Wyatt: ¡Viva México! It's right here at home

By Ellen Wyatt

E-Mail

Comments (0)

Text Size:

tool goes here

You don't need a passport to enjoy the sights, sounds and flavors of Mexico.

A visit to El Rematito, the open air flea market on Crows Landing Road in Modesto, offers a free excursion close to home.

I learned this first hand on Mother's Day, when my teen daughter asked what I wanted to do.

"I want to walk to the flea market," I replied.

She had balked at the walk in the past, believing it was too long. With the leverage of Mothers' Day, however, my wish was her command. We slathered sunscreen and donned hats. I grabbed the pedometer, and off we went.

It was a lovely stroll, 2.5 miles each way from Ceres. As we approached our destination, delicious fragrances wafted through the air. My daughter exclaimed, "That hecka smells good!"

A few steps farther, our senses were further amplified with Latin music. We entered the parking lot with anticipation. Just for fun, we practiced our Spanish. Eager to impress my daughter, I inquired from the first person I saw, "Donde esta el baño?" A kind gentleman pointed us in the direction of the ladies' room.

I generally critique a facility, whether a restaurant, gas station or flea market, by the condition of the restrooms. I was not disappointed at El Rematito. It was clean and there was an attendant on duty to keep it that way. She was wearing an official El Rematito T-shirt and ballcap.

The smells from the food vendors were enticing. It was difficult to decide what to try first. We opted for a fruit cup overflowing with papaya and mango. The merchant suggested we allow her to apply chili powder, salt and lime juice. It was an extraordinary treat, refreshing and flavorful. My lips tingled from it all day. Later, we tried a fresh banana-pineapple smoothie. It was only $3!

There were lots of bargains at El Rematito. I bought my infant granddaughter some darling hair clips for a buck. For $2 I bought myself two pair of earrings, pink and purple. My daughter thrilled the seller when she said the colors in Spanish. In reply, she received a toothy grin and "thank you." It's a great place to buy socks, too.

There is a long, shaded aisle with vendors selling fresh fruit, vegetables, candy and nuts. The quality and prices of the products are remarkable.

Our final stop was at the bread vendor's booth. We purchased two loaves of the sweetest, moistest bread I've ever tasted. He said he comes from Los Angeles every weekend to sell at El Rematito. It was worth the walk just to buy his bread.

On the way home we shared some tamarindo, a Mexican beverage. It was an inexpensive, fun day.

The market is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We'll be back.

Wyatt, a social worker, was a visiting editor for The Bee in 2007. Write her at columns@modbee.com.