Things I Learned in Mexico

Dear Reader,

In two days we depart for Italy. Our Mexican and Floridian adventures are behind us. One would think that after spending a month in a foreign country; living, learning, eating, and interacting with a new and different culture, that I would have discovered some deep truths about the world and myself. Maybe I did... Perhaps I could roll the experience around in my mind and type my thoughts up as an offering to the importance of international travel and cultural understanding. Perhaps...

But instead I'm going to post a selection of the funniest photos I took on the vacation!
Let's just admit that we'd all enjoy that more anyway.

So when we arrived in Guadalajara it was Jan. 1. And in Mexico that means all of the Christmas decorations are still up, including a life size nativity scene in the plaza. Apparently the donkey that the Holy Family rode into Bethlehem on had a bad case of Montezuma's revenge.



One thing that you learn really quickly about Mexican happy hour is the procedure for two-for-one drinks. Be prepared to get both of your drinks at the same time. Also be prepared to ask if the margaritas are frozen or on the rocks. Barrett's pants were fancy this evening (and a little girly), but he doesn't look too bothered by it.



I don't know who this is or what he's mad about, but it's hard to take him seriously with a pigeon on his head. I don't think the statue is fulfilling its original purpose.



Barrett's parents came for a visit and were fascinated by his facial hair. The bearded Barrett was captured on film for the sake of posterity.



One day on our beach trip we were walking through town, and well... Funny things you see in Mexico.





Running through the fountains means you'll visit Guadalajara again one day. It also means you'll have one wet shoe and look like you had an accident in your pants. Praise the Lord for warm weather.



These pics are from Florida. Alicia is the bride's name. Barrett's first two friends at law school were Alicia and Dharma. We've all traveled to each other's weddings in Puerto Rico, Oklahoma, and now Miami.



After the wedding we visited friends a couple hours north of Miami in Ft. Pierce. We had time to see the county fair and watch my friend's brother compete in the regional hog showing competition. Nothing excites Barrett more than bacon on the move. I was just excited to spend time with Sarah and Freddy.

You can check out Sarah's website full of gorgeous handmade paper products at http://www.etsy.com/shop/relove. Everything on the site is made from recycled paper products, so it's unique and good for the planet.





The first two months of our extended vacation have been wonderful. Making new friends. Visiting with old friends. We're looking forward to being with Barrett's sis and our nephews in Vicenza and to posting pictures of our new house once the deal is finalized.

The next blog will be from Italy!

Packed and ready,
Megan

Life's a Beach and then You Fly

It's time for the long awaited beach post. If we hadn't made you jealous before now, be prepared because I'm pulling out all the stops on this one.

First, let me tell you what I love about the beach. Most people would think that it would be the water, but actually I have very little interest in getting in the water. My favorite thing about the beach is lounge chairs and umbrellas. I can sit in the sun/under the umbrella and read for hours, which is actually what I did. That's how I finished my first totally spanish book. 504 pages, baby!

But enough with the chit-chat, let's get to the pictures.



We rolled into Sayulita in the state of Nayarit on a Tuesday. Unfortunately, it was a cloudy Tuesday, but we were still able to take a walk on the beach and stroll around the funny little town. Wednesday was a cloudy too. Fine for getting out and around, but not real lay on the beach weather. Thursday beach weather arrived and oh what a view.



Barrett and I quickly acclimated to the weather, and I began to log 3 grueling back to back 8-5 beach days. You can see the strain on our faces.





Maybe it's the beach or maybe it's my new photo editing software, but the year's melted off our faces.

Barrett got a boogie-board the last day and enjoyed the waves. And I finally got my feet wet to get a picture for the kids in Chicago.





But mostly this was the view I had. Just me, the sun, surfboards, and the sound of the ocean.



I was sad to leave Sayulita, but we happily headed to another beach town to wrap up our time in Mexico with friends. We met up with Eric and Karen in Ajijic on the shores of Lake Chapala, the largest lake in Mexico.





Chapala has an absurdly large gringo population of retirees and snowbirds. This would be a problem except for the fact that they'll invite you over to their swanky hillside homes to watch the Superbowl. We rooted for the Saints in style at an awesome house with an awesome view.





The toughest part of leaving Mexico was saying goodbye to Karen and Eric, but we have plans to catch up with them in Peru or somewhere in South America next summer.

Stay tuned for the final Mexico post coming later this week.

Slightly tanner than before,
Megan

The Final 3

Dear Readers,

We are down to our last 3 Mexico posts. Barrett and I are back in the states, currently in Ft. Pierce, Florida, but due to hectic travel schedules and questionable internet connections there are still 3 Mexico posts rattling around in my brain.

Let's get down to work, shall we?

Welcome to the beautiful town of Queretero (say it like carat-arrow but really fast)! This gorgeous colonial city is full of history and is cute as a button. Remember the sad guy with the flaming torch from the last blog? This is the town he gave his speech in, spurring the Mexicans on to fight for their independence from the Spanish. At night troupes of musicians wander the town singing, playing, and competing with other groups. During the day, you can share a glass of wine ice with your sweetie, eat gourmet food, gaze at the aqueduct, and roam the quiet streets. Here are some of our favorite pics.











This church looked beautiful from the outside, simple and timeless. But on the inside...welll...if it's not baroque, don't fix it.





How do we get ourselves into these messes? Our writer and photographer friends wrote an article for National Geographic Traveler about a B&B in Queretero called La Casa del Atrio. This article thrilled the owners who gave our friends and us free rooms for a long weekend. In addition to posh accommodations and a delicious breakfast, one of the owners is an art dealer and has a gallery in the front of the building. Ring...Ring...Heaven calling...yes this is Megan. The artist showing in the gallery was also having a big one man show in the Museum of Art across the street. Barrett and I loved what we saw, and decided to bring two pieces back to grace our new home. We are now officially art collectors!

I'm putting a red dot on the wall label for this work of art to show that it is officially purchased.



Barrett and friends also made it out to a couple of other sights. They went to see the monolith in Bernal and to check out Mexican wine country in Tequiziapan. I, of course, stayed behind to talk art with the gallery owner and couldn't have been happier.





Good times were had by all, and since we were with travel writers we got to meet some other hotel owners and get some behind the scenes looks at a new world class hotel (think $750-$1000 USD/night). Now we have many invitations to return.

Stay tuned for two more posts from Mexico. Next up, Sayulita and the beach life!

Found It!

Dear Reader,

As I'm sure you are aware, some things in life just make more sense in a pair: socks, peanut butter & jelly, nerds and pocket protectors, etc...

I think I pair well with ______________.
a) Barrett
b) a nice California Pinot Noir
c) excess verbiage
d) art
e) all of the above

Obviously the answer is (b), but the subject of this post will be (d) ART!

We all knew that I was going to find a way to work art into the blog. Let's not kid ourselves. So resign yourself to learning something, sit back, and enjoy the pictures. I will only give a pop quiz if I think you aren't paying attentionl

There were 3 great Mexican muralists: Rivera, Siqueiros, and Orozco. Guadalajara is lousy with Orozco murals, so of course I had to check them out. Here are a couple of my favorite pics of them.

Hidalgo was a main character in the Mexican war for independence and is depicted here giving his famous speech. It takes up the whole ceiling above a large staircase, so he's two stories tall.



This is the "man on fire" which is part of a giant series that fills a giant building. The series depicts pre-colonial native practices and Spanish conquest scenes.



The thing I like about Orozco and these particular works is that (to me personally) he's not preaching any particular belief or "ism." He seems to be focused only on the humanity of these situations. How are the people affected? The worth of any idea or belief (Christianity, fascism, communism, ancient tribal custom) is directly connected to how it affects real people. Any idea or belief that is used as an excuse to control or hurt others is portrayed as disfiguring or disgusting, no matter how good the people's intentions were, native or European. Moral: Be a decent person or Orozco will fill a building with paintings blaspheming you, no matter what you said you stood for.

On a lighter note...here's a Mexican fairytale. A group of wizards were all in love with the same mortal woman and fought over her. Unfortunately for them, she didn't want a magical boyfriend. After she rejected them all, they turned themselves into different pieces of furniture in her house just to be near to her. And each piece of furniture was supposed to meet a different need that she might have: one to listen to her, one to hug her and hold her when she needed it, one to offer wisdom, one to offer love, etc. Can you tell which chairs were for which purpose.







My teacher told me that this one was obviously love because he was trying to get her out of her pants. Giggle

I'm discussing with one wizard how there has to be a better way to get a girl.



Look out for the squid people. AAAAHHHHH! Totally different museum and sculpture series, but I dig 'em.



To end on a serious note...I'm not nuts about this one visually, but the words at the bottom are awesome.


"THE STRONG DO NOT KILL"

Peace, kindness, and great art to you all,
Megan