Crossing yesterday at Lukeville into Sonoyta a very nice SAGARPA agent handed me a QR code on a piece of paper and asked me to share the information with you. They have updated their website and have an English portal to inform you what is allowed to come into Mexico. Curiously enough on the same sheet was a QR code for CBP and it led me the the US customs site of what you can bring or not. I guess this was to show that every country has the right to enforce it's laws.
You will notice if you watch the videos which are mostly subtitles that Mexico is known internationally as being free from agricultural pest and other food problems. They want to keep it that way
Thanks Russ. Haven't had time to look at everything, but this should clear-up the questions about what is permitted. Basically, leave your cooler at home and do your grocery shopping in RP.
More of a guideline than actual rules? Use common sense because we never can figure out what is and is not permitted because sometimes it seems to depend on who is working the border and what kind of day they are having. Always bring our big doggie and all her papers, but so far have never been asked to show them. We have passports because the little blue book is best. We bring our own food and dog food. On occasion we have had our vehicle/coolers searched, but have never had any problems.That being said I have heard of people having some or all of their food taken from them. The food we do bring with us we try to keep in the original, unopened packaging just in case. We also have gotten pretty good and what we need based on how long we are staying and how often we eat out. We rarely have anything left over, and if we do we will leave it for housekeeping or whoever else wants it. We never bring anything back with us. So far, so good anyway!
More of a guideline than actual rules? That being said I have heard of people having some or all of their food taken from them.
How about more of a Federal law than a rule. These are not just guidelines, they are the law and are very specific. Are they always enforced? No they are not. But when they are, you will have all prohibited items seized. Personally. I am no longer willing to take the chance of losing several hundred dollars of groceries on the way down. You will find yourself at Super Ley buying the same stuff they just took and using up your vacation money.
On July 4th, got handed the paper of QR codes AND they photographed the dog and checked her papers. Checked the cooler but had the no-no's hidden elsewhere when we stopped at Gringo Pass.
The solution to this problems is simple: Buy you stuff HERE ! Forget the shopping and packing before you leave and enjoy you vacation.
NOT! I'm not going grocery shopping on vacation. I'm also not going to go shopping for clothes, BO juice, shaving gear, flip flops, and anything else I might need and all ready own. I'll stop in Ajo for gas so I don't get ripped off at the Pemex stations.
The solution to this problems is simple: Buy you stuff HERE ! Forget the shopping and packing before you leave and enjoy you vacation.
Couldn't agree more - I HATE grocery shopping at home, but LOVE going to Super Ley and la Bodega en Peñasco. We're always finding new stuff that we love and buy extra to stock up and take back to Phoenix. I don't go to the store every single day of my vacation, but as soon as we hit town the first thing we do is go to the store, get everything we need, and we're done for the remainder of the trip. No, we don't buy shaving cream and toiletries and stuff that you would normally pack in your luggage, but water, eggs, fruits, veggies, tortillas, cheese, etc. It's part of the fun and the vacation for me - and I also get to pretend I live there and am just doing my weekly grocery shopping!
I would if they sold what I like, and the stuff I would buy didnt give me the RUN'S.
I am not sure what you eat.....but I have lived here for over 8 years and shop locally ALL the time and don't suffer the runs. Your comment sort of sounds derogatory , but I digress. If eating things unfamiliar to you gives you the runs.....don't eat it. Stick to what you know, stay within your comfort zone and all will be fine. (I apologize but your statement offended me)
You do have a point, AZfish. I know I won't get any sympathy here, but as a vegan, I'm not going to find dairy-free milk, mayo, "butter," "cheese," etc. And my dog has allergies, and therefore eats very specific food. Also, I do a lot of entertaining. We caravan with friends, arrive at the house, mix margaritas and serve the pico de gallo etc. that I made that morning in The States. The last thing I want to do after a 5-hour drive is go grocery shopping and then head to the beach and slice, dice and cook. While certain restrictions are understandable, overbearing restrictions are poor marketing. There, I've vented.
I agree, I do not want to spend my vacation grocery shopping. Having said that, once I'm there it is fun figuring out what the stuff is. I do intend to continue bringing my stuff with me in moderation.
I am not sure what you eat.....but I have lived here for over 8 years and shop locally ALL the time and don't suffer the runs. Your comment sort of sounds derogatory , but I digress. If eating things unfamiliar to you gives you the runs.....don't eat it. Stick to what you know, stay within your comfort zone and all will be fine. (I apologize but your statement offended me)
Never had a problem with the food. I think my digestion is better in Mexico than it is up north with all the preservatives, chemicals and genetically modified cr*p that's put into all the food now. To each his own I guess - I can't think of anything worse than cooking up a bunch of stuff before I go on vacation and hauling all the same boring stuff with me in the car and eating the same old thing that I eat at home.
I live here and shop here. There are a couple of things I can't get, like sharp cheddar cheese and wide egg noodles, pesto sauce, altho' once in a while I see other sauces for pasta and I grab them up cause some things seem to just be available once in a while. So when I'm in Arizona I get that stuff. Not sure what foods here would give someone the runs....maybe a fresh cheese or ......hmm I don't know what else....
We buy tortillas from the tortilla shops, and bread from both the grocery store and from the guy who drives around with the speakers on his car- he has great rolls, sweets, and cookies.
I am not sure what you eat.....but I have lived here for over 8 years and shop locally ALL the time and don't suffer the runs. Your comment sort of sounds derogatory , but I digress. If eating things unfamiliar to you gives you the runs.....don't eat it. Stick to what you know, stay within your comfort zone and all will be fine. (I apologize but your statement offended me)
We have been going to Rocky Point for 40 years. Every year we find new items in the stores or restaurants that we just love and can't buy in the states. We don't go for the sun, we don't even go in the water. We go for the food and fun. We eat every meal in a restaurant or buy something to prepare from the fish market or grocery store. Not even once in 40 years have we gotten sick. We even buy tamales and burritos from the women walking the beach. Leave your negative attitudes at home and you will have the time of your life.
I live here and shop here. There are a couple of things I can't get, like sharp cheddar cheese and wide egg noodles, pesto sauce, altho' once in a while I see other sauces for pasta and I grab them up cause some things seem to just be available once in a while. So when I'm in Arizona I get that stuff. Not sure what foods here would give someone the runs....maybe a fresh cheese or ......hmm I don't know what else....
We buy tortillas from the tortilla shops, and bread from both the grocery store and from the guy who drives around with the speakers on his car- he has great rolls, sweets, and cookies.
Seems like you could make your own pesto,I have been making my own mango frozen custard and ice cream?..
Luna....To me grocery shopping in RP is an adventure that takes place between my breakfast Bloody Mary and my lunch Tecates.
I really don't care much for the Bodega but enjoy the Super Ley and Santa Fe. I had a nice older Mexican man approach me in
Santa Fe one day and asked me why I wasn't buying rice and Beans. In my broken Spanglish I tried to explain that I do indeed
love rice and beans but I love potatoes more. We had a nice chat and I felt I had met another friend.
Next time down, I'm going to try the new Merced Market off of Calle 13. I'm told they used to have a great butcher and I'm
going to give it a shot.
Try it Luna, it can be fun. I hate shopping for dirty t-shirts and nick nacks so I do this once every visit.
Luna....To me grocery shopping in RP is an adventure that takes place between my breakfast Bloody Mary and my lunch Tecates.
I really don't care much for the Bodega but enjoy the Super Ley and Santa Fe. I had a nice older Mexican man approach me in
Santa Fe one day and asked me why I wasn't buying rice and Beans. In my broken Spanglish I tried to explain that I do indeed
love rice and beans but I love potatoes more. We had a nice chat and I felt I had met another friend.
Next time down, I'm going to try the new Merced Market off of Calle 13. I'm told they used to have a great butcher and I'm
going to give it a shot.
Try it Luna, it can be fun. I hate shopping for dirty t-shirts and nick nacks so I do this once every visit.
Hmmmm....what is this new Merced Market and where exactly on Calle 13?
The instructions I have are from the Rocky Point Times.
It is called Frutimer and you get there by taking the first street to the right after the railroad tracks on Calle 13.
There is no street sign there. You go down several blocks and it is on the left. If you get there before I do,
please report what you find out.
The only time I can see enjoying grocery shopping would be going to Costco and munching on the samples. Going on vacation does not include going grocery shopping. I'm a tourist in the greatest sense when I'm in Mexico, much like the other 90% that visit PP. I arrive, I drink a beer, I unpack, I drink a beer, I look at the Sea of Cortez, I drink a beer, I go for a walk on the beach, I drink a beer, I go for a swim in the pool with my kids, I drink a beer, We drive around looking for a place where I drink a beer, I watch the sunset and....I drink a beer. Where is it that I could go grocery shopping and drink a beer? I might even support the local whores by window shopping.....and having a beer sexy guau guau puerto penasco rocky point sonora mexico sexy - YouTube No touching as you might get something you can't wash off even with a wire brush and beer.
Food shopping - or stoping in at any place in RP - adds so much to my experience and is part of what makes a trip there meaningful and fun (in addition to all the fun described in the post above!). I like both!
I am not sure what you eat.....but I have lived here for over 8 years and shop locally ALL the time and don't suffer the runs. Your comment sort of sounds derogatory , but I digress. If eating things unfamiliar to you gives you the runs.....don't eat it. Stick to what you know, stay within your comfort zone and all will be fine. (I apologize but your statement offended me)
mexicoruss,
I'm sorry my runs offended you, other peoples runs would offend me to. You've been in RP for 8 years in the first 3 months or sooner you found out whats good/whats not, we are there maybe a week or 2 out of the year, Im not going to waste money, health and time to find out what will agree with us from the shelf, fresh meats and veggies are good.
You never know what's not going to agree with you until you try it, but I'm not going to waste my money buying thing to find out if its going to agree with us. Certain things I know are good and will buy, but I'm here to have fun on the beach not in the head (can) as a lab rat. (I take offense that you would categorize me as a hater of local markets (I'm not).)
Just give none local's a break and don't get so offended so easy, I notice there are a few that are using the I'm a local card on here.
Luna....To me grocery shopping in RP is an adventure that takes place between my breakfast Bloody Mary and my lunch Tecates.
I really don't care much for the Bodega but enjoy the Super Ley and Santa Fe. I had a nice older Mexican man approach me in
Santa Fe one day and asked me why I wasn't buying rice and Beans. In my broken Spanglish I tried to explain that I do indeed
love rice and beans but I love potatoes more. We had a nice chat and I felt I had met another friend.
Next time down, I'm going to try the new Merced Market off of Calle 13. I'm told they used to have a great butcher and I'm
going to give it a shot.
Try it Luna, it can be fun. I hate shopping for dirty t-shirts and nick nacks so I do this once every visit.
Sorry but grocery shopping is a chore and something I refuse to do on vacation. I also do not do laundry or clean house (but I do cook a little, hence the suppllies)! Now we have ventured to the stores to pick up something we may have forgotten or ran out of and that is fine.
Vacation to me is not having to be responsible . . . I get enough of that in every day life north of the border. Vacation to me is total and complete R&R! Sleep in late, take a nap, go to bed early? Watch the dolphins play while having morning coffee. Take a nap? Go to the beach or go the pool or both? Take another nap? Hunt for treasures from the sea and play with my big doggie on the beach? Take another nap? Have a drink, or 2, or 3? Read a book? Etc., etc., etc. Get the picture.
BTW . . . I DO enjoy shopping for nick nacks. Of course they are things I do not need but enjoy picking up a little treasure to remind me of Mexico until I am able to return again. We also enjoy occasionally going out to eat, also part of what vacation is to me.
Apparently, we have very different opinions about what a vacation is but as long as we are happy and enjoying ourselves who really cares right?
When I'm down there I will have to restock my beer supply. We usually plan on hitting up Super Ley on the way back from cholla bay or sandy beach. While I am at Super Ley, we pick up our steaks and what ever else I want to try. Kill two birds with one stone.
When I'm down there I will have to restock my beer supply. We usually plan on hitting up Super Ley on the way back from cholla bay or sandy beach. While I am at Super Ley, we pick up our steaks and what ever else I want to try. Kill two birds with one stone.
I'm sorry my runs offended you, other peoples runs would offend me to. You've been in RP for 8 years in the first 3 months or sooner you found out whats good/whats not, we are there maybe a week or 2 out of the year, Im not going to waste money, health and time to find out what will agree with us from the shelf, fresh meats and veggies are good.
You never know what's not going to agree with you until you try it, but I'm not going to waste my money buying thing to find out if its going to agree with us. Certain things I know are good and will buy, but I'm here to have fun on the beach not in the head (can) as a lab rat. (I take offense that you would categorize me as a hater of local markets (I'm not).)
Just give none local's a break and don't get so offended so easy, I notice there are a few that are using the I'm a local card on here.
Massive apologies I have no ax to grind with anyone. Life is good. Enjoy, love and have fun. I miss my Penasco, been out of town for a few days and I miss what I am used to.