So, yesterday I went to a Mexican rodeo with a couple of guys from Denmark.

It was a nice laid back day. We also checked out park Agua Azul. The water was mostly brown though…

Something that happened at the rodeo… I was sitting a few rows back with the guys from Denmark. After a while I decided to move up a few rows to a better location for the photos. I sat down in a little open spot with Mexicans all around me. After a little while, a cool old guy in a huge hat came by and shook hands with all the Mexicans all around me, and then greeted me as well. He opened a bottle of Tequila, and started pouring glasses of it for anyone who wanted some. He offered me some, and I said “no, gracias.” He looked surprised, and apparently thought I really wanted some but was just declining because I was shy or something. He pressed again a few more times and when I said no thank you again, he asked why I didn’t want to drink with them. Because I spoke so little Spanish, and he spoke no English, I apologized that I could not speak Spanish well. (”Lo Siento. Mi Espanol es muy malo.”) Rather than getting my meaning that I couldn’t explain my reason because I spoke little Spanish, he took it that I’d meant to say “yes, please” rather than “no, thank you” and went to pouring me a glass… Oi, vey! I again said “no, gracias” a couple of times, and so he shrugged and let it be.

Saturday morning, I had breakfast at the Embassy Suites in Phoenix. I had a large tray loaded up with fruit, omlette made to order, pancakes, juice, coffee, and more. I couldn’t carry this and my laptop (I was still working), but wanted to eat outside. I set my food out on a table in an empty area of the balcony and went back for my laptop. When I returned a couple moments later, I found a flock of birds eating my breakfast and a group of people watching and chuckling. When I walked up to my food, one man said, “don’t worry, they didn’t eat much.”

Today, I think I’ll see the cathedral, the market, some murals near the cathedral, and then who knows. Should be fun. I talked with a German girl at breakfast who is traveling in Mexico for a couple of months. She is going to be an elementary teacher, and likes to paint and draw. Part of her time here, she was studying art.

So here I am at a hostel in downtown Guadalajara. I´ve been in Phoenix for work during much of the past couple months, and decided to take a vacation for a week out here in Mexico since I was closer than usual.

After my week here, I´ll be in Seattle for a couple of weeks for work, and then home.

:o)

This morning, I got into G. about 5 something in the morning. After picking up my checked baggage and going through customs, I changed $20 USD into 206 pesos. Then I went outside and found that all the taxi´s charge $190 pesos for the ride to downtown. I decided to wait for a bus which ended up charging 5 pesos and got me in the neighborhood. A taxi from there cost 40 pesos ($4 USD) to get me to the hostel.

I haven´t yet heard from the missionaries here, but I only got a chance to send an email yesterday.

Today, I´ll see what there is to see nearby, and see if I can find a good church to attend.