It's time to go home. Our flight is at 9am tomorrow so we'll be leaving here by 6am. I know I've said this before, but it bears repeating...it should be illegal to have to be up that early.
I can't believe how fast the time has gone. An old cliche, I know, but it's true.
Today has been filled with packing and deciding what to leave behind so we don't have to pack it along next trip. Can you believe we're going home with far less than we came down with? We could probably fit everything into one suitcase. I had to make a quick trip uptown to pick up a bottle of Xtabentun to take home. Laundry and final housecleaning had to be done, but didn't because of the never ending parade of well wishers.
We had an impromptu supper, al fresco, at neighbour Liz's. Neighbours Owen and Bindi joined us. Food was shared, drinks enjoyed, hugs freely given. We've been so blessed to have been given the neighbours that we have.
"Don't worry about washing your bedding, I'll take care of that."
"Towels need to be done, as well? I'll do those, too."
"We'll wash your floors and take care of XYZ."
I hate that they're taking care of my last minute things but if I had tried to skip out of the get together, they would have grabbed me and hauled me back outside. So I thanked them as graciously as I could and enjoyed our last night together.
According to our daughter, the temperature at home is -5,000,000.
WAAAHHH!!!
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
A-Shopping We Will Go
Neighbour D was incredulous when I told her, last week, that I'd never been to the cruise ship markets so we made plans to go this morning. D has mad language skills and became fluent in Spanish in an amazingly short time so she's a good person to have around when dealing with situations requiring more than basic Spanish. She's able to converse with the vendors to let them know we're not cruisers so "please don't charge us tourist prices." I could say it but her fluency makes her sound more believable than if I tried to tell them.
There are two markets set up for the cruisers. One is set up just outside the Autoprogreso station. I don't know where the other one is but it seemed as though it was only a couple of blocks from the other one. We walked to it and I blindly followed D.
My goodness! What a selection of goodies! Some of it is the same old, same old but most of the tables had similar, but different, products. Jewellery, for instance. One had shells, one had beads, one had silver. Same with pottery, clothing, knick knacks. Same products but with many variations.
I bought 3 wooden carvings. These two are on the long wall that form the living room and kitchen.
The vendor told me what each of them represented. One is the god of love but I can't remember which one and I forget what god the other carving is of.
This guy got lots of attention as I walked around the market with him. Many other carving vendors wanted to look at him and asked what I paid for him. Check out his snake head foot. What you can't see is that he's carved on both sides. He's probably meant to be hung in a window or from the ceiling. He lives on a small, high space between the washroom and our bedroom.
He replaces this lovely painting that I received from Theresa . I've put it in the kitchen and it helps to fill another large space though I still need something else. It's a pretty big area, as you can see.
I also bought some small gifts for the grandkids.
We didn't get to all the stalls. D's daughter is visiting and came along, too. Between what we all bought, we were fairly loaded down. We travelled like the locals and hauled our treasures home on the bus.
I'm looking forward to going back on our next trip down.
There are two markets set up for the cruisers. One is set up just outside the Autoprogreso station. I don't know where the other one is but it seemed as though it was only a couple of blocks from the other one. We walked to it and I blindly followed D.
My goodness! What a selection of goodies! Some of it is the same old, same old but most of the tables had similar, but different, products. Jewellery, for instance. One had shells, one had beads, one had silver. Same with pottery, clothing, knick knacks. Same products but with many variations.
I bought 3 wooden carvings. These two are on the long wall that form the living room and kitchen.
The vendor told me what each of them represented. One is the god of love but I can't remember which one and I forget what god the other carving is of.
This guy got lots of attention as I walked around the market with him. Many other carving vendors wanted to look at him and asked what I paid for him. Check out his snake head foot. What you can't see is that he's carved on both sides. He's probably meant to be hung in a window or from the ceiling. He lives on a small, high space between the washroom and our bedroom.
He replaces this lovely painting that I received from Theresa . I've put it in the kitchen and it helps to fill another large space though I still need something else. It's a pretty big area, as you can see.
I also bought some small gifts for the grandkids.
We didn't get to all the stalls. D's daughter is visiting and came along, too. Between what we all bought, we were fairly loaded down. We travelled like the locals and hauled our treasures home on the bus.
I'm looking forward to going back on our next trip down.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Grey Cup Sunday
Today was a big day in the world of Canadian football. The Grey Cup is to the CFL what the Stanley Cup is to the NHL. (*snarky comment...*Remember them? Spoiled brats, all of them. Oops, did I type that out loud?)
We started a tradition the first November we were here by inviting one of our neighbours over to watch it. We're one of only a few in the complex with Canadian TV. This year, we decided to invite a bunch of our neighbours in. I asked everyone to bring a botana and we would also order pizza. Well. Everyone brought more than one goodie so we didn't need to get pizza, after all.
I was cheering for Calgary but, sadly, they lost. I don't really understand football but even I could see that they got outplayed by Toronto. So, congrats to the Argos on a job well done.
We managed to cram 15 people into our little place along with all the food. The living room was stuffed but it was so much fun. It's like being part of a big family. Those who love football were in front of the TV and those who didn't broke off to a little side group and chatted. Lots of laughter seemed to be the order of the day and everyone enjoyed the get together.
We plan on making this an annual event.
We started a tradition the first November we were here by inviting one of our neighbours over to watch it. We're one of only a few in the complex with Canadian TV. This year, we decided to invite a bunch of our neighbours in. I asked everyone to bring a botana and we would also order pizza. Well. Everyone brought more than one goodie so we didn't need to get pizza, after all.
I was cheering for Calgary but, sadly, they lost. I don't really understand football but even I could see that they got outplayed by Toronto. So, congrats to the Argos on a job well done.
We managed to cram 15 people into our little place along with all the food. The living room was stuffed but it was so much fun. It's like being part of a big family. Those who love football were in front of the TV and those who didn't broke off to a little side group and chatted. Lots of laughter seemed to be the order of the day and everyone enjoyed the get together.
We plan on making this an annual event.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Local & Foreign Artisans Market
This is the event a bunch of us went to this morning. It was held at the Bamboo Beach Restaurant from 9 to 11am.
There were lots of neat things, all handmade. Carvings, jewellery, leather change purses/keychains/bookmarks, knitted and crocheted shawls, paintings, ceramics, items to help support the food bank and probably a couple other things I can't remember.
I bought these necklace/earrings sets for myself. (Sorry for the crappy pictures. A photographer I'm not). Oh my goodness. This guy had a fantastic selection of jewellery, all handmade by himself. It was hard to decide what I liked best. The feature I really like about these is that the clasp is that silver circle and bar just above the 3 dangles. The traditional closures that require one to reach behind their necks is a PITA. Of course, it's possible to bring traditional closures to the front but, depending on how a necklace is put together, it can affect how it lies. With my bum shoulder, this kind of closure is perfect!
I also bought a small tub of peanut butter and this very cool purse.
It's crocheted and made with pop/beer can tabs. This is a well constructed bag. The crocheting is nice and tight and even. Whoever made it knows what they're doing. I bought it at the table supporting the Chicxulub food bank. For my Merida/Progreso readers, if you care to, you can save your tabs and donate them to the ladies who do this work. Email me for the contact person's details.
I overheard that this might become a regular event, occurring on the third Thursday of every month. I can't confirm this but it would be great if it did.
After shopping, we all had lunch at the Bamboo. Everyone's meals were delicious, as always. Then it was home to relax. Shopping is hard work, after all.
There were lots of neat things, all handmade. Carvings, jewellery, leather change purses/keychains/bookmarks, knitted and crocheted shawls, paintings, ceramics, items to help support the food bank and probably a couple other things I can't remember.
I bought these necklace/earrings sets for myself. (Sorry for the crappy pictures. A photographer I'm not). Oh my goodness. This guy had a fantastic selection of jewellery, all handmade by himself. It was hard to decide what I liked best. The feature I really like about these is that the clasp is that silver circle and bar just above the 3 dangles. The traditional closures that require one to reach behind their necks is a PITA. Of course, it's possible to bring traditional closures to the front but, depending on how a necklace is put together, it can affect how it lies. With my bum shoulder, this kind of closure is perfect!
I also bought a small tub of peanut butter and this very cool purse.
It's crocheted and made with pop/beer can tabs. This is a well constructed bag. The crocheting is nice and tight and even. Whoever made it knows what they're doing. I bought it at the table supporting the Chicxulub food bank. For my Merida/Progreso readers, if you care to, you can save your tabs and donate them to the ladies who do this work. Email me for the contact person's details.
I overheard that this might become a regular event, occurring on the third Thursday of every month. I can't confirm this but it would be great if it did.
After shopping, we all had lunch at the Bamboo. Everyone's meals were delicious, as always. Then it was home to relax. Shopping is hard work, after all.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
When it Rains
Today was cool with lots of drizzly rain this morning. We just hung out at the condo and I took advantage of the cooler weather to do a deep clean on the laundry room.
While it hasn't been overly hot while we've been here, it wasn't a job I wanted to tackle until it was significantly cooler. I don't particularly enjoy getting hot and sweaty.
We use the laundry room for storage and have one of those heavy duty plastic clip-together shelves that don't require any tools to assemble. Everything got pulled off the shelf, wiped down, sorted and re-organized. I discovered I need a couple of bins and hooks to tidy things up even more.
On the bottom shelf, we have a single blow up mattress that we brought down and stored rolled up. When I moved it, a bunch of little dark bits fell out. It looked like mouse poop. I took the mattress outside and unrolled it, unsure of what I might find. Nothing. Nada. I wonder if the little bits were bug eggs.
I also did a deep sweep and mop of the floors and a load of laundry. I spent most of the afternoon working on my Spanish lessons that I brought with me and doing some web surfing.
It's still chilly. We get the welcomed Gulf breezes blow through our condo so it always stays nice and cool even on the hottest days. But, on days like today, the breeze isn't so welcome. Tonight I'm sitting here with sweats and a fleecy jacket on. I could close the windows but that makes it too stuffy in here.
So that was my day. Nothing too exciting but it sure feels good to have that job done.
While it hasn't been overly hot while we've been here, it wasn't a job I wanted to tackle until it was significantly cooler. I don't particularly enjoy getting hot and sweaty.
We use the laundry room for storage and have one of those heavy duty plastic clip-together shelves that don't require any tools to assemble. Everything got pulled off the shelf, wiped down, sorted and re-organized. I discovered I need a couple of bins and hooks to tidy things up even more.
On the bottom shelf, we have a single blow up mattress that we brought down and stored rolled up. When I moved it, a bunch of little dark bits fell out. It looked like mouse poop. I took the mattress outside and unrolled it, unsure of what I might find. Nothing. Nada. I wonder if the little bits were bug eggs.
I also did a deep sweep and mop of the floors and a load of laundry. I spent most of the afternoon working on my Spanish lessons that I brought with me and doing some web surfing.
It's still chilly. We get the welcomed Gulf breezes blow through our condo so it always stays nice and cool even on the hottest days. But, on days like today, the breeze isn't so welcome. Tonight I'm sitting here with sweats and a fleecy jacket on. I could close the windows but that makes it too stuffy in here.
So that was my day. Nothing too exciting but it sure feels good to have that job done.
Meeting Sharon Helgason
Today I had the pleasure of meeting Sharon Helgason, a dynamo who lives in Chicxulub. Sharon is involved with many programs whose goals are to improve life for the local people. Among them are the Food Bank in Chicxulub, education, the old folks' home, providing a monthly food package for about 90 families, Christmas hampers and a breakfast program.
This morning a group of us went to her house to wrap Christmas toys which will be distributed closer to Christmas. I forget how many gifts we wrapped but I think it was around 150.
I'm glad I went. It gave me a much better understanding of what's needed and what's not really practical. An example of an impractical toy is anything the requires batteries. While battery operated toys are very cool, batteries is an expense that many families just can't afford.
She also hosts a conversation hour where Spanish and English speakers can get together and learn each others' language. There was a meeting tonight and there will be another on Wednesday. I'm not sure if it's twice a week all the time or only through the winter. There was only one Spanish speaker there tonight but I was told that there are usually several.
It was fun and informative. I'm hoping to go again on Wed.
In unrelated news, we had a mosquito in the house last night. omg. That little bleeper was relentless. I had several bites before going to bed and received several more while I was trying to go to sleep. I finally couldn't take it anymore and got up. Armed with a fly swatter, I laid in wait for it. Victory was finally mine at 2:30am. But Ms Mosca managed to get 11 jabs in before meeting her demise.
This morning a group of us went to her house to wrap Christmas toys which will be distributed closer to Christmas. I forget how many gifts we wrapped but I think it was around 150.
I'm glad I went. It gave me a much better understanding of what's needed and what's not really practical. An example of an impractical toy is anything the requires batteries. While battery operated toys are very cool, batteries is an expense that many families just can't afford.
She also hosts a conversation hour where Spanish and English speakers can get together and learn each others' language. There was a meeting tonight and there will be another on Wednesday. I'm not sure if it's twice a week all the time or only through the winter. There was only one Spanish speaker there tonight but I was told that there are usually several.
It was fun and informative. I'm hoping to go again on Wed.
In unrelated news, we had a mosquito in the house last night. omg. That little bleeper was relentless. I had several bites before going to bed and received several more while I was trying to go to sleep. I finally couldn't take it anymore and got up. Armed with a fly swatter, I laid in wait for it. Victory was finally mine at 2:30am. But Ms Mosca managed to get 11 jabs in before meeting her demise.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
How Did I Get on Facebook?
In the past week I've acquired a good number of hits from Facebook. I have no idea why. I don't have an account with them. I checked with my kids and none of them have linked me.
This is the first time I've seen FB in my referring URLs and sites. The only thing I can think of is that someone liked my blog enough that they chose to share me. Since I don't "do" Facebook I haven't a clue about how it all works and if there might be another reason FB is showing up in my stats.
Anyone have any thoughts?
This is the first time I've seen FB in my referring URLs and sites. The only thing I can think of is that someone liked my blog enough that they chose to share me. Since I don't "do" Facebook I haven't a clue about how it all works and if there might be another reason FB is showing up in my stats.
Anyone have any thoughts?
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Feria Yucatan 2012
This afternoon a group of us went to the state fair, Feria Yucatan. I've been wanting to go since our first November here but it just never worked out.
We took the Autoprogreso. Tickets are 65 pesos each for the round trip. The bus from Progreso runs Fri, Sat and Sun. Departure times from the depot are at the top of each hour, starting at noon and ending at 6pm. Departure from the fair grounds is 6 hours after you leave Progreso. We took the 1:00 time and had to be back at our bus for 7pm. The last bus is the only difference. It leaves the fair at 11pm, so it's a five hour stay instead of six.
Six hours is not nearly enough time. There is sooooo much to see and do. Most of the shows for today didn't start until 4:00 or later and, once we read the schedule of events, I remembered reading that on someone else's blog last year.
There is a multitude of eateries from a regular food court to the vendors selling from their carts. Lots of rides for all age groups, from adults down to the littlies. Shopping, shopping and more shopping...kitchenware, jewellery, shoes, clothes, belts, cowboy hats, trinkets. You name it, it was probably there. Games of chance with prizes that would be deemed totally unacceptable up north. I'm pretty sure the politically correct would be aghast to see toy guns and bow and arrow sets available to be won by/for children. And if you didn't want to try winning them, you could buy them!
I don't know the name of this group of riders. They were a pleasure to watch. Round and round the arena. Back and forth, weaving patterns and crossing over each other. It was beautiful. You can see the horses are running here. Can you also see that the girls are riding side saddle? (Note the gal on the white horse). I swear those young ladies must have crazy glued their bums to the saddle.
One of the filled-to-the-rafters stalls.
It was a great day but we all agreed that the day was much too short so we're considering going in again.
We took the Autoprogreso. Tickets are 65 pesos each for the round trip. The bus from Progreso runs Fri, Sat and Sun. Departure times from the depot are at the top of each hour, starting at noon and ending at 6pm. Departure from the fair grounds is 6 hours after you leave Progreso. We took the 1:00 time and had to be back at our bus for 7pm. The last bus is the only difference. It leaves the fair at 11pm, so it's a five hour stay instead of six.
Six hours is not nearly enough time. There is sooooo much to see and do. Most of the shows for today didn't start until 4:00 or later and, once we read the schedule of events, I remembered reading that on someone else's blog last year.
There is a multitude of eateries from a regular food court to the vendors selling from their carts. Lots of rides for all age groups, from adults down to the littlies. Shopping, shopping and more shopping...kitchenware, jewellery, shoes, clothes, belts, cowboy hats, trinkets. You name it, it was probably there. Games of chance with prizes that would be deemed totally unacceptable up north. I'm pretty sure the politically correct would be aghast to see toy guns and bow and arrow sets available to be won by/for children. And if you didn't want to try winning them, you could buy them!
I don't know the name of this group of riders. They were a pleasure to watch. Round and round the arena. Back and forth, weaving patterns and crossing over each other. It was beautiful. You can see the horses are running here. Can you also see that the girls are riding side saddle? (Note the gal on the white horse). I swear those young ladies must have crazy glued their bums to the saddle.
One of the filled-to-the-rafters stalls.
It was a great day but we all agreed that the day was much too short so we're considering going in again.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Happy Birthday to Me
Actually, my birthday was the 15th but I partied too late that day to post about it.
The day started with Sr B and I going for a walk along the beach. We usually only go for about 30 minutes so I didn't put any sunscreen on. Big mistake. We walked all the way to the malecon and back and were gone for 2 hours. I got burned. Fortunately, most of the red is gone and it doesn't hurt.
Neighbours Liz and Bindi planned a potluck supper party. I can't remember the last time I had a birthday party. We always do a family get together at home but it only includes our kids and g'kids. We don't have any other family up where we live. Our family do's are wonderful but there's a difference between having cake and ice cream with your children and a party with people your own age. Neither one is better or worse than the other. Just different.
I received a lovely bouquet of flowers, a bottle of Kahlua and a small bottle of Xtabentun, my new favourite sipping liquer. Along with the Xtabentun, I got a necklace with 3 small beer mugs attached that were to be used as shooter glasses. I didn't do shooters. Xtabentun is far too sweet to shoot. Instead of a party hat, I was given a kid's headband with a bow. Too cute.
Liz and Bindi went way out. They prepared enough food to feed an army. And then there was whatever each guest brought. Everybody was stuffed to the gills. Several bunches of balloons adorned the place. A birthday cake with a question mark shaped candle for me to blow out was the finishing touch. Everyone who lives in our section of the complex was invited and everyone was able to attend.
I felt so spoiled.
The day started with Sr B and I going for a walk along the beach. We usually only go for about 30 minutes so I didn't put any sunscreen on. Big mistake. We walked all the way to the malecon and back and were gone for 2 hours. I got burned. Fortunately, most of the red is gone and it doesn't hurt.
Neighbours Liz and Bindi planned a potluck supper party. I can't remember the last time I had a birthday party. We always do a family get together at home but it only includes our kids and g'kids. We don't have any other family up where we live. Our family do's are wonderful but there's a difference between having cake and ice cream with your children and a party with people your own age. Neither one is better or worse than the other. Just different.
I received a lovely bouquet of flowers, a bottle of Kahlua and a small bottle of Xtabentun, my new favourite sipping liquer. Along with the Xtabentun, I got a necklace with 3 small beer mugs attached that were to be used as shooter glasses. I didn't do shooters. Xtabentun is far too sweet to shoot. Instead of a party hat, I was given a kid's headband with a bow. Too cute.
Liz and Bindi went way out. They prepared enough food to feed an army. And then there was whatever each guest brought. Everybody was stuffed to the gills. Several bunches of balloons adorned the place. A birthday cake with a question mark shaped candle for me to blow out was the finishing touch. Everyone who lives in our section of the complex was invited and everyone was able to attend.
I felt so spoiled.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
My Merida Adventure
This morning Bindi and I headed in to Merida on the AutoProgreso. She had a couple places to go to and I tagged along because I wanted to go to Costco, one of her destinations.
The first place she wanted to hit was a jewellery store to see about having some jewellery repaired. The address said C49 X 42 y 44. She said we would get off the bus at 49 and walk from there. The rest of the address didn't say Centro and I wasn't too sure about getting off the bus along C60 but, like Sr B, Bindi seems to have an innate ability to get to wherever she's going, so I didn't question her.
We get off the bus and start walking, hitting a dead end of sorts at about C38. The dead end was a train yard. So around the train yard we went and continued. When we arrived between 42 and 44, we couldn't find a jewellery store. We're standing on the corner inspecting Bindi's city map, trying to figure out where we're supposed to be. A lady on the other side of the street walked past and then turned around to offer assitance. I am always amazed at how helpful the people here are.
Anyways, it turns out that my suspicion was right. Villas la Hacienda is it's own area, separate from Centro and we were a long way from it. I can hear my Merida readers laughing.
So we go back a couple blocks to where we'd seen a taxi parked beside a tienda. We asked the lady there if it was for hire. She checked and came back with a no. The driver was sleeping. We sat down at the little table on the sidewalk to try to figure out what we were going to do...take a bus/combi somewhere or walk until we found a cab.
A young man whom I'd put in his late 20's, came over to help us. Have I mentioned how helpful the people here are? He apologized for his bad English which wasn't as bad as he thought it was. Bindi decided she would try to find the jewellery store another day and that we would just go to Costco. We asked if there were many cabs in the area. He said no and offered to drive us there. He looked hesitant when he offered. I'm guessing that he thought we would be afraid. But Bindi and I both got a good vibe from him so we agreed. We settled on a price and off we went.
Raul said he learned to speak English by watching movies. Really? Wow! After my experience with the movie the other night, and finding out that he learned from movies, I'm sold on the idea. I might have to go buy me some movies with subtitles from the street vendors. We had a good chit chat with him. He got to practice his English and I, my Spanish.
He asked us how we came to be at his house. I think what he was really asking was, "What on earth were you two middle-aged white ladies doing way out here?" LOL The looks we got as we were walking said the same thing.
Raul dropped us off at Costco and just as he was driving off the lot, I realized that I'd left my insulated shopping bag in his van. Darn it! Oh well. I'll call it an extra tip. It's a great bag and I know that whoever gets it will love it.
Thankfully the rest of our day was without incidence.
The first place she wanted to hit was a jewellery store to see about having some jewellery repaired. The address said C49 X 42 y 44. She said we would get off the bus at 49 and walk from there. The rest of the address didn't say Centro and I wasn't too sure about getting off the bus along C60 but, like Sr B, Bindi seems to have an innate ability to get to wherever she's going, so I didn't question her.
We get off the bus and start walking, hitting a dead end of sorts at about C38. The dead end was a train yard. So around the train yard we went and continued. When we arrived between 42 and 44, we couldn't find a jewellery store. We're standing on the corner inspecting Bindi's city map, trying to figure out where we're supposed to be. A lady on the other side of the street walked past and then turned around to offer assitance. I am always amazed at how helpful the people here are.
Anyways, it turns out that my suspicion was right. Villas la Hacienda is it's own area, separate from Centro and we were a long way from it. I can hear my Merida readers laughing.
So we go back a couple blocks to where we'd seen a taxi parked beside a tienda. We asked the lady there if it was for hire. She checked and came back with a no. The driver was sleeping. We sat down at the little table on the sidewalk to try to figure out what we were going to do...take a bus/combi somewhere or walk until we found a cab.
A young man whom I'd put in his late 20's, came over to help us. Have I mentioned how helpful the people here are? He apologized for his bad English which wasn't as bad as he thought it was. Bindi decided she would try to find the jewellery store another day and that we would just go to Costco. We asked if there were many cabs in the area. He said no and offered to drive us there. He looked hesitant when he offered. I'm guessing that he thought we would be afraid. But Bindi and I both got a good vibe from him so we agreed. We settled on a price and off we went.
Raul said he learned to speak English by watching movies. Really? Wow! After my experience with the movie the other night, and finding out that he learned from movies, I'm sold on the idea. I might have to go buy me some movies with subtitles from the street vendors. We had a good chit chat with him. He got to practice his English and I, my Spanish.
He asked us how we came to be at his house. I think what he was really asking was, "What on earth were you two middle-aged white ladies doing way out here?" LOL The looks we got as we were walking said the same thing.
Raul dropped us off at Costco and just as he was driving off the lot, I realized that I'd left my insulated shopping bag in his van. Darn it! Oh well. I'll call it an extra tip. It's a great bag and I know that whoever gets it will love it.
Thankfully the rest of our day was without incidence.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Low Key Day
Today was pretty low key. Senor B and I went uptown to get a few groceries. It was cruise ship day.
It's pretty easy to spot the cruisers. They're dressed in their finest casual clothes. Clothes that look too new to have not been purchased specifically for the trip. They're loud. The cruisers, not the clothes. They have such a know-it-all attitude and a self-important bearing. Everything about them screams, "Look at me! Look at me!" Gah!
At the store, we decided to try some deli meat. We could see the "Now serving number..." sign but we had no idea where to get our ticket. As we were discussing what to do, the Mexican lady in front of us showed us where the tickets were. The sign said 98 but my ticket said 01. Sr. B and I tried to figure out if the sign started over at 100. The same lady said it would. We were speaking in English but the lady spoke to us in Spanish. Did she understand English or was she astute enough to decipher our dilemma? Hard to say but it does underline the need to always speak respectfully because you just never know who might be able to understand you.
We went for supper with neighbours Owen and Bindi to a little restaurant they discovered up the street a few days ago. The botanas were plentiful. Chopped shark meat was one of them. It was actually pretty good. We had chicken fajitas as well as fish cooked in garlic. I'm not that big on fish but this was delicious. It was cooked almost crispy instead of the usual soft, squishy stuff. It may have been deep fried but, if it was, it wasn't greasy. Of course, I forgot to take pictures. We looked to see what it was called but we couldn't see a sign. I didn't get the ower's name, either. I don't make a very good reporter, do I?
It's pretty easy to spot the cruisers. They're dressed in their finest casual clothes. Clothes that look too new to have not been purchased specifically for the trip. They're loud. The cruisers, not the clothes. They have such a know-it-all attitude and a self-important bearing. Everything about them screams, "Look at me! Look at me!" Gah!
At the store, we decided to try some deli meat. We could see the "Now serving number..." sign but we had no idea where to get our ticket. As we were discussing what to do, the Mexican lady in front of us showed us where the tickets were. The sign said 98 but my ticket said 01. Sr. B and I tried to figure out if the sign started over at 100. The same lady said it would. We were speaking in English but the lady spoke to us in Spanish. Did she understand English or was she astute enough to decipher our dilemma? Hard to say but it does underline the need to always speak respectfully because you just never know who might be able to understand you.
We went for supper with neighbours Owen and Bindi to a little restaurant they discovered up the street a few days ago. The botanas were plentiful. Chopped shark meat was one of them. It was actually pretty good. We had chicken fajitas as well as fish cooked in garlic. I'm not that big on fish but this was delicious. It was cooked almost crispy instead of the usual soft, squishy stuff. It may have been deep fried but, if it was, it wasn't greasy. Of course, I forgot to take pictures. We looked to see what it was called but we couldn't see a sign. I didn't get the ower's name, either. I don't make a very good reporter, do I?
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Lest We Forget
The Remembrance/Veteran's Day ceremony was held at the Bamboo Beach restaurant, in Chicxilub this morning and was very well attended. Both the Canadian and American anthems were sung. The Last Post and Reveille were played via a computer. John McCrea's moving poem, "In Flander's Fields", was read and the computer provided "Amazing Grace" stirringly played on the bagpipes. The restaurant, as well as the street outside, was surprisingly quiet during the 2 minutes silence.
The restaurant provded several varieties of very tasty sandwiches after the service.
Participating in Remembrance Day has always been important to me so I was very happy to find out that a service was being held down here. This was the second year it was held at The Bamboo. I'm hoping it will become a regular thing so I can honour our veterans this way every year.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
AFAD
Tonight a group of us from the complex hired a van to take us to Merida to attend a fundraiser for AFAD. You can see their website here .
There were finger foods, desserts and drinks, including wine. After a few speeches there was music provided by a trio of girls with beautiful voices. They were accompanied by a fellow on keyboard as well as a gal with spectacular saxophone skills.
A few works of art were up for silent auction. There were also lots of smaller items to purchase...t-shirts, keychains, calendars...that sort of thing.
A moving slide-show showcased a few rescued dogs and how AFAD is working to raise awareness, especially with kids.
I recently read an article on last year's event that said the expat community wasn't very well represented. I believe there were only 7 or 9 expats. This year, the representation was much better. Shoot, there were 12 in our group alone.
The only negative to the evening? The people in the back who kept talking loudly enough that it was difficult to hear the speeches. But here's something I don't recall seeing happen in Canada...when the talking became too loud, the chatters were shushed. Those who were trying to hear would say "Shhhhh!"
I know that chatting with friends is an important part of social events but, come on, people! There'll be time for that after the speeches. Give the speaker some respect.
I enjoyed the outing but it was a very loud evening and I was glad to get back to the peace and quiet of home. Well, at least I thought there would be peace and quiet. Not so. Someone across the back alley is playing very loud music with a strong bass.
Meh. Ni modo.
There were finger foods, desserts and drinks, including wine. After a few speeches there was music provided by a trio of girls with beautiful voices. They were accompanied by a fellow on keyboard as well as a gal with spectacular saxophone skills.
A few works of art were up for silent auction. There were also lots of smaller items to purchase...t-shirts, keychains, calendars...that sort of thing.
A moving slide-show showcased a few rescued dogs and how AFAD is working to raise awareness, especially with kids.
I recently read an article on last year's event that said the expat community wasn't very well represented. I believe there were only 7 or 9 expats. This year, the representation was much better. Shoot, there were 12 in our group alone.
The only negative to the evening? The people in the back who kept talking loudly enough that it was difficult to hear the speeches. But here's something I don't recall seeing happen in Canada...when the talking became too loud, the chatters were shushed. Those who were trying to hear would say "Shhhhh!"
I know that chatting with friends is an important part of social events but, come on, people! There'll be time for that after the speeches. Give the speaker some respect.
I enjoyed the outing but it was a very loud evening and I was glad to get back to the peace and quiet of home. Well, at least I thought there would be peace and quiet. Not so. Someone across the back alley is playing very loud music with a strong bass.
Meh. Ni modo.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Bond. James Bond
The other night, Senor B and Theresa's husband discovered they had a mutual love for 007. So, this afternoon, the 4 of us went to see the new movie at Liverpool. We lucked out in getting there just as one was starting so we didn't have to wait, at all.
Like many movies here, it was played in English with Spanish subtitles. I found myself reading the subtitles as a way to increase my Spanish skills. But then I ended up missing too much of the action so I had to force myself to ignore the subtitles.
I can sure see how subtitles are a useful tool for learning another language. Seeing the Spanish words and then hearing the proper usage in English helped me to make sense of some things.
Afterwards, we went for a quick coffee at the little cafe on the upper floor. Neither Senor B nor I can remember the name. Shame on us!
Theresa and Husband took us to the spice section which also has other items that are familiar to NOB folks. They also showed us the dried fruit that's been rolled in chili. They claim it's addictive but I have my doubts. As much as I like spicy food, this looks like it could be too much for me. However, we're not afraid to try new things (I do draw the line at bugs, guts and partially developed duck embryos) so I expect we'll give them a go sooner or later.
Senor B and I took the Autoprogreso back and forth. The young lady I sat with helped to make sure we got off at the right place. We missed it by a block but we were early so it was no big deal. To catch the bus home, we had to cross the road...3 lanes of traffic both ways. You pretty much take your life in your own hands when you cross roads here, but we managed without incidence.
Flagging down the bus is difficult at night. I suppose if we lived in the city we'd get used to what the front of the bus looks like. Since we don't, we always end up missing the first bus or two.
For the first time, I experienced the "you're white so I don't understand what you're saying" phenomenon. I asked a 20-something fellow, "Autoprogreso aqui?" He gave me the deer in the headlights look and said, "No hablo ingles." Now it was my turn for the deer in the headlights look. I said, "Pero hablo espanol," and asked him again, "Autoprogreso aqui?" He repeated that he didn't speak English. *long inner sigh* Ok.
We eventually caught a bus and made it home.
We enjoyed hanging out with Theresa and her husband. Hopefully we'll get to see them again before we head north.
Like many movies here, it was played in English with Spanish subtitles. I found myself reading the subtitles as a way to increase my Spanish skills. But then I ended up missing too much of the action so I had to force myself to ignore the subtitles.
I can sure see how subtitles are a useful tool for learning another language. Seeing the Spanish words and then hearing the proper usage in English helped me to make sense of some things.
Afterwards, we went for a quick coffee at the little cafe on the upper floor. Neither Senor B nor I can remember the name. Shame on us!
Theresa and Husband took us to the spice section which also has other items that are familiar to NOB folks. They also showed us the dried fruit that's been rolled in chili. They claim it's addictive but I have my doubts. As much as I like spicy food, this looks like it could be too much for me. However, we're not afraid to try new things (I do draw the line at bugs, guts and partially developed duck embryos) so I expect we'll give them a go sooner or later.
Senor B and I took the Autoprogreso back and forth. The young lady I sat with helped to make sure we got off at the right place. We missed it by a block but we were early so it was no big deal. To catch the bus home, we had to cross the road...3 lanes of traffic both ways. You pretty much take your life in your own hands when you cross roads here, but we managed without incidence.
Flagging down the bus is difficult at night. I suppose if we lived in the city we'd get used to what the front of the bus looks like. Since we don't, we always end up missing the first bus or two.
For the first time, I experienced the "you're white so I don't understand what you're saying" phenomenon. I asked a 20-something fellow, "Autoprogreso aqui?" He gave me the deer in the headlights look and said, "No hablo ingles." Now it was my turn for the deer in the headlights look. I said, "Pero hablo espanol," and asked him again, "Autoprogreso aqui?" He repeated that he didn't speak English. *long inner sigh* Ok.
We eventually caught a bus and made it home.
We enjoyed hanging out with Theresa and her husband. Hopefully we'll get to see them again before we head north.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
A Wonderful Evening
Tonight we joined Theresa of What Do I Do All Day? and her husband (yes, the elusive and rarely seen Husband does exist) for a play put on by the kids at TTT. You can see the info here .
Oh my goodness. It was great! I'm under the impression that the students wrote it themselves, though I may have misunderstood. I know just enough French and Spanish to get the gist of the non-English parts. It felt like most of it was in English, though, so it added to my enjoyment. Still, the non-English parts were easy enough to follow along. I think most mannerisms must be universal. Everyone knows what a wink, a booty shimmy, or a tantrum means.
The surprise love interests at the end had everyone howling with laughter and the Gangnam style dance was also unexpected.
Whether the students wrote the play or not, the performance was well done and it highly entertaining. Good job, kids!
Afterwards, we went for a bite to eat. I'm afraid I didn't get the name of the restaurant. Senor B thinks it was Amare. The food was very good and the ambience nice. The big tree growing within its walls, its canopy of branches forming the ceiling, was a unique and pleasant feature. During the day, it must feel like eating in a park.
The fun play, good food and great company all made for a wonderful way to spend our evening.
Oh my goodness. It was great! I'm under the impression that the students wrote it themselves, though I may have misunderstood. I know just enough French and Spanish to get the gist of the non-English parts. It felt like most of it was in English, though, so it added to my enjoyment. Still, the non-English parts were easy enough to follow along. I think most mannerisms must be universal. Everyone knows what a wink, a booty shimmy, or a tantrum means.
The surprise love interests at the end had everyone howling with laughter and the Gangnam style dance was also unexpected.
Whether the students wrote the play or not, the performance was well done and it highly entertaining. Good job, kids!
Afterwards, we went for a bite to eat. I'm afraid I didn't get the name of the restaurant. Senor B thinks it was Amare. The food was very good and the ambience nice. The big tree growing within its walls, its canopy of branches forming the ceiling, was a unique and pleasant feature. During the day, it must feel like eating in a park.
The fun play, good food and great company all made for a wonderful way to spend our evening.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
The Girl With the Magic Fingers
Meet Sochi, the girl with the magic fingers. She's amazing.
She has a fold up table that she hauls over on a hand truck. I have no idea how far from the complex she lives but I think it must be a bit of a walk because she looks a bit tuckered when she gets here.
Senor B and I had booked her for 10am today. We've had her come a few times and she's always prompt. Today was no exception. A big "Hello, it's nice to see you again," accompanied her warm, wide smile.
Her table is almost as big as she is so we help her pull it out of the bag and get set up. Then it's down to business.
She uses a nice glide-y lotion, a metal ball with small spikes and few other gadgets that I saw but didn't take note of what they were. She uses the ball on the bottom of the feet. Eek! It made my feet twitch and I was afraid I was going to kick her!
I get a monthly massage at home so I'm used to them but she went deeper than my guy at home. There were a couple times I winced. She gave my frozen shoulder a good going over. I'm sure I'm going to hurt tomorrow.
I have a bug bite on the back of my right arm that has become very swollen. The red area is a good 4 inches in diameter. Because it's so big, she was concerned that it was a cockroach bite. Say what?! Cockroaches bite? omg. I got it during the night, along with 3 or 4 more, so I'm pretty sure it's just a mosquito bite.
A full body massage takes just over an hour and she charges 250 pesos. Much cheaper than my guy at home and every bit as good. She also has clients in Merida. I left all my business cards back in Canada but if anyone is interested, I can get her contact info. She doesn't speak a lot of English but with the help of my handy-dandy dictionary, we managed.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Quick Catch Up
Well, I'll try to make it quick. I'm not much of a talker in real life, but I can ramble on and on here.
Our flight down was uneventful. No troubles with TSA.
We had some fun coincidences happen:
1) In emailing back and forth with our neighbours, D and V, on the floor above us, we discovered that we would be taking the same flight from Houston and that Senor B and I were seated in the row behind them.
2) While sitting in Houston, Senor B remarked that a lady who walked by looked familiar. I took a look and agreed. It turns out that she was who he thought she was...none other than the lovely Natasha who owns the Cafe Pantleon here in Progreso. We had planned on taking a cab from Merida to Progreso but Natasha, who flew down on the same flight, said she would call her husband and tell him to bring the van so they could give us a ride home. Wasn't that nice of her? We don't even know her except for having eaten at her restuarant a few times. So here's a little shout out for her. The food is delicious and you won't be disappointed.
Cafe Pantaleon
Calle 31 #234 entre 14 y 16
Colonia Benito Juarez
Progreso
Tel: 969-934-0405
3) While on the plane, I had the pleasure of sitting beside a lovely lady named Mary. Turns out Mary was on her way to visit the distinguished Joanna of Writing From Merida . We chatted about people we knew in common, she personally and me through reading Joanna's blog.
---------------------------------------
Senor B and I haven't done too much since we arrived. The first morning here, he went to move his suitcase. He pivoted at his knees and one of them popped. So he was laid up until Sat morning. He couldn't walk very far and what little he could manage was done with a limp. He's walking normally now but he's taking it easy so he doesn't overdo it.
Friday morning I went with D and V, as well as another couple, into Merida. We had hoped there would still be some Day of the Dead activities going on but the square was devoid of any celebrations. We did a bit of shopping and then headed off to Costco for a few things. Not too much, though, because we were riding the bus.
Senor B's knee meant he couldn't go grocery shopping with me so I was picking up a few things at the little store across the street. I'm more than capable of going downtown by myself but the introvert within me kicked into high gear and I just couldn't muster the gumption to go alone. Neighbour Liz took me to Bodega on Thursday so I was able to stock the kitchen with a few things. Today, Senor B and I went uptown for a few more things. Now that I've been uptown, I can manage it on my own. How weird that I need Senor B on the initial trip.
This morning we went for breakfast with neighbours Owen and Bindi. They took us to a little restaurant they discovered. It's called Samak, located on C78. I didn't catch the cross streets but it's north of C27. Cute little place run by Gene, a very personable fellow from Oregon. He's been here for 6 years but his restaurant has only been open 3 months. He made eggs benedict, which isn't on the menu, for Bindi. The rest of us had the all-you-can-eat buffet. Everything was very good.
There was a big revival meeting this morning, at the soccer field next door to the complex. I loved hearing the older hymns I remember from my youth. They were sung with the harmony that makes them so stirring. I'm guessing there were a dozen big Greyhound-type buses that had brought people in.
Ok. That's enough. I said "quick." You got the condensed version of the past few days. I really should have written something daily but my introversion of the past few days made even blogging difficult. I will try to be more diligent over the next 3 weeks.
Our flight down was uneventful. No troubles with TSA.
We had some fun coincidences happen:
1) In emailing back and forth with our neighbours, D and V, on the floor above us, we discovered that we would be taking the same flight from Houston and that Senor B and I were seated in the row behind them.
2) While sitting in Houston, Senor B remarked that a lady who walked by looked familiar. I took a look and agreed. It turns out that she was who he thought she was...none other than the lovely Natasha who owns the Cafe Pantleon here in Progreso. We had planned on taking a cab from Merida to Progreso but Natasha, who flew down on the same flight, said she would call her husband and tell him to bring the van so they could give us a ride home. Wasn't that nice of her? We don't even know her except for having eaten at her restuarant a few times. So here's a little shout out for her. The food is delicious and you won't be disappointed.
Cafe Pantaleon
Calle 31 #234 entre 14 y 16
Colonia Benito Juarez
Progreso
Tel: 969-934-0405
3) While on the plane, I had the pleasure of sitting beside a lovely lady named Mary. Turns out Mary was on her way to visit the distinguished Joanna of Writing From Merida . We chatted about people we knew in common, she personally and me through reading Joanna's blog.
---------------------------------------
Senor B and I haven't done too much since we arrived. The first morning here, he went to move his suitcase. He pivoted at his knees and one of them popped. So he was laid up until Sat morning. He couldn't walk very far and what little he could manage was done with a limp. He's walking normally now but he's taking it easy so he doesn't overdo it.
Friday morning I went with D and V, as well as another couple, into Merida. We had hoped there would still be some Day of the Dead activities going on but the square was devoid of any celebrations. We did a bit of shopping and then headed off to Costco for a few things. Not too much, though, because we were riding the bus.
Senor B's knee meant he couldn't go grocery shopping with me so I was picking up a few things at the little store across the street. I'm more than capable of going downtown by myself but the introvert within me kicked into high gear and I just couldn't muster the gumption to go alone. Neighbour Liz took me to Bodega on Thursday so I was able to stock the kitchen with a few things. Today, Senor B and I went uptown for a few more things. Now that I've been uptown, I can manage it on my own. How weird that I need Senor B on the initial trip.
This morning we went for breakfast with neighbours Owen and Bindi. They took us to a little restaurant they discovered. It's called Samak, located on C78. I didn't catch the cross streets but it's north of C27. Cute little place run by Gene, a very personable fellow from Oregon. He's been here for 6 years but his restaurant has only been open 3 months. He made eggs benedict, which isn't on the menu, for Bindi. The rest of us had the all-you-can-eat buffet. Everything was very good.
There was a big revival meeting this morning, at the soccer field next door to the complex. I loved hearing the older hymns I remember from my youth. They were sung with the harmony that makes them so stirring. I'm guessing there were a dozen big Greyhound-type buses that had brought people in.
Ok. That's enough. I said "quick." You got the condensed version of the past few days. I really should have written something daily but my introversion of the past few days made even blogging difficult. I will try to be more diligent over the next 3 weeks.
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