Hola a los que amo mucho! This is going to be a long one so I´ll bold the important stuff so you can skim if you want to.

I just got back from the long revolution holiday weekend in Zitácuaro, Michoacán. I went to a rodeo and concert called a jaripeo with banda music (which is what Mexicans bump in their cars) while the cowboys rode bulls and then a concert by a singer called Paquita, la del Barrio who is an old big sassy lady who is famous because she sings songs against men and a lot of the machismos in Mexico hate her and won´t let their wives listen to her! I just loved it, it was SOOO Mexican, everyone was whistling, hollering, drinking beer, wearing cowboy hats, then even dancing right in the stands. I got asked to dance by one guy but i thought he was just putting his hand out to let me pass so i just walked on by, i only realized about 10 minutes later!

I had diarrhea the whole day though traveling there and also at the rodeo which was one of those experiences that makes you think, this is not cool enough to be this uncomfortable for. the bathrooms are so dirty, no toilet seats, toilets don´t flush, dirty tp piled all over, you wash your hands in a bucket, you get a meager helping of toilet paper on your way in, no hook for purse, and so on. also you have to hold your pant legs up or they will be di-irty. on the way to Zitácuaro i had diarrhea something terrible and there is nothing you want more in that case than to be at home. I used the bathroom in one little store and let me tell you I don´t want to know any more about the behind-the-scenes of Mexico. That one didn´t flush either! I also saw a dentist office bathroom and it was like a dirty construction site with pasted tooth molds all over magazines on the floor, puddles of water etc. again, don´t care to see the behind-the-scenes. Also don´t care to have any dental work done here.

Then we saw a concert of a music style called rondalla which a style of romantic serenade type music with 10 guitars playing the same chords singing, one lead guitar, a base and then one man saying love poems over the music, and repeating lyrics, in a really creepy low booming voice. the music was pretty but i could have done without the weird talk-singing.

Saturday night we went to a disco for one ´cousin´s birthday, she is 21 married to a 35 year old with a 2 year old baby, she had to marry him because she got pregnant and he is really controlling usually doesn't let her go out, very macho. she told us that she was so excited to go out, her husband didn't want to go and even told her he would watch the baby, which i was surprised about. then she was supposed to meet us at the disco and she called one of the cellies and was crying and said her husband wouldn't let her go. That poor thing! And her family would totally kill her if she got divorced. Here in Mexico it is a Man´s man´s man´s man´s man´s man´s world.

Much love to everybody, happy thanksgiving!! Love Brook

ps Ana Guadalupe es mi nombre Mexicano porque mi fecha de nacimiento es la dia de Ana y Joaquim, los padres de Maria, y Guadalupe es mi patrona.