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Doug & Islay's Great Escape
I was sleeping in a room with 4 year old Aida who has been warned she would find me there in the morning however half way through the night she woke up, I said hello and came and snuggled up with me. In the morning Cleo came in and after a bit of silliness, mostly on my part, the girls had to get ready for school as it was only Thursday. Cleo starts at 8am and Aida at 9. Too early by far for me! After a hearty bowl of coco pops, they had managed to persuade Luis to buy in Gem's absence, they donned their gym shellsuit, yes shellsuit (Thursday is gym day) and they were off to school. Basically, I did nothing all day apart from play with Lucero the gorgeous puppy (who only understands spanish), handwashed some clothes (they don't have a washing machine and Gem gallantly hand washes all the kids and her own clothes, Luis uses the launderette service round the corner!) then dried them in the hot sun in which I sat and sunbathed. It was nice to not be on the move. In the evening we took the kids to gym class where they do rolly pollies and bounce around on tramopleins in a huge warehouse type building. Later Luis had made delicious salsa, hot green tomato sauce, fried pepper, shallot and beef to put in tortillas with local cheese. It's awesome staying with a proffesional Mexican chef!! Then the kids went to bed, with a little resistance and the adults weren't far behind. I was sleeping now in Cleo's room as was the deal forged with her as Gem's mum had been here just before I came and slept in Aida's room.
The next day was much of the same but I slept through the kids going to school. In the afternoon Gem and I went down to the main plazas of Tlaxcala and had a wander round. However the first hurdle to getting into the town was starting the car, which was a little temperament, to encourage it to start we let it trundle backwards but unfortuneaty it hit the curb, then Luis and I pushed it up the hill again and then let it run backwards again but for longer (i should point out that Gem was in it steering and trying to start it the whole time) without success, we then pushed it along the flat bit over two speed bumps to the gate of their housing complex, still nada, finally we pushed Gem (and the car) round the corner and down the steep hill toward the main road and the supermarket, she didn't get much of a run though as the narrow road was busy and drivers apply the 'I'm the only one on the road' ethic here and bulldoze on. As we were about to abandon ship Gem tried one last time and it started and off we trundled. Arriving in the town we first investigated the local post office about sending my boots home. They have a 2kg limit and are utterly non budging about this, to the point the removal of a small sheet of tissue paper brought the previoulsy over weight box back to being 'bang on' 2kg. I hadn't even wrapped it yet but then they said that would be fine to be over, confusing to say the least.
Tlaxsala centre is wonderfully picturesque. Next to where we parked was a pretty orange church with a blue and white tiled domed roof and two large fountains in front. As we continued round the corner we entered into a lush shady square with elegant arched building all around where people sat chatting and enjoying the afternoon sun. We then returned to the car, pleased that my pashmina sun screen improvisation has had some effect on keeping the car cool. In evening we headed out for some tostadas, fried flat tortillas which then act as a plate for your filling of choice to be heaped on top along with lettuce, avocado (super cheap in Mexcio and comes with everything) and cheese. Ridiculously messy to eat but Luis ate his with elegance and not even a stray crumb. The rest of us had molotes, filled tortillas folded over and then deep fried (I am certain that when I leave I will almost certainly have gained at least a couple kg but thankfully they don't charge for excess baggage on one's body). Filling includes: cheese, chirzo (in a crumbled form) with chipotle (a spicy, smoked chillie), ground mince, pork brains (avoided), Tinga (chicken and chipotle), corn mushroom, it called fungus here. Gem offered me fungus with cream cheese which I found hilarious (had to be there?). After, Cleo read me some extracts from her book and then, knackered we again went to bed not long after the kids!
The next day Cleo and I were up first, 7am. Cleo made some 3D specs, clever wee thing and I skyped Doug. Later the others appeared and we started mobilizing to go to the large market in town. The wee girls are utterly delightful and I am constantly amazed at their intelligence and ability fit in and be happy, confident and relaxed here. Cleo's Spanish is absolutely amazing and she has the ability to gauge when it's appropriate to use each language. Like her mother she flawlessly moves from one to the other without a pause to breath. Aida is also speaking Spanish but less often in the the presence of English speakers however she often breaks into a wee song she's learnt a school and is offered something in spanish is more than capable of understanding or amending. However, like any little girls they can be a little cantankerous at times. Aida can be particularly stubborn and dedicated an hour to only saying 'I want a lolly pop" even though everyone had pointed out that we didn't have one and sometimes you can't have everything you want. I said I wanted a swimming pool but couldn't have one which was a mistake as the next 10 mins was dedicated to wanting a swimming pool (with a slide). I am thoroughly loving spending so much time with them and will miss their lovely individual personalities, squeaky little voices, infectious giggling and affectionate cuddles, terribly when I leave.
Eventually everything and everyone was in the car ready to head off, a couple of false starts, both with us forgetting things and the car playing up, and we headed into town. The market was amazing, rows and rows of fresh fruit and vegetables, a riot of colour and texture. The smell of cooking drifted past us, interwined with the smell of fresh fruit. On our way in we bought some chicharron, pork crackling, nothing like the measly amount you get at the local carvery on a Sunday. This is literally the whole skin of the pig cooked to perfect crispness and sold in chunks as a snack. Aida changed her record to 'I want chacharron' (which she said with perfect pronunciation). Thankfully were able satisfy that craving. Gem and Luis warned me that you should always go to market on an empty stomach and rightly so. Everyone offers you a sample of their produce, from delicious salty cheese to cactus strips or juicy strawberries. Luis also is skilled at choosing produce at the perfect point, Gem says he is invaluable to have at the market, prodding pineapples (among other things) and knowing weither they'll last a day or a week. Whilst you wander around people offer you various produce, I apparently look like I am in need of green chilies as I was offered 6 times and thrice by the same boy. We sat down to have a bite to eat and next to us a rotund baby had be placed in a fruit crate and was absorbed shaking it's rattle. Whilst we wandered along there was a rumble (certainly not from our bellies) of thunder and the heavens opened and rain descended. Apparently it doesn't usually rain in November, that song is haunting me again.. "everywhere you go you always take weather with you". The market holders battened down the hatches and pulled the huge tarpaulins tighter over their stalls. At one point I had to bend double to get under one whilst everyone else could get under with a mere bend of the head. Thankfully the rain stopped and we went to see the live animal area. Littered around at the feet of several aged women were sad turkey's tethered together by their lumpy legs. Poor things, such unbelievably ugly birds with their bumpy toggle of skin in vibrant blue and pink draped over their beak and defeated yet beady eyes, destined for the oven then the carving knief at Christmas. A utility truck was parked with some hay and three little pigs snuffling away in the back (I'm sure there is some analogy with the big bag wolf being the farmer but I can't be bothered articulating or working it out!). Further on was a pen of about a fifty goats and sheep. The adults were safety contained behind the temporary fencing but as we looked and stroked a couple one of the little goat kids worked out that it could easily fit through the gaps in the fence. Chaos then ensued and we spend the next 20 mins in hysterics catching goat kids and putting them back only for them to make another successful bid for freedom. The owners themselves didn't seem at all concerned and I think preferred for us to do the work. Cleo did a gallant job at catching them herself even though she was about the same size as them when they were on their hind legs. As impossible as eating jelly with a fork we eventually gave up and left it to the goatsmen to retrieve the kid that was following us out. Laden down with shopping and covered in goat slavers (they would chew anything or suck on your knuckles as they though it was a teet) we headed home only stopping to get Aida the long awaited lollypop.
My ipad doesn't get wifi here so I am hogging the family laptop. Cleo has asked me why I am always on the computer which isn't entirely true but I am going to end this blog and go and play sardines, then help colour in with the girls although Aida tends to hand me the coloured pen she wants me to use, points to the area in which I am required to colour, then sits back and supervises.
The next day was much of the same but I slept through the kids going to school. In the afternoon Gem and I went down to the main plazas of Tlaxcala and had a wander round. However the first hurdle to getting into the town was starting the car, which was a little temperament, to encourage it to start we let it trundle backwards but unfortuneaty it hit the curb, then Luis and I pushed it up the hill again and then let it run backwards again but for longer (i should point out that Gem was in it steering and trying to start it the whole time) without success, we then pushed it along the flat bit over two speed bumps to the gate of their housing complex, still nada, finally we pushed Gem (and the car) round the corner and down the steep hill toward the main road and the supermarket, she didn't get much of a run though as the narrow road was busy and drivers apply the 'I'm the only one on the road' ethic here and bulldoze on. As we were about to abandon ship Gem tried one last time and it started and off we trundled. Arriving in the town we first investigated the local post office about sending my boots home. They have a 2kg limit and are utterly non budging about this, to the point the removal of a small sheet of tissue paper brought the previoulsy over weight box back to being 'bang on' 2kg. I hadn't even wrapped it yet but then they said that would be fine to be over, confusing to say the least.
Tlaxsala centre is wonderfully picturesque. Next to where we parked was a pretty orange church with a blue and white tiled domed roof and two large fountains in front. As we continued round the corner we entered into a lush shady square with elegant arched building all around where people sat chatting and enjoying the afternoon sun. We then returned to the car, pleased that my pashmina sun screen improvisation has had some effect on keeping the car cool. In evening we headed out for some tostadas, fried flat tortillas which then act as a plate for your filling of choice to be heaped on top along with lettuce, avocado (super cheap in Mexcio and comes with everything) and cheese. Ridiculously messy to eat but Luis ate his with elegance and not even a stray crumb. The rest of us had molotes, filled tortillas folded over and then deep fried (I am certain that when I leave I will almost certainly have gained at least a couple kg but thankfully they don't charge for excess baggage on one's body). Filling includes: cheese, chirzo (in a crumbled form) with chipotle (a spicy, smoked chillie), ground mince, pork brains (avoided), Tinga (chicken and chipotle), corn mushroom, it called fungus here. Gem offered me fungus with cream cheese which I found hilarious (had to be there?). After, Cleo read me some extracts from her book and then, knackered we again went to bed not long after the kids!
The next day Cleo and I were up first, 7am. Cleo made some 3D specs, clever wee thing and I skyped Doug. Later the others appeared and we started mobilizing to go to the large market in town. The wee girls are utterly delightful and I am constantly amazed at their intelligence and ability fit in and be happy, confident and relaxed here. Cleo's Spanish is absolutely amazing and she has the ability to gauge when it's appropriate to use each language. Like her mother she flawlessly moves from one to the other without a pause to breath. Aida is also speaking Spanish but less often in the the presence of English speakers however she often breaks into a wee song she's learnt a school and is offered something in spanish is more than capable of understanding or amending. However, like any little girls they can be a little cantankerous at times. Aida can be particularly stubborn and dedicated an hour to only saying 'I want a lolly pop" even though everyone had pointed out that we didn't have one and sometimes you can't have everything you want. I said I wanted a swimming pool but couldn't have one which was a mistake as the next 10 mins was dedicated to wanting a swimming pool (with a slide). I am thoroughly loving spending so much time with them and will miss their lovely individual personalities, squeaky little voices, infectious giggling and affectionate cuddles, terribly when I leave.
Eventually everything and everyone was in the car ready to head off, a couple of false starts, both with us forgetting things and the car playing up, and we headed into town. The market was amazing, rows and rows of fresh fruit and vegetables, a riot of colour and texture. The smell of cooking drifted past us, interwined with the smell of fresh fruit. On our way in we bought some chicharron, pork crackling, nothing like the measly amount you get at the local carvery on a Sunday. This is literally the whole skin of the pig cooked to perfect crispness and sold in chunks as a snack. Aida changed her record to 'I want chacharron' (which she said with perfect pronunciation). Thankfully were able satisfy that craving. Gem and Luis warned me that you should always go to market on an empty stomach and rightly so. Everyone offers you a sample of their produce, from delicious salty cheese to cactus strips or juicy strawberries. Luis also is skilled at choosing produce at the perfect point, Gem says he is invaluable to have at the market, prodding pineapples (among other things) and knowing weither they'll last a day or a week. Whilst you wander around people offer you various produce, I apparently look like I am in need of green chilies as I was offered 6 times and thrice by the same boy. We sat down to have a bite to eat and next to us a rotund baby had be placed in a fruit crate and was absorbed shaking it's rattle. Whilst we wandered along there was a rumble (certainly not from our bellies) of thunder and the heavens opened and rain descended. Apparently it doesn't usually rain in November, that song is haunting me again.. "everywhere you go you always take weather with you". The market holders battened down the hatches and pulled the huge tarpaulins tighter over their stalls. At one point I had to bend double to get under one whilst everyone else could get under with a mere bend of the head. Thankfully the rain stopped and we went to see the live animal area. Littered around at the feet of several aged women were sad turkey's tethered together by their lumpy legs. Poor things, such unbelievably ugly birds with their bumpy toggle of skin in vibrant blue and pink draped over their beak and defeated yet beady eyes, destined for the oven then the carving knief at Christmas. A utility truck was parked with some hay and three little pigs snuffling away in the back (I'm sure there is some analogy with the big bag wolf being the farmer but I can't be bothered articulating or working it out!). Further on was a pen of about a fifty goats and sheep. The adults were safety contained behind the temporary fencing but as we looked and stroked a couple one of the little goat kids worked out that it could easily fit through the gaps in the fence. Chaos then ensued and we spend the next 20 mins in hysterics catching goat kids and putting them back only for them to make another successful bid for freedom. The owners themselves didn't seem at all concerned and I think preferred for us to do the work. Cleo did a gallant job at catching them herself even though she was about the same size as them when they were on their hind legs. As impossible as eating jelly with a fork we eventually gave up and left it to the goatsmen to retrieve the kid that was following us out. Laden down with shopping and covered in goat slavers (they would chew anything or suck on your knuckles as they though it was a teet) we headed home only stopping to get Aida the long awaited lollypop.
My ipad doesn't get wifi here so I am hogging the family laptop. Cleo has asked me why I am always on the computer which isn't entirely true but I am going to end this blog and go and play sardines, then help colour in with the girls although Aida tends to hand me the coloured pen she wants me to use, points to the area in which I am required to colour, then sits back and supervises.
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