Amables

Maddy, being naturally more outgoing than I am, was great to travel with. We met a lot of nice people because she’d talk to everyone – people on buses, taxi drivers, people at other tables, etc. We were having breakfast in Guanajuato on our first full day in Mexico and were taking photos of our food, believe it or not (it was beautiful!) when a guy at the next table asked us in English if we wanted him to take our picture. We ended up talking to them – Julio and Susana, from Morelia – and then we spent the whole morning with them. (Susana is in the background sipping coffee in the photo.)

[Maddy and I at breakfast outside our hotel, Mar. 21]

[Huevos rancheros for me, huevos divorciados for Maddy (red & green sauce)]

Julio spoke English fluently, but Susana did not so we mainly spoke in Spanish. Julio teaches geography and economics, and Susana is an economist at a bank. They were greatly relieved when they found out we didn’t like Bush. We found that Mexicans are universally against Bush, and can’t understand how he could possibly have been elected. Interestingly, all the Americans staying in our B&B in San Miguel de Allende were also anti-Bush.

We toured the Teatro Juarez together and then we climbed up to the statue of El Pípila. Julio told us some of the history of the area, important in the war of independence from Spain, and also about Morelia, where they live, which sounds like a really nice city. We stopped in the little souvenir shop on the way back down and they bought a couple of cups with Guanajuato scenes on them, which we thought were for them or their friends but which turned out to be for Maddy and me, inscribed with our names and “De: Julio y Susy”. We were so surprised – is that nice or what? They said it’s a tradition they have, to give cups to people as a little gesture of friendship. (Photo of Susana & Julio by Maddy Gersh)

They were leaving Guanajuato that afternoon, so they checked out of their hotel and, before they left, drove us around through the tunnels (“like rats!” said Julio) before dropping us off near our hotel. What a warm welcome to Mexico!

[El Pípila reigns above the city, the tunnels below]

Comments

[Lorianne]

I have a hard time believing that Maddy is more outgoing than you...it's not like you're a shrinking violet, dear. :-)

[leslee]

Heh. Well, there's a big difference between meeting new people you have some pre-existing connection with and meeting total strangers in an unfamiliar culture when you're not very competent in the language. No, I don't walk up to strangers even here and start talking to them, and in unfamiliar situations I'm very shy!

[ERod]

Visit my site about Queretaro at http://mexicoforme.blogspot.com
I was just there last week and have pictures posted on my new site.
Enjoy!