Day 35- An American Ex-Pats Life

After the whirlwind adventure in Guanajuato, a down day was in order. So when Nina and Paul invited Magali, Mike and myself to a potluck, I didn't have to think twice to accept the offer. So around noon we took off by bus. My luck with busses has been spotty at best, and this trip was going to be one of those misadventures. Mike and Migalia, if you're reading this, I take all the blame. I was getting a little over confident in my ability, a skill I think I perfected at horsetracks as I could always pick the fourth place horse. I'd like to place a vente peso bet on the number cinco bus to show. Lost again!!! Again ...thank god for the taxi system.

Mike had gotten directions from Paul based on the bus ride. We were to get off at the end of the line, walk through a green gate and their house was in the middle. Coming in by taxi made it a bit more difficult but after a half hour of perserverance, we prevailed. Paul, and the three neighbor dogs were there to greet us. Mexican dogs are different, I'm not sure why, but I usually don't come that close to being bitten. I guess next time I come down here I will need to learn a few spanish phrases to placate the dogs.

Nina and Paul are probably the most accomodating hosts that I ever met. They gave us a tour through their year old adobe hacienda. I don't get overly excited about houses but this place was absolutely incredible. I've always like natural building materials and their home used a tasteful combination of tile, open beamed ceilings, built in cabinets made from bricks and adobe. They had wrought iron framed windows throughout the house, offering plenty of light. Much of the mexican lifestyle revolves around living outdoors and their home had amble outdoor spaces on all four corners of the home. I'm not in the business of repeating the financial details but I was absolutely floored on what it cost them to have this house custom built. As laborers only typically make ten dollars a day, you can to alot, for not alot of pesos.

Nina, the same women that took me shopping in the open market, is an incredible cook. She started dinner with an eggdrop zuchinni soup. For a main course she made a pasta from scratch and a sauce using fresh tomatoes from the market, cream, olive oil and a hint of spices. Absolutely wonderful. To top it off she made a pound cake that I had the previous week at Mikes. Thanks Nina and Paul for a wonderful day!!!

About sunset, Paul escorted us back to the bus stop. The bus must have travelled five miles through mexican neighborhoods on the east side of San Miguel. The ride was a great way to see how mexican families spend Saturday night. It's absolutely amazing to see much of the mexican nightlife is on the sidewalks. It doesn't really matter what time it is there is someone selling something, whether it be tacos or burittos, hamburguesa and papas or chicklettes, often until midnight.

I did do one thing that I regret. It was a culturally insensitive faux-pas and I knew better. A young girl of about five approaced the three of us, selling some kind of candy. I asked her "quanto questa", how much? Her answer was "tres para cinco pesos" three for five pesos. I gave her five pesos and promptly recieved three packages of gum. I then without thinking took out my camera and took a picture of her. Just as I was doing that , a young mexican man passed behind me saying something about me being a jerk. It turns out behind the young girl was an old lady, probably a grandmother, with her face covered with a dark shawl, her back against the adobe wall. It turns out that street people are sensitive to having their pictures taken. I know that no one will read this, but I am sorry if anyone was offended and vow never to do this again. I deleted the picture.

Tomorrow I begin my journey back to Puerta Vallarta, in preparaton for return flight to Seattle on Wednesday. I'm debating on taking a different route, through Ziwataneo, on the Pacific Coast, about two hundred miles south of Puerta Vallarta.

Not a great picturesque day..but pictures non the less

Till tomorrow...Bob