Tanque Verde Swap Meep - the Biggest in Arizona

What is going on here?

Lance and I were at the laundromat doing chores (not every minute of retirement is nirvana,) and found a local newspaper, a small weekly rag that promote local events, and found there is a colossal flea market known as The Tanque Verde (green tank) Swap Meet that we just had to go to see.

 After driving a few short minutes southwest for a few miles we found what is likely the biggest swap meet in Arizona.  Before our gaping eyes we saw hundreds of booths full of  worthless bobbles, gadgets and gismos, food items, yards sale leftovers, hot dogs, tacos, snow cones, made in China bric- a-brac, leather boots, western hats, baseball caps, tarot cards, antiques, cheapo  Mexican souvenirs,  discount tires,  expensive tires, appliances, leather sofas, rocks and polished stones, Elvis and Marilyn stuff, graphic tees by the millions, rice water, lemonade and beer, cider, coca cola, athletic shoes and sandals with tire tread soles,bras, 8 track tapes, jumping beans, key chains, gold chains, black velvet paintings, posters, metal art, woven rugs, hair pieces, back packs, fanny packs, tools, car parts, hub caps, DVD's, CD's, LP's, HD's, but no CPC's or LSD.  It is a family swap meet after all.  

 I undoubtedly missed some things, but I was distracted by the terrible singers that were performing on the stage near the food court.  It didn't matter how bad they were, because the buzzing of the gigantic speakers muffled out their voices.  I was hoping to hear a mariachi band or two, but no, just amateur hopefuls twanging away their fifteen minutes of fame.  It was great!

I asked about how the swap meet came to be.  In 1975 a college student

had an idea to get together a few individuals with stuff and have a multi vendor yard sale/swap meet in a vacant lot.  It worked and grew to dozens of vendors.  Whole families gravitated to the idea and soon were making their living hawking all their wares.  Tucson folks were literally flocking to the flea market/swap meet.  Then, a problem happened with city zoning laws or other such red tape, and ruined it all.  The college guy, by this time had employed his mom, his sister and other relatives to help him organize and operate the enterprise, and felt so responsible for these hundreds of families that would lose their livelihood that he found several acres, purchased them with his own money and opened up the biggest, baddest, bawdiest swap meet in Arizona.  His persistence paid off and it is a spectacle today, 24/7.

A high light of the day at the flea market was the 40 cent churros.  My friend Susan asked about churros, so possibly others need to become acquainted with this yummy Mexican confection!

  A churro (fritter in spanish) is a common treat at fairs, rodeos, circuses, anywhere there is a crowd and a Mexican vendor.  They are about a foot long column of deep fried pancake batter with ribs running lengthwise. They are rolled in cinnamon sugar and wrapped in a piece of waxed paper.  They are screaming delicious and for 40 cents I would have liked to eat 3 of them; but alas, I simply could not bear the guilt of it!