Our town in Guatemala (Quetzaltenango, or Xela for short) is a study of sharp contrasts. For grocery shopping, there are two extremes for choices.

This is the neighborhood market, just around the corner from our apartment where there’s a huge selection of locally grown in-season fruits and vegetables.

The vibrant colors and extra large sizes are a feast for the eyes.

Most everything is to be found here – even chickens in a tub on the counter –  and slabs of  beef.

I buy most of my fruits and vegetables just outside this market from the indigenous Mayan women who sell their fresh, locally grown produce on the sidewalk. They sit with their legs tucked under them and arrange the produce around them. Note their colorful clothes!

This Mayan woman is Lucia. I frequently buy a huge head of broccoli from her for 40 cents. Every day I pass Lucia and stop and say, “¡Buenos días, Lucia! ¿Cómo estás?

Next to Lucia on the sidewalk is another Mayan woman selling shredded carrots, corn, peas and delicious strawberries. I’ve asked her how much for three pounds of strawberries and per custom, bartered her down a bit. She’s weighing out the strawberries in a scale of sorts – the counter weight in the balance bucket are carrots weighing one pound. The total price for these scrumptious strawberries is  $1.00 US.

But by contrast, there are also big, modern grocery stores – much like Vons and Ralph’s.

About once a week or so I take a “micro-bus” (about $0.15) to the Paiz “tienda” (shop/store) and feel like I’m back in Ventura again.  But it’s strange seeing indigenous Mayan women in their colorful clothing also shopping here!