It’s my last day in Mexico. I have to say I am a little sad to be leaving all of the fun colors, scents, tastes, and lovely people. I will never again discount Mexico as a travel destination. It’s been a great time! But…..I still have one more day, and I intend to make the most of it. Are you surprised?!
I left my comfortable bed and breakfast this morning at about 10:00 after a sad good-bye by phone with Tere, my host. I really think she was sad to see me go. In addition to my being her only guest for most of the time I was there, I think she really liked me. Each time I tried something new, she would wonder how I learned about it and whether I liked it…..and I would give her a critique. In this high-end setting, I think I am an anomaly to her. Someone who is actually independent and seeks out new experiences. I don’t think she gets many like me. It was enlightening……for both of us.
I am spending my last day in Leon. I have an early flight tomorrow morning and wanted to be a little closer to the airport than San Miguel. It will save me about an hour in the morning. I have had mixed reviews on Leon…with mostly negative reviews….but, the dye is cast and I will be staying in Leon. I think it will be fun!
Much to my surprise, George, my driver into San Miguel last Monday, appeared at the door of my bed and breakfast and said he would be driving me and 2 others to the airport. (He was taking me to my hotel in Leon.) Great! I liked George…super nice!
We picked up our first passenger, Robert, from Palm Beach, FL. We made our introductions and discovered that he had lived in San Luis Obispo for about a year. He is a mechanical engineer and did some of the work at the nuclear power plant. He filled me in on the good, bad and ugly about the construction of the plant. It’s kind of scary, so I won’t share it. But, suffice to say that we may all start to glow at some point in the not too distant future. Not good.
The second passenger (whose name escapes me), was a native of San Miguel who now lives in Paris, CA near Temecula. He had not been back to the area since he was 16 and had come back now to visit his parents. He was amazed at how things had changed….for the better.
The 3 of us chatted the whole way. Actually, Robert chatted at us the whole way. Yak, yak, yak. But, it was fun. Turns out, he knows a lot about photography……and pretty much everything else (in his own mind). So, we talked a little about cameras and the new Sony he recently purchased. Sounds like a great camera. Anyway, it made the ride go faster and it was certainly enjoyable!
Robert had spent some time on this trip in Leon and suggested that I visit the Art Museum here. It is just up from my hotel, and he thought the new exhibit they had was quite good. So, after checking into my hotel and getting refreshed (a pointless effort), I made my way to the museum. Sadly, it was closed. The other fun option for the day was visiting the shoe factory and outlet. Leon is apparently the shoe manufacturing capital of the world, Tere had suggested this. She said there were very cheap places to get shoes. But, she said, “Honestly, they are not high fashion.” How funny! We passed malls that were filled with only shoe stores. I have never seen anything like it. It was tempting….I do love shoes. But, I was actually kind of tired. So, I thought I would just go back to the hotel for a nap before heading out for my big night out on the town. HA!
I did manage on the way to find a Starbucks on the way back and stopped for some water and a pastry. Starbucks is everywhere, isn’t it? The pastries are the same everywhere, too. Dry and stale. I ate it anyway. I was ready for a little treat, and I really needed the water, as it was about 99 degrees here today. Muy Caliente!
I took my nap and then a shower. We are back to the sweaty, stinky mess from the beginning of the week. The shower was surprisingly refreshing and revived me for my last night in Mexico.
What was the big night, you ask?! Well………
I had checked with Jesus on where to eat when visiting Leon. He suggested something called “Panteon Taurino””……The graveyard of the bull..” There was a very nice english-speaking taxi driver at the hotel, with whom I contracted to take me to the airport tomorrow, who offered the same thing. Sounds good to me! Sold!
The restaurant is really more like a bar, but definitely a gathering place for Leon locals. I am certain that I was the only english speaker there, including the wait staff. The restaurant/bar is shaped like a bull ring. I sat upstairs in the observer’s balcony so that I could see everything. My dining companion was a stuffed bull that was hanging on the wall! He was very friendly. We exchanged email addresses…..Perhaps the start of a new romance……
There were old pictures of bullfighters hanging on just about every open space on the walls and there were several televisions with videos of bull fights running. Each table had the name of a bullfighter and a year, which I assume is the year they died. I was at the Rafael Corona table….1852. I wonder if they named the beer after him? Interesting that I should be placed at that table.
As I looked down to the bar area on the lower level, I saw bottle after bottle of tequila displayed in tiered rows just waiting for a chance to instill happiness in the patrons. I don’t think I have ever seen as many bottles of tequila (or any other liquor for that matter) anywhere else. It was quite a sight!
I ordered a cerveza…Negro Modelo. (I think this is my favorite Mexican beer now! YUM!) Then, the waiter came out with 3 different snacks. One was easily recognizable as guacamole (really good). The other 2 things I can’t identify. One was like a pickled ground meat. It could have been Menudo (stomach) for all I know. But, I liked it and continued to eat. No need to know exactly what it is. Why spoil the fun?! The other one looked like a pickled watermelon rind. It wasn’t. The flavor was nice, but the texture was not….kind of spongy….ew… I had to spit that into a napkin, which I haven’t done since I was a kid. Definitely, not my favorite. But, interesting.
The waiter helped me order a meal and I was very pleased. Again, a shrimp dish. This one had a tasty chipotle sauce on it and some of the yummy Mexican cheese that I had on my chilis rellenos the other day. I like the cheese. It’s kind of like a Provolone…..soft and gooey when melted…..MMMM. I summoned another beer and settled in.
I hung out and listened to the music for awhile, which I think may have been Mexican rock. Funny! Then,l a group of burly men came in and sat at the table next to me. I’m sure they were fine, but they were heavy into the tequila and tattoos. I don’t think this is a great combination for a woman alone in a bar. So, I settled up and went on my way.
But, what a great way to spend my last night. Good food and beer and a show of the bulls. I won’t get any of this when I get back to the good old USA.
I’m back at my hotel now. My day is at an end and so is my fun trip! So, I will end my journal here. But, I’ll leave you with this quote by Pat Conroy that I found. It kind of sums it all up for me…
“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.”
Even though the trip is over, it will remain forever in my mind. I can come back anytime I want to. Isn’t that great? I think so!
Ole`
Travel With Betsy 
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