Monday, July 6, 2009

Skating, a Stuffed Sheep, and a Snake

Several strange things happened within our first twenty-four hours in Mexico City last week. First, ice skating.


If you're thinking that it never occurred to you that people ice skate in Mexico, you're not alone. While trying to decide what to do, the family was debating between a movie and patinaje. Since I didn't know what the heck that was, I voted for a movie UNTIL I discovered it was ice skating. I pretty much always take the active option if there is one and I haven't skated in years.

The two on either side of Ibis both play ice hockey and are very good skaters. The rest of us not so much, especially because there was a half inch of water on the ice surface and the skates hadn't been sharpened in quite some time. After skating we played air hockey for over an hour. Yay!

The following morning we went to a "traditional" Mexican restaurant for breakfast, complete with stuffed sheep in the median out front.


By stuffed, I mean formerly living and now taxidermied for the public's viewing pleasure. The restaurant served mostly meat, but as far as I know, it did not serve sheep. Unless I missed something.

After breakfast a large group of us went to a small historical town (I didn't catch the name) to tour the cathedral and convent. On the way across the plaza, we stopped to check out this ginormous snake. Don't they look excited?


There was a wedding going on in the cathedral so we saw the wedding party cruise by in a horse-drawn carriage. We spent about an hour touring the cathedral, during which time we lost two of the aunts for a short time, but we found them waiting on a bench near the entrance. Smart ladies.

Then I got lost with both of them when we went to find the bathroom (yes, I realize the bathrooms are becoming a theme).

Have you ever held a giant snake like this?

12 comments:

Jon VanZile said...

I loooove snakes. Unfortunately, none will ever be allowed in my house ... :(

Janna Leadbetter said...

You're kidding, stuffed sheep? That's new.

Such adventures!

Spy Scribbler said...

Have I? Over my dead body.

Wow, that sounds like a lovely day! I'm going to have to get my passport renewed. I think I want to do some RV-ing in Mexico. When Glenn is with me. :-)

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Lurker, I just do NOT get the appeal. Ugh.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Janna, the one in the picture stared at me throughout the meal. It was very weird.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Spy, my grandparents RV'd through Mexico in the 60s (with my aunt) so my grandma has shared a lot of stories with me since we've been living here.

Nadine said...

That snake was huge! How fun! I think I would have held it but I probably would have been freaking out at the same time. Did you hold it?

What was the snake doing there?

Crazy about the 1/2 inch of water on the ice! It's been years since I have skated!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Nadine, it was an area with a lot of tourists so you could hold it and pay for a picture that they printed right there.

JLC said...

Yes, I've held all sorts of animals. I think the one that bothered me the most was a tarantula. Its feet were prickly. Snakes don't bother me too much, but I'd need to wash with soap and water after holding one. They aren't necessarily clean.

Ice-skating looked like fun! I would've passed on the air hockey though. HATE air hockey. In fact, if you ever want to torture me.. make me play air hockey. (I'd rather hold a snake.)

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Really? OMG, I could play air hockey for HOURS. In fact, I got a huge bruise on my knee because I was so into it that I kept slamming my knee into the table. But I beat that 14-year old, yes I did!

I think I petted a tarantula as a kid, but now I wouldn't go near them. You are a brave lady!

Robin said...

How cool! The guys look so nice! I'm too chicken to play hockey. When I grew up the Bruins were our heroes, and none of them have teeth. I really like my teeth.

I'd hold the snake, though! Cool!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Robin, ice hockey is the only form of hockey I haven't played. I played field hockey in high school and a little roller hockey after college (when I chipped my elbow, nice).