Lately I have had quite a few of those moments where you look around and think,"Wow, not to long ago this would have seemed very strange to me." Ill share them with you, then I would love it if you would share yours.
1) While shopping at the tiangis we saw a fish stand that looked excellent. His tuna steaks were a great price and looked so good. We told him we wanted some. Hes says no problem but these have been here a while and I dont have enough to fill your order anyway. If you can wait just a min we will bring in the other fish. Ok no problem. The kid standing close by immediately goes off down the isle. While we wait we buy a coke from the cloths stand behind us and let Joslin the two year old point and try to name all the fish and sea food laying out on the ice. Then up the isle comes the kid with a cooler on wheels with a fish head out one end and a tale out the other. This fish was huge!!! They plop it up on the cutting board and right there in front of us all start to cut it up. And we all just continue talking as if this is no big deal. He then cuts us some thick red lovely looking steaks, we pay and were off. It wasn't till I was in the truck that I realized this should have been odd to me.
2. At almost every major stop light in Tepa there are people hacking items from pens to phone cards, to kiddy pool, and large maps (this list could go on forever). Also there are those who do an act with fire batons, dancing, or try to clean your window. I basically refuse to give any of these people money because I know from looking around their are places hiring and these guys have made the choice to be out here. What made me saw wow this time is that Im so use to them being there now and I just dont even make eye contact or look at their items anymore. I also automatically just shake my finger and mouth NO to the window washers with out a second thought.
3. This one I was kind of sad about when I noticed it today. I take for granted that there are many places where I can look at the horizon and see small mountains. I just adored this when I first moved to Mexico. And since they are larger here around the city than Tepa it use to be one of my favorite reasons to come to the city. Today I was staring right at one of them and was to busy inside my head to notice. When I did notice I thought yeah I see it every day.
4. Other things I take for granted and I wonder how I ever lived without them is the Carnaceria and Papaleria close to our house. Today we went to both we spent less than 200p at each and you wouldn't believe how much we got. The crazy thing is that these places are so small but always seem to have everything you are looking for. If you dont see it just ask and they will pull it out of somewhere. The Carnaceria we go to is so clean and organized. And the fun thing is it has all the normal every day stuff but they also have a pretty good selection of specialty items.
My thought is that I need to be putting more of these things in writing so I dont forget them as they become a part of my every day life.
I think that's all for now. I have actually been trying to make notes as I think of things to blog. I often have great ideas and by the time I get to sit down and write a post they have all gone.
I can't even begin to name all the things I would (or would have) considered odd living in Mexico. Just to name a few; donkey pulled carts, taco stands on every corner, firetrucks rarely seen, some sort of religious/witchcraft cleaning of the spirit, dogs on the streets, stop signs and stop lights at the same intersection, sidewalks that are more like a Stairmaster, weird candy, gun battles, grenades, narco-blockades, wearing jeans and t-shirts to the swimming pool, cockroaches on steroids that fly, entire aisle of store dedicated to sell oil, missing toilet seats, missing manhole covers, horses in the middle of the road unattended (seen several times), dead horses and cows on side of the road, no heat inside the home, and everything is done by hand from street cleaning to grass cutting.
ReplyDeleteI need to write stuff down, too!
ReplyDeleteThings that were so fascinating when I got here became normal 4 - 5 years ago for me... but I just know my readers would love it.
Rita- Well I have to remind you that your Mexico is WAY different than mine thankfully. Although some of the things on your list we do have and I just look over.
ReplyDeleteGringation- For sure write it down. I have postits all over now for that very reason.