Sunday, September 04, 2005

Out for a (never-ending) Sunday Stroll

It’s 8:00 p.m. and I just sat down for pretty much the first time since I took off from my place around 2:30. I don’t know if “Forrest Gump” inspired me since I just watched it last week; remember he ran for 3 years, “For no good reason, [he] just felt like it.” Well, my journey wasn’t quite as ambitious as it started at McDonalds and ended at Starbucks. I have a good reason for why it started at McDonalds; before I set out I needed to get change since I only had a $500 peso bill (just under $50) and NO ONE would have change for that – the $200 bills cause enough of a problem, as even the $100s do if you’re buying something on the street. However, I have learned that McDonalds is one of the only places that doesn’t even flinch when paying for only a medium coke for $16 pesos with a bill as big as $500. OK, so now it’s understood why I stopped in McDonalds (which almost no one in Mexico understands if it’s not pronounced as “Mock donalds”), and I have just as good a reason for ending at Starbucks, I swear. The mall closes at 8:00 p.m., it turns dark at that hour and there is a nice little outdoor area here at Starbucks where I can sit until it closes at 9:00 p.m. and then there is a taxi stand right down the steps here. Since I am occupying a table here I figured I had to have something, just to be polite, right? I’m sipping an ice tea flavored with jamaica (hibiscus – very popular here) and indulging in a tort filled with white chocolate and raspberries.

When I departed this afternoon, I decided to head down southwest on Calle Xicotencatl - a street that I hadn’t yet taken to reach the center of Coyoacán. It was a great surprise to see how lively the center was today – when Faye and I went there (on a Saturday) and when I went last Sunday, it definitely wasn’t as animated. This is probably since it’s the Mes de la Patria (month to celebrate the homeland – Independence Day is September 16) and the center is decorated and people are buying streamers and flags for their homes. I bought some to use in my classroom next year - I bought the same for Danielle but don’t tell, I want it to be a surprise.

I passed the Mercado Coyoacán (I have to save something for another day) and headed south on Allende. The sidewalks were lined with people selling mirrors, clothes, straw baskets, dolls, candy, corn, balloons and more. I stopped in a Telcel (a cellular phone distributor) store and bought the attachment to download photos from my phone to my computer. Then, for a couple of minutes I stopped at a tiny stand and sat on short, plastic red stool in the middle of the sidewalk to enjoy a cheese quesadilla. The outside of the quesadilla was made from a cactus leaf rather than a regular corn or flour tortilla. The cook, a short, dark woman with weathered skin asked if I wanted green or red salsa – I paused and asked for the one that was less spicy. Intimidated, I eyed the red salsa dripping from the quesadilla. Armed with a water bottle, I hesitantly took a bite and it was perfect! Pretty good deal for $8 pesos. After lunch I bought some chips, Rolladitos (wheel shaped) and was glad to learn they are made from flour and not fried pig’s skin, as is “chicharrón”. I munched on the lime and salsa covered chips as I sauntered through the Viveros de Coyoacán (the tree nursery), taking in the fresh air.

The best part of my Sunday stroll? I found a laundromat – and it even is connected to a dry cleaner!!! I am so excited to pay someone to do my laundry – ironic since I just bought new detergent last week. Now, I just have to remember where it was . . .