Villahermosa
Monday January 7
Well here we are another day another story about how much I love the Mexican families down here! We tried to wake up early and head to the bus, of course the rooster outside our window was much obliged to help with that, but we couldn’t get going nearly as early as we had planned (shocking right?). So by the time we were all packed and headed downstairs Mario and Jose had run to the store to grab a few things for breakfast and had brought back peanut butter (which is crazy expensive) and jelly for our pancakes cause they knew that McKay loved peanut butter. Mayra made us the pancakes, which were really a mix between a crepe and a pancake but still so delicious, and wouldn't, as usual, let us help with a thing. Which if I’m being honest is the only thing that stressed me out about being here. I mean I can’t even communicate with you but please keep serving me all hours of the day!
Later Mario insisted on taking us to the bus station and put up a big fight when we tried to give them money. He was very emotional and told McKay that he was his family and we could come stay with them anytime we wanted!
Rode an ADO bus in to Villahermosa, they are supper fancy buses and felt like I was riding high class! We watched 500 Days of Summer…. In Spanish… All I can say is way better than the English version… Or so I would assume if I could have understood all the words.
Got to Villa and checked in to our super classy Hostel, located directly across from what smelled like a sewer plantation, but hey it was $12 and within walking distance of the bus station, so who am I to judge?
We then headed to La Venta, which as McKay told me is the one must do in the city! La Venta is kind of a zoo slash outdoor museum. They have monkeys and birds and jaguars etc. but the main attraction there are all the Olmeca Carvings from a couple thousand years ago. They found a bunch of them in Villahermosa but have shipped most of them off to other cities, what is left is displayed at La Venta.
Two Olmeca heads.... :)
They completely misrepresented my jawline in this one...
I'm pretty sure this is a picture of two men carrying deformed babies that represent something crazy... I'm also pretty sure when you have the whole story, the representation makes more sense...
Woke up bright and early and, after a mostly freezing cold shower, it was mostly freezing until I decided to try the hot water nozzle at the very end and it worked, headed to the outskirts of town where McKay served his mission. We started in La Rosas and after finding the correct family and setting up a time to come see them later that day we started walking down the highway to our next stop, McKay told me oh it’s not too far.... 5 km later (but seriously though) we made it. I was so mad because of the intense hardship he made me endure by walking and told him he needs to change his definition of not too far!
We ate lunch that day with such a sweet family, Ana and Masiel and Masiel’s little baby boy Derik. We had the best Spaghetti Mac N Cheese ever, I loved it! Maciel was so sweet, when McKay gave her a tie to give to her husband she was like, I have a gift for your wife also and then she ran upstairs and came down with a little bag that had a cute bracelet in it. It was so sweet and I just can’t get over how giving these people are.
After lunch we headed back to La Rosas and met up with the Palacio family who McKay baptized on his mission. They were so excited to see him and tell him they had gone through the temple! The mom Laura was so cute and animated and they called her sister for McKay to say hello and she was so animated and crazy as well, I couldn’t help but think of my aunts and their crazy ways! :)
This was part of the 5km stretch that we walked, I'm pretty sure I could hear the bus driver yelling, "10 points for the gringos" out the window as they passed, swerving to get as close to us as they could!
This was the little taxi McKay finally let us take that is basically a motorcycle with a cab sitting on top of it. Our driver was clearly enthused to have his picture taken!
This is the road straight off the highway where we walked to Ana's home.... I'm pretty sure it's safe, I mean we had a 50% success rate, that's not too bad right?
There must be something in the water, because for some reason we look like we come from the land of giants in this pic.... That has never happened to us before!
This is Ana, Masiel, and baby Derik!
La Familia Palacio! This is basically right at their backdoor which is set up in a big courtyard type area with houses surrounding it, everyone just has their laundry hanging up to dry and there are dogs and cats just wandering around like crazy!
Have you ever seen The Illusionist? He's got nothing on McKay!
We stopped by the temple on Wednesday morning to check it out. Temples are so pretty anyway, but this one especially stood out to me in the middle of the city where everything is dirty!
This does not give nearly enough credit for the amount of skill required to take it, no person, tripod, or timer were used (or hurt) in the making of this picture.... We spent way too much time playing with the panoramic settings on our camera!
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