Domingo en el parque

Remember Carmen's fall?  At least only three people saw her gymnastics.  Now it was Dan's turn to make a public stumble.  As we walked into the park Sunday evening about 6:30p, he didn't actually fall, but caught himself as his feet went where he didn't expect them to be.  He did however do an exotic arms-out flying thing as he missed the step down and recovered mid-air.  Two policemen stood right there watching and there were hundreds of people there in the park area.  Laws in the US insure a relatively smooth public walking surface, but here sidewalks and street edges vary as if on whim, with steps and slopes of all configurations, and one must be constantly careful.  (It does seem as if there are more provisions for street-corner pedestrian ramps, at least in the city parks, but Mexico is not handicapped friendly in general.)  It is really difficult to watch both the uneven ground and the all goings on around you, since there's so much to see that draws our attention.

We found the perfect park bench to sit at the edge of the center of the park and watched the happenings. The road that separates the north & south blocks of the park is closed off on weekends and holidays, providing a large paved area right in front of city hall for play or gatherings.  Here today were set up two, nearly half block long colorful inflatables composed of climbing walls, bouncy floor, animals, castles, mountains, puffy tree shapes and other fun stuff for smaller folks.  We watched one little boy repeatedly climb on a deer which deflated and fell over under his weight.  There were also peddle cars and tractors for parents to rent for the smaller ones. Children, children everywhere. Most exciting to watch.  Beside us was a vendor who had a painting table where families gathered while they painted wall plaques of predrawn comic characters on little squares of plywood.  Of course there were the men walking around with desserts, cotton candy, and elotes (roasted corn on the cob, sprinkled al gusto with cayenne ).  An SUV selling premade lattes off the tailgate.  Do not know how they kept them hot, but they were popular.  There was also a small train of decorated wheeled cars each with about six seats, chugging around the block on the wide sidewalk, pulled by a little ATV decorated as the engine.  We will try for a picture next week, as Dan inadvertently deleted a bunch we took tonight.  Sunday evening is the time when whole families come out together and stroll around.  Women all dressed up in their high high heels and men looking spiffy.  After touring around the whole park, we shared an ice cream cone, amaretto with nuts, on the three block walk home.  Our favorite time to be here.

Monday we spent most of the day with another realtor, María.  So far every real estate company has been pushing the new homes they have in the gated developments outside of town--we put up with this so they'll also keep us in mind if something becomes available closer in, where we can walk into downtown for its ambiance and convenient shopping.  María was no exception here, but her company has a lot of older houses listed on the internet that look like something we might be interested in, so the next day Dan sent her an email with all the listings we wanted to see, asking for their addresses.  She still has not answered it.  Hope she will.

Tuesday we walked around a great deal and found a most interesting house.  While looking in the gate, a very prim little old lady came out and offered us a tour.  It was one we had told María we wanted to see, despite being over what we said was our budget.  Now we have seen it, and fell in love with it.  Very tempting, and immediately liveable, and it does have furnishings included.  It is 17 years old.  In an old Spanish style with red tile floors, wall-height wood framed folding doors that open up to the outside patio and when closed let in light thru their many panes, the most glamorous spiral staircase in the middle, two full baths and two bedrooms downstairs, a small kitchen and large living/dining area looking out to a surrounding covered columned arcade populated with huge potted plants. Another large bedroom upstairs, with fireplace and opening onto a covered patio with an alcove to the side with a jacuzzi tub.  Must go back again and take pictures.  Can we give it up?  No yard except the patio which doubles as gated parking area, shared with the identical house next door, which is also for sale.  Too bad we don't have friends who want to invest in a home down here.  Kitties could get onto other house roofs if we did not do intricate screening.  We also looked again at another house Maria had shown us the previous day and decided, though it was new with sky light over a planted area inside house, it would have to have walls added and a shower put in downstairs.  Checked this one off our list as too expensive with the changes we'd make.  Visited Frank's new site, but again he was out shopping for materials.

Wednesday we rousted ourselves out of bed early and went to the grocery store Ania had taken us to last week, to get the good buy on fresh veggies and fruit.  A large papaya lasts us just a week, along with some oranges, real large cantaloupe, bananas.  The papaya that are in the market today weigh in at about 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) and cost about US$ 0.65 per kilo.  Rest of the purchase was veggies.  Well, actually the tomatoes and avocados are fruits too.  Tried to extract some pesos from the ATM, but the machine didn't accept our card.  This is worrisome--it will take some looking into, as we advised the bank before we left that we would be in Mexico using the card at their correspondent bank in Fortín.  In the early afternoon Frank came by for dinner. Ania is in Acapulco for a few days helping her daughter.  We just had an easy to prepare pasta.  I miss a microwave.

Then another realtor, Rosset, took us out and about in the eve.  Yes, again we drove all the way north to those gated communities--they just want to sell those houses.  We then stopped at an older rental, which if for sale would of been most promising.  It was in a little cul-de-sac off of a busy street on the way into Córdoba, not conducive to walking into Fortín, but well located if one was bussing around.  Then next to another gated community nearer here, actually behind where Frank is building.  Lastly she showed us two places , with a common wall, that are just being constructed.  Possibility.  Rosset is dropping off the plans today - shortly.  She assured us that it was in time to make changes to the plans if we wanted.  Makes us nervous though to pay for a place to be built and not be here to be sure that is what is happening.  So far it is looking that it might be best to buy a piece of property now, then rent from Frank while building a place after we move down.

Carmen had a bad night last night.  Might be bladder, so we went to the store this morning and she's now downing cranberry juice.  Since Dan was not keeping an eye on her, she selected a piece of something that looks like chocolate cake too.  He will sputter, but will take a few bites of it (or really, as much as she allows him to have, or doesn't want herself). Think we are not drinking enough water.  Poor Dan keeps getting mosquito bites, while Carmen gets few.  Must be Dan is sweeter.  He is taking more vitamin B now to keep the mosquitoes away.  Bites clear up quickly with some cream we got from pharmacy.  We had tried the bank yesterday with no success.  Dan called the bank in Los Angeles, a tollfree 800 call from here.  They told us to try again, which we did this morning.  3000 pesos, no fee, no sweat--just like it was supposed to go.  Guess the folks in LA turned on the account for Mexican access, presuming that oversight was the problem.  Thank goodness, since this is how we expect to pay our way down here.

Well, Rosset dropped off the plans and took us to meet the lady architect at the property.  The current floorplan would have to be modified to add a full bath and bedroom downstairs (planta baja).  She is willing to draw up what we want and can give us a quote.  Realtor also took us to another house the same architect's building, with a like finish.  Oh what will we do?  Interesting fact:  all houses have a water storage tank (tinaco) on top of house, to provide gravity feed to fixtures. Usually this tank is 1000 to 1500 liters in size, and is filled by a ground level pump with a float valve to stop the fill at the brim.  Many houses also might have an underground cistern (cisterna) of perhaps 5000 liters capacity, but this may not be the case for a location in Fortín where the municipal water supply is very reliable and ample.  A propane tank is also normally roof mounted.

We are now back at the hotel eating our mystery cake.  It is possibly a Mexican bakery's idea of chocolate cake.  At least the color is right.  (too late for a picture, it's all gone now.  Now nap time.  Or do I mean siesta?  Now is Dan's turn to rewrite what been written.  Pictures today are around Fortín's streets.

Fin de semana

Saturday afternoon, we met the realtor, Alonso, in front of the house we wanted to see, on Calle 11 Sur, close to where Avenida 7 ends.  Over the phone he had said it was a big house.  This proved to be correct (about 3200sf), and not really with a room layout easily adapted to living on one floor, with only a tiny half bath on the ground floor.  Three bedrooms, two full baths and a sitting area upstairs, and a covered porch running the entire width of the house overlooking the street over the front patio.  There was a large backyard with knee high growth, with the back wall of the property right up to the street behind.  A large tree here was covered in ripening mandarins, and a huge colony of purple & white orchids were blooming in the tree branch crotches.

The home cost more than we expected, though it has good possibilities if one were willing to put some more money into it to open up a few walls and expand the downstairs bath into a service area, to add a shower space.  Was only 11 years old, so we were told.  Seemed like  it was closer to 40, which is the age of many of homes in the residential area near the hotel.  We were told that places here age fast because of the heat and humidity.  Fresh paint on the walls and a new coat of  roof waterproofing makes them look like new again.

Alonso then offered to show us some other places he has listed.  Two houses were northeast of old Fortín, at few miles from downtown.  Brand new in the GeoVillas gated community, actually where he and his family live.  Again, not suited for living on the ground floor, seemingly designed for younger families, not for us as we get older.  And, so far we do not feel good about a place a distance from downtown conveniences, as a car or bus ride would be needed do get to anything but what might be stocked at one nearby convenience store.  Then he showed us a small single-story house a couple blocks south of the Walmart in Nuevo Córdoba.  For guest living space, adding a second floor is possible.  Many homes grow up over the years in this way, as funds become available and a family grows.  Relatively easy to do so with a flat concrete roof to start up from.  It is in a nice basic residential area, which we will explore someday when we come in for shopping.  We have not seen the interior yet, as it is currently occupied.

Had Alonso drop us off at the Super Ahorros (Super Savings) market here in town, at about 3pm.  We wandered thru the store purchasing "necessary" items like chocolate, and also fresh vegetables, and a lightbulb.  Had to do a sniff test of each brand powdered cocoa to be sure it was the tradicional style, with cinnamon. Difficult to do when each bag is sealed tight. The manager of this store either sits up front at a small table where purchased food can be eaten, or wanders around.  I dare say he knows us, and is always polite and helpful.  We probably give him his chuckle of the day.  Here the bakeries bring out the fresh baked goods about this time, not in the morning.  So--Carmen was in seventh heaven.  Dan dutifully tagged along, suggesting "not that,"   trying to keep the selection down to what would be prudent for only a day or two.  These bakery items don't have preservatives in them, so there's little sense in stocking up with too much at a time.  There simply is nothing more enjoyable for Carmen than a bakery to wander thru.  Dan's preference would be a hardware store.

After arriving home, we instantly washed our hands and selected a bakery treat.  A cream filled donut and a thin biscotti type thing (a bizcocho). You can probably guess who ate which.  We have waiting a wedge of firm bread pudding, and a plain sugared raised donut.  Our big meal of the day consisted of boiled fresh yam (camote), boneless pork chop with sliced fresh garlic fried together, and chayote, which once boiled about ten  minutes longer than the yam got tender and tastes like summer squash.  Raw, it tastes rather like
broccoli, but nuttier, and probably would be good sliced, parboiled and fried.  Think we need to look up how best to cook it.  Dessert?  A piece of the local Mexican chocolate bar we purchased today.  Very grainy, thick, and with cinnamon.  So delicious. Finished the day off with reading.

Sunday morn woke to temp in 60s.  Was in 70s with the bluest of blue skies by the time we left our place.  We splurged and walked a block or so for desayuno (breakfast).  Really clean pleasant restaurant.  We both had fresh squeezed orange juice, coffee, the freshest bolillo roll, scrambled eggs with chorizo for Carmen and tocino (ham) for Dan, plus a side of refried black beans.  Then walked the next half block to the Parque Central.  A pleasant, green, town center here.  It covers two blocks. Facing the southern block of the park is the parish church (parroquia) which was just emptying out from morning service, and the city hall is in the center of the northern block of the park.

All surrounded with stores and restaurants, with an ice cream or paleta store on every other corner it seems.  We spent a couple hours here, sitting in the park and wandering the paths, snapping a bunch of photos.  Saw a woodpecker high on one of the palms.  We saw an elderly couple smiling happily, sitting on a park bench, as they licked at their ice cream cones at 11am. While walking home, we passed by our place to get a more accurate view of a house we are interested in which is privately for sale.  Single story.  Tomorrow we will spend some time with another realtor, a young lady who should have more listings to our liking.

 

Mapa Turistica

Palácio Municipal

   

Today Carmen sauteed some leftover cooked chayote with fresh garlic, topped with a feta-like fresh Mexican cheese.  Deliciosa.  Later today we will go back to the park and see if the early evening brings out local families for a walk, couples hand-in-hand, enjoying the end of the weekend, as we have previously experienced in other small towns here.  We felt some soulful peace at this park today.  Time to read--Carmen had a butterfly come and light briefly beside her.  Retirement is tough.


If you do not have our skype addresses, please let us know by email to our gmail accounts.  We love hearing from our friends.

Día de descanso

Dan contacted, via email, three realtors.  One has called back so far.  We want to get a look at the inside of the houses around here, to get a sense of typical room layouts, prices vs values, etc.  So what did we do today?  Moved from bed to table to chair, even outside the front door with chair to sit in the sun.  Waiting for realtors to call us.  We have our first tour tomorrow morn.  The realtor stressed the fact that this was a big house.  Did not look that big to us.  Some houses here are bigger than anything we have seen in the US.  Of course there are some tiny ones too.

Fried sweet onion and put over fresh fish, which was labeled as bass, but it seemed too soft for that.  Very nice, whatever it was.  Since the cooking stove and pans here are limited, I first started the fresh green beans in water and then cut and boiled a red potato with them.  Now this is interesting.  The Mexicans put red food dye on the red potatoes to make them more red.  Also they use the die on the chicken, because the Mexican ladies like the meat more colored, not the pale chicken meat we are used to.  Personally I always thought that dark white chicken or skin meant an old tough bird.  The stores have a fair amount of organic food.

The last few hours of the day we might watch TV in English, just like in the US.  Last eve, we did a couple crossword puzzles instead of TV.  A wee note--I am officially now old.  At the airport in Mexico City I was offered a wheelchair.  Pictures to prove my skills are improving with my new camera + the fact that even Dan relaxes.

Oh ! I had a major breakthrough today! I finally spoke in Spanish to our maid.  I told her "Yoy no comprendo mucho español."  I did not want her to think that I was merely ignoring her remarks.  She is very nice. Well actually I asked Ania for a glass of agua in Spanish too.  I might learn Spanish in spite of myself.  Peggy (& Dart, Happy Birthday!) got in touch via Skype about this time, and I gave her a brief visual tour carrying this netbook w/webcam around with me. Now I will read while Dan checks this over and adds his tidbits.  He will also add the pictures.

Direcciones confundidas

Gracious sakes, how can I get so confused over which direction is which? We have found a favorite house, which will probably be too costly, but I keep putting in opposite orientation. It is but a few blocks from Frank's new construction and every time we leave there, I try to head the wrong direction. Last night I might have gotten my head on straight about it. Dan patiently pulls out our street map and shows me over and over.

Here are some typical street scenes in this part of Fortín, on the way walking over to Frank's:

 

According to the workers, he was supposed to back in half an hour. Not sure exactly what a half hour means in this country. We left without seeing him. We had seen a doctors office with three doctors listed a few days ago. Knew we would remember where it was so did not write address down - but a couple blocks east of the central park it was. Easy to find. Well, we decided to walk past it again and find out what kind of doctors they were. We walked and walked and walked. We have lost the office. We will try again sometime soon. Lots of dentists in town. Ania tells me that she has a favorite one in Córdoba. After all this extra exertion in the hot sun, we treated ourselves to a pineapple paleta. We shared one. Must be of the world's most refreshing, delicious foods. Down the block we were crowded off the sidewalk by throngs of elementary school children. The real jam was from the mothers chatting. Seems there are two school sessions per day.

After my afternoon siesta of which I might be the only one in this country who partakes, we had our main meal of the day of refried beans topped with cheese and left over pasta. While shopping with Ania she pointed out, then purchased a new cheese carried by the store, something like cheese curd. She told me it was delicious fried. I bought 1/4 kilo. Past two nights we have had that along with fresh really ripe tomato and avocado. So yummy. Dan had a beer. Carmen drinks only water, with or without lemon or lime.

Early eve we walked an area west of here that we had not done before. At one corner there was a guard station with two policemen and another police car there chatting. Well, the men were chatting, not the car. When we got home we looked up the spot on Google and found there to be a giant home within the high hedges. Wonder who? We have been sleeping very well. City noise does not get going before 8 AM.

Compras en la lluiva

Our friend, Ania, took us today at 8 AM to an every-Wednesday special vegetable and fruit sale. It was in the front of one of the grocery stores we have shopped at. Then she drove on to the Sams Club store and next door to the WalMart in Córdoba, which is five miles away. So we stocked up on heavy items and food for a couple weeks. Fresh fish is half the price of pork and beef, which are near US prices. Fresh veg and fruit are 1/4 to half the price as in Anacortes. The bus is very direct from here to there. We will have to walk about four blocks from our apartment to the bus and then it stops right in front of WalMart.

Today started out raining. Guess the good Lord knew we had been overdoing it. Many long walks looking for the perfect place to live. It will be quite surprising to us both if we do not eventually move here. There are nowheres near as many houses for sale or rent here as in the US. Turns out that my brother who is head of Lowes construction, will be here in Córdoba maybe before we leave in January. New store to be built there. Pretty exciting.

After January - we really do not know what our next step will be. May not even by the time we leave here in January. I can say that I am already missing my two cats terribly.

Prices paid today, converted to US$...
broccoli $0.10 lb, onion 0.25 lb, banana 0.21 lb, tomato 0.25 lb, potato 0.23 lb, avocado 0.25 each, lean burger (good) 1.80 lb, cheap beer 2.40 6pk, Yoplait 4oz yogurt 0.20, tunafish 0.70 can, Kellog's bran flakes 1.98 lb, Quaker granola 2.33 lb, large bakery cupcake 0.50 Not bad, huh?

Carmen is enjoying home cooking again, and is finding more variety in foods here than she thought she would. Had burger in tomato sauce over egg noodles and fresh green beans for lunch. Was yummy, or maybe we were just starved.

Alrededror Fortín

Today was a great day. Started out with talking to Guy on Skype. First stop this morning was a stop at the pharmacy where the clerk sold us some cream to dress Dan's insect bite, which was much less swollen today, on the way to healing it would seem. We tried to find two realtors from addresses in the yellow pages. Simply were not at the addresses, unless we read the map wrong. We did find a doctor's office, with a posted schedule for office hours every day (until 8pm), and including Sunday morning.

Most everything we could need in town is located within four blocks of the of the central park, two blocks of green lawn and plantings, with shade-covered benches and walkways. On the northern of the two blocks is the Palacio Municipal (city hall), and the southern block centers around a large kiosk-like building which has a bandstand on the top floor and restaurant below. This building is currently being expanded and renovated.

Had lunch at a lovely little arcade that had a bunch of food court stalls. Our lunch was a veggie soup of light broth with chayote, carrot, green bean, potato. Then the entree was hot tortillas, fried thin beef with lightly fried sweet onions, really ripe sliced tomato and black refried beans. were lots of cucumber on the plate too, but we did not eat those. Actually we had a bunch of fresh limes and Dan put some on the cucumber and said it had not burped up on him yet. The seating for the stalls was under the arcade, in the open air, all around an open courtyard. There were fresh juice stalls and fresh flower sales here too. Throughout town there are fresh flower and plants sold almost everywhere. On the away home, Dan bought some metric-ruled graph paper (we had tried to find this in the US, with no luck), and a triangular architects ruler for scaling drawings.

The clouds never considerately covered the boiling sun for us til we were nearly home this eve. After a short nap, we walked up to Frank's lot where we chatted for awhile. About half of the footings were poured today. Walked probably about 6 miles today so now pretty tired. Saw two cats!! One was orange and white long haired. it was stretched out on a shady patio. Lifted its head and gave me a leg stretch when I called gata gata. The other cat was a gray on top of a hot tin roof. Dan took a picture of a lovely house today. Had small tiles along roof line.

In our walking about there are of course dogs, usually fenced in. They may bark bark, being protective of their yards -- the small ones are usually the bravest. Yesterday a small one squirted under the fence (there are uasually tightly fenced in) to our surprise and nearly grabbed Dan's pantleg, and as Dan bent down as if to pick up a stone, it ducked back under the fence. So today a large brownish dog was meandering along the street. It had long hanging jowels. We tried to give it lots of space, but suddenly we could hear it breathing behind us. I pulled my arms up in case it thought I had food for it. Then we started to cross the street figuring we were on his side if street. Dog immediately followed. We turned back to first street side and the dog simply continued crossing street and laid down. Much ado about nothing -- the dog was just looking for some shady spot.

Now we are ready for the donut we bought on way home. Wonder if they will be good or not? Would you believe it, we have yet to purchase a paleta (frozen fresh fruit on a stick) -- must be Dan's serious about losing weight. Maybe he can dissuade Carmen from the NEXT donut! As you can see, both Carmen & Dan are writing this, as we usually do. Carmen says there's not a chance in the world that she won't want more donuts.

At one point on our earlier walk today, we crossed the double railroad tracks twice. A main line (Mexico City to Veracruz on the coast) goes thru town about three blocks north of the Parque Central, and trains pass thru several times in 24 hours. The whistle is barely noticeable where we are staying. Nothing planned for tomorrow. Surely something marvelous will come along. [Carmen now says the donut was delicious.]

Coscomatepec

Sure enough Ania and Frank were at our door at 9:30am yesterday. We drove north to a house that Frank built while Ania was in Poland with her mother past summer. Stopped in Coscomatepec, the small town where they previously owned the townhouse where we stayed two nights on our last visit. That house sold shortly thereafter, and the funds built the one we were visiting today. In town we bought fresh papaya, apples, and tiny bananas which we ate shortly after arriving. The house here, on a rural hillside north of town, surrounded by avocado trees, with two rooms and a bath only, has a dome-shaped roof over the living room. Frank made this from an old satellite dish, now covered in stucco. No electricity here, so power comes from four solar panels on the roof.

After the fruit the fellows went to visit the pine tree farm and hexagon cabin on top of a hill west of town to check things and see what the local hired caretaker accomplished that week. The guys were gone a couple hours during which we gals did weeding and plantings.While weeding, Carmen saw something move, she poked the area with a stick and a toad or frog hopped away and squirted drops of ? on her arm. Washed it off immediately, just in case there would be a bad reaction, which did not happen. The toad was the same color as the bark shavings we were weeding in. On the way back the guys picked up a broasted chicken from town and which we had for the afternoon meal. It came with warm corn tortillas and tiny roasted potatoes. Spicing on all was most flavorful. The solar electricity worked well enough that at mealtime the freezer in the refrig had made ice cubes for Carmen's glass of water.

Saw about a dozen eagles flying overhead. Lots of dancing little white butterflies. Green, green hillsides in the distance all around. The peak of Orizaba was obscured by a few high puffy clouds. Picked up a few ripe avocados. Brought home some oranges and giant California lemons from their property. After we got home, we napped, then went for our daily walk, looking for houses for sale or rent. Very few houses in those categories here.

While walking, shortly before we returned home, Carmen fell. Just was gazing about and my shoe twisted. It was loose. Down I went and my head luckily missed the cement wall. Got a skinned knee and this morn my shoulder is complaining a bit. Certainly nothing serious. In my embarassment I gave Dan my hand and told him to lift me up. However, my feet were not under me and I nearly pulled him down with me. Only three people saw us. A few days ago Dan got a bit or something on his arm. No pain he says, just itching like a mosquito bite, but it really swelled up. The swelling is down now, but the center is puffed and hard. We are finally going to stop by a farmacia and ask for their advice. They may tell us what action to take or suggest a local doctor.

We can hear children at the playground in a school a block away. Frank will pour the footings at his new house site later today, so we'll walk over and help/watch. The attached pictures are of our little apartment and our Sunday visit to the avocado ranch.

Aquí y allá

Yesterday we slept in, but today got going about 8am. We ate a big breakfast of oatmeal, yogurt, fried bread, coffee. Then started off walking for Frank and Ania's new property, 14 blocks from our motel. They are the folks that we rented a bungalow from 14 months ago, for a week. They are building a smaller home here so that when they get older their living space will be on only one floor, with only visitor quarters upstairs. They are a big part of us deciding to check out the Córdoba area seriously, as they have been so welcoming and helpful.

Frank is a vigorous & active 71 and Ania retired this year from teaching at the university. The new home site is in a beautiful location on top of a hill due east of us, with quite luxurious homes about them. The construction is just at the foundation stage. While waiting for Frank to return from a store run, we toured another house under construction across the street. Gave us some shade to stand in and it is constructed quite differently than what is normal in the US. Frank and Ania have suggested we rent it from them when it is finished, which we might well do.

Frank invited us for lunch, then called Ania and left a voice mail for her. She was a wee bit surprised when we all arrived since she had been outside gardening and did not get the message. Luckily she had prepared a large meal today of a Polish recipe pork roast with chayote (tastes like summer squash). Ania is from Poland. Frank is from Louisiana. We dined outside at Las Magnolias, their home, on a lovely patio overlooking their beautiful front yard area filled with flowering trees and plants. We were serenaded by some birds about the size of robins, with a white stripe on head, bright yellow breast, and light gray backs. The butterflies here -- so many varieties!! One is very large and a brilliant yellow. After the meal Frank took us back into town. Las Magnolias is a only few miles from Fortín (about 45 minutes, walking at a steady pace, as we recall from our last visit) They invited us to go for a ride with them Sunday, north to some of the other properties they own.

Sadly we have not found the perfect bakery yet. We have found the best bolillo (little French bread roll), and a very good cupcake with streusel topping. Tomorrow we will walk around south of here checking out houses for rent or sale - just to get a good idea of what is here. Also checked out a hardware and some farmacias today. Was hard to find vaseline. I took several pictures of with my new camera at the central plaza. So far I have not gotten THE picture perfect. Will try again soon.

Carmen is getting quite good at greeting all we meet with "Buenos Dias" with a smile on her face and less clippiness to her tone. Here, everyone greets everyone it seems. Now, this evening, what a difference from earlier today in the sun (wasupper 70's and now only 72 inside)...now it's chilly. Clouds outside but no rain here yet today. Clouds were getting most dark as we scurried home about four o'clock.

LLegada

We made it and are now in Fortín de las Flores. Took us 34 hours of travel from the time we left home to walking into our hotel. We did get a delay out Charlotte. The plane started and then the captain said there would be a 15 minute delay to check something that was not working right. We got going 2 1/2 hours later. Better there than in the air. This of course made us miss our bus out from the Mexico City airport and thus gave us another three hour delay. However, this gave us time for a meal of chicken, mushroom white lasagna at the airport in Mexico city. Was quite tasty. We are learning better how to get around at this airport. Thank heavens.

Today was perfect temp. Cooling now, along with light rain. Grocery store is four blocks away. We did shopping today while the sun was shining. This apartment at Suites María Antonieta is quite nice. Comfortable bed. Good shower, after they got the hot water heater going. Best of all - the young managers here at hotel speak more English than I do Spanish. You can not imagine how much better I feel about this whole affair with more English spoken, than just the two of us. The Cablecom TV also has several channels which broadcast in English with Spanish subtitles.

Well, my first meal prepared here was successful. Different stove and cooking pans are always a thrill. I cooked rice, fried a pork steak, and then heated the rice in the fry pan to soak up meat juices. No veg today, but fresh broccoli waiting for tomorrow. Did have fresh avocado and most delicious fresh roll - all from the Super Ahorros store a few blocks away. We bought enough food for three days. Probably will cost us about five dollars per day for all our food, maybe less, but we will be eating very well. Another delight, since I am a major butter eater. We had heard that the butter here was not good tasting - well I find it quite delicious. All in all a great time so far.