After breakfast and checking out the sight of our garden, went to see what is outside the walls of the compound we are in. Unlike most B&B – bed & breakfasts – a building with rooms. This is basically a 17th century family compound with different buildings inside. The owner, Liza Kisber, added a few other building, so you feel almost like you are in our own casita – home. Just wonderful.
As we moved along saw work on a place that was being renovated – think patch walls maybe a foot or 2 thick! Most cases, the outside is no reflection on what beauty is “beyond the gates.” One photographer, Robert de Gast, makes a living selling books of his photos. The books have titles like; The Doors of SMA. This is followed by; Beyond the Doors of SMA. Next was; Churches and Chapels of SMA. When you have a winning formula, you stick with it.
As we walked, saw some very nice neighborhoods. Only blocks away, around a corner, could see what the poor have to live with next to a trash filled stream. We noticed that tourist traffic is much less than last visit in 2008. Most here attribute to the slow world economy. Some who went to El Norte have returned because of lack of work and remittance that allows the family to live.
There are no easy answers to provide work to those want to work, even if leaving family for months to improve supporting their loved ones.
We think of headlines showing drug trade – yes it is here just like many other places. If no work for your young people, what do you do? Around the corner from the formal Farmacia are signs of the illicit drug trade. When someone says they are going to CVS, it might mean something all together different here – CVS, the local narco gang.
As I look at the brick work done here, can understand the preference for some in the US to use Mexican trained masons. Absolutely artful and reasonably priced.
We again meet Jonathon, who joins us for some respite in the Café Monet. Bill, the owner, introduces us to some other guests, who like us are here for either short or much longer stays.
From there, it is back to our Corner Room @ Casa Liza. Can you see why we like it here?
View all photos:
Today's photos @ http://picasaweb.google.com/magwheel44/Day18Of32SMA#
Days 1 to 22 @ http://picasaweb.google.com/magwheel44/SMASemanaSanta2010#
Days 23 to 33 @ http://picasaweb.google.com/magwheel44/SMASemanaSanta20102#
Adios – don Mariano
