No need to rush. Nothing on the agenda for today. Started my packing. Everything will fit as I am leaving several books behind. Well, it does seem a bit tighter than on the trip TO Mexico. Now, I only need to be concerned about the weight. I love all of the Mexican treasures that I purchased for myself and for gifts. Nothing is valued over twenty dollars...but, never the less, they are treasures to me. My yellow non-crushable hat looks great and has protected me from the sun. Purchased placemats and napkins in bright primary colors to go with my new dishes. My very favorite acquistion is a painted tin lizard that surrounds a mirror.
When we felt sufficiently packed, Ann and I walked over to a language school on Calle 16th de Septiembre and printed our boarding passes for tomorrow's flights. Good weather predicted for all of the cities concerned in our travel day.
How is it that we can walk our same route and still find galleries and shops that we had not previously visited? Well, we did. Again, we enjoyed the beauty in this discovery.
Time passes quickly. Should we eat back at our apartment or at a local restaurant? Remembered Progresso Mariscos which is a block south of the Parian on Progresso. This seafood restaurant is open air with an awning overhead...perhaps to protect us from the birds. The group of men at the adjoining table were wearing shirts with a logo and the word BIMBO on them. We chuckled at that and then I told Ann that Bimbo was a baking company in Mexico. A tall, sexy, young woman was giving out samples of tequila to restaurant guests. Could we pass on this national pastime? No, we happily accepted this drink while waiting for our shrimp dishes to be served. Ann had the coconut shrimp and I had shrimp wrapped in bacon with a cheese filling. Delicious. We were so happy that we did not miss this restaurant...our final meal out during our stay in Tlaquepaque.
After supper at our apartment...Lirio Blanco, we took our last stroll around town. We wondered if the restaurant where we ate earlier in the day did much business at night...and found that even though this is a Friday night, Progresso Mariscos was closed. Thank goodness that we followed our impulse to eat at 2:30 instead of waiting until evening. As we walked, we observed that there were very few diners in any of the restaurants. This has been the case every night.
Our conclusion was that between 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm is the popular time to eat. Why did it take two weeks for me to catch on?
What will be happening in the area around the Parian and the Jardin tomorrow? Tonight, there was much activity setting up rows of vendors booths...many more than usual. In the Jardin, the white canopies have multiplied. Something special is about to happen...and we will miss it.
I am sorry to be leaving Tlaquepaque. I believe that I could easily live here...as long as I had a sunny apartment with low level noise. I do not say "no noise" as that would mean that I was deaf. We are surrounded with sounds - the lady next door laughing in her unusual way - neighbors singing - childeren playing at the Jardin de Ninos behind us - the propane truck "Presta, Presta, Presta Gaz" - the Golden Retrievers' friendly bark at passersby - the sound of the water pump (brief, but my least favorite sound) - buses between 6am - 10 pm - birds singing from tree in yard behind us - church bells striking the quarter hours - music from the Parian and so many more. These sounds, lovely shops and galleries, and the wonderful kind hearted people make up Tlaquepaque. Gracias a dios para todo.
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