Tecate Man

Oh my goodness. Need I say more???

This man belongs in Venice Beach, not Monterrey.

I don't see how he got here. Really, he's the first interesting [read: crazy] person I've seen since I've been here.



This, of course, is not counting the clowns and jugglers that stand at the streetlights of major intersections performing for money. Those people, along with folks I can only assume are distantly related cousins of the Amish (who sell their honey-flavored cookies) are just trying to make some money. I remembered the name of the group-- they're Mennonites.


The jugglers and clowns are mostly made up of old people...so are the people asking for money on other corners. I sort of lump them into the same category as the old folks that work as baggers (along with 10 year olds) at the supermarkets and places like WalMart. These people aren't employed by the stores and work solely off tips. So the key is to keep lots of coins in your wallet. (But trying to get any kind of change around here just earns you the stink eye.) A peso just doesn't cut it. That's equivalent to less than 10 cents. But anyone over a certain age just isn't guaranteed a job. Firing for no particular reason is normal...like if the boss doesn't want to pay your wages for the month or you're due for a promotion or pay increase that they don't want to part with or you're just old and they've decided you're past your due date.


So tipping these people whenever you can (which should be always) seems to be where my money's been leaking to.


But enough social commentary...back to Tecate Man.


Right before I took that picture, he'd just gotten off the phone (which is attached to his handlebars). Who he was on the phone with, doesn't seem to matter. The point of all this was that this dude WASN'T asking for money. He just felt like riding his bike around the Macroplaza on a Monday night dressed in Tecate cans. Venice Beach, Los Angeles, even San Fernando Valley normal...not Monterrey normal.

I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!

I'm swimming back!

...oh wait...that's not a real river...it dead ends at the Holiday Inn.

Salsa 101

Who would've thought that salsa and chile would've merited almost 15 minutes discussion at breakfast yesterday morning? Come to think of it, it's the topic of conversation anytime two or more of us in the house sit down to eat.

You have the basics:

There's salsa verde...a milder salsa which I've found to have a little more kick than what all the white folks back home are used to.

There's salsa rojo which is the hotter stuff.

And in most places around her there's salsa quacamole. It reminds me of the quacamole sauce they use at taco bell but better tasting. It's not thick but more of a liquified version of guacamole...like salsa verde with avocado flavor.

Then of course, there's just the standard pico de gallo. But this is what led to our discussion at breakfast this morning. I like my pico de gallo a little more on the chunky side and Sylvia likes all the parts cut up a little more on the bitty side. So, the big rush is to see who'll make the batch that will last for about a day or two...usually less. (Let's not even discuss how many tortillas we go through in the house during a week. Let's just say that we've gotten to the point of buying 4 packs when we shop for groceries and freezing 2-corn&flour...and we can hold out for another week.)

Then of course, there's the question of how many jalapenos to use and whether to keep the seeds or not. We have differing levels of picoso tolerance in this house. I tend to like things hot but probably not as hot as Pablo. Pastor J and Ali, I think, tend to like things on the milder side (still hot for the average white person) and then there's me, Oscar, and Sylvia in the middle...maybe more on the higher end of the spectrum.

I think the key is to sniffle but not have your eyes water. Sniffling's a good sign of picosoness...but if your eyes start to water or you cough uncontrollably, then you've crossed over into unsafe territory. Eating is no longer enjoyable, but has become a chore. You spend more time blowing your nose, clearing your throat and wiping your eyes than you do tasting your food. Not to mention the fact that you've probably seared off the majority of your tastebuds.

But, I can say that food doesn't taste as good without the sniffles.

In the spirit of giving

Here's a chance to help in some small way.

Click here to read more http://www.flowerdust.net/2008/11/10/the-50000-shoes-in-50-days-challenge/

Click here to donate $5 to provide 2 pairs of shoes http://www.50000shoes.com/

Let's all help make this happen.

He's all around

I was recently asked as part of a discussion to share “what name or attribute of God has been most meaningful to me lately and why”.

Wow. Heavy stuff for a weekly discussion and I’ve been mulling it over since last week. Actually, I think I can say I’ve been pondering this since my arrival to Monterrey and even before.

If you know anything about how quickly I decided to pack up and head out, you probably think you know what my answer is. But I can tell you that Jehovah Jireh (“God my provider”) isn’t the answer right now. I would like to say it was. Then I could’ve just given my answer and been done with it. Don’t get me wrong. This is an aspect of His character that I believe He’s gonna have to keep pounding in my head and heart for a long time. But, I can safely say that it’s starting to sink in and maybe He’s trying to show me who He is in different ways. You know, take advantage of my new environment. I mean, He knows I have my camera in my purse at all times while I’m here.

Jehovah Elohim…God. Creator. This is the aspect of God’s character that I keep seeing everywhere.

Great are the works of the LORD;
They are studied by all who delight in them.
Splendid and majestic is His work,
And His righteousness endures forever.

Psalm 111:2-3

He’s made all of creation. And I get to experience His creativity and beauty in His creation. In the complexity of a butterfly’s wings, I see His grandeur. He created the butterfly’s beauty. He created me.

Butterflies were everywhere around here for a couple of weeks.

This same creative God fills me with creativity…creative with words for laughter, with words for sharing, with words for guidance&teaching, with words for encouragement, and with words of love&mercy&grace. He created words. He created me.

He brings me His caress in the breeze. He created me with arms so that can I hold. I know he created me to be a hugger. I miss hugging my friends and family back home, but He’s giving me a more here. My spiritual family is large and extended and I’m getting to meet more of them. He created the wind. He created family. He created me.

He creates and sends the rain to wash all the muck and gunk that accumulates in this city from pollution and commerce. The air is refreshed and the land is green. He sent His Son so that we’d be cleansed by the washing of His blood. He sends the Holy Spirit to wash over us. He created the rain. He created me.



He created these ants…that were rather large and He designed them to work in a team. He DOES provide for ALL my needs but he does it in the context of my family (both natural and spiritual). I would be here if it weren’t the prayer and financial support of those who I call family. Some of us carry leaves. Some flowers. Some make sure to keep guard over them…I wouldn’t want to mess with that guy with the clippers in front. The macro setting on my camera rocks, by the way. He created these ants. He created me.

He created this ‘little’ guy. I don’t know exactly what his purpose is. I could find out on wiki for you…but one thing I do know is that God knows what it is. (And if you think I'd be crazy enough to pick one up, then you don't know me. I got Oscar to do it so I could take the picture.) He created grasshoppers. He created me.

God created these animals. He created me.


Eyes on either side of his face.

That's gotta be a good thing, right?

Stripes can be slimming...or was it the other way around?

Yes, you are seeing correctly. That is a midget bull.



He even created this ostrich that wanted to peck out my eyes.

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

Romans 1:20

So what is it God’s teaching me? That He is my God. My creator….so in that, He is my provider, my protector, my friend, my Father…my everything.

Thank goodness, I can say

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

Psalm 139:13

He gave me my heart, my thoughts, my emotions, my talents&giftings, and He gave me Himself….and I wasn't just hatched.





And you thought I would end it seriously??? Would that be me? Nope.

Food, food, and more food

I'm continually asked how I like the food in Monterrey. I don't know how to make it clear that I eat Mexican AT LEAST twice a week in LA.

So let's talk about eating here in Monterrey. I eat at home most of the time.

But after some event at night, you get a little hungry...thank goodness that all taquerias in Mexico are open at night. Most are ONLY open at night. At least, the cheap joints are.

You got your basic tacos with asada, arrachera, or trompo...or there are the quesadillas.

Pirata--quesadilla with flour tortilla with carne asada...heavier on the carne asada. This is awesome because in the states, you get a steak quesadilla and it's cheese and little bits of meat that you have to search to find.

Gringa--quesadilla with flour/corn with trompo

Campechana--a quesadilla with flour/corn with both carne asada and trompo.

Trompo--pork that we call al pastor back in LA...the kind on a spinning "top" (trompo) like gyros

Arrachera--still can't figure out the difference between this and carne asada. Supposedly it's a better cut of beef...but they're both flank steak. Marketing. Monterrey's got arrachera signs everywhere instead of carne asada.

Papa asada--they bake a giant potato (or two smaller ones together) in foil on the grill, then they cut open the potato and smash it within the skin in a foil 'bowl'...then they take a big spoonful or two (think the spoon you use for cooking) of mantequilla (butter...but really they use margarine) and then pour on the cheese. Velveeta. mmmm. Then they put in the meat...asada or trompo or both. Then you can get grilled mushrooms, grilled onions, and avocado slices. Real healthy stuff.


Notice that I haven't mentioned chicken. The Regios (natives of Monterrey) love their meat. I eat chicken at home.


I have yet to eat cabrito. That would be roasted goat kid...a specialty here. There's a chain restaurant called El Rey de Cabritos...the king of goats...The one near the center looks like it takes up a city block and always looks packed. Like I said, they like their meat. If I do go, I'll try to take pictures. Before and after.

Back to the taqueria--for $4o (that's less than $4 US) I got a pirata gigante last night after church. It was large and filled me up. Pile on the grilled onions, salsa, lime, and cilantro and you got one messy meal...meat falling out all over the place. I love this city, meat lover that I am.

Taco plates always come with 5 tacos. I'm still trying to figure that out...4 aren't enough and 6 too much? Maybe for your average person. You can always buy additional tacos...the average cost is about $8 (60 cents) each. But they're the bitty ones.

Then there's just the concept of late night eating. We got to this taqueria over by El Tec (the tecnological university of Monterrey) at 9:30 and there was hardly anyone there. An hour and a half later, after just sitting there and yapping, the place started to fill up. On a Sunday night. Not bad for folks who gotta get up for work...well, there were mostly students.

Then of course, there's all the same stuff you find back home...McDonald's (although not very many and they don't have iced coffee!! so why bother??! or maybe I'm just not looking), Burger King, Carl's Jr, Pizza Hut, Dominoes, KFC, and of course, EL POLLO LOCO.

El Pollo Loco here only serves chicken with select sides. No chicken tacos because, of course, you make your own with the corn tortillas that still fall apart here, too, by the way. There aren't chicken burritos or pollo bowls or chicken quesadillas on the menu. Just chicken and the salsa bar. But here's one thing I love about El Pollo Loco in Mexico. They keep fresh tortilla chips (totopos as they're called here) at the salsa bar. I LOVE chips and salsa. You fill up on totopos and salsa while waiting for your order.

I can also find other things that I would back home...like boba. :> Neener neener. Except they just call it tapioca here 'cause bobo/a means stupid.

Movies are cheaper here, but the real beauty of the movie theaters is that they make fresh crepes...filled with yummy goodness like Nutella. Halleluyer!

All this eating...it's no wonder that this guy is from Monterrey:


World's heaviest man marries in Mexico
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jKhzniC1FpelvLRBq1wNsFKhiyIAD942MA680

It's probably a good thing that I'm only here for 6 months...

I thought I'd show you one of the yummies...a pirata...notice that there's no cheese oozing out. That's because it's ALL MEAT. mmm

PDA

In college, a friend introduced me to idea of the PDA Police. Girl, if you're reading this, I am losing hope of their existence. Or maybe they're just working overtime in the States.

We walked around downtown Monterrey on Saturday. Take all the following factors into account and you can picture the amount of PDA that we were accosted with:

1. It's more accepted here. Couples smooching in the most random places out in the open. Take for example, that on our drive into downtown there was a couple in a grassy area near the highway. Hello! Cars. Exhaust. The world passing by.

2. It's been raining pretty steadily for the last few weekends. Prior to that, it had been pretty toasty. Monterrey has been known to get up into the 100s during the summer months. This was the first nice weekend in a while. Butterflies everywhere. Slight breeze. High 80s. Lovely day...for smooching.

3. The rules of engagement are still a little more strict overall. That is, people still "introduce" their significant others to their parents in a more formal manner. But on the flip side, I think it makes people get a little crazy. Kinda like those folks that let all their business hang out when they travel somewhere. Like, "She's mine and its alright to get smoochy smoochy up in this park with families two steps away."

Nope. I don't want to see other people smoochy smoochy. I looked away when my brother kissed his bride at the altar. Then again, that may have more to do with the fact that it was my brother. Blech.

I saw couples kissing at pay phones.

Waiting in line in front of McDonald's. (The lines at fast food joints may be another post entirely.)

At an open concert...with a thrasher metal band performing. Kissing with the roar of a long-haired angry man in the background is always romantic.

In the crowd, waiting for the final countown for the world's longest sausage. Yes, Monterrey, Mexico has now broken Japan's record. Nothing like the smell of Ponderosa sausage to bring out the love. I'm leaving that thought where it is. Right there. Thank you Guiness.

In front of one of the main fountains with statues of Poseidon and all his water nymphs in all their nakedness.

In front of pretty much every fountain.

In front of the Ministry building and that of the state Congress.

THEN....if all this wasn't bad enough...

SUNDAY MORNING...

I sat behind a couple in church. Homegirl was hugging, leaning, whispering to, massaging, and practically sitting in her husband's lap. That goes REAL well with the message: "Todos Somos Ministros" ("We Are All Ministers") I can tell you, the distraction in front of me was NOT ministering to me.

As a side note, we were visiting a neighboring church in the city. I hope that the most extreme display of PDA I see at ours will be church massage. I don't like it, but I can handle it without gagging.

I say ALL of this with one disclaimer. I don't mind displays of affection. I'm a touchy feely person with family and friends. At least, I try to be. But COME ON!!! Suck face in your own place.

I should make a t-shirt...translation anyone?

Those are mis pensamientos (my thoughts) for the day.