My New Home in Cuernavaca

I made it to my new home for the next two weeks: a little room in the back of a lovely home in Cuernavaca. I parted with Arthur at the Mexico City airport this afternoon, as he boarded a plane back home and I got a bus to Cuernavaca. The bus was very nice and clean, with on-board video entertainment, snacks, and bathrooms, but it was only a 1 1/2 hour trip.

Uh oh. Power just went out. The adventure continues….

Got kicked off the Internet when the power went out, but I still have my laptop battery, so I can type offline. Also, the laptop screen is the only light in my room now. In the main part of the house, my host, Lupita, has her daughter and granddaughter visiting, and the granddaughter, one year old, started crying as soon as the lights went out. I’m assuming someone might bring me a flashlight when the baby stops crying.

So, let’s see, aside from this sudden power outage, the trip has gone completely smoothly. There was a taxi stand just outside the Cuernavaca bus station, just as my contact at the language school had said there would be. I got a ride to the street that the house is on, but both ends of this tiny street are blocked off with locked gates. There are buzzers at the gate, but they are not labeled, so I didn’t know which one to push. I tried to call the phone number I had from my cell phone, but the first attempt didn’t go through (I dialed the country code unnecessarily). Then a car opened the gate to go out of the street, so the taxi driver suggested I go through and go up to the house directly. It seemed like as good an idea as any, so I paid him and went in. I got to the gate with the right number on it, that looked just like what I had scoped out earlier on Google street view, but there was no doorbell. I tried calling into the gate a few times, and I thought I heard voices, but no one came out. Then I tried calling the number again without the country code and it rang, but no one answered. Then someone finally came out! She opened the gate and welcomed me and apologized for not answering the phone – she heard her phone ringing but couldn’t find it (sound familiar, Michelle? See, it happens all over the world). She showed me to my room, and then later brought me a map to orient me to the town. She said what time we’d have breakfast and when she would drive me to the school. I met her little granddaughter. All this was in Spanish!! Barely a word of English. I was able to understand and answer!

I walked downtown, and the central square was PACKED with people. There was a bandstand set up, as well as what seemed to be a kind of political rally, possibly in honor of or celebrating the election of the governor of this state, Morelos. Many people had hats and T-shirts that read “Unidad Morelos” – United Morelos, or something like that. And street vendors selling everything imaginable. I found a place to eat and people-watch.

Back at the house, I was able to get the password for their wireless Internet and skype with the kids. Got a text that Arthur had landed in SFO. Was starting this blog entry and thinking of taking a shower when the lights went out. I’m really glad I wasn’t in the shower already!

Lupita has now given me a single candle (no matches; hope it doesn’t blow out), said she hoped the lights will come on soon, and left. I have a reading light that is battery operated. And still the light from the laptop screen. Hmmmm… Shower in the dark? Read? Preserve laptop battery? The possibilities are endless.