Tuesday, January 22, 2013

A DAY AT THE DOG TRACK



It's official name is Yuma Park and Swap but most people refer to it as the "dog track". That's because it is built on the grounds of a long abandoned dog racing park. It's hard to describe this place. It's a flea market, a farmer's market, a carnival with side shows, a cultural festival, a place for both Gringos and Latinos to spend a warm sunshiny weekend day. To a person used to a shopping center that features Dillard's or Macy's it an be shock to the cultural soul. The layout is not as neat and clean as the standard stores. It helps to know at least basic Spanish if you go because many of the signs are in Spanish. Not only the signs let you know you are in a different culture. The aroma of tacos, burritos, carne asada and bacon wrapped hot dogs let you know you are in a different world. But there are deals: on clothing, hardware, fruits and vegetables, auto parts, and even some things you may not be able to identify (and probably don't need). It's a cheap way to spend an afternoon browsing. The entry price is listed as $1.00 but there are enough free passes floating around you can ignore that. If you schedule right you might even get to enjoy a Mariachi band while drinking a cold Tecate. 

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