Easter Plus One

The crowds have, for the most part, packed up and left. The beach is almost clear of campers, and those who pitched their tents across the street from us have all folded and left. Even the disco is silent tonight. They may crank up and go again later in the week as the Pasqua visitors arrive, probably on Wednesday. Easter vacation is divided into two distinct parts. The first week, Semana Santa is from about the Tuesday or Wednesday before Easter until Easter Sunday night. Then there is a short lull before the Pasqua group arrives. They will be here through next Sunday. By that time, everyone is partied out and it is over for another year. The first group is, by reputation, more rowdy than the second, which is typically characterized as "nice families". I'm not convinced.

Yesterday morning, Easter morning, I went out the front door and almost stepped on the face of some recovering reveler, a teen-aged boy sleeping it off in the cool shade of the front wall. About five of his co-celebrants were also sprawled on the sidewalk. When I went outside, one of them attempted to get up, as properly raised Mexican men do, but only made it to his knees before falling back to regain his equilibrium so he did not toss his cookies all over the sidewalk. These boys, all of whom spoke some English and were dressed in pricey beach togs, had obviously been to the disco the night before, hoping to score something. They had had too much to drink and were looking for some shade in which to sleep it off, even on a cement sidewalk. "Como estan?" I asked. Nothing but groans. Yes, too much to drink by a long shot!

Today was my penultimate trip to the outdoor market in Armeria. I can't believe we will be gone in two weeks, but that's how it looks now. Gorgeous strawberries for 10 pesos (90 cents) a kilo, or about 45 cents a pound. For 28 pesos, I purchased 12 tomatoes, 7 small onions, 1 avocado, 1 chili poblano, 3 cucumbers, 1 jicama, 10 round zucchini, 6 heads of garlic. The gre3en beans looked (and snapped) very fresh, but I didn't need them. Likewise the lettuce; big, firm heads, but I am after Romaine this week and he didn't have any. I also didn't find the kind of mangoes I want. Next week. I was also noticing that this market has more underwear than Hanes, Maidenform, Fruit of the Loom, and Jockey combined. Who wears all this stuff?

Our lovely time here has been deeply saddened by news early this evening that Jim's younger brother, Keith, had a massive heart attach this morning and died. He was, in Jim's words, a "good guy." He was very funny, smart, ironic, and always kind and caring. I will miss him. We are now scrambling to figure out how to get from here to Columbus, Ohio in two days. Tomorrow I will go in to Armeria to see our travel agent, Oscar, to find out what he can figure out for us. It will put our return schedule off for about a week, but it is important for both of us to say a farewell to Keith.