not so accuweather

Up here in the highlands the weather can be changeable, so we don't come here expecting tropical conditions. Last time we were here we were plagued by numerous frente frios (cold fronts) that meant we needed hot water bottles and blankets rather than sombreros.

That's why we are so keen on checking the weather forecast - it always pays to be prepared. However, the only online weather data comes from a company called Accuweather which appears to be being run by the world's biggest pessimist.

So far it has predicted three to four days of heavy rain every week, and we've had I think about three minutes of rain the entire time we've been here. There have been serious weather warnings as well, but the days remain sunny with occasional wind (must be the frijoles).

There is flooding elsewhere in Mexico and clearly Accuweather cannot cope with St Cristobal's microclimate. Neither can we, since every morning we get up prepared for the worst and are never ready for better weather.














Yesterday (Sunday) we went to church with the Hernandez Hernandez family (so good they named them twice) who are friends of ours originally from the indigenous community of La Era. We woke to clouds and dressed the girls accordingly. By the time church had finished and we decided to walk up the St Cristobal hill with the family it was boiling hot and I was trying to slather everyone with sun screen.

Daisy does not like wearing her hat, especially when no-one else does. However, as people point out in the street she is 'guerrita' (a little white girl) and so she does have to put it on. I still find it amazing that passersby do feel free to comment on our colour - you wouldn't find that in the UK. Daisy is routinely so grubby, however, that it is a miracle anyone notices what colour she is.













After church and the punishing hill climb, during which Daisy demanded to be carried approximately every five minutes, we went out for tacos with the family to our favourite and much missed taco place, Salsa Verde.


















Tacos Al Pastor (my favourite) are basically marinated pork and pineapple served on small tortillas with associated taco accompaniments such as tomato, coriander and salsa. Daisy ate tacos with bits of onion reasonably enthusiastically until she spotted the children's play area. She spent some time on see-saws with some of the kids who sell things in the market, who were being treated to tacos by some local gringos.

Then, once the kids were shepherded away she managed to entice the Hernandez Hernandez teenagers to come and join her instead.











This is a family which works hard. Manuel, the dad, sells hamburgers for a living and Augustina washes clothes. It was good to have some fun with them on their one day off and we enjoyed sitting in the sun eating icecreams and chasing Daisy around. Church was fairly epic however, even though we arrived late.




















Daisy and I went to Sunday School and learnt about Zaccheus (a small man - a bit like most of the congregation) and then watched an enthusiastic game of blind man's buff. Clover disappeared with the teenagers and we didn't see her for half an hour. The only time she cried was when someone had the temerity to wipe her nose.

Cecy and Lucia are going to babysit for Daisy later this week, and I'm confident that she now knows them well enough not to be afraid. And we get a night out. Hurray!