In San Cristobel we encountered our first large, noisy market. Generally speaking good old market principles go by the wayside in Mexican markets. We very quickly realized that the older women could not do division in their heads and became confused about the per unit cost that was being offered. Their young daughters could sometimes bail them out, but not always. Although many of the vendors had huge inventories, they were often not interested in selling in bulk if it meant a lower price.
Prices are erratic at best.
Selling Fruit Generally bargaining resulted in a price around a fourth of the original asking price, but sometimes resulted in a price higher than the starting price. It appeared to depend on what you were wearing, the time of day, and perhaps the weather. What was made perfectly clear is that we were amateurs, while these people were professionals at bargaining. From San Cristobel we rode 55 miles to Comitan, which is about the same size but much more modern. We were greeted by firecrackers, processions, a rock concert in the old plaza, and a fair, all in celebration of the Day of the Virgin de Guadalupe.