Hand Made in Playa del Carmen

For years I have seen this guy walking the 5th Ave selling his crickets and hats. A couple of years ago I was having lunch with a friend, Astrid and this man walked up to our table and set one of his crickets on the table and said “$20 pesos”?  My friend, Astrid was HORRIFIED and said abrubtly, “NO!” and then shoo-ed him away with her hand movements!  I was stunned and baffled, this was not at all her normal nature. The cricket man walked off and I said, “What was that about?” She said, “How GROSS! That guy was selling dead crickets!” I cried laughing because the crickets this man sells are made by him from palm leaves! The 32 year old cricket artist  is a kind and smiley man named Juanito Cruz Martinez originally from Vera Cruz, Mexico. He has been making his crickets, woven from one long plam reed for the past 6 years in Playa. He charges about $2 USD/ $20 pesos per critter. He also makes woven palm leaf hats. I laugh every time I see him as I remember the story with my friend.
- Sherry