A LIGHTER NOTE

Having spent months describing my many problems and of the difficulties of living in Mexico, I thought it was time I told you about one of the many things that I love about Mexico.  It is the wonderful Mexican Folk Art.  I have managed to collect a small collection for very little money (need I mention again, that I am cheap!).  Much of it dates back to pre-Hispanic times.  It is illegal to buy actual pre-Columbian artifacts, but there are lots of copies. There is a great  deal of humor in much of their art..  Much of it is primitive, whimsical and colorful.

One of my favorites is the intricate bead work of the Houicho Indians native to this area.  The colorful iguana is an example of that.  The patterns are symbolic to their religion and culture.  Every one is different.
The pottery pot behind is a popular pattern that I have collected a lot of.  The blue dish is also a very common article here.

I love the Mexican hand blown glass wear.  I picked this pattern with the green swirl for the color.  I love the papier mache vegetables and fruit, and of course the wonderful colorful paper flowers.  The blue and white pedestal with the potted philodendron was one of the most expensive of my purchases (still cheap compared to The States) I bought at the tile factory when I was buying the tiles for my kitchen counter.  Hanging on the wall are the brilliantly colored clay peppers.  The carved hanging shelf was about $30.00.

In front of the Aztec Warrior is a papier mache frog,  I love him.  In front of the "fake" pre-Columbian figure is just a carved clay box where I keep my change for buses.  I have several pieces of the hand painted tin art, but I favor the sun.  I also love the clay smiling sun which I surrounded with paper flowers.

For many years I have loved the equipauli furniture.  I had it on my deck in Laguna Beach in 1970.  It is made of pig skin cured in horse urine (you have to leave it outside for several days).  On the wall is an angel made of sun dried clay.  On the table a circle of seven men around a votive candle ( they cost just a few dollars).

I found them all over the town, but most came from one shop next to my favorite coffee shop "A Page in the Sun".  The owner sits at the back bent over his computer, he never looks up (he is probably on FaceBook) He has never greeted me or ever recognized me in the dozens of times I have shopped there.  I now demand and get a 10% discount, but he still will not acknowledge my presence in the shop.  Mexicans are really the worst business men in the world.  Just really don't care.  Amazing!! But, it is Mexico.

Truly there are many things about living in Mexico that I enjoy. However I still cannot tolerate the hot chili sauces, nor can I down a shot of Tequila and the Mexicans inability to tell time drives me crazy.  You didn't really think I could finish an entire postings without complaining about something.  Did you?

Don't expect any posts for a few weeks, as I will be in California.

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OLAS ALTAS

Olas Altas (which translates to High Waves) is not really like the Malecon.  It only runs for about seven blocks and is one block above the shore line.  It is a great deal more than a wide sidewalk as it is a heavily traveled street as it is the main artery to the South end of Zona Romantica.  The similarity is that it is a favorite of high spending tourists.  Many of the best shops and restaurant line the street or are just off Olas Altas.  It has another similarity in that the City decided to rip it up in the middle of the "High Season".

Half of the tourist will be gone in a few weeks and the rains don't start for months yet.  In spite of vocal protests by all the merchants, they began near Plaza Cardenas.  One might think that they would do it one block at a time.  No,  over half of the sidewalks are gone, and not just on one side.  Using Mexican logic (an oxymoron) they tore up both sides at once, leaving pedestrians to attempt to navigate the cobble stone street covered with rubbble and all the cars, buses and trucks.  Many business have had to close for a month, or try to lure customers with tables and chairs balanced on plywood planks covering huge holes.  The "new" coffee shop where my old favorite used to be, spent a fortune on the remodel.  The inside was covered in marble and granite and a huge wrap around wrought iron railing and awning was installed.  All the wrought iron was torn down and the business closed.  Don't fell too sorry as the rumor is that it was built with "laundry money".

If the above isn't absurd enough, they began the project just two days before Mardi Gras.  The parade travels down Olas Altas and ends at Pulpitos.  Half the town turns out to watch the parade which consists mainly of people in costumes (and in drag) in the back of pick up trucks, covered with balloons and crepe paper. .  Anyone wanting to see the parade had to stand on the rubble or try to balance themselves on plywood planks   All the City had to do was to wait unitl Monday, but "NO".  The project must go on.

The reason for all the new sidewalks is obvious to anyone who has tried to navigate the old cracked, pot hole ridden sidewalks, with multiple level changes.  But that was not the real reason.  The City is trying to put all the electricity underground.  A great idea if it worked.  Now that almost half of Zona Romantica has new sidewalks with underground cables.  You can see all the colorful hoses coming up out of the concrete.  However, all the wires and poles (with attached cables) are still up.  Why? you might ask.  Well now that the City has spent tens of millions laying all the underground cables, it is up to the individual property owners to pay for the connection, and none of them will.

My bridge partner's wife is in charge of the installation of all the planters along the new sidewalk.  The Garden Club planted them and luckily maintains them.  I noticed that the trees planted along Badillo last year were growing up into the electric wires.  I was afraid that the City would come by and chop them down.  When the City tree trimmers arrive, they come with chain saws and often cut the trees down to a stump.  She told me that when they planted the trees they were told that the wires would be gone by last June.  She assured me that her team would carefully trim the trees as the wires may never be removed..

The other day I passed a group of men digging up a street.  They were having some sort of augment with a man carrying a map.  Much shouting and hand waving, so I asked an English speaking Mexican what was going on.  It seems that the supervisor was telling the men digging up the street that they were in the wrong location.  Never mind, they had their job to do and they were going to do it, even if it was the wrong location.  AHHH Mexico.!

Just a block off Olas Altas they have been building the new pier (for TWO YEARS!)  There is nothing to show for it but a few pilings sunk in the water (all at different heights).  The other day I walked down to check on it and noticed a sign warning of electric shock from high voltage wires.  Then I noticed the cables running into the ocean.  I had no intention of climbing over the chain link fence to get to the construction site, but wondered about the safety of even going into the water.

I would love to send you photos of the  new pier and the street with all the trees and planters in, and the wires all underground, but I don't think I will live long enough.

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