My First Week in Mexico ~Sick~

So that cold that was fine with a packet of tissues and a cough drop? Not so fine. On the Sunday after I arrived Shelly, and three friends from the embassy (Dan, Mike, and a guy whom I've forgotten) went to see the churches devoted to the Mexican Virgin of Guadalupe. We decided to metro, safe because it was day, Sunday (less crowded) and we were with four men. (Women are targeted for pickpockets, purse snatching and groping when unescorted on busy days). Dan knew where we were going, and he was tall and easy to follow. At almost 6 feet, he had a good foot on most of the population (and me). I am "to scale" in Mexico I've found. Most men and women are my height or a little shorter. With my black hair and apparently Mexican fashion sense I blend way more then any of my blond companions. Pink is a very in color apparently. This is blending is great because it keeps me from looking like a tourist, until someone tries to speak to me in Spanish. The churches at the devotion site to the Virgin of Guadalupe were beautiful, surrounded by large courtyards all built into a hill. The further you go up, the older the churches. We spent hours wandering through them, taking pictures of the continual masses and watching people go through their devotions. It was good people watching and almost as good at the lovely architecture and view. I saw the devoted crawling into the first church on their knees in prayer for others, In the second the worshipful seated in prayer and carrying huge bouquets to the alter already overflowing with a riotous display of color. In the fourth there were pendants and small banners of all the people who donate to restore it (it was mostly covered in scaffolds with work suspended for Sunday). And in the last, up a tall hill with ornate stone staircases, and past the gift shop selling plastic Virgins and more religious medals than should exist, people rubbed candles against the person they were going to pray for as they listened to the miracle of the Virgin. It was a long trek up through the churches (plus a museum devoted to an Italian man who had gathered so much of the information on the phenomenon of the Virgin... who might or might not be a Aztec goddess under a new name.) And Shelly and I were glad we bought water before we went. The boys kept outdistancing us, which we blamed on my cold and the fact I still hadn't acclimated yet. (After all, it was only two days that I'd been here.) The stone steps were the worst, and its when you feel the difference in the altitude and the thinness of the air. But in a lot of ways, they were the best too as there were lots of picturesque places to stop and look at the beautiful smog covered Mexico City. Such a pretty city, coated in clouds of pollution. Once I borrow a USB cord from Alan I'll upload my pictures. After the museum, which looked like a tiny one-room place when we went in and turned out to be a mansion of paintings and information, we decided to go home. I was glad as I was starting to feel out of breath and warm in a pretty uncomfortable way, even though I was still having fun. I had finished my water and assumed the sun and dehydration was getting to me. After a metro ride with a old, old lady with a pigeon on her lap (that only I noticed, but it was there. There were empty seed shells when she stood up.) Shelly and I were back at her place. I collapsed on the couch and almost slept through dinner. Ate, and then slept until morning. I thought the sun and activity had done me in. That was probably part of it, but a big chunk was my cold saying "Ha! Think you're getting around me, well think again!!" The next day I had planned to ride the Turibus around Mexico but decided to delay it because Sunday had so wiped me out. Good thing as I slept through all of Monday. People who know me, know this is rare because I never, never, never sleep more than four hours at a time. Tuesday I put off the Turibus again because I still felt awful, coughing, dripping nose and bleh. I spent most of the day napping, reading a Cliff Janeway mystery, playing Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, and blowing my nose. That night I took the Mexican equivalent of Nyquil, something called Tabcin Noche. I don't remember much of Wednesday. I hardly ever take that kind of medication, and should have known to take half a dose. It really knocked me for a loop. I finally woke up around 5 pm on Wednesday and when Shelly asked if I felt well enough to go out to dinner I thought I did. I napped the few hours before we went to dinner (dinner hour doesn't start until 8 at the earliest) and it was the longest five minute walk to the restaurant ever. I kept leaving the table to blow my nose, because it was that thick wet honking blowing that just disgusts everyone. However the actual food at Casa Maria was wonderful, and the waiters practically fought to keep our water glasses full. I had the most artfully presented steak baguette sandwiches, with guacamole, refried beans and onions. It sounds like a horrible combination, but it was wonderful. I only made it through one. There was also roving Mariachi bands, which sounds equally as horrible but was really fun and entertaining. But, by the time we walked home I was sweaty and light headed and practically collapsed into bed. Thursday I felt much better, and actually stayed awake for much of the day. Everyone who heard me said I sounded much better too (my voice had disappeared into this weird croaking womans, and while it didn't hurt it was a great deal of effort to speak.) My nose still dripped and I had no energy, but I spent the day reading (I finished one Cliff Janeway mystery and started and finished the next) and playing more Phoenix Wright. Shelly and I hung out, the first time we really had a chance to just sit and talk when she got home. We ate hotdogs and talked about stories we thought would make good mangas, Today I woke up and just felt better. My nose is dripping a lot less and I didn't nap at all. I read the book "Blood and Chocolate," and when I finished, completed Phoenix Wright. I managed to make it through only using a walkthrough twice. And both times, I found I did have the right evidence I just wasn't presenting it at exactly the right time. I can see why these games are so popular. The "chapter" stories are simple, characters are engaging, and the puzzles just difficult enough to be entertaining without being annoying. I also like the quirky sense of humor. I think it was Sean Gaffney who mentioned something about Gumshoe's man-crush on Edgeworth, and every time he popped up I couldn't help saying "Maaan-cruuuush!" At least until Alan, who works from home, told me it was a little disturbing to hear that drifting croak-aly through the guest bedroom door. Then I just kind of whispered it, "Maaaan-cruuuush!" Luckily just as I finished Shelly called and asked if I felt more like Potpies for dinner or Steak? Well, steak! So we went out to an Argentinian Steak house and had one of the most fabulous meals I've ever had. I'd describe it, but it'd be a massive description. Lets just say the food was marvelous, I was feeling much better (and only had to blow my nose twice). Ben came along to round out the table and the conversation was light and colorful. I told family and bank stories, Shelly and Ben told embassy stories. Ben whistled the popeye theme expertly, and we all had a lot of fun. Ben had me laughing so hard at one point I actually got a cramp. He thought the way Shelly and I half say something and then break into hysterics because we get the joke no one else does funny and laughed almost as much as we did. (Shelly and I tend to have conversations that go like, "Hey remember-? Oh, him! Yeah that! AHAHAHAAHA!) So what did I do in my first week in Mexico? One touristy thing, slept for almost a week, read "Bookman's Promise," "Sign of the Book," "Blood and Chocolate," and played Phoenix Wright. I had hoped to do more touristy things but, knock on wood, I feel myself rallying. Tomorrow Shelly and I plan to hit the a local art market, and maybe I'll actually buy some souvenirs. I'm depressed I more or less missed out on my first week here, but I bet I can pack in a ton of things into next week.