Dec 6th continued

We're back........

Couldn't resist just one more little bit of info for you (and I had to include the names of the two villages we visited today or I'll forget the names of them). They were San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan.

Now....since we last were on here.....a lot has happened!!! If you quickly turn on the news - NBC I think it was.....you'll see Lynda standing right behind the wise man who is being interviewed in front of his creche. And that is only one of the things that has happened in the past couple of hours!! (LOL....well part of it is true anyway....I guess it wasn't NBC but we did walk behind the wise man during his interview with the media and we did wave (in our minds anyway) and there is a creche down the street a ways so .... if you put it all together it's mostly true.

We've only been here for a couple of days and already none of the street vendors are trying to sell us anything so we can walk down the street unimpeded and....everywhere we go we're bumping into people we know!!! Maria, one of the desk clerks from our little hotel....was on her way home when she called to us across the street where we were enjoying a cup of delicious hot chocolate. Then just a little further down the street....there was Carlos (the man who loves me) driving on one of the cross streets almost mowing us over trying to get our attention waving and shouting hello. And then....just a little further and we were waving hello to the lady who owns one of the many book stores here. She is originally from Florida and has lived here for 15 years. It's like we've lived here for ages!!! And then when we were talking to Alex (another desk clerk at our hotel) tonight...we realized that we'd have to say good bye to him as he likely won't be back to work before we leave on Monday (unless the wind is blowing in another direction and we end up staying longer than planned) and wouldn't you know it but Alex came right out from behind his desk to give us both a big hug and in true Mexican tradition a kiss on the cheek. We are like part of the family here and it feels really good!

Other things that took place tonight include:
Lynda lost me in a tiny 20 X 20 ft store and the security guards had to help her....one of them even had a gun!!! And both of them were laughing the whole time because I was only steps away in another little alcove of the same store that Lynda couldn't see. So..... you know Lynda and her willingness to practice her spanish....she was compelled to ask for help and of course they were more than happy to accomodate her by escorting her (perhaps they weren't certain of her level of lucidity) but once she (and her escorts) located me all was well and the 'dos amigas' were together again :) Hugs all around (yes, the security too) and we were on our way. This really is a friendly little town (or else they just like hugging us)....

The cannons are still firing, but the church choir (right outside our window) is singing Ave Maria, which brings a kind of balance to the picture so all is good. It will be in the middle of the night that the cannons and the bells lose their balance I suspect. Really though.....we're getting kind of used to it if you can imagine that (however, Basil......please do NOT construct a cannon and a bell in the back yard to remind us of Chiapas!!)

We suspect that you think we've been drinking right now....but we haven't....well maybe one or two....but it's been at least 1/2 hour so this is completely lucid. We did have one drink with dinner if I tell the truth .... it was hot milk with a shot of Kahlua (it is really cold here!!!!) and unfortunately we forgot an important lesson in travelling. When in Rome.....eat what the Romans eat.....we went for Italian and it wasn't good :( It had been recommended but.....neither of us enjoyed the ravioli we had tonight. Tacos from a street vendor score 10 out of 10 where the ravioli barely made a 1/10. We both had soup as an appetizer though and it was great!! Mine was Squash Blossom Soup and Lynda's was Walnut Chipotle Soup. We're a little nervous that there may be trips to the john tonight but.....boy was that soup delicious!! It was just the ravioli that we should have done without.

Time has a different meaning in Chiapas. Tonight Alex was introducing us to his friend and remember....this is pretty well all in Spanish....Alex knows a couple of english words but his english is no better than my spanish. When introducing his friend he said that they've been friends for a very long time and when we asked him how long..... he replied maybe 3 years. We had to laugh and tell them that we've been friends for 30!

Okay...basta por hoy.....enough for today. Off to bed now as tomorrow will be a very long day and I'll have to write a book after that!!! And Kim....that will be the other half of your gift to me :) - thanks again for that Kim - it's been a great gift and there is already one and likely will be more stories as a result of it. It is unlikely that I'll be able to do it tomorrow night when we return so it may be a couple of days till you hear from us again. But....I've said that before and the next thing you know.....my fingers are flying on the keyboard again.

till then,
Lorrie