We had Friday off from school. Thursday was actually Labor Day, but the school switched it around so we could have exams on Thursday and a three day weekend. I passed level three, but this week I am taking one-on-one classes instead of starting up with the next level.
Friday Margaux, Jamie and I work up early to take the 5+ hour trip to Guadalajara, the second largest city in Mexico. We paid the extra $4 so we had a really nice bus (the first class busses here are way better than any bus I have ever taken in the States) and good movies. I am proud that I know enough Spanish to understand movies.
Poor planning on our part, we arrived without a hotel and on a holiday weekend when the tourist booths were closed. No map, no guide book, but we found a simple hotel in the historic downtown and somehow immediately found our way to supposedly the largest market in the world under one roof.
After an attempted theft of Margaux's second camera lens (she is a great photographer) we were much more careful with our belongings. It was so hot this weekend. Way hotter than San Miguel, unbearable even. On Saturday we took the weirdest tour I have ever had (90% in Spanish) to Tequila, Mexico for a tour of Jose Cuervo's operations. It was the first time I tasted tequila since I horrible incident in Rosarita, Mexico after which I puked all over a friend and his friend{s car. That was 7 years ago. I have been avoiding tequila since, but I couldn't pass it up at the factory. I also love cooked agave, great sweet snack. We were told not to take pictures, so I have at least a dozen or so taken stealthily from waist height. I am just so bad with stupid rules. The hairnet picture is inside the factory too.
Sunday we spent most of the day at another market. This one was more artsy than the huge market, but not as pretty as the international art market that the city is so well known for. I bought a scarf and a skeleton lady and a necklace and I spent less than $7 and I got to bargain. Pretty sweet market.
I am sure we would have seen much more had we planned ahead or hot been ridiculously hot all weekend, but it was once again good to get out of San Miguel because it made me appreciate how nice it is there once again. Gratitude for what I have!
