Nueva temporada... a bailar!

Estamos en espera...

Mi hermano Eduardo, el chiquito, su esposa Cora e hija Paloma estan a punto de recibir en casa a la siguiente integrante, Alondra, quien nacerá en menos de un mes.

El turno para Bidane

Hoy fue el dia para que Bidane hiciera su presentación sobre mariposas en el bosque tropical húmedo. Para ello la maestra requirió que los niños construyeran un diorama. Aitana dibujó y pintó el fondo, yo hice los árboles, Bidane las flores y pintó la mariposa. La especie que escogió se conoce como King Swallowtail.

Exploradoras del bosque tropical y dia de la tierra.

El zoológico de San Diego es un buen lugar para ir a visitar algunos animales representativos del bosque tropical húmedo o como se dice Rainforest.

Casualmente las dos estan estudiando este habitat, cada una en su clase. Así que me pareció buena idea ir a sentirnos en ambiente.

Bidane comparte el sueño mañanero con el gorila

Aitana enconcontró en los tapires una historia que se volverá clásica en esta familia. Resulta que en tal exhibición, se acercó una mamá con un bebé, ella le sugiere al hijo: Say moooooo.

Finalmente el 22 de abril, Dia de la Tierra, fuimos al Balboa Park, para intervenir en el desfile, donde la escuela de las niñas participaba. Bidane decidió ir vestida de mariposa.

Historietas por Aitana

Como ya saben, Aitana es buena dibujante y le encanta escribir historias e ilustrarlas también. En este caso se le ocurrió empezar un proyecto sobre una historieta, cuando le dije que la publicaría en el blog, me contestó que todavía no, porque iba a hacer un libro. Mientras eso pasa aquí está un adelanto.

Para mis pulgas.

Este gato, cuyo nombre cambia cada vez que a las niñas ya no les gustó el anterior, (ahora se llama Señor Fuz); es un trabajo extra, que yo no necesitaba.
En primer término, le gusta acostarse en la silla que acompaña al escritorio de la computadora, y no importando nada, lucha y pelea por quedarse ahi. Ahora empieza a soltar pelos, que hay que estar limpiando para no convertirnos todos en una bola de peluza. Además pareciera que las pulgas son interminables, nada mas deja de usar el collar y aparcen para molestarlo y de paso a quien se encuentren en su camino.
Las relaciones entre el gato y Aitana son buenas, pero entre Bidane y el gato, son de arañazos y mordidas, sin embargo, ellas lo quieren... todo sea por la experiencia de la mascota.

Morena o Rubia?

Is that true? that men think a brunette woman has a better conversation that a blond one?

Bendita tu Luz.

En tiempos díficiles como éstos, especial para Lauren. Enjoy

I just liked the picture.

I wonder.... what Clinton (He) could be thinking?

Tacos en casa de Tía Rosa.

El uno de Abril, Domingo de Ramos, estuvimos en Tijuana visitando a la Tía Rosa (tía de Pepe). Nos pasamos una tarde muy agradable en su casa, nos invitaron una riquísima carne asada con nopales, cebollines, elotes y todas esas cosas que nos gustan.

Como se puede ver Bidane siempre es una buena comensal y nunca dice que no a un taco.

Ese día estaba muy agradable, habia un sol sabrosín, platicamos de la familia, de la vieja Tijuana, de libros y aventuras. Todo estuvo muy bien, hasta el regreso a San Diego, hicimos tiempo récord de 3 horas para cruzar la línea.

Desde España, lo que piensan...

¿Crees que debería haber un mayor control en la posesión de armas en EEUU?
Click aquí.

Re-Conquistador.

Ussually, while washing dishes, I listen to the radio. Yesterday, it wasn't the exception, since I could not change frequency (I had my hands wet), I started to put attention to a radio-show about Republican candidates. People calling to the host, having opinions about their Republicans "wannabes", -by the way it was a show in spanish-.

So, one call came and he said.
- I support Tancredo.
The radio-host replied -But he has an against- immigration opinion-.
- I'm fine with that, not everybody comes to this country to work, there are people like "Zapatistas" that want to come and gain back their territories.-

I assume he was talking about the territories lost by Mexicans to the U.S in the 1840's. The argument is just ignorant from whatever point of view. Made me laugh for such stupidity and made me be worried if there are people in U.S., thinking in "Zapatistas" coming or believing that Mexican in general are "Zapatistas". Despite their reason for indians rights, Zapatistas are qualified as terrorist in many cases.

If you want to learn more about Zapatista movement, click here.

¡¡¡Santo Niño de Atocha!!!!

Mexico is a country of many religious traditions, feelings and beliefs around saints, miracles and faith.

When accidents, illness or so kind of disgrace happen to some body; in many cases, people promise "ex-votos," that it is a kind of painting representing the cure of the illness, an escape of an accident and so on. In those little paintings has to be the saint which is responsible of the miracle and the person favored with it.

The second saint ranking as the most miraculous is "El Santo Niño de Atocha", is an image, little statute of a boy, represented Jesus as a child, and it is located in a church in a town of the state of Zacatecas.

The folk-tales say that this figure steps out from his place and goes around, making little miracles or playing (as a boy he is). Just days ago, people visiting the church, had a sight of the child standing up, over the cupule of the church.

If you see with attention the picture above, the little figure has a white dress and some kind of a hat.

Now, I say it is easy for the authorities of the church to have a double of the little figure, hide one and to make believe that the child moved place, and put him in some other one. But don't you think it is risky for the guy who could move the figure up there, climb over the cupule to put him on, just for the sake of the miracle?

But people believe it, now they claim miracle, miracle.... I don't put people faith in doubt, there are people with a lot of faith, that is o.k with me. But really believing that the little figure moved by him-self in some kind of autonomous locomotion, it is just... well.

By the way, ¡¡¡Santo Niño de Atocha!!! is an expression of surprise used in Mexico, when something unexpected is happening.

Cinco de Mayo.

Do I have an opinion about other people's country holidays? Do I know enough to overlook what other people in the same room have to say about their own holidays, independece days, Queen Victoria, boxing day or whatever?..... NOOOOOOOOO. -Por Diocito santo, noooo.-

Today in some place, I go every thursday, there were decorations about "Cinco de Mayo", some kid asked to the person that made the decorations about the festivity, and that person says it was Mexico's independence day!

Of Course, due to my purity and "mexicanism" of these days, I sayed -No, it is not Independence-, it is.....

Than, a woman started to talk about the issue, stepping over my own words, while I was explaining. (not a mexican, by the way).

The person I was talking to, gave the word again to me, asking me about the day. And than again this woman saying that in Mexico it is not even observed... That it is a "San Pedro little battle". - ¡JOLINES!- or Holennes ( for the english speakers).

Cinco de Mayo it is not Independece day, it is not San Pedro battle, it is a battle, that is true. When France invaded Mexico during the 1860's with a great army, a group of Mexican, indians and militars fought back and won that single battle with a little weapons, and poor training. All of that occurred in a place named PUEBLA.

In Mexico we know this event as the Puebla battle. And yes we observe the holiday, but of course not in proportions as independece, for that we have September 16th. In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is special when we connect it with May first (Dia del Trabajo), so everybody enjoys a long weekend.

It is a mistery why, here in U.S, Cinco de Mayo is as St. Patrick's day. Somebody says it is a beer brand idea, other say, the U.S was so grateful that Mexico contained the French, during civil war , that they didn't had to be worried about France invading U.S and try to recover the territories sold to the States, even advancing into Quebec, and for that, here, in this country the celebration is grand.

Anyways, now with Cinco de Mayo, latin american people in the U.S., spanish speakers (I hate the hispanic term, this is another topic for discussion), may find a meaning to express their culture.... or maybe not. Argentinians may have another opinion.

Bítacora Bahia de Los Angeles, Baja California.

As you know, we traveled south for spring break, into the heart of the península de Baja California, a not easy forgotten territory for us (Eduardo, Pepe and I), a place we remember from our days in Baja California University.

The intention was primarly to have a good time during "semana santa" with the kids. As every "decent" mexican does, splashing in water for this time of the year... (if you don't believe, look for those "artificial beaches" they put in Mexico city).

But I have to say, the three adults in the party, connected again with the soul of our degree, the study of the ocean.

For me it was a fabulous experience, seeing once more the geological nudity of the scenes of Baja California.

But of course the interaction with family and friends was great. The kids had a very good time, swimming, playing on the sand. By morning going to the door step of our tents into the tide pools. In this place the tide gets very low, so it uncovers the rocks of the ecosystem. By early afternoon they enjoyed the sandy beach. As Aida said, - here, it was pajamas, swimming suit, pajamas again-.

The destination of our trip was Bahia de Los Angeles. A magnificent place, a fisherman village, with no sewage or fresh water distribution system, lackage of electricity and no cellular phone service, I didn't see a cord phone either. The camping place were we stayed, named Archelon camp, has very nice service and commodities. Its owner, happen to be a guy who studied the same as us. And his love for turtles made him start a program of sea turtles, many years ago, when this place had even less than today. A remarkable guy... El oceanólogo perfecto, el ideal, diria pepe.

Every night we had spectacular moon risings, the first one, just incredible... with a moon the looked almost like the sun with a dark surrounding, it is a shame the camera could not caputre such amazing event.
If you had see pics in Lauren's or Pepe's blogs, maybe you had notice the kind of vegetation, just sides of the road. We had the opportunity to see cardons, that are those cactus with branches, and cirios, those tall plants that look like thin candles, it suposses cirios are unique for the peninsula.

But my favorite is this, it is not a plant but a geological structure called "El Castillo", castle, close to a place named el Rosario, three hours from Bahia de los Angeles.