TLAYUDAS, EMPANADAS, MEMELOS, TEJATE, CHOCOLATE Y PAN, CHAPULINES

Memories of wonderful street food in Oaxaca. I probably would not have learned about or tried all these things if it weren't for my friend Irma. She loves to eat at the markets and at the puestos on the street, and she knows the good ones.

One night, we went to the market -- I believe it was the Benito Juarez market -- and I learned that chocolate y pan is a favorite late night snack. You can have chocolate de agua or chocolate de leche. Chocolate de agua (chocolate mixed with sugar and water) is more traditional for Mexicans, but chocolate de leche is more to our north american taste. Along with it you get pan de yema, a big puffy roll that is yellowish inside (yema is egg yok). You dip big chunks of bread into the hot chocolate and eat it --- usually there is some left to drink too. Yumm.

Another night we went to the same place -- Abuelita's -- and ordered tlayudas which are gigantic crisp tortillas topped with beans and meat or chorizo or cheese. We each ordered one, but neither of us could finish the whole thing. Unusual -- for me at least.

One day, on our way to find the right vehicle that would take us to Ocotlan, south of the city (more about that later), suddenly Irma spotted a stand that she knew (she has a good eye for food) on the street. So, other plans went on hold for the moment, and we sat down and ordered empanadas ... and then memelas. They are similar.... but different masa and different fillings, different shapes. This time we ate it all!!

Tejate is a very traditional drink originating from prehispanic times and each maker guards her recipe carefully and won't allow outsiders see her make it. It doesn't look very appetizing to a gringo eye but I developed a taste for it -- mainly because Irma never seemed to pass up an opportunity to have some, and I always followed her lead. It looks sort of like pond water with foam on top and the taste is hard to describe, but it is very thirst quenching and refreshing. Toasted maize flour, fermented cacao beans, mamey pits, and flor de cacao are ground into a paste, like a sort of mole, and then mixed with cold water by hand. When it is ready, a pasty foam formed by the flor de cacao and oily mamey pit rises to the top. It is served into cups out of huge pottery bowls. Each cup gets a bit of sugar water, then the tejate topped with a little of the foam.

Chapulines -- grasshoppers. You find them in every market, fried with lime and seasoning -- whole or chopped up. I started with the chopped up version, and then moved on to the whole ones. I have to say it was a bit easier to eat the whole ones when they were wrapped up in a nice warm tortilla. Good protein source and surprisingly tasty!!

I found a spanish "dicho" that fits my food experience in Oaxaca: "Atascate ahora que hay lodo" or "Pig out while you have the chance".

EL ORGULLA VA ANTES LA CAIDA

That's my best effort to translate our english saying "Pride goes before the fall". And it refers to the fact that I have been sick. I should have known better than to brag to people that I had been in Mexico for 4 months and had never been sick. I always knocked on wood promptly when I realized I was tempting fate by saying it out loud, but finally fate had her way.

I got back to Queretaro early Monday morning after an all night bus ride (Irma's very good suggestion), and got busy immediately unpacking, admiring all my wonderful Oaxaca purchases, washing clothes and getting the house ready to turn back to her owner for the month of January. I have to say the house is looking much more colorful now -- when I arrived everything was very beige.

Tuesday I went to the market for some fresh fruits and veggies and did other errands. By afternoon I was really dragging and thought I just needed a siesta before going to see Kikey's performance in the Pastorale at the theatre. But then I started having chills, body aches, and a headache and then vomiting and diarrhea (TMI?). Needless to say, I didn't go to the Pastorale, and I thought for sure I was in for a week of H1N1. But Wednesday morning I didn't feel worse which was a very welcome surprise.....however, not well enough to keep my appointment in Tequisquiapan (an hour or so away by bus) to have my hair cut. Today I finally got out of bed and showered, ate some breakfast, and ventured out for a very slow walk to go buy my bus ticket to the Mexico City airport Sunday. I was surprised how exhausted I was when I returned home.

On my walk today, I saw how the city was preparing for the New Year's Eve Celebration tonight. There is a tianguis set up next to Jardin Zennea with comedors (eating places) and vendors selling dulces. Opposite Jardin Zennea is a huge bandstand and next to it are lined up a bunch of brand new bicycles and tricycles ..... my guess is part of the entertainment tonight will be giving away those bikes to some lucky kids. I am supposed to meet Sylviah and her mom at Plaza de Armas at 9:00 tonight to see the sights and then go to their house for la cena (late supper)to celebrate the arrival of the new year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR -- PROSPERO ANO NUEVO!!!!

ADIOS OAXACA

Tonight I leave Oaxaca on a night bus. Hopefully, I will sleep the whole way and wake up in Mexico City at about 5:30 AM where I will get a bus to Queretaro. Leaving at night gave me a lovely Sunday to enjoy Oaxaca, and I will get to Queretaro (again hopefully) before noon, so I have the day there too.

I realize that I haven't stayed true to my vow to write more regularly. The problem has been that I want to do and see everything, so I leave in the morning and often don't return until late at night when I'm so exhausted that it's all I can do to brush my teeth, take a shower and fall into bed. When I AM here in the hotel (Casa Arnel) in the morning, I don't have WiFi in my room so to write on the blog or check email I have to be in the patio downstairs or the terrace upstairs where I tend to get into conversations with other very interesting travelers from all over the world: Australia, South Africa, Vancouver, France, California. So my efforts to write are short-lived.

Today, after spending 2 hours figuring out how to pack all my purchases -- 3 small rugs, a bedspread, a huipil and skirt, several blusas, and several things requested by friends -- into the bags I came with, I went to Irma's house for breakfast with her and her mother and cousin. Irma is a great cook .. we had queso in salsa, fruta (mango, chicozapote, and papaya), churros to dip in hot chocolate, and carrot/orange juice. Mmmmm, muy rico.

Then we went to the Oaxaca Textile Museum where there was a spectacular exhibit of Guatemalan textiles in a beautifully restored old building. From there, we walked over to the Zocalo where the Sunday afternoon concert was underway. All kinds of people there enjoying the music and, toward the end, dancing the "Danzone".... a formal kind of particularly Mexican dance -- sort of a combination of waltz and rumba. After the concert, we walked up Alcala, the andador (no cars), to look for a large canasta (basket) for me, because I hadn't quite been able to fit everything into my suitcase. We ended up at Marco Polo Restaurant where we found the rest of Irma's family. Marco Polo happened to be the first restaurant I went to when I got here two weeks ago, so it was sort of a nice touch to end the trip there..... great pescados y mariscos.

EL CONCIERTO

Last night we, Irma and her family and I, went to a concert in Teatro Alcala. From what I understand, the musicians were from different places and this concert was the first time they had played together. The conductor was from Israel and was quite young. We got there an hour ahead of time to get good seats, so we were all sitting in the 5th row.

In Mexico, the government subsidizes arts and culture so that most people have access to this kind of performance. The tickets were 20 pesos (about $1.50), and the seats were not reserved, so what seats you get depends on how early you get there to wait in line. Last week we went to a performance of Rigoletto (in Italian with Spanish subtitles). The tickets were a bit more expensive.... I think about $15.00.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It made a big difference to me being able to sit close to the stage which I've never been able to do at the Flynn. The cellist had two solos (accompanied by the symphony) and he was brilliant. I don't go often to symphony performances -- this experience changed my attitude toward them. The audience was wildly enthusiastic about the performance -- the energy was contagious.

ME ENAMORO DE OAXACA

I am in love with Oaxaca!! I have been so busy walking around exploring, eating, drinking, visiting with Irma and with Ellen and Ron, listening to music, and watching parades that I haven't taken time to write.

Today is an example. I met Ellen and Ron early and we walked up the hill to the west of the city for good exercise. Then I picked up my laundry at a place a couple of blocks from my hotel, Las Mariposas, and then hightailed it back to change my clothes and get to my cooking class on time.

The cooking class was by Nora Andrea Valencia and was advertised to be vegetarian. I wouldn't have chosen vegetarian, but it was the only class I could find that wasn't already filled. But what luck!!! It was spectacular!! We first went to the market, El Merced, which is a small market for the barrio. Nora explained that many of the venders at this market come in from the outlying pueblitos with vegetables and herbs they have grown in what we would call an organic way, but it is the way these families have been growing things for generations. The vegetables and herbs are small, but have great flavor. They are referred to as "criollo" foods. She pointed out and described the uses of many different kinds of grains, vegetables, herbs, chilis, cheeses, and, of course, chapulines (grasshoppers) and gusanos (worms).

We then returned to her home -- which was quite beautiful by the way -- and began to cook. The menu was Empanadas de Verduras, Sopa de Hongos, Salsa de Miltomate con Gusanitos de Maguey, Frijoles Con Hierba de Conejo, Guacamole de Molcajete, and for dessert, Tamalitos de Pina. Nora was an excellent teacher and an inspired cook. Everything had a depth and complexity of flavors that she attributed to the great variety of herbs and chilis used and her methods of preparing them.

Oaxacan cuisine is the best I've had in Mexico. I would call Oaxaca the New Orleans of Mexico -- because in my opinion New Orleans has the most distinctive, varied and delicious food in the U.S.

I didn't get back from the class until about 4:00 and was exhausted so napped for a couple of hours. Then I left to walk to the Zocalo to see what was going on there. On the way I happened on a little musical group in front of the Temple of Santo Domingo playing things like Pachebel's Canon in D. I stopped and listened until they finished and then continued down Calle Alcala where I ran into a little parade of a group of men in lovely Spanish looking costumes singing "Cielito Lindo". They passed and I continued on to the Zocalo which was filled with people as usual and about 3 different musical groups.

On the way home from the Zocalo, I found another parade -- this one was for a wedding -- complete with large puppets (Monos) and a gigantic cloth globe (marmota), a band, folkloric dancers and men handing out small cups (a little less than a jigger) of mescal.

Just another day in Oaxaca during the season of Navidad.

CALDO DE PIEDRA

I think we all know the childrens' story "Stone Soup" --- as I remember it, the poor family has nothing but a pot and some water, so they put a stone in it and invite everyone they know over to have some "stone soup", but everyone has to bring something to put in the pot. So in the end everyone enjoys a soup full of lots of yummy things.

Well, this stone soup -- caldo de piedra -- is altogether different. It is a prehispanic ritual meal prepared only by men. As I said in the last post, Aurora , Javier and I arrived in Oaxaca earlier than expected -- in fact we arrived at the time most Mexicans eat their big meal of the day, at about 3:00. So Yolanda, Aurora's and Javier's friend, directed us to meet her outside of the city, and she took us to a restaurant that specializes in this particular meal. The man who owns the restaurant had gotten permission from the elders of the pueblo where this dish originated to make and serve it in his restaurant, and a certain percentage of his income goes back to the pueblo.

It is the preparation of the soup that makes it so special. One man puts the ingredients into bowls made from gourds that grow on a local tree: tomato, onion, cilantro, salt, chili pepper, whole shrimp (heads and all) and a chunk of local white fish. He hands the bowls to other men who line them up on a bench in front of an open fire where river stones are being heated (reminiscent of the temezcal). They fill the bowls with water and then add a stone from the fire to each one. The mixture instantly boils and when it settles down, they add another stone, and continue this way until the seafood is cooked.

The bowl is then set down in front of you, held by a little donut shaped straw thing (because the bowls are round on the bottom) with the final stone still resting inside. It's quite steamy so you have to wait a bit to dig in. While waiting for it to cool, we enjoyed quesadillas made with the huge tortillas particular to this area.

What a feast!!!

LOS PEREGRINOS EN BICICLETAS

Here I am in Oaxaca several days earlier than I had planned. Last week, Aurora and Javier found that they needed to go to Oaxaca for a project they are working on with a community here, and there wasn't funding for plane tickets. So they asked if I would like to ride with them Friday instead of taking the bus on Monday as planned. I had to scramble to get some things done that I wanted to finish before leaving, but I managed to get myself ready in time.

It was of course much more pleasant to have the company of Aurora and Javier than to ride alone on the bus. We evidently made record time, arriving in Oaxaca in 8 hours, because of a new highway that entirely bypasses Mexico City. Along the way we saw many, many groups of bicylists riding along the shoulder of the highway led by trucks decorated with shrines. They were either going to or coming from the Basilica de la Virgen de Guadelupe in Mexico City. Saturday, December 12 is El Dia de Guadalupe in all of Mexico, and many people make yearly pilgrimages to her church in Mexico City. The Basilica was built on the hill where Juan Diego saw the vision of the Virgin Mary in the 1500s. So many people from all over Mexico make this pilgrimage that they have to assign different days to different pueblos to make their visit.

One cannot overstate the importance of La Virgen de Guadelupe to Mexicans and to Mexico. Back when the Conquistadores arrived, they had two objectives: finding gold and treasure and converting the indigenous people ("pagans") to Christianity. Many orders -- Dominicans, Franciscans, Jesuits and others -- found rich ground to impose their religion. But the indigenous peoples were pretty resistant; they had no choice but to go along with what was being imposed on them, but they continued to believe deeply in their own gods which were mainly related to nature: corn, water, animals, fire, earth, the sun. The vision of the Virgin appearing to Juan Diego, an indian, helped the people incorporate Christianity into their own belief systems. When you study closely the shawl of Juan Diego onto which the image of the Virgin was imprinted and which hangs in the Basilica, you see many symbols and images which are definitely pagan and not Christian. Surrounding the Virgin are rays representing the sun, she stands on the crescent moon, and on her cloak are stars and the number of stars has importance. There are other symbols too numerous to go into.

The Spaniards built their cathedrals and churches on top of the places of worship of the indigenous peoples, but they couldn't completely bury the soul and spirit of the people. The indians were forced into slave labor to build the grand cathedrals, but often they carved images that, unbeknownst to the bishops, were from their own belief systems. Viva la gente!!

LO SIENTO

I apologize to all my followers -- not that there's that many of you -- but I did promise some time ago that I would make an effort to make a posting every day, and I have not kept that promise. Not even close. I notice my last posting was November 30 -- two weeks ago!!

I'm afraid my habit of procrastination has followed me to Mexico. Every day I think I'll have more time and energy tomorrow, but of course, something else interesting comes up the next day, and so it goes. Also, I think I've been too ambitious about posting lots of photos. It takes a lot of time to get them to appear where I want them in the text, and so it does take a lot of time. So, folks, only one photo per post and sometimes none.

I do want to get back to more regular writing because usually I don't have anyone to talk to about what I'm doing, so it's my way of sharing and enjoying again in the telling of my adventures.

Here's a random market picture just because I'm hungry and waiting to go out to supper with a nice couple I met here at Las Mariposas who are from Moscow, Idaho.

BIENVENIDO ABUELITA -- AJO!!

This is what we all shouted each time a new hot stone, or "abuelita" (little grandmother), was brought into the Temazcal. Temazcal is a ritual Mayan steam bath -- what we call a sweat lodge in native american culture in the U.S. -- and I was invited to participate in one this past weekend while I was in Tequisquiapan.

What an experience!!

I had already made plans to go visit Ceci (I spent 2 weeks at her place in September learning Spanish) and get a haircut with my new favorite haircutter, Christian. Christian is from Los Angeles and speaks English and Spanish because his family is Mexican -- he was working in the film industry, got worn out with the frantic pace, and decided to set up shop in Tequis for a while. Great hair cutter, and a really lovely guy. Anyway, Silviah's mother, Herminia, when I had dinner with them last week told me about this Temazcal that she and some friends were going to in Tequisquiapan and invited me to go. Never one to pass up a unique opportunity, I of course accepted without really knowing what I would be getting myself into.

Ceci took me there (she declined to join me in the experience), and it was in a part of Tequis next to the presa (reservoir)where horses, cows and goats were grazing, that she was not familiar with. I got there before Herminia and her friends, so felt a little nervous, but a young woman greeted me very warmly and invited me to change into different clothes -- I had been instructed to bring light cotton shorts and shirt, or a bathing suit. Inside the walls of this compound were a few little stucco buildings, some fruit trees, and a small round structure framed in rattan and covered with fabric, and next to that structure was a fire which was heating up a pile of rocks. The area was about twice the size of my backyard.

While we were waiting for the rest of the participants to arrive, the young woman who was Peruvian, Rosario, beat a drum as another woman tended the fire. The Temazcal is an ancient ritual of purification which is meant to be not only cleansing but spiritually uplifting. We were instructed to let go of any expectations we had of the experience and approach it with the attitude of a child, totally open and attentive to whatever we felt or experienced.

Rosario blew the conch shell to the four directions and her assistant, the beautiful woman in the Mexican blouse offered incense or copal to the four directions. Then we were invited one by one to enter the lodge, and each person was "smudged" with copal to disperse negative energy.

After I was smudged front and back, I was gently told to say "for all my relations" as I entered the small opening and to crawl on my hands and knees around the inside clockwise until I found my place next to the person who entered before me. Speaking about our relations was a way to acknowledge that we all carry with us all of our ancestors and offspring.

There were about 12 of us, 11 women and 1 man. Rosario said it was good that we had at least one man because it was important for woman to increase their masculine energy and for men to increase their feminine energy. After everyone had entered, including Rosario and her assistant, we formed a circle on woven mats around a central area that was a shallow hole in the earth encircled with local flowers. Rosario explained that there would be four stages to the experience each honoring one of the 4 sacred elements: earth, air, water and fire. Then one of the helpers outside began to carry hot stones from the fire with a pitch fork into the lodge one by one. As each stone arrived we shouted "Bienvenido abuelita" and Rosario drew an X on it with a piece of copal as she placed it in the middle. When about 8 stones had been placed, she asked that the door be closed and it became dark except for the red glow of some of the stones. She asked that each person share their name and their reason for coming to the Temazcal. As each person finished they were to say "ajo" (pronounced a-ho), so that the next person would know they were finished. This is all in Spanish so as the people took their turn, and it came closer and closer to my turn, I was feeling pretty anxious about saying something in Spanish to this group, but the darkness helped. After the last person spoke, Rosario began to dip a branch of eucalyptus leaves into a bucket of water and slap the branch onto the stones. As the steam formed, it became unbelievably hot, and we were instructed to breathe in and out through our noses. I kept my eyes closed and just concentrated on breathing, as I felt sweat dripping from every part of my body. At first, I thought, I'm not going to be able to tolerate this for long, but then I settled into the experience and let go of wondering "how long" or "what will happen next". It was a very intense meditation because the physical experience is so extreme that there is no room for thoughts or mental activity.

At some point, Rosario asked us to join her in shouting "Puerta" which was the signal for the outside helper to open the door. I remember being a bit disappointed because I thought it was over too soon. Little did I know, we had just begun. Remember the four stages? Well that was just the first one. After we cooled off a little, more "abuelitas" began to arrive, then more sharing -- this time I believe it was about what we wanted to ask for. Then as the eucalyptus branches and the steam began, we were to breathe in deeply and then vocalize as we breathed out. That actually felt great. The heat this time was even more intense, and again once I relaxed and settled into it, it felt fine. After the second stage, cups of water with some herb in it were passed around. I wasn't as thirsty as I would have thought I would be after all that sweating. At this point, my clothes were as wet as if I had jumped into a pool.

Each stage got hotter, but I think my body was adjusting so that the subsequent rounds never felt as difficult as that second one. There was no more talking after the second stage, but Rosario sang and chanted, sometimes in Spanish and sometimes in indigenous dialect. One of the women in our group asked to sing an ancient nahuatl song which was absolutely beautiful. Of course, this singing and chanting would happen only before or after the intense steam. During the heat, it's pretty much impossible to do anything but breathe.

After the third stage, we could have lovely cold water poured over our heads and necks if we wanted. I was surprised that only a couple of us asked for that. I thought it felt exquisite! After the fourth and final stage, and the door was opened there was a tray of beautiful fresh and cold pieces of fruit presented and passed around. Watermelon and oranges never tasted so spectacularly wonderful!!

AJO!!!

When I looked at my watch after showering I realized 4 hours had passed. The aftermath was that by the time I walked home to Ceci's house, I was exhausted. I ate a light supper and was in bed by 8:30, but my skin looked fabulous and my lung congestion was gone. The next day, I felt great. I would like to say that suddenly I can speak Spanish fluently, but, sadly, that's not the case. I'm still working at it.

YOGA MEXICANA

Ever since I arrived here, I've been thinking it would be good to find a yoga class. I do walk a lot which is, of course, great exercise, but I'm afraid my strength and flexibility which I've worked hard to maintain in Pilates at home will fade away quickly. I did a little yoga with Ceci when I was studying spanish with her out in Tequisquiapan, and it felt good, but my online search for yoga in Queretaro was unsuccessful.

Finally, one day last week on a long walk along the river next to Avenue Universidad which is one of the outer boundaries of the historical center, "El Centro", I spotted a yoga studio which was closed at the time. I was on the way to a movie with Kikey the next day and telling her about this find, and she told me there was another yoga place on Nikolas Campa much closer to my house.

On Monday, I walked over to check it out, but it was closed -- I had forgotten that Monday was another big Mexican Independence holiday --- the 1910 revolution.... not the 1810 one which is celebrated in September. This one was much more low key - my excuse for not realizing it was a holiday. Anyway, when I finally went there a few days later and inquired about classes, the receptionist handed me a brochure describing the classes and the requirements. I have to say I was a bit daunted when I read it. I needed to have a certificate of health from a doctor, 2 small photos of myself and an introductory interview. The photos I could figure out how to get, and my spanish is probably good enough to get through an interview, but the doctor thing stumped me -- I don't have a doctor here.

I had coffee with Aurora the next day, and mentioned to her my dilemma about the doctor, and she said (of course in spanish), "That's no big deal. You can just go to the pharmacy next door, pay 50 pesos (a little less than $4) and a doctor will examine you and give you a certificate." So she took me down to the pharmacy, and sure enough, I paid my 50 pesos and a lovely young woman doctor asked me some questions about family history, listened to my heart and lungs, looked in my eyes and ears and gave me a certificate. No blood pressure check though.... interesting. Who knew it could be so easy. I suppose at home I could have walked into the Walk-In Care Center, but I probably would have had to wait a really long time, and it certainly would have cost a lot more than $4.00.

A word about pharmacies here.... I was walking past a different pharmacy yesterday and was handed a flyer about the services they offer. For example, you can go the pharmacy and get a resting electrocardiogram for 105 pesos (about $7.50), or a gynocological ultrasound for 165 pesos (about $13.00) and a lipid/cholesterol test for 340 pesos (a whopping $26.00). Okay, folks, check your health insurance receipts to see what you were charged the last time you had any of those things done in the U.S. of A.!!!!

Back to the yoga: it is called Solar Yoga and is part of The Gran Fraternidad Universal which is a worldwide organization evidently started by a Serge Raynaud De La Ferriere. According to the brochure's description, the first 30 minutes sounds like vigorous physical exercise, then you take a shower for 15 minutes and change into different clothes (preferably white), and then 10 minutes of relaxation that sounds like a body scan, then 15 minutes of something called gnani yoga, then 15 minutes of asanas, ending with 5 minutes of exercises for the eyes. Certainly will be all new to me. My first class is next Wednesday. By the way, my sign up fee was about $10 and a month of classes 2 times a week is about $15.

PENSAMIENTOS

While Marty was visiting, she suggested that I write in my blog some more personal reflections on my experience here, so I'll give it a try.

By this time, a little over 2 months into my stay here, I am feeling more acclimated. I know my way around El Centro very well and don't need to carry a map around any more. However, language is still a problem, and that is what I'm going to talk about..... the difficulties of immersing oneself in a foreign culture and learning the language. My spanish has definitely improved, but I still usually feel on the periphery of experiences, conversations and relationships. Of course, I realize that in my life, I have often FELT a bit of an outsider, and I think that is being compounded in this experience where I actually AM an outsider.

I can express thoughts and requests, etc . as long as they are not too complicated, and I can understand people when they speak directly to me, although sometimes I have to ask them to repeat or speak more slowly. But when I am with a group, and people are speaking among themselves, it is practically impossible to follow the conversation. I can usually get an idea of what they are talking about, but not the details which means I can't really participate.

I have been to some very interesting events... a couple of plays, a movie in spanish and a movie in italian with spanish subtitles. And there too I can follow the general plot and all, but I miss the subtleties, the little phrases that add depth and emotion to the story. The same when I read stories in spanish. I try to just read without stopping every few sentences to look up a word in the dictionary, and I can get a general idea but again I miss the delicious little details.

I'm reminded of my experience as a child when I put on my first pair of glasses at the age of 8. I am quite nearsighted, and had probably been needing glasses for years before someone noticed. In those days, kids didn't automatically get tested for stuff like that as they do now. When I put on my new glasses for the first time, I was stunned, amazed and fascinated to find out that trees were not just green fuzzy things and grass was not just green fuzzy stuff on the ground. There were actually beautifully shaped and defined leaves and very sharp and pointy blades of grass!! So I am hoping that eventually my language skills will improve to the point where I have 20/20 understanding.

In the meantime, I do have some pretty amusing experiences. I was browsing in a store recently and the owner struck up a conversation with me in spanish. He, of course, realized that spanish was not my own language and asked me what WAS my language, and I told him I was from the U.S. He asked me where in the U.S., and I answered "Vermont", and I could tell from his expression , he had no idea where that was (many people here understandably have never heard of Vermont -- California, Texas, Chicago, New York, yes -- but not Vermont). So I explained (in spanish)that it was in the north near Canada and that it was very cold there. He said, "oh yes, I saw a movie .... with the ex-wife of Tom Cruise..who was that?" And I said, and god knows how I pulled this out of some dusty archive of my brain, "you mean Nicole Kidman?" And he said "Yes, that's it... and it was about the civil war." (remember this is all in spanish) And I say, "Oh you mean "Cold Mountain" (again, how did I remember this?).... that took place in Virginia, I believe, not Vermont"."Oh", he said, "well, it was a great movie". "A great book, too", I said and went along my way, grinning to myself.

SAGRADO Y PROFANO (MORE ON PATZCUARO TRIP)

I stole this title - Sacred and Profane - from my Jungian Analyst friend, Marty. It was her idea for her husband, Bill, to do a photo project exploring that dichotomy. At the time, we thought it fit El Dia de los Muertos in Janitzio, an island in El Lago Patzcuaro. Having thought about it more since then, I would no longer see it as such a dichotomy, especially in terms of how Mexicans experience and celebrate Muertos. I think it is a Western European thing to see these -- that which is religious and holy and that which is mundane and human -- as dichotomous. What has remained here from the prehispanic, "pagan" era is the experience that it is all of the same cloth. What is "sacred" is not so removed from everyday experience as the word would imply.

Anyway, that is a long winded prelude to describe our trip to the island of Janitzio the day after our evening tour of the cemeteries. At breakfast, we heard from others in the Inn that their tour had taken them to the cemetery on Janitzio as their first stop, and it was a disaster. Lots of traffic, crowded boats and so dark they were falling over things in the cemetery. So we were very glad we weren't on that tour.

We took a taxi to the "muelle" or dock, bought a ticket and immediately boarded a long, wooden, partially enclosed boat which was just leaving. The water in the dock area is completely filled with vegetation which doesn't seem to affect navigation at all, though it did take much maneuvering back and forth to get the long boat out of the narrow dock area. The water in the open lake is an unappealing brown, but we were told by Miguel Angel the night before, that this was not an indication of pollution, but of silt. Fishing is still a major industry there.

The island of Janitzio is a mound rising up out of the water with houses climbing up its sides and a huge statue of Morelos on the very top -- sort of like the Statue of Liberty. Morelos was one of the heroes of the Mexican fight for independence from Spain. He took over the fight from Hidalgo and was killed as well before Mexico finally won its independence.

We found our way through the village (the whole island is the village), always climbing up steps until we located the cemetery. Having visited the 3 cemeteries the night before, I was surprised at how small this one was, and how desolate it appeared in daylight. It was obviously the site of what had been a big party the night before (this is the "sacred and profane part" in case you've been wondering).

And here are my photos interpreting the theme of "sacred & profane":
After the cemetery, we continued up the steps to the top of the island where there is a park and the huge statue of Morelos I described earlier. Like our Statue of Liberty, it is hollow and there is a small museum inside with murals depicting the life of Morelos. We opted not to climb to the top. There was a lovely view from the park of the lake and the other small islands. We couldn't linger long because the sun was low, and when it gets dark here, it happens very quickly and is VERY dark, and we had many stairs to negotiate to return to the muelle. On the way down, we could see that all the little shops and stores were closing -- it had probably been a very long day for them since the night before and all the partying. We got right on a boat that was leaving, but after we were well away from the dock, some more passengers showed up so the captain backed up to let them aboard. Marty and Bill and I commented that this certainly wouldn't have happened on the Lake Champlain Ferry.When we docked on the mainland, we were treated to a demonstration of fisherman using the traditional "butterfly nets". It was dark and they were moving so the quality of the photos isn't good, but it will give you a taste of the experience.

LOS DOMINGOS FELICES

Sundays seem to be happy days here in my world and the world of the Queretanos.

I started this Sunday with a big norte americano type breakfast: bacon, eggs, toast and instant coffee. Then I settled in at the computer for a Skype appointment with my friend Marty in California. For those of you who don't know about Skype, it is a fabulous way to really stay in touch with family and friends from afar. It's free to download onto your computer, and free to call computer to computer with others who have Skype. AND you can not only hear each other but SEE each other in real time!! It's particularly easy with a MAC because there is a built in camera and mic. For all of you unfortunate PC users, you would have to get a little camcorder to mount on your computer. It's what you call a "no brainer".

Anyway, so much for my Skype testimonial (I'm not getting paid). After the Skype session, I talked to 2 of my sons, grandsons and a daughter-in-law on my cell phone. Why, you ask, don't they have Skype? Good question! Anyway, it's great to talk with them in any form, and they've promised to have Skype by Thanksgiving. Also called a friend whose birthday I had forgotten earlier this month and answered some email.

Then I HAD to get out of the house, because it was a beautiful, clear, warm day. And, as usual, it seems like everyone in town is out walking about -- multigenerational groups: mom, dad, kids, babies in strollers or in arms, grandparents, and probably great grandparents. And some kind of entertainment is happening in each plaza. I walk everyday, but Sundays are noticeably different.... more festive and light hearted.

My goals for my long walk this day were to check out a Yoga studio Kikey had told me about and visit Quinto Real -- a Mexican handcraft store and cafe owned by Chris (originally from Seattle) and his Mexican wife, Renata. Chris keeps a kind of very small lending library of books in English which were donated to him by some ex-pat. Unfortunately, they are all of the detective, mystery, thriller genre, to which I'm afraid I'm becoming addicted. They're like literary cocaine -- you get all hopped up reading, and then you finish, go through withdrawal, and need more. I'm afraid at some point good literature won't do it for me any more. I'll have to go through rehab, reading nothing but old classics. I should make an ad, "This is your brain on Patricia Cornwall....." At least I'm also reading El Principito (The Little Prince in Spanish)as part of my spanish homework.

The Yoga studio was closed and there was no telephone number on the sign, but at least now I know where it is. One step closer to actually doing Yoga. I chose another book at Quinto Real and had some great ChocoLatte. On the way home, I stopped in Plaza de Armas to listen to a little music. In the evening, I went to Teatro de la Republica to hear a very farcical little Renaissance opera that was part of El Festival de Musica Antigua. Every night this week, there is a performance of musica barroca in a different cathedral. I'm particularly looking forward to Gregorian choral music at Santa Rosa, my favorite cathedral.

I've never gone out of my way to hear classical music at the Flynn or the University at home, but I'm finding here, I quite enjoy it.

ANGELES, DIABLITOS Y SIRENES

Yesterday afternoon, Thursday, Aurora took me and her daughter-in-law, Carla, on a little trip just outside Queretaro to the workshop of Francisco Coronel (sp?). I had met Francisco a few years ago, the first time I came to Queretaro with Eric Nichols as a student in his class. The whole class went to his magical little house on the edge of a hill, and he gave us a lecture about "Las Plantas" in spanish. Besides being an artist, he is an expert on the medicinal uses of native plants. At that time, I really didn't understand much of what he said, but he has a beautiful speaking voice and speaks very clearly. I was mesmerized.

Back then, we didn't get a tour of his workshop which is what we were treated to this time. His workshop is in his home, and he and his partner, Guadelupe, have a number of young people working for them. There were 7 or 8 there when we visited -- but I think there are more. Some go to school in the morning and work with him in the afternoon, and some do the reverse. Francisco showed us the process for making his fantastical figures of angels and devils and mermaids from beginning to end. They make a number of basic shapes with what we call papier mache (newspaper or cardboard and a mixture of flour and water) and then combine the shapes in different ways to make different kinds of figures. Right now, they are very busy filling orders for Navidad. That is Francisco holding forms at various stages of completion.

And here is Guadelupe painting the insides of these lovely little book boxes that are like retablos. You open the box like a book and on one half are painted figures (what he is doing now) and on the other are little 3 dimensional figures: Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus and an angel. They are making hundreds of them as a special order --- all by hand.

Other kinds of things are little fat angels or mermaids -- a lot of Dia de los Muertos skeletons of all kinds -- some beautiful Virgen de Guadalupes -- Christmas balls. Fantastical, whimsical, imaginative, colorful and beautiful!!

After our tour of the workshop part of the house, Francisco took us into the part that they live in. It is impossible to describe in words so I will let pictures tell the story:

And here is our group: Francisco, Aurora, Carla and, at the table some of the young women doing the first stage of the work -- the paper and glue.

After our trip to Francisco's, we picked up Aurora's granddaughter, Sophia at school and Aurora and Javier, who joined us, treated me to lunch at La Mariposa where I had a delicious pozole. This is a picture of Sophia playing with the miniature tea set I gave her for her cumpleanos (very late present). She is a delightful 6 year old whose joy at getting an unexpected present was evident and whose pleasure in playing with the little set at our table gave ME great pleasure also.

EL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS

This is old news now since Muertos was on November 1 -- I've got lots of experiences to catch up on here. I didn't take my computer with me, so couldn't keep up with my promise to make daily entries. So the next several blog posts will be about the last 2 weeks while Marty and Bill were visiting.

We went to Patzcuaro in the state of Michoacan on October 30 by bus -- took about 6 hours because we had to change buses in Morelia. But it was quite comfortable -- bus is the preferred mode of travel here, and the first class buses are pretty luxurious. We got a little bag of food and beverage as we boarded, movies were shown continuously (headphones provided), and there were banos.

Patzcuaro is the largest of the pueblitos surrounding Lake Patzcuaro. In prehispanic times, nearby Tzintzuntzan was the capital of the Tarascan empire. After the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century, Vasco de Quiroga, a bishop, persuaded the Spanish king to allow him to replace a guy named Guzman who had been murdering and exploiting cruelly the local indigenous people. Quiroga was a very humanistic man with a vision, and he established a sort of utopian community in the area. The people of each village were encouraged to develop their own handicrafts and were taught the essentials of self government. To this day, each village around the lake is known for its own particular craft: copper working, guitar making, pottery, needlework, hat making, and basketry.

Patzcuaro is a particular favorite this time of the year for tourists, both Mexican and international, because the festivities surrounding El Dia de los Muertos are most traditional and have continued unchanged for years. The town is filled with tourists and with flowers -- I think more flowers than tourists. All the residents of the area are buying flowers to decorate the graves of their loved ones. The main flower market (a tianguis, indigenous word for temporary market) happened to be in the wide street in front of our B & B, El Refugio en Patzcuaro, so it was a very busy place for the first 3 days we were there.





The tradition of El Dia de los Muertos is a sort of combination of Catholic and indigenous traditions. It is similar to what we call Halloween. Mexicans have also adopted our Halloween, and every night kids run around in costumes asking for dinero o dulces.

When the Spaniards came and began their effort to convert indigenous people to Catholicism, they tried to obliterate the "blasphemous" beliefs of the natives, but often it worked better to just meld them together. I don't know much about Catholicism, and I don't remember much from my early Episcopal upbringing, but I believe Nov. 2 is All Saints' Day.

Anyway, we arranged to go on a tour of some cemeteries the night of Nov.1 led by Miguel Angel Nunez, a local anthropologist. Before we left, he talked with us about the traditions surrounding Muertos. There are slight regional differences in the celebrations, but he emphasized that this is not a gloomy or scarey event. The belief is that on this night around midnight, there is an opening in the cosmos, and the spirits of dead family members can return to visit. The living decorate the graves with flowers, pictures and favorite things of the dead person including favorite foods and water. They also spend the night in the cemetery so they will be present when their loved one visits. It is a very social experience with people moving around visiting with others or just sitting together around the grave eating, drinking and talking. We visited 3 cemeteries: Tzintzuntzan, Cucuchucho, and Tzurumutaro. Miguel assured us that they do not consider it an imposition or disrespectful for tourists to visit and take pictures. So here are some of my favorites:

RATON DE BIBLIOTECA

That's "bookworm" in English.

As I said in the last post, I had started reading "The Girl Who Played With Fire" and couldn't put it down. So when I got up yesterday (Sunday), I wanted to start reading again but felt guilty thinking I should be doing other things like writing my blog, or studying spanish, or working on photos. But then I thought, "Well, who's to say what I SHOULD be doing". So I gave myself permission to spend the entire day reading -- I remembered doing that a lot when I visited my grandmother as a kid.

However, it was a beautiful day outside and one thing this house lacks is a place to sit outside and read. So I decided I would go to a plaza and sit in the shade reading. First I went to Jardin Guerrero where I bought a gordita for lunch and sat for a while reading. A young man was sitting nearby making a sculpture out of wire.

After an hour or so, I moved on to another place, Jardin Zennea -- but only after getting some popcorn to munch on while reading. Later I walked over to the Mariposa to get a fabulous capuchino malteada and settled myself in Jardin Libertad under the statue of Dona Josefa to enjoy drinking and reading. That was fine until a rock band with a terrible sound system started to play nearby. So I moved on to Plaza de Armas where I was just in time to hear one of my favorite tunes (I believe it's from Phantom of the Opera) being played by a trio of strings. They played a couple more tunes before finishing, and then announced that next week is a festival of baroque music. There will be a performance every night in a different cathedral. Not to miss!!

After reading for a bit longer in Plaza de Armas, I was a bit hungry so went to Chucho el Roto for a bowl of my favorite soup, creme of huitlacoche (corn fungus) and a glass of wine. I finished the book --- great ending -- and strolled back to Jardin Zennea to see what was going on. There is always some kind of concert happening there on Sunday evenings. This time it was a folklorico type dance performance by groups of young people -- the dances represented traditions from different states: Guerrero, Jalisco, Nayarit, etc. Really lovely.

On the way home at about 7:30, I stopped to buy some pan dulce from the woman on the corner. What a great day! My favorite things; reading, eating, listening to music, watching dance.

BACK IN TOWN

I'm back in Queretaro after traveling with Marty and Bill to Patzcuaro and Mexico City. I went to the airport with them on Friday and caught a bus from there to Qro. -- a very easy trip. As the bus approached Qro. I was aware of how nice it felt to be "coming home". The sky was clear and the air crisp and clean -- very different from the big city -- and it was a bit chilly. It sort of felt like my town.

Yesterday (Saturday) I went for a long walk past Plaza de la Constitucion and then back around to "my" plaza in front of Santa Rosa. Families were out with children -- children were playing around the fountains and pulling these funny little toys that are sold by venders in all the plazas, people were talking or working on their laptops (the city provides WiFi in the plazas). This is all around a very sociable, clean and beautiful city. AND in "my" plaza, the fountains were working again!! I was treated to wonderful, lively mexican music accompanied by the dancing fountains. A great welcome home.

More posts will follow with pictures and descriptions of our trip. Right now I have been sucked into a great book that my friend Lynne sent back here with Kikey as a birthday present: Steig Larssen's "The Girl Who Played With Fire" -- can't put it down. Thanks Lynne!

WE'RE OFF TO PATZCUARO

I haven't written much lately because we have been spending lots of time together talking, eating and sightseeing. Now today we are off to Patzcuaro, Michoacan for El Dia de Los Muertos celebration. I'm not taking my computer with me, so I probably won't be posting to this blog for a week. After Patzcuaro, we go to Mexico City for a few days, and I return to Qro. November 6.

Wednesday, my wonderful, generous and energetic friends, Aurora and Javier took us to Guanajuato for un espectacular dia! We walked around the city and had comida corrida at a lovely restaurant in the main plaza, went to the Casa de Diego Rivera, and shopped a bit. Then Javier drove us to the Valenciana silver mine and a young woman who was studying geology and was very passionate about her topic gave us a very interesting tour -- in spanish, which I mostly understood. Our last stop was the overlook from the statue of Pipila.

I'll post some pictures of our day when I return.

GREAT BIRTHDAY

Yesterday was my birthday, and my friends made it a great day. I think almost all my Vermont friends and family called individually or in groups to sing happy birthday. It felt very nice to be remembered by them.

Marty and Bill took me out for a very nice birthday dinner at one of the two oldest restaurants in Queretaro, The 1810. I ordered a T bone steak because I hadn't had a piece of meat since leaving the states. It was cooked perfectly and tasted great -- came with french fries, too. Before going out to dinner, we had birthday cake Marty had bought the day before ( a tres leches cake) and Jack Daniels -- because on your birthday you can do what you please.

Last night was the first night since Marty and Bill got here that we didn't have heavy rain, thunder and lightening in the evening. So it was very nice walking in the cool fresh air. On the way to the restaurant, we walked through Jardin Zennea which was full of families and children and people listening to the Sunday night concert. On the way home, we stopped in Plaza de la Constitucion to listen to the music and watch the fountain.

FRIENDS IN MY HOUSE

Marty and Bill arrived safely mid afternoon today. How wonderful it is to have friends in my house with me. I spent the morning cooking a grand dinner: Mexican chicken with chorizo, spanish rice, and a vegetable dish Aurora taught me -- elote, squash and tomatoes -- plus guacamole and salsa verde. And I went to el mercado for fresh, warm tortillas. It was actually the first time I've really cooked since I arrived and it felt great.

Miraculously, water returned in the morning by the time I got up. What a great surprise!! However, it has now disappeared again. What I discovered though is that I do have water in the upstairs bathrooms. Evidently there is a "tinaco" on the roof which stores water, and that water just goes to the upstairs baths. I don't know how much water there is, so we are using sparingly. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

My big disappointment came today when I took Marty and Bill to the plaza in front of Santa Rosa church at 6:00 pm for a big "surprise". The big surprise was for me when NOTHING HAPPENED. Almost every day that I've been in Queretaro, I've gone to that plaza at 6:00 to hear music and watch the fountains "dance" -- most often it's been a famous aria by one of the "three tenors". Can't tell you the name of the aria or the tenor, but I've loved listening to it in that beautiful place. I asked the official looking guy who's always there, and he said the program has changed, and now it will play at 10 am and 11 pm. Extreme bummer! I believe here they would say "Que horror!"

UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE!!!

When I got up this morning, I decided on my two challenges: 1. Find a pottery cassarole pot I had seen somewhere in town because I was going to need it to cook this chicken and chorizo dish I planned to make for Marty and Bill's welcome to Mexico dinner tomorrow; and 2. Take pictures of Silviah's family when I went over there for dinner in the afternoon.

Well, I walked all over town and could not find the store with the pottery cooking pots. I will probably come across it again sometime, but for now I'll have to make do with what's in the house which is not a lot in the way of cooking pots. I did stop at el mercado and bought some chicken. While I was waiting my turn, I had to watch the chicken man chop the beeks off of dead chicken heads for a young man who was obviously shopping for his abuela who was probably using them to make caldo.

When I returned home mid day, I found UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE numero 3!! I went to turn on the faucet to wash my hands ---- no water!!! So I called Jorge Luis (the lovely man who is the caretaker of the casa) and he advised me to ask some neighbors if they had water (category: Spanish challenge) so I did, and found they had no water either. Jorge Luis came over and called the Comision Estatal de Agua and found out that, yes indeed all of El Centro has no water for 2 days, and that this had been advertised on radio, TV and newspaper for several days -- some repairs being made. So people who knew about it had been saving up buckets of water to use for the 2 days.... but obviously not me. Supposedly we will have water Friday evening ---- but I've learned not to expect things to go the way one is told they will go.

So Marty and Bill arrive tomorrow ---- Bienvenido a Mexico --- sin agua.

Anyway, in the afternoon I walked over to Herminia's (Silviah's mother), and had a lovely dinner. On the way there ( about a 45 minute walk) I pass a great view of the aqueducto built by the Spaniards centuries ago to bring water from the hills into the La Cruz Monastery. El aqueducto is the symbol used by Qro.

New Resolutions

I just realized it has been a week since I last posted an entry in this blog. It's not that time is flying by or anything or that I'm incredibly busy. I seem to have just not had it become part of my routine. TIME FOR RESOLUTIONS. So I decided this morning that each day I would take on 2 challenges, one having to do with using spanish and one having to do with photography. AND that I would make a blog entry every day even if it's only a sentence or two.

So today's challenges were: 1. Go to visit Sr. Gabriel Horner at the Museo de la Ciudad to see about having an exposition of my photography, and 2. Go to el mercado to find all the things I need to make a nice welcome dinner for Marty and Bill who arrive Friday.

Now #1. could have served as two challenges, the photography one and the spanish one because, of course, I had to speak with Sr. Horner in spanish. However, at one point when I really couldn't understand what he was saying he filled in with his english. He liked my work, and it looks like I will have an exhibit (called exposition here) in March!

#2 was fairly easy. You don't really need to know that many words to buy vegetables and fruits. However, at one point I was asking about some unusual looking beans -- if you cooked them like other beans. A very nice woman started telling me how to cook them, in seemingly great detail. However, I couldn't really understand what the heck she was saying. The gist was, I think, you cook them like regular beans but they're better if you add some jitomate.

I was going to venture out to a movie tonight, a German movie with spanish subtitles (part of a film festival), but it started to rain and I was pretty tired. The other challenge I had today that I had not chosen was talking with Citizens Bank about the fact that my PIN doesn't seem to work on my replacement card. Endless problems with them.

VOLEIBOL DE PLAYA -- En la Plaza Principal?!

Thursday, on my way to find the post office in Tequisquiapan, I was walking through the Plaza Principal in front of the the church of Santa Maria de La Asuncion and noticed a lot of unusual activity going on. I sat and watched for a while as truckloads of sand were being dumped in the middle of the plaza in front of the church and workers were beginning to spread it around. A semicircle of bleachers had already been constructed. I couldn't imagine what was going on.

Returning on Friday I found out to my complete awe and delight: VOLEIBOL DE PLAYA right smack in the middle of the plaza -- a big tournament of teams from different cities competing -- complete with guys in shorts and girls in bikinis. My teacher, Ceci, didn't really approve of the whole thing, but I thought it was a complete trip!! Can you imagine Beach Volleyball in the middle of Church St? It would be a kick!

NEGOTIATING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Saturday I came back to Tequisquiapan, but this time I had to get here on my own. Those who know me, know that I have a bit of anticipatory anxiety around traveling from one place to the other. For example, I always have to get to the airport 2 hours before flight time. So maybe you can imagine the anxiety I experienced around knowing that I would have to call a taxi, get to the right bus terminal, and buy a ticket to the right place --- all in spanish.

Fortunately, Jorge Luis ( the caretaker of the house ) had given me the numbers for good taxis. However, telephone calls are particularly difficult for me to negotiate in spanish. But I called, they understood what I wanted and I understood when she asked between which streets my house was located. The taxi arrived within 10 minutes, I locked the house and we were off to the bus terminal which was a good distance away.

Bus terminals in Mexico are sort of like small airports with several different wings depending on your destination and/or bus line. I got to the right one and from there it was fairly easy to find the counter for Tequis and buy a ticket. And I understood when the agent directed me to the gate where I would find my bus.

Once I was on the bus, I called Ceci to let her know what time I would be arriving and then sat back to enjoy the ride feeling quite proud of myself for having accomplished the whole thing without a hitch. It was really quite a good feeling!

By the way, to give you an idea of the cost of pubic transportation here: my taxi ride cost about $2.00 and the bus ticket was about $3.00.

MY PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT AT CASA DE LA CULTURA

I just remembered that I never posted pictures of my exhibit in September. I kept going back to get pictures of the room, but every time I went it was either closed or there was a class or performance going on in the room.

So this is the best I could do. This is the courtyard of the Casa de la Cultura. There are always lots of classes -- art, dance, music, language -- going on there.

At this particular time there was a performance of guitar music going on.

BOYE - AN EXCURSION TO A VERY SPECIAL FAIR - SUNDAY 9/27

Aurora and Javier very kindly picked me up a week ago Sunday to take me to Tequisquiapan for my first week of intense spanish learning. But they had a great surprise for me: a little excursion to a small town on the way, where there was a fiesta, a "Feria in honor of San Antonio de Padua".

On the way they explained that many people had immigrated from this town to the U.S. and over the years had sent back money to their families there. With this money some families had built houses in the style of U.S. houses -- they looked like houses you would find in Arizona, New Mexico or California.

Hopefully later, we will be able to go back and talk with some of these families about their relatives who are in the U.S.

It was a great day and following are pictures of the barbacoa, pulque made from maguey, the major crop, the church, etc.

We visited the church first: the church of San Antonio de Padua. It is a very old church and I believe Aurora and Javier were saying that people from neighboring towns brought some images from their churches to visit the church during the fair.

They also said that one of the towers (or steeples) of the church is very old, original to the church, but the other with the clock in it was built with money that people who have immigrated to the U.S. sent back to the church and community.

It was really a lovely little church, full of very beautiful things ---- and lots of people! Even one baptism on this very special day.