Bon Bons Por Favor

While in Nicaragua, I have been doing good with preparing my Gallo Pinto and avoiding any sugar. If I crave sugar, I just have some lychees(my favorite fruit, which I get off the street for .50 cents) and mangoes.  When you are in these tropical environments, why would you eat something different than fruit anyways?


Well, I'm not a perfect angel and I enjoy my sugar from time to time.  Okay maybe it's from day to day, it depends on the week. 
Unfortunately, there is some raw truth when you are abroad with the chocolate situation.
1.) 60 percent of chocolate is stale
2.) You have limited selections including: Dove Bars, Cadbury, M&Ms, Twix, Snicker, Hershey's, and an occasional Kit Kat(This does mean you find these all in one place).
3.) The chocolate sits in the sun or it melts in the store and they sell it that way. 


When it comes to my nighttime location, I was next to a tiny bodega.  They had water, soda, detergent, chips, and some little junk candy. The last time I asked for crackers in the store everything was a year expired. I looked at him and smiled, "No gracias." This store was pretty hopeless in the chocolate department. 
They did not have any chocolate that I was craving- I would have even settled for a Dove bar that was a few months expired. I was willing to sacrifice my crazy date obsessions for some form of a chocolate bar.  It was 9pm and everything was closed except the one grocery store across town- a mugging not worth a chocolate bar.

Clearly, it was time to find some form of chocolate in this store.  My same guy, Diego Fernandez Ricardo Francis, was working.  The four names are definitely no joke here. They are about to close and he does not look very happy to see me. Perhaps because he knows I am a picky, annoying American. 

Quickly, I inquired about what kind of chocolate he has and he pulls out a melted Twix bar from 1992(okay it was 4 months old). I look at him and shake my head "No." Then he pulls out some chocolate animal crackers that were all cracked up and I shake my head "No."
He then points in front of him at the container with all those 10 cent candies that are ancient.  I decide to stick my hand in to see what I can find. I find some strawberry candies and local stuff that I have no interest in. He said, I think I have this candy the American's like(I have never heard him speak English). "You like the Bon Bon?"  My eyes light up and I am surprised they have Bon Bon's(random things you find in Central America #34)

"Oh I never had one, but the big people say they are real good."
He tells me to keep looking because he should have some.  This is like a treasure hunt for a Bon Bon and it's not coming up. 

"Ah ha." I found one in the second container. 

Clearly there was no date so I took a chance and ate it.  It was delicious and tasted fresh(I swear these people are sent to just make me happy). Luckily I find one more and I eat it again. 

Well, they aren't kidding about these Bon Bons- they are really good and super addicting.  This lovely teenage boy is searching to see if he has anymore. 

"Can you check in the back?"

"What back?"

Okay, well that was the answer to that and I was left sad and wanting more Bon Bons. This should be a moment realizing I don't need another and there are people I am feeding who need real food. Unfortunately, it was not that moment and I was being a selfish, kind brat.

"There must be just a few more around here-smile."

This boy looks at me and tells me,
"No mas" with a serious expression. 

It was my time to walk away before he said,
"Lady you don't need anymore Bon bons."

Off I went to my room putting myself in bed to dream about Bon Bons or chocolate they just don't have. 

Ce la vie!

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