where I shop

I do a lot of grocery shopping! Because we're feeding a lot of folks and want to keep them healthy, most of the shopping takes place in Texas at Walmart or HEB (HEB is a Texas grocery store chain started years ago by Howard E. Butts) where we know the food is safe.

But, if something is forgotten (and this happens a lot), there are a few markets in Piedras to get last-minute things. We have Bodega next door- owned by Walmart but really more like a Sam's. As soon as you walk in, you're on overload- there is stuff everywhere and it's loud and flashy and big (even the website if flashy). I hate I don't have any pictures.

And we also have Soriana down the street that's really a mall with a grocery/all-purpose store. Soriana is the place with an armed guard in the parking lot- always an interesting site.
I do like these digital price tags


No digital price here, but thought you'd get a kick out of the price in pesos (far right)...it's always a shock the first time I see it!


and you can see they pack a lot into the store here too (it seems that all stores are like that in Piedras- groceries, household, apppliances, etc all under one roof)


These stores are great, but we've never done a lot of shopping here in Mexico- until now! HEB has a brand new store in Piedras about 3 miles from here and I'm in love {and since I've linked several other things, I thought I would look up this store & found an article about the store opening...they even have a priest there blessing the store- love that}! It's HUGE and really has everything you may ever need (except long-lasting sternos that don't ignite in your face...but we can't find those anywhere). I like going there just to go and always find things that I don't even know I need. It's also cool to see how different items are packaged- for example, Mexican laundry detergent is packaged in clear plastic bags instead of boxes or bottles so all you see on the detergent aisle is white.

But my favorite part of the Piedras HEB experience is this....


and these


and you can't forget these- any and every flavor donut you could imagine! I brought some back to the staff last week and they were gone in no time at all!


The fruit is also pretty incredible (you've never seen such a variety of fruit stacked so high- the fruit stands are easily 10 feet tall loaded with apples and mangos and bananas and papayas), but I didn't get any pictures of that either.

Now obviously Piedras is a very diverse town. You have some very wealthy individuals (that shop at HEB & the like) and those that we build houses for each week that will likely never know HEB even exists.

In my final week here in Piedras, I continue to step back and take it all in, realizing just how much I take for granted in my life. I do love those donuts and cookies (and everything else at HEB), but I'll likely forget about all of those things sometime soon. The relationships I've built with the people here will last far beyond- and for that, I've very thankful!