April 8th, 2009
Joey and the Gang
The anticipation has been growing. Bruce and Mary’s youngest, Joey, and the gang planned this trip several months ago and the day of their arrival has finally dawned. Join Bruce and Mary as they pace the house waiting for the taxis to pull up.
Joey, Drew,Laurel, Meryah, Andy, and Ashley at La Plaza Grande
Mary is so excited I swear she better put on some Depends. Joey had Skype-called us from Cancun. He was sitting in our friend Marcus’ joint eating and drinking beers waiting for the next bus to Mérida and we expect them around 10:30pm. Around 9:30 I help Mary haul all the botanas, appetizers, to the poolside promenade. The featured botanas are Mary’s homemade empanadas, which had turned out perfect. At 10:30 Mary is actually sitting on the curb waiting. I’m hanging out in the kitchen and when I hear Mary squeal I rush to the door. Mary is giving the taxi driver a hug and saying, gesturing at the kids, “Mis hijos!” The driver says, “En todo?” and everyone laughs. Joey and Meryah, Drew and Laurel, and Andy and Ashley are out of their cabs and there are hugs all around. “What about me, dad?” I am so excited that I had forgotten to give Joey a hug. I quickly fix that, laughing.
We haul their gear as far as the kitchen as they gasp at the scope of this huge house, and they’ve only seen about a third of it so far. I take drink orders. I have Margaritas mixed up, Cuba Libres ready to go, tequila, and of course beer. I am a little concerned about my beer inventory, having only about 3 cases on hand, because everyone orders beer. Then we usher them onto the pool promenade and everyone sits down and relaxes and chows down. I break out my puros Cubanos, my genuine Cuban Cohiba
Esplendido cigars. Drew and Andy join me. As usual Drew has me laughing, with his offbeat take on things and Andy gets so excited that his mouth has a hard time keeping up with his brain. After the cigars they join the rest of the gang playing in the pool like little kids. Mary and I enjoy the hell out of ourselves just watching and listening to them. Having gone native, we don’t go in the pool when the air temp is only 75 degrees. After romping until they are quite waterlogged they dry off and I crank up our IPod boom box and we dance. I last until 3 when this old carcass has to hit the sack, I don’t know when Mary came to bed.
We’re up at 9:00 and I pick up the promenade while Mary puts together a breakfast of rolls and freshly squeezed orange juice. The kids wander in and take their nourishment and we consider the first order of the day. They all understand the ground-rules well. It’s really quite simple, we supply the shelter, they supply the beer. The lads and I march up to Issteys, the gov’t sponsored grocery store, where the best deals on beer and many other vittles are to be found. I bring my beer bag with, and we pick up 2 ½ cases of Superior six packs which cost 33P each, about $2.30US.
Back home, poolside, we’re drinking beer and telling stories. Drew starts on a campaign of giving me crap about kicking my butt arm-wrestling and after probably a good hour of this I finally succumb, “All right Drew I’ve had enough, put your money where your mouth is!” We walk to the kitchen table with our fans in tow. We set up and right away I put his arm about an inch off the table. Which is where it stays. He has a knack of cocking his wrist for leverage in such a way that it takes me about a minute to finally put him down.
With the curtain down on this afternoon’s entertainment, the kids all take naps. Meryah explains that they never went to bed last night. “You, too, Meryah?” I asked. Meryah is the picture of composure and discretion. She explained that they were up on the sundeck when the boys became fascinated with the view from the front of the house overlooking Called 47. So they dragged all the pool chairs and chaise lounges there. Meryah was compelled, she explained, to police their efforts when one of these Einsteins discussed how much fun it would be
Jason Bourne and Company
to do a Bourne, running from colonial rooftop to rooftop. I thanked her very much for her efforts.
Joey and Meryah roust up around 5ish and we get the others up, too, because we want to take them to our local bar, where everyone knows our name and give them the Mérida working man’s bar experience. The eight of us walk the three blocks to La Gran Lucha, The Great Fight, owned by our Cuban friend Fernando. I order litros of Victoria and Drew orders up shots, actually Mariana our favorite server points out that a small bottle of tequila would be cheaper so she brings that. Mary convinces Andy to order the michelada treatment for his beer and he really likes it.
Mariana has kept the botanitas coming but the kids are not that impressed with the pepinos, frijoles, mandarin orange wedges, liver in hot sauce and the salchichas, sliced up octagonal shaped wieners, does absolutely nothing for them. They are not even enthused by the chicken wings, a rare treat here. I guess I really have gone native.
It’s time to head out and Joey grabs the check and is getting his wallet out when I ask for a peek at la cuente, the bill. I always check the math here, and in the US. I see the total is 760 pesos and I know that is wrong. I show the check to Mariana and she blushes. The new gal Lleni had prepared the bill and the correct amount is 160P about $11US for the eight of us.
Back home Joey does a beer inventory and there are only 8 left. Despite my assurances of plenty of wine, tequila, vodka he has a beer panic attack and the boys head out to restock. After a quick conference as to the lads’ state of competence, Meryah and Ashley decide to accompany the potential miscreants to make sure there are no problems.
With the beer run made without international incident, we’re all on the promenade and the computer rings. It’s a Skype call from our favorite (only) daughter, Helen. She has the dubious honor of participating in a group conversation with a bunch of relatives and friends that have been partying nonstop. Joey thinks that Helen’s Skype picture looks like a vampire and goes off. Helen shows great restraint. I finally volunteer to end the conversation as it might be fun for us drunks, but probably not so much for her. After the call Joey and Ashley start debating who’d win a battle between vampires and zombies. It’s a rather ridiculous but surprisingly well reasoned debate. I give a quizzical look to Meryah. “Oh, this is ongoing.” She says. Joey and Ashley suspend their debate and the gang starts playing cards, poolside. Mary has already crashed, time for me to, too.
It’s Friday morning and after a light breakfast we march to La Corazon, the heart of downtown Mérida. We stop by Jana and René’s house on the way to drop off a NY Times that Joey had picked up for us. Jana is a NYer and like Mary, loves the actual thing, a paper newspaper. We had only intended to drop it off and not just rudely pop in unannounced but house manager Miguel insists on informing René, the crazy gray afro-ed Haitian jazz musician who is one of my favorite people. He insists that we come in for beers. He leads us by the pool to the back patio of this million dollar renovated colonial and seats us at a patio table. Soon Jana, who is recovering from hip surgery, joins us. We introduce the kids and then we make small talk about our book, Living in Mérida and the kids are pretty quiet, all wide eyed as they take in the surroundings. We all have a beer and then I apologize for just popping in on them and they politely allow us to take our leave as I lead the way out of the house. It is fun to introduce people, who we have talked about so much, to Joey and the gang. And it a gas to show off a house that made the cover of Ambiente magazine, the House and Garden of the Yucatan. We continue our campaign to La Casa de Las Artesenias, a government sponsored arts and crafts store. This wonderful tienda also features specialty Maya liqueurs, spices & sauces and handmade ropa, clothes. Everyone purchases their souvenirs and the kids announce that they are famished. We head the 2 blocks to La Plaza Grande and cut across it diagonally to La Seranata restaurant. We grab a big table on the second floor overlooking the park and order beers and food. Joey treats Mary to Frijoles charro and I suggest the Tacos al pastor Romper Stomper movie for Joey and Meryah, which is what I always get here. They announce that these are, bar none, the best tacos that they have ever had.
We waddle out of the restaurant and I start to lead the gang across the street to the Olimpo which is a block away and where the free Picasso show is on display when a cigar vendor accosts me. Andy had said that he wanted some more Cubanos and I had intended to stop at a cigar shop on the way but I am able to negotiate 2 boxes of 5 Cohibas for only 300P, far less than at the shop. I am happy to do this as I know I will be a beneficiary. Mary leads the gang on the tour while I relax in the park. I’d already seen the 53 original works and one Picasso show in my life is quite enough.
Joey and the gang are evidently as inspired as I was, as they are in and out in about 20 minutes. Back at the ranch, Mary, with plenty of help from the girls, cooks up her Poblano and ground pork specialty as the boys and I start happy hour on the promenade. We retreat to the kitchen to eat this tasty Mexican specialty of Mary’s.
Everyone helps bus and the kids romp in the pool for awhile but then people fade pretty early except for Andy and me. We get start talking religion and Andy doesn’t see much use in the organized variety. I wonder if he knows much about Zen Buddhism, and bad luck for him he does not, so the poor lad finds himself on the receiving end of a Zen sales pitch. I proselytize like I used to in the old days until I finally wear him out and we call it a night, I’ve no idea what time it is.
Saturday dawns bright for anyone up to see the dawn and everyone is excited for beach day. We start off with buffet breakfasts at La Chocolate for 49P, about $3.50. This is a genuine Mexican cuisine buffet with items ranging from Huevos mole to chicharron en salsa verde (not many gringo takers on this one) and everyone fuels up heartily for the upcoming adventure.
Just up the block we hop a city bus to the Progreso bus stop. The Progreso bus arrives momentarily and as this is the weekend we find standing room only for the 40 minute ride. From the Progreso bus depot we walk the 4 blocks to the malecon and Mary points out the longest pier in the world. We had hoped to see a cruise ship docked for all the extra excitement that that brings to town, but no such luck. We walk east along the malecon among the vendors and pick one out of many beachfront palapa restaurants and settle in for a day of fun and sun. We keep the servers hopping as they must climb up over the malecon’s concrete bench lining the seaward side of the malecon and cross the busy street into the restaurant proper to fetch our beers. Andy and I celebrate the day, lighting up our Cubanos as the others are playing in the surf. Vendors, even food vendors, are constantly cruising through our palapa joint and Drew decides to give a temporary tattoo guy some business. He ignores our jeers as the artist applies what Joey calls an “angry cat”, actually a tiger to his right chest.
The sun is dipping and it is time for us to pack it in and head to the bus depot where we catch a super air-conditioned bus that is quite a contrast to the intense sun at the beach. Back home everyone cleans up and with the exception of me, the beach always wears me out, they all hit La Noche Mexican, Mérida’s every Saturday night celebration where streets are closed and bands set up at every centro park. I am snoring when they return.
It is Sunday morning and after a light breakfast of fruit and rolls, Andy, Joey and Meryah join us for a Mérida en Domingo stroll up Paseo de Montejo. Every Sunday, Paseo is closed off for bicycling and artists display their wares on the wide tree shaded sidewalks and chess booths and kids art pavilions are set up and music is everywhere. We feel fortunate that Bavio
, the Argentinean painter we had told Meryah all about is set up on Paseo. We chat with him and introduce him to our artists Meryah and Andy and it’s pretty cool. We continue up to Wal-Mart to do our shopping for the day. We never shopped Wal-Mart back in MN but here it is different. In Mexico, as Joey explains, they changed their business model, because they had to, to work in partnership with the locals. This Wal-Mart looks like an art museum and all the parking is underground.
Andy and Joey pick up the meat for BBQing tonight and more beer of course. Mary and Meryah figure out the sides for the meal and we buy those. We take a couple taxis back as we are too laden for walking the mile home.
We find Drew and Laurel on the promenade and they had had good luck in lining up a nice hotel on the beach in Cancun for this evening as they have an early morning flight out tomorrow. We relax poolside and drink beer and tell stories. Around 1:00 we sadly walk Drew and Laurel to the corner and flag a taxi to the bus depot for their 4 hour bus ride into Cancun. They tell us that they had a lot of fun and will be visiting again. I make Drew promise.
Around mid-afternoon Joey and I go on a guess what, beer run and when we return the kitchen is a hive of activity. Meryah is in charge with Mary and Ashley assisting with the sides and Andy is taking care of the meat prep. The meat is a typical Yucatecan cut, pork fillets pounded about 3/8” thick.
Everyone helps in setting up the promenade for the meal and Andy handles the BBQing flawlessly as we all sit down to eat. You can tell how good the food tastes by the sound of nothing except the clicking of utensils on plates. After busing we party-on, poolside.
I am up early Monday morning and I busy myself with picking up the promenade. The kids make the scene one by one and I feel a little sorry for Joey as he is moving rather slowly and he and Andy have an appointment to speak at El Instituto Tecnologico de Mérida. This had been arranged through Mary’s friend from CIS, Alejandra, and the boys were excited to volunteer for this, but they’re not excited this morning. Around noon Mary and the boys take a taxi to the University and even though today is a holiday and no school is scheduled, they have to move the presentation from a classroom to an auditorium because of the turnout. Joey talks for about 30 minutes on how business is conducted at General Mills and Andy spends the same length of time talking about American journalism from his viewpoint as Opinions Editor of the SCSU Chronicle. They are rock stars. After things wrap up they are surrounded by students who want to take them out for a beer, wanting more details about American life. Alejandra rescues them and recruits a lucky student to give them all a ride home. They get home about 3 and they are pumped. They couldn’t believe the reaction they received; these Meridano University students are so hungry for any and all things Estados Unitos, US.
Everyone is hungry so we walk on down to Dal’s, our favorite cocina economica. Our favorite because it is the only one we know that serves beer. Andy picks up the ticket for the six of us and can barely hide his glee when I tell him the 170P bill is about $12US.
After Dal’s Joey and I walk back home and the rest take a taxi to CAME the ADO bus terminal to get tickets for tomorrow’s bus rides to Cancun. Joey takes a nap as the euphoria from the presentation has worn off.
My nephew Eli and his UMD roommate Eric had called earlier and they are right on schedule to be arriving, via Cancun, at the house around 7:30pm. Mary busies herself with cooking up an adobo rubbed pork loin roast dinner. We want to be sure to have plenty of food as Eli and Eric are UMD football players (D2 National Champs) and Eli is of the 300# variety. Joey, Meryah, Mary and I camp out on the sidewalk and right at 7:30 their taxi pulls up. We usher them out to the promenade and I give them a little crap, “You must be the only two football players on the team who don’t drink!” They allow that they probably are. Dinner is served in the kitchen and then we all relax by the pool.
Today, Tuesday is a sad day. We’re up early to see Andy and Ashley off to the bus depot for their Cancun flight later this afternoon. They thank us profusely for our hospitality and I tell them they have to visit again. After the rest of the kids are up, Mary takes them to La Chocolate for breakfast. We spend the next few hours sitting poolside quietly talking until 2:15, the time to walk Joey and Meryah to the corner for a cab. Amidst tears we tell Joey and Meryah that they can move in any time and that we miss them already. We stand there and watch the taxi disappear into traffic. Then we slowly walk home, my arm around Mary who is quietly crying. I console her with the fact that this is the first of many visits from our kids. And now, let’s go have some fun with Eli and Eric. The Andromeda Strain full movie
Thanks for visiting gentle reader. Mérida has been truly a place of serendipity for Bruce and Mary but it is a long ways away from family. But now they are confident that family will be visiting regularly which completes their lives. As always, Bruce appreciates any and all feedback. Hast la vista, baby!
