If you guessed the answer is ME, you win a prize (to be determined later). It's snowing outside right now (have a few inches AGAIN), and apparently, we aren't seeing the sun again for awhile.
Fingers crossed for February's course.
I officially hate snow ...
So, guess who ISN'T going back down to Mexico for the TEFL course that starts Jan 4th ....
If you guessed the answer is ME, you win a prize (to be determined later). It's snowing outside right now (have a few inches AGAIN), and apparently, we aren't seeing the sun again for awhile.
Fingers crossed for February's course.
If you guessed the answer is ME, you win a prize (to be determined later). It's snowing outside right now (have a few inches AGAIN), and apparently, we aren't seeing the sun again for awhile.
Fingers crossed for February's course.
buy it! ;)
b-day '09
So I had a pretty good day yesterday ... I was Queen for a Day, made out like a bandit with my gifts, and despite a slight mishap with the cake (I suspect Bitty Kitty might have licked one of the cooling layers of the cake ... but my dad cut off the possibly defiled area and we just rolled with it) .... I got my usual/favorite Happy Birthday Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (complete with "snowflake" sprinkles on top):
and the house didn't even burn down ;)
decisions, decisions
OK, so I liked Guadalajara enough that I've decided I DO want to go back down there and stay for awhile (at least until we figure out what we're doing around here in terms of moving (back to Cali or somewhere else?) - not that the actual move can really take place before Spring anyway).
So, looking over the website of the place I want to take the TEFL Cert. course, I am reminded that I need to make a move QUICKLY to be ready to start the Jan 4th course. I am most inclined to take that one because it is directly followed by a "Teaching Business English" add-on that I'm partial to. I also like (very much) that there's a $200 discount for booking the Jan. course (which almost pays for the TBE add-on)!
If I can't make the Jan 4th start date I am stuck with starting in Feb, when the discount is only $100 ... and the add-on immediately following that course is "Teaching English to Young Learners". The next TBE course isn't available until May! I'm not violently opposed to the TEYL add-on (or no add-on at all), but Business English jobs supposedly pay more (and it's slightly more in the same vein as my OnlineAdminAssist stuff).
But the big problem is that they've apparently done away with one of their accommodation options (the one I was going to do!), which was still available when I last checked the site (before my trip). Rather than being able to share an apartment with a few other TEFL Cert. students for $250/mo (near the school) - I now have to choose between a stay in a youth hostel (YUCK!) near the school, for about the same price - or a nearby posada (for more $$); staying with a family for $400/mo (meals INCLUDED, but it's a 30 min bus ride from the school!); or staying in one of two hotels near the school (for about $50/night) - one of which is the "fabulous" hotel I stayed at while in GDL (and would rather NOT stay in again because I didn't like it very much)!
AARRRGH!!! I really wanted that month in a good geographic location, with a FEW other TEFL students, to get my bearings in Guadalajara before finding my own apartment. Now I just have more confusion to sort out, and less time to do it in (like 10 days!) .... sigh :(
Um .... in case you weren't sure ....
This is NOT Mexico:
(The extremely snowy view from my bedroom window this morning ... and it's STILL snowing!)
Guadalajara Day 4: Chapala and Ajijic
Bienvenidos a Chapala:
And now on to Ajijic:
And this, is the best shot of the day (and therefore saved for last) ... dogs, who had been patiently waiting outside the butcher (lying on the sidewalk in the sun), being rewarded with some tasty scraps:
BTW, finally mailed my postcards (for Mexico City AND Guadalajara) from the post office in Chapala today (yay!).
Guadalajara Day 3: Shop til you drop :)
Had a fabulous tour today to Tonala and Tlaquepaque where I watched people make hand blown glass items (and afterward wished I'd taken a video of it), walked through endless stalls and shops of every conceivable sort of item for sale (wished I could buy just about one of everything), and saw a couple of fabulous art galleries (my favorite being Sergio Bustamante - oh, if I only had the money to buy a couple of the things I saw in there!). It was a REALLY good tour, at the end of which came a really good meal at El Patio where I had this fabulous sandwich (Torta Ahogada) that I am totally gonna try to re-create at home, though I doubt that's possible :)
Guaddalajara Day 2.0
This morning I slept in until about 9am, and proceeded to read, watch tv, and be generally bored out of my mind (didn't have a tour planned today because I thought I would do some 'sploring on my own ... but my feet needed the day off (the blisters aren't up for EVERY day activity yet).
So long about 1:45 I meandered on down to the reception desk, seeking out my Pow-wow with "Claudia" (the reservations person). I was ready for a show down. I had my laptop (with all the pertinent screen captures on it), I had Travelocity's number, and I even had the cellphone number for my UBER-helpful tour guide (from yesterday, and also for tomorrow), Ian. When I asked if Claudia was there, the girl at the desk took a step back through the door behind her, spoke with someone briefly, then stepped back toward me and informed me that Claudia had "checked" and the payment from Travelocity HAD come through just fine, so there's no problem. I felt like saying "Yeah it came out of my account a freakin' month ago, so unless Travelocity uses the Pony Express you should've gotten it at SOME point!" but I just smiled and thanked her.
I had tried e-mailing Travelocity, but am pretty sure it never went through (not sure if it was the wifi or the website), my dad tried for me - but wasn't sure if it'd gone through either. So I kind of think it was the efforts of Ian the tour guide (I know he sent e-mails, I think he might have even called Travelocity). When he had called to talk to me on Saturday to set up the tour on Sunday I was actually standing at the front desk being harassed, and whatever it was he said to the girl at the front desk after he talked to me seemed to have an effect. But whomever it was who got the whole thing straightened out - I am tremendously relieved, and VERY grateful.
So, on the way back from the front desk I stopped off at the vending machines tucked away in the back corner of the lobby. I was hungry, didn't feel like going out anywhere (too hot), and I don't like the restaurant here ... so I got a Bimbo LonchiBon Bimkingo (it's ham & cheese on something that kind of like a croissant), a bag of sea salt chips and a Coke .... yes folks I am quite happily (and healthily) eating from vending machines in Mexico (a thing I wouldn't do from certain locations back home if you paid me $1Million). My whole lunch cost me $M31 (which is like $2.50) and it's yummy (there's some sort of a jalapeno spiked cheese sauce on the sandwich that's really good).
Oh, and figuring that the "don't drink the water" thing is probably an outdated adage in a MODERN Mexican City, and having accidentally consumed the water in Mexico City more than once, once while here (again with the teeth brushing), and ice in both places ... I am now drinking the water here as well, with absolutely no ill effects. I figured it was probably OK to give it a try, and figured I wasn't going anywhere major today anyway (if it did bother me), so I've been drinking the tap water here in my room since yesterday evening. I figure you can't very well consider coming back and living in a place for any length of time if you can't tolerate the water, so it was a necessary experiment, lol.
Now all I have to do is call to confirm my Wednesday tour to Lake Chapala ... but I'm having a really HARD time getting through to anyone. The wifi isn't supporting skype very well, and my cellphones aren't happy about making the call either ... and the one time I did get through I couldn't manage to communicate with the operator who EVENTUALLY answered the phone. It seems I have booked through one online entity, which is farming it out to another "local" entity (NOTHING unusual in that - that's how all my tours have worked), but that "local" entity is in Mexico City, and so there seems to be a whole other layer I have to get through here. Anyway, that's my task for the rest of the afternoon - fingers crossed!
So long about 1:45 I meandered on down to the reception desk, seeking out my Pow-wow with "Claudia" (the reservations person). I was ready for a show down. I had my laptop (with all the pertinent screen captures on it), I had Travelocity's number, and I even had the cellphone number for my UBER-helpful tour guide (from yesterday, and also for tomorrow), Ian. When I asked if Claudia was there, the girl at the desk took a step back through the door behind her, spoke with someone briefly, then stepped back toward me and informed me that Claudia had "checked" and the payment from Travelocity HAD come through just fine, so there's no problem. I felt like saying "Yeah it came out of my account a freakin' month ago, so unless Travelocity uses the Pony Express you should've gotten it at SOME point!" but I just smiled and thanked her.
I had tried e-mailing Travelocity, but am pretty sure it never went through (not sure if it was the wifi or the website), my dad tried for me - but wasn't sure if it'd gone through either. So I kind of think it was the efforts of Ian the tour guide (I know he sent e-mails, I think he might have even called Travelocity). When he had called to talk to me on Saturday to set up the tour on Sunday I was actually standing at the front desk being harassed, and whatever it was he said to the girl at the front desk after he talked to me seemed to have an effect. But whomever it was who got the whole thing straightened out - I am tremendously relieved, and VERY grateful.
So, on the way back from the front desk I stopped off at the vending machines tucked away in the back corner of the lobby. I was hungry, didn't feel like going out anywhere (too hot), and I don't like the restaurant here ... so I got a Bimbo LonchiBon Bimkingo (it's ham & cheese on something that kind of like a croissant), a bag of sea salt chips and a Coke .... yes folks I am quite happily (and healthily) eating from vending machines in Mexico (a thing I wouldn't do from certain locations back home if you paid me $1Million). My whole lunch cost me $M31 (which is like $2.50) and it's yummy (there's some sort of a jalapeno spiked cheese sauce on the sandwich that's really good).
Oh, and figuring that the "don't drink the water" thing is probably an outdated adage in a MODERN Mexican City, and having accidentally consumed the water in Mexico City more than once, once while here (again with the teeth brushing), and ice in both places ... I am now drinking the water here as well, with absolutely no ill effects. I figured it was probably OK to give it a try, and figured I wasn't going anywhere major today anyway (if it did bother me), so I've been drinking the tap water here in my room since yesterday evening. I figure you can't very well consider coming back and living in a place for any length of time if you can't tolerate the water, so it was a necessary experiment, lol.
Now all I have to do is call to confirm my Wednesday tour to Lake Chapala ... but I'm having a really HARD time getting through to anyone. The wifi isn't supporting skype very well, and my cellphones aren't happy about making the call either ... and the one time I did get through I couldn't manage to communicate with the operator who EVENTUALLY answered the phone. It seems I have booked through one online entity, which is farming it out to another "local" entity (NOTHING unusual in that - that's how all my tours have worked), but that "local" entity is in Mexico City, and so there seems to be a whole other layer I have to get through here. Anyway, that's my task for the rest of the afternoon - fingers crossed!
Guadalajara Day 1
Went on the "Fall in Love with Guadalajara" Tour, and pretty much fell in love with Guadalajara ;)
The Cathedral
The Town Square with Christmas decorations
A few shots of the AMAZING Murals by Orozco which cover some of the walls in the Govenor's Palace
A really neat sculpture/water feature on the spot where Guadalajara was founded
A plaque marking that spot, beneath the water feature/sculpture
Guadalajara's famous Arches
(they used to mark the entrance of the city (from the Pacific),
but the city spread past theses arches long ago)
(they used to mark the entrance of the city (from the Pacific),
but the city spread past theses arches long ago)
The Minerva Statue (just outside the arches)
The Cathedral of Zapopan at Sunset
The Zapopan Cathedral all lit-up at night (wish my cameraphone would have taken a better shot, it was gorgeous)
So that was my tour today, and I REALLY enjoyed it :)
In Transit
I don't really want to call this post Guadalajara Day 1, since I didn't get in until about 6pm, didn't see much of the city before it got dark (and what I did see didn't make a good impression .... apparently there's no place on earth where they put the bus depot in the GOOD part of town, lol).
Once here, I had to spend well over a half hour being hassled at the front desk because they A) didn't know what Travelocity was and had NO idea I had booked a room, B) suddenly knew what it was but claimed they hadn't been paid by Traveolcity (they claim to have that problem a lot ... and yet I have NEVER had this problem with Travelocity before, EVER ... hmmm ... wonder where the weak link might be ... insert head scratching), and wanted me to pay them on the spot for the whole booking (the booking they didn't know anything about 5 minutes before) ... I would give them cash, and they would give me a receipt to "TAKE" to Travelocity when I get home and show them I paid the hotel.
Um ...... how about NO for an answer?
Trying not to let my temper get the better of me (yelling at the 20-something girls who just happened to be on duty the Saturday night I check in is not really going to accommplish anything), I declined thier suggested remedy (several times) and explained again (and again), as politely as possible, that I had ALREADY paid for the room (the piece of paper they were holding is my receipt) and if they have a problem it's with Travelocity, not me - call Travelocity. After a few phone calls (to/from whom I have no idea), it has been left at - they're very sorry for the inconvenience, I don't have to pay anything now (they even upgraded me to a room with a king size bed on the 11th floor), but I WILL have to meet with Claudia (the reservations person) on Monday to clear it all up.
I am SUPER-ANNOYED, I mean if you're not going to honor bookings made through Travelocity why is your hotel on the site?
But whatever, I have copies of my confirmation e-mail/receipt from Travelocity, and my bank statement showing the transaction went through on NOV 15TH saved on my laptop now. And Travelocity's contact # is in my phone - so Claudia can just bite me on Monday!
So the ONLY redeeming thing I have to say about my arrival in Guadalajara is .... I have a nice view. I was going to post a video of all the twinkling lights, but I can't get it to upload ... sigh.
Once here, I had to spend well over a half hour being hassled at the front desk because they A) didn't know what Travelocity was and had NO idea I had booked a room, B) suddenly knew what it was but claimed they hadn't been paid by Traveolcity (they claim to have that problem a lot ... and yet I have NEVER had this problem with Travelocity before, EVER ... hmmm ... wonder where the weak link might be ... insert head scratching), and wanted me to pay them on the spot for the whole booking (the booking they didn't know anything about 5 minutes before) ... I would give them cash, and they would give me a receipt to "TAKE" to Travelocity when I get home and show them I paid the hotel.
Um ...... how about NO for an answer?
Trying not to let my temper get the better of me (yelling at the 20-something girls who just happened to be on duty the Saturday night I check in is not really going to accommplish anything), I declined thier suggested remedy (several times) and explained again (and again), as politely as possible, that I had ALREADY paid for the room (the piece of paper they were holding is my receipt) and if they have a problem it's with Travelocity, not me - call Travelocity. After a few phone calls (to/from whom I have no idea), it has been left at - they're very sorry for the inconvenience, I don't have to pay anything now (they even upgraded me to a room with a king size bed on the 11th floor), but I WILL have to meet with Claudia (the reservations person) on Monday to clear it all up.
I am SUPER-ANNOYED, I mean if you're not going to honor bookings made through Travelocity why is your hotel on the site?
But whatever, I have copies of my confirmation e-mail/receipt from Travelocity, and my bank statement showing the transaction went through on NOV 15TH saved on my laptop now. And Travelocity's contact # is in my phone - so Claudia can just bite me on Monday!
So the ONLY redeeming thing I have to say about my arrival in Guadalajara is .... I have a nice view. I was going to post a video of all the twinkling lights, but I can't get it to upload ... sigh.
Mexico City Day 5: Recuperation
I have successfully canceled today's tour to Cuernavaca. This is partly due to the fact that I do not like the tour company - yesterday's tour was less than stellar (the city of Puebla itself, and the other tour-goers being the only redeeming features), and actually ended with being dropped off about two blocks from my hotel (because the road was "closed" - which it WASN'T!), in the dark, with what ended up being erroneous directions on how to get to the hotel - thank goodness I recognized a couple buildings and figured out where to go myself!
Now if that were my only reason for canceling I would gleefully call up the fantastic folks at GreyLine Tours or Olympus Travel and get my butt over to Teotihuacan ... but traipsing around Puebla for the whole day yesterday has given me massive blisters across the entire ball of each foot - I couldn't go anywhere today if I wanted to (and believe me, I'd much rather go to Teotihuacan than sit here in my hotel room today!). In fact I'm semi-worried about the small amount of walking that will be involved in getting to Guadalajara tomorrow - but it's really only walking from hotel to taxi, from taxi to bus (sitting on a bus for 7 hours), and then repeating in reverse - I can suck it up for that.
So I will spend today filling out my postcards, and calling to confirm my tour reservations for Guadalajara. And I will probably be so decadent as to order room service for lunch and dinner ... there's the feets to think of, and I'm supremely lazy ... and it's hard to pass up having someone bring you your food for what amounts to $7, including the tip!
Now if that were my only reason for canceling I would gleefully call up the fantastic folks at GreyLine Tours or Olympus Travel and get my butt over to Teotihuacan ... but traipsing around Puebla for the whole day yesterday has given me massive blisters across the entire ball of each foot - I couldn't go anywhere today if I wanted to (and believe me, I'd much rather go to Teotihuacan than sit here in my hotel room today!). In fact I'm semi-worried about the small amount of walking that will be involved in getting to Guadalajara tomorrow - but it's really only walking from hotel to taxi, from taxi to bus (sitting on a bus for 7 hours), and then repeating in reverse - I can suck it up for that.
So I will spend today filling out my postcards, and calling to confirm my tour reservations for Guadalajara. And I will probably be so decadent as to order room service for lunch and dinner ... there's the feets to think of, and I'm supremely lazy ... and it's hard to pass up having someone bring you your food for what amounts to $7, including the tip!
Mexico City Day 4: Cholula and Puebla
My one and only Cholula pic (of the cathedral on top of the buried ruins of a temple) - the sky was dingy and not good for photo-taking (this also explains why I only used my cameraphone all day).
Entertainment during Lunch (in Puebla):
A Puebla street scene I found picturesque:
Inside a Puebla Church:
Inside a domed annex of the same church (don't ask what the proper terms for "domed annex" would be, I never claimed to be Catholic, LOL). BTW, I want to do this to my bedroom ceiling when I get home, what do you think?
Outside another Church (I liked the architecture):
The fountain in Puebla's Zocalo (town square):
The Nativity Scene outside the Puebla Cathedral:
Puebla Cathedral's Bell Tower:
And, the best has been saved for last .... the dude from Peru who bought himself (and wore for the whole day!) this SNAZZY red with gold trim (and a few sequins!) sombrero when we went through the handicraft market (boring old me I only bought postcards). Anyway, I now feel inspired about what to buy certain people for Christmas:
Mexico City Day 3
So this is going to be a SUPER boring post. I did absolutely NOTHING today, unless you count napping and popping pills as activities worthy of blogging about (which, apparently, I do, lol) - I even missed the tour I most wanted to take :(
I don't know exactly what's going on with my sinuses. Woke up Tuesday morning with trouble, went on my tour, and collapsed in a medicated heap later that afternoon. My options are: the flight dried me out too much (which I doubt); I've got a sinus infection AGAIN (which I also sort of doubt, but would make the most sense I guess); or I'm allergic to something (but what?). Thank goodness for Mucinex and Benadryl or I'd be whining and moaning for un medico, ahora mismo! Actually speaking of that - I just want to give a shout-out to the folks here at the hotel for being so nice and making sure I knew they could get me a doctor, medicine, or anything I need from the store :)
But, I think I have found the magic combination of pills to keep me alive another day, my throat isn't sore like it was last night, though my voice is still a little odd (I sound a bit like Kathleen Turner at the moment, lol) - and I think (fingers crossed and knock on wood) I should be able to go on tomorrow's tour. I'd better be able to go because if I have to spend another day blowing my nose as I stare at the same four wall, or dubbed movies that weren't very good in English, I might go insane.
But tell me, seriously, what is it with me and getting sick in foreign countries? So far I've had bad luck in Spain, three times in Ireland, and now once here in Mexico. Only the UK has never tried to kill me, LOL ;)
I don't know exactly what's going on with my sinuses. Woke up Tuesday morning with trouble, went on my tour, and collapsed in a medicated heap later that afternoon. My options are: the flight dried me out too much (which I doubt); I've got a sinus infection AGAIN (which I also sort of doubt, but would make the most sense I guess); or I'm allergic to something (but what?). Thank goodness for Mucinex and Benadryl or I'd be whining and moaning for un medico, ahora mismo! Actually speaking of that - I just want to give a shout-out to the folks here at the hotel for being so nice and making sure I knew they could get me a doctor, medicine, or anything I need from the store :)
But, I think I have found the magic combination of pills to keep me alive another day, my throat isn't sore like it was last night, though my voice is still a little odd (I sound a bit like Kathleen Turner at the moment, lol) - and I think (fingers crossed and knock on wood) I should be able to go on tomorrow's tour. I'd better be able to go because if I have to spend another day blowing my nose as I stare at the same four wall, or dubbed movies that weren't very good in English, I might go insane.
But tell me, seriously, what is it with me and getting sick in foreign countries? So far I've had bad luck in Spain, three times in Ireland, and now once here in Mexico. Only the UK has never tried to kill me, LOL ;)
Mexico City Day 2: Voladores de Papantla
Outside the Anthropology Museum one will find the Voladores de Papantla. Being more of a motion thang I took a video, please forgive the quality and what passes for editing (done on the phone at the time). BTW, the guide said he's seen them do this, climb down and a eat a hot dog, then climb back up and go again:
Mexico City Day 2: Anthropology Museum
Welcome to the Anthropology Museum
A really cool carved pillar/fountain in the courtyard
Top and side carving on a sacrificial stone
The Layers of the Templo Mayor - in the good old days
A "friendly" jaguar (he's actually the first artifact you see when you enter the section)
The not-so-friendly end of him ... this is where the heart of a sacrificed person would be put to be burned.
The Aztec Earth Goddess (didn't catch her name), she was impregnated by magic feathers (don't ya hate when that happens?) and gave birth the the sun.
An Aztec Canoe
The "Crown Jewel" of the exhibit, the Aztec Sun Stone (sometimes aka: The Aztec Calendar)
Other cool stuff:
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