Dia del Nino

Today is the Dia del Nino (Day of the Child) here in Mexico and it is a holiday that honors all the children...quite a different attitude from the US where people joke that every day is kid's day so why do anything special for them? All the schools in the area have parties during the day and parents give presents to their children. Luckily, our kids gave us a free pass today since we aren't familiar with these Mexican customs. We told them they could choose something small in one of the markets as their child's day gift and they were quite happy with that proposition.

I did go to school today and serve the kids lunch. Every Friday one or two parents do this and the money collected from lunch is donated to the school for field trips and extras. I tagged team with a Mexican woman who's grandchild is at the Waldorf school. Our lunch menu was pasta with homemade sauce, fresh baked rolls, apples, oranges, lemonade, and chocolate cake. The students really enjoyed it and it was fun to serve them all. I love the mix of English and Spanish that we all used to communicate...kids are so open to trying to speak another language. I don't often go out to the school since it is about 20 minutes outside of town and we don't have a car here. So, my kids were extremely happy that Mom could come again to their school. Even Owen hugged and kissed me and then waved goodbye at the end. No more tears for him at school...yeah!

Last night was a full moon and this morning when I got up the moon was still full but the rising sun was creating beautiful colors of pink in the sky. I only have a point and shoot camera, but you can get the idea!

Dance Festival

Today there was a dance festival located at Plaza Civica. It was after school, so we took the kids and went downtown to see what is was all about. As usual, the stage was just being set up when we Americans arrived. Yes, we still think things should start when they are advertised... perhaps by the end of our trip we will learn that Mexican time means about 30 minutes to 1 hour later. Kids were promised ice cream (one of our regular stops around here) so we hit a good ice cream place at the jardin. I tasted chili ice cream, but decided it was definitely not my favorite and went for my old standby - lime! Yummy.

We went back to the dance stage and watched a neat performance. Kids, adults, and elders all did different dances. Some salsa, sensual tango, group dances, modern dance, you name it.

Alex decided to climb a tree to get a better view and ended up getting stuck. So typical! Luckily, Charles could help him down as he was way too high up for me. Did we see any other Mexican children climbing trees? Of course not, only mine.

Owen watched the dancers for a while, but then found a woman selling bubbles. She would dip her wand that she made into a bubble mixture (that she also made) and then the kids would run through them. Owen had a bit of fun running and catching the bubbles with a few other Mexican children. Nothing like bubbles to cross over the language barrier for kids. I ended up buying Owen some bubbles and he happily carried his wand (he called it his magic wand) and bubbles all the way home (takes us about 20 minutes from there to walk home).

Then a woman who cooks for us twice a week had made us chili rellenos which were waiting for us on the stove. Delicious!

Indigenous Masks and Mexican Stereotypes

We found a jewel of a place today!. W visited Casa de la Cuesta which is a bed and breakfast that also is home to a large collection of masks from all over Mexico. What started as a gift of one mask has turned into a collection of over 500 masks from villages all over Mexico. The collection has grown so large that they have taken over a whole new building for their collection. Descriptions of the masks in English and Spanish were so helpful in understanding the purpose of each mask and how it was (or is) used.

Masks are part of every festival here in Mexico and are an integral part of the culture for many people living here. Indigenous tribes first created masks and later the Spanish conquerors used masks to further Christianity. Masks were created for many reasons:

• Religious: Usually these masks were done to honor the gods. There is a god for absolutely everything here. Examples: corn, pineapple, coffee, peanut...you name it.
• Agricultural: Masks were created to pray to a god to bring rain, a good harvest, better weather, etc.
• Morality: Masks were a way to portray good triumphing over evil. 
• Cultural: Masks were used to pass on to generations the history and events that were important to a culture.
• Entertainment: Of course, some masks are for the pure fun of it all.

What struck me in going through this museum was how a mask can change a person completely. When you cover your face and your eyes, masks can completely transform you. There is something fascinating and terrifying when looking at a masked person. When people don a mask suddenly they are free to act and be different than they were without a mask. This reminds me of things like the Ku Klux Klan that cover themselves completely...would these people be able to commit such atrocities without being "anonymous"? Anyway, the masks were intriguing to me, as well as a bit creepy. I did NOT purchase one of these masks for my houses!

It is interesting though that the Spanish conquerors created many edicts forbidding indigenous people to use the masks in their dances. They believed the masks were perpetuating the indigenous way of life (which they were) and they were deemed such a negative factor that people were whipped and imprisoned if they donned one. Isn't it so typical of the invaders to want to eradicate the way of life of the people they were invading? Native Americans and indigenous people everywhere. So sad.

On a lighter note, after a tour of the gallery the owner then discussed other art forms that are created in Mexico. She was so informative about the different parts of Mexico and what their traditional art forms are. Many places have intricate embroidery, others create wonderful paintings from natural dyes, then you have the woven pieces on looms that you or I would never know how to use. Incredible beauty made from almost nothing.

Mexico has so much to offer. I also learned that Spanish isn't the "official" language; the country actually doesn't have one. In fact, Mexico has so many languages (over 50) that it has more languages than China and just slightly fewer than India. I find this amazing. In many villages in Mexico, all the forms and official state documents are in the native language and people don't even know Spanish. Fascinating! We hear such negative press about Mexico. We hear about the drug cartels and the poverty and danger in the border towns. However, Mexico is an enormous country. That is like saying we have drug rings in LA so don't come to the US! Crazy! The stereotypes of Mexicans are so negative in the US and this is deeply disturbing to me. The people I have met here are open and wonderful...far nicer and more polite than most Americans you would meet. More people need to travel and experience the world so that the us vs. them mentally is not so big. Anyway, for all of you reading this blog...come to Mexico and see first hand what I mean!

Pictures: These are masks that were for sale. Pictures were not allowed in the gallery, but you get the idea of the intricate nature of many of these masks. The other picture is the entrance to the mask gallery and then the last one is the cactus garden at the B & B.

Tour of Homes and Gardens

Every Sunday the Biblioteca (library) hosts a home and garden tour showcasing a few local San Miguel homes. This is basically a fundraiser for the library but at the same time you get to see some pretty interesting homes around town. When we arrived, the Mariachi band was playing and a few local artisans were selling crafts. You can then have some coffee in the cafe and hang out for a while until the tour begins at 12:00.

We all boarded buses and headed off to a neighborhood called Los Balcones which is high on hill on the edge of town. All homes in this part of town have the most amazing views but the walk to town is only for fitness junkies. Literally, some of the roads are so steep that it makes you nervous just to look down them. We saw  some amazing houses...1 contemporary one that we didn't like but 2 that were wonderful. The tile work is so beautiful here. Hand-painted in the most glorious colors. Also, the flowers, fountains, and gardens are spectacular. Mom, Barbara, and I went on the tour and had such a lovely time trying to decide which house we would buy! Ha!










This is one of the doors leading into the house. The flowers just grow everywhere and are so beautiful.

Here is Mom and me on one of the terraces of a house overlooking San Miguel.













Look at this bathroom tile! The entire bathroom including the tub were done this way. Do you think we could take some home with us? Our VT homes could use this kind of color and fun in their houses!

This is a cactus garden in the second house we went to. No tending this garden and no watering!

 A small walkway on the side of a house. I love the yellow of the house with the purple flowers.

Another view into town. The city aquifer is in the distance but you can't see it that well in this picture.

Deportiva: Sports Complex

Today we took the boys to the Deportiva which is an outdoor sports complex at the edge of town. At one time, this must have been a nice facility, but it is a bit worn down now. We thought the kids needed to do a  bit of running and heard this was a good place to play soccer. Unfortunately for us, they were watering the soccer field so that left us to play on the dusty, gravel fields. There was also some playground equipment and a track but it was a windy day and the dust was a little hard to take.

We did take a public bus out and back so now we can say we have taken public transportation. The buses are 5 pesos to ride (about .45 cents) and they run all the time and go everywhere. We tend to walk everywhere in town and, since we are a family of 5, taxis are the same price as buses when we are together. This town is quite easy to get around!

It was a hot day so when we got home it was time for fresh margaritas (yes, I do squeeze all the limes for the lime juice) and some homemade guacamole. Yummy!

Mexican Cook

Today was the first day of having a Mexican woman come cook for us. I have asked that she come 2 days this week and help show us how to make some Mexican dishes. How lovely it is for someone to cook a few days a week...I'm going to get spoiled! She made chicken enchiladas with green sauce and they were absolutely delicious. Luckily, I asked her to make some that weren't spicy as the kids can't stomach what the Mexicans call spicy food. So for about $13.00 I had someone make dinner and buy the ingredients! Not bad at all!

My Mom and her friend Barbara arrived today as well. I am so thrilled to see them! I have been solo here in Mexico since Charles left a week ago so it is absolutely delightful to have them here. We are excited to show them our life here in Mexico. Kids happily ran around showing them all the features of our house here.  Very cute.

Tomorrow we are off on a walking tour of the city. It will be fun for me as I haven't been on a real tour of the city. I'm sure I will learn a lot!

Living, Learning, and Growing here in San Miguel

What is it about traveling that expands your being? Each and every day here I feel like I am learning, growing, and becoming so much more than I was before. Perhaps it is getting out of the routine of home where daily tasks are done without a moment's thought. When words spill without the deep digging that is necessary when language and communication aren't taken for granted.

I feel very much alive here. Like parts of my brain are being used that for awhile have been idle. I wonder if I triumph in the little things more since the little things take more effort? I wonder if being in a new place makes you stop, look, and listen to all that is around you since the unfamiliar at one time both shocks and exhilarates your system?

All I know is that each day I get out of bed wondering what the day will hold. I'm excited to learn more. I'm exhilarated to be lucky enough to be here and experience a new way of living. La dolce vida. I think I'm living it.

El Charco de Ingenio aka the Botanical Gardens

Today was another beautiful day...ok, we haven't had any bad weather days, but it still astonishes us that the sun shines here everyday. There are some weeks in Burlington when we never see the full sun! We had a lazy Sunday morning with a nice, big breakfast and then decided to go to the Botanical Gardens called El Charco de Ingenio in Spanish. Besides some interesting hiking trails, there is also a temporary exhibit featuring reptiles that we all wanted to catch.

The gardens really encompass 167 acres of nature reserve and are located within just a few minutes from San Miguel de Allende. The name, El Charco del Ingenio, comes from a spring-fed pool nestled in an impressive canyon, which popular legend has interwoven with spirits and myths dating from the Spanish conquest. We hiked all around the canyon and the reservoir and the kids enjoyed being able to run (as Alex put it...I haven't been able to run since we came to Mexico). Ah the downfalls of living in a city! This place has so many interesting cacti and birds. I know the Audubon society is quite active here and it would be interesting to go back and take one of their birding tours.

We think the cacti are on steroids here. Just when you think you have seen the biggest cactus you have ever seen, one bigger appears. We took a few pictures so you can get an idea of the size since they are far larger than some trees back home.

The reptile exhibit was also extremely interesting. The rattlesnakes all shook their tails and raised their heads in menacing ways when we passed by their cages. It was a bit eerie, but now we all know what sound to listen for when we are out hiking! It is rattlesnake country so one best be prepared. They also had a crocodile, turtles, iguanas, many different kinds of snakes, and some reptiles that we couldn't identify. Hannah was proud that she touched a boa constrictor although we noticed she washed her hands as soon as possible afterwards! 


On the way home, the taxi driver gave us a small tour of some very wealthy neighborhoods that we had never seen. Unbelievable wealth that some expats have! Alex and I then were dropped off at the jardin as he had his heart set on a real Mexican sombrero. You'll see what we purchased in the picture.

The kids enjoyed the day and so did we. We cooked spaghetti for dinner and everyone relaxed on the rooftop deck for a while. Then it was time to pack school lunches and backpacks to head back to school tomorrow. No one wants to go, but hopefully they will get back in the school routine soon. Charles heads back to VT on Tuesday and will be gone for 8 days...we will all miss him!



 Ouch...do you see these thorns? These were on a bush!!

The maguay cactus will grow out of anything!
















I had to put this picture in the blog as it is so funny. Bathrooms in Mexico aren't usually this....well, what is the word? Sparse? Decrepit? However, the one on the walk near the canyon was. Basically it is a mud hut with a hole in the floor. Owen is carefully aiming into the hole! The woman's room was exactly the same except it had a handle to hold onto while squatting! Ha!















Here is Alex's new hat. Isn't he just the coolest cat in town???

The home of the sub $4.00 haircut

Some things in Mexico have surprised us a bit by their cost...peanut butter, alcohol, coffee, cheddar cheese...but Charles did strike the bargain of the century today. He got his haircut for $40 pesos that included a tip (about $3.75 in USD)! He found this place right near where we used to live, poked his head in, and asked if he could get a haircut. The woman was nursing her baby, called her husband down to get the child, and gave him a pretty decent haircut.

Here's what he looks like...I don't think you'd guess at the cost of the haircut!

Owen's Birthday in Mexico

Happy 5th Birthday to Owen!!

We just finished a family party for Owen. He requested cheese pizza so I floundered my way through ordering pizza on the phone in Spanish (Dominos is here even in Mexico) and we had them delivered to our door in about 20 minutes. Both pizzas came as ordered so I guess I didn't screw up the language too badly! We then had the cake that Owen and I had baked the day before. It actually tasted good...I was wondering since we had no mixer and the directions were all in Spanish! I guess anything you cover with dark chocolate frosting can't taste all that bad! We also covered it with Star Wars figures that we had brought from VT. For his presents, we were a bit desperate since there isn't a lot of kids stuff that we have found. I did find a dinosaur excavation kit, so he had fun digging all the bones out with Hannah and putting it together. He also got scissors, a bouncy ball, and a placemat. The joys of only being 5! He also got a nice check from grandma and grandma and grandly announced we should all go back to the water park with his birthday money! So all in all, a good birthday.

Charles and I are taking a Spanish class this week at the same place where the kids are in camp for a half day. We are slowly learning more Spanish although we have a long way to go! It is fun to realize that each day we are learning more and more words and can get by just a little bit better.

Charles and Alex have found a great place to take Tae Kwan Do so they have now started going several times a week. The dojang (gym) is located right across from our old house, so it is lucky we lived there first as apparently this is the top rated dojang in the area. Hannah and I tried Zumba last night and had a fun time trying to follow all the latin dance steps. We will try to go twice a week as it is great exercise, fun, and located just a few doors down from our house! The family is on the move!







Alex reads Owen's transformer birthday card from grandma and grandma. We also enjoyed fruit smoothies in Margarita glasses.

Owen and Hannah digging for dinosaur bones.













Owen finds the head of the dinosaur!











A goofy face to finish off a good birthday!

Easter Sunday

The Easter bunny found the children in Mexico! That bunny sure does travel. The kids all got little baskets with jelly beans (carried from VT), a chocolate egg with a surprise in it (kinderchocolate from Germany), and a little gift. Mexicans do not do Easter baskets as Easter is strictly a religious, solemn holiday. As my Spanish teacher said...."no Easter baskets. This is a day of sorrow since Christ suffered so much and he suffered for us." We decided to take a different approach to Easter and enjoy the day, eat sweets, and do more sight seeing!

In the afternoon, I took Hannah and Alex to the jardin (main square) where there were huge paper mache figures (about twice the size of a man) hung in the square. Each figure was grotesque in some way...big ears, horns of the devil, large features, etc. The figures were supposed to represent Judas and his betrayal of Jesus. The figures are then blown up with firecrackers one at a time (do you see the theme of loud firecrackers in Mexico??) to represent the blowing apart of the bad so that only goodness remains. Anyway, each of the figures had a circle of fireworks around them which made the figures spin quickly and then after about a minute the figure would explode with a very loud bang and the pieces of the figure would be scattered everywhere. What was quite grotesque was that the bodies exploded into small pieces (well sometimes there would be an arm or leg left) but the heads always remained. At the end, there was just a pile of heads which you can see in my picture...then they sell them to people in the crowd! Quite bizarre!

Here are pictures of these figures, then nothing, then the pile of heads!

Settling into Casa Christina: A Visual Tour of the House

We'd like to show you around our new home. Here are some pictures with a short description...

Our entrance to our new home. #4 Tinajitas.

















The courtyard in the entrance complete with fountain and lime tree.












The dining room.











The second dining room!












The living room complete with lounging family members. Also the place where the tv and movies are!










The bright, spacious kitchen. We love it...although the kids bemoan not having a dishwasher since that means more dishes for them to wash at night!









The upstairs master bedroom.

















The sitting area/office in the upstairs master bedroom.












The upstairs small patio. This is located between the master bedroom and the second bedroom.










The roof top deck.












The view of the San Antonio church from the roof top deck.











The downstairs guest suite bathroom and hallway.












The downstairs guest room.












The outside patio which is located right through the doors of the downstairs master bedroom.