Feliz Año Nuevo….

I hope that 2009 is the best year ever and that all your dreams come true, blessings and best wishes Les.

My last post of 2008

Went and picked up Barb and Frank at 11am and we went off on a little adventure.

First I took them to the little town of Atotonilco that I had visited a few weeks ago to see the famous World Heritage site church.  These murals are on the ceiling.

The church is very beautiful inside.

The next stop was

 

which is the hot springs that I took Paola and Danielle to a couple of days ago.  I was a bit afraid of the water today.

This is the tunnel that you swim down to get to the cave.

Pretty neat place and Barb and Frank enjoyed the afternoon here.

We then came back to the house for Barb to slaughter us at Mexican train dominoes.

Barb I honour you as the true champ of not only dominoes but scrabble as well!!

We then had a lovely late supper

took them home for 9pm and here I am the last few minutes of 2008 and I want to wish everyone, family, friends and visitors to my blog a very happy and safe New Year’s eve and may all your dreams come true in 2009.

Stayed home all day today..

had a lazy slow morning having breakfast and reading a newspaper.

Then went and ran my laps and happy to report that I was not only able to complete the 14 laps  but did one extra.

After lunch did some work on Ramona, washed the car, sunbathed and read and then came up to the computer saw I had a message from my nephew, Andy, telling me of a website where I could watch live the Mighty Tigers playing soccer in England.

It really does boggle the mind the technology of today.  Here I am in SMA maybe 5000 miles away from Hull watching a live football game.

What is so neat is that I am watching the game on the computer knowing that my brother is sitting in the stands at this game and then in three days time he will be here in SMA.  Small and wonderful world.

Not even going to mention that the Mighty Tigers lost again!!!

Well last day of the year tomorrow and it has been a pretty special year for me and looking forward to what 2009 brings, blessings to all.

COST OF ADMISSION – 300 PESOS, COST OF LUNCH – 120 PESOS, JOY RECEIVED – PRICELESS!!!!!!

I have been so privileged in my life to meet so many wonderful people, see so many amazing sights and have some incredible happy moments BUT I think today goes right up there near the top of the list.

Around 11.30am I drove to Santa Julia to hopefully pick up Paola and friends and take them to the hot springs.  I saw the Madre and asked if it was still Ok to take the girls and she told me yes.  A few minutes later Paola and Danielle, her best friend, appeared and they looked so beautiful, hair in pony tails, with swim suites on and towels in a back pack and huge smiles on their faces.  A young lady called Ingrid, who was volunteering at the home, came with us.

Danielle, Ingrid and Paola on the right!!

I find it hard to describe the utter joy and complete and total trust these two young girls put in me, we spent about two hours in the water and their smiles and laughs will stay with me forever.

Let me try and tell you what happened..the pools are all thermal hot springs

and one of the pools leads to a tunnel about 40 feet long and quite dark but then opens out into a cave filled with pulsating water fountains.  The three of us swam to the entrance and I asked the girls if they wanted to go through the tunnel.  Paola said yes right away but Danielle did not want to go.  So I made sure that Ingrid was watching Danielle and Paola and I went into the tunnel.  This girl has got some courage, she held my hand as we swam down the tunnel into the cave. 

We had been there about two minutes when I hear this little voice shouting, “Les, Les”. I look around and there is Danielle in the arms of a lady, she had asked that lady to take her down the tunnel she wanted to be with us.  She was smiling like crazy!!!!

Please enjoy these photos of the girls, I know there are lots but the looks on their faces say so much!!

 

Ready, set GO!!

there she goes.

 

Now you see Danielle

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now you don’t.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When it was time to leave the girls came out of the pool, Ingrid got them changed and back we went to Santa Julia.

They both were perfect Angels and thanked me for lunch and for the swim.  I hope to take them back when Janet and Malc are here.

Was a day that is already etched in my memory bank.

Thanks for letting me share with you..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE BRAM..

December 29th is my only Uncle’s birthday…..So I hope you have a great day Uncle Bram.

It was so great to see you again in October and you and Auntie Rita look absolutely fantastic. 

Take care love and blessings Les.

Just like Grandma and Grandpa did…

 

My Sunday morning started with me talking to all my family on Skype this morning, including Great Nephew, Tom.  Sure good to hear them all and then to know that Janet and Malc will be here Friday.

I then biked to the RV park and Frank and I biked down by the railway station and back here to the house, where we had a little lunch and Frank biked back.

I then did what my Grandparents used to do on Sunday afternoons, I went for a drive in the country.

Took some more back roads and saw the man fishing in the lake.

Thought I was close to home.

Just some interesting scenery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saw quite a few animals.

A chicken and a cow on the road.

Not the Hoover Dam but still quite impressive.

On the drive back to town thought this was a good photograph.

Yesterday when I was visiting the swimming hot springs I thought to myself I would love to bring Paola here.  I realize how this idea could be interpreted so I asked my friend Barb what she thought about the idea and she said she thought it would be fine.  So I e mailed the Director of the Santa Julia home for her input and I got a positive answer from her.

So tonight I drove to the home. Of course seeing Paola again was a bonus.  In my limited Spanish I asked the Madre if tomorrow I could take Paola and three of her friends to the pools.  She smiled and I think she replied yes they could.  So I shall go tomorrow at noon and take the girls to the pool.

Tonight I went back to the theatre where I went last week for the play which was cancelled.

The show was a one woman play about life in India and was very well acted and enjoyable.

I am now writing the blog and listening to the Canucks Hockey broadcast.

Those of you who have been following the blog will realize I have not mentioned the Mighty Tigers ( My brother’s football team in England).  The reason being that the Mighty Tigers have not been so Mighty these last two games, I will not mention the scores!!!

Hope the weekend was a good one and my friends in Nanaimo are at last getting some respite from the snow.

Time for a mystery tour..

Took some directions from the internet and decided to go on a church and balnearios( hot springs) tour.

First though I wanted to do a little something for the girls at Santa Julia so I went to the big Mega store and bought 45 fresh and muffins and took them to the home.  I was welcomed with open arms and of course the muffins were appreciated.  I also got to see Paola and after a hug and a short visit left on my tour.

The  three hot springs I visited were very clean and inviting but I was just on a mission to look at them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was time to take some very dusty and bumpy back roads to check out some old churches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This church was interesting and very beautiful inside.

It is obviously a church some how connected to the children and outside were these kids with beautiful and colourful hats.

More churches..

Looking up.

Looking down. Came across these two guys having a jam session at the side of the road.

In this village the work was a family affair, Dad on the roof, Mother and daughter filling the bucket, pulled up by Dad, whilst the rest of the kids watched.

A young cowboy and an accident on the way home.

It as a good afternoon and saw some things that the regular tourist would not see.

Had another great meal with Barb and Frank and there you go another day done.

It just seems that the days go by so fast and always something different to do….wish you all a happy Sunday.