![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
osodecanela..... I'm going back to Mexico.
Everything was so up in the air. I haven't had a real vacation in I can't think of how long. Then Anna invited us to come visit her in France. She lives an hour and a half west of Paris. She retired there about six years ago (perhaps less) and when she visited here, the first of the year she extended an invitation to LJ and I to come visit, to use her place as a home base and see Paris.
The idea captivated me. The ability to walk to the train and watch the French countryside as rural changes to suburban and finally to the glory that is urban Paris. (Or should that be urbane Paris?) Lunch at a café on the Champs d'Élysées. Perusing the artwork at the Louvre. Climbing the Eiffel Tower. Picnicking on the banks of the Seine. The only question was when.
Unfortunately, we had not reckoned with George Bush and everything he's done to our economy. With the crash of the dollar, Anna can no longer afford to live in France. We tried to find a time when our schedules would allow us to fly over. The time that was going to work for LJ and I, was not going to work for Anna. Her son is coming in early May, which was our first window of opportunity. The last week in May lapping over into the first week in June would also have worked on our end, but by then Anna will have returned here to California for the foreseeable future. When she first left for France, the euro and the dollar were roughly equivalent. As of today, the euro trades for $1.53 USD. Anna's modest cottage is quite affordable on a European pension, but no longer on an American one. No Paris, no fromage avec une bagette, no Mona Lisa, or Notre Dame for the Weaver, at least not for now.
I'm currently serving on a subcommittee of my Yearly Meeting's committee of Ministry and Oversight. Specifically on the committee for support of Mexico City Monthly Meeting. Mexico City Meeting is hosting a gathering of unprogrammed Quakers from throughout Latin America and at the request of the others on my committee, I'm going. Originally, this was supposed to happen right in the middle of our trip to France; however it is no longer a conflict. So after work next Thursday, I'll drive down to San Francisco, hop on a redeye for Houston and then connect onto a flight to Mexico City, arriving there at 10 o'clock next Friday morning. From there, I'll make my way onto the Metro and eventually end up at the Casa de los Amigos.
I'm actually looking forward to the trip. I thoroughly enjoyed my last stay in Mexico City (again for Quaker business, last time it was the 50th anniversary of the Casa and the 60th anniversary of the Friends Meeting), even if the trip did end with a broken arm.
There's an odd step on the second floor of the Casa. Upon his death, well-known Mexican muralist José Orozco left his home and studio to the Quakers of Mexico City. This ultimately became the Casa de los Amigos. Eventually, the center took over the residence next door and they broke through a wall on the second floor to connect the two buildings. Unfortunately the floors were not quite at the same level, leaving an odd step of about 3 inches, which in the dark I tripped over, yielding a left broken arm. That was as I was preparing to get into a cab to the airport at four in the morning. I will remember to be more careful this time.
As for vacations, well it will happen, only it would appear Hawaii will be the destination hopefully the beginning of June for a week. The City of Light will just have to wait. Anna has vowed to go back, so who knows. Perhaps next year.
Everything was so up in the air. I haven't had a real vacation in I can't think of how long. Then Anna invited us to come visit her in France. She lives an hour and a half west of Paris. She retired there about six years ago (perhaps less) and when she visited here, the first of the year she extended an invitation to LJ and I to come visit, to use her place as a home base and see Paris.
The idea captivated me. The ability to walk to the train and watch the French countryside as rural changes to suburban and finally to the glory that is urban Paris. (Or should that be urbane Paris?) Lunch at a café on the Champs d'Élysées. Perusing the artwork at the Louvre. Climbing the Eiffel Tower. Picnicking on the banks of the Seine. The only question was when.
Unfortunately, we had not reckoned with George Bush and everything he's done to our economy. With the crash of the dollar, Anna can no longer afford to live in France. We tried to find a time when our schedules would allow us to fly over. The time that was going to work for LJ and I, was not going to work for Anna. Her son is coming in early May, which was our first window of opportunity. The last week in May lapping over into the first week in June would also have worked on our end, but by then Anna will have returned here to California for the foreseeable future. When she first left for France, the euro and the dollar were roughly equivalent. As of today, the euro trades for $1.53 USD. Anna's modest cottage is quite affordable on a European pension, but no longer on an American one. No Paris, no fromage avec une bagette, no Mona Lisa, or Notre Dame for the Weaver, at least not for now.
I'm currently serving on a subcommittee of my Yearly Meeting's committee of Ministry and Oversight. Specifically on the committee for support of Mexico City Monthly Meeting. Mexico City Meeting is hosting a gathering of unprogrammed Quakers from throughout Latin America and at the request of the others on my committee, I'm going. Originally, this was supposed to happen right in the middle of our trip to France; however it is no longer a conflict. So after work next Thursday, I'll drive down to San Francisco, hop on a redeye for Houston and then connect onto a flight to Mexico City, arriving there at 10 o'clock next Friday morning. From there, I'll make my way onto the Metro and eventually end up at the Casa de los Amigos.
I'm actually looking forward to the trip. I thoroughly enjoyed my last stay in Mexico City (again for Quaker business, last time it was the 50th anniversary of the Casa and the 60th anniversary of the Friends Meeting), even if the trip did end with a broken arm.
There's an odd step on the second floor of the Casa. Upon his death, well-known Mexican muralist José Orozco left his home and studio to the Quakers of Mexico City. This ultimately became the Casa de los Amigos. Eventually, the center took over the residence next door and they broke through a wall on the second floor to connect the two buildings. Unfortunately the floors were not quite at the same level, leaving an odd step of about 3 inches, which in the dark I tripped over, yielding a left broken arm. That was as I was preparing to get into a cab to the airport at four in the morning. I will remember to be more careful this time.
As for vacations, well it will happen, only it would appear Hawaii will be the destination hopefully the beginning of June for a week. The City of Light will just have to wait. Anna has vowed to go back, so who knows. Perhaps next year.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-04-26 03:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-04-26 04:57 am (UTC)Leaving Tijuana aside, it's been a LONG time since I saw any of Mexico - put it this way, Puerto Vallarta was a sleepy little town most tourists hadn't ever heard of when I was there with my parents. ;)
no subject
Date: 2008-04-27 06:25 am (UTC)You could have a box lunch on the street with the same name in Forestville. It's just like being there, right?
no subject
Date: 2008-04-28 03:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-04-29 04:16 pm (UTC)