Monday, March 5, 2012

The Whirlwind Never Ends

One and all,

Mexican life continues to be busy. Since the last blog offering of the sunset sequence, which was last Thursday, we have been busy socializing, even when we hadn’t intended to. I did pick up a cold and we did not go to Nacho Daddy’s Thursday night as I was at the low point of my cold. It was about then that I realized that I stopped working on December 15th and since then have had 1 healthy week up until now. Also was sorry not to go, as Gene and Gay, from Atlanta, had one of their sons in town. Would have very much like to meet him, but just was not up to the prospect of socializing that night.

We did make it as far as La Fuente down the hill. While have some liquid refreshment, the cook, Angie, gave us a rather generous sample of a traditional Mexican drink (non-alcholic), Tejuino.


It is a corn-based drink. They take the same ground corn that is used for tortillas and mash it up, add lime juice, and brown sugar. Surprisingly, it is not very sweet and certainly would be very refreshing on a hot Mexican afternoon.

Friday joined a group of friends to go back up to El Rio BBQ. I have talked about this previously and it is sort of becoming a regular Friday excursion. The owner sends a shuttle for us and we spend about 4 hours sitting in the sun, drinking, enjoying lunch and listening to Roberto and Bobby play the hits of our generation for a couple of hours. It was not quite as crowded as last week, but it still was a good turnout. Met a few more people, as always. Had lunch with a very nice couple from Victoria, good friends of Ray and Mary Anne (as you doubtless know by now, “the Dancing Couple”) . A fun time, lots of dancing and good conversation. At 5 we got in the shuttle to return and 4 strangers jumped in, robbing us a proper farewell to Ray and Mary Anne who leave on Sunday morning.

Saturday looked like a free day, at last! I, of course, screwed it up. I felt that we had not really had closure with Ray and Mary Anne, who had been so gracious to us for the last 6 weeks. So, despite a free evening, I decided we should hunt them down and say good-bye. One thing you come to find after some time here, is that people become very predictable and establish set routines, as do Polley and I. So, about 5:30 we headed for a place called Coco Tropicale. The Happy Hour is a particular favorite of Ray and Mary Anne. Sure enough, there they were. So we had a drink with them and officially bid them adieu, promising to come to Victoria in the next few month and looking forward to next January. I also, while promising myself that I had enough sunset photos, had to take yet another.


As we left the bar, I said to Polley, “Now we can have the rest of the evening to ourselves.” Fat Chance!

I had made a reservation at Baccon de Vino, a little Italian place that we had experienced once with Neal and Judy Higgins. We had very much enjoyed it, especially the Niçoise salad. So I had booked a romantic table for two in the secluded courtyard at the back of the restaurant. We had no sooner sat down and ordered some wine, then Neal Higgins, Judy and two friends of theirs walk in, having had the same idea. Soon our table for two was two tables for 6. Don’t get me wrong, it was fun and we always enjoy Neal and Judy. Their friends, the Tedermans, Jim and Jane, we had met before. In fact, when I first came to UP, Jane was in charge of Information Technology. It was fun, but not what we had planned. As I believe I have said before, “the unexpected is the only thing you can expect in PV.”

Sunday was another event. We were going to return to El Rio BBQ. Every Sunday, Kurt offers a BBQ Buffet along with a Mariachi Band. So we decided to join Gene and Gay for a trip up river. At the last minute, our landlord, Alfred Grieg and his partner, Elli, asked to join us and they would drive. So about 1 we headed up the Rio Cuale to a little Mexican village called Paso Ancho. I have shown pictures of El Rio before. Sunday was a whole different experience. When we arrived there must have been a couple of hundred people, many of whom were already standing in the buffet line. We had a reservation and were escorted to a lovely table. Here you see everyone: Going around the table from left to right is Gay, Gene, Alfred, Elli, and, of course, Polley.


It was a bright sunny day and we sat and had 3 hours of animated conversation and some food as well. We were unsure of how Gene and Gay and Alfred and Elli would interact, but our theory held up once again: if we like this couple and we like this other couple, the two couples will doubtless like one another. It proved true again. However, I am not sure we will do the BBQ again. There must have been about 300 people there; the line for food was slow, and the food, while good, was nothing special enough to wait in line for. Not surprisingly, given the crowd Kurt must prepare for, the Friday food off the menu is better and it arrives right at your table!

About half way through the afternoon, the Mariachis arrived and provided some lovely music through the remainder of the afternoon.






I have become a fan of the Mariachis! They are wonderful musicians, very versatile and largely the music is uplifting. It was a great day and Alfred and Elli were kind enough to take Gene and Gay out to their place, north of downtown, while Polley and I trudged up the hill, full of food and tired of body. We would be in for the rest of the night! More soon.

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