Guanajuato Day 16

OUr trip draws to a sunny close with a huge rally in the square with the Governor of Guanajuato talking about the elections. Our Senora is a Calderon supporter, as I understand is most of this state, and it was fun to see the outpouring of people in the plaza as I took one last hike up to Pipila for a gorgeous view of this city. People were dressed either in suits and dresses or in their casual attire, but it didn´t have the feel of our protest/support marches wherein people openly express their opinions; perhaps I didn´t hang around enough, but it was fun to see something non-tourist-y.

At a family restaurant last night on the Jardin, I noted that the serving sizes get bigger, the more American-ized the restaurant. The mole was good, despite the Howard Johnson atmosphere and the rotating pie display case.

Later, M & I went to a local "gay friendly" bar for drinks and some nice canned rumba/salsa/cumbia music. My tum wasn´t up to hip shaking, but it was interesting to watch the older men in their white fedoras nurse their drinks, then politely go up to a group of single women and ask one to dance. They´d hit the floor and turn into marvelous undulating figures, meeting and parting in their twirly, swirly moves, then when the music ended, without a word they´d retreat to their tables. None of the men were "hunks" , many with paunches, glasses, balding, but they could move their bodies and enjoyed doing so. I wondered where they learned these dances; it´s never surprising to see women let loose like this, but I loved these 50+, 60+ men doing their thing with grace and pure enjoyment. I´ve been doing flamenco, a solitary dance for a long time, but am thinking it´s time to learn some partner moves. So much is revealed in this mode of social intercourse and I remember loving those disco days back in the 70's.

The stay feels all too short. I never conquered the subjunctive, got to see the interior of the Teatro Juarez or see the mummies (no big loss there, but thought the kids might enjoy them.) It always feels that just as you get your travel legs, it´s time to go, but what I take back with me is this wonderful sense of having plunked myself down into a new place and reveled in all of its idiosyncracies (back to tossing toilet paper in the bowl), it´s taste delights (chile & salt on fruit, yum), its people (lovely to look at and friendly to boot) and its mirrors. For in leaving home, you get to see yourself in a different light. Often that´s in the eyes of the new beholders you meet, but more so in how you feel when untethered.

This street was the last one we walked down before heading to the airport. Noah decided to try yet another shoe store in hopes of finding his high top Converse and by pure chance, in a tiny hidden shop, he hit the mother lode. That's one thing I will always remember about Guanajuato; how you can set out to find or do one thing, or nothing at all, and something quite surprising and wonderful happens. Here's to new streets, new corners to turn and new vistas ahead.