Haven't seen any Mexicans yet

And Mexicans, I think we can all agree, are those bow-legged, horse riding, drain pipe jeans wearing, poncho sporting, pistol swinging, cigar smoking, 12 ft sombrero donning people, who communicate by varying intonations of the phrase 'hola gringo'.

Actually, I must apend a caveat to this blog. I may have seen one at a Mcdonalds' drive-thru yesterday.

ttfn,

Tommy

What do the Spanish do? Part trois

Dearest, beloved and most intellectuable readers,

Don't think that I have given up my quest to find out just what our southern, lazy and in the most part greasy, neighbours do. Oh no. On the contrary, I have been working night and day, and when I was jet-lagged, day, night, and dight. What do the Spanish do?

Let me recount the fruits of my unrested loins (if anyone's interested, I bought them in Tesco for 5 quid; beef of course, I don't trust the way pork moves).

So, it transpires, the spics spend a lot of time indulging in ceremonial fiestas. There are, of course, the 'run' of the mill fiestas, such as the bull run (get drunk and chased by bulls). There is also the tomato pelting and wine drenching fiestas. And there is the unforgetable celebration where, each year, a goat is ceremonially launched off a church tower.

But check this contest of strength and agility, a piece de resistence in the fiesta canon. A duck is tied by the feet and hung six feet or so over the water. Competitors row up solo and as they pass underneath, they make to pull this duck's head from its body. Some finish up swinging, some swimming. The victor is honoured and revered, but for him nothing will beat the feeling of being showered in victorious entrails.

We're approaching the truth in a rowing boat.

ttfn,

Tommy

Who too?

It merits mention that my family has a long and illustrious history of teasing animals.
- My dad loved to trick the dog into eating whole chilis.
- His dad loved to tease zoo monkeys with bananas; as a result of his games, he was once sneezed on by a walrus.
- His dad tried to drown his pet parrot after it had pecked his bald head.

ttfn,

M

Who?

Who are these two young tykes, exploring and making new friends in Mexico City's zoo?





Though the zoo was somewhat too full of fillers - deer, rubbish monkeys, boring birds - we carved out a good deal of innovative excitement, including:
- baiting a gorilla with cries and stones
- being spat at by an oran utan
- and the best: Tommy poking a panther through its cage with a long stick.

(I was additionally minded of a time in Munich zoo where we saw a goat in the monkey pen.)

ttfn,

M & T, lovers of all manner of beasts and birds.

What has Tommy forgotten?

He'll be asking Helen to bring out the following items when she comes to stay this summer:

- his cello
- his exquisite glassware collection
- his newly purchased pet tiger
- Hot Shots on DVD.

tttfn,

M

A little something we noticed dropping in on Mexico City

It glows low and yellow at night, not like at home. It looks like it might be simmering.

When you drop out of the night sky over London, you're met with night-bright, highly strung flourescents in tones approaching purity, mingled with orange. Like a microwave.

Flying is like sitting in a freezer: induced inertia in a great metal box. Landing is like cooking.

ttfn,

M & T

B & B

Back by popular demand (or by dint of tickets bought), bad by self-confessed arrogance (or by misapprehension of the urban tongue).