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Haggle at La Bufadora Market in Ensenada, Mexico

I am not good at haggling…unless I feel like I am getting ripped off. Then, I will spend hours negotiating a deal that the sales person didn’t even think was possible. I am cheap. Or rather frugal. I just don’t understand why people don’t list the actual price of an item instead of chasing me down the street after I walk away from the “below cost, final offer.” But, I do realize that that is part of the charm of shopping the streets of Mexico so, I went to La Bufadora Market armed with a loaded wallet and my best poker face.

I couldn’t have been happier when the sexy Kandy Kruise, AKA 24-hour party boat, ported in Ensenada. I needed a break from whooping it up and was ready for some shopping therapy. We decided to take a $19.99 excursion to La Bufadora, a Mexican flea market and I was anxious to see what bargains were to be had.

Upon arrival, La Bufadora was bustling with shoppers. Save some haggling deals for me. There were booths as far as the eye could see.
la bufadora market la bufadora market

I ogled some haggling worthy turqoise jewelry, almost ready to make an offer, but then remembered that I haven’t even rotated my earrings for 7 years. What makes me think this would be a good purchase?
jewelry at la bufadora marketbracelets at la bufadora market

I walked by the shoes at La Bufadora. Who doesn’t need a good pair of leathers sandals? But, I looked down at my $9.99 black flip-flops that have gotten me through the entire summer. They still had some tread left to spare. I quickly bypassed the piles of straw hats since I brought a fedora with me and had to carry it in my lap on the plane.
There was definitely no room on this lap for a sombrero.
leather shoes at la bufadora markethats at la bufadora market
I rushed past the knock-off bags, envisioning myself in handcuffs in a foreign jail. It was not pretty.
purses at la bufadora market
Hmm…these items left me bewildered. Those masks reminded me of a something a WWE wrestler would sport, but these were pint size for children. The blow fish wasn’t so bad, it was the creepy fanged fish directly behind it that has haunted me for days.
wrestling masks at la bufadora marketblow fish at la bufadora market
What caught my attention in a good way was this young girls braids. Her mother had done them for her and it was pure sweetness. But, “getting braids done by her mother” was not for sale. I asked.
hair french braids
What I ended up purchasing was one bottle of Tempranillo wine claimed to have been made in Ensenada. And there was no haggling. At all. He said $10, I said okay. But, that was after I made him prove that he was the actual wine maker by showing me his license.
haggling for wine at la bufadora marketla bufadora market wine maker
Have you been haggling at a market in a different country? What for?
2019-01-26T13:49:49+00:00October 3rd, 2011|Categories: Central America, Mexico, TRAVEL|

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26 Comments

  1. Kate Convissor October 3, 2011 at 8:56 am - Reply

    I've been to La Bufadora (which means "the snout"–did you see the ocean shooting through the blowhole?). Mexico is amazing for the array of handmade items–leather, woodcarving, ceramics, guitars, jewelry, and, yes, liquors. Each region seems to specialize in some beautiful handicraft. I've seen the artesans sit at their booths making stuff so fine it would make me blind.
    I do haggle, but sometimes, with something very fine, I just pay the first price, too. Glad you enjoyed the market. Try the one in Oaxaca City.
    Kate (www.wanderingnotlost.org)

    • Annette Renee White October 3, 2011 at 12:12 pm - Reply

      I did see the blow hole (post on that to follow)! It was pretty neat & a great way to end my shopping experience!

  2. Shuttur October 3, 2011 at 9:12 am - Reply

    Very cool.. some great pictures here

    • Annette Renee White October 3, 2011 at 12:12 pm - Reply

      Thanks!

  3. CeCe October 3, 2011 at 10:02 am - Reply

    I tried haggling in NYC for a fake handbag, and the response I got was "Get out of my face."

    • Annette Renee White October 3, 2011 at 12:14 pm - Reply

      That’s exactly what I am afraid of, trying to negotiate for something that is non-negotiable!

  4. Krista October 3, 2011 at 11:17 am - Reply

    I am a ghastly haggler. My conscience kicks in and I can't make myself do it!

    • Annette Renee White October 3, 2011 at 12:15 pm - Reply

      Ugh…that darn conscience thing 😉

  5. Annie - FootTracker October 4, 2011 at 4:42 am - Reply

    Oh, I tried haggling back in my home country Taiwan….the old ladies selling veggies and fruits are just not giving it in =_= (Especially when they noticed my Mandarin/and Taiwanese does not sound local enough).
     
    Have to agree with you, do not buy knock offs. To me I just don't understand why buying a fake one is so great? (If it is not real, it is just not the same thing to me)
     

    • Annette Renee White October 4, 2011 at 8:11 am - Reply

      I have never really been in to brand names, so knock-offs are easy for me to pass on. I just don’t like it when my clothes or accessories have large names scattered all over them. Just one more reason that I am weird unique 🙂

  6. Heather October 4, 2011 at 6:39 am - Reply

    I always want to buy something because hello, I'm at a market, but you're right — do I really need this?! Glad you picked the wine 😉

    • Annette Renee White October 4, 2011 at 8:12 am - Reply

      Sometimes I am way too practical 😉

  7. Stephanie - The Travel Chica October 4, 2011 at 10:00 am - Reply

    I hate haggling in markets.  But like you, I will do it if I think I'm getting ripped off.  I haggled a lot in markets in Central America for food.  They see my face and automatically the price would be double.  But you cannot fool this gringa!  Walk away and go to the next of 30 vendors selling avocado.

    • Annette Renee White October 4, 2011 at 11:45 am - Reply

      It’s bad enough haggling for accessories, but to have to haggle for food everyday would be terrible for me!

  8. …and there was a Blow Hole at La Bufadora | Mexico – Bucket List Journeys - Petaluma 360 - Petaluma, CA - Archive October 5, 2011 at 7:09 am - Reply

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  9. Sue S. October 7, 2011 at 4:53 pm - Reply

    My husband and I brought back a sombrero from Loredo Nuevo. He did the haggling since I do not speak Spanish. There are also flea markets like this in San Antonio, Texas which I tried to haggle for a T-shirt since some vendors speak English. I had to pick the one that spoke only Spanish, so my husband to the rescue again. But when it came to buying my KIA Sportage, I did haggle. I had done my homework ahead of time. I knew what I wanted, what the rebate was, and what the going price was. So when the dealer said, "I will drop the price by…" I replied, "That is the amount of the manufactor's rebate…" The price started out at $23,000 and the purchase price was $16,050, a savings of $6,050 plus I got out of paying the sales tax because I live in a state without a sales tax.

    • Annette Renee White October 7, 2011 at 5:56 pm - Reply

      Holy crap, you got a GREAT deal!!! I guess it pays to haggle when you are armed with research.

  10. Bucket List Journey » A Cleaver, Some Cactus & Dollar Street Tacos | Mexico November 1, 2011 at 6:57 am - Reply

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  17. Amparo March 6, 2018 at 5:19 pm - Reply

    What is a good place to eat at in bufadora market is it safe?

    • Annette White March 10, 2018 at 3:12 pm - Reply

      There risks anytime you eat anywhere in the world (though I’ve only be sick twice in 15 years), so if you are worried I would stick to places where you see the food cooked right in front of you.

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