Sunday nights at the Jardin

I love Sundays. I am big on traditions, and am trying to get Dustin in on this. He's never really had a lot of traditions, and I have, so I've adopted him into mine. For instance, when we lived in DeQueen, we would go to the Tortilleria and buy a kilo of tortillas and head home to a big pot of Taco Soup....yum. Then it was a Sunday nap for the 3 of us (before Julian came along) and we ended the night with a Sunday night movie.

Here in Mexico, I wanted to keep a fun Sunday tradition, so after much brainstorming, we came up with the helado/Jardin plan. Every Sunday night, we pack up the kids and head to the center of our little town here to the Jardin (the Garden) It is a large, park like setting, with mariachi bands on every corner, fire dancers, artists selling jewelry and paintings, boys on djembes, food vendors...it's magical. In the center of the Jardin, is a small gazebo with a band playing great music for dancing. My favorite band is one that plays music that you would expect to be listening to in Italy, floating along in a gondola. (that's Italy, right?) Men and Women, young and old, gather around the gazebo to dance...so romantic.

First, we head to the ice cream parlor, a slightly overpriced little place, marketing the Americans with the ice cream fetish. Typically a scoop of cappuccino for Dustin, a scoop of Lime for me, and a scoop of mandarin for Annabelle and Julian. Bella's melts while she slurps on mine, "just ONE bite..."

Julian runs around and tries to play with other kids. He yells at people and cars and birds, he dances to the music, he eats leftovers off the park benches..."Julian, stop that!"

Annabelle begs for one of the many balls, balloons, or cheap plastic toys for sale...and we usually oblige...what's 10 pesos, afterall? (about a dollar)

We walk around and enjoy the scene, the people, the music, the energy. I delight in my kids screaming laughter, my daughter's interest in the other children, the joy of being out past bedtime...

Annabelle notices a little girl and I encourage her to use her new spanish phrase, "como se llamas?" (what's your name?) She boldly approaches the girl, and with a slight southern accent, pronounces "Como se llamas?"
The little girl just smiles shyly and looks away.
Annabelle turns to me with a humiliated look and declares, "Mama, this is TERRIBLE"
I assure her that she did great, she's so brave and courageous for trying to use her spanish words, and conclude that the girl must be shy....or a deaf/mute. That's it, for surely, no little girl could not want to play with my Annabelle.

Annabelle refocuses her attentions on chasing pigeons and dancing around the drum circle, for you see, there is no need for Spanish in pigeon chasing and booty dancing...

posted by mindi11 @ 3/20/2005 11:46:00 AM