Wednesday, January 19, 2011 — Happy Birthday to Rosa

I have finished my "Italian" dinner with raviolis done by the chef to my prescription...well, sort of. Definitely al dente. The wine helped tremendously. Good salad and a sliver of chocolate cake with my tea.

The latin beauties are on again with a break for the ethnic and traditional dancers. Quite a combo if I can still remember it. First some Spanish dances, then Colombian (in short sequin dresses and quite sexy). I think we then switched to Hawaiian followed by Tahitian and finished up with another stomping Spanish or close. That was topped off with another rope stunt using two short ropes that cracked and clicked on the dance floor.

Immediately after, one of the beauties slung two lengths of wine red fabric over an overhead support hanging from above. She had shed some of her sequins and silver fringes and was down to black tights with sparkles above. My first thought was that I was about to witness my first "pole" dance up close. But actually, she cleverly climbed up the two pillars of cloth and reached the top before letting go and hanging there by her feet of something. She moved on to show quite a repertoire of moves and hangings. Actually quite graceful.

So much to tell. I'll finish the dinner part as soon as I tell you about the art walk and search for a cheap cell phone that I can use to call California and within Mexico. I zeroed out in that department — one store had no such thing, only for Mexico, and the other one had its system down and the lady who knew about the phone I'm looking for was off for the day. I may try again. After that failed effort, I moved on and walked to Calle Corona where our friend Bill McGrail had a large painting in a new gallery called "The Loft." I loved the painting, which is a dramatic departure from his work that I'm more familiar with. It reminded me somehow of Susan Mafai's tapestries looking down on the New York Public Library or Post Office. Like a parade, only Bill's is looking down on athletes on a field and track, seen through trees with spring blossoms everywhere. Complete with athletic flood lights. Quite a festive scene and very well composed. I was especially amazed because I'm used to his deep forests of banana trees and other green features. Change is always fun. Very nice, Bill. It should find a great, spacious home.

I walked home along the shore and sat for a while with a couple from Nebraska who were due to be back at their cruise ship in two hours. They were on a thirty day cruise and said that the ship they were on carries 3500 people. Whew! Also said that many of the ships that usually come to Mexico are being rerouted to Europe because of fears of liability. Their ship had been due to dock at Acapulco, but had been changed to Puerto Vallarta for safety reasons. Sad but understandable. If that really happens, it will be a serious blow to Mexican tourism.

On my way back to the hotel via the malecon, I sat on the walking bridge and watched and listened to the amazing parade of people walking by. Like a tower of Babel. I stopped at the flea market and bought a sarong and sat with some people who had a beautiful little long haired dog on a leash. She had incredible brown to tan graded coloring almost like a Siamese cat. They said she was half Lasa and half some other small, exotic breed. She truly reminded me of our Tia Maria, who was supposed to have been half Lasa and half Dandy Dinmont. This little one was said to be a great lap dog as well as a perfect athlete. Sounds like Tia, eh?

Back to the dinner scene. While the beauties are singing, the dance floor fills and there is one woman who regularly appears on the floor alone and puts on quite a show. But just a few minutes ago she had snagged another woman to join her. The usual loner was trying to instruct the partner in the art of loosening up. It makes me chuckle. She tried all sorts of moves, with feet, shoulders, hips, entire body..... but partner, looking very straight laced, was having none of it. So funny to watch things like this from a distance and wonder what words were accompanying all this little psychological tug of war.

Every year I've been coming here pretty close to the same time. Every year a very prosperous family convenes at a long table and celebrates the birthday of a woman who has had multiple sclerosis for some years. It's very touching to see the regard in which she is held. I went up to my room to fetch my computer, leaving a fresh cup of tea and the last of my wine to be guarded by the good waiters who treat me so well. As I returned a few minutes later, I leaned in to speaking distance to the woman in the wheel chair and wished her a happy birthday and told her that I have seen her celebrating for some years. A few minutes later, a lovely woman who turned out to be a good friend of hers and who owns the restaurant, Maximillian, which is adjacent to the hotel, brought me a small piece of cake and said that "Rosa" wanted me to have a piece. Well, of course I shouldn't have eaten it, but of course, I had to. Poor me. It was the tastiest birthday cake I've ever eaten. Drenched in some delicious form of alcohol. Poor me.