Snail Mail
Have you experienced receiving international mail in Mexico? As a Justice of the Peace, one of the work perks I enjoy in Ontario is the authority to perform civil wedding ceremonies. Gets me the best seat in the house! In April, a nephew contacted me and asked if I would officiate at their wedding, scheduled to take place in Hamilton, Ontario, September 1st. Delighted to be asked, I quickly agreed. In May, a wedding invitation was mailed from Ontario to our Bucerias address. In the meantime, we made the usual travel arrangements; airline tickets, hotel, car rental, and eventually arrived in Hamilton to perform the ceremony and celebrate this young love. Probably the longest distance ever travelled to officiate at a wedding ceremony! The wedding took place as scheduled on September 1st, along the shores of Lake Ontario. Beautiful. We flew home to Bucerias on September 2nd, and on September 4th we received in our mailbox the actual wedding invitation. A true definition of “snail mail.”
Have you ever heard a Mexican national answer the phone? “Bueno.” That’s it. “Bueno.” What’s that all about? There was a time in Mexico when phone service was unreliable, connection was quite spotty, and definitely not up to the standard we enjoy today. Back then, when your phone rang and you determined the connection was good, you answered “Bueno,” which meant “Start talking, I can hear you, and we may not have much time.” Armed with this information, and 20 pesos, you can purchase a refreshing tuba from El Nic’s beverage cart on the streets of Bucerias!
Anyone who has Canadian or American roots has an appreciation for a turkey dinner with all the trimmings; cranberry, dressing or stuffing, mashed potatoes with that gravy pond, veggies, desert, and so on. We rave about Leo’s Place regular menu, but did you know they also offer a full-on turkey dinner once a month? Worth checking out!
We will be there Saturday, January 25th, filling our tummies and preparing for a subsequent turkey coma on the couch.
For any of you that have a local landline, or a cell with a local SIM card, can you say telemarketing? The random phone calls I remember from the past, at least were person to person. Some days my powers of recall are suspect, but at the very least I remember the scammer actually spoke to you. In Mexico, you get a rapid fire recording that I believe even a local would have difficulty following. Really folks, this doesn’t fly!
We’re finally starting to get a handle on neighbourhood sounds…horn honking is the guy selling replacement water jugs; that annoying loud-speaker thing that repeats, and repeats, and repeats, is selling fruit out of the back of his truck; the guy who seems to be playing a flute, or some musical instrument that has about 3 notes, will sharpen your knives, curbside. Running on your last fumes of propane? Those trucks pass through your neighbourhood, ever so SILENTLY!!!Our adventure continues.
