Another Mexican Day

This is lower end shopping. The "booth" is really just a blanket on the ground and this woman has the most whimsical woven straw and ribbon items. I couldn't resist several which you can't see here; an all white woven reindeer that has a rattle inside, a crocodile that is no more than a centimeter long and must have been woven with pins (of course I can't ask because I am too dumb to have learned Spanish before I came...I have to make do with many ooos and ahhhs), and 2 inch donkey with baskets on his side. total= 62 pesos. (14.6 pesos = one dollar) That's a hell of a lot of work for the weaver.

This is an upscale shop and everything is expensive, though also whimsical. I didn't buy anything.
Life is simple here. I'm sure this woman is going to start her own fire to cook her dinner. That's why she collects kindling along the way. Almost all of the older women have long ponytails or braids. All the girl children do too. But not the young women necessarily.
The bus station...it's a very Catholic country. Can you see the Virgin on the altar?
The streets are filled with the fallen carcasones. Confetti and colorful egg shells EVERYWHERE!

What You Can FInd at Tuesday Market

Most middle aged and older women wear these aprons every day, so far as I can tell. They are $1.50 each.

Lots and lots of men wear cowboy boots and hats. The boots are really soft leather and not that expensive. Both seem really practical in the dust and sun.

There are tons of strawberries and they go for under $.35 a pound. YES, that's right THIRTY FIVE CENTS! But they're not safe for gringos to eat because they absorb so many toxins and bacteria. The sweet strawberry smell just about knocks you over when you're close to them.
BTW, T bought two mangos for TWENTY EIGHT CENTS. not each. fourteen cents each.

Chicken necks and heads

Clothes, clothes, clothes....mostly used. There are piles of them and they are mostly under five dollars, many are a few cents. It's more like Filene's Basement than Filene's Basement.

There's loads of other interesting things, like livestock, plastic ware in really bright colors, cds and dvds, tools, food booths with live music, juice booths, cosmetics, plastic toys and a VERY few old antiquey items.

I got a few old milagros and tin stars.

Carnaval

Here in San Miguel, I think they're in the midst of Carnaval before the start of Lent. Today in the Jardin, there was a fantastic marimba band, loads of dancing (LATIN dancing), color everywhere and kids and people. One of the traditions is the breaking of cascarones (confetti filled egg shells) over each other's heads. I was very pleased to have been the object of one teen age boys cascarone!

You can kind of see confetti on the back and head of this lovely lady and the little boy below. I tried to download a video of the dancing but failed. It was incredible. Obviously, Latin men like to dance and know how.

night shots, a bit fuzzy

This is the pin-up girl for January on Karen's calendar, photographed last year by Kirk.

I feel sad for this poor burro, employed to look cute and appealing to humans.

Mexican Graffiti, Tiles, Shoeshines, and Princess Dresses

Does anyone know who this character is?

I'm not a big fan of tile, but these are so old and sweet, in the vestibule of an old hotel.

Karen had her shoes shined today. She said they didn't look this good even when new. It took a half an hour and cost slightly more than $1.00

These are big girl dresses; otherwise I'd bring one home for my princess, Sophia.

Some of Our Crowd!

I know it's silly but I couldn't resist this Mexican tiara.

Bill and Lisa (Karen's hermana), jewelry artists and jack-and-jill of all trades

Karen and the birthday cake (Lisa, Karen and Javier all have birthdays this week)

Jack, the biblio-renter at Lisa and Bill's school and Linton, Karen and Lisa's hermano.

Mika, the Can-Do Everything Gal

Tuesday Market

Once a week there is a street market here in San Miguel. It's wild and real.

A skull and radishes advertise this eatery.

A Pretty Tame Rooster

I don't want to think about why these bunnies are all for sale. Reminds me of Honeybun, my own childhood rabbit.

Selecting Opals

How lucky we were today to accompany our friends, Bill and Lisa, to the opal dealer. Bill and Lisa are jewelry designers. They have been choosing opals from Hector for years. We drove way out into the country where the mines are.


After the opals were chosen and s0me trading done, ( B and L bring lots of items from the United States for them), we were invited to a delicious meal. The conclusion was a giant papaya that Hector peeled and offered us.
This beautiful opal set in sterling fit perfectly on my middle finger so T bought it for me for 200 pesos, fourteen U.S. dollars.

More Mexican Color

Baquito

Baquito is 15+ years old. I am told he likes the senora of the house, but not the senor. I spent quite a bit of time with him, imitating the whistles he made. He was most attentive and moved around his cage to be near me, whichever side I chose.

I have to say I considered him quite a flirt.

Please look carefully for his red tail feathers.

Roof Top

The View from our Roof at Night

For Lisa: Yes, there are house facades in colors other than earth tones, but not many!

Local Market

SMA Morning

Fifty cents= 16 oz. fresh squeezed orange juice!

On the Roof

Hanging the wash on the roof is a pleasure. The wind whips everything dry in a very short time and there are no wrinkles.

Do you suppose the driver of this Beetle parked here just to coordinate with the building facade?

I've switched bedrooms and rearranged in order to have the bedroom with more light and a fireplace.

Ahhhh......colors!

Around and About SMA

Although these are traditional figures painted on tin, they are not done with bright paint. I got them with the idea that I'd give them as gifts individually, but together they make such an eclectic crowd.

One vendor at the craft fair and the Instituto carried old buttons. This collection will grace a grandchild sweater, I hope.

A neighborhood facade.

There must be very loose standards for where license plates are attached here. Note the trunk lock too.
This is the daughter and vendor of the artist who created the tin figures in the first photo, at the craft fair. The mural behind her is part of the Instituto Allende.