Hola! Firstly I want to thank everyone who comments on my journal. I LOVE reading your comments, and I don't want anyone to be disheartened by the fact that I rarely reply - my time on the net is limited. It's fantastic to know that people are reading my journal and that you still love me! Keep 'em coming, I love getting them.
Anyway, I am currently sitting in my hotel room in Morelia, a city about a 3-4 hour drive west of Mexico City. I am feeling a lot better about handling the lack of English, my Spanish is coming along in leaps and bounds. Well, I think it sucks, but I'm told by people that my Spanish is unbelievably excellent for only being in the country for 4 days.
So anyway, I was feeling a little overwhelmed with the helplessness of it all in Mexico. Nobody spoke English, no hotels have reservation websites, I had no idea where I was staying the next night....it was all too much! But thankfully my hotel had a travel agent who spoke English, who helped me book accommodation at a few different places and helped me change a flight to fit a schedule. Sigh of relief. So I took a bus to Morelia, and talk about freaking first class. Whoah. Plush recliner seats complete with comfy foot rests...they even feed you! It was awesome.
I got into Morelia late in the afternoon and went for a quick walk before dark. I LOVE Morelia. It is just beautiful, and lacks the dirty chaos of Mexico City. Families wander around everywhere, and the conversations wax lyrical throughout the streets. The buildings are old and just beautiful.
I was lucky enough to wander into a gorgeous little street festival. There was a latin band playing, and people just gently dancing in the square. It had such a wonderful ambience I just stood around and watched, without realising that it had gotten dark. I wound my way through children, the elderly and the young to get back to my hotel. I stopped in and had my first real Mexican meal, some Enchiladas and freshly squeezed orange juice (it is just awesome - they squeeze it in front of you). The Enchildas cost me a whopping $2.20. For an entire meal. So, a boy might need two of them, but who cares? I love the Mexican peso.
So I walked home, and for the first time I didn't feel like I had to be completely aware of my surroundings - despite the fact that it was dark (well, dusky anyway). Families littered the streets and joy just seemed to dance off the building walls. I was filled with a 'I hate my life particularly because all you suckers are in period 3' sensation.
Today I got up nice and early (about 8) and headed off on a tour to see the gorgeous Monarch Butterflies. There are several sanctuaries here in Mexico, where literally millions of Butterflies migrate from all over the USA and Canada to winter. Technically the migration back north has already started, but that didn't take away from the awe and splendour of thousands and thousands of butterflies flittered haphazardly through the air, and coating the trees and their leaves in a distant orange haze. Unfortunately the photos don't really show how awesome it was, but I guess that's always the case.
I was even lucky enough to score an English speaking guide and two other people on the tour spoke English, which was actually really helpful for my Spanish because they could correct me and help me try to say what I wanted. The guide told me the best way to learn Spanish was to get a Mexican boyfriend. I told him that my husband (as he is affectionately known when he's not here) wouldn't entirely appreciate it. However, if I was going to fall into temptation's arms, I could at least do it with a proper Spaniard, or perhaps a Brazilian, not a dirty Mexican. Besides, my father is a dirty Mexican and I could end up being incestuous and having retarded children. I can't have that happening, now can I?
So the tour was gorgeous, even though it took 12 freaking hours. Shudder. I'm finally back in my hotel and am really looking forward to going to bed. I'm off to Guadalajara tomorrow, and I think I might even have the net there too - if you're lucky!
Hasta luego!!
Morelia pics
Flutterby pics
