Jueves 30 Junio

Buenos Dias, qué tal ? Yo muy bien!

This morning, I woke up at 7.30am thanks to a really nice text ;) couldn’t sleep after that, so I decided to read more of my book (I fall asleep while reading it yesterday). Morgane came in the room, I moved the cover and she climbed in the bed and hugged me, we stayed like that for a while it was nice.

Around 9am, breakfast time : yoghurt and cereals, and a piece of bread with some Nutella (yummy yummy !). After that I continued reading my book, and when the shower was free, I tried to wash my hair, luckily I succeeded but it was an adventure... the shower-power is dreadful.... More than half an hour later, I was clean and my hair too !!

I got dressed, helped Stephanie to empty more bags, especially the children’s clothes, and tidy all their games. Around 12 I went with Valdir and the computer in the hotel next door, where we can use the line ! The guy at the reception, Anjel, is really nice, 25 years old, was a bit chocked I do not speak a word of Spanish, but its English is good, I will try to improve to be able to talk a bit with him when I’m there on Internet.

I checked my emails and updated the blog, I did not have my hard drive with me so I’ll put the pictures later. I stayed one hour and then we went out in town because the weather was nice (but still threatening...).  We drove through the town, it’s really nice, plenty of one storey house all different colours. We parked somewhere, and then walk to a market.

 

There we decided to eat, I took a TLAYUDA con CECINA (big toasted tortilla with beef + bean paste + cheese and tomatoes), the children had some meat and tortillas, and the parents had CECINA con FRIJOLES (beef meat with beans). It’s funny because here the meat is really, really flat/thin like a piece of ham.

After that we walk in the centre of the town, until it started raining. So we went to the house of Valdir’s best friend’s parents (Pedro’s parents), they are really nice and have 3 really loud parrots. We tasted some sweets from Puebla : CAMOTES, mine tasted like Coconuts. And then we left to go back home. On our way home we tried to find a shop to buy shelves, but we did not succeeded this time.

We are back home, rain is still there, Pedro’s parents told us that usually at this time of the year it’s really nice and hot, and only storm at the end of the day, but for the moment we are experiencing the tail of an hurricane, which was on the coast. I’m writing my daily post, but it’s raining too much to go back to the hotel to put it online so I’ll do it tomorrow (today for you while you are reading !).

Buenas tardes

Caro

Miércoles 29 Junio

Buenos dias,

Finallement hier, nous sommes allés diner dans un japonais à côté de la maison, c'était super bon et le proprio en bon commerçant nous a offert le dessert. Je remarque que l'espagnol me manque beaucoup donc j'ai décidé de travailler une heure par jour minimum. mais je commencerais que demain (aujourd'hui) car trop fatiguée.

Première nuit dans la maison, on a pas fait de vieux os, à 11h tout le monde roupillait ! Réveillée vers 7h puis je me suis rendormie jusqu'à 9h, mais pas plus longtemps car il n't a pas de volets ni de rideaux aux fenêtres. Dans la journée on a continué de tout installer, on c'est attaqué surtout à la cuisine et à la chambre des enfants.

Vers 1h je suis sortie en voiture avec Valdir chercher du liquide (pour avoir au moins un peu d'argent sur moi) et du ciment (pour le salon) car des ouvriers doivent venir en fin d'aprem combler des trous. Les enfants sont enfin complétement inscrit à l'école pour la rentrée prochaine (mi août). Nous avons pas mal vadrouillé en voiture, pour trouver une super bonne boulangerie, et ensuite retrouver le chemin de la maison c'était assez drôle !!

Le reste de l'aprem : détente et rangement, on commence à défaire les cartons (plus valises que cartons, mais c'est pareil !). Je suis à fond dans Millenium 2. Il a plus toute l'aprem donc Valdir et Stef sont allés faire les courses (car le frigo est vide !)  j'ai donc gardé les grenouilles, qui enfermés dedans, alors qu'ils ont pour une fois un jardin, n'étaient pas contents et très excités... mais tout c'est bien passé, je gère !! (Vive mes nombreuses années de babysitting et de jeune fille au-pair !).

Au diner pizza peperoni et danette. Puis histoire pour les 2 crapauds et au lit tout le monde, moi avec mon bouquin, je ne le quitte plus... !!! Demain normalement on sortira en ville pour bouger de la maison, je vais aussi essayer de me connecter pour vous poster de mes nouvelles (si vous lisez ça c'est que j'ai réussi !! lol).

 l'avant de la maison (côté rue)

entrée qui donne dans la cuisine

 le jardin derrière

 Adios !

Caro

Martes 28 Junio

Buenos dias,

My alarm rang at 4.30am, but not a single noise in the house, I get up, went to the toilets, everyone is still sleeping. I tried to make some noise, but not too much in case they changed their mind about leaving so early. So I went back to bed, trying not to fall asleep again. Around 4.50am Stephanie came in the room saying that their alarm did not ring and that we were late.

While Valdir and Stephanie were finishing packing the car, i was with the children and the grandma was making some QUEQUA (short for quesadillas) with different flavour, always cheese + chorizo or courgette flowers or mushrooms + sandwiches and some fruit. For drinks : tea and water.

We left the house at 5.30, we had to go to the gas station because we needed petrol, and oil. And it’s at that moment that Stephanie realized she couldn’t find the keys... so we start looking everywhere, and luckily after 8 minutes of panic she found them in a bag in the back of the car. So at 5.45 we finally started our real journey.

Unfortunately instead of 5 hours we were in the car for 7 hours....we arrived at 12.45. Mexico roads are......not the same as in Europe !!! Most of the journey was on a one lane road, with plenty of trucks, so it was funny... (more scary actually). We also had road works when one lane is closed so we can only drive one side and then the other...

volcano (white smoke)              -               mountains                      -                     cactus

 

more mountains              -                arrid valleys           -                finally a hint of Oaxaca !

The landscape throughout the journey was really interesting and varied, at first kind of flat and dry then mountains with some greenery, we drove up high mountains (SIERRA), and for once I was not sick !!! (thanks to the CD we were listening to, Emilie Jolie (French musical), I was singing with all my heart and head ! The landscape was more and more greenery while we approached Oaxaca, but still in the mountains...

      the main road next ours      -                        the house                  -                well-earned rest !

We crossed the town to go to the north side of the city, near really nice green mountains. Finally we arrived HOME ! It’s a nice blue and white house, with a garden and 3 doors to access it (from the living-room, from the kitchen and one near the bedrooms). The house is actually a mess, stuff everywhere, some workers dug the floor but did not covered it, the same with one wall which had carpet on it...

With Stephanie we prepared the children’s room (and so mine, because I’m still sleeping in Morgane’s bed ! at least for tonight). Some workers came to arrange some things in the kitchen, we went food shopping for the monsters with Stephanie : sausages and crisp for diner ! We might get some food later on.

I’m exhausted and it’s only 4.45pm, I did not sleep in the car, and had a tiny SIESTA one hour after we arrived ! We have no internet (but we tried to use the hotel’s WIFI, but the signal is too weak, so I’m using word to write my memoirs !!! lol)

Buenas stardes
Caro

Lunes 27 Junio

Hola !

Aujourd'hui journée tranquilou, on devait aller au jardin botanique mais on a pris un peu de retard en préparant les affaires et la voiture (pour le grand départ de demain matin) que finalement on n'a pas pu y aller. Ce n'est pas grave on a eu une super journée calme et tranquilou.

En fin d'aprem (vers 17h) avec Staf, Gloria, Morgane et moi, que les filles !! nous sommes allées dans un magasin de loisirs créatif, où j'ai fait une razia !!!! des magnifiques fleurs et pleins d'autres petites choses pour faire des colliers ou embellir mes albums photos.

Pas de photos pour aujourd'hui, car les affaires sont déjà dans la valise, dans la voiture, mais j'en rajouterais quand j'aurais déballer mes valises à Oaxaca. J'ai commencé à réfléchir ce que je ferais comme voyage une fois quitté le nid, mais je vous en parlerais plus une autre fois. 

N'oubliez pas que on pars demain matin (à 5h) pour Oaxaca et que là-bas on n'aura pas encore le net, donc ne vous inquiétez pas. Pleins de gros bisous.

- 

Do not forget that tomorrow around (5am....) we are leaving for Oaxaca, and there we won't have internet, so don't worry if i don't write anything for a few days. Lots of kisses.

Besos

Caro

Domingo 26 Junio

  Buenas noches,

Today was a good and long day ! I woke up around 8/8.30am thanks to the garbage man ringing his bell like crazy in the street. I played with my cousins, told them stories... got dressed and post the previous message. Then around 10/10.30am we had an amazing breakfast !!! Really tasty but i felt quickly full : TAMALES and QUESADILLAS.

tamales

Around 11.10am, we left with the car to go to a toy market in the street, where my cousins trock Lego caracters for others, and my uncle sold some stuff. Then we went to Coyocan, a touristic area in Mexico City, it's really nice, people everywhere, street market on the pavement... In a covered market we ate : CHICHARON and then we ate lunch : TOSTADAS chicken or pork. It was good.

 

Then we went in a space with plaza, trees, fountain and a cathedral. There is a lot of people, mostly because it's sunday and also because it's a place where people come with their families or meet their friends. I went inside the cathedral where Valdir (my uncle) explain me that there is a big difference between Spanish churches (during colonisation) and Mexican ones. This one is a Mexican one.

Then we started to go back to the car, and we drove by the place they use to live and near the school of my cousins. We headed home, and Gloria (Valdir's mum) and his aunt where cooking for tonight. We ate QUESADILLAS (with cheese, mushrooms, potato, chorizo, courgette flower....) and SOPES (with the same things and some bean paste) : DELICIOUS !!!

quesadillas

sopes

Right now i feel tired and my stomac is full, i think i'm gonna have a great night ! On tuesday we are leaving for Oaxaca, at 5am ....... and we have around 5/6 hours drive. Once there i won't have internet at the beginning so don't worry !

Lots of love

Caro

D - day (2) !

 au dessus du Mexique      -        au dessus de Mexico City      -      arrivée à l'aéroport

Hola que tal ? 

Moi ça va d'enfer, après une bonne nuit de sommeil !!! Hier j'étais décalquée.... D'ailleurs j'étais pas en super forme dans le dernier avion, en plus quand on a attéri à Mexico il faisait tout gris et il pleuvait !!! Pas l'acceuil auquel on s'attendait, nous français (et oui j'étais pas la seule !!). Dans le dernier avion j'ai rencontré un mec qui fait le Mexique en sac à dos, et il risque de venir à Oaxaca quand j'y serais donc je pense qu'on découvrira la ville ensemble ça peut être sympa !!

Valdir et Stephanie sont venu me chercher à l'aéroport, puis on est allé chez la maman de Valdir en voiture, ils habitent chez elle le temps de déménager à Oaxaca. Les nains dormaient, mais en changeant Morgane de lit elle c'est réveillé puis Marko nous a entendu parler, donc il est venu me faire un bisous. On a discuté entre adultes jusqu'à 23h/23h30 puis dodo car j'était morte !!

Aujourd'hui après le petit dej, on va faire tout pleins de choses, je vous raconterais demain ! ou ce soir on verra.

 Les mando muchos besos

Caro

D - day !!!

Hi everyone !

While you are reading this, i'm probably in one of the planes, on my way to Mexico ! Imagine me reading a book (probably Millenium 2) or learning Spanish (thanks mum and dad) or planning my trip for the second month or watching one of the numerous movies on board !

Here are some details about my day trip : 

7am (French Time, so -1 for England) : waking up

8am : Jérémie, my cousin, is picking me up to go to the airport

9am : hopefully we are at CDG airport

10.25am : boarding time

11.10am : take-off, bye bye Paris, bye bye France, bye bye Europe

duration 7.55

1.05pm (Canadian Time, so +6 for France, +5 for England) : arrival in Toronto Canada

waiting time 3.40

3.45pm  : boarding time 

4.45pm : second plane taking-off, bye bye Canada

duration 4.45

8.30pm (Mexican Time, so +7 for France, +6 for England) : arrival in Mexico City

before 9pm : i'm being picked up by my Aunt and Uncle !!!

around 10pm : finally in a bed !!!!

My day is gonna be 22 hours long, what about you ????

Cheers,

Caro