Revolution!

Last night we had dinner at our neighbours Pat and Roger's house. Their home is very very traditional. It is quite tiny but exquisitedly decorated. Even in their teeny kitchen they were able to throw together a magnificent feast of home made soup from traditional Mexican veggies, barbecued quail, roasted onions and cheesecake. Oh and lots and lots of wine and tequila! They spend three months here every year, three months at their beach house on the Pacific coast, three months in Kingston Ontario and three months at their cottage on the lake in Ontario. They invited us to come with them to the beach next week but we are already booked in Puerta Vallarta so unfortunately had to decline. They've never been to BC and are interested in swapping with us for either of their four homes! We think we may just go for the four bedroom two bathroom home right on the beach in Mexico! Hummmmm!

Today is Revolution Day and a national holiday in Mexico. We were up early (amazing after last night) so we could get a good spot to watch the parade. We could hear the drums and bugles quite early so it was a mad dash to get out and find the beginning of the parade. It's very hard to hurry anywhere here because ALL the streets are cobblestone with the exception of the one main road which runs all around the lake and on to Guadalajara. The parade was wonderful! I think every schoolchild in Ajijic was in the parade. They were dressed in their gym uniforms and marched along with pom poms, ribbons, flags and even feather dusters! They were very cute. After that the real fun began with all the men, boys and girls dressed in traditional revolution era costumes. The little girls were absolutely beautiful. We couldn't believe that these little ones, some looking to be no more than five years old, could ride these huge horses by themselves and SIDESADDLE!! Some of the little boys had holsters of pretend bullets crisscrossed on their chests, all wearing sombreros and with painted mustaches. One float was really cute - like a covered wagon with the boys on one side sticking play rifles through the openings while the girls were on the other side dressed like the camp girlfriends.

Gail is actually talking about coming back here again next year- she feels a lot better and thinks the wonderful dry warm weather has improved her arthritis. It would be a good life here. Everyone we meet tells us that this place just grows on you. The statistics are that 50% of visitors return and buy. An incredible number of people are here less than two weeks and buy a second home! Right now though we are looking forward to the next few days here. Today is not only Revolution Day but the start of a nine day fiesta in this village.