Truchas and a UFO

Yesterday, as I mentioned last night, Andy and I went on a little road trip with our neighbor Nacho. Remember Nacho? He helped us get our wheel back. Anyway, we had him over for lunch a week or so ago to thank him for helping us in our time of despair. (Dramatic? Maybe.) As he was regaling us with his stories from his very interesting and full life, he mentioned that there is a place at the base of Popo (Our friendly neighborhood volcano) where water flows uphill. He made mention of mystical vibes, and then aliens. That was it. Andy was sold. Hook. Line. and Sinker. (We actually didn't get to see the water flowing uphill because Nacho forgot about it yesterday...so we'll have to go back and see for ourselves). Just to make sure I was sold on the idea, Nacho mentioned a restaurant by flowing water; an oasis. The man seemed to be playing us like two well-tuned fiddles...Aliens for Andy, food for me. We made tentative plans to go.

Nacho came down yesterday morning to make sure we were ready for our adventure and said we would meet at 1:00pm to leave. He told me, in English, "My friend Billy is coming with us." So I thought, "Umm...we don't know this guy Billy and although we like Nacho, I'm not too sure about getting in a car with some dude we don't know in a country I'm still getting used to." So, I did what any sensible (Read:irrationally crazy) person might do and I e-mailed our friend Rebecca to let her know that we were headed out of town...just so that someone here knew what was going on.

"Billy" turns out to be Pilly, short for Pilar.

She really looks like someone who would cause some serious bodily harm, right?! 

The ironic thing is, if Nacho had told me about his friend in Spanish, I would have known she was a woman. Amiga=female friend. Doh! Anyway, obviously I had nothing to worry about. (I never really did, it would have been fine regardless...but I'm a worrier...it's what I do). 

So we headed out. Pilar explained about all of the towns and villages along the way. Nacho drove...like a bat out of hell. I seriously felt like 5 years were shaved from my life after we got home last night...but I digress. She mentioned the small town that is full of Italian descendants. Apparently they have some amazing Italian restaurants, and according to Nacho, the whole town is filled with, "White people, just like you!" (He's what we would call "a pill" and that's putting it mildly). *Side note, I will be returning for good Italian food. I'll bring friends...or go by myself, either way, I'm going. 

We arrived in Atlixco, which is an area known for it's ornamental plants. Seriously, you pull into town and you can feel that humidity has changed, there are greenhouses as far as the eye can see. We stopped at one of them where I got a lesson in colors in Spanish from Pilly. I didn't have the heart to tell her, until the end, that although I seem like a bumbling idiot with the Spanish language, I do know my colors. And how to tell her that ducks drink milk. *Thanks, Duolingo!

Pilly likes to take pictures...and she'll tell you where to stand and how to pose. (I obviously don't take direction well. Good thing that modeling thing never panned out-I kid, I kid).

As soon as we walked in to the greenhouse, it smelled like wet dirt...just like England. We loved it!

Nacho, aka Rico Suave. 

Petunias.

Not sure what these are...but I love the picture that Andy took.

We just made a pit stop in Atlixco, but I really would like to go back for the day, or a weekend. According to Pilly there is a nice hotel in an old Hacienda. The town is small and charming, from what I could see from the van. 

We drove up the hill from Atlixco and found this:

Andy is saying, "See Nina, I told you so!"

My artsy fartsy shot of graffiti on the Spaceship and Popo in the background. 

At this point in the day, I literally had no idea what we were doing or where we were going next. This is a god thing for me...sometimes it's good to just go with the flow and not know what to expect. 

We ended up at a fish farm. Random, I know. They had, I'm guestimating here, millions of fish. They were Truchas, Trout in English. It was nice that they took us there, as I felt like it was some odd sort of pride for Nacho and Pilly to show us this, and I think I hid my uneasiness about the whole thing pretty well. It's hard to describe, especially because I'm a carnivore and used to fish with my dad, but I felt like Sarah Palin in her helicopter with a machine gun getting ready to "hunt." Just lurking, waiting for these fish to be eaten. 

Since most to the fish were dark, I took a picture of the albino trout so you can see...again, it was weird all and all. 

Nacho and Pilly kept telling Andy, "you can pick a fish and take it home with you." I didn't believe him, but as we left Pilly asked what fish I wanted. I thought she was kidding, so I smart ass-ely answered, "The big albino one with the creepy eyes." She went to the counter and ordered what I can only imagine to be "the big albino one with the creepy eyes." Once I realized what I had done, I quickly told her that I was kidding, and that in fact, I did NOT want any fish. Phew...close call. *Note to self: don't be a smart ass when farm grown, creepy eyed fish are involved.

After our "tour" of the fish farm, we had a mojito (that would rival Mary Ayala's mojitos) at a little "tiki bar" by the restaurant near the fish farm. We ate at "Oasis" just below the fish farm in a small little pocket of paradise. It was lush green (we didn't get any pictures of the place, but we took some of lunch). 

Again, I understand the irony that I will eat beef and be disturbed by the fish farm. (I'm a strange bird folks...shocker, I know).

Andy's lunch. Truchas with almonds. The almonds were sticking up in rows of the fish. (As Andy took this picture he said, "Take THAT Langdon!" I think the "Food Porn: International Competition" gauntlet has just been thrown down.)

We ate by a stream, of clean water from Popo. Andy and I realized that it's the first clean, fresh water we've seen since being here. Makes me miss, and have a new found appreciation, for the rivers of my childhood from Wyoming and Colorado. 

After a lovely, slow lunch, we headed back home. But before we left, they wanted to show us the waterfall. We pulled into another small little valley, tucked into the base of Popo. There was a little "restaurant" a large tent and some tables and chairs and several stalls of people making drinks and food. 

The waterfall.

Pretty pumped...obviously. 

Nacho, Pilly, and me by the waterfall.

Then we hiked. And it was stunning. The iPad tried it's best to capture the beauty, and it did an alright job, but you just can't. But we tried. Here are our (Andy's) efforts.

The sun going down behind Popo.

The angle of the sun was pretty awesome.

The stream. (Not the one running uphill, that's for next time).

Another stream shot.

The fumarole coming out of Popo turned red as the sun went down. (It's not "lava red", it's "sunset red." No worries folks).

The final sunset shot. Breathtaking. 

   

First and Third World

So today we went with our friend Nacho and his friend Pilly (Pilar) on a little road trip...I'll tell you more about it tomorrow...it was fun and we have lots of pictures.

But, today I want/need (I get to do what I want and need on here, it's my blog, yo) to look at the differences in the economic classes here in Puebla. Again, this is what I have seen, and I know it's limited to our drive from the US to Puebla, but this is my experience so far. I should note before I go any further, that Puebla is different than some other places in Mexico because it has a strong (ish) middle class. There are people in my neighborhood who have two cars, have nice homes, etc. So the poverty here is not as bad as it is in some places...but it's here.

Andy and I were talking about it the other day on our walk home from the park. To get to the park we cross over The Stinky River and then take some stairs by a billboard, past some homes that look like they should be on the set of a movie depicting Mexico in "the olden days." There are dogs on the roofs of homes. (That's a whole blog in and of itself...I'm looking at you Maria...we gotta chat about that). There is trash in the streets, in front yards, and in the river. There are children who look like they haven't been bathed in days, standing out front of homes, unattended. There are stray dogs roaming the streets. (We have an old neighborhood dog, who has a collar and is very nice, who takes himself for a walk every day). There are old women and children selling baked goods, nuts, and other various products so they can put food on the table. I see this and it taxes my soul some days.

Yesterday was one of those days. You see this and you have to, at some point, turn yourself off from it because otherwise it will drive you to the breaking point. I think part of the reason the poverty was able to penetrate my carefully worn armor so well yesterday was because, amid the poverty, there is Angelopolis, the massive mall I mentioned yesterday. Yesterday was my first time there. The mall houses stores like Armani Exchange, Benetton, and very nice jewelry stores. There is an extravagance that seems unnecessary, almost cruel. Knowing that these two worlds coexist in the same few blocks of each other is baffling to my American brain.

We were talking about how in the States, there is obviously a divid between social classes (and it's growing), but it is often separated by miles and "parts of town." In Puebla, one block can be very middle class, or upper class, and within a block, or the same block, there are homes that I am surprised to find occupied because of their appearance. Our street hosts Audis and Porches, and broken-down Cadillacs and Fried Out Kombies. The way the First World and the Third World intermingle is fascinating and heartbreaking. For example, today we drove past Angelopolis (it seems to be getting a bad rap from me today, sorry Angelopolis) with it's millions of dollars of merchandise inside, to a place where teenagers were washing their clothes in a river and I used a candle as light for a bathroom without a toilet seat (actually it's pretty common not to have toilet seats or toilet paper in public bathrooms here, you make do).

I had a restless night last night (as most nights have been for me here, for one reason or another) and awoke to Andy asking how I slept. I told him I found myself not being able to shut my brain down (shocker...this really is the story of my life). I was telling him how I felt guilty for having purchased a pillow top for a mattress in our three bedroom/two bathroom apartment. I was feeling guilty because people, not very far from my door, struggle to feed themselves. I was falling into the rabbit hole of my mind, easily done as I tend to Catastrophize (counseling term for making the worst out of things).

We talked about how it's hard to see the poverty, we talked about how there are places where this "poverty" doesn't even touch other poverty. We talked about how very fortunate we were to have been born to the circumstances that we were. We talked about how we both work hard (**Note, I'm not saying people who live in poverty do not work hard...on the contrary, I think people in poverty tend to work harder). We discussed that we are helping by buying from the local markets (we hardly ever go to Wal-Mart), but even when we do, we are supporting our local economy. We focused on the fact that we both chose career paths that help people. We give of our money and time to make sure others are looked after. We reminded ourselves (okay, okay, probably just me) that we (me) can't save the whole world. What we (I ) can do is help those that I can, when I can, and keep doing what I am doing.

I know that economic poverty does not equal spiritual or mental poverty and to suggest that would make me and asshole (sorry, Judy and the other mothers reading this). Again, I think it might be my American brain, my sensitive soul, or something I can't even identify, but some days it's hard to see and process the Third and First Worlds living as one.

Today was better...as you'll see by the pictures tomorrow. I just felt the need to address this, it may not be the last time I touch on the subject, but it feels good to write about it.

The Quick and Dirty

This might be a recurring theme for this blog..."The Quick and Dirty"...I like it.

Okay, so here's how it's gonna work, I'm gonna tell you about our busy day with a few, simple pictures and some simple explanations...hence the title.

I'm feeling human again!

We got locking lug nuts for The Bandit! (Top lug nut).

We went to Angelopolis to buy a pillow top (see next picture). It's a massive mall about five minutes from our house. It's pretty swanky, even by US standards. (Photo courtesy of the interwebs)

We got a pillow top for our mattress. Our apartment is fully furnished...that means beds, (Read: our bed is like sleeping on pallets stuffed with straw) Maybe I exaggerate...maybe I don't. But no more!! Clean sheets too...ahhh...

We had lunch. Andy liked it so much he took a picture of it. It's basically just a chicken wrap...but it was made with my special ingredient...Love?! Nope, bacon.

We saw 12 Years A Slave. Perk of being here? We get to see all the movies that didn't come to Clovis. AND we can walk there in 20 minutes. AND it's super nice too. Sorry Porty Peeps. (Side note: Brilliant movie, hard to watch, rips your heart out, and punches you in the gut. Great film making). (Photo courtesy of The Google).

Andy cheersing (what? it's a word) the fact that as we came out of the movie theater we found an ice rink...where he can play hockey...in the middle of Mexico. You'd cheers too. (Nina...add hockey bag to your pack mule list).

This is what is my life looks like right now. Freshly painted toenails, by yours truly as I waited for Andy at home last night while he was at a gig, tennis on tv...it's the Abierto Mexicano Telcel 2014 tournament, don't you know? Andy is looking up when Andy Murray will be playing in said tournament tonight and I am finishing the blog.

**I have tried to get the blogs up around the same time-ish, early afternoon, every day but some days just get away from me. So I apologize for not being prompt, but that's life in Mexico...and I'm going to roll with it. But I will try. 

Getting on With It

Well, I still feel gross, but it was time that I left the house. Andy and I got up this morning and went for a walk down by the river. No, no...not like Chris Farley...Enjoy: In a van...down by the river! (You're welcome)

We live near a river, it winds through several parts of our neighborhood. We affectionately call it Stinky River, because well, it's stinky. First our area, neighborhood, is called Agua Azul. (Tricky translation, wait for it...Blue Water). There is a water park at the end of our road that has mineral (sulfuric) water that comes from a spring.

For my Wyoming readers...think Thermopolis. 

I'm gonna take a wild guess here and assume that's why this area is called Agua Azul. (Giant leap, I know). So anyway, the river is a combination of hot mineral water and sewage. Yummy! But seriously,  if you don't get too close to the river, it's not that bad. (Really, sometimes you get a whiff and you gag, but mostly you don't notice it).

Anyway, we have noticed that there are several parks and tracks around Puebla as part of an initiative to get people healthy. The track along our beloved river has several places to stop with bathrooms (with security), work-out machines, and measured distances. There were tons of people out there and it was nice to get out of the house.

Since I'm still feeling bad, and it doesn't seem to matter what I eat, I said, "screw it" and had a normal breakfast at 100% Natural. Here's their website: 100% Natural  The restaurant is located in El Parque Del Arte just a few blocks from our house. (I will do an entire blog on this park at some point because it deserves it). The food was good, the juice (which came in what can only be described as a fish bowl) was delicious, and they had bathrooms with toilet paper. It was a win all around!

We then went to Wal-Mart...don't judge. Our neighbors go there too...it's not because we're American, it's because they have a better selection on some products. (I have mentioned that we went to another Wal-Mart to get some basics when we first got here, it turns out that there is a closer Wal-Mart with more selection and better prices...so I think I'm eating my words when I say, "I think we might shop there from now on").

Still Blerg-ish

Well, I'm on day three of this "Blerg-ish-ness" I haven't left the house in three days. I am beginning to feel like this:

Sad Cat Diary  (Click on the words "Sad Cat Diary") Also, "The Authorities" should be a substitute for "Andy" 

Not really...but kinda...and I love the video, it's funny.

Andy has been out and about, moving and shaking...and taking care of me. He went to El Zócolo last night to meet our tutor and on the way he stopped into several restaurants on the way to see if they would like live music. He went into one particular place and spoke with a large man from Cuba who was wearing a Marlins hat. The man asked Andy, who had his guitar on him, to play something on the spot. Andy played "Imagine" and the guy told him to come back today around 2:00pm and he could play a party they were having at the restaurant.

He's getting ready to head out. Who knows what is in store...but wish him good luck! I'll keep you posted tomorrow.

It Finally Happened...

I've been waiting, well, really since we got back from our trip to England and Iceland, for this to happen. We had been around so many people, so many germs...but neither of us got sick. Then we went back to Portales...more germs, more people. (Do you see a trend here?! People=Germs). We didn't get sick. Then we moved to Mexico. I thought on the drive to Puebla, "please, oh please, just let me wait to get the inevitable sickness until we get into our new place!" I have been eating whatever food I want (see previous post with the bugs) because I just figured the sooner my stomach gets used to the "flora and fauna" as Andy puts it, the better. I didn't get sick.

So, after two and a half weeks here, I began to think I had this super immune system, this colossal stomach made of steel. Well, I got knocked off that high horse yesterday morning and have felt "blerg-ish" ever since. Notice I said Blerg-ish not Montezuma's Revenge-ish. It hasn't been epic or life changing...just not good, man.

So, needless to say I didn't leave the house today, and if I can help it, I'm gonna try and do the same today. There's comfort in knowing where the nearest toilet is. TMI? Sorry, just keeping it real.

This is a photo from several years ago, showing the effects of the Portales wind...but it also aptly depicts how I'm feeling at the moment. 

Cholula, a Pyramid, and Some Bugs

Okay folks...here it is! The much anticipated (I know, you can all stop holding your breath) post about Cholula and the pyramid there. So, just a brief little background on the pyramid. *Disclaimer* Please remember, I'm not an expert on this subject or anything "Mexico", nor do I claim to be. Most of my facts were gathered from the interwebs and from the limited signage (that was poorly translated into English) at the site.

Facts: 

• The Great Pyramid of Cholula's actual name is: Tlachihualtepetl. This is Nahuatl for "artificial mountain." 
• It is the largest pyramid in the world, by volume, not height.
• It is believed that it was built in homage to the god Quetzalcoatl.
• It was built, and expanded, for thousands of years before the Spanish rolled into town. 
• There were alters where children were sacrificed to appease the gods.
• Once the Spanish rocked in, they built a church on top of the Pyramid.
• There are more facts, but I'm challenging you, my faithful readers, to research for yourself. (And no, it's not cause I'm lazy and have other things to do today...nope, not at all.)

Here's a photographic journey on our trip to see some pretty old, pretty awe-inspiring stuff 10 minutes from our house!

First we walked in through the tunnels. This was a stairway that lead into further tunnels. 

This is the exact moment that I remembered that we live next to an active volcano...and sometimes there are earthquakes here. Awesome.

And then shortly after that, we saw this. The literal light at the end of the tunnel. That's Andy, fearlessly leading us through the lighted, grated, totally safe tunnels of an ancient pyramid. 

Back in the world of the living...or sunlight. What?! I'm not being dramatic about those tunnels...nope, not me. But seriously, this is what you see on the way to the church on top of the pyramid. 

This is the view from the church. Most of it is Puebla...and Cholula. The two cities are kinda smashed together. They are separated by major streets. Still trying to figure out which ones those are. (Hey, it's only been about two and a half weeks. I just mastered the art of pronouncing our local supermarket. It's all a learning process).

This is Cholula from the other side of the church. Stunning, huh?! To get views like this I'll let you imagine how steep the steps up there. No need for a Stairmaster for these folks.

Domes on the church. Trying to be artsy fartsy. Did it work?

Andy and me and the stunning city of Cholula. (Yes, Mom, I was wearing sunscreen).

This is what we could see from our vantage point in the previous picture. Not too shabby.

You can see the farming fields in the distance and the ruins of parts of the pyramid from the top by the church.

Santuario de la Virgin de los Remedios.

Bell towers and the cross as you come up the stairs. 

Full frontal of the church. (Wow...that just sounded too funny not to leave it just like that. Whoops!)

Here's what the church looks like from our "official parking lot." Upon further inspection it may not have been so official. But we had all of our car parts left when we came back, so we were happy with it. 

(Just a little side note, Andy and I both found it odd to marvel at the beauty, and man, was it beautiful, of the church knowing that it was built on another sacred site. I mean, it's the most obvious, blatant, form of oppressing another culture's beliefs that I've personally ever seen. So, although it was stunning, I know that I felt slightly like, "meh...this shouldn't be here." Again, this is just my personal feelings, not a comment on the Spanish, the Catholic church, or any one who may have a particular fondness in their heart for the church...on to more important things!)

I ate bugs! Yup, that's right...bugs, insects, larvae. In light of "keeping it real" I didn't eat the big crickets, I had the small larvae that were in my hand. But the man insisted it would make a better picture if we included the big guns. He was right...like, he had conned gringas into doing this every day. Like it was his job or something. Weird.

Down the hatch they went! All three of those tiny little suckers. As my face may or may not indicate, they were actually not that bad. Kinda salty, maybe had some chile and lime seasoning. They were so, "not-so-bad" that I would eat them again. It should be noted that before we moved here I had heard about the bugs and had made up my mind that I would try them. Mission accomplished!

 Here's a pretty flower for those of you recovering from gagging at the last two pictures. See, I'm nice.

Part of the pyramid. I wish I could tell you which building it was from, but sadly I can't. The signage is very minimal, and there was a lot to take in all at once. 

A separate part of the pyramid, the two staircases and "launch pad", according to Andy. Also, in our travels, we have come to notice, and sometimes really appreciate, the lack of security at places like this. In the US, I feel like you could have seen the pyramid from very far away, on a bus, all controlled and informative. Here, there are some plastic ties that are used for newspaper binding the States, keeping you out of this ancient site. (Similarly, in Iceland, at Gulfoss, a massive waterfall, there are small, very low to the ground ropes that are there to keep you from going over the edge. In all actuality they might trip you and HELP you fall over the edge. But, I digress).

Some of the most exposed parts of the pyramid. And the church. 

An elephant looking sculpture found in the pyramid. Umm...there aren't elephants here in Mexico. (No, smart ass, not the ones at the zoo). Andy has his theories on these world sites...I'll let him explain it later...but I can lead you to a show, called "Ancient Aliens" on the Discovery Channel, that will begin to help you understand my love's theories on a few things. ;)

Stone head also uncovered in the pyramid. (Look like an alien head to anyone else?)

More pyramid stuff. (I edited out the small modern broom and trash bag at the bottom of the stairs...just didn't seem right to include them).

I think this is close to where they found the "Mural of Drinkers." It was a large mural that basically depicted a drunken orgy, to put it bluntly. You can't see it on the wall anymore, but the museum had a rendition of it.

You can start to see shells in the construction of the pyramid here. They they think they came from Veracruz, which is a few hours by car from Puebla.

I took a lot of pictures...bare with me, we are almost done. 

The stairs on the side of the Pyramid.

We climbed the stairs. This is the view from the top. Guess who decided to do squats for the first time in, oh, I don't know, six months the day we climbed these? That's right, this lady! Still sore.

Here's a face on the way into the museum. I think it is similar to those depicted on the "Mural of Drinkers." But really, I just liked it. 

After our epic, several stair climbs, we wandering into the town center of Cholula, and treated ourselves to some ice cream. Yummy!! Also, this part of Cholula is so stinkin' cute! The sidewalks are all smooth and orderly. Everything is painted like a rainbow (see picture). I can totally see why people move to Cholula, but I have to say, I'm happy with our decision to be here in Puebla. 

Okay, there you have it! If you come to visit us we will take you to see it in person!