Le Saint Bonnet - A Question for Cajuns

[juankzas]

The current exchange rate is about 11.75 pesos per dollar, so you are better off changing money and using pesos for purchases than accepting the 10/pesos per dollar rate.

 

11.75 is a bit high, today's rate is 11.30 pesos for a dollar (buying) and about 11 pesos for a dollar (selling)

[hdawson]

However, from my experience, retailers, restaurants and vendors generally use a 10 to 1 exchange rate. No big deal.

[juankzas]

However, from my experience, retailers, restaurants and vendors generally use a 10 to 1 exchange rate. No big deal.

 

You're right, normally 10:1 will be applied

[rgtkkb]

However, from my experience, retailers, restaurants and vendors generally use a 10 to 1 exchange rate. No big deal.

 

That's why it is better to change money and pay in pesos. The dollar went up today.

[nolaAlive]

That's why it is better to change money and pay in pesos. The dollar went up today.

 

What you see listed as an official exchange rate and what a bank will sell you pesos for are two different things.

 

Personally, I'm not going to waste time looking for a money changer, try to figure out how much the markup is, yada yada, to save a buck, maybe. My time is worth more than that and port time is limited.

[hdawson]

For a single day visit to Progreso or Merida, I think it's kind of silly to change your money. Of course when I spend two weeks in the Yucatan, I do change to pesos.

[happy cruzer]

I am from Lake Charles and I agree with you 100%!! It drives me crazy when people pour a gallon of Tabasco sauce on something and call it cajun. We are living in Houston now and we don't even bother trying anything that claims to be cajun over here!! When we go back home to Louisiana to visit family we bring back a large ice chest of foods we cannot get over here in Houston!! We can't live without our Boudin!!:D

 

Yes, I agree if you want good cajun food you can only get it at the source. This is typically true of any special local cuisine. So many things depend on the ingredients (local fish, locallly produced vegetables, preparation). So on the cruise boards when I hear folks say they want cajun or texmex or whatever to be offered by the ship in the buffet, I think those folks are setting themselves up for disappointment. My DH will not let me order etoufee in a restuarant outside of Lousisiana because he does not want to hear me complain that it is not authentic. That said the local food offered many place is wonderful just not authentic to what they are coping. If the seafood is fresh and prepared well, I enjoy it for what it is.

 

Enjoy your trip.

[dane225]

Yes, I agree if you want good cajun food you can only get it at the source. This is typically true of any special local cuisine. So many things depend on the ingredients (local fish, locallly produced vegetables, preparation). So on the cruise boards when I hear folks say they want cajun or texmex or whatever to be offered by the ship in the buffet, I think those folks are setting themselves up for disappointment. My DH will not let me order etoufee in a restuarant outside of Lousisiana because he does not want to hear me complain that it is not authentic. That said the local food offered many place is wonderful just not authentic to what they are coping. If the seafood is fresh and prepared well, I enjoy it for what it is.

 

Enjoy your trip.

 

I couldn't agree with you more!!! :)

[nolaAlive]

Why anyone would expect to find good Cajun food in Mexico is beyond me.

 

Just about all local cuisines have something fresh and delicious. Think and eat outside the box with an open mind.

 

On the other hand, they do harvest a lot of octopus around Progreso. That's something I don't plan on trying, me.

[tommy2tone_1999]

I think you misunderstood, or maybe I stated it wrong. I'm not looking for Cajun food in Mexico. I mean that food is prepared differently in other places. As an example, the first time I had seafood in Pensacola, I was dissappointed, because they just don't prep it the same way there.

 

I agree with you though, I must keep an open mind (an tastebuds) me :D (gotta add da "me" at da end - me)

[nolaAlive]

I think you misunderstood, or maybe I stated it wrong. I'm not looking for Cajun food in Mexico. I mean that food is prepared differently in other places. As an example, the first time I had seafood in Pensacola, I was dissappointed, because they just don't prep it the same way there.

 

I agree with you though, I must keep an open mind (an tastebuds) me (gotta add da "me" at da end - me)

 

Nah. I understood, and tend to agree. My apologies if there was a misunderstanding.

 

As great as Louisiana cooking is - I will not limit LA cooking to Cajun - the world does not revolve around it.

 

Actually I was just in Baton Rouge a few days ago. Had some good meals (sometimes pricey) at Galatoires Bistro, Mike Anderson, and the newish Acme Oyster.

 

 

 

 

 

and more common food

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[nolaAlive]

Now in Progreso, I was intrigued by some of the food vendors and should have tried more - a cheese or chocolate crepe for a $1 each? Especially when the locals love them - I had to try.No hairnets or gloves, yet I survived. Imagine that!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[nolaAlive]

The whole fried fish can be had for $80! {that is pesos, or about 8 bucks)

 

 

 

[hillbillycruisers]

You guys are really making me hungry!!! I noticed the progresso street vendor pics and whatever it is, I'm gonna try it in Dec :)

[clackey]

You guys are really making me hungry!!! I noticed the progresso street vendor pics and whatever it is, I'm gonna try it in Dec :)

Hola fellow hillbillies,

 

If you want to try some neat stuff go thru the market and get some of the strange and wonderful things that they serve to the locals. There are little cubbies that have local specialties. I don't know what I ate, but it was great.

 

This is the only port where I saw women peeling oranges and sacking them to sell, where eggs are sold by weight and are delivered by a small truck. Then among this homey yet exotic atmosphere what did I see? A Domino's Pizza!:eek:

[YucatanToday]

You can read more about Yucatecan food here : http://www.yucatantoday.com/culture/eng-yucatecancuisine.htm

[tommy2tone_1999]

Actually I was just in Baton Rouge a few days ago. Had some good meals (sometimes pricey) at Galatoires Bistro, Mike Anderson, and the newish Acme Oyster.

 

Man now THAT"S an oyster po-boy. Best dish at Mike Anderson's IMO is the GUITREAU

[hillbillycruisers]

Hello fellow south of the border Hillbillies ( MO-Ark border, that is )..its nice to see some semi-local people on here...as a true hillbilly, I'm gonna have to take your advice and try some of the local progresso street eats...my wife thinks I'm crazy cause I'm getting excited about all the good food on this cruise ..both onboard and ashore...but thats a big part of what I like about crusing...especially trying the different little places in Mexico..Dec wont get here soon enough!! :)

[nolaAlive]

Hello fellow south of the border Hillbillies ( MO-Ark border, that is )..its nice to see some semi-local people on here...as a true hillbilly, I'm gonna have to take your advice and try some of the local progresso street eats...my wife thinks I'm crazy cause I'm getting excited about all the good food on this cruise ..both onboard and ashore...but thats a big part of what I like about crusing...especially trying the different little places in Mexico..Dec wont get here soon enough!! :)

 

Really, I loved the $1 crepes (cheese or chocolate) and there was other stuff.

 

No, you may not see a hair net or plastic gloves, but I survived without incident and that will be my food of choice in the future. A buck here and there and have seconds or thirds at your personal favorites.

 

The street eats vendors are not catering to the gringo tourists, but to the locals and if it is good enough for them, I'm gonna try.

 

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on a different note:

 

Never tried The Guitreau at Mike Anderson's. My preference there is fried seafood and I also like the charbroiled oysters. The pics of the po-boys were from Acme's new Baton Rouge location.

 

Haven't tried Mike's Special, but sometimes tempted - looks like New Orleans BBQ shrimp, sort of, to me.

[kingfish78734]

Oyster's Gaspard is my fave at Mike A's...been a while though.