beyondanisland

She's back

2006-09-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am, blogging again.

July was very rainy, as you know.

Therefore, the mosquitos were terrible, all through August. usually there are very few left, but not this year. It is only the past couple of weeks I could go for a walk down our road. We had lots of good weather, but the lake was a little chilly, and I didn't get as much swimming in as I had hoped.

You all probably want to know what's up, eh? Well, I am hanging around here for a little while longer. At the end of the month, I am moving in with my friend Janice, in Nobel, which is about five minutes north of Parry Sound. The cottage where I've been staying isn't completely winterized (no water) and it would be too isolated for me. I might go cabin crazy.

I'll be in Nobel until the end of the year, possibly longer. I don't seem to be able to see more than a few months down the road these days. Keeps me waffling between the calmness of the present moment, and total fear and anxiety.

I've officially joined the Parry Sound Writers Group, and am involved in organizing a poetry night this fall, and have been writing regularly all summer. Now it's time to pull all my writing together and see what I've got. Hopefully I have started something that I can finish.

The Autumn is stunning here. I had forgotten how beautiful it is, the clouds heavy in the sky, and the trees bright red, and green still, too. It;s like living inside some beautiful piece of art that changes every day.

When I'm in Nobel, I'll have internet again, and intend to be here blogging again regularly. Just warning you all. Thanks for tuning in,

Cheers, Jacquie

rain rain go away....

2006-07-27T13:12:00.000-07:00

OK, it's been a little damp here lately. I've been spending quite a bit of time bailing out boats, and getting rained on. The paddleboat was completely filled again yesterday, as well as Harrison't boat, oars floating in the bottom, and our metal boat. Bailing and bailing. Here, hopefully is the picture I tried to upload last time. Sunny and hot today again, and me in town all day doing errands! Timing is everything, as they say,

Cheers, Jacquie

Stormy Nights

2006-07-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

Rained like maniacs last night. I bailed out of the cabin, and headed for the cottage couch, where there was at least electricity to read the storm out by. Just me and Nero Wolfe, all cuddled up together in a blankie. Suddenly, all was silence, like a door softly closed. The eye of the storm, then, the other side of it again. Finally, I drifted off to slumberland around 3 o'clock. Today there were big gouges in Grey Owl Road. I have never experienced a storm as potent and long as the one last night. Today was sunny and hot and breezy. You would never know there was thunder and lightning and torrents of rain, just a few hours ago.

I tried to upload a photo of the paddleboat, completely filled with water, but it's taking forever. Not sure if it's the library computer or the Blogger site. These computers! Always throwing you for a loop.

Cheerio, Jacquie

It's a little hot

2006-07-17T13:16:00.000-07:00

It is hot hot-hot-here today, records are breaking like eggs and oozing all over the soft, melting pavement. Toronto is 33' with the humidex taking it up to 40'. I am glad to be at the lake. There's a stiff breeze off the water, cooling the world off. Later, when it calms, I will take my evening swim. The sun is dazzling bright, and the living is easy.

Tomorrow I start the publicity for my summer writing groups in Parry Sound. The first session is next Monday. Hope someone registers.

Life is steady and quiet here. The cottage is a half-hour drive from civilization (P. Snd.), although the McLellar library is only ten minutes by car, open four part days a week. So the internet is available in limited quantities. They built a new radio tower this spring, and we now have great cell-phone reception at the lake. Not everyone around here can say that. There is a general store in McK. too, so most things are available there, at hugely inflated prices, of course.

I was reading over my journals from Mexico this morning, looking for missing pieces for a story I'm working on, and what an interesting journey that was! I'm sure there's a body of work there, if I can just tease it out.

Cheerio, fans and friends,
Jacquie

2006-07-13T11:46:00.000-07:00

Well, I can't believe it's been so long since I posted. Gives you an idea how exciting my life is, here in the wilderness. I've had lots and lots of family time, and lots and lots of time in nature. I've seen lots and lots of wildlife: loons, osprey, cormorant, vultures, owl, woodpeckers, hummingbird, foxes, turtle, minnows, frogs, toads, dragonflies, all sizes and colours, mosquitos, in abundance, a horsefly bit me on the leg yesterday. Yes, life is exciting!

The weather has finally turned very hot, and I am heading for the lake for a swim with my nephew Cal this afternoon. That is the type of thing that takes genuine priority over blogging.

Cheerio,

SPLASH!

Jacquie

The Wawa Goose

2006-06-30T16:51:00.000-07:00

OK you guys, I know your lives wouldn't be complete without seeing my picture of the Wawa Goose. It's a couple weeks old, but here it is!

Computer time is tricky for me, as you only get half an hour at the library. There is an internet cafe, but it's only open in the day, no evenings.

The weather has been good; some rain, but mostly at nights, and lots of sun and warmth.

I'm slowly getting to know a few people here, but it takes time.

Miss you all, Love, Jacquie

Week One

2006-06-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

I've been here a week now, and am just starting to feel a bit settled. Well, not really, but it's better now
that I've finally moved out into the cabin. It's very rustic, plywood and 2X4 studs for walls, and an open
roof truss, but it's cozy (8X12) and private and I have a great view of the lake through the trees.
I've spent a good amount of time with my parents, which we've all enjoyed: going into town, and doing
the cryptic crosswords. Even Dad's been working on it!

Today the workers, Terry and Paul are here, with all their equipment, digging up the outside of the
cottage to replace all the weeping tile and drainage material, to try to get the basement dried out and
save the foundation from cracking any further. It is very damp and musty down there, so I guess it's
time. They also had a look at the septic tank, and told us (and showed us-ugh!) it desperately needs
pumping out. Better late than too late, when it comes to sewage systems.

We have had lots of warm weather and some rain, but it's not he bone-chilling rain of the west coast.
Today it's overcast and breezy, and in the low seventies. Perfect!
Last night we went into McKellar for the Father's Day Dinner at the Community Hall. It was put on by
the McKellar Seniors Association. They put on about 6 dinners a year. They also have card nights and
casino nights and bus trips to various places, as well as donating a good deal of money to local services
such as the medical clinic.The dinner was substantial: chicken or beef, with baked potato and baby
carrots, a great salad and raw veggie selection, and fruit salad and home made squares for dessert.
Coffee, tea, and punch were served for beverages. It was a great meal, and fun to be out with all the
local seniors. I knew there were thousands of stories sitting in that room, and wished I'd had an
opportunity to hear some of them.

Tomorrow M&D are heading home for a few days, so it'll just be me (and the workmen) here until
Saturday. I've met a few new people, but friendships take time to develop. I feel a bit lost and lonely at
times, but I know this will pass as I make more connections here in the area.
The mystery writing workshop I took this past weekend was excellent, and I feel I have all the
knowledge I need to write a great mystery. Now I just have to write it! Wish me luck.

Love. Jacquie

Wawa to Parry Sound

2006-06-22T11:04:00.000-07:00

My final day on the road.

Got a late start out of Wawa. Left the hotel around 11, but had to go back to get gas. The most
expensive since leavnin Nanaimo- $1.13, but, it waas worth it because I got a picture of the goose.

Another long day on the road. The scenery around Lake Superior was outstanding! Long curves of road
and land, and majestic vistas of the lake. Definitely take this drive at some point in your life.
I stopped for a great lunch about 45 minutes outside of Sault Ste Marie, at the Voyageur. The menu
told of the northwest company voyageurs, their life, and how they used to camp their canoes on the
beach across he road. A very romantic tale, and a delicious lunch of whitefish rollup and rice and
hamburger soup. And coffee.

I started to fade at Iron Bridge, between the Soo and Sudbury, with about four hours of driving left to
get to the cottage.I figured if I stopped every hour to stretch my legs, I would make it safely. Tim
Hortons at Espanola, gas up in Sudbury, where it was sunny and warm at 7 PM..

The sun shone gently down my back as i headed down #69 for Parry Sound. I passed two deer nibbling
at the side of the road, and they cantered safely back into the bush. At one point a Great Blue Heron
swooped directly over my car, going my way, and even the crows seemed to be welcoming me home to
this softer, rolling, marshy land. I had a truck at my 6 all the way down, the two of us distant
companions on the road. I took it easy, just as well, as the OPP were out looking for speeders.
At the north end of Parry Sound, I turned off onto 124, and the familiarity of years of travel on this
well-remembered road. Jimmie's Garage no longer stands at Waubamik, althought the rusting pumps
are still there. Jeannie's Bakery is closed, unfortunately for our taste buds, but fortunately for our wastebands!.
The old wooden barn that marks the final curve and downward hill into Mckellar still stands, as
impressive as ever. Past the barn, you drive down the long curve and see the village of McKellar across
the bay of Lake Manitouwabing, and things never really chage that much there. There is always the
general store, the gas station ($1.06), the community hall (father's day dinner June 18th, 5-6:30). This
year there is a chip truck at the old gas station, where there used to be the post office, and where the
laundromat used to be for a while.

Mauve clouds and golden sunset ushered me down Grey Owl road, and into the shadows of the trees,
around familiar bends, past memories of home. “This used to be a very narrow lane,” I explained to
Belinda Beamer. “Once our dog, Sandy, got her nose smacked by a sappling, just for having her head
out the window! This part of the road used to be a bare rock. The road's really been improved over the
years!” I also told her how proud and amazed I was of her, for her outstanding perrformance on the
cross- county trek. Just after 9PM, my travels ended, as I parked my wonderful car under the trees
outsied the cotttage, and stepped out onto the soft grass, legs a bit shaky, and walked toward the door,
to be happily greeted by my loving mother and father.And a repaired pump and running water. See,
there really is a Goddess!

Now, we've had a bit of a visit, I've settled for the night here in the second upstairs bedroom, I've done
my yoga and completed this entry, now I can stop moving for a while, and settle in to my new
temporary summer home.Tomorrow I will give Belinda a much needed bath, and not do too much else,
if I can help it. Maybe just get to someplace with internet access, so I can post this to my blog. But that
can wait, you, my loyal readers, I know, will wait for me.

Monday: Ignace to Wawa

2006-06-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

I left Ignace under sunny warm skies at about quarter to ten. I had hoped to leave earlier, as I had a long day ahead of me on the road, but the fresh northern air kept me sleeping late like a baby.

The road still taking me further north-east, towards Thunder Bay, I saw a small brown hawk circling, with white bands on wings and tail. Lots of truck traffic on this stretch, so I hung back and gave everybody lots of room. It was going to be a long day for me, so may as well drive low-stress.

I kept seeing signs for some museum in Thunder bay, saying “Welcome to the Past”. Kind of sspooky, as I am going back to where I come from,but also welcoming.

I stopped briefly in Thunder Bay, for gas, coffe and a take-out sandwich, and carried on. I found myself north of Thunder Bay, and still heading north! Lake Supeior looking very scenic over to the left, but the road long and curvy, with drop off's over the side. Not the easiest drive. I kept thinking of my friends who travelled to Xilitla with us, and I could relate to their anxiety.
Nipigon was the furthest point north for me on this drive. I stopped at the tourist office to use the facilities and eat my sandwich. An Ontario woman shouted to me, “Hey BC Plates! Welcome to Ontario!” It made me smile to be so welcomed, as if a stranger.

The CBC has kept me company off and on throughout this trip. Some places you can't receive any radio signal at all, and my CD's have also been good company.

I was somewhere between Marathon and White River, when I realized I have the coolest car! Definitely a guy-magnet, and she has driven beautifully- like she was made for the open road and notheing else! She needs a good bath, as right now she has over half a country's worth of road dust, rain and bugs adorning her- what a warrioress! Tawanda!

It was a long stretch to Wawa, but most of the big trucks had left the road to head north, at Nipigon, and the curves weren't quite as needful of all my attention. I missed the Goose; apparently I drove right past it. I was looking for it, too! And I had been so looking forward to stopping and taking a picture of it for this journal. Oh well. Now my story is that I went to Wawa, but I missed the goose!

I expect to land at the cottage, outside Parry Sound, sometime this evening. The water pump is broken, so there is now running water there. Welcome home, indeed! But I know there is lots of love waitng for me there, and many new friends to meet.

Ignace: One More Day

2006-06-12T18:43:00.000-07:00

I decided to spend an extra day and night in Ignace, as I was just very road-weary. It was a very peaceful place, and I did as little as possible: ate, read, napped, and painted my toenails. That's what I call a full day! This was the sunset view from outside my room last night.

Saturday: Ignace, Ontario

2006-06-12T18:26:00.000-07:00

Gracias, Senora, for bringing me to this respite, this retreat from the road. Tonight I feel like I never want to leave here. It's a beautiful lake, the one in front of me, even if unfamiliar, and thank you for the blue skies and sunshine on this northern road. I feel the peace of this place, and the quiet in my heart.

It was a long gruel of a drive today. I find it hard to stop once I get going. I only stopped today for gas and potty breaks, picking up food and drinks as I went. I got a late start from Neepawa this morning, as I wanted to spend as much time as I needed at the Margaret Laurence Museum there. It was very inspirational, and I was able to offer encouragement and the AWA writing resource to the young woman tour guide. I was lucky to have the entire place to myself, for an hour this morning. And I wanted to spend more time at the coffee shop in the Oddfellows Lodge, it was full of middle aged and older women, who all seemed bright and interesting. No time. I could have stopped there for another hour, but the road was calling me. And I'm glad I listened, because had I lingered there, I wouldn't have seen the sunset here.

The land changes suddenly and dramatically. East of Winnipeg, you start seeing more and more trees, and when you cross into Ontario, you are walled in. As Sandy said, trees and trees and trees and rocks and trees and trees and trees and rocks and trees and trees and trees and rocks and water! That is all I've seen, so far in Ontario. I have never been this far north in my life, and hope to see northern lights tonight, but if they're out, I'll probably be sleeping and miss them. There's another chance tomorrow night, when I hope to be in Wawa. Then the cottage the night after that. I may take an extra day somewhere, if I find a place I want to stay, but after four days on the road I am really starting to want to be there.

The traffic is heavier this part of the road, lots of trucks coming at me, but not many passing me. I seem to have had my own little pocket, from Dryden to here. Drove through Kenora, and it's a busy thriving downtown, but I didn't take time to stop. I'd be surprised if I wasn't back this way sometime. I'm falling in love with Canada. I could easily spend a summer here writing.

Corragio! Avanti!
Courage! Forward!

Friday: Weyburn SK to Neepawa MB

2006-06-12T18:15:00.000-07:00

Got lost getting out of Weyburn. Luckily I had absconded with the free tourist guide, which included a map of the city. On My CAA map, three hiways come together. I came in on # 39, but I was leaving on #13, east. I finally got myself sorted out, and was on my was around 11:30. Late start due to fatigue and yes, I have a cold, gas up, and hit Tim's drive through. It was still cold, and light rain.

Driving across Saskatchewan, you have lots of time to ponder the important questions, such as, did I remember to put deodorant on thie morning? And also, do birds grieve? East of Weyburn is cattle country, and the traffic was light.

Closer to the Manitoba border, there's an area with little oil wells, and then, right at the border, suddenly, there are trees! And the road gets better across the provincial line. I kept seeing these large-ish clumps on the road, and I couldn't figutre out what they were, but finally it dawned on this city gal, that what I was seeing was clumps of field mud, deposited by farm equipment! D'uh.

SK 13 became MB2, and the rain finally let up in Manitoba, around 1:30. The roads are long and straight, and there's a lot of sky here. At Hwy 10, I turned north to go through Brandon, at rush-hour then east again to go into Neepawa.

I stopped in a pretty little town named Souris for lunch, and checked out real estate prices. You can get a cute, litle house for about sixty thou there.

Gassed up in Brandon at 1.08, and pulled into Neepawa around 6:00, central time. I'm here on a pilgrimmage to the birthplace of Margaret Laurence. I had dinner at the chicken joint, and walked the streets. Friday night teenagers, drunk and disorderly, kids riding bikes, and women walking dogs. I sense all the undercurrents of the town Margaret Laurence grew up in, are still all here, just under the surface, probably as they are in all small towns, all over the world, but Ms Laurence brought this world to the page so believably and richly. This morning after breakfast, I am going to her original home here, now a museum. Then I'm heading for Thunder Bay on the Trans Canada. Me ane all the trucks. The rain seems to have let up, thankfully, and I look forward to a quiet day on the road.

Canada: It's a Big Country

2006-06-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

Thursday

Left Fort Macleod around 9:45, in the rain, heading for Weyburn Saskatchewan. After reviewing the maps last night, I decided to bypass Regina, and take the scenic drive down hwy 39 from Moose Jaw. Then the next day swing up through Brandon to make a pilgrimage to Neepawa, birthplace of Margaret Laurence, and incidentally, another designated scenic route.

Driving across Alberta, and Saskatchewan, leaves a lot of time for thinking. I thought about Michelle, and our road trip to Calgary a few years ago; how I miss the fun of our sing-alongs! And Rich, who I drove with most recently, from San Miguel to Austin. Driving through the Rockies reminded me of the road to Xilitla, and his confessions of being worried about breaking down in the 104 degree heat, were bizarrley mirrored in my low grade concerns about break-downs in the 12 degree celcius, rain and gusty wind.

Also lots of time for browsing through the old boyfriend files, and the might have beens, too. Isn't that what long road trips are all about? Caught some great radio in Alberta and into Saskatchewan, CKUA, public radio with fabulous music (also available on-line).

At 1:30, I crossed the provincial border, and the only noticable differnce was that the road in SK was terrible. I think they're upgrading it, but there was nobody working on it yesterday! It was about an hour after that that ranchland started giving way to fields.I saw an elk, far in the distance, on a knoll, and my old companion the blue heron made an appearance again today. Also, a small flock of white swans flying low over a field.

I always see fields of golden wheat, when i think of SK, but here the fields are green and newly planted, and all the farmers are happy for the rain. I eat bread, so how can I legitimately complain? But illigitimately, the rain is awful- non-stop and messy.

Trains, long long trains, as the road follows the tracks across the land It's all wide open here. Once you get past Swift Current, it's all fields. The day was dark and long, and I passed a serious accident going through Moose Jaw. The emergency vehicles hadn't arrived yet, and there are several lives that will never be the same now.

Later, on # 39, my car hit a bird. I hate that, it got caught in the current between an oncoming truck and me. I said prayers for all of us, the truck driver, myself and the bird, and the bird's family, now missing an important member. I meditated on the interconnectedness of life and death, the karmic bonds and agreements we have to show up for each other in all of lifes passings. I hope the bird's family can adjust, and the death not ripple through.

My neck is very sore today, and I'm planning an easy day up to Neepawa, and maybe to Portage la Prairie, if I have enough energy. It's still raining. I hope I can drive out of it, as it's makes for tiresome driving Adios, Jacquie

Grand Forks to Fort Macleod, via Nelson

2006-06-07T18:56:00.000-07:00

Decided to make a detour, and check out Nelson, as I've heard so many good things about it. Started off from Grand Forks around 8:30, and arrived in Nelson for coffee at 10:30. Had a good leg stretch up and down the vibrant, lively main street, and then headed north to take the FREE BC FERRY from Balfour to Kootenay Bay. So glad I saw thst article in the Globe and Mail this week, as the lake is beautiful, One of the loveliest places I've seen in Canada. It made me wonder what this land might have been like before the Europeans discovered it and started leaving footprints all over it. And then the drive down the east side of the lake to Creston twisty, and pretty, pretty, pretty. More coffee in Creston, gas in Cranbrook, more coffee in spectacular Fernie.

The Rocky Mountains are huge, magical, deep, daunting. I was totally ready for them to be over long before they were. I can't imagine being the first people to cut trails, settle, and lay roads through this region. It just goes on and on and on.

Finally out of the Rockies, and into Alberta: rain squalls, wind, lightening, ominous, yet graceful wind generators, and lost an hour in the new time zone.

Drove through the Frank slide area: unbelievable. I had to keep picking my jaw up from the floor of the car. I know nothing of the history of this event, but the amount of rock laying around is massive. It looks like it just happened last year, but it could have been anytime in the past few hundred years.

Belinda Beamer has been a champion, she got me safely, and if I may say so, stylishly, through the grueling rockies. The rest should be easy. Glad I got new tires on the back, especially if this pouring rain keeps up tomorrow.

Day One: Nanaimo to Grand Forks

2006-06-06T18:47:00.000-07:00

I caught the 8:30 ferry out of Horseshoe Bay, and landed here in Grand Forks a few minutes ago, road-weary, but safe, not to mention hot! Yes, the temperature has been steadily climbing all day. I love it! At about 2:00 this afternoon, about half an hour outside Hope, my body suddenly relaxed. It feels good to be away from the damp ocean air.

I stopped in Hope, at the city park downtown, around 12:30, for a quick picnic lunch: PB & J sandwich and an apple, and left town with a small chocolate dip cone from DQ. Stretched my legs in Princeton, and had a quick tour of their local museum, which was very charming, and, as one would expect, full of history. Also rocks, and a beautiful butterfly display. The attendant showed me the rock samples under a black-light, and they glowed the most amazing vibrant colours! Who knew? I grabbed an ice coffee to keep me cool and awake, and headed back into the mountains.

A long time ago, I went out with a guy who used to rave about the beauty of Keremios. Now I understand why: a deep green valley, towering craggy mountains, and fruit stands everywhere. Unfortunately, I'm a little early for fruit, and none of them were open. But I am thinking seriously about cherries. I will be ready for them when they finally appear.

The road from Princeton to Osoyoos is lovely, following along beside a rushing river, and lots of bright, green fields. I made a quick pit stop in Osoyoos, at the little library there, and decided to push on to Grand Forks. Found gas at $1.09, en route(!) and decided to top up the tank. Hope I can make it to the Alberta border, but doubtful.

Osoyoos to Grand forks is lots of green, hilly ranchland, with lots of big sky and white heavy clouds, with the highest passes dark and wooded. It's all pretty farmland here. It feels good to stop moving. I'm going to give my body the gift of yoga, and have an early night.

Right after I have a good cry about leaving my home and all my dear friends.

Sob.

Sob.

Sob.

There, that feels better.

Love to all,
Jacquie

Heading for the Open Road

2006-05-31T11:07:00.000-07:00

It's been a good couple of weeks here on the Island, reconnecting with friends and getting business in order. I'm heading out on Monday, driving across the country to Ontario, and looking forward to some sunshine and heat, as it's been steadily cool and overcast here, with the occaisional exception. Soon I will be beyond an island again, and be keeping you up to date more often. I'm planning to stay on the Canadian side the entire way east, rather than going through the States. If the future is any indication of the past, it may be a good while before I drive cross- country again, and I've never done it all Canadian, so this is the good chance. I have my CAA membership, and my car goes in for a check-up tomorrow. I expect to be at the cottage by the middle of the month.

Sea level: Nanaimo

2006-05-17T22:52:00.000-07:00

Lilac, laburnum, stargazer lilies, mock orange, iris, allium, tulip, poppy, chestnut trees, rhododendron, snowball bush, scotch broom, and sweet-scented air

I arrived this afternoon. Light filters through humid haze. It's like a golden dream. Part of me is here, the rest is still trying to catch up. Walk through the old neighbourhood, full of familiarity: dogs and cats, flowers and friends, baseball in the park, the water in the distance and the mainland mountains.

I have changed a little. Can you tell?

It's good to be back, even if only for a short while.

Austin

2006-05-14T08:17:00.000-07:00

Rich and I got on the road out of Harbingen (about twenty miles north of the border) about 9 AM, and driving north, stopped for barbecue at Joe Cotton's at around 11:30. Now that's what I call breakfast: ribs and brisket, potato salad, beans, pickles, and white bread! We arrived in Austin late Wednesday afternoon, earlier than planned. Said good-bye to Rich, and Bungey, his adorable Wheaton Terrior, as they have headed home to Massachusetts.

The weather here has cooled down into the eighties, after last week's temperatures of over a hundred. But the humidity and the temperatures are rising again. My hair is unmanageable! It was so smooth and straight in San Miguel. There must be a product for this puffy frizzball that has appeared on my head!

I took part in a writing workshop all day yesterday, and really enjoyed it. I like what I wrote.

My sister and I are going out for breakfast this morning to a place called Maria's Tex Mex Gospel Sunday, an Austin institution. After that, we're heading out to a friend's place, Martha, for a visit, and something about gellato was said. Martha's a wonderful person and artist, and she has a cute, elderly border collie, named Isabella. Some of you may have seen her (Martha's) artwork on cards I've given you.

After that, we're off to Charles' place, Mardi's boyfriend, for barbecue brisket. This is the same brisket I raved about last time I was here (well, not the exact same brisket) . I actually had the pleasure and good fortune to meet Steve, the brisket chef (along with his men's group at his church), the other evening, and was able to pass on my long and lengthy compliments in person.

I "roll into" Cassidy airport on Wednesday afternoon, and can't wait to see everyone.

Cheers, Jacquie

Las Pozas, in the Jungle, at Xilitla

2006-05-12T20:14:00.000-07:00

Xilitla Flowers

2006-05-10T18:24:00.000-07:00

2006-05-07T17:37:00.000-07:00

My last evening in San Miguel. Heading,out early tomorrow morning, estimated time of arriveal in Austin Wed night or Thursday midday. Driving up with friends to Xilitla, to see the surrealist sculpture garden at Las Pozas, and see the jungle on the other side of the divide, then carrying on to Austin.

Gotta run, the best light is happening here right now, and the cafe is closing.

Adios, Love, Jacquie

found my bank card

2006-05-06T15:38:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I tracked down my bank card this morning. Turns out I left it in the bank machine, last time I used it a couple of weeks ago. This may sound difficult to do, but it happens all the time at this particular bank machine. What happens is, you complete your transaction, you get your money, then a few seconds later you get your receipt, then, about five quiet seconds after that, your card comes out. I have often seen people leave without their cards. I have even chased somebody down the street with one! ''Senora! Senora!'' I usually pay close attention, but must have been caffeine deficient that particular day, and there was nobody in line behind me, to chase me down the street! Fortunately, some honest, kind soul turned my card in to the bank, and I just had to present my passport, and they went and got it for me. Relief. But I suspected this is what had happened, because I had scoured my room, twice.

Last night after I posted, I ran into a friend as I was passing through the Jardin, tears welling up at the thought of leaving all this beauty and love and warmth behind. It has been so good for me to be here. After talking about life and magic and writing and signs, and how people end up in San Miguel, and staying, and leaving, and standing on the bridge, watching the sky turn purple down Canal Street, and an Americano, and some mocha gelato, mariachis, action in the Jardin, I had a good sleep, and after chewing everything over, I am coming back to Canada as planned. I can`t deny that it is the right thing to do. This morning I heard myself saying to myself "you must be strong!" Because it is hard to leave this place, and because going to Ontario this summer is the right thing. Can't deny it when you know it.

But I am also coming back to Mexico, soon. I can't deny that either.

Hasta luego,
Jacquie

Cinqo de Mayo

2006-05-05T15:11:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

I´m down to my last couple of days here in San Miguel. Early Monday morning I will be leaving to drive to Austin, via Xilitla, with by buddy Rich. Some other friends will be joining us as far as Xilitla, making leaving here a little bit more bearable.

In order to manage my sadness at leaving, I have managed to create a crisis. I can´t find my bank card. Anywhere. At this point in the crisis, I fear I left it in the bank machine the last time I used it, a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, I didn´t discover it missing until after the bank had closed for the weekend.

Planning to leave before the banks open Monday.

Of course, the reason I need it is because I´m low on cash.

Today my life is unmanageable. But I have hope, and as stressful as this little blip is, it´s not life-threatening. All will be well. I keep telling myself this, but I don´t buy it.

I sound calm, I know, but I am jelly on the inside. I hate this.

To make matters even more interesting, today I had an offer stay and house-sit for some friends here, until June or July, I just have to pay the housekeeper and the utilites. It would be practically free, and it´s a beautiful home close to the centre of town. Should I delay going home? It´s tempting. But all my travel plans are made. I have a flight booked from Austin to Nanaimo, and I´ve arranged a place to stay in Nanaimo when I get there.

What do you all think? Click on the comment tab to leave me a message.

Thanks for your input. I will go and search my place again. Maybe my card will turn up. You can pray for me if you want. It wouldn´t hurt.

Muchas Gracias! Jacquie

MexicanLabour Day

2006-05-02T10:29:00.000-07:00

Today is Mexican Labour Day. It is a statutory holiday for all Mexicans.
This year it is also being used to protest the US administration's policies and American attitudes towards the Mexican migrant workers.

Recently the Bush administration announced the construction of a wall between the US and Mexico, to stop illegal migrant workers entering the country. Additionally, in the US there is a lot of prejudice against Hispanics, that they are shifty and lazy. Many Americans also feel threatened by Mexicans
taking jobs from them, even though these are jobs that those Americans wouldn't take themselves.

So today, to show how much Mexicans contribute to the American economy, no Mexicans in the US are working today, or buying anything. Also nobody is buying anything here that was made in the US, or produced by an American Company, such as, for example, Coca Cola. There are also demonstrations
being held.

Many Americans living here side with the Mexicans. We hear the stories of how the illegal migrant workers live. They pay taxes, but receive no benefits, and are eligible for no social programs. Many of them live in poverty, with very poor living conditions. Not to mention the fear of being caught and deported, and the stress of having to live underground.

America, for many Mexicans represents opportunity, and a living wage that they can send home to support their families who have no other source of income, or opportunity here. However, often migrant workers end up staying in the States, and beginning new families there. They stop sending money home, and whole families here drop into such poverty that we can't even imagine it in Canada.

There was supposed to be a demonstration this morning at 11, in the main Jardin, and a march to the American Consulate on Hernandez Macias Street, and I decided to go. At first, I thought, well, it's not my issue, it's between the US and Mexico. But then I decided that wherever there is injustice, it is
everybody's business, and so off I went. Apparently, the demonstration was held somewhere else, or some other time, or, and this is unimaginable: it actually started on time, and I was a few moments late arriving (part of the cultural aclimation). Ah well. I went shopping for a pair of shoes instead. Mexican shoes of course! ;>

Hasta la Vista,
Jacquie

Mexican Haiku

2006-04-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

My posts here have been slowing down, and there's a reason. I've been doing quite a bit of creative writing lately, and posting some of it on my writing blog, Mexican Haiku. If you want to check that out, click on the link over at the right, and you will get there right away. I've been having a lot of fun writing with other people, in my writers group on Friday mornings, and ususally during the week with my friend Kimberly. Occasionally I write alone, but find myself doing more revising on my own. The rough first draft always needs some polishing up before it's presentable in public.

Last week another writers group offered a demonstration, and invited anyone interested to come along with paper and pen. I went with Kimberly and Beverly, also from our writers group, and that's where I wrote the piece about writing in San Miguel. There were about five people in their group, and about twenty-five audience participants. Many of us read our fresh writing out loud to the group, and the stories were personal and real, and some of them were funny. There was one woman from Iceland, who wrote in Icelandic, but translated it into English when she read her piece out. Kimberly asked her if she would read it to us in her native tongue, and it was delightful! We are trying to get her to defect to our group when she returns next winter.

What's amazing about being in a writers group is how good, and interesting, everybody's writing is, how much everybody's writing has improved and grown, in just a few weeks, and how we have all grown in our concept of ourselves as writers. Some of us actually have writing goals, and are writing and submitting work for publication! Profound shifts.

My time left here is getting short. I will still try to record some of my impressions, while they are fresh and immediate (like the young women's basketball games I've been watching in the parque the past couple of evenings), but there is too much that I see here in a day, to write it all. I find myself having to decide between living life, or writing about life. Sometimes it's a tough call.

Hasta Luego,
Jacquie

El Raton

2006-04-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

I Mexico, they don't have a tooth fairy. In Mexico, they have a tooth rat. Yes, it is El Raton who comes and takes children's teeth from under their pillows and leaves them money for it. They think our tooth fairy is hilarious! Myself, I wouldn't feel all that happy about a rat reaching under my pillow, but maybe he's a cute rat, in a funny costume. I didn't ask.

What you can buy for $112.50 pesos

2006-04-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

in the Farmacia Guadalajara, on a Sunday afternoon (all prices in pesos):

1 roll of paper towels @ 7.50
1 loaf of multigrain bread @ 14.00
1 50 g. bag of pistachios @ 11.60
1 14 oz can of frijoles @ 9.70
1 package Halls lozenges, pinapple flavour @ 3.60
1 small notepad @ 11.30
2 bic roller pens @ 13.00 each
1 small package of saltine-type crackers @ 4.80
1 small package of cookies @ 9.30
1 package turkey weiners @14.70

For a rough average, I divide pesos by 10 to get dollars, but it's more like 11.
Total about $13.00 Canadian.
PS There is no sales tax here.

Some things cost about the same as Canada, most things cost less. San Miguel is expensive compared to other cities in Mexico, because the international community has pushed prices up, and stores know they can charge more. Shopping in the markets is cheaper by far, although even there, I will typically get charged more than a Mexican would for the same product.

For the very best deals, you have to go to the Tuesday market, which is huge, and scout voraciously and barter. Discuenta para dos? Discount for two?

Adios

Rainy Season

2006-04-23T16:02:00.000-07:00

The weather patterns are changing here. It still gets really hot in the afternoons, but then in the evening, clouds start gathering and thunder rumbles in the distance. Then, at night, it rains. The rain cools and freshens the air, and the mornings are delightful. It will do this all summer, apparently. It doesn't usually start this early, usually it's sometime in May, but they didn't get much rain at all last year, so it's needed badly. For example, where our gardener, Leon lives, there is no water now, and there won't be until it rains enough to fill his resevoir. His family takes their dirty dishes to his mother-in-law's house to wash them, and he is bringing all the family (one baby, one toddler and two parents) laundry here to do. Also, there is no water to flush the toilet at his home. I do not know what they are doing about that. Shayne suggested they at least fill some empty five-gallon drinking water bottles with tap water, so they can have some basic hygeine. Here, Leon has set up the washing machine so the used water flows into the gardens. The roses are happy about this! Many Texans come to this part of Mexico in the summer to escape the scorching heat at home. It puts our Pacific Northwest rains into perspective, sort of.

Guanajuato

2006-04-22T09:39:00.000-07:00

This week I took a day trip over to Guanajuato with my friend Will, and his dad, Bill, who was visiting from Connecticut. We caught the first class bus at 10 AM, for about $8.00. By quarter to 12 we were having lunch in one of the delightful squares in that city.

Guanajato is the capital city of the state of Guanajuato. It is built in a valley. We took the Funicular up the hill to the statue of the Pipili, and a guide gave us a brief tour of the city splayed out before us, and took our pictures with the city in the background.

The Pipili was a miner who stormed the granery when the people were starving during the War for Independance. He strapped a large stone, or pad, to his back so the arrows and spears of the guards inside the granery couldn't hurt him, and he opened the doors so the people could get the grain. He is a very famous historic person in these parts. For example, he spent some time here in San Miguel, and there is a plaque commemorating this on a building by the park, and a huge statue of him in the middle of the Glorieta.

This statue was comemorated in 1939, and the plaque says something to the effect that, "There are more graneries to storm!"

This is me in front of my favorite place in Guanajauto, a fountain in a square, near the University. The University has about 25,000 students, many of them come here to study Spanish form all over the world. So the city feels younger and more cosmopolitan that San Miguel. Also, there are twice asa many alleys as streets here, a pedestrian's dream! My favorite part of this photo is the Mexican children in the background at the left, looking on.

2006-04-22T09:38:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite walls in Guanajuato. It is a very colourful city.

This is what the pedestian alleys look like. They are very picturesque and charming. Colourful wals and planters cheer everyone up. The tunnel at the right is one of many that run under the city. They are old mining tunnels that have been made into roads. In this way, the cars dun beneath the city, and the people walk uabove. It's a very sensible and aesthetic arangement Guanajuato is also home to Diego Rivera's birthplace, now a museum, a Mummy Museum, an active silver mine, a market, an early 20th century opera house, the second best one in Mexico, open for tours year round, and open for shows during the Cervantes festival in the fall, and a magic festival in the spring. The city feels more open to me that San Miguel, the streets are wider downtown, and there are more squares for hanging out in. Also, the streets are paved with flat sones rather than the cobbles of San Miguel, making walking easier, but it is very hilly!
I'd like to come back and spend more time here, maybe do some Spanish immersion here. There are few Americans living here, as compared to San Miguel, and the city has a completely different feel to it.

Friday

2006-04-21T11:18:00.000-07:00

I had my writer's group this morning, so it must be Friday.
Last night I was fighting with a stiff-neck type headache, a persistant, but invisible mosquito, barking dogs, a new neighbour who is sharing the kitchen here, and then, Fireworks, Very Loud Fireworks, which started going off at 5:30 AM, and continued until after 10 this morning. This is Mexico too. I'm sleep deprived, and as soon as I finish doing my laundry, I am going down for a nice long, hopefully, blissfully, quiet siesta, with earplugs.
Walking home at noon, the heat already rising, It sunk in to me that I'm only here for a little over two more weeks, and that means every day is precious. I don't want to leave here, but I am looking forward to seeing everyone in Nanaimo, to being on familiar ground, and to the summer in Ontario. But also, I think I will be coming back here.

Judas Effigies

2006-04-16T14:07:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday

2006-04-16T12:19:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday is celebrated with many masses, inside the churches, no processions, and the exploding of the Judas Effigies outside the city hall building on the Jardin. The Effigies all represent various evil politians, in funny costumes. It wouldn't be a celebration if there weren't fireworks! One at a time the effigies dance and whisle around, then explode with a loud, baby-crying-inducing BANG! All the little kids then rush into the street to grab pieces of them. You see these kids wandering around carrying a large papier mache leg, or arm, or face. Not sure what they do with them later, but the are definitely trophies of some sort.

The church bells are ringing again, after two days of eerie silence. This has been the most intense Easter I have ever experienced, and I didn't even attend all the processions. Easter here is not the same celebration as in Canada, that is for sure. Definitely go see Jamie's photos at Mexican Botany, to see the emotion of the people.

Good Friday

2006-04-14T19:17:00.000-07:00

This evening was the longest and most solemn of all the Easter processions. The paper said it would start at 5. As I walked down to the Oratorio, the church where it was to begin, the streets were blocked off to traffic, and already lined with hundreds of people, most of them Mexican, many of them middle class tourists from Mexico City. As at all these events, there were families with small children and older relatives, groups of teens: boys with boys, girls with girls; and pairs of young lovers sprinkled charmingly throughout.

At about 6:00, the procession began. Chamomile flowers were strewn in the streets, the fresh, sweet fragrance blending with the cooking smells from the nearby vendors, and incence from the church. Then came plaster angels bourne on platforms piled with flowers, followed by an orchestra and male choir, followed by bigger angels, Jesus in a glass casket, grieving Mary, St. Peter, grieving Mary Magdelene and more saints. All the women who accompanied the saints were dressed in black dresses and high heels, with black lace mantillas, and the men wore black suits. There were the ever-present young girls in white, this time with purple sashes. Essentially, this was the funeral procession after Jesus' death on the cross.

As always at these processions, I find myself thinking about the staging, which the Catholics have down to a fine art, but also I am impressed with how moving the ceremonies are, and how attached the people are here to these traditions, which have been practised in these ways for over three hundred years. I feel the grief of Mary. I wonder about the Magdalen, and what her story really was, and what about Jesus, what was his story really? The ceremonies allow one to spend time really thinking about what happened, and why it is all still so meaningful and relevant, or not.

The procession was very long and very slow. After it finished passing, I went around to a couple other streets, to see it from different angles. The crowd was thick, and I couldn't get up close, without having claustrophobia, so I hung back. I had hoped to run into friends, but never did. At about 8:00, after a good stint of people-watching, I headed up to the Jardin, which was packed like I have never seen it before! Everyone ready to party after all that solemnity and mourning. I watched the clown show for a few minutes, and still not seeing anyone I knew (this has never happened before in the Jardin, which tells you how many people were out tonight) I made my was slowly home in the dusk.

I find myself falling deeper and deeper in love with these people.

Stations of the Cross: a Solemn, Beautiful and Moving Procession

2006-04-13T19:41:00.000-07:00

In the Conservatory at the Botanico

2006-04-10T12:39:00.000-07:00

Click on photos to enlarge.

At the Botanical Garden

2006-04-08T14:50:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up feeling like I wanted some space and some nature, so I decided to head up the the Botanical Garden. First I walked to the mall to get a memory card for my camera so I could take more than 15 pictures at a time. I've been finding myself wanting to take more pictures, but my built-in memory would be full.

It's about a half-hour walk, and the first 20 minutes is directly up a steep hill. Three rest stops on the way for this little cardio-deprived heart! But once you're at the top the views of the city and surrounding countryside are spectacular!. These are not photos of that. I got the technology I needed, and took a short cab to the main gate of the Jardin Botanico. This was the smart place to take the cab, as it was hot, full sun, and a very dusty road.

The top two pictures are of the resevoir. As you can see, it is pretty much completely silted in, and now serves as a much-needed wetlands for bird habitat.

The third photo is looking down the canyon, same vantage point as the second one. If you click on the picture to enlarge, you will see the old, colonial water system that used to bring water into San Miguel.

I took the last picture on the way home. The parrochia is visible from pretty much everywhere in the city. I tried to take another better picture, minus the dead branches hanging into the screen, but my batteries wouldn't let me. Now I need to get more re-chargeable batteries, and I will take many, many wonderful photos and share them all with you! I do have more plant pictures from the Botanico, and I'll post them later.

Viernes de Dolores

2006-04-07T21:01:00.000-07:00

Outside the Angela Peralta Theatre, on the corner of Mesones and Hernandas Macias, a man and a woman prepare this altar, while Mary waits patiently on the bench. The Viernes de Dolores is celebrated on the Friday before Holy Week, with altars to Mary's mourning throughout the city. Some of them are in the many public fountains, and some are inside, or outside people's homes. The entire city turns out and walks the streets, looking at the altars. The hosts give out juice and ice-cream to the neighbours and guests. Whole families wander the streets together, as always in Mexico, along with children and babies in arms. This festival is not celebrated in many areas of Mexico, and San Miguel is well known for it's love of this night.

In the photo below, the altar is complete with a child palying the living role of Mary.

The altar in the three photos beneath were taken at the fountain on Umaron, just below the Jardin.

Grass symbolizes rebirth. There is much much symbolism in the altar decorations, the colours, plants and symbols all represent different aspects of Mary and her suffering.

The altar below is on Recreo in the fountain I pass daily on my way into town. Some of the altars will be up all week, but most of them will be taken down later tonight.

Holy Week begins in earnest on Sunday, which is Palm Sunday, with serious processions in and around the city, and special masses. Tonight is a more relaxed, social evening with friends and family. During Holy Week thousands of visitors fill the city and take part in the many ceremonies. It's starting to heat up.

Sounds Like Mexico to Me

2006-04-06T21:48:00.000-07:00

doves coo
brooms sweep sidewalks
motorscooters roar
hummingbird wings
dogs bark
egrets gobble in treetops
church bells, frequent
siren, seldom
airplane, maybe once a day, if that
songbirds twitter, chirp, whistle
bells clang, garbage pickup
Santorini! Agua!
mariachi bands compete in the Jardin
children play
construction, by hand: tink tink tink
workers shout to each other
radios
TV's
men singing
mariachi bands competing
band practise in the park
basketball shouts!
roosters
slap of sandals on stone sidewalks
frogs sing at night

Kibbles and Bits II

2006-04-05T14:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was walking down Insurgentes Street, and met two Mexican women walking towards me. As they passsed by me I almost missed the fact that one of them held a large, live turkey in her arms, wrapped in a blanket!

Went to dinner last night at a restaurant that caters to Americans. There was a sign in the bathroom that said: Please put toilet paper in the toilet. I had to read it three times to make sure of what it really said (And I was sober!). Most of the plumbing in the old part of the city can't handle TP, and you toss it into a conveniantly placed garbage bin. So this was a mind-boggling, reverse-reverse TP disposal situation.

The Virgin of Guadeloupe is probably the most important saint in Mexico. One friend told me a Mexican told her that, “we are Guadaloupians first, and everything else after that”. Her image is everywhere, from watches to shower curtains. You will often see bumper stickers that say, “In Guad We Trust”.

Egrets nest in trees. And they gobble. They sound ridiculous! But they are very elegant otherwise, especially when they glide over head, with wings spread wide, necks tucked, and legs trailing behind, like a white shadow in the air.

Kibbles and Bits

2006-04-03T18:56:00.000-07:00

The only American chains I have seen here are a Dominos pizza and a Blockbuster Video. There are a couple of Mexican fast food places, called Tortitlan. All food deliveries are made by motor bike.

Spring is bursting out all over. The bouganvillia is brilliant, the Jacarandas are muy elegante, and many other spring blooming shrubs and plants are celebrating the season! This morning I had a parade accross my terrace. First I saw a little lizard, then a grey squirrel and then a wild cat all cut accross and then over the wall and into the canadita. Doves coo and birds sing all day long. Egrets nest in trees in the Canadita and the Parque Benito Jaurez. They fluff up their feathers and gobble at each other in mating and territorial displays. It's funny to see shore birds in trees. They are beautiful.

It's really starting to warm up here. The days get up in to the nineties in the warmer parts of the city, although here at Casa Dharma it stays cooler. The nights are not as cold and the walls in my room don't retain the cold like they did in February. I have a lot of moments lately when I feel like I'm at the cottage; there is that relaxed feeling, like there really isn't anything to do if you don't want to.

I'm really enjoying my writer's group. We meet once a week and do some writing exercises, and read what we've written out loud, if we want to. Just doing this once a week is supporting me to write more. We are using guidelines from an organization called the Amherst Writers and Artists. It's a lot of fun.

I have new neighbours upstairs. He is a klomper. One of those people with a heavy tread. My whole ceiling shakes when he walks around up there; luckily he doesn't walk around all that much. I might be able to move out into the casita, if it's ready anytime soon. My room-mate Mark is due back some time. Not sure when, probably this week. It's been quiet here without him. I haven't minded. I've enjoyed the solitude.

I'm planning to be here in San Miguel until around the first week in May, then head to Austin for a week, and should be back in Nanaimo by mid-month, before heading out to Ontario sometime in June.

One American told me he has noticed a difference in attitude, in how the Mexicans interact with him, since the Bush Administration announced the construction of a wall along the Mexico/US border to keep Mexican Illegals out of the US. I've heard this refered to as the “wall of shame”. It is apparently being built with Mexican labour.

I went to a small roof party last night, and it was a lot of fun. As the token Canadian, I get kidded about being British (who's on all your money?)( I frankly can't remember who's on our money, but everyone smiles wryling when I explain about our loonies and twonies.); but most of the Americans I have met hate the Bush administration, and wish they were Canadian. I haven't had the heart to disillusion them about the tax differentials. I took a plate of Nanaimo bars, which were a big hit. I offered one to my taxi driver: “Quiero dar a usted un postre; es el postre de mi ciudad: El Nanaimo Bar. “ He didn't seem to care what it was called, but he happily bit into it. : Rico!” he commented. “Si, muy rico, “ I replied. I had to substitute crereal crumbs for graham cracker crumbs, so the base layer was a bit crunchy, and I forgot to put the cocoa in with the melted butter, I put it in with the dry ingredients, but nobody seemed to mind, and they all got eaten. Naturalmente!

Hasta Luego a todos, and Adios,
Jacquie

Hasta la Vista, Nancy and Steve

2006-03-29T19:49:00.000-08:00

Nancy, my friend and upstairs neighbour: even though her eyes are closed, her beautiful smile shines through. Nancy was the person who brought me to Casa Dharma, and it has been a complete joy having her and Stephen for neighbours. They are heading home to New York on Friday morning, and I will miss them.

Tonight we had a going away dinner, and we were silly and put on funny hats. Patricia and Shayne have an entire collection, so there was lots to choose from. In the group picture, left to right are, Shayne, Stephen, Patricia, myself, and Nanacy.

The meal was muy muy muy delicioso. Shayne made a beautiful salad and an enchelada verde cassarole with chicken, and some wonderful iced tea and juice mixed together. I couldn't stop eating or drinking any of it. I had brought a flan from the bakery just past the Instituto, and it was probably the best flan I've ever had- creamy and rich and not too sweet. I eventually had to take myself downstairs to keep from appearing to be a complete little piggie.

Jamie's blog for photos

2006-03-27T19:14:00.000-08:00

To see more pictures of Sana Miguel and other parts of Mexico, check out mexican botany.blogspot.com. There are beautiful photos of Jamie's travels in Oaxaca and at the beach. I'm trying to add a link to her blog, but not sure how successful I am. It's pretty complicated, involving things like code. They don't have just simple button that says "add link". Noooo...that would be far too easy. Anyways, enjoy. She takes great pictures.

Jacarandas

2006-03-24T12:01:00.000-08:00

Here are those pictures of the Jacaranda trees in bloom. These photos don't really do them justice; I'll try to get some better ones up. There are even more trees in bloom now than when I took these a few days ago.

Movies at the Jacaranda

2006-03-22T19:35:00.000-08:00

I just tried to upload some pictures of the Jacaranda trees, which are in blossom now all over the city, but Blogger won't do it for me. I'll try again another time. So instead, I'll tell you about my evening at the Jacaranda Hotel.

Tonight I went to see a movie at The Jacaranda, which is a hotel nearby. From here, you walk down to the beginning of the Privada, turn right onto Aguacates, then left at the Chorro, where the women, and sometimes men, do their laundry in the public tubs in the little, shady park. Turn right at the top of the Parque Benito Jaurez, and follow the street along the edge of the park. Tonight there was a folk dance group, dancing happily on a stage where the basketball courts are, dancing, of all things, to that great Mexican folk tune, Turkey in the Straw.

Go past Sollano, turn right onto Aldama, and the Jacaranda is just a half block up on the left hand side.

I met my friend Jean there, in the upstairs ball room. They show movies here most nights, on a projector screen T.V. It costs 70 pesos, and that includes your first drink, and popcorn. No cartoons though.

It's a large, long room, with a huge crystal chandelier, which I refuse to sit under, because I'm just not sure how securely it's attached to the ceiling. From what I have seen, I do not believe Mexico has much going in the way of building codes.

Nicholas Cage: The Weatherman. Good movie about fatherhood: NC ( the weatherman if of the title)'s relationship with his father, and with his kids. Very well done. NC is so good at those underdog, loser guys who somehow get it all together in the end. I like happy endings.

Walking home, back along the edge of the park, with the sounds of basketball, and the clip- clip-clip of a couple of horses of the mounted police. (They dress in old-fashioned blue uniforms, and are extremely handsome. There are about six or eight of them that patrol the city all day. They sometimes water their horses at the public laundry. You have to watch out for the piles, but I love the smell of horse poop. In moderation, of course.)

I stopped to pat Lucio, the golden retriever who lives down the street, on the head. He always waits patiently at his gate and is grateful for all kind attentions.

Allie and Vato were here to greet me when I passed through our gate. My room-mate Mark is going to the States for a couple of weeks or so, and I'm going to look after his dog, Max, until Sunday, when Mark's girlfriend will take him for the duration. Max is a cute little West Highland Terrior. I'll try to get a photo for you.

The evenings are warm. I had taken a light shawl, but I found I didn't need it. I hear the frogs chirping and singing, and all else is quiet, but for the hum of my laptop fan.

Good night, gentle readers, buenas noches.

Dias en Mexico

2006-03-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

It's another beautiful day in San Miguel. Today is a national holiday, celebrating the birth of Benito Jaurez, the first “real” president Mexico. I think that means he was the first president after the revolution in the 1900's, and he is a national hero, but I'm not sure exactly why. I can hear the military band playing in the park (Parque Benito Jaurez) below the casa.

This morning, I woke up at my usual time, around 8:30. I was a bit grumpy, so I took myself up to the roof and did some yoga, and wrote my morning pages. I finished the notebook I began just before leaving Nanaimo; tomorrow morning I start a new one. Inevitably I feel happier and more positive after yoga, meditation and writing.

Patricia, who owns this casa, and her boygfriend Shayne, have gone away for a few days, and to save Leon, the gardener, the trouble of coming all the way into town, on the holdiay, just for this, I offered to feed the animals and give Vato his medication.

I then had a nice brunchy breakfast: coffee, toasted ham and cheese sandwich on sunflower bread, and a banana., followed by playing with the dogs for a bit. Allie has this baseball, which she has chewed to the perfect state of play: she has loosened a flap of leather, and this makes a great handle for shaking and such. It is much harder to get the ball from her to throw it, so it is mostly tug of war. It's sweet to see when Vato gets into the act, as he is so ancient, but he still loves to play. Vato is a bit of a flirt, too. He is somewhat lame, and limps around, but always with a happy expression on his face and a great interest in life, especially at meal times!

I've been thinking of having a shower, but I'm not committed yet.

Yesterday I went to the Mexican market, just down the hill from the Plaza Civica (the one with the huge statue of General Allende on horseback). This is an indoor market, with fruit and vegetable, flowers, and meat counters, and some clothing and accessories as well as food booths. I bought some groceries for the week, including: a pinapple, a jicama, some carrots, tomatoes, radishes, new potatoes, and a shopping bag to carry everything home in. I stopped in at the Buena Vida Bakery for bread, and then carried on down to the deli, for cheese and ham. I also got a few slices of bacon-yum!. Some mustard, mayo and bananas completed my shopping. I took a cab home, because my load was heavy. It is 20 pesos to take a cab anywhere in the city. And there are cabs, green and white, everywhere.

When I got home, I disinfected the produce, and made a funny potato salad, with bacon, sauteed red onion, radishes and jicama. With boiled eggs, it's a bit breakfasty, but as Raquel, our maid, said, “muy rico”. Very rich. Cultural differences are relative. I would not consider this dish rich by Canadian standards Sadly, the Pina was overripe, and I couldn't eat it.

In the evenings I often get together with a friend and hang out for a bit, but late I mostly end up in front of the computer, blog surfing, or in bed reading a good mystery story. Sometimes go out for a bite to eat, or sit in the Jardin and watch the action and talk with friends.

Most days I try to write a bit, and I usually go out to do this. And I'm learning some Spanish from a great book called Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish by Margarita Madrigal. This is a great book for learning the language, as she makes it really easy, and you can learn a lot in a very short period of time.

This is how the days pass. I'm trying not to schedule anything too demanding this week. Nancy upstairs asked me if I wanted to go to the Tuesday market this morning, but it's just too exhausting, to be out in the heat and the noise and the bustle. There are many, many distractions in this city, so I am trying to keep my time for the important things.

I am happy that I am here. It is a huge gift to be able to have a complete break from working. It's deeply restful. But I have brought myself with me, and so, many of my activities are similar to what they would be at home. There is simply a lot more ease.

This is how my days pass, in general. I've been posting mostly pictures for a while, and now here are some words. I'm here in San Miguel for another month and a half or so, maybe a bit longer, but plan to start heading North around the beginning of May. There are a couple things happening in Austin in mid-May ( a writing workshop and Charles' friend's church's men's group's brisket bar-be-cue), and then, back to the Island, briefly, before heading out to Ontario for the summer.

Beyond that is still a mystery. Stay tuned!

Spring Parade

2006-03-17T10:49:00.000-08:00

Balloon arches

Snow White

Ladybugs!

Lions and Tigers and Bluebirds

Butterfly friends

Hawwaiins

Each year, on the Friday before March 20, all the children in the area participate in the annual Spring Parade. There are about three of four hundred children, all dressed in costumes of animals, insects, flowers, Hawaiian, cowboys, ranch animals, and story book characters. The entire Mexican community lines the streets around the Jardin, and all the Americans in town show up too. It's a big production, and the kids all look so cute! I don't think they enjoyed it as much as we spectators did.

Roadwork on Recreo

2006-03-12T17:00:00.000-08:00

About a week ago, a crew of about 10 labourers showed up and started digging up Recreo. All work is done by hand with picks, shovels and strong backs. I can't take pictures of the workers, because they would take that as an invitation, and this is my main route into town. Even when being completely ignored, usually at least one of them will address me disrespectfully, with a suggestive Hola, or worse, Hi. "American" women are generally thought to be loose. So I waited until Sunday to take my photos. I'm not sure what is the function of the channel they have built down the middle of the road is, whether for drainage or support. If you look in the shade at the top of the picture, you will see the narrow sidewalk. There is an entire protocol for meeting and passing others on the sidewalk, that involves gender, class, age, and groupings such as families or friends.

Looking down Recreo towards home. The sidewalk on this side is a bit wider, but not much. Recreo is a one way street, heading home, so it's not as busy as some of the other steets. The detour around this construction, if you're driving, is a lot of fun; I call it the roller coaster.

Al Campo

2006-03-10T11:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Dee and I took a bus to a gallery opening in Cienaguita, about six kilometers outside of San Miguel. We caught the bus at the bottom of Canal Street, and it was a good thing we were early because we got a seat. A hard, narrow seat, but a seat all the same. While waiting to depart, we had three different salesmen trying to sell us their wares. Talk about taking advantage of a captive audience. Dee bought a small jar of menthol balm, for her mild headache, for twenty pesos. We declined the ice cream and the other guy, who we had no idea what he was selling. Finally we departed, and headed out into the Campo, the country.

We were on a local bus, and it was full of middle school kids in uniform, going home, and mainly women and children who live in the Campo. We left the main road, and headed off on the dirt track that runs through the country. It is very dusty and dry. These are people who have very little. We passed small brick homes and compounds with dirt yards, and the occaisional wealthier home with gardens and cars out front.

We were a bit anxious, because we weren't exactly sure where to get off. We had directions to get off at the church in Cienaguita, and walk up behind it, but we weren't sure where the chuch was, and we couldn't see out the windows to see what was ahead. We asked the driver where the church was, and he said it was a little ways ahead. Unfortunately we couldn't see, so we missed the stop, and carried on with the driver to the end of the line, which is where we took these pictures. After a ten minute break, we drove back into town, and the driver let us off at the church. Total travel time: seventy-five dry, dusty, gritty minutes.

The gallery was fun and interesting, and we got a ride home with some people we met there. Travel time home by car: fifteen comfortable, air-conditioned minutes.

How to Change a Tire in Mexico

2006-03-07T22:12:00.000-08:00

Tonight I got together with some friends to hear a Mexican man we know tell the story of his life, so far. It was an inspirational tale, from family poverty through alcoholism, addiction and jail, and his journey of overcoming all this to become a happy and productive person. Afterward, a few of us were hanging out at the coffee shop across the street, when one of us discovered her Suburban had an extremely flat tire.

“What should we do?”
“I can change that tire in five minutes.”

Six of us wandered up the street to help and offer support.

After about fifteen minutes, a couple of us went and got another car for more light, as the flat was on a fairly dark stretch of the road.

After another half an hour, someone had the brilliant idea to call roadside assisstance. They said they were sending someone out and he'd be here in fifty minutes to an hour. We decided to go get a bite to eat, and meet the mechanic back at the car.

All six of us piled into the light-providing VW beetle, and off we puttered to a Brazillian taco place, and had a mess of fabuloso food, then piled back into the beetle and back to the flat tire.

Soon, (after another phone call) the mechanic arrived, and went to work. He showed one of the guys the trick to getting to spare tire out, and the party started to break up. Three of us stayed to the end. The tire was changed, and off we finally scooted home.

Total time elapsed to change a tire: Four hours, including dinner.

View from the Instituto

2006-03-04T11:43:00.000-08:00

The Intituto is the Art Institute, started by Stirling Dickinson, back in the 1930's as an art school for veterans. This is a view of the parrochia and the Church of San Fransico, modified with the special effects on the Kodak software that came with my camera.

A Perfect Day

2006-03-03T20:22:00.000-08:00

Today was a wonderful day. For the first time since leaving Nanaimo, I feel like myself again.

I took off up to the rooftop first thing in the morning, with laptop, yoga DVD and mat, journal and pen. I had 20 minutes of yoga with Rodney Yee, and spent extra time in meditation. I wrote out my worries and plans for the day in my morning pages, and then, centred and grounded, headed back downstairs to get ready to go to La Grutta, The Grotto, with Dee. We met in the Jardin, where the Aztek dancers and drummers were so loud and colourful and powerful. It made me want to cry, I was overwhelmed by their beauty, and stamina.

The sound of drums followed us down the narrow, cobbled street to the bottom of the hill where we caught a bus (seven pesos) and rode the five miles out of San Miguel with the campesinos- radio blaring, no air-conditioning- in the direction of Dolores Hidalgo, and the driver let us off at the hot springs. It cost seventy peos to get in, and a fifty peso refundable deposit for a locker.

Then, heaven.

We settled in to a table on the lawn. There were hardly any other people there. After resting a bit we slipped onto the first pool- hot mineral water, in the bright sun. Felt like amniotic fluid. You can swim down a dark, narrow tunnel, into a large cave, the grotto, where a powerful stream of hot water pours down and pounds out anything you need pounded out. When you are done, you swim back down the tunnel and out into the sunshine, reborn. Then you can rest, lying on your lounge chairs and watch the birds bathing in a puddle, and drying their wings so gracefully in the sun.

It was a completely rejuvenating and healing day.

Festival of Frey Miguel

2006-03-03T19:31:00.000-08:00

All day and into the night these Aztek ritual dancers dance and pray. The drums beat long and loud, all around the Jardin, for 4 days and nights, but you can hear the drums everywhere in the city. The dancers pray as they perform, in colourful costumes with rattles on their ankles, dancing around a central altar on the cobbled streets, of flowers, ritual objects, and a model of Jesus on the cross. The drums are very powerful, especially when you are right in the Jardin. The dancers train from when they are children. This is one of the many festivals that lead up to Semana Santa, Holy Week. It celebrates Brother Miguel, the Franciscan monk who established the first Christian settlement among the Indian people here.

The Parrochia

2006-03-02T19:20:00.000-08:00

The Parroquia is the parish chuch; it is not a cathedral. It sits to the west of the Jardin, the central square where people meet and hang out. It is currently being restored by the local government. During the civil war in the early 1900's, all the property that was owned by the (by then) wealthy and corrupt church was confiscated by the government. Now the Mexican government is restoring many ot these old churches, mainly due to their appeal to tourists. Right now we are gearing up for Easter, Semana Santa, which is THE biggest religious or civic celebration of the year. Every night there is something going on. Kids were out of school on Monday and Tuesday, and at night the Jardin was full of them, all running around cracking confetti-filled eggs over each others heads. Much excitement and fun. Last night the church yards were full of people, out for Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.

The style of the Parrochia is Victorian Gothic, which makes Architecture lovers want to throw up, but the rest of us find it impressive and astonishing. The architect was a local man, who got his design ideas from postcards of European churches. It was built the old-fashioned way: each day the architect would draw a picture in the sand of what he wanted built, and the craftsmen would build what he drew.

Las Carnitas

2006-02-26T18:22:00.000-08:00

Today I went with a group of new friends to the Carnitas, which is Mexican Barbecue. We took cabs, as it was a few miles outside of town, on the way to La Gruta (hot springs). There was some confusion when we discovered that nobody in our cab knew exactly where we were going, including the cab driver! After stopping to ask for directions, and a bit of a scenic tour, we arrived to the cheers of the rest of our group.

You order the meat here like in Texas, except in kilos rather than pounds. The sides included Guacamole, charro style beans (these are beans cooked with onion, garlic, bacon, sausage and other yummy things), and rice. The “dining room” was open air, and there was a good view of the surrounding country. It was a bit of a relief to get outside the walls of San Miguel.

Complimentary corn tortillas and rolled-up deep-fried tortillas with a bean and meat filling, with green or red sauce for dipping, accompanied the meal. Dee and I split a kilo of carnitas, and had most of it left over. I just made some carnita and bean soup, with chipotle sauce, onion and fresh lime juice for seasoning. Delicioso!

Although the meat was well seasoned, and tender, it was a bit dry, and it didn't even come close to the Texas barbecue we had at Charles' place in Austin. But I would still bring friends here for the casual ambiance and the fun food experience, which included plates, and the seasoning of the meat was very, very good.

Reality

2006-02-25T09:35:00.000-08:00

Hi,

Hi you guys. You may think I am having the time of a life time, but things are never what you think they will be. I have been feeling disconnected, lost and lonely quite a bit of the time here. The culture and language are completely different, and I miss my friends and the familiarity of home. Making new friends takes time. Also miss having a job to go to and distract me from the intensity of self.

However, that all said, somehow I know this is where I am supposed to be. I guess I'm learning, and that's not always fun, but will probably be rewarding. I've only been here a couple of weeks, and apparently it takes longer than that to feel at home somewhere as completely different as this. There is a big difference between going somewhere for a vacation, and putting your life in storage for an open-ended adventure. I know I can come home any time I want to, and that makes it possible for me to stay a bit longer and see what develops.

Life is insane no matter where you are and what you're doing. Ah, the human condition. Gotta love it.

Bye for now, Jacquie

From: "Susan Lowrey"
To: "Jacquie Wareham"
Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2006 21:12:43 -0800
Hi, Email and say Hi. Debbie and I are wondering how you are doing. Having fun no doubt. Getting tan no doubt. Got a new email rey@teus.net. I've finally gone high speed. It's a telus miracle.

Sue

Tuesday Market

2006-02-24T14:51:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday Dee took me out to the Tuesday Market. We met at the Lavanderia, the outdoor laundry at the Chorro, just down the street from Casa Dharma. From threre we walked straight up, up, up the stairs, past the cultural centre, up to the Queretaro road, the up even more, to the very rim of the canyon. Along the edge of the city, with the Santa Domingo neighbourhood to the left, and the whole country spread out below us to the left, out in the hot 10 AM sun, out to the Gigante.

The Gigante is a large modern store, like a Mexican version of Superstore, on the edge of town. Also the home of San Miguel's first shopping mall. On the other side of theGigante, the Tuesday Market spread out like an ocean of tarped roofs before us.

Wandering between the stalls, the vendors call out to attract customers, taped music blares, each booth with its own station, competing for our attention. The powerful fragrance of ripe fruit seduces. Crowds jostle through, women with babies, women and girls of every age. Every imaginable consumer good is for sale, from prepared food, clothes, electronics, remedies, fashion accessories, toys, honey, raw chickens, produce, CD's,

This is where the people shop. We were mainly shopping for clothes. Large tables with huge mounds of clothes, each table a different price. There were 50 peso tables, 30 peso tables, 15 peso tables, and at the very back of the market, we found a 10 peso table. We should have started there, because they had some great finds- the odd silk shirt, some Old Navy, really great stuff, for about a dollar each. As we, and the other shoppers sort throught the clothes, we pull up the buried things from the bottom of the piles, and toss them on top. In this way, the clothes are all contantly being circulated for everyone to see. There aren't any mirrors, so you just pull things on over your clothes to check the fit, much to the entertainment of any male bystanders, and rely on your friend's opinion as to how it looks. I came home with practically a whole new wardrobe, for about $35 dollars.

San Miguel Streets

2006-02-21T19:03:00.000-08:00

Casa Dharma Sunset Views

2006-02-21T07:42:00.000-08:00

Lunch, the San Miguel Way

2006-02-20T17:25:00.000-08:00

Today I had plans to meet Dee for lunch. We met at the Biblioteca, and wandered the city looking for the perfect place to suit us both, some place not to noisy, stopping in at this shop and that to browse and window shop. We finally ended up at a place on the "Ancha" which is short for Ancha de San Antonio, the main street coming in to San Miguel from Leon, and also the main commercial street in the Colonia (neighbourhood) de San Antonio. We ordered, and soon our meal appeared. The name of the restaurant is Hobo's, and it was cool, dark, nearly empty, with cloth tablecloths and napkins. I ordered the comida, which is a set meal, with four or more courses for a set price. It is served at midday, is the largest meal of the day and is quite reasonably priced. All you need in the evening is a snack. Today the comida consisted of a choice of soup, a choice of main, choice of dessert, and tea or coffee, for $100 pesos, about $10. I had a thin chicken soup, rich with flavour and meat, the main course was a large chicken breast in a tangy mustard sauce, with rice and steamed veggies, accomanied by warm rolls with butter. For dessert, I had flan, which is a traditional Mexican dessert. This one was a bit cakey, usually it is more like custard. Black tea throughout toned the meal. All very, very delicious.

Dee had a tuna salad, which came beautifully garnished with avocado, tomatoe, cantaloupe and carrot. quite substantial and refreshing, for $35 pesos, or about $3.50.

When we were nearly done, a friend of Dee's happened by, and we sat with him while he ordered and ate his lunch, chatting about various interesting topics of delight to all. John made the very pithy and correct observation that one of the differences of living in San Miguel, compared to "home" is that in San Miguel, if you get three things done in a day, you feel all the accomplishment of a full day's work, whereas chores such as dry cleaning, grocery shopping, etc are things that would be accomplished on the way to, or home from, work, "back home". So true!

Lunch ended at quarter to four, only because I had to leave to meet another friend. Otherwise, who knows how long we would have been there, lunching on, and on, in San Miguel.

Cross Cultural

2006-02-19T17:33:00.000-08:00

I was chatting today with a young Canadian woman who has been living with a Mexican man. I asked her about the challenges of different cultures. She said there are similarities, and differences. For example, Mexican men need their mothers. They want their girlfriends, or wives, to perform all the tasks that their mothers did for them, such as cleaning, laundry, cooking etc. If the wife doesn't do these things, the man will literally go home to his mother. However, this woman said when the differences between them become too great, she goes home to her mother, who also lives here. That is the similarity.

I had a request for a picture of me, here, so I figured out the self-timer on my camera, and here I am- in Mexco! I took the picture on the rooftop this evening. The other picture is the table in my room, where I write this blog.

The party I went to last night was fun. It was early, 7-9, and very laid back and relaxed. I met some new people and even had a ride home on a motorcycle!

Saturday, not that it makes much differrence...

2006-02-18T15:05:00.000-08:00

Today in San Miguel, it is, as always, sunny and warm.

I had a few days of feeling really lost and lonely here, but have started to get to know a few new friends. It takes time. I'm still tired a lot; the competely new culture, a new city, the altitude, and isolation of not knowing anyone, all taking a toll. I have to rest often. That whole siesta thing makes a lot of sense here, too, as it is very warm in the mid-day.

I'm still not used to having a maid and groundkeper here every day, and we can't communicate at all. I'm picking up a little Spanish, but not much, and feel very self conscious, because courtesy is a big part of the culture here, and there are lots of things I don't know. For example, in a restaurant, the waiter will not bring you the bill until you ask for it, as that would be considered rushing you off rudely. And then, you must give the money to him directly, not just leave it on the table. That would be like saying the server is not worth your personal attention.

Tonight I have been invited to a party to celebrate a new friend's graduation from university. There will be lots of people there, mostly American. I am looking forward to my first Mexican Fiesta!

Thanks to everyone who has left me a comment either on the blog or by e-mail. Good to know you're all still out there.

Casa Dharma Rooftop Views

2006-02-15T14:58:00.000-08:00

Looking north up the canyon wall, and west out over the city.

Welcome to Casa Dharma

2006-02-14T11:17:00.000-08:00

Casa Dharma is a Tibetan Buddhist Retreat where I landed on Sunday, and have rented a room here until the end of April. However, I may never leave. I don't have any pictures yet of the other people who live here, but everyong is very friendly and helpful, (not to mention good-looking). I feel safe and at home. It's like a big family, but everyone has their own space too. We're up above the city, out of the pollution, and backed by a canyon. The large Parque Jaun Benitez is just a few minutes walk away, and shops are just beyond that. Everything is within short walking distance. I am happy here.

2006-02-14T11:12:00.000-08:00

Allie the wonder dog. Bhatto, the other wonder dog is an ancient male chocolate lab, who is hard to take a picture of, as he usually just turns out looks like a big shadow. I will keep trying, because he is a real doll. These two keep us feeling very safe here. Last night Allie was up barking at something, probably a possom, or a cat, but if it was a burgler, he definitely got scared off.

2006-02-14T11:10:00.000-08:00

Welcome!

2006-02-14T11:08:00.000-08:00

The beautiful doors to the casa

2006-02-14T11:04:00.000-08:00

La cocina

2006-02-14T11:02:00.000-08:00

The dining room area

2006-02-14T11:00:00.000-08:00

My fabulous room

2006-02-14T10:57:00.000-08:00

The "doors" of my room. They take up most of one "wall".

2006-02-14T10:50:00.000-08:00

The terrace outside my room. It is shady most of the day, but the open door in the wall lets in light and warmth from the canyon outside.

Posada des las Monjas

2006-02-13T14:04:00.000-08:00

These area few photos of the Posada I satyed in for three nights. It is on Canal street, a very busy, steep street, leading up to the Jardin, the main square where Mexicans and ex pats gather to meet, or pass the time.

This was my door-handle. Very rustic. The Posada was originally a convent.

Courtyard

2006-02-13T14:01:00.000-08:00

This courtyard sits beneath my terrace, and I passed by it to come and go from my room. The afternoon I arrive, the fountain was going, but they shut it off at sunset that evening, and never turned it on again. Mexico is a mysterious land.

City view

2006-02-13T13:58:00.000-08:00

This is the view of San Miguel from the terrace outside my room at the Posada

San Miguel, Safe Arrival

2006-02-10T14:17:00.000-08:00

It's now 1:45 in the afternoon, and I've survuved my first morning in San Miguel. I got a late start this morning, and tried to get directions to the AA mtg, but the English speaking staff here at the Posada were not working, and I was told I needed to take a cab. I didn't feel up to that straight off, so I did my usual, walk up to the Jardin, which is the main square in front of the cathedral, and asked some nice-looking Americal woman for help. I am so lost here. I am very glad for all the English speaking people here. We collated her map with my map, and I found the street where the meeting was supposed to be. I headed off, no money, no breakfast, to meet up with my new friends here. Eventually, I found the place, although I was half an hour late, but half a meeting is better than none at all. I was kindly welcomed, given a meeting list and a list of phone numbers.

After the meeting, I chatted a bit with a new friend, Sally, who fed me breakfast and had a lead on an apartment for me, just around the corner from the meeting room, and from her own place. I am going to look at it later this afternoon. I walked back up to the jardine, got some money from the bank machine, asked some more strangers where ot go for a good cup of coffee, had my caffeine fix, got a copy of the Atencion, which is the English newspaper that comes out once a week, and here I am back in my room, retreating and collating.

There are 7000 English speaking people living in San Miguel. It feels very safe here. But that being said, there is a rapist on the loose here. He has attacked 4 women over the past month, all of them single women in their sixties, who live alone in wealthy homes. The police are working on catching this man. So I have been warned not to walk alone at night, to take a cab. Probably good sense anyways, and cabs are cheap here.

I feel so vulnerable, not knowing where anything is, or how to ask for help, although my tactic of finding approachable people in the Jardin seems to be working out just fine.

The men here are not as aggressive as I had been led to believe. They don't say make remarks on the street to you, but I am wearing my “wedding ring” regardless.

It is beautiful and charming here, and I am feeling more positive about the city.

And it's hot.

Political Statements, Austin Style

2006-02-08T21:33:00.000-08:00

Outside many Austin homes, you will find some Americans express this sentiment...

2006-02-08T21:31:00.000-08:00

while others feel this way about the political situation.

2006-02-08T21:21:00.000-08:00

The political statements of some, however, are a bit more obscure.

Barbecue, Texas Style!

2006-02-08T20:52:00.000-08:00

I promised I would tell you about Texas Barbecue. First I will say it is the best meat I have ever eaten in my life, and I've eaten a lot of meat. All you veggies may as well stop reading right now, or else you might get converted.

So last week after the basketball game, Charles escorted Mardi and me to Luling, to the City Market, to sample real Texas Barbecue. These are photos of the fine gentlemen who cooked out meat. It's more like smoking than what we know in Canada as barbecue, which is grilling over coals. These places have a separate room, with a wood fire drawn into large "ovens" where the meat cooks ever so slowly and fragrantly. The meat gets tender and absorbs all the wonderful smoke aroma and flavour.

When you arrive, you head into the smoke room and order your meat. In Luling, they had only ribs (pork) and brisket (beef) left by the time we got there. Barbecue is more of a lunch thing on Saturdays, and we were there for dinner. You tell them what you want and they cut it off the rack for you and slap it onto a few pieces of brown paper. No plates. No cutlery. You tell them how many slices of bread (white bread) you want, and in this case, sweet or dill pickles. You order your "sides" and your drinks, and get your sauce, up at the front. Beans, coleslaw, potato salad, and pop. They let you have a plastic fork for your sides. The sauce was mustard-sweet-vinegar, not hot; perfect for the barbecue.

Then you pull up wooden chairs to a wooden table and dig in. It ain't elegant, but you are so happy you don't care.

I was so excited I forgot to take a picture of the actual food, but you can see one of the cooks holding up a side of ribs behind the loaf of whit bread in the picture on the left.

Then the next day, we had the most amazing brisket that Charles' friend James had cooked up practically all day and all night, for his church's fund-raiser. I could not stop. Even though I was in public, and usually I can show restraint, this meat was so tender, juicy and richly smokey and flavourful that we were all of us a little beyond showing restraint. But life is short, and food that good doesn't come along everyday. Trust me, you have not truly eaten until you have had this Texas Barbecue.

Shopping at the Mall

2006-02-08T13:37:00.002-08:00

Well, this is America after all, and you really should join the party when you're in town. Barton Springs Square has 4-5 major department stores, connected by hallways full of shops. My favorite shopping experience was at Nordstroms. They know how to put it all together there.

2006-02-08T13:37:00.001-08:00

A pretty shrug for chilly evenings in the sqare, or at a cafe.

2006-02-08T13:37:00.000-08:00

Every gal's got to have a lucky t-shirt!

2006-02-08T13:33:00.000-08:00

My run to the market slip-ons love the colour.

2006-02-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

2006-02-08T13:30:00.000-08:00

I Love Diesel. Theses sweet little shoes will get me around town in comfort and style. Fabulous

Photos Miraculously Recovered!

2006-02-08T10:47:00.003-08:00

Well, somewhere in my laptop there is a Goddess of Lost Files. So I can show you some of my tour of The Capitol Building. It's a beautiful building, and a historic monument, and there is a lot of symbolism in the design and art. Texans are very proud of Texas, and the state has a dramatic history, having held six different flags over the course of its European history. I highly reccommend the tour if you are in Austin. It fills in some of the historical highlites, like the BAttle of the Alamo, and the Battle of San Jacinto. It's free, and takes about 45 minutes. You are also right downtown, and could easily visits some of the local art galleries.

2006-02-08T10:47:00.002-08:00

Standing on the ground floor, in the main hall, looking up four stories into the rotunda.

2006-02-08T10:47:00.001-08:00

This is a small meeting room just off the main hall where the legislative representatives meet.

2006-02-08T10:47:00.000-08:00

One of the many symbolic floor designs. This one is in the main entrance. It os some kind of stone inlay

2006-02-08T10:46:00.000-08:00

Many original light fixtures grace the interior.

2006-02-08T10:43:00.000-08:00

This shows some of the detail at the top of the colums that are sprinkled tastefully throughout halls and staircases.

2006-02-08T10:41:00.000-08:00

This is the view looking South from the Capitol, down South Congress Street, the main business street in Austin. Coming the other way, The BUilding makes a strong, neo-classical statement for miles.

State Capital

2006-02-07T16:00:00.000-08:00

I'm having technical difficulties with transfering pictures today, between programs in my computer. As far as I can tell, this is the only photo I got saved from my tour of the capital building this afternoon, before the reat of them were somehow deleted. I know they're in my laptop somewhere, but who knows where?. It's a chandelier in the Senate. The lightbulbs on the points of the stars each form letters that spell out Texas, in case you ever have amnesia while in the building.

At least I got to save a pretty picture.

Game Day

2006-02-04T19:58:00.000-08:00

What I didn't get pictures of, because they were too far away, was the fella in nothing but a black speedo and a matching black lacrosse helmet, the cheerleaders, the dancers, the school band, the mascots, the coaches: about eight of them per team, in suits and ties, the baton twirler, the half-time basket shooting contests, the two three-year-old girls, emulating the dancers from the sidelines, the shirtless young men, each with a large letter painted on their fronts spelling "Texas", the singing, yes singing, Oh, and the basketball game. It was televised, so maybe you saw it. I was there. It was a great spectacle of entertainment, and a whole lot of fun! Austin is a fun fun town, and you should all plan to get hear ASAP.

2006-02-04T19:54:00.000-08:00

Before the game, Mardi and I met up with Charles, Orville and Mark at this restaurant near the stadium. Notice the profusion of orange shirts. This is the Texas Lonhorn team colour. Also, notice the sunshine, and the lack of sweaters, jackets and coats.

2006-02-04T19:50:00.000-08:00

This is a shot of the stadium before the game stated. The University of Texas Longhorns are rated in the top 10, but the Texas A&M are not, so it wasn't a "big" game. At one time, the Longhorns were ahead by over 20 points, but the Aggies were able close the gap to 6, so it was an exciting game.

2006-02-04T19:46:00.000-08:00

This giant bottle of barbecue sauce drifted around the stadium at half-time. I will tell you more about barbecue tomorrow.

2006-02-04T19:43:00.000-08:00

My sister Mardi, and her boyfriend Charles. Don't they look cute together?

2006-02-04T19:42:00.000-08:00

A sea of burnt orange. When the Aggies try to shoot a free throw, all the students jump up and down and try to distract the thrower. It doesn't usally make any difference, but the students (who stand behind the goals for the entire game) take this job seriously