Mother's Day weekend is REALLY a big deal

Friday, May 9: I've never before celebrated Mother's Day for an entire weekend. What fun. Beautiful flowers, cakes, wishes of "felicitades". ... The area is hopping with families eating at restaurants in celebration of the big day. At Don Comalon in Comala we listened to a maharachi (is that how it's spelled?) band and ate ceviche on tacos, guacamole on tacos, and way more than I can remember. Good fun with Rotarians and their wives. Beto, who works at Project Amigo, made the travel switch with Cocoyo of Pihuamo Rotary after the lunch so that we could go to the state of the art public prep school in Adirondack Mountain-like terrain. and partake of the Pihuamo village Mother's Day celebration. The school, Cobaej, has a great track record and high ranking and was something different to see as far as the education system goes.

The village of Pihuamo hosted the HUGE Mother's Day fiesta in a giant pavilion. There were more than 2,000 women and children sitting at tables listening to a comedian, a singer, a maharachi band and eating snacks. The interaction and entertainment were joyful. The kids were so well behaved. The mothers sat at long tables, talking and laughing. It was really something to see. Before the festivities, I went across the street from the pavilion to the school and Pihuamo Rotarians proudly showed me the water filter obtained with matching grants. Because our return trip to Project Amigo was going to be about 1 1/2 hours and our drivers had to return to Pihuamo, we opted to leave before dinner was served -- at 9:30 p.m. Three Pihuamo Rotary wives really wanted us to eat with them, but we offered our no thanks. They gave us a gift for gracing them with our presence. What very kind people. After Cocoyo and a fellow Rotarian who went along for the ride to keep him company on the round trip dropped us off at Project Amigo, we gave them each NY Yankee caps as thanks and gave some nutmegs (The Nutmeg State symbol) to take to the three wives. These Rotarians and others all along the way have gone above and beyond the call to entertain and engage us. Amazing.

Saturday, May 10: Families stick together for the Mother's Day weekend, yet Beto committed to driving some 5 hours to Poncitlan. His wife joined us and the two were going to return to Cofradia de Suchitlan and Project Amigo in leisurely fashion after visiting friends. We stopped in LaBarca on our way to Poncitlan for a fantastic lunch at Hacienda San Javier, owned by a LaBarca Rotarian. The club president joined us for a fondue-type dish with shrimp, oranges, and beef curved over the side of the stone pot called a molcejete (sp). We're due to stay in LaBarca after Poncitlan as well. When we arrived in Poncitlan, we were greeted by our hosts, who said there were only four members of their club who spoke no English.

After our big day, we headed for a welcome dinner at a pavilion in town. Rotarians, spouses, and the children greeted us. Each member brought a pot-luck dish, the likes of which I have never seen. A woman made fresh gorditas and tacos right there at the pavilion. Very tasty night. The Poncitlan Rotary Club is young and funny. They presented a DVD to us including our photo and in it they told a serious story of need ... for an x-ray machine, water purification ... while joking about everything they were telling us. We made our presentation as well, and did a fine job. It was another late night, and it's taking its toll on my ability to think!

Sunday, May 11: Fortunately, my host family has wireless connection, so I'm able to do some catching up. It's Mother's Day, and we will be entertained once more by our gracious hosts in Poncitlan. We drove out to Mescala and Mexico's largest fresh water lake. It's an area of abject poverty replete with polluted water. The natural beauty of the place contrasted with the poverty made my head and heart ache. We rode boats out to an island in the lake and wandered around it. I needed the long walk and took lots of photos of the ruins on the island. It had been where the insurgents fought off the Spaniards 200 years ago in the fight for independence, and it had also served as a prison.

After the island, we drove to a farm for a picnic with fantastic homemade salsas and foods ... beef, tongue, brains, rice, cilantro, onion, beer, tequila ... a real Mexican picnic. I took 2 naps! And Anna and Gabriela snoozed as well. I think Annie and Amy hung in there all the way. We spent the day into the evening at the farm feeling peaceful, warm, and happy. More later.