Disconnected: a real vacation, part 1

The vacation ended with me singing La Embarcacion  with a young Uruguayan  guitar player as we sat on one of the spotless marble slabs  placed strategically under ramps and stairways in the spectacular and imposing Mexico City  airport. I had spotted him the minute I walked into the boarding area  for my flight  back to New York and immediately went over and  started singing and he tried to accompany me.  I wanted to sing a  goodbye for now to my native country and a way of life that has slowly been replaced by the demands of life in the Big Apple.
Even on vacation, I like to maximize my time, so after being hit with a dental proposal that totaled almost 20K in New York, I decided to spend two days in Mexico City and start much-needed dental workthat would   be finished on my return  there.  The work was extensive but not expensive—a bridge, a crown, cleaning,  2 fillings etc was first class.  It cost me $27,000,PESOS !     That is $2100.00.
If you are ever in need of dental work in Mexico City,  I highly recommend Dr. Oscar Bernal Ortiz, 319 Pitagoras (between Xola and La Morena, Colonia Narvarte 03020, Mexico DF. Telephone 011-52-5556396745.  email  bernal_oscar@hotmail.com.
The original plan was to go to Mazunte , a beach town near Puerto Escondido and Huatulco: in the state of Oaxaca  but the hurricane hit, the heat went up to over 100 and the mosquitoes were an inch  or so it seemed.  My dear friends Guiselt and Nacho Carballido who were to be my hosts iinformed of this and I rapidly changed plans to go visit my sister Marina and her family in the guava capital o Mexico:  Calvillo, Aguascalientes in Central Mexico . Good thing too –it turned out  to be a memorable vacation.
I had not been there in 40 years since both Marina and I had been shipped to school in Guadalajara where she met 18-year old  Joel who right then and there decided that one day she would be his.  She was 12 and I was 19 or so.   I hadn’t seen her or her husband Joel since my mother passed away.  I was shocked to learn that the day I arrived was the 6th anniversary of her death.  She is so present in my life that I thought I was only 3 years.  That first evening was spent at Israel’s (their oldest child and a special favorite) new restaurant/hot spot El Merendero reminiscing about the indomitable character that was our mother and the life we lived on our ranch in Chihuahua.

The next day was a full blown party with the whole family  Angulas (baby eels) were just one of the delicious snacks and I asked or cueritos (pickled or skin)  I, of course, sang a capella and then everyone joined in with  karaoke which is not my favorite.  The songs are made and paced to the original singer and everyone is off-key and as the drinking continued it got unbearable and we left..

People think I am lying  when I say that relaxing makes me nervous but here I had to relax –I had no phone service for over a week.  That ordinarily would have thrown me over the deep end but I had sporadic internet access.  It wasn’t too difficult—they coddled me,  rubbed my feet, took me to sobadoras (healing massages), filled me with love and attention. And there was a Jacuzzi in my “suite.”

I nicknamed Calvillo  “the Adkins diet town).  Breakfast on the first day were fantastic carnitas, birria at lunch all meals downed with Diet Coke!  I had asked to eat local specialties and  these are the most popular.  I made them my chicharron salad (see recipe.)
Mexico is a civilized country that  treasures family life, respects, cares for and appreciates parents for  the  simple reason that they gave  life. Grandchildren are all around and celebrated. Grown children and  their families will drive 5 hours to have family lunch at least once a month and they repeated the drive to spend time with me.  Israel ,  the oldest lives in town but Eliza and Joel. Jr came from near and far to be with me.  We had all meals together, including  breakfast.  We were never able to do that but we did have Sunday dinners until the kids married and the immediate family and the need to decompress took precedence.

Those are the things I miss about Mexico  but I also miss “Buenos dias ”buenas noches’, automatic greeting for  most people you encounter “ Le ayudo?  (Do you need help ?) and  “para servirle.” (to serve you ) are sincere and you’ll hear the word “mande” “ .tell me what you need,   (the typical response when you don’t understand what someone  is still the rule. The natural politeness of the people gives richness to a life made hard during these uncertain times.

the children