Good Times & Lots of Pictures that Wouldn't Load...

ADIÓS A NUESTRO AMIGO, ERIC:

Last Friday we had a short night out with our friend Eric since he left Saturday morning to head to Guadalajara and then back home to California. We checked out fun pictures on my computer from our time here in Morelia while sitting in a cafe and staring at the very cool hole in the ceiling... it literally looked like it had just been blasted through and left for decor purposes... I kept trying to think of metaphors for it to coincide with our last night... but they are all terrible, so I will spare your eyes and mentalities...

Above you see Eric pictured with his "goodbye cake" that he didn’t even have to say "sooorry" for, and that Eileen told him he could take to the "plane station" or the "eye doctor shop," to which Eric responded he might need to visit the "tooth shop" afterwards...

Okay, I made up that particular conversation, but all those phrases have been used in one way or another while we have been here, along with others just as idiotic...

Let’s just say that our English is deteriorating... rapidly... lol...

"Ima thinken is tiempo para return... I mean, regresar... home... a casa... ack."

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH A BOX?

Quite a bit... as Booz and his friend demonstrated Saturday morning. I awoke around 8:30 to the wonderful aroma of Rogelio making a fabulous breakfast of huevos con sebolla y chile (eggs with onion and chile peppers), frijoles con chile (beans with chile peppers), salchichas or perros calientes (grilled hot dogs), along with the standard guacamole, salsa, queso, and tortillas.

I felt very special when I was asked to make the coffee... =)

I read the newspaper for a while, teared up over the events of a vehicle accident, and then helped Booz with his homework (very good practice for the orphanage, I think...). We ate breakfast and then Booz began his exploration of "THE Box."

That’s right... THE Box... which happens to be a large cardboard container from the television that we unpacked yesterday. Booz immediately appropriated this container and it soon became (dubbed by me) "La Nueva Casa de Booz" - every child’s dream. It reminded me of our "Keebler Hut" that AP got us for Christmas one year... I think this box will last as long in the living room as the "Hut" lasted in ours... just until the parentals get tired of it...!

I have pictures, but they're not wanting to upload today for some reason...

Did I want to get in? Of course... Did I? Maybe... like when the rest of the family was gone...

EL MERCADO de DULCES, BREAD IS MY FAVORITE, & 15 GALLONS OF WATER:

Meghan and I headed to the Mercado de Dulces (Candy/Sweets Market) Saturday afternoon because, despite its name, the mercado has millions (literally) of different items, artifacts, and whatever else you can imagine available for your viewing and purchasing pleasure.

However, when I arrived at the San Francisco plaza to meet Meghan, I discovered that tents had been set up all around the square and even though it was raining (again) people were swarming around the different displays. After Meghan arrived we decided to check it out... And found Feria de Pan Internacional... that’s right... a festival of bread.

We were... I think "elated" is the correct word... lol.

It was incredible... above you see a pic of a layered cake that these ladies were decorating. There was also a very special type of bread called pan de muerto (death bread) that is made especially for El Dia de Muerto which is celebrated in Mexico on Oct. 31. During the festival ancestors are celebrated in an all-night vigil held at the gravesides of the beloved family members or friends who have passed on before.

Every step we took people were offering tastes of their wares, and (not wanting to offend, of course) we tried everything... delicious.

We finally headed to the mercado and managed to spend close to an hour and a half browsing, asking questions, tasting different concoctions, and generally having a great time. We met a little boy in one of the shops and managed to take pictures with the viejito masks you see above... good times. I found some fun things, but I can’t mention them because that would be giving away secrets... =) Soon, however!

After leaving the mercado we discovered that it wasn’t raining any longer... it was pouring. So... we decided to brave it with my umbrella and began walking along the main avenue, squelching along in our flip-flops. I noticed that the sides of the streets were full (once again) of about a foot of water, but didn’t consider that that foot of water could end up on us.

I think the taxi driver did it on purpose... I’m pretty sure I heard him step on the accelerator right before he hit the puddle of water, spraying both Meghan and I with approximately 15 gallons of water from the waist down, soaking our pants, and causing us to simply look at one another with dumb expressions of disbelief immediately followed by raucous laughter...

"I’ve always kinda wanted that to happen to me," said Meghan. "But not really, you know?"

So... I now officially know what it’s like to be soaked by street water and deranged taxi drivers... chalk up another one to experience.

We stuck a little farther away from the curbs after that...

MY SOAPBOX a.k.a. LESSONS IN LOVE:

I hope you are all still reading after that title... =)

I really do have a subject that I would like to write about, though... so here goes.

It is absolutely amazing to me how ingrained and natural "love" is in the Hispanic culture. Not only is it shown between couples and adults with their children, but also between friends, brothers and sisters, people on the streets, and even extended to gringos like me.

Often Mexican men (and Latin men in general) are stereotyped as being hopelessly over-the-top when it comes to romance... almost as if it’s a show or something that they feel they need to live up to and isn’t based on true sentiment.

I would like to blow that theory out of the water from what I have seen here. Instead I think their culture has truly cultivated in them a belief that Love is the greatest achievement in life - through family, through their belief in God, through their careers, through one another - and that no other motive is as important as spreading whatever Love one has to each and every person they meet.

Consequently, loving people and subsequently taking care of them in every way possible is not just a belief here... it is a way of life. It’s not weird to see a sixteen-year-old son with his arm wrapped around his mother’s shoulders kissing her forehead in public as they stroll along... or to watch both grown women and men hug, kiss, and walk arm-in-arm to their destinations... or to find out that an entire family of ten or fifteen people live together not because they have to, but because they prefer to stay close to one another.

It’s incredible to me that when you meet someone for the first time in Mexico, it is almost rude not to greet them with a kiss on the cheek.

And if you’re squeamish about touching people... it’s not the country for you. On the bus, in the streets, in the stores, in the school... the sense of touch is almost more important than any other because it is a sign of security, of comfort, of acceptance; you hold my arm as we cross the street because you are keeping me safe... I hug you as I leave because we have a good friendship... you kiss my cheek in greeting as you shake my hand because you respect me... etc.

I love the fact that here in Mexico a "sensitive" individual is not equated to a "stupid" one; that wearing your heart on your sleeve is a never-ending style; that the language has developed and been used in such a way that saying a sentence in Spanish is always, always emotional no matter the subject material; and that I am not the only soft-hearted idiot who cries at commercials and movies (I have several guy friends here who will freely admit to their emotional breakdowns... que padre [cool]).

I am not trying to say that I think everyone should be like this... the world is full of different people with different backgrounds and many, many experiences that have contributed to who they are... I am simply saying that this aspect of the Mexican culture I find beautiful... and appreciate. Probably even more so because my family are "hug people"... if you aren’t sure what that means or have never experienced it, come to our house in Hazelton for a visit... lol.

And (I am possibly ruining my reputation with this)... I have realized that I do like it when a guy offers me the protection I don’t need to avoid the automobiles in the street that I can clearly see; and asks whether I want to wear the jacket that I don’t need to keep me warm from the night that isn’t cold; or offers to stand in the aisle when I get on the bus so I can have a seat.

I don’t need it... but I do appreciate it. And... I would do the same for them...

Humble pie? Perhaps, to a certain amigo in KC... =)

AND NOW? THE END... ALMOST:

My new look... what think you?