Tepoztlán, México
We got back just last night from another magical visit to the "Pueblo Mágico" of Tepoztlán, México. Lea and I had the opportunity to spend five weeks there, and Kimberly came home after two weeks to return to her teaching position.
We saw and experienced a lot in our time there. For the most part, our time was spent enjoying ourselves, our dear friends, the sun, and the people and sights. Oh yes, and the wonderful food.
Kimberly and I both spent time studying Spanish with our friend Silvia, we participated in co-counseling sessions and support groups, we exercised (yoga and running), walked the cobblestone streets and hung out with our Mexican family.
Lea played and laughed like crazy and attended a couple weeks of the public elementary school (primaria), only a stone's throw away from where we stayed this year.
In coming days, I will write some more about our visit, but for now I'll just share a few highlights with you.
We arrived on Nochebuena (or Christmas Eve), a late night of much festivity for the village, but I was exhausted from the trip, had a bad headache, and needed to go to bed early. But the next day we wasted no time in getting settled in, shopping for fresh fruit and vegetable in the market downtown. Papaya, figs, avocado (Known in Mexico as aguacate, a name derived from the Nahuatl ahuacatl), bananas--wait, it gets better: and also nispero, chirimoya (which tastes like an egg custard), guayaba (so good I smuggled some in last year), and granada china (related to passion fruit).
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| chirimoya |
Then it was catch-up time with our Mexican family, Jose, Aurora and their kids Jose and Lisset. If you've been following our tales from previous years, you've come to know these dear, dear friends of ours. Christmas night found us lighting the Hanukkah menorah with them! With Lea explaining the dreidel game in Spanish!
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| Hanukkah in Tepoztlán! |
It was so good to see them again, and we picked up just where we left off, the kids a litter more grown, the parents a little older, too!
We spent many hours walking through town, both to run errands, shop and just to walk. And nearly everywhere we went, we ran into folks we'd met in our previous visits, many asking when did you arrive and how long are you going to be staying. I said hello to Mario, who sells roasted chicken in the market and he said to me he was just wondering the other day when we'd be back to visit! And even if you don't know people, it's common to salute everyone you pass in the streets with a "buenos días" or "buenas tardes."
Something we noticed here is that folks are smiling, warm, and friendly. Almost always eager to get to know you. And curious. "Where do you live? How old is your daughter? Will she be in school here? Do you like Tepoztlán? Are you going to move here permanently?"
We enjoyed chatting with Mari Lu at the market. We try to stop at her stand every so often for a bite to eat, a glass of jugo de mandarina, and a chat.
We enjoyed chatting with Mari Lu at the market. We try to stop at her stand every so often for a bite to eat, a glass of jugo de mandarina, and a chat.
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| Mari Lu and her husband operate a food stand in the market. It's called "El Lugar de Siempre." And it's true. Plus she happens to have a daughter the same age as Lea. |
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| The smile on my face is because I am about to dig into.... |
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| Enchiladas verdes! Yum! |
A journal entry from New Year's Day:
Last night, we celebrated our third consecutive New Year with La Familia Vargas Cortes. There was no place in the world I would rather have been at that moment than right there. And for the most part, I was aware of that in the moment.
In the moment--that is a theme of our time here in the pueblo magico of Tepoztlan. To be here now. No need to obsess over the future as I am sometimes inclined to do. I can choose to leave behind the worrisome, the worrying, the worried aspects of that particular obsession that I acquired from my society and from my upbringing, my past.
Last night, we celebrated our third consecutive New Year with La Familia Vargas Cortes. There was no place in the world I would rather have been at that moment than right there. And for the most part, I was aware of that in the moment.
In the moment--that is a theme of our time here in the pueblo magico of Tepoztlan. To be here now. No need to obsess over the future as I am sometimes inclined to do. I can choose to leave behind the worrisome, the worrying, the worried aspects of that particular obsession that I acquired from my society and from my upbringing, my past.
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| New Year's Eve with the extended family. Jose and Aurora are in the rear center of the photo. |
After a wonderful barbacoa, we shared grapes--a New Year tradition here, in which you're supposed to eat 12 grapes each--one grape for each month of a sweet new year.
We finished the evening off with a walk around the barrio (neighborhood) watching the fireworks shooting off in recognition of the stroke of midnight and the arrival of 2012.
I'll share some more highlights in a future post. Until then, que vaya bien!
We finished the evening off with a walk around the barrio (neighborhood) watching the fireworks shooting off in recognition of the stroke of midnight and the arrival of 2012.
I'll share some more highlights in a future post. Until then, que vaya bien!
