Monday

. . .After breakfast I started my laundry for the week. While that was going on I sat my sandals in front of the dryer vent to help them dry out. I had worn them during the four river crossings we made on Sunday. They were soaked through and I had no idea what kind of damage was done. I did not wish to wear my only pair of real shoes I had brought with me and I was not going to attempt the crossing bare footed. I would have fallen for sure. The water was above the knees for me [so much for the 30 centimeters Natalia mentioned] and after the first crossing I didn’t even attempt to roll up my pant legs. I had carried the sandals in my back pack and used that to transport the shoes during each crossing. My only fear when falling was ruining my camera. Everything else would dry in a couple of hours. I was told that one lady did fall into the water and after taking several pictures her husband and friends gave her a hand so she could stand up and escape the ordeal. My sandals were dry enough this afternoon to start wearing them again. When the laundry was completed I checked out Natalia’s laptop that she was given by her sister who has recently purchased a new one. This laptop has as much trouble bringing up Comcast as mine so I will let her know the problem is with the router from across the street. Natalia may never have any use for Comcast anyway. I doubt she will use the laptop because she is used to the cable speeds at work and this hardline hookup and week signal from the router will not be something she will want to be bothered with. Like me, she will be happy to have it along when traveling but that will be about it I think.. . . . I left the house near 10am and walked to the main Plaza in Old Town and found the same shoe shine man I had gone to before. He did a nice job on the shoes, they look new again, I thanked him, gave him a nice tip and wandered around looking for a place to have lunch. That turned out to be a no brainer, I found myself upstairs above the market again. As usual the food was good and I am developing a taste for Fresca. I stayed there for a while reading until the whistle the traffic director was using on the street below me drove me out. I spent some time in the park/plaza people watching before starting for home. On the way past the bank I went in and had a couple of 500peso notes broken down for me. 500 Pesos is a tough one for most shops to have change for so I try to not have them on me for too long. I was back at the house at about 3pm and had an hours nap. Natalia told me this morning that Auditors from Mexico City were due in today so she would be late; they like to work 12-14 hour days so they can finish up and get back to their families. I guess the people here don’t have families to get home to. That’s Politics, Mexico style, I guess. Natalia is very pleased because she has received from her new boss the strongest evaluation she has ever received since working for the University. She expects to be getting a nice raise before this year is out. I told her I was very happy for her. She had been expecting a Cuban scientist who will be working at she is coming or not. The plan is for the person to take the room at Natalia’s place, the Cuban Gvt. Is to be picking up the tab. Natalia always has a lot going on! I will post this now and have a bowl of ice cream while reading for another couple of hours.the University to arrive in town the day I leave [Friday] but she has not heard any more about it, so has no idea if he/she is arriving or not.