Our Last Day

As we awoke this morning, we view everything as "our last" . . . our last day to enjoy coffee in our robes, to cook breakfast, including freshly squeezed orange and tangerine juice picked from the yard, to walk to the jardin, to see the regulars along the way.

Somehow Carmello knew we would be there, and I have to admit I succumbed to his artistic charms once again! I bought a small olla, or pitcher, that is a new item for him. Don't ask me how I will carry it home--I'm just glad I didn't agree to the bigger one he was insisting I needed. "¡No Problem!" he always says, and then laughs as he throws back his head when I say, "¡No problem for you!"

Yesterday we traveled to Guanajuato. Frank and I went there last year, and I was determined this year to get to the top of the hill where the statue of "Il Pipila," hero of the revolution, sits. For just about a dollar we rode the tram to the top and were swept away by the breathtaking view of this colorful sprawling old mining town. Of course it was populated by the ubiquitous souvenir vendors, but we did meet a painter who had spent time in the U.S. and will be sharing his lovely art at 3 U.S. cities in the coming year. And he gave us a good price . . . . We also visited the museum which was the home of Diego Rivera as a young boy. Great art created over many decades of his life encompassed many styles. The city was jammed with people as this month is the Cervantina, an International Festival of the Arts. Lots of street music and more.

It was disheartening to have our first class bus ride home dominated by the video "2012" with all its disaster scenes. But it was dubbed in Spanish, unlike the morning's video, which was punctuated by a profusion of "F" words in every scene. And there were subtitles. What must these Mexican people think of us Americans?

We returned home exhaused and ready to stay in and nest for the evening. Had a simple dinner which has become a favorite: tostados, cheese, guacamole, and ham. We then each listed things we will miss about being here and things we'll be glad for when we return home. Among the things we will miss: The beautiful pealing of the church bells which begin at 6:30 in the morning, the warmth and friendliness of the people, the long walks and beautiful weather, the delicious smells and tastes of the foods, and the COLOR which is everywhere, including the azure sky. We will be glad to return to our families, and the comforts such as daily newspapers and internet. We feel it is good for us mentally to be out of the daily routine, having to think of how to communicate. I personally will miss my young friend, Juan, and the sound of his siblings calling out "Gringa!" when they see me or wave good-bye. While I would not want to live here, as many Americanos have done, I do feel it is a home in my heart.

Later we will pack and have one last dinner at Cafe Monet, then tomorrow eat a breakfast out before our driver picks us up around noon. And now, I will meet Juan for one last lunch together.

Hope you have enjoyed the blog. I will add more photos once I am at home.

La Gringa
Gayle

This photo is in the open-air entry way of our casa. The house is so beautiful!

Lots of Walking

The past two days have included lots of walking, and the weather is perfect for it. Yesterday four of us climbed the hill to the viewpoint, and also went beyond that up steps climbing up and up that go through a neighborhood, up to a cross posted atop the hill. The view was incredible, as we could look in all directions, clear out into the outlying areas. Then, of course, we had to make the trip down, choosing a very scenic route that took us between other houses, churches, and finally down to our neighborhood. We followed that with a siesta! This picture is of the lime bush on our patio.

For dinner we visited a favorite restaurant from last year, El Cafe Monet. It is nearby our house, the setting is filled with art, and the food is excellent and reasonable. We each brought home enough for our dinner tonight--since we had appetizers, entree, and great desserts. Oh, and it was happy hour, which meant 2 glasses of wine for the price of one! I had shrimp ravioli, nothing like I´ve tasted before. We shared desserts, which included a double chocolate brownie, lemon cake, and cheese cake. We plan to visit there again before we leave.

Today we took advantage of a guided tour in English of the Charco, the botanical cactus preserve. The day started out cool but clear, and we were most comfortable walking and learning about the 600+ varieties of cacti that are nurtured there. Saw pelicans, hummingbirds, monarch butterflies, avocets, egrets, ibis, and more.

The taxis delivered us back to the town center where I stopped to get some photos printed for Juan, Christina and their family. In awhile I will take a few items to be shipped home. It´s a day to get a few tasks finished, and we´ve been practicing our packing to see what will fit and what won´t.

Tonight we will attend a concert of various types of Latin and international music. There is no shortage of cultural events here in San Miguel.

Our remaining two days will go quickly, and tomorrow we will go to Guanajuanto. What a special vacation we have had together. We laugh at ourselves and one another as we reflect on the day, we relish the slow, lazy mornings over coffee, laugh about the bird that pooped on me and all the other fun moments we have shared. I am so glad we are here, and we will have a lifetime to remember all we´ve done. When I get home there are many more photos I will want to post, but it takes a long time here. And time is precious. More later.

Till then, Adios,

Gayle

Miercoles en San Miguel

Our plan to visit Guanajuato today has been postponed, as one of our group isn´t feeling up to par. This gives us a chance to do some laundry, catch up on post-election news, browse the internet, and do other things here in San Miguel.

The picture shown is of Carmello and me with the great mirror frame he created for me. It won´t fit in my carry-on, so we will be visiting the nearby shipping office.

Yesterday was a special day for me. On Halloween night I sat with the family of Juan and Christina, and their mother invited me to visit their home. Juan met me at the Jardin and we took a taxi. We could have gone by bus, but I could tell the chance to ride in a taxi represented something special to him. I knew he lived out a way from the main city, but was surprised at just how far out it was.

The second photo shows kids holding pictures of Frank and me from last year

The taxi took us onto bumpy dirt roads, through very poor neighborhoods, and finally to some sparsely populated cinder block compounds. But the view and open air were lovely. The room I visited had two beds, a night stand, a table top hot plate, and a refrigerator, which appeared to serve as storage for clothing. I am not sure if their home also includes some of the other buildings, but at the moment there were 2 women and eight children, all under the age of 10. But, oh, the smiles, love, and happiness in that room! They showed me family photos, we sang and played some silly games (do you remember Button, Button, Who´s Got the Button? We played it with a small wrapped candy.) I recorded them singing me some songs in Spanish, and we took lots of photos. Finally it was time to go, and Juan, Christina, and I walked to the bus stop. It was on the bus that I realized I didn´t have my cell phone. We returned to the house to look, but couldn´t find it. It may have slipped out of my pocket in the taxi. With over 600 taxis in town and no main office or lost and found, I guess it is a goner. But I realize it is a small thing, compared to so many problems and crises people face everywhere. Seeing the family in their home makes me realize once again how blessed and fortunate most of us Americans are.

Back in town the kids and I had lunch, and they weren´t too shy to order huge milk shakes with their meal. They then said something about crayons and tablets, so we visited a store and bought spiral notebooks and sets of colored pencils. Those kinds of things are rather pricey here, so this made them happy. They were angling for 2 notebooks each, but at $3 each I had to say no.

They returned to school today, after the 5 day holiday around the Day of the Dead, so I should be able to hang onto some money! :)

We went to a nice restaurant for dinner last evening, but we all agreed the large group of arrogant Americans talking loudly really were a distraction. We don´t want to hear their comments and boasting, but would prefer the quiet interaction of the Mexicans, trying to pick out the few words in Spanish we can understand.

We´re going to head up the hill for the steep climb to El Mirador, the best viewpoint for seeing the entire city. If you didn´t receive the link to my previous blog, you can continue below to view older postings.

Hasta luego, amigos.

Gayle and las gringas

Helping the Mexican Economy

Yesterday morning was beautiful, as four of us enjoyed our coffee up on the pallapa, which requires about 40 steep steps. But the sunny view was well worth it! The special cooing of the doves (they coo in Spanish!), the sound of the church bells, and the quiet of Sunday morning were a peaceful beginning to our day. A bit later Bernice and I went to church together. Despite being in another language, there is something so comforting about the familiar ritual that is universal.

One of the tragic side effects of the drug cartel fighting is that the entire economy of Mexico has been hurt. We see it in markets, restaurants, and hotels--the locals are glad to hear we are spreading the word back home that travel in San Miguel is SAFE! I have noticed a number of businesses are gone from a year ago, and no that so many families have been hurt. We ate lunch in a darling restaurant yesterday and had this conversation with the owner/waiter.

Yesterday was a very exciting day for the entire community, and it seems every resident was in El Jardin last night. Earlier in the day we had walked around, looking in shops and buying vegetables in the market (and other things). Passing back through the jardin people were constructing elaborate altars to Los Muertos in their families. Marigolds is the most frequently used flower, and photos, foods, banners, candles, and more are added.

My little friends were waiting for me, and although I had already had lunch they were eager that we go somewhere nearby. Being a little short on cash after shopping, I had them share a sandwich and then they each had their own dessert, since they couldn´t agree on which one. They must think I have deep pockets, but what a joy it is to see their eyes light up.

After we five women went back to our casa, we rested, talked, and ate a light meal of guacamole, tostados, and tangerines from the tree in our yard. We have discovered that what we originally thought was an orange tree is actually a lemon tree with an orange branch grafted on! After our meal we were tired, and actually considered staying home in the evening. But I knew Juan and Christina would be disappointed, so we all agreed to go for at least an hour. And we were so glad we did! The Jardin was FILLED with mariachi bands, candles, a performance that appeared to be in the Aztec tradition, and literallty hundreds of people! There was a huge parade of teens and young adults in make-up and costume. Also many children in costumes saying, "Happy Halloween," and holding out their bags for candy. Fortunately, we had bought some earlier in the day, but had to buy more from a local stand. It was all quickly gone. I had also brought little bracelets that light up from the Dollar Store back home, but should have bought lots more. They were a hit!

As four of us are retired teachers, we were so impressed by the orderliness of the entire event--no screaming or running or disorder at all, but everyone smiling and walking calmly. We have great pictures and videos of this.

This morning we decided to go out to breakfast, as we haven´t done that since the first morning, and we walked directly to the Hotel Sierra Nevada by the nearby Parque de Benito Juarez. Had a most leisurely delicious breakfast, then on the way back met a young artist selling his oils and prints in the park. We couldn´t resist, as his work truly captures the beauty and colors of the city. We each bought a print of the city, for about $16 each. He looks about 24, but assured us he is 41 years old.

Then we walked around another section of the city that was new to us, veering into shops that beckoned. Now I am going back to the Jardin to once again meet up with mi amigos, Juan and Christina. I´m sure they´ll be ready to eat lunch, although I am not. That´s just fine. The people of Mexico are the real art, and the memories of their smiles will be the best souvenirs.

We are planning to go to Guanajuato, the state capital, by bus on Wednesday for another day trip. We are pretty much done shopping . . . I think.

Adios for now.

Gayle and amigas