Tag Archives: 2023

Jan8

An Interesting Week

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An Interesting Week

Coffee revives me in the morning when I get up. It prepares me for the day that lies ahead, whatever that may happen to be. I don’t have regular structured activities when I’m in Mexico. My life is very different from when I’m back in East Wenatchee. There are lots of white spaces on my calendar that hangs on the wall. And that leaves me more time for writing.

Then Thursday morning happened. I admit I don’t always check the newscasts first thing in the morning. So it wasn’t until later on that I found out about the violence in Culiacan. My initial reaction was an emotional one. My Mexican family live there. Culiacan is a pretty wild city at the best of times and I must admit that I’m always concerned about their safety. But on Thursday the concern became fear as I saw the video footage of the the city under siege.

Shelter in place. I lived in Culiacan the first year I came to Mexico so that phrase is familiar. But when I heard that the entire state of Sinaloa was shutting down, that really bothered me. Highways and airports were closed. The military were firing at the cartel from the air. I had lived in Mazatlan for four years and had never experienced anything like this. Hurricanes suddenly don’t seem like such a threat anymore. I can only imagine the terror tourists felt trapped in their hotel rooms.

Thankfully I was able to reach Juan by phone and found out that my family was safe at home. The entire city was shut down. The only ones roaming the streets were Cartel members seeking revenge because one of their leaders had been captured. Culiacan was littered with burning vehicles and the sound of gunfire echoed throughout the city. An Aeromexico jet sitting on the tarmac was riddled with bullet holes. A cloud of black smoke filled the air.

I was supposed to go to Culiacan on Friday. My family had invited me to come celebrate King’s Day with them. I’m not sure just why, but I had decided to postpone my trip and come the following week. I believe someone up there was looking out for me and it wasn’t just a go with your gut feeling.

The airport is back open, public transit is moving, kids are going back to school tomorrow……………………typical normal daily life in Culiacan. I have my tickets and I do plan to go to Culiacan this Friday. Unless something astronomically crazy happens again.

Jan4

Bienvenido 2023

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Bienvenido 2023

Happy New Year! I hope you had an enjoyable holiday and are now embracing the new year with open arms. I know I am and can’t wait to see what’s in store for me in 2023.

Have you thought about new year’s resolutions? I have and am sure not going to make any. I’ve talked to friends who are eagerly writing some down. The way I see it, no matter how realistic they look on paper, they never seem to pan out the way they were planned.

The only resolution that makes any sense to me is to be a better person than I was last year. And that is something I need to keep in my heart rather than write down on a piece of paper.

I keep seeing on Facebook pics of all the snow in Washington state. The mountain passes seem to be closed more often than they’re open. Keep safe up there people!

I’m headed for the bus station later today to buy tickets. I’m planning on going to Culiacan to visit my family later this month. I can’t wait to hug my grandkids! I saw them last February before I headed back to the USA. I’m sure that two of my four grandsons are now taller than me.

Friday is King’s Day. My Mexican friend Angie told me the story behind it. There’s a lot more to this day than looking for the baby Jesus hidden in the bread. Catholics believe that the Three Wise Men were looking for the baby Jesus to protect him. Pilate was afraid that Jesus would take over his kingdom so he ordered that all children under the age of two were to be killed.

That’s it for week one in January.

Have a great Wednesday!

Dec30

New Years Traditions In Mexico

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New Years Traditions In Mexico

Traditions around holidays vary from country to country. Here in Mexico there are a few interesting ones. And yes, I have gone along with some of them but I won’t tell you which ones. They were kind of fun and maybe you might want to try some of these. They are definitely different and I have never done any of them when in the USA or Canada at this time of the year.

Eating twelve grapes at the stroke of midnight is one of the most common practices I’ve found here. As the clock chimes, eating the grapes signifies that good luck lies ahead in the coming year.

Taking an empty suitcase for a walk around the block is also believed to bring good luck in the new year. When I lived in Guadalajara my neighbors did this.

Another interesting one is all about underwear. Red signifies love and passion, yellow is for prosperity and happiness, green is for wealth and well-being, and white is for hope and peace.

And then there are lentils. Eating a mouthful is sure to bring you good fortune in the coming year.

Here’s a fun one. Throw a pail of water out the window. Bid farewell to the old year and welcome in the new year.

Sweeping. Sweep the old year out the door at midnight and sweep twelve coins into the house for wealth and prosperity.

Burning candles surrounded by lentils, beans, rice, other grains and cinnamon is another one. Once the candles have burned down, the waxy foods are collected and buried in the ground to ensure abundance and prosperity.

Mopping the floor with water and cinnamon before midnight in preparation for the new year means all the old stuff is gone and there’s lots of room for new beginnings.

Fireworks is one of my favorite traditions. Yes we have them in Canada and the USA. But here in Mexico not only do they light up the sky with the usual professional pyrotechnic displays, but it seems like children of all ages are roaming the streets setting off firecrackers. In one neighborhood I lived in there was actually a wheel of fireworks that shot into the crowds of people. I was amazed that no one got hurt. After all, we were standing merely inches away from this wheel.

Champagne and kissing at midnight———–you have competition!

Happy 2023! May your year be filled with Health, Peace, Love and Prosperity!