ROAD TRIP Concepción de Buenos Aires and La Manzanilla de la Paz Jan 2010

In the far southeastern border of the state of Jalisco

lies a beautiful and immaculately clean pueblo by the name of

Concepción de Buenos Aires.

This small and relatively young municipality (March 1888)

has a population of approximately 2500 people.

Most of whom appear to not live here.

Two things we noticed immediately:

There are hardly any people in this town,

and there are more horses and mules 

being used for transportation than cars!

Everyone tried not to stare at us, those who spoke were very friendly.

Several men stopped to speak with us in English

and we were told there were many residents now living in the US.

Well, that explains it!

But what it doesn't explain is,

why were there so many men on horse/muleback ferrying milk cans?

 

 

This attractive pueblo is surrounded by picturesque, hilly

livestock ranches and agriculture.

The plaza and portales were a brisk but sunny stroll.

 

 

Yo!  Where IS everybody?

All this blue sky and sunny warmth made these ladies hungry. . .

Top:  tacos de birria, chiliquilllas, breakfast

(with the best bacon I've ever had), homemade tortillas,

and condiments of salt, fresh lime, and homemade salsa

Perfectly yummmmy!  Total tab for 2. . .80 pesos or about $6.15US

This lovely woman, who owns a ceramic shop, turned out to be a fountain of information

and was so proud of her beautiful town.

One of the things she kept saying was that Concepción was a

very religious pueblo and the reason it was so clean

was because they had a woman Presidente.

Makes sense to me!

We left Concepción de Buenos Aires via the back way

for La Manzanilla de la Paz about 30 minutes away by dirt road.

 

 

The church and plaza at La Manz.

All in all, the star of the show today was

the glorious village of Concepción de Buenos Aires.

To get there from the north shore of Lake Chapala,

take a drive to the south shore and when you arrive in the town of

Tuxcueca make a right on the highway to Mazamitla.

Shortly after getting on the highway you will see the turn off for Concepción.

Total driving time from Joco to Concepción was 1 hour.

After The Ball! Jan 2010

¡DE LA BASURA!

(A Tribute To Garbage)

This is a little tribute

to the morning after the

El Señor del Monte

extravaganza.

CLICK THE VIDEO AND ENJOY!

http://jocotepec.com/news.asp?article=4156

Growing up Hawaiian - Part 2 - Pidgin English Jan 2010

Remember how we said Hawaii was the melting pot of the nation?

Not only did we do things differently where I grew up,

we even had our own language!

Because so many different peoples populated the Hawaiian Islands,

— settled by Polynesians, immigrated to by Caucasians (Haole),

Filipinos (Buk Buks), Chinese (Pakes), Koreans,
Japanese (Buddha head)  and Portuguese (Portagees) —

AND had the need to to communicate with one another,

a unique combination of words from different languages
was created to become the language of the islands known as

 Pidgin English.  
ENJOY!!!

My everyday conversations were peppered with words

that drew blank stares from San Franciscans some 15 years later.

Words like:

pau - finished

kokua - help

kapu - keep out

huli-huli - go 'round

mauka - towards the mountains

makai - towards the ocean

make - dead

kamaina - local person

malahini - newcomer

okole - butt

pupule - crazy

akamai - smart, clever

pilikia - trouble

bumbai - later

hapai - pregnant 

The list is endless. . .

I was not allowed to speak Pidgin at home,

but at school and with friends phrases like this were heard:

Where you was? - Where have you been?

Eh, bra, you like da kine?  - Hey, bro, you want. . .(fill in the blank)?

No make li dat! - Don't do that!

Hooo, get plenny fish today. - Wow, good fishing today.

An den? - And then?

Okole maluna - Bottoms up!  (a toast, when clinking glasses)

No make pilikia! - Don't make trouble!

Broke da mout - Delicious
Da buggah wen make. - The guy died.

Want more?

'Political Correctness' didn't exist.

As kids, we sang songs and told jokes that playfully made fun of

our races, and ethnic cultures with a vengeance

that would get you jail time today.

Such as:

Ching Chong Chinaman

sitting on a fence

trying to make a dollar

out of fifteen cents

Or

Red, white, and blue

stars over you

mama say, papa say

you Pake

Or

What's the biggest library in the world?

Aala Park, 'cause that's where all the buk-buks (Filipinos) hang out.

Or

 Knock knock

who's there

mema

mema who?
(mahu - transvestite or gay)

Yeah.
I know.

I cringe as I write this. 

But that's how it was.  And it was a different time and a different place.

It was done in fun, sort of a verbal elbow nudge to the ribs.

Was it healthy?  I don't know.

I do know for sure tho, that we accepted each other and our

cultural idiosyncrasies with humor and good will.

I don't think we do that anymore. . .

And it breaks my  heart.

ALOHA NUI LOA!

You Too Could Become An Expat And Move To A Foreign Country And Hang Out With Wackos Jan 2010

THE ARTISTS:

:

FIFI

JOJO

LULU

 

KOKO

THEIR MISSION:  CREATE ART

THEIR ART:

COLLECTION #1

 COLLECTION #2

 

 COLLECTION #3

COLLECTION #4

YOUR TURN: 

Which collection would you vote 

Most Likely To Move On To 
Fame, Fortune, and the BIG TIME
. . . and why.

THE BIG TIME:

El Señor del Monte - Jocotepec Jan 2010

Every year, about the second week in January,

mi pueblito celebrates El Señor del Monte - the Lord of the Mountain.

Yesterday was the last day of the festival

marked by the procession of El Señor through the pueblo in the evening.

There is a beautiful icon of El Señor that resides above the church altar 
364 days a year —  and 21 hours.  
For those other 3 hours He is taken down from the altar

and carried by noble men of the village, around and through the pueblo, 
in a procession.  

Step back, here it comes!

The clanging bells announced the emergence of El Señor through the church doors;

carried by the noble men.

Out into the street, and around the town they went.

There were Indians from nearby pueblos,

some with metal plates on their feet, doing syncopated dances.

Many of the people in the procession, and some of those watching along the roadsides,

traveled here by chartered buses from far away pueblos.

The buses are now parked along the highways and outlying roads.

Some of the devotees have special needs and ask El Señor

to grant their prayers by walking the procession on their knees.

Family members lay folded blankets out in front of them to kneel on.

Some elect to do it without!

 

  

El Señor brings up the end of the procession.  
He is followed by a pickup with loudspeakers
and someone praying and singing.

The bystanders then step in and follow the throng back to the church.

The crowd, as usual, was staggering.

 After that?

Well, for some, an outdoor Mass begins when El Señor returns to the church.

For others, its party time.

The plaza and the whole town centro was ablaze with lights, booths,
games, food, tequila, and rides.

The hand of God giveth 

 The hand of God taketh away.

Cruz Roja Chapala Delegation — A Tour Jan 2010

Presenting . . .Cruz Roja Chapala

 

Entrance.  Come on in!

 

The 4 bed receiving room...

. . .at an abnormally slow moment.

Nurses Nena and Paty and future nurse Sandy begging me not to take their pictures.

Didn't work.

Casting Room.  Oweeee

X-Ray  

Don't move, don't move!!!

La Sala de Expulsion with incubator.

No, seriously, that's what it's called.  

Oweeee.

The We're Watching You Room and Curación area.

Cubiculo de Shock

This is the really really really sick room.  

Sort of our Intensive Care.

With LifePak 12

Nurse Adriana cleaning airway equipment.

Supply Room

Dr. Armando charting.

Speaks English

ACLS certified and works in Guadalajara ER when not working at CR.

Good doctor!

Paramedic Quarters and Communications

 

Dr. Armando talking with medics on the way in.

There it is.  Stop on by and say hi if you're in the area.  

Drop a few pesos in the donation box, they subsist solely on donations.

Or, PayPal your donation to me and I will deliver it.

If you have used medical equipment that is good and still servicable or

medications that have not expired that you have no use for . . .

Cruz Roja can put them to good use.

Cruz Roja motto:

Seamos Todos Hermanos