More photos

Just had to show you this plate of food....so delicious and healthy.  the round item on top is called a sope, its a thicker tortilla with frijoles, cheese salsa etc., the folded thing is a quesadilla with oxaca cheese, in front is guacamole with chunks of avocado and tomato,( not as mashed as I'm used to), white beans and another couple of things I can't recall the names of but all of it was soooo delicious.

These are the ladies who cooked the tortillias at the time and brought all those bowls with foil covers with so many delicious things to put on the tortillas.  They were no slouches....they had a business card which they were happy to share. 

We gathered for that meal with the Mexican English teachers we had been working with for the past few weeks.  My co-teacher was the the guy in the hat.  The two women standing work for the PC as language and culture facilitators....Ali and Sheri...lovely ladies.

This is a wedding procession one of my companeros viewed from his window right after we got to Queretaro.

One of the classes I taught at UNAQ ( the university specializing in training aeronautical workers..from flight attendants to pilots) had a little going away party for me.  Their teacher is on the left and in the earlier photo with the hat.  The gal in the costume wore that in recognition of Dio de Muertos which is coming soon and actually celebrated on Nov. 2 so much so that PC gave us the whole day off.

One example of their interest and use of peppers of all types.

This is a Dio de Muertos commemoration in a nearby restaurant.

A representative of the indigenous community, the Otomi I think, came to give us a little talk and show us how to make little do dads.  She spoke briefly about the women's role in their community as part of our education re. the gender roles in the community.  This was probably the weakest part of the whole training effort, in my humble opinion. I would have enjoyed knowing more about the other roles of the indigenous women of Mexico. 

The local mercado....incredible.  There are some meat aisles that will make a vegetarian out of everyone.

Choices....

THis is the entryway to one very unassuming restaurant and the food is very very good.  A real find.

This is the mural crew...they're not quite finished but it's coming along.  It's a collage of flora and fauna from the US and Mexico in very bright colors.  

We swear in on Nov. 9 and then start with our universities the following week.  Unfortunately, the students will be in the middle of exams and there are a lot of partial days until Christmas vacay so we don't really start a regular schedule until the first part of January but we can't really take leave  until after Feb. 9.   It will be good to get started.  I have some ideas about teaching an english class in the department that does the sustainable/environmental projects on campus, getting pickleball started and exploring the possibilities of getting a state wide spelling bee competition going, along with co-teaching some English classes. I also hope to get connected to the professor who handles any drama efforts...hoping they'll have an interest in doing a play in English.  

A couple of my companeros and I were judges at a costume contest at my University.  I feel like the incredible shrinking woman and its made worse by standing behind that giant....he is also an English teacher at my U. and a very nice guy.  The fellow behind me is also a PC volunteer at my University.

The mural is 99% finished in his shot.   I'll send the final one soon.

This is a schedule of the activities that were planned for the week preceding Dia de Muertos this year.  No trick or treating is involved.

Another mercado shot.

A bike shop in the Amealco mercado.

These are some shots from a little town, Almeaco, not far from Queretaro, an hour's bus trip.

I saw her running by in her dress but she got real shy when I approached for a photo.

This is a rendition of an altar prior to the Spanish conquest.

This  is a post hispanic altar and is in the lobby of the main governmental building ....see the change from the pre hispanic one above.

An ad that's a bit comical.  They use the word "smoking" to describe a formal tuxedo....ala smoking jacket.

I took this photo on a walk and thought the way they propped up a low limb, rather than cut it off. I still had to duck a bit, but appreciate their care for trees...remember  an earlier photo that showed the way the sidewalk was carved out to allow the root to have exposure.