Spent the day in Los Algadones in Mexico yesterday to replace my glasses which got severely scratched in the accident in October. Working through them has been very difficult. The day was sunny and warm. The town was buzzing with winter RV snowbirds everywhere. The benches in the plaza were full.
I started out at the optical store. They say they can make glasses in 1-2 hours and usually they can but plan to get there early to be sure they have enough time to make them before you leave. I managed to get my glasses with progressive lenses for only $49. That includes the eye exam. Many visitors pay much more for designer frames and to add all the extras like polarizing. The various additions seem to run between $50 – $99 each. I just wanted good looking glasses without scratches and that is what I got.
While waiting for the glasses, I picked up medications at the pharmacy and perused the wares of the other vendors. Handbags, jewelry, and craft items are big sellers there. For anything you buy in Los Algadones, be sure to shop around and feel free to dicker. Usually if you tell a vendor no thanks, they will lower the price a little. They definitely need to work on their T-shirt patterns and prices. Most of their patterns would not be acceptable to an older RV snowbird and after buying T-shirts in Quartzsite for only $6, we are not going to pay $10.
I got lunch at the brick courtyard restaurant. Look for the big yellow building. I love the colorful chairs and tablecloths there. The food is excellent. I like the combos on their menu like a taco, burrito, rice, beans, and a tostada for $6.99. That day they had a musician playing a keyboard to entertain guests. Even in Spanish, there is no mistaking "On the Boardwalk" or "Jambalaya". He knows his clientele well. It was a very enjoyable lunch.
After lunch, I finally got a long overdue haircut at the beauty parlor that is also on the courtyard. Men’s haircuts are $2.50 and women’s are $4.50 so plan that into your schedule if you go.
As the day drew to a close and vendors slapped covers over their goods, I picked up my new glasses and headed for the customs line to cross back over the border. The line was long this time though it moved constantly forward. It took a little over an hour to get back to the U.S. side. Due to the poor economy in Mexico just like everywhere else, we had vendors constantly showing us more to buy all the way up to the circular gate.
Leave a Reply