The Long and Winding Road

So Saturday we left at 7 am with one of the Reserve Managers to travel down through the valley to the other end of the reserve, a trip of about 100 K. (60 miles) Let me first say it took 2.5 hours. The road was barely 2 lanes and with bus traffic, speed bumps ( with me in the back seat of a pickup NOT meant for tall Americans!) AND pot holes! It was interesting to watch the
on- coming traffic dodging the same pot holes you are dodging! Oh and did I mention the peligroso(dangerous) curves! It proved to be an interesting trip though as we drove through the fertile valley growing everything from corn to melons to limones to mangos.
We are finding that we can find just about anything we want, but not always where you might expect. We shop the big box store and then find the tiny tienda across the street has almost the same things. Getting to know the neighborhood.
We have no access to the internet at the house where we are living right now, so we found we can sit on the stoop outside the office after hours and use the wuireless to skype the family. I think we are becoming the "loco Americanos" talking to a box! At least we say "Buenos Tardes" to everyone!
We are starting to think about how to furnish our next home for the coming 2 years. Remember the 70"s (I know some of you do) and how proud you were of that tie-dyed fabric covered couch and the brick and board bookshelf that held your precious TV? Well that is what we may use.

Last, Roger got his first Mexican hair cut Sunday and found it to be pretty rewarding. I'll let him tell the story.
My first Mexican Haircut!
It was Sunday and I needed a haircut. It has been since February and my pelo was getting a little wild looking. We walked past a barbero near the office and I decided it was time to get my first haircut in Mexico. It was a little retro in that it had 1 barber chair-It was an owner operator situation- when the garage door was up he was open and when down he was closed. I waited a few minutes for another customer and then in baby spanish requested he trim my hair
short. It was a good scissors cut and we chatted during the time about Mexico (Si! Mi Gusta!) Did I like the cervaza? (Si! Mi Gusta) etc. Hey guys...when was the last time your barber trimmed your neck and ears with a straight razor? A pretty good haircut all in all. As I was paying the barbero ( the cost was 25 pesos or $2 american) his son - age 11-came running down the dusty street carrying a cold beer and handed it to me as I was about to leave. I could hardly
say no to that and offered to pay for it. No, no. So I sat and visited for another 45 minutes or so with the barbero, his son, and other customers about the Peace Corps, the United States and Mexico. By the way I did tip 20% but I felt bad as the boy reported the Corona cost 8 pesos at the tienda! Oh well I guess I will have to return for another visit and hair cut in a month or so.

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