Only Skeletons Celebrated Here

Yep, I'm jumping on that Day of the Dead bandwagon, too. Because what did Clara and I come across when we went downtown hoping to refill ink cartridges? The street along one side of the Alameda was blocked off to make room for enormous ofrenda upon ofrenda for the Days of the Dead.

Last year, I believe I posted something about the ofrendas that were on display at the State Cultural center. That was enjoyable, but this was so much better! This year, a number of the city's high schools seemed to stage an ofrenda-making competition of sorts. Various schools were represented, a stage was set up for local talent to sing covers of popular songs, and a nine-foot tall catrina danced down the street.

I don't know if it's because we live so close to Texas or if it's because Mexico in general is getting more and more Americanized with their Halloween celebrations, but certain sections of this town are really trying to hold on to their own traditions and celebrate the Days of the Dead, instead of Halloween (or, maybe along with Halloween--hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em). This parade is a good example, as was the sign posted at the daycare center near my house. Today the children were to come to school dressed as catrins or catrinas (boy and girl skeletons)--NOT in their Halloween costumes. Good job, Centro Educativo--teach them young to reclaim their culture!

Anyway, the ofrendas are altars built to remember someone who has passed on. I believe a few were made in honor of the founders of some of the schools represented. I saw quite a number dedicated to Frida Kahlo. Sor Juana seemed to be the next favorite of the high school girls. I didn't recognize the picture of this one, so I asked the boys who made it. Pedro Infante--of course! How did I miss that most dapper of mustaches?

So thank you high school students of Saltillo--you sure brightened my day!

It's About Time

1) Since it's been awhile since I posted a Clara update, and
2) the kids is making strides (quite literally) in a number of areas,
here's the skinny on Chubbs:

She walks! Without holding onto my hand! The second week that we were visiting my parents, she and I went to Parkview North's playground. I was sitting on a bench about 3 yards away from her as she played with their enormous abacus. After awhile, she pooped out, took a seat, and asked me to pick her up. I told her to walk to me. She kept asking, I kept insisting. Finally, she planted her hands on the ground, hoisted her heiney in the air, got to her feet and walked over to me. I was incredulous. She just looked at me, plainly saying, "What's the big deal? Of course I can walk."

Thanks for finally letting us in on the secret.

Her vocabulary is also advancing with leaps and bounds. Keeping in mind that bilingual children are a bit slower to speak, I was still getting a little worried when, at 20 months, her only recognizable words were "mama" and "papa". And even those words were hit and miss. Just within the last week or two, she has developed an 8-word vocabulary.

• Mama

• Papa (she does say "dada" pretty frequently, but as we've never referred to Mario as "daddy or "dada", I'm not counting it as anything.)

• baby. Until yesterday, this did not refer to a baby, at least not in Clara's mind. To Clara, "baby" means animal, any animal. Puppies, Chris's cats, the hornet in my parents' kitchen, illustrations of cows . . . they're all babies. Finally yesterday she did point to Baby Bill and call him "baby".

• no. Today she decided to prove that she is very, very good at "no". Funny how the baby books often mentioned that kids learn to say "no" right around the same time they learn how to walk. They were right on, in Clara's case.

• please. She still does the sign language, but now she'll often accompany it with a verbal, "pee".

• ball. It comes out as either "ba" or "be". Very consistent, though. I think it was her first word after mama and papa.

• yeah. I've heard her say it a few times in the last week, but "no" has solidly eclipsed anything positive.

• beer. Mario was enjoying one tonight and Clara was working really hard to get a sip. After quite awhile without success, she thought it would be good effect to string together, "Pee [accompanied with hand signal], bee." For real? Beer?!? You're out of control, Clara.

Visitor Delight

Coming home last week, I didn't have too much time to adjust from being the visitor to having a visitor! How I love visitors . . . hint, hint!

My friend, Danyel, lived and volunteered with me for a year at Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos way back in 2004. She's back there working and had to visit the house for the college students in Monterrey last week. Since she was all the way up here, she decided to spend her "weekend" with us here in Saltillo.

In my heart, part of my plan for her visit was to wander around downtown and snack ourselves sick on street food. When I was living in Toluca and she had just returned to NPH, we'd meet up in Coyoacan, on the south side of Mexico City, about once a month. Coyoacan is a lovely, lovely neighborhood, and we'd meander through the neighborhoods filled with huge houses, impressive gates, polished wood doors, cascading bouganvillea. While doing all that walking we'd inevitably work up an appetite, head back to the center of Coyoacan, craving corn-on-a-stick, donuts-on-a-stick (thanks, Cafe El Jarocho), mocha frappes, gorditas de nata, nieve (sherbet) . . . on at least one occasion we both ended up sick afterwards.

But it was so worth it.

I toyed with the idea of introducing Danyel to Elote Real, a popular snack spot downtown that throws a cup of sweet corn kernels in a styrofoam cup and then douses them with mayonnaise, nacho cheese, and chili powder. Amazing. And then we could peruse nachos, in the state where they originated (they come from Piedras Negras on the Texas/Coahuila border). Unfortunately, I haven't seen any jicaleta vendors lately to give our feast a healthy image.

However, Mario bought a newspaper on Sunday and a number of restaurants ran some fairly large ads . . . including three Lebanese restaurants. Middle Eastern food in Mexico? Oh, yes. I believe that in the 1920s, Mexico welcomed large numbers of Lebanese immigrants. One of their lasting contributions to Mexico is the taco arabe in Puebla (more on that another day). And, these excellent restaurants in Saltillo which happily serve me large platterfuls of unidentifiable delicacies. All that I know is that they're all stuffed with lamb and rice. Little squashes stuffed with lamb and rice, grape leaves stuffed with lamb and rice, cabbage leaves stuffed with lamb and rice. Mmm . . . I love that lamb and rice! Eating garbage downtown just had no appeal after considering our lamb-filled options.

However, we did walk off all that rice downtown. And, as we approached the Alameda, we stopped for a frozen yogurt. For 10 pesos, we were served a generous serving of frozen yogurt, fruit on the bottom (raspberries for me), chocolate on top, then garnished with a spoonful of chocolate chips. Yes.

I need to have Danyel visit more often. We eat well together.

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Ayamal: Monclova #1419, Col. Republica Pte. 416-8201
Or, Jill-directions: You know the Soriana on Coss? And there's a Banamex in that same Plaza. Right. Roughly across the street from the Banamex (behind Coss, going into Republica) is Banco Inbursa. That's Calle Monclova. So the restaurant just past Inbursa, yep, that's Ayamal. And I don't think it's called that from the signs from the outside. Go figure. They also sell gorditas and other typical norteno dishes, plus Lebanese a la carte. However, I just always go for the buffet-brought-to-your-table as soon as they mention it. It's a good call.

Stop Seducing Me!

Oh, USA . . . after hanging out with you for almost three weeks, I must admit, I am a little smitten.

You started in with the walking trails in my parents' new neighborhood, meandering through woods and backyards and finally winding up to the YMCA (which boasts daycare . . . ooo--you want me bad, don't you?). Sidewalks that were wide enough for 2-3 people walking shoulder-to-shoulder and NO 6-inch cracks to navigate the stroller over? No traffic? Wonderful.

Then we discovered the toddler-friendly playgrounds--not just one, but two in town (and that was without even seeking them out). Stairs wide enough for the kid to crawl up . . . toddler swings that she won't fall out of if she lets go to point at a dog . . . slides that don't pitch her headlong into the pavement . . . nice.

And the library--oh, the library! Just the thought of those thousands upon thousands of FREE books, mine for the asking, is making me weak in the knees. For a parting shot the day we left, we returned our books just as story hour was beginning. I could be friends with those ladies. Clara could be friends with their kids. How I would have loved to go to lunch and the park with them afterwards, as some were suggesting.

Yep, you pulled out all the stops. Don't think I didn't notice.

Fortunately for me, a few days before I left the US, a friend of mine posted these photos on facebook (my apologies that I can't pull them up here for all to see). Thank you, Missy! Those snapped me out of it. Parts of me may want you, US, but for now, the rest of me is in Mexico. And I really am rather happy about it.















So, USA--despite all your charms, I left you again. We had a good time, but for now, that's all it can be.