Second to the Last Day Here, WAAAAAA!

Now it's official, I'm totally depressed. Of course it will be great to get back and all that, blah blah blah, but the reality is that I've made some dear friends here and it will be very hard to leave them. Today will be awful, having to say goodbye to Antonio and Cesar -- since tomorrow is field trip day, Thursday is their day off. The other thing is, in these last few days my Spanish has really taken off in a big way, and now I have to leave! If I had another 3 weeks here, I feel I could actually be sorta-semi-fluent. But since that isn't the case, I am just going to have to find a way to keep the ball rolling once I get back. For those of you concerned about Wilson, he is still here...although either today or tomorrow I am going to have to decide whether to chop him up and have him with chili and lime, or make him into Pina Coladas for the group either tonight or tomorrow night. At present he is resting comfortably on my dresser and contemplating The Great Beyond -- El Mas Alla.

Yesterday I found a wonderful gallery with an exhibit of photographs -- can't remember the artist's name, now. But there was also a super bookstore where I got a couple of books, a necklace of wooden beads, and a T- shirt with pictures of the parrots of Mexico on it. Sort of an educational type bookstore -- in town there is a pretty big display, too, to educated and gather support for a "green" movement typical of the US.

After being nice and cool for the past 10 days or so, yesterday was warm and muggy again. Today it's threatening rain, and I hope it happens ... so refreshing, and I love the sound of the cars shooshing by under my window.

Last night Gabriella, Steve, John and I went out to eat at a place called "Giros", up towards Boca del Rio. Great food, great service, and so cheap -- I continue to have pangs of guilt over the cheapness of living here, if you are from the States. I had queso fundido and a tripas taco. Per usual, the portions were HUGE. I haven't finished a meal here yet. As I write I can hear the clinking and clanking downstairs of breakfast preparations, but I'm not going to want anything other than this cup of coffee I'm having as I write this, that's for sure! I haven't really been eating dinner, as a rule, since "lunch" is the big meal of the day -- so even that has been very inexpensive. We all have snack things around, or there's always the tienda on the corner with The Ham sitting on the counter, ready to be whacked into slices for sandwiches. For heartier far, Suriana is one block away -- I must remember to go up there and ask to see thier alligator before I go. Anyway, I need to have one last giant glass of fresh jugo de naranja -- orange juice -- that's something I'm really going to miss. I don't think Mexicans know that it's even possible for orange juice to come from a can or bottle! Such a civilized country.

Oh, here's another reason this country is so "what's-not-to-love": (that is, besides the fact that you can get any drug you want over the counter without a prescription, barring psychiatric drugs). One evening after a very hard, thristy day, I walked up to the "sports bar", one block beyond Suriana of alligator fame, and asked if they could make me a margarita. Mind you, this is not the sort of place in which you necessarily ask for a mixed drink, it's more of a beer and peanuts place. Well, the woman raised her eyebrows and laughed a little and told me "un momento". She then got on the phone and called someone to...what? Ask for the recipe? In any case, there then ensued many discussions in the course of several phone calls, the upshot being that she asked me to wait several more momentos while Jose came over from his casa to make said margarita. At this point I asked her to please not bother, that a beer would be fine; but no, nothing would do but that I should have this margarita. Eventually a young man showed up and very seriously went to work, slowly slicing fresh limes, pouring a liberal amount of tequilla, all the time working gravely and deliberately. I was going mad with thirst and anticipation by now, but no matter, the drink had to be perfect. At this point the woman looked at me and asked whether I would like to "toma" the drink there, or "lleva" it to go. OMG, I LOVE this country! The idea of walking into a bar in the US and ordering a margarita to go, then merrily carrying it off down the street in a styrofoam container, well ..... the pulse quickens. After perhaps half an hour from my initial request, I finally took my first swig, and I have to say it was one of the best I've ever had. So good in fact, I ordered another.

My Room Smells Like a Pineapple

Meet my pet pineapple, Wilson. I bought him from a man with a cart along the malecon yesterday while I was walking for about 5 hours from Boca del Rio. I carried him the whole way. Wilson is good company. This is Wilson getting some sun and enjoying the sights and Gulf breezes.

Wilson wants you to know that Copenhagen is not the only place that has a Little Mermaid. You can't see it in the picture, but Wilson is sticking his tongue out at Maren.

I wanted Wilson to be in this picture too, but he left -- I found him later, drinking a pina colada under one of those cabana things on the beach. I didn't have the heart to tell him one of his relations was pulverized in it.

Linda going into a papeleria (paper store) in town.

Me and John at the famous Gran Cafe de la Parroquia, where the lecheros (cafe con leche) are made by a guy coming around and pouring hot milk into your glass from a foot or more above the glass, which already contains a couple fingers-full of very strong coffee.

Typical beach scene on the weekend, with the lighthouse in the background.

A statue I really like. The inscription reads that he holds in his hand the Pearl of Life, and brings with him the hope for a new city -- he teaches us that men can be like the sea: gentle, impetuous, and at the same time, immense.

Back at the cafe, where we had breakfast this morning. These men are playing a traditional kind of music from this area, the name of which escapes me at the moment, which features a harp and two small, 8-string guitars.

Where the river meets the Gulf in Boca del Rio. ("Mouth of the River")

Just some colorful houses I liked.

Guys playing football on the beach. There is no day they aren't playing football on the beach!

Ditto.

This is Roxane and Wilson, signing off for now!

Saturday Morning in Veracruz

Sorry I haven't posted lately!! Been SO insanely busy lately. I'll try to write a post tonight, but at least for now, here are some pictures. This is me at the fishmarket -- huge and wonderful! Shrimp, octopus, all kinds of fish imaginable, many of which I'd never seen before.

The small, picturesque town of Tlacotlanpah. It's a colonial town from the time of the Spanish invasion, and great pains are being taken to make sure it is preserved,

Some houses on the river that runs by the same town.

Another house.

A sweet little thing! Lots of these here.

Cesar and I being stupid. He's my afternoon teacher for my one-on-one two hours.

Me, John and Antonio, my morning teacher. John is from Davis!

The Day After the Election

Last night was election night. Linda and Eric set up a little TV on the table downstairs, so that any of us Yanks who cared to watch the election returns, could. I stayed up for awhile and watched, but then had to hit the hay early. Amazing to turn on the computer this morning and see all that news, history being made. Wish I were not so busy so I could keep up with all the analasis, the gossip and conjecture, the fun of it all. But I'm determined to make the most of my last week here and not become distracted. Had a great day today, in that I made great progress in the morning with Antonio (and John, the new guy from Davis), and then in the afternoon with Cesar. They are both great fun. Of course, Antonio is so handsome he knocks my socks off; too bad he is 28 and married, hahaha! A bit disappointing that for the "out and about" we went to --ugh -- Home Depot! (Which here they pronouce "Ohm Depott", lol.) But the purpose was so that Kent and Steve could look at the herramientas (tools) and learn the names for things. Hammer. Saw. High powered pressure washer. And it actually turned out great for me too because I ended up talking a lot with Emelia (teacher) and learning a lot of new expressions; although not necessarily about hardware. Suddenly we realized we were going to be late for lunch, so we packed, all 5 of us plus the driver, into a tiny taxi and careened back across town to the school, aaaaahhhhh! This CAN'T be the way my life ends, at the hands of a Mexican taxi driver?? Mari, the cook, is so kind, she had made me a special chipotle salsa the day before because I had found the food so bland, so I had more of that on the albondigas (meatballs) she made for lunch today. "Lunch" is actually the big meal of that day, the evening meal, la cena, is hardly much at all. I usually go out and get a ham sandwich at the corner tienda, or skip it if I've eaten a lot mid-day. Had a beer with Kent and Steve after class ended for the day at 3:30, a celebration of sorts because Thursdays are YAY, field-trip day. Today we are heading south to a small town that is supposed to be very picturesque with a style of architechture that is Spanish-colonial -- and since I won't be able to get to Puebla this time around (as Tim and I had originally planned before it refused to rain and kept him on the ranch), I'm looking forward to seeing it. Also, I haven't been to the south of here at all, so it will be great to get a couple of hours away and see what that terrain is like down there. More tropical yet than here, I'm sure. Not sure what is happening tonight; a group is headed out to the zocalo to see the folklorico group, but since I saw it last week, I'm not sure I want to go again. Anyway, Cesar started teaching me the subjunctive this afternoon, and, grammar dork that I am, it is so much fun that I might just stay in for a quiet night with my books so that I have a firmer grip on it when classes resume on Friday. I am pondering what to do this weekend, since it will be my last weekend here. I'd really like to get out of town and see something new, but where?? Also, my plan is, a week from Friday when my flight leaves to return to the US, to take a bus from Veracruz to Mexico City and see the country on the way, it is supposed to be a beautiful trip. And way cheaper, of course, than the plane. But I hear I should reserve my ticket in advance. So ..... need to find out what the bus schedule is. My flight doesn't leave Mexico City until 5:00, so hopefully the bus is possible. But who cares about that now, when I have another week here in front of me. The weather is perfect ... the heat and humidity that was still here when I arrived is totally gone, this has to be the perfect time of year in Veracruz...or anyway, from now until March or so. Just soft, warm air, day after day and night after night except when it rains.

Monday Night Football in Mexico

Just got back from the "sports bar" Steve and Kent go to ..... not a "bar" really, more a big room with tables and chairs in broad daylight, but it features a huge flatscreen HD TV. Was restless after a full day of classes, sick of Spanish, and just wanted to get OUT of here and see and do something else, so I went up there with them. The proprietor put out bowls of chile-lemon peanuts for us (lots of peanuts grown in the mountains around here, as well as coffee and tobacco), and we had a few beers, and the guy was kind enough to change the channel from some gawd-awful soap opera to American football. There was only one other guy in there, who was too busy talking on his cell phone to watch TV anyway. The new guy, John arrived late last night -- of course we few who are remaining were dying of curiosity and sat there at breakfast waiting for him to make an appearance. He is an older man from Davis, CA ... yet another Californian, gad, this makes 4 of us who have been here. Kim from Dublin, Mary Ann from Monterey, me from Suisun, and now John from Davis. What are the odds?! I was hoping to check out his level of expertise in the language, but alas, the day was so busy, and he was out all day getting the grand tour, that I never got a chance to talk with him. This morning I was assigned Antonio as an instructor, and wow, I love him! Feel like I made a huge leap forward today. Unfortunately, I will have to share him with John tomorrow, and I'm a bit nervous about it, since John is supposedly quite advanced, which I certainly am not. We are supposed to be grouped by ability, so ....hmm.....I am wondering if my abilities are being over-rated. But I'll just muddle through -- it's worth it to have Antonio. For the "out and about" lab I went with Emilia to the huge supermarket, which is out of town aways on the way to Sam's Club, Costco and Walmart (yeah, I know, I know.) Emilia (one of the instructors) has a wonderful sense of humor and is quite zany, so we had a great time. Afterwards I was remembering all the stuff we talked about, made fun of, etc, and it was weird, because it seemed as though we had been speaking English, but of course we'd been speaking Spanish. But it was just that comfortable for me. So I guess this "immersion" stuff is working on some level. None of the instructors speak English, so lapsing into what is comfortable is not really an option. After I left Kent and Steve at the sports-bar I walked down to the "malecon", the main street along the Gulf lined with coconut palms, and went to a bookstore I'd been meaning to check out. Just at dusk, huge ships out on the Gulf, the palms silhouetted against the sky, the air so soft and warm. Then came back here and tried to call home with a phone card that has 900 minutes on it, but for the second night in a row the public phones seem to be not accepting phone cards for international calls. May have to break down and use the school phone and pay Eric and Linda back -- hate to impose like that, but oh well. Am going to study as much as possible for tomorrow, then get to bed early. More tomorrow!

Rolling on the River: Trip to Jalcomulco, in the mountains between Veracruz and Xalapa.

A street in Jalcomulco.

Burro.

The suspension bridge over the river, and the restaurant on the other side.

A pretty street in Jalcomulco.

Me and Chevy, a world-class kayaker. He has won competitions all over the world, and runs the river like an otter.

Me at the bridge.

Me and mi amigo Jorge, who is here to speak Spanish with whenever you want, and plays beautiful classical guitar. (See the video of him in a previous post, check the archives to the right).

Shooting the rapids.

A moment of tranquilty in which to ham it up for the photographer.

More rapids, featuring me under water.

Ancient Ruins, Cortez and Antigua

The main plaza in Antigua, with the cathedral in the background.

A street in Antigua.

This church is also in Antigua, and is THE oldest church in all of Latin America, built in 1523.

Part of what is left of Cortez's house; which is huge, and very impressive, this is only one of the many pictures I took. In reality, he was not in this "house" very often, as we was too busy in the area of present day Mexico City, demolishing the Aztec empire and culture.

This is the "gladiator circle". A captive was put in here with a warrior. If the captive killed the warrior, then a second warrior was put in here. If the captive killed THAT warrior, then he was allowed to go free. The ultiimate reality show!

This is the pit where they threw the dead bodies after sacrificing them by cutting their hearts out. The actual alter is elsewhere, I took a picture of it but didn't include it here.

Me at the main "pyramid".

Preparing for Dia de Los Muertos, which is tomorrow! Lots of preparations all around town, very exciting. Will include some photos of that in the next post.

Lunch by the Antigua River. After this we took a lancha (launch) down the river for a little tour. Saw where they'd dredged one of Cortez's cannons out of the river.

A typical Veracruzanian lunch. Fish, fish and more fish. Come to think of it, I need to go to the big fish market in town and take some pictures there too, it's supposed to be utterly amazing.