Update on Mexico -- trip to Bernal

Since Anne told me she was trying to follow the blog, I decided I better add to it. I had great visions of posting every day, but we have been extremely busy—and when we got back to the hotel, we just wanted to rest.

Usually, I find writing somewhat relaxing, but not here. I have never been a great typist by anyone’s standards in the best of circumstances. Here it is more difficult for three reasons:

1) The keyboard is multinational—if you have never dealt with a multinational keyboard then you may ask “What´s the big deal?” I can assure you it is a big deal. While most of the letters are in the same place, there are extras (ñ for example). The punctuation marks are in lots of different places.
2) Many of the letters have been rubbed off. This might not be an issue to many—especially for a “touch-typist”, but I need the comfort of knowing that when I press a key, what letter is going to come up.
3) Linda is either watching or hanging around in the background somewhere, waiting for me to get off the computer.

We are having a great time. The people are very warm and friendly, if shown courtesy. And while I am proud to be a Texan and an American, I don’t wave it around. When people find out I am a Texan, they don´t say much until I say “Not every Texan is George Bush.” That usually puts them at ease, and they make some joke about it. I don´t have much problem with W myself, but apparently the rest of the world hates him.

Yesterday we went to a small community called Bernal. Our friend Andrea took us. She is so funny. I think she wanted us to buy something in every store. I was sorely tempted and had to keep reminding myself we were flying. Andrea introduced us to the local gorditas. They were outstanding and Andrea ate several herself. I began to call her “La Gordita” and she thought that was funny. I was able to add to my growing collection of tequila shot glasses there. Andrea calls them “caballitos” (little horses) but the sign on them said “tequilleras”.

Saw a couple of museums when we got back—one we really enjoyed about the “Restoration”, or when the Mexican Republicans defeated Maximilian. (If you’ve ever seen “The Undefeated” with John Wayne, it is about this period. We saw a modern art museum, which I would not have seen if I had realized what crap was in it. (And it the only one that has cost us!)

Other than Andrea I fell in love at least twice yesterday. Once with Monica the girl at the tourism office, and once with Anna. Anna was in the courtyard of the hotel and I asked if she was guest. She affirmed she was, then I Asked if she spoke English, to which she replies “Un poco.” This surprised me, as most will say “un poquito”, ao I assumed she spoke a little more than most. She told me she was a paleontologist and was here with several others to attend a symposium on gastropods. We had a delightful visit.

Today we are going to an archaeological site a few miles from town. Tonight is the piece de resistance. The Peruyeros are taking us for “alta cocina Mexicana”, or high Mexican cooking. Andrea said she didn´t know how to say it in English. Being a burger and chicken-fried-steak man, I don’t either, but I think the French call it “haute cuisine”. This will be our last evening here. I am not particularly looking forward to getting back to work, but I am getting tired of thinking in Spanish, paying in pesos, and calculating in metric. I am also getting VERY tired of typing on this damn keyboard, so this will close my entry this morning.