I was having a frustrating work day, so at 3:30 I decided to go for a late lunch/early dinner on the beach to regroup. It was a perfect day for an impromptu beach lunch because it was cold and overcast. So the beach wasn’t busy and there was service at the restaurants.

Something told me to go to El Velero, so I did. I wasn’t going to get anything heavy to eat but then conceded that the reason I wanted to go to El Velero was for the coconut shrimp with the pineapple dipping sauce. So I indulged. 🙂

My timing was perfect since I ran into friends who are heading back to Quebec tomorrow. So we and another couple had a beer together, I ate, and we gals perused the jewelry from our favourite vendor!

Last week, I found a “placeholder” pendant to tide me over until I find something more permanent to replace the scarab I lost on the beach:

The gals have several years of experience buying jewelry on the beach here and confirmed that the $150 I bargained the pendant down to was what it’s worth. So I’m pleased with my bargaining skills. I know an octopus wouldn’t be to everyone’s taste, but it sure is to mine (literally — yum!) and I love the detail on the legs with all the suckers.

Today, I picked up a pretty ring:

I don’t need to haggle with this vendor since he always gives me his best price, in this case $100! Again, that’s pesos folks, so just 7.70CAD for the ring.

It wound up being a longer break than I had expected, but the social time did me a world of good. Now, back to typing!