"Ojos Negros" a Ojos Negros Travel Page by malecon

Ojos Negros - Black Eyes, named after a couple of dark marshes on a corner of this cultivated valley. The marshes have faded into history with a town springing up in their name. This is no ordinary town with a bright side and a happy face. Though not an ugly town either, it's more of a necessity town for those who stoop in the hot sun picking vegetables in the fields. Ojos Negros is surrounded by agriculture and the average person on the street makes their living as a farm laborer.

The amount of labor congregating in this town sparks a bustling economy of shops and, while I was there, a considerable amount of tent stalls selling used goods. There were many of these around the park. Being a Saturday a sight like this would be expected, but the quantity of stalls in this marketplace was extraordinary and covered the park, across the street and into the alleys.

The park is off to the left of town where the street turns to dirt. The paved street makes an L through town, it goes straight then hangs a right. The park looked very attractive if it wasn't for the swapmeet swarming around it.

Bumping around town I caught sight of a small motel attached to a restaurant. The layout is strictly motel with rows of warped wooden doors and a mildly deteriorated exterior. But all-n-all it wasn't bad and I was tempted to stay. Honestly, I had to absorb the town before making my grand entrance, after all, I would have stuck out being a gringo, a Spanish gringo but a gringo all the same. The road was calling me further anyway.

The restaurant turned out to be very spacious with a kitchen in back that could serve an army. When I heard the price of the room I smiled at the thought - $20.