Thursday, October 25, 2012

Shopping in Corozal

So I was up early with mom today and we played hide the frog squeaky, I love that game! It is good to play in the morning and later at night it gets hot during the day.


Shopping is an interesting experience here. We can find a lot of things but there are things you can't find. Everything is so readily available and plentiful in Canada. I can only imagine how exciting it is to come from here to a country like Canada and see so much stuff! Here when they say people live a simple life they sure do!

We are checking out prices and looking for things for our apartment that we move into in December. It's like a treasure hunt! There is no such thing as a department store here. The closest thing they have to one is called the A&R which carries, craft and school supplies, and household items like dishes and sheets. It is clean and modern and maybe the size of a dollar store back home. There is a pretty good variety of stuff but nothing like home. You have a choice of maybe two or three sets of pots (3 with lids) price ranging from $12 - $50 a set of dishes is running around $20 and a set of three frying pans can be from  $15 -$70 (that is our money) A queen size sheet set is going for $35-$60 a set, top and bottom sheet no pillow cases. No pillow cases, that's funny cause we have not found any bed pillows for sale anywhere in town yet either! We found some fancy Chinese pillows about the size of a bed pillow at one of the Chinese stores in town for $7. 50 each though. They are pretty too would not need a pillow case if you did not want one.  Lets see a set of cutlery ranges from $5-$15. Coffee cups and glasses are about $2 each.  Mixing bowls range from $3-$7 each and a juice jug can be had for $3-$5.

Small appliances like a coffee maker or a blender are running at about $40-$70 or more depending on where you look. We made a deal with our landlord who owns a furniture and appliance store to purchase these small appliances from him for half price when we move into our apartment. Our apartments is furnished but does not come with dishes and sheets and towels so we have to get some. When we leave we will ask our friend Carlos if we can store them at his house until we come back next year.

Mom found hangers at one store 10 for $1. 50 and clothes pins are around $1. 50 a package or 20-30 depending on the style. Face clothes and small hand towels are easy to find but larger bath towels seem to be non existent LOL. Good thing we brought two large towels with us when we came.

A lot of the local grocery stores are owned by the Chinese,  so there is a lot of Chinese themed items for sale. Personal items (everything from nail polish to hair ties) and clothing are very plentiful and not to expensive.

A broom and a mop are about $2.75 each one thing we have not found yet is a dust pan! I guess mom and dad just sweep the dirt out the door!

We can not find a digital clock anywhere there are some battery operated clocks but they do not last long in this weather I think cause there are 5 'dead' wall clocks hanging the the laundry room of our temporary apartment.

Sun screen and bug spray are very expensive here more than back in Canada for sure.  And brand names cost more money. Locally made products are cheaper.

We had to search for ground coffee, everyone drinks instant coffee here. There is no fresh cream to be had, but we heard the Mennonites sell it sometimes at the market. Refrigerated milk is rare mostly it comes in one of those square containers on the shelf. Mom wanted to make baked beans but no one has ever heard of molasses here.

As for frivolous things to decorate your house with you can pretty much forget it there are a few things but nothing like a good spoiled Canadian would expect to find. No huge store dedicated to kitchen, bedroom or living room decorating. We did notice a lot of Christmas decorations coming out at the A&R store though. Some of them are nice could be used year round!

We have not found any candles yet, for when the power goes out here which is quite often we hear. But we still have a few stores to look in. We have not even scratched the surface of a store in town called Cinty's! Imagine a hoarders house only no garbage! So much stuff to check out!  And we have not checked out the local hardwear stores yet. Who knows maybe they are the ones with pillows :=D

So there you have it shopping in Corozal! The one great thing for me is I get to go into every store mom and dad go into! Only one store has made me stay outside with dad, it was the local cell phone company when mom got the sim card for our phone!


Our friend Carlos and his wife are going to take us to the duty free zone so we can see what we can find there. Will let you know when we go!

Bark at you later gotta run!!

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