Fin de Semana Prima - Getting the General Idea

It's an anniversary of sorts. Yesterday was the end of my first week in Cuernavaca and tomorrow will be the end of my first week an Universidad Internacional. It sure went quick. The Unitner (as they call it for short) has been a great choice. I have about 50 new friends and there's a great "we're all in this together," kind of feel. Plus, I've had 2 salsa classes and one evening of salsa dancing. I am dang tired!

Last night's homework was pretty tough so I was up late, which made today muy defacile to get through. I needed an extra café soló en la manaña, knowing it was my own fault because before I did my tarae (homework) I went to el centro for 1/2 price movie night and caught an español version of Kung Fu Panda. I can't tell you many of the details, but it was very funny and had a blast being in a theater with so many kids howling with laughter.

I spent today with my new friends Kumi (Japanese, living in northern Canada), Judy (British born, living and teaching French in L.A.) and Geri (15-years-old, born in Venezuela, living in South Carolina) and her mom Eveline (born in Holland, a Spanish professor, living in South Carolina). We took a tour of Xochicalco, which is the ruins of one of the great meso-american cities. This is a picture of me on the main temple. The inhabitants had a great deal of astronomical knowledge and the most impressive part was the observatory. The structure is huge. At it's center is a small room with a hole in the ceiling no more than 2 feet wide. Every year, at mid-day of the summer solstice, the whole room is illuminated.

Then we were off to Hacienda de Cortes, the summer home and sugar factory of Hernando Cortes, which is now a hotel and garden. It was quite beautiful.

Our guide, who's name I can't remember, had a severe limp and a specially formed shoe on his left foot. When asked why he regaled us with the story of having his foot bitten off by a lemon shark while he was a scuba diving guide in Veracruz. It sounded like quite a story, but I'll have to find him and have him tell it again when I know a little more español. Like the movie (and the tour of Xochicalco for that matter) I can tell you the general idea, but I didn't get much of the details.

Oddly enough, he knew all about the Cubs' 100-year drought and loves béisbol.

Oh my. It's almost midnight. ¡Necesito esta despierto at 6:30!

Buenos noches.