I must be dumb

Both of my last 2 posts were put up in December...why oh why are they posted for November 28th?

I don't understand.

booger.

Road Rage and Other Holiday Pleasantries

Nuevo Leon has the highest accident rate in all of Mexico with Monterrey, I think, holding the prize for first place of this great state.

I can see why. While trying to work our way out of the mall we watched as people resorted to fisticuffs trying to get a spot on the bottom level which consists of about 20 spots. HELLO!!!???! Um...there are several levels just above that contain LOTS of spots all within short walking distance of the entrances. We got to the bottom level and waited for about 10 minutes to exit. Mind you, this was all around the end of November. It's gotten worse since then.

Maybe it's because about 95% of the state's entire population of about 4 million lives in Monterrey.

Merry Christmas.

Education

I read somewhere that 63 percent of Nuevo Leon's (the state I'm currently living in) total budget is channeled into schools and colleges. So, if about 90% of the state's population is within the greater metropolis of Monterrey you can just imagine how many students there are here. Then, of course, there are the adults that are still actively involved in furthering their education in some way; if not officially, then informally.

People around here aren't stupid.

The majority of Mexican industry is here in Monterrey. The richest neighborhood in Latin America is located here.

I think there's a lesson for California in here somewhere. Not quite sure what it is. Any ideas?

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.