Random Mexican rememberance

I just remembered one of the strangest things from my Mexico trip. We were taking a bus to the university, when we stopped at a traffic light. As is common in many parts of the world, there were your average boys and their need to prove something with their thumper trucks as I like to call them. i.e. music blasting with the bass turned up high. But, what I couldn't get over is that one of them was bouncing to Nora Jones. Yes, that's right, Nora Jones on a thumper.

Back. Safe, if not sound...

Ok, I made it home last Wednesday, but got super sick Thurday morning. Thought I had actually made it in and out of a foreign country without retching my brains out, but no, just delayed gratification. I am getting really tired of my wimpy body, I must say. Anyways, Im just holed up and nursing my wounded gut.

Meet the nifty people Ive met

Arnulfo (Chino)

Salvador (Chava) y Carlos

Esteban

Crisanto

Mariela

Oscar

Colors

It has been pretty stormy here, raining every evening and amazing lightening shows. And sometimes, when the light comes under the black clouds, it makes everything glow beautifully.

A VERY long day

Ok, by popular demand, there are tons of pictures of me and parts of my work in this posting. Way too many of me actually, but Ill get over it if you all stop complaining. ;)

The day started early again, but this time successfully.

We drove in Mariela's friends truck so Mariela and Esteban had to sit in the back

It was spectacularly beautiful

And I didn't have to drive! This is our driver, Mariela's pal "El Gordo." His real name is Victor and he is a very handsome guy... too bad hes gay

The first site we went to was a lovely little lake called Zirahuen.

It was incredibly cold though.
Like how I'm out there freezing my butt off and everyone else is hanging out nice and dry? This is called "Wheres Heather?"
Transfer to the land crew
It was deep!
Getting the soil cores out of the corer it hard sometimes!
This is what you get though, yummy!

My work crew for the day.

Esteban, Mariela, Victor, y Roman (novio de Gordo)
The loverboys

They sold these little fried dried fish, "Charales". They weren't as bad as I thought they would be.
And, musicians, of course
Lunch time

In the search for my plant, Gordo found a place to play

It was very pretty here, but no Tule

But we found some a little while later. In the background you can see the giant statue on the island Janitzio.

Mariela

This place was evil. Well, actually it was beautiful and fun, but had this species of grass that was like razorblades. It hurt so much, and my legs are completely covered in cuts now, ugly little crisscrosses. ugh.

El Gordo
A really cool bug on my plant
I look so much like my mother in this pic that it frightens me.

We did have tons of fun.

Then, more driving

Lago Patzcuaro in the background here.

More loverboys shots, they were cute.Its pretty, no?

We actually did 3 sites that day, I normally only do 1 or 2. I have to say it was exhausting. Quite.

But the third site, we went through the property of a family, they grew lots of maize.

At first, we were trying to get to the population that you can see to the right in this pic, but the going was treacherous. Gordo is actually standing on a log here, the water is only a foot or so deep, but the mud goes way down and sucks you in. If I hadn't been wearing my clean pants...
The property owners, thinking that I'm a crazy lady. Somehow, I always seem to get an audience.

Ok, give me snakes, spiders, all sorts of creepy crawlies, but not leaches, please not leaches! This little bastard was pulled off my leg, I cant hardly write this without freaking out! ¡Sanguijuelas!

It was pretty here though

So after three sites, I was ready to drop, my legs were on fire, I was about as filthyas you can get, and I smelled, well... really bad. But, did the day stop there? Of course not! Did you know that the 15th of September is Independence day in Mexico? Huge parties and all sorts of craziness. So, out on the town we go.

Morelia

Friday we woke up really early (6:30 - not so bad for some of you, but ¡early! for me) to head out to the field, but our driver drank too much the night before so we ended up staying in town and I got a nice guided tour.

Aqueducts

Main street in the old part of town

Public Library

This place has an incredible collection of ancient books, but very few books you are actually allowed to touch.
The outside is pretty interesting too.
This statue/fountain is famous here, representing the bounty of the region, with lovely ladies and all the fruits and veggies that are produced here.Dulces!
And this? this is a high school if you can believe it.