It is raining like a BITCH here right now. In fact, it has been raining pretty strongly for three hours now. You might be saying to yourself, so what? Well, rain in January in Vallarta is not unheard of (just ask my friend Mary Ann -- it rained every day she was here last January!) but it is a little unusual. The locals call it Las Cabañuelas and supposedly, the upcoming rainy season can be predicted somehow by these early rains. We had 9 straight days of rain last January and October was the hottest month of 2004. Very strange weather indeed ...
In fact, the weather has been strange everywhere. Snow and well below seasonal temps all over the continent. Can you say 'global warming'? Kind of makes you give that movie "The Day After Tomorrow" a second thought doesn't it? Other things are happening in our world as well. The crime rate just keeps going up and up. In Toronto, we have our share of violent crime but last week, two young people were wounded in a random drive by shooting in my neighbourhood. It kind of makes me think twice about going home.
And before you ask -- NO, I still don't know what I'm doing at the end of this season. Although this week, I am leaning towards staying for the summer, if I can swing it financially. The boss hasn't mentioned anything to me yet (she's out of town again, shopping for stuff for the store!) but with only two months left in the high season, we will all have to start thinking about how we're going to get through the low season. A part of me would really like to stay. It is hard to make an informed decision on whether to live here without staying a full 12 months. I'll make a deal with you though! As soon as I know, so will you.
By the way, check out Mary Sue's latest article in The Tribune (http://www.vallartatribune.com/paginas/marysue.htm). I helped to write it!
Monday, January 31, 2005
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Philosophical Question
If a large tree falls in your driveway less than a minute after you walk by the exact same spot, does that mean you've cheated death or are there simply too many termites in your neighbourhood? LOL
This morning, as I left for work, I walked down the driveway towards our gate and heard a noise behind me. As I turned around, a large, 20' tree fell slowly over in the neighbour's back yard, across the brick wall that separates our two properties and it is now leaning across the driveway like a beautiful canopy, waiting for the tree cutter to come and take it down.
I guess today wasn't the day I was being "called up" after all ... better make the most of it I guess. Time for my nap! :)
This morning, as I left for work, I walked down the driveway towards our gate and heard a noise behind me. As I turned around, a large, 20' tree fell slowly over in the neighbour's back yard, across the brick wall that separates our two properties and it is now leaning across the driveway like a beautiful canopy, waiting for the tree cutter to come and take it down.
I guess today wasn't the day I was being "called up" after all ... better make the most of it I guess. Time for my nap! :)
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
It Must Be A Full Moon
I cooked tonight! I hardly ever cook. Last night, after looking in Guadalajara Farmacia for hair conditioner, Raid plug ins and other sundries (and finding nothing I wanted), I decided to take the bus up to Mega around 7PM. I only needed a few things ... yeah, right. Almost an hour and 350 pesos later, I was taking the bus home, loaded down with all kinds of goodies including pasta and sauce.
So tonight, I threw chopped garlic, button mushroms and green olives in some olive oil in a small pot with Italian seasoning added to taste. Then I added a bit of red wine and let that mixture simmer. I started water boiling for the fusili. Once the wine had reduced, I added plain tomato sauce (Hunts!) and continued to simmer the sauce. My pasta was done in eight minutes so I dumped the sauce on top. Add one glass of red wine and you have a meal fit for a Goddess! :)
Best of all, I have leftovers!!!
So tonight, I threw chopped garlic, button mushroms and green olives in some olive oil in a small pot with Italian seasoning added to taste. Then I added a bit of red wine and let that mixture simmer. I started water boiling for the fusili. Once the wine had reduced, I added plain tomato sauce (Hunts!) and continued to simmer the sauce. My pasta was done in eight minutes so I dumped the sauce on top. Add one glass of red wine and you have a meal fit for a Goddess! :)
Best of all, I have leftovers!!!
Monday, January 24, 2005
Excuse Me!
I know I've mentioned to you before how polite the Mexican are. Would you believe they have three different ways to say "excuse me"? The first is quite formal: "Con su permiso" or literally, "with your permission". You use this when you are trying to squeeze by someone on the sidewalk. Shorter versions are "con permiso" or just "permiso". I find the young Mexicans to be are notoriously immoveable on the sidewalks down here! The second saying is "Disculpame". This expression is used when you are approaching someone you don't know to ask them for directions, for example. The third is "Perdoname" or simply "perdon". You use this when you accidentally bump into someone or step on their foot trying to get to your seat in the dark movie theatre. I'm not sure what I would say if I accidentally ran over someone's foot while trying to squeeze by them at the grocery store while asking them for directions to the cracker aisle. LOL
TIDBITS
We have to carry our garbage to the curb for pick up. Unfortunately, the curb in question is almost two blocks away! Garbage pick up is every single night in Vallarta. Not a small feat when you consider how big this city is. So we lug our garbage bags down 45 stairs, down the driveway, through the 7' gate, down the laneway and down a block to the "drop zone". Every morning, there is a man there sweeping and washing down the corner, in anticipation of the evening's collection.
Milk and eggs are not refrigerated here. You simply pull a cardboard carton of milk off the shelf and take it home. Once opened, it must be refrigerated. Eggs are stacked in the produce section beside the tomatoes and avocados. Apparently they never have to be refrigerated but I do it anyway. You can also buy any odd number of eggs (11 or 13!) at the local mercado. They gingerly place them in a plastic bag so you can carry them home.
We have performers on the bus. They jump on, usually with musical instruments or painted faces and perform for the captive audience of bus riders. At the end, you are expected to pay a small propina (tip) regardless of how bad the performance might have been. Usually the "plays" are in Spanish so I have no idea what the hell is going on but I hand over my pesos just like every one else. It is also proper to tip the grocery bag boys a peso or two after they have placed your paid for groceries in bags at the store. But you NEVER tip taxi drivers unless they help you with your bags or luggage.
In Toronto, when you enter a subway car, get on the streetcar or bus, you always look for a seat by yourself. If you have to sit beside someone else, as soon as there is another empty seat available, you move to it. In Vallarta, when you get on the bus, it is customary to remain in your seat for the entire duration of your ride. The entire bus could be empty, but if there is someone sitting beside you, they will not move to an empty seat. I think moving to a different seat implies that there is something wrong with the person you are sitting beside. Very impolite!
Conversations are constantly interrupted down here by people trying to sell you stuff. You could be discussing world politics or religion or why you're breaking up with your boyfriend but if there are silver bracelets or wood carvings for sale then, darn it, they are going to interject into your conversation to ask you to buy. I found this extremely disconcerting when I first got here (knowing how polite Mexicans are) but am now used to it. Everyone has to make a living somehow!
The healthcare system is remarkable. I had two wonderful experiences last year at two different hospitals here. One Sunday night, I attended at Emergency at CMQ (one of the local hospitals) and was seen by an internist who treated me very compassionately. I was hooked up to an IV, given a list of medications to take and discharged all within 45 minutes. The cost was around $90US. Waiting time: 15 minutes, PLUS the doctor gave me his home AND cell phone number, plus a free follow up visit the next day in his office. The second occurrence was at Medassist. I attended at the lab for some blood work and then met with the doctor who sat with me for 10 minutes, discussing my life in Vallarta and the meds he wanted me to take. He also gave me his home and cell phone number should I have any questions and insisted that I follow up with him in a few days, at no extra charge. I think that visit cost me $45US, including the lab work.
Dr. "Lupita" is a female doctor of some renown here in Vallarta. My friend Ruben says that Dr. Lupita saved his wife's life when she was in labour with his youngest son. Another friend considers her care to be the best she's ever had! I was intrigued and wanted to meet with her to discuss some minor health issues. In short, I wanted her to agree to take me on as a patient! On Saturday, I dropped into Medassist to make an appointment to see her, thinking that I would probably have to wait a week or more. "Hasta lunes a la una y media" I was told. "Not until Monday at 1:30 p.m." TWO DAYS LATER!!! I couldn't believe my luck.
I arrived at the appointed hour today (truth be told, I was a few minutes late but this IS Mexico!) and got in to see her about 20 minutes later. I found her to be charming, direct, intelligent and funny. She answered my questions, agreed to take me on as a patient, told me I was beautiful and sent me on my way, all for $350 pesos. This I paid to the receptionist on the way out, in cash. She put the money in an envelope, on the side of which she wrote my name, in pencil, and the amount, and placed the envelope in a drawer of her desk. Very efficient! Canada and the U.S. could learn a lot about healthcare from Mexico!
We had a beautiful sunset tonight, the first in a very long time. Most evenings have been overcast and gloomy but we were rewarded with 30 minutes of rain last night. Today was clear, warm, breezy and 28C. I believe the full moon is tomorrow night so be careful out there! I know most of you are buried under a shitload of snow. Don't strain your backs and drive slowly. Taking a few more minutes to reach your destination won't kill you whereas rushing to get there might. Stay warm and throw another log on the fire. Spring is only a few months away ... hehe! [insert evil laugh here]
TIDBITS
We have to carry our garbage to the curb for pick up. Unfortunately, the curb in question is almost two blocks away! Garbage pick up is every single night in Vallarta. Not a small feat when you consider how big this city is. So we lug our garbage bags down 45 stairs, down the driveway, through the 7' gate, down the laneway and down a block to the "drop zone". Every morning, there is a man there sweeping and washing down the corner, in anticipation of the evening's collection.
Milk and eggs are not refrigerated here. You simply pull a cardboard carton of milk off the shelf and take it home. Once opened, it must be refrigerated. Eggs are stacked in the produce section beside the tomatoes and avocados. Apparently they never have to be refrigerated but I do it anyway. You can also buy any odd number of eggs (11 or 13!) at the local mercado. They gingerly place them in a plastic bag so you can carry them home.
We have performers on the bus. They jump on, usually with musical instruments or painted faces and perform for the captive audience of bus riders. At the end, you are expected to pay a small propina (tip) regardless of how bad the performance might have been. Usually the "plays" are in Spanish so I have no idea what the hell is going on but I hand over my pesos just like every one else. It is also proper to tip the grocery bag boys a peso or two after they have placed your paid for groceries in bags at the store. But you NEVER tip taxi drivers unless they help you with your bags or luggage.
In Toronto, when you enter a subway car, get on the streetcar or bus, you always look for a seat by yourself. If you have to sit beside someone else, as soon as there is another empty seat available, you move to it. In Vallarta, when you get on the bus, it is customary to remain in your seat for the entire duration of your ride. The entire bus could be empty, but if there is someone sitting beside you, they will not move to an empty seat. I think moving to a different seat implies that there is something wrong with the person you are sitting beside. Very impolite!
Conversations are constantly interrupted down here by people trying to sell you stuff. You could be discussing world politics or religion or why you're breaking up with your boyfriend but if there are silver bracelets or wood carvings for sale then, darn it, they are going to interject into your conversation to ask you to buy. I found this extremely disconcerting when I first got here (knowing how polite Mexicans are) but am now used to it. Everyone has to make a living somehow!
The healthcare system is remarkable. I had two wonderful experiences last year at two different hospitals here. One Sunday night, I attended at Emergency at CMQ (one of the local hospitals) and was seen by an internist who treated me very compassionately. I was hooked up to an IV, given a list of medications to take and discharged all within 45 minutes. The cost was around $90US. Waiting time: 15 minutes, PLUS the doctor gave me his home AND cell phone number, plus a free follow up visit the next day in his office. The second occurrence was at Medassist. I attended at the lab for some blood work and then met with the doctor who sat with me for 10 minutes, discussing my life in Vallarta and the meds he wanted me to take. He also gave me his home and cell phone number should I have any questions and insisted that I follow up with him in a few days, at no extra charge. I think that visit cost me $45US, including the lab work.
Dr. "Lupita" is a female doctor of some renown here in Vallarta. My friend Ruben says that Dr. Lupita saved his wife's life when she was in labour with his youngest son. Another friend considers her care to be the best she's ever had! I was intrigued and wanted to meet with her to discuss some minor health issues. In short, I wanted her to agree to take me on as a patient! On Saturday, I dropped into Medassist to make an appointment to see her, thinking that I would probably have to wait a week or more. "Hasta lunes a la una y media" I was told. "Not until Monday at 1:30 p.m." TWO DAYS LATER!!! I couldn't believe my luck.
I arrived at the appointed hour today (truth be told, I was a few minutes late but this IS Mexico!) and got in to see her about 20 minutes later. I found her to be charming, direct, intelligent and funny. She answered my questions, agreed to take me on as a patient, told me I was beautiful and sent me on my way, all for $350 pesos. This I paid to the receptionist on the way out, in cash. She put the money in an envelope, on the side of which she wrote my name, in pencil, and the amount, and placed the envelope in a drawer of her desk. Very efficient! Canada and the U.S. could learn a lot about healthcare from Mexico!
We had a beautiful sunset tonight, the first in a very long time. Most evenings have been overcast and gloomy but we were rewarded with 30 minutes of rain last night. Today was clear, warm, breezy and 28C. I believe the full moon is tomorrow night so be careful out there! I know most of you are buried under a shitload of snow. Don't strain your backs and drive slowly. Taking a few more minutes to reach your destination won't kill you whereas rushing to get there might. Stay warm and throw another log on the fire. Spring is only a few months away ... hehe! [insert evil laugh here]
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Cock-A-Doodle-Don't
Two of the women I work with have hired hit "men" to kill the roosters in their neighbourhood. Apparently, for 50 pesos a head, you can get them "taken care of" and the local kids are lining up, fighting for the job. It all started with a couple of noisy roosters with no sense of timing. That old adage that roosters only crow at the first sign of light is a crock! They do it all night long, in the middle of the night, the early morning and sometimes even in the afternoon. They have no concept of time. Anyway, Jane* and Cathy* (*names changed to protect their right to hire unlicensed poultry hunters) got tired of listening to the roosters in their vicinity so they "put the word out". They are paying 50 pesos per rooster. So far, Jane* has spent 150 pesos, Cathy* has put up another 150 pesos and the guy downstairs is also on board. As far as I'm concerned, all we need is one GOOD cock to fertilize the eggs. All the rest are simply superfluous!
Sunday, January 16, 2005
What The Hell?
There is some kind of conspiracy going on around here. Three women in three days have told me that I look like I've lost weight. And since they weren't hitting on me, I know they were telling me the truth. The fact that I've lost any weight at all is practically impossible because my diet lately has consisted primarily of Cheetos and Hershey's kisses! I only went to the gym twice this week and couldn't walk or sit properly for three days after my leg workout. So I'm not sure what's going on but I hope it continues ...
I had a bit of time off work this week. I left early on Thursday but had to come back to do a style show at 6PM that night. I was off on Friday and Saturday but got called in today (Sunday) for a couple of hours because we were expecting 30 people on a tour bus to come into the store. They never showed up. Not having worked a Sunday morning in well over a year now, I was a little disconcerted by the number of seniors coming and "going". The regular staff called them the "bathroom brigade" -- they come in to use our facilities, pick up their free gift and leave. LOL
My boss decided we all needed two consecutive days off to recover from the holiday season. This was in addition to our fabulous all-inclusive Christmas party at the extremely sexy Nikki Beach on January 6th (think Sultan's Harem meets Hawaiian fire eaters), our gifts to one another (we draw names) and Mary Sue's gift to all of us (any watch we want from the store). She's a great boss and I love working at Viva!!! I'm still working days, down to five shifts a week (Monday to Friday, 10AM to 6PM) with the odd style show thrown in for fun. Make sure you drop in next time you're in Vallarta!
I've met some interesting people lately. Gabriele is a psychologist from San Francisco with a passion for scuba diving. Andrea is a single mom from Vancouver who is just starting the journey in the second half of her life (can you say Goddess?). Stephanie is the young friend of my roommate and she stayed with us unobtrusively for almost a week before I properly met her, face to face. And I've reconnected with old friends from last year -- Sheri, the beekeeper from Wisconsin; Irene, the business woman from London, Ontario; Caryl, the Libra from L.A. who is now working here in her husband's real estate office. These women come from all over the world and bring so much into my life.
Which leads me to the main focus of this week's blog. People are starting to ask me when I'm going home. The short answer to that question is "I don't know" and "Ask me next week". I will seriously start thinking about it in April, after the Goddesses leave. Usually I'm so homesick by then, all I can think about are the things at home I can't get here. Number one on the list (after friends and family) would be convenience ... it is just easier at home to pay bills, get money and buy clothes. The selection of food is better too. I miss Wendy's fresh salads, Quizno's subs, Chunky Kit Kat bars and Excel peppermint gum. I miss Steve, the olive guy at the St. Lawrence Market, who flirts with me while I pop samples into my mouth at his family's stand. I miss the selection of cheeses, (especially cheddar and feta) and bread! I miss the variety of so many things, including wine and beer and salad dressings. I miss Pad Thai!!!
I know this probably sounds whiney to you. You're probably reading this while winter howls outside your door and all you have to look forward to are short days and long nights until June because you've already had your winter vacation. The fact is, the selection is getting better here because there are more people like me living here. And therein "lies the rub" since one of the reasons I moved here was because it was so very different from home -- I loved the fact that Vallarta was still so "Mexican". But nothing stays the same and that is more true here than anywhere else. I'm not sure I made my point but you can get the gist of what I'm saying. For now, I'm where I'm supposed to be. Are you sure you shouldn't be here too? :)
I had a bit of time off work this week. I left early on Thursday but had to come back to do a style show at 6PM that night. I was off on Friday and Saturday but got called in today (Sunday) for a couple of hours because we were expecting 30 people on a tour bus to come into the store. They never showed up. Not having worked a Sunday morning in well over a year now, I was a little disconcerted by the number of seniors coming and "going". The regular staff called them the "bathroom brigade" -- they come in to use our facilities, pick up their free gift and leave. LOL
My boss decided we all needed two consecutive days off to recover from the holiday season. This was in addition to our fabulous all-inclusive Christmas party at the extremely sexy Nikki Beach on January 6th (think Sultan's Harem meets Hawaiian fire eaters), our gifts to one another (we draw names) and Mary Sue's gift to all of us (any watch we want from the store). She's a great boss and I love working at Viva!!! I'm still working days, down to five shifts a week (Monday to Friday, 10AM to 6PM) with the odd style show thrown in for fun. Make sure you drop in next time you're in Vallarta!
I've met some interesting people lately. Gabriele is a psychologist from San Francisco with a passion for scuba diving. Andrea is a single mom from Vancouver who is just starting the journey in the second half of her life (can you say Goddess?). Stephanie is the young friend of my roommate and she stayed with us unobtrusively for almost a week before I properly met her, face to face. And I've reconnected with old friends from last year -- Sheri, the beekeeper from Wisconsin; Irene, the business woman from London, Ontario; Caryl, the Libra from L.A. who is now working here in her husband's real estate office. These women come from all over the world and bring so much into my life.
Which leads me to the main focus of this week's blog. People are starting to ask me when I'm going home. The short answer to that question is "I don't know" and "Ask me next week". I will seriously start thinking about it in April, after the Goddesses leave. Usually I'm so homesick by then, all I can think about are the things at home I can't get here. Number one on the list (after friends and family) would be convenience ... it is just easier at home to pay bills, get money and buy clothes. The selection of food is better too. I miss Wendy's fresh salads, Quizno's subs, Chunky Kit Kat bars and Excel peppermint gum. I miss Steve, the olive guy at the St. Lawrence Market, who flirts with me while I pop samples into my mouth at his family's stand. I miss the selection of cheeses, (especially cheddar and feta) and bread! I miss the variety of so many things, including wine and beer and salad dressings. I miss Pad Thai!!!
I know this probably sounds whiney to you. You're probably reading this while winter howls outside your door and all you have to look forward to are short days and long nights until June because you've already had your winter vacation. The fact is, the selection is getting better here because there are more people like me living here. And therein "lies the rub" since one of the reasons I moved here was because it was so very different from home -- I loved the fact that Vallarta was still so "Mexican". But nothing stays the same and that is more true here than anywhere else. I'm not sure I made my point but you can get the gist of what I'm saying. For now, I'm where I'm supposed to be. Are you sure you shouldn't be here too? :)
Monday, January 10, 2005
Why Is That Woman Smiling?
Lately, people have been asking me why I look so happy. One friend went so far as to ask me if I was "getting it" from some young stud ... of course I didn't give him a straight answer but do you think he reads my blog? Haha! In fact, many people have commented that (a) I look happy (b) I look content and (c) I look just downright amazing. OK, well maybe the last comment came from a timeshare rep on my way to work one morning but every positive comment counts!
My friend John loves to tell the story of how I used to look when I first arrived after a summer of working for "those lawyers" in Toronto. Apparently my brow was constantly furrowed and I was "stressed out" looking. Then he says, "Look at her now!" Coming from John, this is a compliment. I know when I went home last April, all my friends commented that I looked younger and more relaxed. I guess that's what living here does for me.
I have noticed a preponderance of smiles lately. Last night, as I walked through town, I kept track of the all the smiles I saw and there were quite a few. The tourists leaving the Burros Bar had large smiles, no doubt tequila-induced. The young Mexican boys playing soccer in front of Plazamar were giggling and smiling as they taught their younger siblings how to kick the ball. The girl selling roasted nuts on the beach was smiling as she handed a prospective customer a sample. The vendors along Los Muertos smiled at me as they offered me their wares and I smiled warmly while telling them, "No, gracias".
Mexico is a country of politeness, of warmth and generosity of spirit. You cannot help but become a nicer person living here. Her people wear down your sharp edges with their compassion and soon you find yourself walking around with a big grin on your face and have people constantly asking you what you're doing that makes you looks so happy ... :)
My friend John loves to tell the story of how I used to look when I first arrived after a summer of working for "those lawyers" in Toronto. Apparently my brow was constantly furrowed and I was "stressed out" looking. Then he says, "Look at her now!" Coming from John, this is a compliment. I know when I went home last April, all my friends commented that I looked younger and more relaxed. I guess that's what living here does for me.
I have noticed a preponderance of smiles lately. Last night, as I walked through town, I kept track of the all the smiles I saw and there were quite a few. The tourists leaving the Burros Bar had large smiles, no doubt tequila-induced. The young Mexican boys playing soccer in front of Plazamar were giggling and smiling as they taught their younger siblings how to kick the ball. The girl selling roasted nuts on the beach was smiling as she handed a prospective customer a sample. The vendors along Los Muertos smiled at me as they offered me their wares and I smiled warmly while telling them, "No, gracias".
Mexico is a country of politeness, of warmth and generosity of spirit. You cannot help but become a nicer person living here. Her people wear down your sharp edges with their compassion and soon you find yourself walking around with a big grin on your face and have people constantly asking you what you're doing that makes you looks so happy ... :)
Saturday, January 01, 2005
First Blog of 2005
Well it is another beautiful day here in Puerto Vallarta. Feliz Ano Nuevo to everyone! I woke up early and decided to languish in bed until after 9AM. I haven't had a Saturday off since early October so I thought I would take advantage. The morning was eerily silent, except for the birds and the roosters. Not a lot of traffic or music or "people" noises if you know what I mean. Just the breeze rustling through the leaves and the sound of acorns hitting the cement outside my window.
I treated myself to a pot of Tim Horton's coffee this morning and that made me homesick so I called my good friend Rose in Toronto and had a wonderful chat with her. I left the house around 10:30AM and headed north. I wanted to see what was open today besides Viva. Guadalajara Farmacia was open. The cheap internet cafe on Insurgentes was open. As I wandered over the bridge, I decided to take some back streets in order to get out of the sun. I ended up in front of the big church on Hidalgo and went inside. It was about 3/4 full but there was nothing going on. I sat for 15 minutes, counted my blessings and left. Once outside, I realized there was a mass scheduled for 12 noon and when I went by at 1PM, people were spilling out of the church onto the steps for a chance to hear what was being said inside.
I walked up Juarez and looked in a couple of shop windows but Centro was deserted. I found Woolworth's to be open so I was able to buy a few necessities such as shampoo, chocolate, etc. I paid 49.50MXP for a bag of Hershey's kisses. UNBELIEVABLE!!! :) Then I had a craving for McDonald's so I went there and had my annual Big Mac attack. It was predicably bad but what the hell ... I was reminiscing about the same trip made with a girlfriend the year before. Her boyfriend is a vegetarian and would have died if he knew she wanted to eat at McD's!!! LOL
I walked back along the Malecon and was ignored by every single timeshare person. My transformation into a local must now be complete! After I got home, I took a nap. What's the point of having an extra day off if you can't relax so that's what I did. I needed to meet a woman at 5PM to see her condo so I did that and then wandered over to Sweeney's for dinner. I started to eat alone but my friend Jennifer soon joined me and after she left with her take out, my friend John joined me. We had a beer, watched the end of the Rose Bowl game and then I came home. On Sunday, I ate breakfast out, did my grocery shopping, grabbed a matinee with Colleen and watched a video before bed.
I guess those of you who thought I lead a pretty amazing life must be bored stupid by now! Actually, work keeps me fairly busy and most nights, unless I have friends in town, I usually just come home and relax. I expect February to be very busy with friends visiting from all over North America so I'm resting now. The store is practically empty since we sold everything in it during the last two weeks. I have tons of merchandise to mark and once I do, the store will look totally different than it did before Christmas. Make sure you stop by to see us when you're in PV. We are also ambassadors for PV so don't be shy to ask if you would like a recommendation for a nice place to eat or any other tourist information. We are MORE that a jewellery store!
I treated myself to a pot of Tim Horton's coffee this morning and that made me homesick so I called my good friend Rose in Toronto and had a wonderful chat with her. I left the house around 10:30AM and headed north. I wanted to see what was open today besides Viva. Guadalajara Farmacia was open. The cheap internet cafe on Insurgentes was open. As I wandered over the bridge, I decided to take some back streets in order to get out of the sun. I ended up in front of the big church on Hidalgo and went inside. It was about 3/4 full but there was nothing going on. I sat for 15 minutes, counted my blessings and left. Once outside, I realized there was a mass scheduled for 12 noon and when I went by at 1PM, people were spilling out of the church onto the steps for a chance to hear what was being said inside.
I walked up Juarez and looked in a couple of shop windows but Centro was deserted. I found Woolworth's to be open so I was able to buy a few necessities such as shampoo, chocolate, etc. I paid 49.50MXP for a bag of Hershey's kisses. UNBELIEVABLE!!! :) Then I had a craving for McDonald's so I went there and had my annual Big Mac attack. It was predicably bad but what the hell ... I was reminiscing about the same trip made with a girlfriend the year before. Her boyfriend is a vegetarian and would have died if he knew she wanted to eat at McD's!!! LOL
I walked back along the Malecon and was ignored by every single timeshare person. My transformation into a local must now be complete! After I got home, I took a nap. What's the point of having an extra day off if you can't relax so that's what I did. I needed to meet a woman at 5PM to see her condo so I did that and then wandered over to Sweeney's for dinner. I started to eat alone but my friend Jennifer soon joined me and after she left with her take out, my friend John joined me. We had a beer, watched the end of the Rose Bowl game and then I came home. On Sunday, I ate breakfast out, did my grocery shopping, grabbed a matinee with Colleen and watched a video before bed.
I guess those of you who thought I lead a pretty amazing life must be bored stupid by now! Actually, work keeps me fairly busy and most nights, unless I have friends in town, I usually just come home and relax. I expect February to be very busy with friends visiting from all over North America so I'm resting now. The store is practically empty since we sold everything in it during the last two weeks. I have tons of merchandise to mark and once I do, the store will look totally different than it did before Christmas. Make sure you stop by to see us when you're in PV. We are also ambassadors for PV so don't be shy to ask if you would like a recommendation for a nice place to eat or any other tourist information. We are MORE that a jewellery store!
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