Tips on shopping in Mexico
By Sonia Robledo
Travel Consultant
European Travel International
Riverside, Calif.
I admit it. I'm a silver freak. And I found a mother lode of the shiny stuff in stores and shops across Mexico, thanks to the rich veins of the Sierra Madres.
Every time I take a trip south of the border, and I do that a LOT, I come back with at least one piece of silver jewelry (no matter how often I tell myself, “I've got enough”).
But whether it's a necklace, a pair of earrings, a bracelet or whatever, I make sure its stamped on the back, “Mexico 925” (meaning it's real silver).
I bargain over prices, or try to, just about everywhere. In the silver shops or better stores, my strategy is to look at the price tag and ask "Is that your best price?" If they tell me it is, I'll move on to look at other pieces and then move toward the door. If no offer is forthcoming to lower the price, then I know it IS their best price, and I have to decide how much I really want the item.
I use a different strategy with beach and sidewalk vendors if I spot, say, a blanket or a piece of pottery I'd like to have if the price is right (I usually don't buy silver from vendors). Vendors expect to bargain, so I'll start off by making an offer pretty far below the asking price, and we'll commence dickering from there.
For instance, I bought a beautiful woven Oaxacan blanket from a beach vendor in Loreto for $25. He had originally asked for $30, and I offered $20. He came back with $28, and I offered $25. He nodded, and I said to wrap it up. It's now draped over a cabinet back home.
If I could find something like that in the U.S., it would probably cost hundreds of dollars more.
Morelia suffers from my having been there so many times and taking so much stuff away. Last time, I came back with a small cross covered with “milagros” (little figures of an arm, a leg, an eye, a head, a rooster or maybe a pig) that people offer to saints in hopes of curing an illness or some problem, or as a gift if the cure actually happens.
Mexico is great for pottery. Artisans in Nayarit and Guerrero make some beautiful, bright pottery items with true folk art paintings on them. You can see the love and care that go into those pieces. Also among my favorite places to buy pottery is Puebla, where it's almost impossible to come back without a plate or something else in their distinctive “talavera” design (it looks like Italian “majolica” ware and often has sunflowers or calla lilies as a theme).
Much of the talavera pottery nowadays is stamped "lead free" or "sin plomo" on the back or bottom of the piece. That means it's safe to use as a food container.
The town of Ocumichu in Michoacan is famous for pottery figures that show great imagination or a sense of humor. It's hard to explain, but these figures are one-of-a-kind and are folk art at its best. Capula, another town in Michoacan, is known for pottery decorated with figures made out of differently sized dots, some as tiny as pinpoints. Be aware, though, that their pottery ISN'T lead free...so use it for decoration only.
Among my other favorite shopping spots in Michoacan are: Santa Clara de Cobre, famous for jewelry and objects made from copper; Patzcuaro and Uruapan, where you'll find absolutely spectacular lacquerware, from little plates to bedroom sets; and Paracho is THE place to buy a guitar.
Oaxaca is a shoppers' dream-come-true. You can spend days at craft villages known for their outstanding black pottery, intricately woven wall hangings and wood carvings to name just a few of their products. Amber-lovers will find their mecca in Chiapas. And fans of quality “monos” (fine replicas of pre-Columbian statues) will have a field day around Manzanillo in the state of Colima.
How do I get my treasures home? Usually, shopkeepers will do a good wrapping job right on the spot, and you can carry small or moderately sized items on the plane as one of your two allowed carryon pieces. Larger (but not too large) items can be checked along with your luggage, but some airlines are now charging fees for this.
Another option is to look around for shipping specialists, much like our UPS stores.
One final note about shopping in Mexico: If you or your friends love to cook, be sure to pick up a bottle of vanilla – the kind they sell in Mexico will do wonders for just about any dish. And it's dirt cheap.
On that note, look for other things you love while you're there. Somehow, you always know the perfect souvenir when you see it.
More info: Contact Robledo at sonia@eurotvlint.com or call her at European Travel International in Riverside at 1-(800)-545-8653.
