Day one began with an early rising to catch the 5:30 a.m. flight. When we arrived in Mexico City,. Omar was waiting for us with a taxi driven by one of his neighbors. Omar took us to his house. It's located on the side of a high hill and you have to climb a long series of steep stairs to get there. It's a working class neighborhood, so it is rather rough. He told us to never walk outside alone, and we won't.
.His house is nice inside, beautiful tile work everywhere. From his kitchen window you can see for miles today, although it is an unusually clear day for the City -- a brisk wind has been blowing all day that cleared much of the smog out of the valley.
We were taken aback when he said he had taken a leave from his job to spend time with us. For our first night here, he insisted that we spend the night with him, even though we have reservations at a Quaker hospitality house. Omar can be amazingly persuasive, so we decided to stay with him tonight. You just don't turn down hospitality in a Latin country, especially when offered by a dear friend you have not seen for months. He really wants us to stay here our entire stay, but we want some time downtown for part of the trip so we can meet a variety of people and experience walking around town.We may stay here another night later in the week if we don't find the accommodations at the hostel to our liking.
Omar cooked us a wonderful dinner that started with a nicely spiced - not picante - Mexican soup of pasta, chicken, flavored with jalapenos, tomatoes, onion, and garlic. After that came a Mexican steak, and fresh fruit - dead ripe mangos, papaya, and more.
His children, Karina and Ivan, politely watched our photo show of pictures of Omar in WV. Karina speaks English fairly well, Karen tried to communicate with Ivan with her rudimentary Spanish. They are both soft-spoken and quick to smile or laugh with the old folks.
After dinner, we went to see the Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the most important Catholic church in Mexico. The new Basilica is very modern and just breathtaking inside. The grounds are immaculate - no pun intended - and are home to five cathedrals, including the original and another built in c 1770. The architecture and gardens were a treat for the eyes.
Afterwards, we stopped at a street cafe and I had fresh squeezed orange juce, Roger and Omar had hot milk with coffee. I'm exhausted, I think I'll sleep well tonight. We forgot the camera cable, so photos will have to come later after we purchase one.
Hasta manana-until tomorrow.
your touristas in Mexico,
Karen and Roger
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