Show and Tell.

I wanted to show and tell you about this creature. Last week one of my students came up to me and told me he had made a gift for me. Out came this. "It's a mutant giraffe", he said. "Do you like it?" I told him I liked it so much, I would take pictures of it and put it in my blog. All day he had this big smile, and would constantly ask if it was true what I was planning to do. So I took the pictures. Two days ago he came back to me and asked, " Did you take the pictures?" "I certainly did", I answered. Then he said, "Can I have my giraffe back? You see, it's very cool, and I like it a lot, and if you already have a picture of it, it will never get lost or broken. In that way you will have it forever." So I gave him back his cool giraffe. As he left he asked, "Did you put it in your blog?" I told a little white lie "Yes". "Oh, so now everybody will be able to see it. I like that", he said.

Here is the very cool, mutant giraffe.







Have a beautiful Sunday.

El Centro.

I love el Centro (downtown). I really should say we love downtown. My husband, the kids and I love to go to the center of this small city everytime we can. This place is over 400 years old, and it still has many really old buildings.

Last night I had to go downtown for two reasons. First to buy lots of yarn. Every winter, my students take out their knitting boards (a wooden contraption, with nails on which they can knit scarfs without needles), and start making a zillion scarfs. They really love to do this. And since I go downtown a lot, they ask me to buy some yarn for them. And reason number two, I had to buy some stuff for a friend's baby shower.

A few years ago Downtown was not attractive and mostly empty during the evenings. Lots of people always have gone there during the day, but at night, there wasn't anything to do. In the last few years it has been getting a facelift, and local people have been investing in new shops, sidewalk cafés, and the goverment has built fountains, and fixed the walkways. Now there is lots to do. Fruit and vegetable stands are still open at night, same as butcher shops, bakeries,
fabric stores, school supplies, etc..
Last night I went there with my oldest son who wanted to skateboard with some friends while I did the shopping. These photos were taken at about 7:00 p.m. There are some of the Cathedral, which is very old, and was just re-inaugurated a month ago.

Pictures of the two shops I went to.
I bought some yarn at one. Everything is Christmasy already.

These are the frut and vegetable stands.

I love decorations with ponssiettas. And these rock planters are made
of "cantera". They are hand carved, and easy to find around here,
because the quarry is about a hour from where we live. This is
the entrance of an hotel.

This is the Fountain of Dolphins. Again, very old. And again, ponssiettas!

This is the entrance to the Cathedral The old, hand carved door
was kept, but the stained glass is new.

Two shots of the newly painted Cathedral.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Enjoy your weekend.

Happy Thanksgiving.........

......from México!

The President.

About three weeks ago, I was chosen at my school to go with our director, the prefect, and 31 kids to see the president in Mexico City. I was really happy to be able to go to Los Pinos, the official residence and offices of the President of Mexico. This place is located next to the Bosque de Chapultepec, the equivalent to Central Park in N.Y. The place is really nice with lots of trees that were loosing their leaves because of Autumn. We saw the president at an official "Visita de Estado" in which the Mexican president recieved the president of Bulgaria with all his commitive (I hope I used the word correctly). Unfortunately I took more video than pictures. As soon as I learn how to upload videos, I'll put them up here.
After the welcoming ceremony, a guide from the "Estado Mayor Presidencial" gave us a tour of a museum that honors all the members of the Armed Forces who have protected all the presidents and their families. There were some really antique pictures, and lots of sables, guns, horse saddles, and things the military have used through the decades.
Only some pictures:

In front of this monument to Madero, the presidents would
be presented. Bulgaria and Mexico's flags have the same color.

The Military Band who played both National Anthems.

Military guard in charge of the protection of the
Bulgarian delegation. The ceremony in which the General in charge
promises to defend this delegation, was impressive.

The short man in front of the flag is Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, President of Mexico.
The woman in black, next to him in fron of the monument is his wife Margarita.
The couple on the left is the President of Bulgaria, Georgi and his wife.
The Mexican Goverment was in mourning beacuse a few days before,
a small jet carrying the Secretary of State, Jaime Mouriño, crashed
into an avenue a few minutes from this place. All who were aboard
died in the accident. Mouriño was a very good friend of the president.

Felipe Calderón giving his welcoming speach to the President of Bulgaria.

Entrance to the museum.

The actual president and the military guards in charge during his precidency.

In the background of this old picture, the castle atop Chapultepec.
It is now a museum.

Some original presidential bands or sashes (I do not know the correct word).

I love these two pictures of the same place. Now they are offices,
but it was a place where wheat and other grains were ground into flour. It
goes back to Maximiliano.
"Molino del Rey".

These two pictures show the arches through which we exited
"Los Pinos". This was really a great experience for me and I enjoyed it
very much.

Till tomorrow. Good night.

Bazaar

This photos are NOT good. But they are the only ones I have. last Friday I want with my friend Lolis to Adriana´s house. Every year they have a Christmas bazaar. Adriana, her mom and sisters, and nieces and nephews are incredible. They are crafty to the max. They knit scarfs, embroider towels, paint spoons (YES spoons) , all handmade. I bought two scarfs and an ebroidered towel Doña Leonor made. Also, they decorate the WHOLE side of their living room with a Nativity scene. It even has a running waterfall! I will go there again and take better pictures so you appreciate it.

The Nativity scene. You can see the curtained windows to the right
so you can check out the size of it.

Her sister made this Advent Wreath.

Doña Leonor decorated these towels.

Lots of scarfs.

Check out this handpainted spoon that was made by Adriana's niece.

There is lots more, but like I said, terrible pictures. Will go again. Have a good night.

Food.

Almost every weekend my husband goes to the "Central de Abasto " to buy the groceries for the week. This place is a central where vegetables, fruit, meat, and anything is brought so people who own restaurants, small stores, fruit and vegetables stands, etc. can get it wholesale at a better price. But many stands sell retail also. We come here because it's much cheaper, and fresher than at the supermarket. My two kids and husband eat like 20, so it's better for our economy too. We go to a stand that belongs to a good friend of Edmundo's. His name is Aurelio, and he works EVERY DAY. Most of these people here work very hard because they make a living from this. This Sunday we all went with Edmundo, and here are the pictures.

This is an example of the stands. The one with the big foot
sells "botanas"- potato chips, peanuts, corn chips, totopos,
thing like that for parties. The yellow sign sells fresh
potatoes (papas).

Here you can see an avocado stand (right), and a stationery (school supplies) stand.
This place is big. But nothing compared to the Central de Abastos in Mexico City.
Over there you can get lost, literally.

This is Aurelio next to the bananas.

Aurelio and Edmundo talking about Futbol Soccer.

Dried chiles, jalapeño chiles, serrano chiles, everything in Mexico has chile.

Tangerine, canteeloupe, apples, you name it. My kids can eat 3 kg. of apples
in half a week. As a matter of fact, they finished off about 5 apples
before we got home.

Lots of tomatos. Nothing goes to waste. The very ripe ones are sold cheaper
and lots of people buy them, for example me. They don't last long enough in
my fridge to be able to spoil anyway.

Prickly pears. A fruit from the cactus.

Lemons (limes in the U.S.). Mexico is the biggest consumer of lemons in the WORLD.
They use it for EVERYTHING. Somtimes they say they even put.
lemon juice on the LEMONS.

This is the stand next to Aurelio's. Brooms, mops, buckets, soap,
shopping bags, the list can go on.

Sofi, Aurelio says hi to you and Dani!!

Playing with beans. No Mexican kid can go to the market and NOT play
with the beans!!

A lady had this little rabbit, and Ian asked to hold it a while.

As we left, we bought some glove from this man. Although the
afternoon was pretty warm, the mornings and evening get really
cold (at least for us).

Some stalls getting ready for the Christmas season with piñatas
for the Posadas. Will explain next week.

And the Christmas season can't start if the house isn't
decorated with "Nochebuenas"-Ponssiettas. You know it's Christmas
when you see these flowers.

Time to hit the sack-Dad used to say that a lot. Funny how I just remembered that. I miss him. O.K. my dear Mom, brothers, and rest of the family, have a great week.