“Hola bonita, buenos días.”
It was a stranger. I didn’t see his face. I mumbled buenos días and kept walking, stepping up onto the empty sidewalk near the Chedraui.
From the other side of the street, a chicken vendor yelled out, “Hola guerita!”
You’d think they had never seen a girl before. I pressed ahead, not looking at anyone.
Then, just about 10 paces later, the first guy’s voice again:
“I’m trying again, I wanted to say hi, because I very much feel like I want to know you.” Intento otra vez, te quería saludar porque tengo muchas ganas de conocerte.
His earnestness made me laugh. I didn’t want him to think he was having an effect on me, so I just pressed my lips together and walked more quickly to Mercado San Juan. Avoided Chicken Row on my way back.
Hey güerita, ¡parate! ¿Que pasa? Relax, and enjoy the fact that other men find you attractive! My wife came home the other day after a day in Oaxaca and promptly and proudly reported that TWO men gave her the whistle. And it made her feel great! Men love women here, and women love to dress to the nines for the men. It’s a fabulous, sensuous dance. Start dancing, life is short!
Hi Christopher: I agree that sometimes it’s nice garner the attention of other men. As a married gal it’s nice to know that I can still catch someone’s eye. However, there are definitely times — like when I’m running errands in jeans and a T-shirt, and it’s 10:30 in the morning — when I just want to be left alone. I don’t think that’s too much to ask. I don’t exist so that the men here will have something pretty to look at.
I’m sure that any attractive woman walking through Chicken Row is a welcome sight. Chicken Row is one of the least prepossessing couple of blocks in the Mercado San Juan area.
But, Calle Aranda has other attractions, such as Molinera El Progreso, Pulquería Las Duelistas next door, the back door of Panadería La Pilarica, and just around the corner, on Ayntamiento is the El Caguamo Mariscos, and Café Córdobes on one corner and Café Villareal opposite. (O.k.; actually on Ayuntamiento, but close.)
Where’s the Chedraui in that barrio?
Saludos,
Don Cuevas
DC: I think I’m wrong on Chedraui — I’m almost positive it’s a Bodega Aurrera. It’s at the corner of Vizcainas and Aranda.
On the cat-calling, I’ve walked through Chicken Row lots of times and no one’s paid attention to me. Guess it must’ve been my fresh, make-up free face. I’m sure the men here loved that.
Okay… So it *IS* a Chedraui! I was just there yesterday. It’s in the same location I mentioned above.
Two Questions:
Is there a Chedraui in el Centro?
The street on the picture, where is it?
Obet, I don’t know about Chedraui, but the street is Calle Arandas, which runs N-S from Calle Ayuntamiento to Arcos de Belén. http://tinyurl.com/ArandasMC
Saludos,
Don Cuevas
You were just another piece of meat on Chicken Row to them–many men in Mexico see young women only for their bodies. It’s completely degrading.
ayyyyyy…MIJA….pos como no si usted esta re chula…..ahi de piropos a piropos …por ejemplo USTED DE AZUL Y YO A SU LADO..JA JA …..dont be scared el centro is full of cops ….all you have to do is locate them….MAYBE LEARN SOME RECEPIES…and feel safe….drink lots of GUANABANA…ALFALFA..MAMEY.PAPAYA ….and enjoy aztec ….FLIRTING ….its cloacoyo…sope…memela quelite guajes.capulines…jumiles…and some more healty food with your WISE TASTE…i sugest you go to delegacion magdalena conrteras a place ..called los dinamos its inside the mountains ….lots of food …..and .FLAVOR.
Hi Juan: I wasn’t scared. I’ve never felt unsafe in the Centro. It was just kind of odd. I’ve walked through the Centro a lot of times and not drawn any attention at all. Then again, I’m often walking with a group of people that includes men.
Did you hit the cheese stall in Mercado SJ? Nuthin’ like some (hard to find) decent parmesan or aged gouda w/ a comp’ed glass of red wine at 9am. Mmmmmm.
I didn’t that day. But yes, a little early-morning cheese and wine is one of my favorite activities. 🙂