We are spending our Christmas at Jardin del Unicornio'La Quinta Piedra, where we have been working. It`s a pretty great project; a series of mansions that were abandoned in 1994, and are being turned into a farm and alternative school. We take care of the bunnies, plant neem trees, and shovel dirt out of the tennis court for an event on New Years. It`s hot here, and even I am getting slightly tan. We`re in Tepoztlàn, in Morelos, about an hour south of Mexico city. We`re a bit of a ways off from the town, which my Lonely Planet warned me that it had a New Age onslaught after rerported UFO sightings. While it is slightly on the wacky side, it`s pretty beautiful, and even has an organic market.
We leave here in early January, at which point Madeline is going to language school in Oaxaca, Anne`s going back to language school in San Cristobal, and I`m going to metal art scool in San Miguel.
For Christmas, we caught a duck from the pond (almost dry now as it`s the dry season) and slaughtered it. Since Christmas Eve is the bigger event than Christmas, we had a nice feast last night, with roast chicken, bread and bread pudding, a nice rice stuffing, and cheese. Today we`re having the duck with sauteed onions and mushrooms from the farm and carrot cake.
Computer time is precious here, and everyone else is waiting to use it, so that`s it for now. The mansions are quite interesting and best described through photos, which I`ll put up soon.
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4 comments:
OH YAY! News from Alice!
Pat Barney wants to know how the mansions came to be abandoned. Who are the rightful owners of these mansions my little socialista, and what became of the residents in 1994?
Do you go all the way to Mexico City to use the internet? Have you been to the world-class museum of anthropology? Have you been to the home of Frida Kahlo?
We (who?) caught the duck and who wielded the ax? Is animal slaughter among your new skills? Is that what the bunnies are for – dinner? And the neem trees, what are they for? I always wondered how mushrooms were farmed. I mean, what’s to stop some wild poisonous rogue mushroom from moving in to your mushroom patch?
Are you sleeping in tents at the moment? You and Maddy have one tent between you. Which one of you gets the tent in January? Where will the tentless daughter sleep?
With Love
(and an enquiring mind)
Mom
"Rightful owners"? - now there's a loaded question. I too would love to see Casa Azul - pictures would be nice if you go.
We missed both of you at our holiday gathering in NH yesterday.
Aunt Patty H
About the mansions, here´s a bit of info:
http://books.google.com.mx/books?id=UmDFfNQGjrEC&pg=PA127&lpg=PA127&dq=la+quinta+piedra+tepoztlan&source=bl&ots=8593rw9xq6&sig=J1ki2mbSDdrGq-atdihLqVq0bvo&hl=es&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result
Basically, the ex-president´s cousin built them, circumventing the law. Eventually, the president was overthrown, and one of two things happened. Either the people overtook the mansions, or the president´s family had a huge insurance policy and they created the impression of them being overtaken, and got a bunch more money.
I actually learned how to slaughter and prepare chickens back at Farm and Wilderness, and brought the skill here. The bunnies are for fur, and for making fertilizer for the mushrooms, they are ultra soft, some are angora. The mushrooms actually are growing in bags in a dark room. I haven´t planted any yet so I don´t know exactly how they work.
We certainly don´t go to Mexico city for the internet, there´s a small town with a couple tiendas, a tortillaria, and an internet place. It`s a about a ten minute walk. Mexico City does sound like it has some cool things, I was actually interested in a museum that Diego Riveria designed, but not interested enough to store my backpack and take a bunch of busses and taxis around.
Madel took the tent, she heard of a hostel with camping in Oaxaca.
Very funny Alice. I went to that link to learn all about the mansions, and it was all in SPANISH!
You asked me if I saw the baby bunny in your latest photos...
I am sorry to tell you, that is not a bunny honey. It's a BURRO! Sheesh.
By now you should be in San Miguel. How it it? Did you find a place to stay?
Madeline met a very nice family in Oaxaca that invited her over for dinner.
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