store" and the smells take me back to the horse days long ago.  But, never the less, this store has the BEST granola ever and we buy 2 kilos!

Lots of choices....many many grains and beans and....???

Candy sprinkles for your baked goods.....

Spicy peppers anyone?

We can't go to Loreto without a trip into the new Super Ley Store....a larger type grocery store that appeared last year.  There is any kind of sugared cereal you would want, or sugared pop...and...yes...

Chicken FEET!!!!

If you have no use for the feet of the chicken...(all these for about $4.50 U.S.)....well then, maybe a....

Pig's HEAD...???

None of this is on my menu....nor do I have any (ANY) idea how to prepare it, although something rings a bell in my teacher head about a children's book called "Chicken Feet for Lunch" or chicken soup...but using the feet?  Ok, educator friends...you remember this book.....

Happy about our granola purchase, and with daylight driving time closing down, get back on the highway and head home to the beach.