Day 4

Neza Family Reunion!

September 22, 2019 · 29 photos · 921 words

Photos

September 21, 2019

Today is Saturday. What a day it has been. Our morning was lazy. Denise slept in a bit. I got up and did my blog and worked a little. The VPN part of my network for work goes up and down. So it is hard to do anything consistently with that. But our tourist aspect of our trip today is a family reunion out at Neza’s parents place.

Juan, Neza, Karlie and the boys came in to get us around noon. Karlie wanted to try the Torta stand where we got our Hawaiin Tortas the other day. I needed to also go to the store to get more water. So after they arrived, we all went walking down to the stands. I did not want a torta. So I went over to the taco stand we ate at the night we arrived. I had two tacos quickly and then went to the store while they ordered and waited for their tortas. When I came back, geez, you should have seen those sandwiches. And they were really good! I was bummed I got tacos. Anyway, they ate their tortas on the street and then we went down the calle to find a bank. The bank closest was standing room only (on a Saturday) and there was no machine. Neza and Karlie needed more pesos. They have been paying for everything I think. Anyway, Juan said he knew of a bank in Texcoco, the pueblo where they live. So we got into the care and off we went to Texcoco and their humble abode.

The ride from where we are staying takes about 40 minutes to get to where Juan and Blanca live. We went to a nice shopping center to get pesos quickly and then went back a bit to where they live. The road into where they lived is not paved, very bumpy and dogs own the roads. Dogs everywhere. There are some buildings that are ok. And then there are others that are quite poor. I think Juan and Blanca’s is in the middle. No running water. A roof made of tin and a cardboard type material. You’ll have to check the pictures out. They live on a very small income. They say most people there make 180 pesos a day ($10 USD) and it costs them about 80 pesos to travel in and out of the city. So they make 100 pesos a day…around $5 USD a day. Crazy. Not sure how they do it. I guess they pick up other jobs selling things on streets and so on.

We arrived at their place a little after 1 PM. Blanca had fires going outside cooking. Not sure what she was cooking on those fire pits in their little courtyard. Around 3 PM, around 40+ friends and family arrived and the food party began. Holy smokes…the women went to work cooking all kinds of stuff. We had tamales, gordos (a fried sandwich type thing), and lots of snacks. Denise and I bought lots of sodas and that ws downed really fast. Fortunately the tienda was real close….3 minute walk. We made a couple of trips to get large sodas. They also had water frescas they had made too. We ate and ate and ate. The main course was chicken smothered in a very sweet mole sauce with fried rice. It was really yummy. We don’t eat like this when we travel. So it is kicking our booties. We want to be polite and eat what is in front of us. But boy it is much.

We visited with their family as much as we can. It is draining trying to understand and then come up with the words to speak back. I know I butcher the Spanish language. But they are kind in trying to understand me. Some of the younger ones (and Juan) like to try and speak English. And I encourage it. That is fun. Neza’s family and friends are all so darn kind. They brought Denise and Karlie some nice linens and things as gifts. We have nothing. We feel bad. But we will leave some money to help them offset some of their costs. I think Juan and Blanca are struggling to find work now.

Anyway…it was a great day with everyone. We left around 7:30 and arrived around 8:30. A little bit longer coming back as he took us on a different route around the airport. Juan has treated us so nicely and has shared a lot of time with us.

Tomorrow we plan to go to church and visit the temple site. I think Juan plans to take us somewhere where we can get a good view of the city. We shall see. One more day and then the journey home to a mess in our basement. Apparently our water heater ruptured and water has been going everywhere. The drain could not keep up with it and so it has spread into the family room downstairs. Brent caught the problem and called me. With a bad connection, I coached him through turning the water off to the water heater and how to turn the gas\pilot light off. I then hung up and called a Disaster Recover service to come out and check it out for us. I guess they are going to come tomorrow. We’ll see. Fun and games. I knew that heater had a slow leak and I never did anything. Lesson learned..again…in life. Oh well…it is only money!

Pictures:

At the torta stand eating very large sandwiches...

The outside dining table at Juan and Blanca’s place....

The torta stand with two cooks making the sandwiches...

Neza and Blanca.....she finally sat down. She worked so hard all day long!

You can see the entrance to their place in the far back. You pass a small building and a little garden and into a court yard. They tied up the material overhead to provide shade while we were there.

This where they collect and store water for bathing, washing clothes, flushing toilet, washing dishes and so on. When it rains, they funnel the water to buckets to capture the rain water. But trucks do come around to sale them water if they need it.

Juan, Denise, Karlie, Neza and Atticus eating tortas. Not sure who the photo bomber is in the back.

The bluish panel is the entrance to Juan and Blanca’s casita. The home to the right looks like a pretty nice two story place. But who knows what it is like inside.

Part of the gang. They were amazed to see an Apple Watch control the phone remotely to take a picture. They thought that was really cool...all the young kids did.

Me helping eat Denise’s torta. Neza finishing his.

Blanca and Juan have two dogs. Everyone has dogs! Their dogs were very quiet and friendly. You didn’t even know they were there.

More of the gang....40+ came. Some family of Blanca’s...some close friends.

This picture shows the little courtyard. You can see the smoke from the open fires they were using to cook the food. The women to the rear were preparing Gordon’s and tortillas I think. All so tasty and good. Just a different way to cook it all. All the women jumped in and cooked...even Denise and Karlie!

Neza with his Aunts, a few cousins and his mother.

This guy was working in a very hot shop making tortillas that he sold by the kilogram. At first he did not want his picture taken. I talked him into it. See his smile!!!

His amazingly nice Aunt and her daughter. They are Adventists and had just come from their Saturday church services.

This is the small road that is in front of Juan and Blanca’s home. A man with a bike that had a small freezer on it came down the street with music playing. When everyone heard it...off they went running. He had many flavors of ice cream to sale for 5 pesos per scoop (20 cents USD).

Me eating with my crew...all the teenagers there. We had a great time talking mostly Spanish with a little bit of English. I teased them about having Novios and Novias (boyfriends and girlfriends). They were so nice to us.

The many ice cream flavors in this man’s cooler on his small bike.....

The taco stand in their neighborhood. I guess Juan and Neza at tacos there last night and swear they are the best in Mexico!

This is the bedroom where Karlie, Neza and the boys sleep. It is actually Juan and Blanca’s bedroom. I guess they are sleeping on a small air mattress in their small living room.

The ice cream dude.... with everyone enjoying some.

I think these are called ‘Gordos’ or something like that. They were amazingly good!

Neza strung a string across the courtyard and EVERYONE rotated in to play a game of volleyball. Karlie and I dominated of course! :-)

Denise in the kitchen making Gordos.....

Neza and a friend of the family (Marcos I believe).....

Karlie enjoying her extended family. She loves them and they love her. Different cultures can blend if you have love for all involved! Proud of you Karlie and Neza! Thank you for a great day!