uptempodemonplumsauce: "Ella es un mujer fuerte!"

I went there. Pizza & fries.

...I explain to Luciano, the privada guard, when he asks why Usche barks her head off at him despite seeing him in her house hundreds of times.

9/11

I’m finding cecina tacos today. I had to ask myself, “Is this a big enough deal to go back to El Tianguis?” And then I backed off at my own arched eyebrow and was like, “Oookay psycho, get a taco.”

I get off the bus at El Tianguis with Terminator like focus. I get the first drink I see- it’s gross, like sweet tea, which I can't stand. None of the cell phones or heaps of clothes or Mexican flags are distracting me this time. I walk the circumference and round my way in. This takes a while.

After a while, I wonder if I shouldn’t get some pizza and fries because that’s my other objective. Trust, says the voice in my head. I walk by people EATING CECINA TACOS. (This is not an exaggeration, I really looked down and there they were!)

As before I sit down next to them, look at the waitress and point, “Uno de esto, pie favor!”

I. EAT. That. Taco!

It’s okay. I mean, it’s a taco with fries and grilled onions. I enjoy it, but c’mon. It’s a taco. I don’t know what one random person on the Internet was so excited about.

The lighting SUCKS in Tianguis. Cecina Taco. Fiji.

Pizza topped with fries on the other hand...? I’m not gonna lie, my first bite was disgusting. But then, I tried The Sauce. Pizza w fries tastes like what you cover the fries with. Obviously, first I tried ketchup. I happen to love ketchup on pizza (try it before you judge) but this ketchup was not good. The Sauce was gooood. Mixing the Sauce with ketchup was even better. I don’t know what The Sauce was, I just know it was creamy spicy with pepper flakes.

I drink a righteous horchata on my way out and vomit burp my way home.

9/12

I read in the paper about a weekly free lunch for the elderly where people can volunteer in the church atrium. I know helping people helps people so the church is my main plan today. And souvenir shopping.

Post pizza & fries glow

I’ve been to the Artisan Market a few times, just wandering through. I don’t understand why I keep reading about it online because it’s just one block of little shops. Today I find the rest of the Artisan Market. It’s actually 4 blocks plus of stand after shop after person on the sidewalk. I don’t know how I missed it before, other than it’s got a Harry Potter entrance across the street from where I thought they ended. I’m happy I found them when I did so I could pay the artists directly for handmade crafts rather than pay a store for manufactured crap.

I get to the church. I see a lot of well dressed people that don’t look like they’re ready to volunteer. A memorial service has just ended. I try to stay out of the way while still looking for other volunteer types. I’m early, México is late, so I wait.

I go to the office and ask the staff. It’s in the atrium. I return to what I consider the atrium and then I look up “atrium” on my phone to make sure I’m right. I’m right.

I almost missed this gem!

Finally I google “San Miguel” “volunteering” “Sept 12” and I read a notice that volunteers should meet at the atrium for a dinner 530-730.

I eat my feelings for lunch in the form of pastries. IT WAS WRITTEN IN THE NEWSPAPER. I’d talked to people about it! I went to the office and asked the staff.

I know it’s very American to rely on times and schedules and information. (Because times/schedules/information makes life easy, but whatever.) I know I need to surrender more to the winds of change instead of forcing time and space to my will. But the church thing really annoyed the crap out of me.

I’m not saying I bought myself a pair of boots to make myself feel better, I’m just saying if I had been able to volunteer I wouldn’t have had time to buy the boots.

Schnauzer Parents Lynn & Don are home! We get dinner at a locals Italian spot where I lose myself in Montepulciano and ragu. It’s an excellent meal with my excellent hosts.