Despues de Semana Santa

The first two weeks of our trip were during Semana Santa, the Easter Holy Week. Mexico is insane with tourists everywhere and crazy prices for everything. We took a train that was so packed that some passengers had to stand or sit on a floor for five hours and we paid $60 a night to sleep outdoors and share a communal bathroom... thankfully, everything has calmed down now that Semana Santa has ended. Prices are normal ($10 for a shared bathroom) and we have always been assured a seat on a bus.

Visiting a Cathedral that has a huge Semana Santa procession, we meandered back behind the chruch where they were finishing cleaning up from the celebrations. The pile of crosses reminded me of a CostCo for religious artifacts.

Los Aguacates

We visited some ruins that were surrounded by avocado orchards where we learned that the word avocado comes from the Spanish word aguacate, which derives in turn from the Aztec word ahuacatl, which means testicle. As avocados generally grow in pairs like those in the above photo you can see where they were coming from in the name.

The Original Knitting Machine

Earlier this year I helped my Grandmother clean and cull through some of her craft supplies. She offered me the money from anything I was able to sell, so with a little Craigslist action, I scored $200 off of her knitting machine. Not surprisingly, it looked and worked similar to this one that Patzcuaro artisians have been using for hundreds of years.

This Little Piggie Went to Market

I really love wandering through the markets in Mexico... the produce I´ve seen puts San Francisco´s artisianal, organic, free-range, pesticide free, sustainable produce to shame. Amazing fruit and vegetables and chile´s galore. The meat is always interesting... I had no idea that tripe is actually scraped clean before it´s cooked. Not that that makes it any more appetizing.

And, yes, the butcher rolled his eyes at me when I asked if I could take this picture. Not that I blame him.

Goodness in Guadalajara

I love this town. It's beautiful and cultural and filled with plazas and students and artists and street performers and warmth and light and sunshine. Really, it's a fantastic town and I want to move here and restore the old homes in the downtown area and resell them at a profit.

We spent yesterday in Tequilla, learning about Tequilla. Had an amazing dinner of duck breast in a rose petal sauce and sea bass sauted in cactus and squash blossoms. Today we were at the biggest market in Guadalajara... to call it crazy would be a huge understatement. Tonight we're off to listen to live jazz under the stars in a plaza with the acoustics made better by the towering cathedral walls surrounding the cafe. This town rocks.

Do you think the sculptor who made this statue anticipated that this man's head would be used as a baño for pigeons and made his face outraged accordingly?

Rush Hour in Creel

About the time the sun sets, the Taramuhura Indian women and children pack up the baskets they weave and sell to tourists and head home for the day. We happened to be on the same trail as many families this night...

Dias de Las San Blas

I love, love, love sleeping in huts made of palm trees on the beach. I do not love, love, love sand flies and mosquitos. Although, they´re worth the trade off to fall asleep to waves crashing at your feet every night.

Also, Mark and I perfected our boogie boarding technique in San Blas and we now rival boogie boarding champions world wide. Matt perfected his beer drinking and watching us boogie board technique.

These Boots Were Made for Walkin...

I submit this photo as evidence that we walked across Mexico... or that we at least plan to walk across both borders.

Is the Joshua Tree a Cactus or a Tree?

Trick question! The Joshua Tree is actually a member of the lily family, like orchids (see http://www.nps.gov/jotr/naturescience/jtrees.htm for more information).

Here I am posed as a Joshua Tree... very camoflagued, huh?