Guanajuato Day 10

7.30.06

Rooftops have their own lives, with washlines, patio furniture, dog outlooks, bird cages, gardens and added guest quarters. The Senora’s daughter hops from hers to ours from her adjacent home through the water tanks, like a thief. The day breaks sunny and warm thankfully, after last night’s drencher. M & I leave the exhausted kids asleep in their beds and venture out for a drink, only to get drenched. We head home through one of the tunnels, which has been closed off for a horror movie event, huge screens erected in the streets and drink tables set up on the sides. Good spookly place to watch them.

The kids are dying to pet dogs as always, and finally we see one attached to an owner with a lease and let them ask permission. Two men seated adjacent strike up a conversation with me about I’m not sure what but we end up talking about American’s lack of interest in learning lanugages, Bush, our arrogance etc. I mentioned how Clinton used to read 11 newspapers every morning and how Bush reads none. And seems damn proud of the fact. This impromptu discussion is what I’ve enjoyed best about being down here, planning to do something and another opportunity to practice Spanish pops up.

We wander towards the Mercado Hidalgo and pass a Coffin shop across from the hospital, inside a family is sitting next to an open casket feeding a young baby. I just love the conjunction of opposites in this tableau, both ends of life on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

The Mercado is a wonderful mix of food stands, souvenir shops and fresh fruit and vegetable vendors. Noah’s eye is drawn to a long metal sword he decides to get with his allowance money and Hanah gets some woven hair bands. They are both so gender driven at times, it’s not even funny. Thank god they have each other to temper the extremes. They have nicknamed the slick tile stairwell landings the “pistachio zone” Hanah, because you could crack your head open like the nut if you slip and fall on it; Noah because he misunderstood us saying the peligrosa zone.

We end up at La Commerciale, the Walmart like store, to find some toothpaste for Noah and it’s such a contrast to the smells and sights of the Mercado; all clean, neat and sterile looking with canned music and huge shopping carts. The kids always enjoy these familiar places and foods we let them have in the first days of travel until they get adjusted, then we throw them to the cultural wolves.