Hell’s Half Acre

What a wonderful day to celebrate the return of the sun. Filled though it was with Sissy barfing, Jamie falling ill yet again (tummy?), Ellen hanging out with the sickies and with funny tummy herself but the boys and myself quite well.

I figured out my Noche Buena meal; Sopa de Limon (that Jamie is DREADING; he hates lime), Pork in Salsa Verde, Ceviche on tostadas (why did I begin capitalizing every word?), Tamales, Ponche, Sopapillas (I’m doing it AGAIN!) and flan. I guess I should get started, eh? Maybe Chrissy can make me a timeline like she does for Turkey Day. I don’t think there are any veggies or salad in the feast described above but maybe we can fit something in.

Once Jamie figured out he was sick and we weren’t going to go for a walk (and didn’t go yesterday either) I figured I would practice yoga. I can’t believe how long it has been and it was freaky how my body just remembered most of the asanas. (here’s a little PSA in case you were wondering, rum does go simply PERFECTLY in soy milk, especially if it is lightly sweetened (or maybe it is completely unsweetened; I’d have to check the box but then I’d get distracted and never finish this. Hmmm…which should I do….)) I made it to Mari C and then skipped to finishing and while I did have a little trouble reaching my arms higher than my shoulders immediately afterwards, I’m doing quite well right now. Tomorrow I expect my entire pectoral area to be SCREAMING but tonight it is quiet. So…Yoga, GOOD.

The boys and I tidied up enough to be able to head into town before sunset and check out the feria in the plaza but found that instead of what *I* would expect to purchase for a Christmas gift, the plaza was full of shoe, clothing and, well, I think mainly shoe and clothing resellers. I had seen an advertisement for a Christmas feria and expected more Christmas in it. But, on the other hand, many people make la Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) the most festive part of Christmas here in Mexico and are dressed in their finery, so this feria would make sense.

I then dragged the boys out the Pueblo SacBe for a Solstice Celebration. It was a little difficult finding the place (honestly, if a place isn’t hard to find, it isn’t in Mexico), out in the middle of the jungle, but after driving through the residences of all the workers in town (what a CONTRAST between these residences and those close to the plaza Las Americas!) we took our best guesses on dirt roads and arrived. Although the festival was supposed to start at 5pm and we arrived after 6, we had a long wait for anything to start. Next year, if we’re here, we’ll get there around 8pm. We experienced a rather unusual Mayan ceremony, a surprisingly political speech (instead of an explanation of what had transpired over the past 30min), drank some communal something and then listened to a pure blood Mayan woman (apparently, she is recorded in a registry in Germany ??!!) talk about calendar issues. She strongly believes that in 2012 the ancestors of the Mayans driven out by the conquistadors will return and life for the Mayans will turn around. We were then treated to musicians and the boys allowed me to stay until around 9pm (the party will go until 1am) as they were terribly bored. What a wonderful gift! The second party of musicians were wonderful and it was painful to leave their song. But it was lovely to have Pike tell me, “oh, you really like this, huh Mom? Ok, how about one more song and then we’ll go?”. So, yes, for so many reasons, a truly wonderful Solstice. And from now on, the nights only get shorter and shorter!