Sunday, March 31, 2013

Easter Morning Thoughts



The town is packed with visitors now. I expect it will be like this for at least a few more days. I missed the passion play, again.   I always hear about it after the fact but I don't like to sit in uncomfortable folding chairs in the hot sun for hours at a time. Or stand on the street corner for hours, waiting. So I always skip it.

Happy Easter everyone. I am going out to eat with some women friends at Salvador's restaurant. They have an Easter buffet special with turkey and ham and all the trimmings for only a hundred pesos. Their food is usually delicious.

Easter was always my favorite holiday because it meant that the days were going to get warmer and longer. No more winter. But here, it is always warm. It is easy to be spoiled with such beautiful weather. Sometimes when I am sitting in my little casita under the fan, I feel guilty for not being out in that sunshine. But since my thyroid removal surgery, I am trying to keep out of the sun. I have to do that for six months or else my scar will turn dark. I wear a neck scarf now when I am walking around town. I feel like an idiot with it but I only have three more months to go.

There has been more violence recently. That usually happens during this time of the year. More people equals more violence. I haven't kept up with the details but I heard of two Mexican women getting killed here a couple of weeks ago and also that six Chapala policemen kidnapped two young Mexican men and turned them over to the drug cartel to be killed. They shot the men but one escaped to tell his story. The six policemen are in jail now.  That is all the details I have, not much. If you are interested you might check out the Guadalajara Reporter online.

People will be leaving here soon and the town will be quiet for a few months. May is the hottest time of the year and the dustiest. Lots of locals also leave during May.

Once again, wishing everyone a Happy Easter. I am missing my family, but I will be back in Portland in July.  Now I am cleaning out my closet and drawers to make room all the things I hope to bring down from yard sales up there. I love yard sales in the States.


My friend Lois and her dog Gigi

I stopped by to visit with Lois yesterday. Gigi, her dog, has a crush on Chico. Chico enjoys running around with the four dogs that live there now. Lois has been sick for the past few weeks and she finally went to the doctor who works out of the pharmacy near the plaza. He didn't charge her for the consultation. Just sold her some medicine and told her it was allergies. Lots of people get allergies during this time of the year when everything is in bloom, especially the Jacaranda trees. She said the medicine really helped. I may try that doctor sometime. The price is right.

The Hot Rod Burrito Express Restaurant

The owner and his kids
My huge burrito
This restaurant is upstairs in the plaza where El Torito is located. The food is delicious and the owner is very friendly. It has been in business for over a year now and it looks like it is going to be able to stay open.  Inexpensive, delicious, good service......  What more could you ask for?

Saying Goodbye to my friends, Jack and Virginia

Virginia on the right
Little dog at the next table
Another well loved dog at the next table.
This is the restaurant at the plaza. It was very busy yesterday morning. Lots of people brought their dogs too. Jack and Virginia had been here for nine days and I hadn't been able to meet up with them. Mostly because I had been so sick. But I did get to say goodbye to them before they took off for the Portland area again.
Jack and Virginia, waiting to take the taxi out of town.

Friday, March 29, 2013