This is what we call a HOLIDAY

Saturday, January 17, 2009


It’s been so long since we had a chance to sleep in, this is the day.
Mom is unpacked and presented us with all sorts of goodies from Holland, including Speculaas and Dutch cake for Ramiro and Advokaat (real Dutch liquor) for Elly, also Dutch smoked sausage, cheese and much more.
We decide to walk to the Hacienda. Mom has a hard time climbing the steep road.
“Look, there is snow in the volcano”, I announce. The rain that fell the day before has deposited snow way up high.

There are two volcanos. One is called Nevado and is inactive, and the other is called Volcan de Fuego. (fire). Fuego is too warm for snow too settled. The smoke we see around it today is likely steam. Wikipedia has a very interesting description of both volcanos. Just Google: Colima Volcanos.

While Mom rests, Ramiro and I catch up on mails and the blog.
I show Mom the Hacienda, which is owned by Project Amigo. There is the cooking area, laundry facility, lounge area, restaurant style eating area and large patio. Upstairs is also a lounge, where the volunteer group get together for the social, or Happy hour before dinner. There’s always beer in the fridge, which volunteers can take. PA uses an honour system where you keep track of your drink and make a donation accordingly. He, this could be a tax write off if we combine it with our other donations. There is a computer upstairs for those who do not want to bring their own. There are also two bedroom upstairs. The view from upstairs is lovely.
Across the patio is the office and also several bedroom for the volunteers.
It’s decorated in bright colours and looks so cheerful and cozy.
There are lots of flowers and of course lots of bugs. Giant grasshoppers and other weird looking creatures.

The volunteer groups are anywhere from 20 to 28 and they all need tot be housed. There are several houses throughout the village. Some of which are owned by Americans, who have extra rooms made available for the volunteers. In exchange PA looks after some of the maintenance. All the homes are lovely. Laundry is done for the volunteers whenever needed and the rooms are kept very clean.

We walk back and after lunch outside, spend the afternoon doing this and that and believe it or not, we actual lay in the sun for 15 minutes.
After a walk we go to the Hacienda again. About half of the volunteers have returned from their Vision Mission and are leaving early in the morning for Guadalajara where some are going home and other do some additional sightseeing.

We meet for a drink and dinner afterwards. Ramiro and I are also represented with a certificate for taking part in the Vision Week.
I hadn’t told Mom, that the Joe we have been talking about all this time, is the same Joe she has met before when she visited us. You should have seen her mouth drop open when he walked in. Her English is pretty good and she also speaks a little bit of Spanish, but of course it is much easier to speak your own language. So Joe and Dinie had a nice conversation.
We exchange e-mails with some of the volunteers and promise to keep in touch. “Come and see us when you are in our neighborhood”. We all say.
One of the wonderful things about Project Amigo, is that you make so many new friends.
It is going to be very quiet at the Hacienda next week. There will not be any volunteers for another week. And us? Well, we are making plans for a three or four day road trip.

Sunday is another quiet day. Ramiro takes Mom to church and I prepare for the BBQ.
We have invited Joe and his friend Joe, also from Alberta.
We have packed for our road trip and hope there will be a Van available for the four of us.

We likely won’t have internet for a few days. So no one will here from us until next Friday or Saturday.