About this time, our daughter was playing the flute and here she is in a band concert in the school gym at Kanawha. She is on the far left in the pink stripes.
Same concert...our daughter on far left.
We had a birthday party for our daughter's 12th birthday. She was big into 'Garfield' at that time, and got some cool Garfield stuff, plus some nice clothes and a 'Detectolab!'
A summer birthday in Iowa can be warm...and here is David, looking on as our daughter shows off her birthday 'loot.' David has bare feet, so it must be pretty warm...
For that birthday, we invited Alitza Boehnke and another family friend from Ventura - Tillie Hinrichs. You can see the dining table I made in the shop class when we first moved to the farm, and here is Alitza Boehnke on the left, and our daughter blowing out her candles, Tillie watching, and me also at the table. David must be taking this shot.
Maybe Ann Rueber is also at this party, because someone is taking this photo! Left to right - Alitza Boehnke, our daughter, Tillie Hinrichs, David and me.
Our daughter is one of those people who have luxurious, fine and quickly-growing hair. We tried to keep the long hair in control by cutting the sides shorter. She could still wear a pony tail, but her fine features weren't overwhelmed by all that hair! This photo was her school picture when she was 12 in the fall of 1990.
In 1990, little Tyler Johnson was born in Phoenix. My daughter and I flew out to meet him in July, and were in town for the 4th of July, which was one of the hottest places in the country! I saw someone with a t-shirt that said 'I survived 120 degrees in Phoenix in July of 1990!'
I love this photo...she reminds me of a 'madonna' figure the way she is lovingly holding her little nephew. One of my favorite pictures of her!
Here I think our daughter is watching television, and Tyler is obviously quite relaxed. Another great photo!
I think she had a 'way' with babies!
Here is the proud grandma, and little Tyler, with my daughter in front of Diane and Jerry's apartment in Phoenix. July 1990.
Here's our daughter inside Diane and Jerry's apartment. She was having a great time!
She laughed her glasses off! Here is Jerry, tormenting our daughter at their apartment in Phoenix, and she loved it!
About this time I owned a white fake fur full-length coat. If I remember correctly, my daughter Diane found it for a really inexpensive price at a J.C. Penney's outlet mall. It was really pretty, but that summer of 1990, when we were in Phoenix to see little Tyler, it was way too warm to wear. But, when we left to go back to Des Moines after our visit, I didn't have room in my suitcase for the huge coat, so I took it with me on the plane. When we arrived in Des Moines, and got to the parking lot where my little car was parked, I realized that I had left the lights on the whole time we were away, and of course, the battery was dead. So, I found a phone and called a nearby service station, and they sent a truck to come get us, and to take the car to their station. It was evening, and I put on the white coat because it was just a little chilly (Iowa, you know...) When we got into the pickup with the guy from the service station, I was seated in the middle, and Alitza was on the right side of the front seat. She leaned across me to speak to the service guy. This was what she said, "My mom looks like she has a lot of money, but she really doesn't!" (I guess I must have been pretty impressive with that long, white fur coat!) Needless to say, I didn't really have too many chances to wear a coat like that in our little town of Kanawha, Iowa, but it was fun to have it, just the same...especially since it had been a real bargain1
About this time I owned a white fake fur full-length coat. If I remember correctly, my daughter Diane found it for a really inexpensive price at a J.C. Penney's outlet mall. It was really pretty, but that summer of 1990, when we were in Phoenix to see little Tyler, it was way too warm to wear. But, when we left to go back to Des Moines after our visit, I didn't have room in my suitcase for the huge coat, so I took it with me on the plane. When we arrived in Des Moines, and got to the parking lot where my little car was parked, I realized that I had left the lights on the whole time we were away, and of course, the battery was dead. So, I found a phone and called a nearby service station, and they sent a truck to come get us, and to take the car to their station. It was evening, and I put on the white coat because it was just a little chilly (Iowa, you know...) When we got into the pickup with the guy from the service station, I was seated in the middle, and Alitza was on the right side of the front seat. She leaned across me to speak to the service guy. This was what she said, "My mom looks like she has a lot of money, but she really doesn't!" (I guess I must have been pretty impressive with that long, white fur coat!) Needless to say, I didn't really have too many chances to wear a coat like that in our little town of Kanawha, Iowa, but it was fun to have it, just the same...especially since it had been a real bargain1
Mexico
Just before Christmas in 1990, David, our daughter, and I took a trip to Mexico. I made all the reservations by telephone (not much in the way of Internet back then...at least for us.) I used travel guides to help us decide where we wanted to go, and what motels we wanted to reserve. We also made reservations for a train which was to take us from Mexico City to Oaxaca. We decided we wanted to see some Aztec and Inca ruins, a big market in Oaxaca, and a beach site at Puerta Vallarta. We wanted to spend Christmas in Mexico City, and we did that. It was a wonderful trip...and we had a wonderful time. I'm not sure our daughter had all that much fun, as she seemed to want to spend a lot of time watching American television in our motel. But, we dragged her along, and at least she had an opportunity to learn something about our neighboring country.
I will be quoting from my journal that I wrote for this trip, so it will be quite a complete story of our experiences. Please keep in mind that these comments were written in 1990 and 1991, and things may have changed a bit since that time.
On December 23rd, we left Kanawha in the early afternoon to meet David's brothers, Joel and Mark, at the Boondocks on I-35 so that we could send our dog, Lady, to David's mother's house for the duration of our trip. It was about 20 below zero that day, so we didn't stay in the restaurant very long because we had to leave Lady in the car. After leaving the Boondocks on Hwy. 20, we continued down to Des Moines and to the Hampton Inn where we had reservations for that night. We checked in, parked the car where we could leave it for the time we would be gone, and went to a near-by restaurant for supper. After eating, we returned to our room and went to bed early so we would be well-rested when we got our wake-up call at 5:15 a.m. the next day.
Christmas Eve morning, the desk at the motel neglected to call us at the requested time,but I was already awake, of course! I called the airport to check our departure time, and it was a good thing. Too bad I hadn't thought to do that the night before, since everything was delayed 2 hours due to over-scheduling of pilots! We could have slept in a bit longer, but I probably would not have been able to sleep anyway...
We took the motel shuttle bus to the airport about 7:30 a.m. Our flight left Des Moines at 9:00 a.m. rather than 6:50 a.m. as earlier scheduled. (Remember, this took place more than ten years before 9-11, and airport security was not terribly strict, so we only needed to be there a short time before take-off.) I had some concern about getting a flight out of Dallas, since we had planned to make connections there, and had just 45 minutes to change planes on our original itinerary. But, we were given seats on a flight leaving Dallas at 11:15 a.m., which made for an even closer call. Our plane from Des Moines arrived in Dallas about 11 a.m., but with the help of a shuttle vehicle, we made our connection. (I wouldn't be able to do that today...no more running for me...at my age!) Thank goodness we made the connection because the next flight to Mexico City arrived at 10 p.m., which would not have been a desirable time to be getting around in a city where we spoke little of the language!
As soon as we boarded the plane for Mexico City, I was aware of the distinct change in ethnic group. Most of the other passengers spoke Spanish. We were already getting a feel for being in the minority. The flight went well, and we could see South Padre Island as we flew past the Gulf of Mexico. Northern Mexico as seen from the air during that time of year is brown and rugged - lots of hills, and then mountains as we approached Mexico City.
We arrived in Mexico City at about 2 p.m. (Mexico City is on Central Time, so there was no adjustment to be made in that respect.) My immediate impressions included the following: the Mexico City airport has red tile floors everywhere, and the baggage area that day was filled with people arriving for holiday visits. Most of them spoke Spanish, and there were 'few gringos' in the crowd.
After claiming our suitcases, we changed some travelers' checks into pesos (the exchange rate on the 24th of December 1990 was $2,922.8 to the dollar - an increase of 200 pesos from the rate on December 18!) We then went to the proper booth to pick up our ticket for the taxi. Mexico City is divided into numbered areas on a large map near the taxi booth. You find the location to which you wish to go, purchase your ticket for that area at the taxi booth, and look for a 'libre' (free) taxi to drive you to the zone for which you have paid. Our driver spoke no English, but I told him we needed to go to the Century Hotel ("Necessito Hotel Century, por favor!") and he headed out of the airport parking lot. He asked me something in Spanish which I didn't understand, so I apologized by saying "Hablo espanol muy poco." (I speak very little Spanish.) After that he was pretty much quiet.
Just take a deep breath in Mexico City, and you would be able to relate to my first impression of the city -- the air is thick with auto fumes. Your eyes burn a bit, and it is like riding behind a vehicle with a very potent exhaust -- all the time. The buildings in much of the city where we rode were very old and quite run-down looking, with some exceptions. We did not get into the newer residential areas at any time during our visit, so my perceptions are mostly in regard to the older, less wealthy parts of the city. There were a lot of people and cars hastily going about their business. I spent most of the trip to the hotel wondering if our driver really knew where we wanted to go, but soon he pulled up in front of the hotel, and it was just as pictured on the brochure I had received from their reservation service in the U.S.
We thanked the driver who helped us unload our luggage, gave him a tip, and entered the hotel to check in. At least one or two of the people at our hotels could speak English adequately, so we always managed to get a room, but sometimes there seemed a bit of confusion about our reservations, so I am not sure what the problem was. I had sent a Christmas card to each hotel early in December, so they would perhaps not double-book our rooms, as I had read is a frequent problem in Mexico. So, in spite of any confusion there might have been at our arrival, we always got a room as we had requested. As we waited for our registration to be completed, we two 'ladies' were presented with long-stemmed pink roses. We were escorted to our room on the 15th floor by the bell captain. The hotel is very modern in design, with all the rooms facing the Zona Rosa (pink zone) of Mexico City. Each room has a white semi-circular balcony outside sliding glass doors. We had a king-sized bed with a rattan-type partial canopy (no curtains on the canopy). There was also a hide-a-bed, table and chairs, coffee table, a vanity-like counter with a mirror above it, a small refrigerator stocked with liquor, pop, bottled water, juice, nuts, and candy (all quite expensive), and a long TV chest which separated the bed area from the sitting area. The cable TV selection included WGN and Cinemax, as well as several Spanish-speaking channels. We were grateful for the familiar programs as they helped us dispel the feelings of being separated by so much cultural distance from our home. (I had been to Canada, but never to another country quite so unlike the United States. Of course, David had spent two years in Liberia, West Africa, in the Peace Corps, so he probably was not nearly so sensitive to our undertaking as I was.) Our daughter was really quite homesick, even with us right there. The altitude and pollution took their toll, but a lot of the weird feelings were culture shock, so the TV helped with that aspect. The bathroom had marble everywhere - a black marble counter with sink, white marble floors, a round bathtub and shower surrounded by a semi-circular marble bench/base. And, of course, a toilet - not marble!
I opened the doors to the balcony, and got my first view of the cityscape of Mexico City. Avenue Insurgentes (pronounced 'In-sur-hen-tes') runs almost parallel to that hotel, so there was quite a bit of traffic whizzing by on that main artery, but the street below at the front of the hotel (Av. Londres) was fairly quiet. Directly across from our hotel was the Hotel Krystal Rosa, which is fronted entirely by smokey glass windows, so that when we looked across from our balcony, we were treated to a wavy reflection of the balconies and facade of the Hotel Century.
Apparently hotels do not run their air-conditioners during the winter, because I could not get ours to operate. I was not too warm, but thought it would cut down on the pollutants and help drown out the street noises at night. It was really too stuffy in the room not to have the doors open for ventilation, so I was glad that we were up quite high, and virtually inaccessible, so that we could leave the doors of the balcony open while we slept without worrying about uninvited 'guests.' After we were there a few days, I realized that the crime rate does not warrant those kinds of concerns for the most part, especially in that part of the city. (I don't know what it is like at the present time, but I assume that part of the city is still relatively safe for travelers.)
This was our view of Av. Liverpool in front of Hotel Century, as we looked down from our 15th story balcony.
After resting for awhile (the altitude is over 7,000 feet, and your body takes about 10 days to manufacture enough red blood corpuscles to make functioning at that height easier), we walked around parts of the Zona Rosa and enjoyed the shops with all of their unique wares. We purchased some candy at a 'Dulceria' (sweet shop). Among our purchases were clear rock candy on a string, a ball-shaped candy with a sort of marzipan filling coated with cinnamon, a round candy rolled in chili powder with what we decided was tamarind fruit - shiny, hard seeds and all - as filling. Tamarind candy seemed to be quite popular, as there were several versions available. The kind we chose was quite hot and spicy with the chili powder, and unusual compared with my normal perception of 'candy.' We also had purchased some heart-shaped jellies coated with sugar and packaged in a cellophane bag tied with a red ribbon, a stuffed dried prune with nut and marzipan-like filling, and a candy rolled in pinon nuts. One of the shops I had read about was called 'Arte Popular en Miniatura,' so we located it on a street not far from the hotel, and enjoyed looking at the tiny treasures it offered. The shop itself was a miniature - just a small cubby hole nestled among other shops. It contained display cases filled with miniatures of all sorts, including skeletons (the skeleton is a common symbol in Mexico - a fascination with death is an oft repeated theme), and many other figures in tiny cage-like boxes. Some of the figures were labeled as from familiar scenes such as Romeo and Juliet. There were minute sets of dishes and copper ware, soldiers with their horses - perhaps representing the Spanish conquistadores such as Cortes. We also found the Londres (also called Mercado de Curiosidades Mexicanas or Insurgentes) Market, which is typical of many Mexico City markets. One entered the market through an alley-like area, bounded on both sides by merchants selling their wares. The interior of the entire block was devoted to this market, so from the streets surrounding it you did not know it was there due to the regular appearance of the shops lining the sidewalk outside. But, upon entering the alleyway, suddenly you found yourself inside a confusion of stalls selling almost everything imaginable. It was fantastic! As a confirmed mall-maniac, I can tell you that it was truly breathtaking! More things to look at, inspect, and desire (insert 'drool over') than anything I have ever experienced before.
In this market, there were many merchants selling clay nativity scenes, onyx and marble chess sets, hats, shoes, silver jewelry, embroidered clothing, leather goods, and other things I have regretfully already forgotten. We quickly tired (yes - even a pro-shopper such as myself gets tired at 7,000+ feet, and vision over-load!) So, we headed back to our hotel. I called my cousin Linda's friends who live in Mexico City, and who had been concerned that we might not do well in the city. I explained to them that we did not wish to impose on their hospitality especially during the holidays, but that we were grateful to have their phone number in case we needed assistance. I told them I would keep in touch, but time ended up going much too fast, and I don't think I did call them again. At least, they knew we were doing okay, or we would have certainly called!
After resting a bit, we dressed in our 'good' clothes, as it was Christmas Eve, and we went out to look for a restaurant which might still be open. Since Mexican people celebrate Christmas at home with their families, most places closed early, and would not open again until the day after Christmas Day, which was on a Wednesday that year. We walked up and down several streets, but did not find a restaurant which was open - even with the good help of the traveler's guides I had so religiously studied before the trip. This was one factor I had not planned for, and which was not emphasized in the travel guides. I would take holiday closings into consideration if I were planning a trip to Mexico City over the holidays in the future. The travel guides suggested that banks and offices might be closed, but didn't emphasize strongly enough the fact that restaurants might also be closed. And the nice restaurant on the top floor of our hotel was booked full with people wanting to enjoy an evening meal out on this special day, so we were out of luck there as well. Too bad -- the view from up there was marvelous after dark! Mexico City at night with all of the millions of lights, is transformed into a spectacular sight.
We did happen to find a small market still open, and we purchased some oranges, tiny bananas (which you can now find in American supermarkets), tangerines (huge!), yogurt, and a small pinata shaped like a black and white bull with gold foil horns and hooves for Alitza to have as a souvenir. The food purchases were to be our breakfast so we could eat in our room, rather than get up to try and find a restaurant early on Christmas Day, which would have been quite disappointing, I'm afraid.
Even on this special evening, the streets were full of people trying to sell dolls, shoeshines, information, taxi rides, woven items, etc. Especially heart-rending were the little children (usually barefoot and dirty, with very poor clothing) approaching people walking on the sidewalks and begging for 'pesos por la Navidad?' (money for Christmas?) Somehow the kids didn't seem to realize their plight, but their mothers wore such sad faces that it was impossible to look directly at them, so you learned to avoid their eyes and simply walk on by. As many as 3,000 people a day were coming into Mexico City at that time, from rural areas, thinking that opportunities would be better in the city. But, many of them had no place to live, so they existed on the streets, breathing those noxious fumes, and hoping for a hand-out from a passerby. In spite of my misgivings, I was unable to totally ignore them, and offered a few pesos now and then. Somehow this gesture did not help my feelings of guilt at having so much in comparison. One woman approached me with a child in her arms who was about 2 years old, and whose face was covered with sores. She pleaded for 'pesos' for medicine, but I didn't give her any, and I've regretted it ever since. I can still see her face and that of her child who was so obviously ill. I know I will 'pay' for my lack of charity in that particular instance as long as I can recall the moment. After going on, I was saddened when I thought about the holiday, and realized the similarity to another familiar 'Christmas Eve' story of long ago, and the fact that there is still 'no room in the inn.'
We eventually ate supper at the hotel cafe on the street level - not terribly outstanding, but good enough, considering the choices available at that point. We had enchiladas rojas (red...and hot!), and chicken tacos. The tortillas served nearly everywhere in this part of Mexico seemed to be made of a darker corn flour, and the ones at the hotel cafe were quite hard - not as good as I had expected. Our daughter's coke was served with ice, which I told her to remove, since I was determined not to have us become victims of 'turista' (Montezuma's revenge, the Aztec two-step, or more commonly, traveler's diarrhea.) After eating, we retired early and gratefully to sleep and re-coup from the strain of travel and altitude. We slept quite well, in spite of noise from 15 floors below where people were enjoying the beginning of their holiday.
Below are some of the scenes we encountered walking around the Zona Rosa that evening.
Below are some of the scenes we encountered walking around the Zona Rosa that evening.
Here is David across from the American Embassy. There were guards there with machine guns, as well as machine-gun-armed police here and there. Now that we've had our experience with terrorism on 9-11, I suppose we are going to have to come to terms with all sorts of armed people around. Not my idea of relaxing or peaceful...
This was the Dulceria (sweet shop) where we bought our candy items. I would love to have a candy shop like that here...some of what was called 'candy' would be pretty healthy compared to what we have available in grocery stores here.
This is a photo of Av. Amberes and Champs Elysses on the right. The plaque recognizes contributions toward the restoration and repair to buildings after the 1985 earthquake.
This is an entryway to a courtyard with a lovely fountain. We could feel the lovely cool breeze coming out of this place. The floor is tiled in brick and there is a beautiful carved wooden chair and benches for guests to sit on. There was most likely an iron gate outside of this entryway, but I must have put my camera in between the grates to get this photo.
At one entrance, there was this carved 'stele' and you can see the iron gate behind our daughter as she gestures to the stele. I'm assuming there are a lot of very expensive apartments in this part of Mexico City, and their entrances are quite elegant, to be sure!
This is a 'fake' photo because our daughter did not pound her newly acquired pinata with the heavy water bottle she holds in her hands in this shot! But, we set up the photo for the benefit of people who might not know how a pinata is 'treated.'
In Mexico at that time, daily scheduling was different from what we were used to. Breakfast was usually any time from 7 to 10 a.m., lunch was the large meal of the day and was usually served from 1 to 4 or 5 p.m., and then supper was late - often between 8 p.m. and midnight. In Mexico City, though, one could find meals served almost anytime you wished - with the exception of holidays, as mentioned earlier.
Please come back, and hear and see more about our trip to Mexico at the turn of the year of 1990 and 1991. We had a great time, and came home much more appreciative of what we have in the United States, but also more aware of the deep and intriguing cultures that can be found in Mexico. See you soon!
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