Odds & Ends

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it on the blog but it's spring break here in lovely Zihua. That means the kids are running around more than normal and half of Mexico has come for vacation. It's kind of like Coast Guard Festival in Grand Haven (for those of you familiar) but with less clothes, more trash and everyone has beaded hair.

My morning errands included a stop at the mercado where there was an actual tour going on. I'm assuming they came from the cruise ship that anchored this morning - one of those "See Zihua in Seven Easy Steps" tours - and they made the place more chaotic than normal. I had a few more things to do in town but opted to walk. With all the extra traffic I got faster on foot and decided to grab a quick lunch at my favorite spot near the ocean. Three hours later I'd read a good chunk of my book, met a local author and had a song sung to me by a wandering guitar player. For free.

On my way back home I noticed a group of construction workers in the median of the road, all tied together with a rope. Like a chain-gang but they seemed to be pulling someone or something out of a hole in the ground. I did a double-take and that was my mistake. They all seemed to notice me at once and started shouting at me as I walked by. First in Spanish, then in English. And there were seven or eight of them. I was only a block from my street so I tried to hurry along but their shouts encouraged the men standing outside the store I was passing and they joined in too. Twelve men, all shouting things at me. I mumbled obscenities at them but was afraid to say anything they could hear for fear they'd approach me. I made it across the street and hurried home.

Then, good news. One of my friends is coming to visit in three weeks! She thought about coming last fall but it didn't work out and this time it's really happening. Thank god for expiring frequent flier miles! Yay!