Mexican resilience

The great thing about Mexico is the resilience of the locals. They don't like to take "no" for an answer, so if they can't sell you one thing they'll try another.

While on Medano Beach, the vendors serve up everything from silver bracelets to your name on a grain of rice. (Makes me wonder who first wrote someone's name on a grain of rice. And why would someone want their name on a grain of rice anyway?)

But others take a different approach. They'll hold up a wooden sculpture of a dolphin or something and ask you if you want to buy it. As you pass by rolling your eyes and say "no," they can surprise you with a completely unrelated offer.

"Amigo, how about some weed?"

"No gracias," is a common response.

"Blow?" they say, as they make a snorting sound.

"No amigo."

"What about ecstasy? Magic mushrooms?"

Magic fucking mushrooms? Where the hell are the Mexican's getting 'shrooms? Probably the same place we are, I suppose, but I thought they'd be offering Peyote instead.

Today, one single stroll down the beach resulted in me receiving 3 solicitations to buy marijuana.

After a few days of this I started asking the vendors if they had weed or blow or mushrooms. Not because I wanted them, but just to have fun and to see their reaction.

So tonight after dinner as we were looking for a watering hole, I was hassling the barkers, asking them if they were interested in any activities like "parasailing, fishing, snorkeling and ATVs." When they gave me that funny look, I said, "How about some blow or magic mushrooms?"

About a minute later, two men came running up from behind me.

"Amigo, amigio," they said.

I stopped.

"I think he has what you are looking for," one man said looking at the other.

"Oh no man, I don't want any blow" I said. "That was a joke."

"Aye amigo," they said, disappointed.

Maybe I need to rethink my antics.