Several parades lately. Marchers with instruments and banners and one with a dog weaving in and out. All in support of those traveling to be at the Basilica de Guadalupe in Mexico City by December 12 for the anniversary of the miracle of the Virgin at that location in 1531. This site is the most visited Catholic pilgrimage site in the world, with millions coming here each year. Our Lady of Guadalupe is considered to be the patroness of Mexico and all the continental Americas. Local parades send off the pilgrims, often walking from a great distance, with many approaching over the last few kilometers on their knees. Used to be these pilgrimages were always on foot, but in recent years vehicles of sorts can carry the faithful the major part of the trip.
Friday, 02 Dec. We visited the notario today to ask what the holdup was. He said he had not yet gotten a response from Fortín, so we said we would visit city hall and inquire. We then walked back in the direction of Fortín, with the intention of finding good hardware stores (ferreterías) in Córdoba and looking at tool and ladder availability and prices. Found prices for quite a few items to be less than Anacortes area. One hardware (Metalurve) was enjoyed by both of us, especially as we could wander the aisles and see inventory and price labels. So many wonderful items in it, also very clean bathrooms. Most smaller ferreterías typically have only sample items displayed on big signboards, sometimes only with with code numbers, so one has to speak to a clerk to get pricing and make the purchase, (hopefully) from inventory some where back where customers don't have access.
On our way home from Córdoba today, we planned to stop at Fortín city hall, but there were lots of chairs out front of the building with speakers and several young ladies all dressed up. The speeches and awards being given out were in recognition of the annual day of discapacidad, in support of the handicapped. Did not seem appropriate to interfere, so we went back at 4:30pm. The celebration was done, but, the man we needed to talk to had just left. Our meeting was put off 'til Monday. We did pick up our book of starter checks from Santander Bank.
In the evening we walked down to the blue house and also to view and compare a few new lots that realtor Rosset had showed us in that area the yesterday (Thursday). All are but a few blocks from each other, in the colonia Los Encinos. She, along with the architect, wanted us to see more in case we might change our mind and go with them. The other lots do not have the view or outside space that "our" blue house has. Totally this day we walked over 55 blocks. Looong blocks. Talk about exhaustion.
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Sunday, 04 Dec. Dan went with Frank to the two properties Frank owns, and Carmen logged in another day of rest. Dan got to wear his new jeans, with cuffs rolled up, since Carmen does not travel with her sewing machine to be able to hem the jeans. At Xaltenango, the two men had a good time, cutting down several pine trees into 2.5m posts, which will be used to brace the concrete slab formwork for the second floor of the new house. Property watchman Ciro provided some more muscle hauling the limbed posts up the steep hillside to the parking area by the hexagon kiosko. Frank bought some triangulos Ciro's wife had made, to take home for supper upon Ania's return. After the logging, they stopped to pick up a pollo rostizado and had lunch at the house on the avocado farm. Frank mowed the lawn and Dan filled in an animal burrow that had appeared in the last week near the garden behind the house. The possum, presumed culprit, had met it's end due to an encounter with some other critter, and Frank chucked the dried carcass off into the weeds.
Monday, 05 Dec. This AM we did indeed go back to city hall and spoke to the person in charge of our papers and he told us that the hold up was because the notario had not sent him all the info he needed to take action, including a copy of what needed to go to Relaciones Exteriores. We informed realtor Manolo of this holdup and he offered to get involved and try to straighten things out, thankfully. We hung around reading, waiting to see if there would be further calls we would have to act on.
Tuesday, 06 Dec. We woke at 7:30am, to a party happening in the parking area in front of our motel room. It was given for a group of young ladies leaving for school. There were games and foods and lots of laughter. Was a joy to listen to. After waiting all day to hear from the notario, with no luck, we walked to the grocery store. On the way home it looked like it would start raining any second, so we hustled along. We did notice another house for sale. Now what? The house is in the area of Fortín that we had hoped to buy. Yep--we walked back to the house, but three blocks, and got the phone number. Dan called the realtor and 15 minutes later we did a tour of the house. It has possibilities. All on one floor, very high ceilings, and very muggy inside due to being closed up for so long. Three bedrooms and several other rooms that seemed to have been created during an earlier renovation, and which could be used for??? A large lot of 280m², with big paved area behind the house. All the windows would have to be replaced, and the kitchen and dining areas extensively reworked. Luckily we did not immediately feel at home, like in the blue house, so no problem, we still are hoping the blue house will soon be ours. Yes, we got rained upon on the dash back home.
Wednesday, 07 Dec. We talked to Guy and Gary, Carmen's brothers, on skype. Always a joy. For breakfast we tried a different brand of coffee. This one is smoother and richer tasting. Think we are becoming a half a cup a day coffee drinkers, that being a lot for us. Today is in mid-60s and raining off and on. This afternoon at 5pm we must be at the notario's office, rain or shine. We are hoping to not get too wet on our walk to and from bus. At least the requisite papers that are holding everything up will be signed and sent on to the State Department in Xalapa for the okay for us foreigners to purchase this house. We'll hold off posting this until we get back from Córdoba...
...and now to finish up the day. The rain kept up a very light drizzle as we headed over to the city and walked the three and a half blocks from where the bus dropped us, staying under the building overhangs for the most part. It took about an hour and a half for our paperwork to be drawn up, corrected and signed. There still seems to be some confusion on the legal description of exactly where the house is located, which still worries us. The papers will go by messenger tomorrow to Xalapa, the state capitol. We're hoping for the best, a quick positive reply, but have advised the realtor and owner that delays may occur. Hopefully, all gets done before Christmas holidays interfere. From the vantage point of the notario's office overlooking Avenida 1, we saw two noisy parades of vehicles starting off on the pilgrimage to the Guadalupe basilica. One was of taxi drivers, with a long line of cabs adorned with balloons and colored lights. The second parade was of Cablecom employees, in company vehicles. This parade had a band playing Simon and Garfunkel's "Sound of Silence", as they passed. Córdoba was as busy as ever when we got out of the office about 6:30pm, now rainy AND dark. Caught a bus with no problem on Avenida 2, but were thankful we were now well familiar with the route home, as knowing where you are with steamy bus windows, rain, and unilluminated street signs would be a bit stressful without that foreknowledge.
It's been dark and wet out, and we haven't been carrying the camera all the time. Will post this and then go back and might insert some appropriate photos later...
