Mexico: Never Bland and Boring

Stu and I both lost weight in Guatemala. Much of the weight loss can be attributed to the gastrointestinal problems we suffered, but in all honesty I have to say that Guatemalan food is not all that interesting. The food we were served in our residence, although nutritious (lots of vegetables!) was bland and boring. Fortunately neither of those words can be used to describe Mexican food.

A neighbor of ours has a trap for catching feral cats who come around at night. The other morning he found a tlaquache (possum) in the trap. Conversations concerning the nature of tlaquaches ensued. Yes, they play dead when they're frightened, yes, they're marsupials, yes, they have scary teeth and ugly noses and tails. But hey, we're in Mexico here. Are they good to eat?

Moises is young but he's lived here all his life and knows a thing or two. And his mom has been over to help Stu with his bad shoulder: she taped mustard seeds to Stu's ear. I know, I know, that's the subject for a different blog. And it's only peripherally related to food.

Anyway, Moises says that some people eat tlaquaches, but that they shouldn't. Tlaquaches are dirty, according to Moises, because they eat garbage and chickens and eggs. But, he says, if you do decide to eat one, they taste best with salsa verde.

Carlos, the chiropractor/physical therapist, showed up later that morning. I told him about the tlaquache. He totally disagreed with Moises. Tlaquaches are very clean animals, he said. They only eat chickens and eggs. They stay out of garbage. And they taste best with salsa verde.

So the jury is still out on the tlaquache. But if you must try it, be sure to serve it with salsa verde.

The jury is out on the mustard seed treatment too. Carlos just laughed and shook his head when he saw Stu's ear with the mustard seeds attached. But then what does Carlos know, he thinks both cats and tlaquaches are good eating. Just be sure to have plenty of salsa verde on hand.

Tasty Tacos, Gatos Sabrosos

A friend who was frustrated by a neighbor's continually barking dogs threatened to put a note on the offending owners' door.

"Today's barking dogs, tomorrow's tasty tacos."

Eventually everyone in the neighborhood signed a letter asking the owners to do something about the dogs. Something was done, but I don't know what. I hope that they are keeping the dogs inside the house now, or that the dogs went to live with someone who lives in a less sensitive neighborhood. I´m assuming that the dogs really didn´t end up in someone´s tacos.

I was reminded of the tasty tacos the other day when Carlos, Stu's physical therapist, came to work on Stu's back. Carlos has been coming to our house several times a week for some time. Carlos is very fond of Squeakers, our cat.


Squeakers is fat and lazy. No doubt about it. Carlos describes Squeakers as consentido (spoiled), gordo (fat), and mimodo (spoiled). I don't know which of the words for spoiled is stronger, or whether there's any difference at all between them. Carlos uses them both. Except for the last time Carlos was here, when he added a new adjective to his description of the cat. Sabroso (tasty). YIKES!

Carlos likes to joke around, and since he only speaks Spanish I have to pay close attention in order to understand. But sometimes his joking is a little disconcerting. On the way out the door yesterday Carlos elaborated on the sabroso theme, telling me that gato barbacoa (barbecued cat) is especially sabroso. YIKES DOBLE!

That does it. Squeakers is going on a diet.

Adios to Antigua

Ok, I lied when I said we wouldn't come home early from this trip. The weather and our various health problems (all pretty much better now) convinced us to come home early from our projected 5 week stay in Guatemala.

The city of Antigua is beautiful and charming. The Spanish school and the classe were very well organized. We liked our teachers. But the weather and the rustic living conditions (sort of like camping) were too much for us. We're thinking of going back in the winter when the weather is more accommodating, but for now we're just happy to be home.

I'm swimming laps in the pool again, and Stu has his physical therapist coming in every morning for his sore shoulder and back. I have lots to keep me busy: uploading photos of Antigua, downloading photos that people have sent me of the wedding, grocery shopping and cooking and giving the cat some extra attention.

We've both decided we've had enough of travel, at least for the short term. The airports were a nightmare, the canceled flights and changing gate numbers set off all my panic alarms and (I know this is hard to believe) it all made me very cranky.

My friend Glenda called this morning to see how we were and find out why we came back early. I told her she has the right attitude about travel these days. She did lots of traveling when she was younger, including a trip around the world, and now she's quite happy staying put in Zihuatanejo.

Right now I can't think of anything I want to do more than stay right here for the rest of the summer, despite the heat and humidity and the mosquitoes and the smelly canal and, well, whatever... Whatever comes our way, we're ready for it, as long as it comes our way while we're here in Zihuatanejo.

Honeymoon

Don´t ask my advice about when or where to take a vacation. When it comes to vacations I don´t have a clue what I´m doing. Last summer Stu and I went to Pátzcuaro, Michoacán for what was supposed to be a nice break from the heat and humidity of Zihuatanejo. Pátzcuaro was cold and wet and I got very sick with what turned out to be dengue fever. We came home earlier than expected.

This summer we´re in Antigua, Guatemala. I don´t plan to go home early, but conditions here remind me a lot of that July in Patzcuaro. Only colder. And rainier.

It´s been raining steadily since we arrived several days ago. And it´s cold. I don´t know or want to know what the temperature is, but I do know it´s bone-chillingly cold. And wet. Our bedroom´s adobe walls are damp and even starting to drip rain water.

Sightseeing isn´t really an option with the rain pouring down and the streets full of water. Every day we come home from our Spanish classes with cold feet and wet clothes. We had planned to do some traveling in Guatemala and some sightseeing in Antigua, but it appears that once again I have chosen the wrong time to visit the right place...