Sunday, October 30, 2005

Advice to women from Lonely Planet Mexico(9th edition): "On the streets of cities and towns, you'll notice that women cover up and don't display too much leg or even their shoulders. The bare, pierced-belly look so popular in the West is not common." (pg. 965) Well. Perhaps that was true when the book came out in September, 2004. Or perhaps it's true in parts of Mexico that we haven't yet visited. But hoo-boy, it is not true in Guadalajara.

Guadalajara's Centro, with all its open squares, is great for peoplewatching. And it's a constant parade of teeny-tiny clothes on women of all shapes, sizes and ages. I feel like a nun with my non-skintight t-shirts and my long pants and my lack of VPL. Michael and I especially enjoy sitting in the Rotonda de los Jaliscenses Illustres (aka Makeout Park) because it's so green and shady. It's hard to get a seat there because while the benches are long, there is an unspoken "two people per bench" rule. You know, because of all the making out. Anyway, sit there, or anywhere, for an hour and you'll see plenty of leg, shoulder, and belly. But the LP is right about one thing: none of the bellies are pierced. And we should know.

But not all the people-watching is of the creepy variety. Everybody walks by. Businessmen, flower-vendors, families, and lots and lots of little kids. And there always seems to be music in the air. Probably because of the cultural festival, but since the festival has been going on the whole time we've been here, for me it has just seemed part of the city. Tonight we sat and listened to the music along one of the little side-squares that seemed to be kind of a family corner. Lots of little kids and no one was making out.

There was an adorable little boy, maybe five years old, playing near us. He was doing some breakdancing moves in a smooth stone square in the middle of the area. Not very well, but with such style and charisma that it was impossible not to watch him. He seemed to love being the center of attention because every time he did something cool, he turned to make sure we were all looking. Michael thought maybe we were at a "breaking spot" and I thought maybe he'd just been watching a lot of music videos. It turned out Michael was right. Some grown-up, super-cool breakdancers came by, plunked their backpacks down and started stretching and mingling with each other.

Our little boy retreated to his parents, wide-eyed. The guys started doing stuff, handstands and whatnot... I don't really know much about breakdancing. The boy edged forward and retreated a couple of times. But after a while he got in there and started rolling around on the ground with the big guys. I was so proud of him. Ok, I really need to hurry up and have kids of my own.

Then we came back to the hotel and watched The Exorcist on TV, dubbed into Spanish.

Pretty much all we've done in Guadalajara is work in our room and go out to wander around the area or sit in one of the squares. Oh, and read. It turns out that Alex Haley died before Queen was completed, so it must have been the other writer who had the inordinate interest in Alex's grandma's sex life. That's a relief. Anyway, not doing much means we've spent very little money, which is nice because so far Mexico is coming in at the top end of our monthly budget.

Tomorrow we're going to see about getting a bus to Mexico City.

 

Post a comment:

Name:
Email:
URL:
A pig says:
Comment: (HTML is allowed)

Untitled

Plenty of people to watch.

Some people don't even need a bench to make out on.

If they make it to adulthood, they'll have wonderful memories.

Michael at Sandy's Restaurant, overlooking Avenida Alcalde. (I can't work the camera like he can.)

Plaza at dusk.

Maybe later...

Copying

In the mix.