CELEBRATING LIFE

Here in Mexico, the Mexicans know how to have a good time. They celebrate everything from birth to death. Years ago when children didn’t live very long due to illnesses, the parents would have a big celebration for their child’s third birthday. It is also the presentation of their daughter to the church.


This week, we had the privilege of participating in such a celebration. Miguel and Mercedes, the owners of Rinconcito’s Restaurant (where we frequent a couple times a week), invited us to the celebration of their daughter’s, Andrea’s, third birthday. We weren’t sure what we were getting into because we never had heard of this type of special celebration.

For weeks, Mercedes had been making decorations of flowers, angels, bags of goodies, etc. They asked if we would come. The church services would be at 3:00 p.m., at Templo de las Monjas (temple of the nuns). Afterwards would be a dinner, a clown for the children, and live music for dancing. WOW…all this for a third birthday.

We agreed to participate. It was on Tuesday. Tuesday is the only day that Rinconcitos is closed. By this time, it had been raining for 48 hours straight. We would normally walk to town; however, it was really pouring rain. We hailed a taxi. It was the best 25 pesos we have spent in a long time.

Once we got to the chapel, we saw four individual kneelers all decorated in white, along with a little white chair. This service was going to be much more than we anticipated. The chapel was filling up with people, mainly gringos. Later we were told that is because the Mexicans had to work; however, they would be at the party.

Soon, Miguel, Mercedes, and Andrea arrived. They were all dressed up and looked wonderful. Andrea looked like a little angel all dressed in white. The priest met them at the entrance to the chapel. He blessed Andrea and then asked the parents and the padrinos (Godparents) to all bless her. They proceeded to the front of the chapel and took their places at the white kneelers. The priest led prayers and also gave a special sermon about the special life of a child. A child is a special gift from God. It is the parents and padrinos responsibility to ensure that Andrea is raised to have a good life in the church.

For a three year old, Andrea was doing a great job in being very patient. After a while, she was fidgeting with her dress. It was scratching her around her neck. The services finished, we took a few pictures, and it was time for the party. Good friends of ours, Tom and Linda, offered us a ride to the party so six of us climbed into their SUV.

The party was held at Crystal Salon. It is a very nice banquet hall very close to our condo, about two to three blocks away. We walked into the room and everything was all decorated. There were ten large tables all decorated in pink. It was set for 100 people. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by a waiter with glasses of wine.

In one corner was an inflatable bounce house for the children. Soon a clown and several helpers arrived. The children were all seated at a special table and hamburgers and french fries were delivered to them. After they ate, there was a face painter. All the children were having a great time.

All of the adults went to the buffet and were served a delicious meal of chicken breast with a special sauce, penne pasta with a light tomato sauce, lightly breaded chicken tenders, salad, fresh fruit, and bread. The wine and other drinks continued to flow all evening long. While we were eating, the electricity went out. No one got upset. The party continued and about 45 minutes later, the electricity came back on. For dessert we had a delicious birthday cake.

Now it was time for the clown. All of the children gathered around the front of the room. Andrea, the guest of honor, was given a special seat. It was amazing to watch this three year old sit in this seat for as long as she did. The clown was very entertaining. Even the adults were paying attention.

Behind us out in the courtyard, a woman was setting up a special machine. We finally figured out that she was going to make cotton candy for the children and young adults or anyone who wanted this sweet, sticky sugar. When the clown finished, the live band began. They played great dance music and everyone got up and danced. After a while, more food was brought out for everyone to enjoy, sweet corn on a stick.

We finally left the party around 9:30 p.m., and walked home in the rain. The party continued until midnight and a good time was had by all. We are thankful to have had the opportunity to participate in another Mexican tradition.

NO SCHOOL - SAN MIGUEL'S VERSION OF A SNOW DAY

Today is Wednesday morning. It has been raining for 65 hours non-stop. The forecast is for rain all day today and tomorrow, with a possibility of more on Friday. At three o’clock in the morning, we had more thunder and lightning.


Yesterday afternoon, we got an email from Dianne who co-ordinates the volunteer English teachers at Los Ricos telling us that school would be cancelled. We usually have about 25 volunteers with five or six drivers. The roads are barely passable on normal days. In fact some portions don’t even qualify as a “road”. Dianne spoke with Lucha, the principal, and both agreed that the road to the school after you cross the dry river bed was “muy feo”…”very bad/ugly”. Dianne was afraid that the SUV’s may slip off the road and down the hillside.

We were so looking forward to teaching. It would be an opportunity to get out of the condo. It feels like we are back in Michigan on a cold, snowy, winter day. The only exception is in Michigan we have central heat. Here, we are dressed in layers inside the condo. We have also lost our electricity a few times in the past couple of days.

It will be a good day to stay inside and do some serious cooking. The only problem, we will need to go to the market. We will have to give that some extra thought. Stay tuned.

WEATHER IN SAN MIGUEL

This was written Tuesday morning after 40 hours of non-stop rain with more thunder and lightning.

Rain, snow, sleet, or hail

We have it all in San Miguel

Some may sit in Michigan and ponder the cold

We are here to observe the untold

People are lured here by the charm and beauty

But no one tells you January weather is no cutie

So far, 2010 has been very weird

To stay warm, Bob is growing a beard

We know the sun will shine again

Until then, we will listen to the rooster and hen

HAIL TO SAN MIGUEL

The weather in San Miguel Allende (SMA) has been very unusual for the month of January. We arrived in SMA on January 2nd from Oaxaca. While in Oaxaca for the month of December 2009, we had very nice warm weather. While taking walks, we were always looking for the shady side of the street.


Upon our arrival to SMA, it started to rain. Rain in January is very unusual. For the next two weeks, we suffered through a very cold spell. Also a very unusual period of time. Then we had some normal weather mixed with some very cloudy days. Then we had snow, the first snow in over 33 years. Well, on Sunday, it started to rain in the afternoon. It continued to rain non-stop.

We had dinner plans with a group of friends at a Rinconcito’s. It is a local restaurant here in Colonia San Antonio. At 8:00 that night the rain subsided and the hail began, we were sipping wine and making idle chit chat at our dinner table. Soon the sound of hail pounding the restaurant was deafening. Sam went over to the window, opened it, and was amazed at the hail on the window sill. One of our friends grabbed a handful of hail and made an ice ball.

Just another day in Mexico. Hail to San Miguel!

SOME ENCHANTED EVENING

How many times have you seen a neighbor or a friend and you reluctantly stop to chat for a few moments? You look at your watch and say, “Gotta go, so much to do, we should get together sometime”. But you never do. Well, here in San Miguel (SMA) we have plenty of time to stop and talk with old friends, new friends, shop owners, or someone we just met.


Our first year in SMA was 2008. At that time, we were living in a neighborhood called Atascadero (now it is called Arcos de San Miguel). Atascadero was an easy walk to the jardin because it was all downhill. However, coming home at night was a different story. On a cold March evening we ventured out to centro in search of a place to have dinner. Here in SMA everyone dresses very casually. Bob always wears “smurf”, the nick-name of his blue backpack. We looked at several restaurant menus and decided to have dinner at Nirvana’s. Smurf was also welcomed to the table by Nirvana’s staff.

Nirvana’s is a very nice place. We were cold, dressed in jeans, sweaters, jackets, scarves, and gloves. We decided to sit inside for obvious reasons. We had a nice glass of wine (or two) and a very nice dinner of rack of lamb and venison. At the table next to ours was this very lovely couple. He was dressed smartly and she was dressed very elegantly.

We glanced at each other from time-to-time and traded smiles and pleasantries. After dinner we invited them to our table for a glass of wine. They declined the wine but still joined us. Their names are Don and Bea. They had just celebrated Bea’s birthday. Don is a retired dentist from Cleveland. He is an active Rotarian and is a past International treasurer for Rotary. We got along fine and enjoyed each other’s company. But when it was time to go, Sam, Bob and Smurf climbed the long hill back into Atascadero. Don and Bea took a taxi home.

Last year (2009) we were walking through the jardin and noticed a couple. Sam said to Bob, “I think that’s Don and Bea…you know the couple we met at Nirvana’s last year. They are from Cleveland”. Bob said, “Are you sure”? As we got closer, it was in fact Don and Bea and they recognized us. We stood and chatted with them for a long time. During our conversation, Don asked if we were coming back to SMA in 2010. We said, “Absolutely, but this year we will be living in Colonia San Antonio”. He invited us to celebrate Bea’s birthday on March 20, 2010. By the time we finished talking with them and others we knew, we had been in the jardin for over 2 ½ hours. Our original purpose of going to centro that day was to go to a couple of markets. Guess what? The markets will always be there. Your friends and other people you know may not.

Last week (2010) we were taking another walk in the jardin. It was Saturday afternoon. And guess who we saw? Yep, Don and Bea. They had communicated with us a couple of times during this past year via email about their SMA travel plans and we finally found them. This year they are extending their stay here in SMA. We sat in the jardin and chatted with them for about 2 ½ hours. We couldn’t believe how fast the time passed. Don and Bea are very active. Every day they are out and about enjoying dinner with friends, going to plays, concerts, etc. They asked if we had plans for Monday night dinner. We did not, so we arranged to have dinner together.

So Monday night we dined together: Don, Bea, Sam, Bob and Smurf. We took them to one of our favorite restaurants…Planta Baja. We know the manager, Juan Carlos. Juan Carlos and his staff took very good care of us and they were very attentive of Don and Bea. We had a wonderful evening. We arrived at the restaurant at 6:30 p.m. At one point Don asked Bea what time it was…none of us could believe it was already 10:10 p.m. The time flew by and a good time was had by all. Don didn’t know that Bob had secretly paid for the meal. Don clearly wanted to pay for half but we insisted otherwise. Finally he said, “I guess it’s kind of like buying a meal for your Mom and Dad”. Exactly right, which is a compliment to our parents and to Don and Bea. But, when it was time to go, Sam, Bob and Smurf climbed the long hill back into Colonia San Antonio. Don and Bea took a taxi home.

Don and Bea, who have been sweethearts forever, recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Of course, we hadn’t yet been born at the time they got married or when Don joined the Rotary. Anyway, their extended smooch at the dinner table was a little hard on the restaurant staff who suggested, “Maybe you need to get a room”.  Some enchanted evening, indeed!

Please meet our special friends:

QUINCEANERA?

You may be asking yourself what is a “Quinceanera”? Quinces are traditional Hispanic celebrations introducing a young woman into society. This special celebration happens when the girl turns 15 years of age. It is usually celebrated with a special mass, "Acion de Gracias", thanking God for their lives so far, asking for spiritual guidance for the future and this is followed by a grand party.  Many times, an outsider may confuse this celebration with a wedding because of the elaborate dresses, tiaras, and decorations. It is one of the most important days in a young girl’s life. The young girl will dance in front of everyone at the party. Her first escort is called a chambelan.

Yesterday in San Miguel de Allende, three special girls, Lupita, Pilar, and Roscio, were celebrating their “Quinceanera’s”. This was indeed a very special day for these three girls because they live at Casa Hogar Don Bosco. Casa Hogar consists of three homes for young and teenage girls and boys in need of a home.  Many of the children were abused, abandoned, or their families are too poor to feed and care for them. Dedicated Dominican Nuns care for and love these children. For the past several weeks after their English lessons, the three young women have been taking dance lessons to ensure they would be ready for the special dance at their Quinceanera.

Several people within the community came together to ensure these three young women had the opportunity to participate in one of the most important days in their lives. They provided special dresses for the girls, shoes, etc. They coordinated a special mass at the La Parroquia (San Miguel de Allende’s Parish Church) and a grand party for over 170 people at Casa Angelitos http://www.casaangelitos.com/  The young women were beautiful.  All three wore tiara’s, looked like princesses, and danced with their chambelan.  This was certainly a memorable day for many.

WHY WE LOVE SAN MIGUEL

San Miguel de Allende is a very interesting city. The architecture is colonial; it has cobblestone streets and sidewalks that are very narrow; and the landscape is of beautiful mountains. The city is over 450 years old.


We can walk the streets and be among the local people. We live in Colonia San Antonio. It is a relatively large neighborhood compared to others in San Miguel. As we walk, we take time to talk with the neighbors and shop owners. Last night on our way home from dinner at 10:30 p.m. we stopped and chatted with Graciela. Graciela runs an Internet cafe. We were in the cafe earlier in the day to have some copies made from our computer memory stick. Tonight, she didn’t have any customers, so we talked with her for about twenty minutes…all in Spanish. We can’t have too many Mexican friends in the neighborhood.

The bounty of fruits and vegetables is wonderful and the price inexpensive. The other day, we were at Mercado Ramirez and bought a small container of fruit. When we got home, Sam cut it up and put it in a bowl. All of this fruit for 10 Pesos or $.81.

We have our favorite tiendas for meat, produce, bread, cheese and lunch meats. It pays to be a loyal customer because the owners get to know you. The other day, we went to La Cava. La Cava sells cheeses, lunch meats, dairy products, frozen seafood, salmon, leg of lamb, etc. We were interested in getting some salmon. The owner had a large frozen fillet of salmon. We asked him if he would cut us two fillets from the center. He said, “Claro que si”, “Yes of course”. The staff is always very friendly. Try that at Costco!

Many days when we are out walking around, Bob tends to head in a certain direction around lunch time. There is a small torta or sandwich shop on Calle Umaran. Bob loves their fresh pork torta. It is heated and has tons of fresh baked pork leg on it. It also comes with cheese, tomato, avocado, onions, and lettuce. This torta is so big that we can split it and feel very satisfied. All this for only 30 Pesos or $2.43. Bob also purchased a small bag of chips from the tienda next door. He opened the bag and it had a prize inside…a brand new two peso coin ($.16).

Sam on the other hand, likes to gravitate to Mercado Ramirez for lunch. We can get a shrimp cocktail for 19 Pesos or $1.54 each. The place is called Los Delfines (the dolphins). Every time we have been there, the counter is full of local people. Experts always say, “Eat where the locals do”, and we do.

Yesterday, there was snow on the mountain top and today it is 72 degrees.  We understand that this is the first time it has snowed in over 30 years.  We saw a pickup truck go by with a small snowman on the top of the cab with happy children laughing and cheering.  Other locals told us that people were stopping their cars and letting their children have snowball fights.

We have a lot of friends. We can take a walk and see several people we know. And guess what, they have time to stop and chat. Unlike at home where everyone is always in a hurry and they say, “We must get together soon”. But you never do. Right?