Dinner at “The Shack”

There’s a new “cool” place in town that for now is the hot, new cruiser’s hangout. It’s called The Shack. Run by an ex-pat American and his Mexican wife, they specialize in a kind of Burger/BBQ thing (Ann had a burger as you’ll see below and I had brisket that had been in the smoker for a day or two). They serve a roast pig on Sundays. Pretty informal as you’ll see by the pictures below. Their two young kids are running around while Travis cooks and Rosa waits tables. Marketing consists of Travis occasionally getting on the cruiser’s radio net in the morning (channel 22A at 0800) and announcing the pig roast or some other event. The night we were there, one of the guys (“Keen”) from the boat ShantiAna was playing guitar for tips. He wasn’t messing around either. He was awesome! We left him 50 pesos in the tip jar. Sounds like a lot, but the exchange rater means a little less than five bucks. As you’ll see in the picture below, we sat outside on the sidewalk by the curb where they set up a table for our group. The curbside diners had to be careful how far they kicked back their chairs. Too far and you’ll tip over and into the street. After dinner, Ann got a big fat, black marker pen and signed our names and boat name to the wall for all eternity-or at least until next time they paint it.

The sidewalk seating (and for that matter the restaurant interior) brings up the subject of building codes. There aren’t any that we can figure. Ya build it and if it doesn’t fall down or burn down, you’re good to go seems to be the rule. It’s so funny, yet practical how they deal with sidewalks for instance. More specifically; what to do when the building or house ground levels change as you walk. Need a smooth sidewalk? Not a chance. When there’s a change in elevation, which is almost every house or store, you just add a bunch of cement and make a platform to connect the sidewalk with the neighbor’s. Too steep? Add some steps. Still too steep? Get more cement and make the steps bigger. You really have to watch where you’re going or you could easily and suddenly drop six feet off the pavement as you walk down the street.