Misc

Little by little, I’m learning about this corner of Mexico City (and Mexico City in general).  It’s different from Cuernavaca, no doubt.  Here are some random things I’ve learned:

A Mexico City combi Photo courtesy of rageforst

• I heard from a very reliable source that the highest revenue WalMart store in the world is here in Ixtapaluca.  I don’t shop there that much, so I don’t think I can get the credit.
• There’s a law in Mexico City that certain vehicles can’t drive on certain days of the week.  One day a week, depending on our license plate number, we don’t drive.  However, they’re tightening up the laws – they’ve added one Saturday a month, and plan in September to add a new law that would mean we couldn’t drive any weekday from 5am-11am!  These measures are in place to cut down pollution (of course when the law came into effect in 1989, many people just bought a second car!).  Apparently you might be able to avoid some of the restrictions with a special vehicle inspection – we’re looking into that!
• Here in Mexico City one major form of public transportation is the "combi" – a van type of vehicle that is as plentiful as mangos around here.  In Cuernavaca we had the "rutas" which were large mini-buses.  The combis are quick enough to get in your way when you least expect it, and that’s often!
• Of course you can’t move from Cuernavaca to Ixtapaluca without noticing the bicycle taxis.  You can drive around them and almost hit them everywhere you go in our housing development – a bike pulling covered people-conveyor with seats.  (Cuernavaca is so hilly that cyclists are a rare oddity)
• The people here are great.  Of course, that was the same in Cuernavaca, wasn’t it?  Yesterday we were invited to crash our (little) friend Angel’s birthday party.  We had shrimp tacos and mole, and talked about the neighbourhood, Canadian food, whether or not Jesus is God, upcoming community events, and speaking Spanish.  🙂  On Saturday I was at the house of a church family (Martin and Laura), where I was reminded again that if we needed anything we can just ask.

Cool place.  Come visit!  8)

It’s not easy waiting for an indefinite time at the airport with two energetic children.  But yesterday afternoon Shari zipped through the Mexican airport customs system like a fish over Niagra Falls, and so we didn’t have too long to wait.

She came with her suitcases, and it was a happy reunion with hugs all around.  Unfortunately, Shari bumped her big suitcase over and the handle hit some poor lady . . . well, let’s just say the lady was facing the other direction.  I think it must have really hurt.

Then we had to meet someone to pass off some paperwork for our visas, which are being renewed.  We met our friend eventually, and then had a bite to eat.

Finally, we started home.  There had been a terrific downpour, so the roads were a mess.  I find it hard to figure out which exit to use out of the airport, and, of course, I guessed wrong.  So we spent an extra hour in heavy traffic turning around.

When we finally found the right road, the police pulled us over.  They said I had run a red light.  (It’s possible, but I doubt it.  As I remember, there were cars on all sides of me.  If I missed seeing the light turn red, so did everyone else!)

The officer asked to see my paperwork, and told me I’d have to leave my van there on the rainy busy street corner in Mexico City until morning, when I could go to the office and pay the ticket.  Oh, well, I guess you could just pay me now (he said).

Stalling a little, I told them my Spanish wasn’t great and I didn’t understand everything they were saying (which was true).  Finally I said I could pay them if I really had run the red (but I also said I didn’t think I had).  Just give me a ticket, and I’ll pay.

For the next few minutes of the discussion (with two officers now) I kept asking for a ticket, they kept refusing to give me one, and the amount that I had to pay now kept getting lower.  I think over the course of the conversation the cost of the "ticket" went from about CA$250 to CA$50.

Finally I told them that if I had to pay I would need to speak with my lawyer first.  As I pulled out my phone and looked for the number, the one officer magically returned with my papers, and the other officer told me I could go, and that I should watch the traffic lights more carefully in the future.  I will.  😉

We drove home without too much trouble, though I had to double check with someone where an exit was.  It was dark and rainy and late.  Everyone was tired.  We got home and got the kids ready for bed, manoeuvring over the stairs which are being tiled and so aren’t quite dry yet.

But as we were getting Hannah ready for bed, she made a discovery.  Water all over her floor.  A few books were pretty waterlogged.  Where is that water coming from?

I finally saw that a whole section of the wall was wet, a huge crack all down the wall, with water streaming through it.  Uh oh.

We moved stuff, mopped, and tried to rig something so that too much more water wouldn’t flood the room (we succeeded).  All of Hannah’s stuff, bed included, was squished over to the other side of the room.  I couldn’t figure out exactly what caused the leak (though we have a theory, and will be working on it).

We forgot to give Nathanael his medicine, so we woke him up and took care of that.  And with a minimum of other adventures, we got to bed.

So, welcome home, Shari!  After a night like that, there’s no doubt that you’re actually home.  Hopefully we won’t have quite as many adventures over the next few days.  But we probably will!

(PS Shari had a good time in Kenya and a safe trip.  Lord willing pictures will follow in a few days)