Mexico to Madrid

 Well it has been a trip!

After spending 5 months in Mexico I am now in Madrid via Malaga. The 23 hour door to door trip from Ajijic (car to Gudalajara airport, flight to Mexico City, flight to Malaga, taxi to the ciudad) left us in a fairly jet lagged state - we may still be recovering even though it is nearly 2 weeks ago. 

Here's the bones of a post that I made on Facebook just as I left Mexico and I think it highlights a lot of what I loved about my travels.

My time in Mexico has been the most incredible adventure and I will miss it so much. From the hecticness of Mexico City and Guadalajara to the sleepiness of Ajijic with its mountain and lake views, to the welcoming greeting of "Bienvenidos" everywhere we went.

The food has been great and I doubt I will ever eat any better tamales, tacos or my fave, the deeply decadent dark spicey mole. And to think I had my first ever Margarita at Garibaldi Plaza watching a mariachi band while now I've acquired a taste for slowly sipping a reposado tequila after dinner!

Which leads me to all of the dinners and events we've enjoyed with the most truly wonderful people we have met including talented musicians, singers, artists, playwrights, actors, writers, architects, residency directors and residency staff along with other friends that we've encountered along the way. They will all stay in my memories and I hope we will meet again.

Mexico is a place like none other I have visited and it's perhaps the sounds that will stick with me the longest. The sound of the cowboys returning from work as their horses trot along the cobbled streets of Ajijic, while they hold their reins in one hand and a well deserved beer in the other. Or being woken in Mexico City to the ringing of a hand bell to alert residents that the garbage truck is following behind and they need to put their rubbish out. Or in the different towns we went to having a constant sing song soundtrack of trucks blaring out what service they are offering "Estufa....limpiadora" - reminiscent perhaps of the ice cream truck in 1980s Ireland but selling literally everything from cheese, to water or fresh berries from the local farm or of course as above a service to have your oven cleaned!

I got a kick out of the simple things like paying a few pesos to go on a short bus trip. Bus journeys were always fun adventures where a musician or juggler might board to entertain passengers -someone had their rabbit on board one time!

And then there was the nighttime views of stars that always grounded me and reminded me that no matter where I was or how far away from home & friends I was that we can all look up at the stars and know that we are always connected across the miles that separate us.