Safeway: It's not just a store, it's a way to shop

Saturdays are becoming my favorite day around here....as unexciting as it might sound to you, going to the grocery store here is definately a thrill to me. On Saturday, the whole world is out..

shopping the way much of the world does it. In huge, crowded outdoor markets--buzzing with life and endless arrays of local delicacies.

The streets are so crowded, that our car comes far too close to plowing many of these people down.
But our destination, my friends, is not the outdoor market. Oh no. We shop nowhere else but "The Carribbean,"-aka- "the Wallmart of Haiti." Equipped with a whopping 6 checkout lanes, this place is officially the largest supermarket in the country.

You see, I prefer to do my shopping where I can not only buy dark chocolate Hershey bars and Kellogg's Raisin Bran Crunch, but where I can do it with fully-armed troops, casually shopping in the aisles next to me. I kid you not.

After going through checkout, I wheeled my cart outside, and as I was rounding the corner heading to our car, I quite literally ran into this fine fellow (nice enough to smile for the camera).

Joe was out on a milk run, and forgot to leave this four-foot machine gun in the car. Now I ask you folks, is this really necessary?

Seriously, could he not have left the heavy artillery at home while he stocked up on groceries? Or is he out to protect grandma and grandpa from the harsh realities of the meat and dairy case? It's one thing to be patrolling the slums of Port-au-Prince, but the grocery store?

Sadly, this is the reality here. UN presence is as numerous and common as fast-food chains are in the States. Their "every-day vehicles" (below) easily comprise 10% of all vehicles on the road.

I'm not sure whether I feel safer, or not. And I'm definately not up to speed on the current politics of it all. But I do know this, I'll count myself lucky to be able to shop at a place where service and value meets 5-star safety ratings.

Until next time.....