Ever since an elderly gentleman gave me a quartz crystal stone at the Zocalo in México City because as he said, it gives energy, I have carried one in my pocket.
Well yesterday, Sunday, August 28, 2011, I was in México City’s Alameda Central in Centro Historico and I saw that this guy had made quartz crystal rings – I thought cool. Why not wear a quartz crystal instead of having it in my pocket with my change – always gets in the way when making change; carrying the quartz crystal in my back pocket didn’t work – especially when sitting down, OUCH.
purchased quartz crystal stone ring
Well, I wore my ring with great pride: thought it looked cool. BUT this morning, I took my laundry to be washed and the laundry lady’s little girl of about five years of age noted my ring. And in a tiny five-year old Spanish language voice asks me: Why are you wearing that big ring? At first I ignored her, but she asks again. AND then I said, because it looks pretty.
Well this tiny little girl cracks my face when she says: Women only wear big rings like that, men don’t. Needless to say, I CLUTCHED MY PEARLS: I was at a loss for words — and her mother didn’t say a thing either: like we didn’t hear that. LOL
I ran across this old car the other day, walking from Paseo de la Reforma through Col. San Rafael on my way to Col. Santa Maria la Ribera. Does anyone know the make, model and most especially the year?
I loved seeing this old car parked on the street, obviously being driven today. Was it from a collector of vintage cars? I don’t think so because it was parked on the street and too, not in mint condition. Had to be someone’s everyday ride.
Note the orange color in the middle of the windshield
Seeing this car, I couldn’t help but remember when I drove an old car myslef, a turquoise colored 1964 Ford Galaxie 500, I would often get comments from Yuppies: cool car, but what’s your other car –- a BMW? What other car? This is my only car!
But the fun part of finding this car is this: you know how a lot of people like to fancy up their cars by hanging all kinds of things on their review mirror? Well this driver is no exception – take a look and the orange color dangling from the rear view mirror: maybe this car is only driven on Halloween!
Note the roll of toilet paper on the car seat — yep, someone’s everyday ride.
Anyone that has ever traveled to México knows that silence is golden: Welcome to México – Silence is Prohibited.
You get loud peseros (small buses) with their glass pipe mufflers, a loud bell for the trash pick up, a whistle from the man that sharpens knives, a guy selling rico tamales oaxacaños and then the loud speaker sitting on top of a car or truck selling or making announcements.
The other day, here in San Luis de la Paz, Guanajuato, a small town of 49,000 people, we happened to get behind a blazer that had a couple of those big loud speakers making an announcement; this announcement was different from those I often hear – it wasn’t an announcement for a store opening or a politician wanting to get out the vote – this was an announcement for: Ms. San Luis de la Paz 2011 – a drag show.
Gringos often hear how dangerous it is to be openly gay in México. But here in a small town, not a big city like México City, was a carload of drag queens making public announcements for their annual Nuestra Belleza Gay 2011 pageant. As the blazer approached people on the streets the drag queens would get out of their car and pass out flyers to their event. No one was afraid.
click photo above to see pics of the event Nuestra Belleza Gay 2011 – San Luis de la Paz, GTO
This is the fifth year the gay community has put on the pageant. All six contestants and their supporters will meet at this small town’s main bus station and caravan to Bar One, where the pageant will be held.
Love it: these guys are OUT, PROUD and SCREAMING.
I wrote a column about my visit to San Luis. The article, Small-town gay life, was published in the Dallas Voice.
