Sunday, December 16, 2007

it happens


Where to start? Friday…we took our exams at school and got outta there and I went to my host family’s house to eat and gather some things because I planned on staying with Janae all weekend. So Priscilla and I go home and have this really good soup with vegetables in it and these really little beans and our mom asked us to try it with banana slices, estaba muy bien! After eating, Janae and her parents scooped me up from the house to hang for the weekend. Janae and I got ready and went out to the downtown area to a place called “El Pomodoro,” it was a cute little pizza- pasta restaurant. We were there with 3 other students from school and after eating, decided to go to another restaurant nearby. It was cold out and the restaurant we went to gave us shawls to wear thank goodness because we sat on the patio. I really liked that place. It was in the middle of the “square” that was downtown and it was a really cute Italian place. There was a live band playing Gypsy Kings upstairs at a private party and the atmosphere was nice. We were not there for long and afterwards went to a club that was within walking distance. We didn’t know what we were getting into…there were strobe lights and a fog machine and that place was hectic! We were for sure the only tourists in there. To make a long story short, I lost my camera and it sucked! Janae and I were dancing and I just had it on my wrist and it must have fallen off, but I didn’t feel it because I had a little wrist purse on as well. Anyways, we did what we could to get it back, like tell the employees and the front door man, but shit, we’re in Mexico. I don’t blame the person for taking it, but it just sucked. So, pictures will be postponed.

ANYWAYS, on Saturday we went to the city Tepoztlan with Ana Garcia, the woman who Janae’s mom was taking cooking classes from. She is an amazing chef and seriously is so cute! Here is the link to her page: http://www.lavillabonita.com/
She works in Cuernavaca but lives in Tepoztlan and speaks English very well. She is married to a man named Rob, who she met when he was studying Spanish here years ago for University of Texas in Austin. She took us under her wing and could not have been more hospitable. We met her for breakfast Saturday morning and after that headed to Tepoztlan, which was a 35 minute drive from Cuernavaca. My jaw was dropping at how gorgeous the scenery was in that city. There were so many mountains and they were so beautiful; like out of a movie or something. So we went to a market there for jewelry and other souvenirs and the mountains were surrounding it. It was just amazing to look up and there be a huge cliff right there. Very surreal. The market itself was beautiful too, except for the food part. I was already not feeling very well and we would walk by and see dried crickets or whole goat heads- mmm. The smells were just undescribable, at times I had to breathe through my mouth. The vendors had clothing, pottery, jewelry, hand made soaps and lotions, little trinkets, shoes, cooking utensils and other random things to sell and most of the shops were set up along with one major street. It was fun to see so many different things but like most markets, you just keep seeing the same things over and over with the vendors. It was great and I got some cool stuff. Janae and I got these really cute skirts and I also got a pair of really pretty silver earrings. After this market, we went to another market in another city about 30 minutes away, which I forgot the name of, but this market specified in pottery and we were for sure the only tourists there. This market was not so “touristy,” like the town was really small and unknown and that market only goes on during the weekends, as opposed to every Wednesday and Sunday like the one in Tepoztlan. I saw real poverty there and it was hard to imagine what these people go through everyday. Many people were begging for money and were in need of new clothes or a shower or even shoes. It really opened my eyes and made me feel good that I was helping those people when I bought things there. Pottery there was dirt cheap. You could buy 5 or 6 pieces of nice, big pottery for like 20 bucks. I couldn’t load up because I’m scared that the pieces I did buy will break or that I won’t have enough room or something. We left there after about an hour and went to Ana’s home in Tepoztlan for dinner; she was kind enough to have us over. Her husband cooked steaks and she made a delicious potato dish, with cheese, cream and peppers. She also served fresh sliced cucumber with salt, pepper, vinegar and some olive oil. Soooooo good! It was so simple, but so fancy looking and seriously to die for! So we ate at her lovely home, which was picturesque. Her house is one of those really cute little Mexican looking ones, with bright yellow paint and vines growing all over it and flowers everywhere. The front of her house faced the mountains and there was a hammock on the front porch that looked so relaxing. Her golden retriever, Chuy, meets you as you come to the front door. The inside was filled with beautiful items. Like a unique, carved wood couch with pretty blue cushions, this huge mirror that had intricate detail that hung in the living room and made the place feel so spacious, cool Mexican designed runners on their tables and just really pretty stuff. The house was really open and airy too. After eating we caught some cabs home and crashed out. We slept like babies since we were up so early.

Today, we were up by noon and met Janae’s parents at the Universal restaurant that we have become fond of for lunch. After that we walked around and did some shopping. We are back at home now and Janae’s mom has been kind enough to treat us all to massages from this lady Ana referred her to. I am up here in about 20 minutes and can’t wait! I haven’t had a massage in a long time and really could use the tension release. We chose to have an exfoliating ones with mango lotion and sugar.

3 comments:

kobi Benita said...

Hi Miyan, Enjoyed reading your blog this morning and am sorry about Mom's camera.Hope the Massage was good. Love you and miss you, Dad.

Unknown said...

Miyan! I just read all of your blogs, it sounds like you are having an awesome time, im super jealous!!

I hope you have a lot of fun! Can't wait to see you when you get to Dallas!

GM&GF said...

Como esta, Miyan? Having plenty of frijoles? Grandfather and I hope you like your experience in Mexico and come home safe and sound and full of enchiladas, tacos, tamales, rice & stuff! Adios. Love, GM