On our way to the airport we stopped at our former neighbor’s house to deliver our first loaf of pumpkin bread and an Ensign. We could not stop to chat much since we still had to make our way to BWI.
Once in Mexico, we were greeted by Angel, Mauricio, and Aida. Tonio’s uncle and family also arrived to the airport to pick up the car seat. To them we delivered our second loaf of amazing pumpkin bread. The joy was spreading. After loading the bags into Angel’s car we were impressed that everything fit (it was like Santa’s Sleigh) we witness our first Christmas Miracle.
The next day we went to Walmart to buy some Christmas. That is, some Christmas stuff for our dinner. Katrina was going make her super secret family recipe: Rouladen (note: due to the nature of its secrecy we cannot divulge its ingredients). Lines at Walmart were crazy. We had Tonio’s mom (Aida) wait in line to save a spot. Fortunately, we made it out alive. That was our second Christmas Miracle.
After Walmart we walked to the market. Tonio wanted to show Katrina the market he used to go with his grandma growing up. The market is about six blocks away from Aida’s place and they had to walk that distance every time they went shopping. At the market we saw all sorts of interesting items. There were lots of fruit, candy, mole pasty powder, piñatas, meat, etc. We bought some delicious tangerines and some other fruit. Katrina was particularly fascinated with the mountains of mole paste (her archenemy). However, she was getting tempted by all the candy she saw. What brought her to her senses was seeing the barrels of dried shrimp, eyes and all. In most markets there is a flowers section. We bought two poinsettias one large red one and a small white and red spotted one. Katrina thought that was really cute. There were also all kinds of piñatas. The most common shape was the Star piñata but you can find Sponge Bob, Darth Vader, and Spider Man. On our way back home we took a cab. It was only $2.00 for the ride. Taxis in Mexico City are cheap and people use them all the time.
Mole Paste. Yummy!
Aida picking fruit
Fabulous tangerines
A plethora of Piñatas
The Death Star
Poinsettias all around
Katrina loves these ones
Mole Paste. Yummy!
Aida picking fruit
Fabulous tangerines
A plethora of Piñatas
Katrina loves these ones
After the market it was time to wrap presents since we could not bring our presents wrapped. We brought a little something for everyone. Since Angel and his family would be coming that night to spend Christmas Eve with us we had two presents to wrap: one from us and one from Santa. We also continued the Jensen’s tradition of giving pajamas on Christmas Eve. After two hours of intense work we were done wrapping our presents. That was our third Christmas Miracle.
About 5 we stared the Rouladen. Dinner was scheduled for 10:00 PM. In Mexico people are used to have Christmas Eve dinner at midnight. We used Aida’s new convection oven and it worked out pretty well. Christmas Miracle number 4. Later on we made mashed potatoes and home-made gravy. Angel and his family arrived and they brought also a very tasty potato dish and bread. Aida made a salad with apples, carrots, celery, and sweet and condensed milk so you know it was good!
Ready for Christmas Dinner
Ready for Christmas Dinner
After dinner we had the Uriarte’s traditional Family Home Evening. Angel taught the lesson and Tonio played some Christmas carols on his Violin. The little boys (Mauricio-4 and Danny-2) were very fascinated with the violin. Mauricio wanted to assist in holding it and keeping it in the case. Afterwards, we all opened our pajamas and everyone loved them. Mauricio had Justice League pajamas and Danny Buzz Light Year (which he calls Toy-toy). Mauricio wanted to open all the presents but we told him he had to wait until Santa would come. Santa is not big in Mexico, I guess it is because he does not have a visa so he always has to watch out for the immigration patrol; hence, people traditionally open all their presents on Christmas Eve.
Justice League!
Toy Toy Pjs
The next morning, to our surprise the kids got up late. Finally we were all awaked and we all opened our presents. Tonio gave Katrina a Norman Rockwell calendar, the latest Neil Diamond CD, and a Po (from Kung Fu Panda) plush doll. Katrina gave him the collection of Indiana Jones movies, socks, and a Star Wars art book. After presents we got ready for the day and made our way to Tonio’s grandparents place.
At the grandparent’s place Katrina got to know a lot (and we mean, a lot) of extended family. We would not go into details of all the people she met but suffices to say that we had a great time. We had shrimp soup, with a whole shrimp, eyes and all. We passed on the soup but we got some turkey. After dinner we gather around the Christmas Tree and we opened the presents that everyone brought. We gave to Tonio’s grandparents a digital frame loaded with pictures of us and the family and another loaf of pumpkin bread. They really liked it.
Christmas Day with the Grandparents
Grandpa, grandma, and uncle
The Uriartes are multiplying!
The New Uriarte Gang
Christmas Day with the Grandparents
The next day we went to church. Katrina played the piano for sacrament. One of the songs was unique to the Spanish hymnal so she had to sight read it. She is that good. After church we came home and Aida made her famous Christmas salad. The salad has sugar beets, sugar canes, apples, oranges, limes, guavas, jicama, and peanuts. It is soooooo good. We took the salad to Aida’s sister’s home and another loaf of pumpkin bread. There we were met by more of Tonio’s aunt, uncle, cousins and their kids. We had a great dinner and afterwards we shared funny stories, showed pictures, and played YouTube karaoke.
Visiting Aunt Cecy, uncle Leo and cousins
On Monday we went back to Tonio’s grandparent’s house to see Tonio’s dad. We took Tonio’s violin so he could play it for his grandparents. When we arrived, Tonio’s uncle, Raul, showed us the little garden plot that is just outside their house. It was cool to see their fruit trees and diverse plants. However, the best part of the morning was when Tonio’s dad came down the stairs as he was wearing the exact same shirt that Raul (his brother) was wearing. They both received the same type of shirt for Christmas from Arturo, their brother. Needless to say it was a very humorous sight. Katrina was laughing so hard Tonio thought she was going to have an accident. But she didn’t (Christmas Miracle #5). Tonio’s uncle, Raul, went back to his room to change his shirt (bummer). After that, we all went together to Tonio’s uncle Arturo’s house. There we had a big gathering and enjoyed a great carne asada with nopal salad and the best horchata-flavored water. We had a really good flan for dessert. After dinner we all visited for a while and the younger cousins started playing Karaoke. We joined the party and we had a great time rocking to old tunes with the whole family. Tonio’s grandma and grandpa also joined the fun. Go grandpa!
Rock it!
Michael Jackson duet
Sing it Grandpa!
So cute!
Angel and Nadia
Twins!
Rock it!
So cute!
We stayed that night with Tonio’s grandparents because we were planning on spending the next morning in Mexico City’s downtown with Tonio’s dad. We went to the National Palace which is like the White House in Mexico. Mexican presidents used to live there until about 70 years ago when the president’s residency was moved to another building. During our visit, the National Palace had a special expo given that Mexico was celebrating its 200 years of independence from Spain. Consequently, our visit was very pleasant. Tonio’s dad used to work in the Palace many years ago under two different presidents so he knew the place pretty well. He would tell us stories about the rooms and show us some of the places in which he used to work. Overall it was a really neat experience, particularly because we were able to see many rooms that are not normally open to the public. Just like the White House, the Mexican National Palace has a Green Room, a Red Room, a Blue Room and many others that are exquisitely decorated. In one of them they even had a picture of President Washington. Katrina liked particularly the flooring decoration of the rooms. In other areas of the Palace was a temporal exhibit that chronicled the Mexican struggle for independence and the history of the country until our modern days. Tonio was really impressed. His favorite part was to see the original chamber or representatives. It reminded him of some of the building we have seen here on the East Coast.
Smile!
Christmas decorations in Mexico City's main square
One of the three National Palace patios
Treasury Offices. Give me the money!
Diego Rivera's Mural at the National Palace (notice good, ol' Marx on the top)
Smile!
Kat: "Are we in Europe yet?"
Tonio: "No, but smile anyway!"
Tonio: "No, but smile anyway!"
Since visiting the National Palace took us two or three hours, we had to make our way back to Tonio’s grandparents so his dad could grab his stuff and get back to his home state of Aguascalientes. We dropped him off at the bus station and we returned to Aida’s house.
On Wednesday, we went with Aida to the National Anthropological Museum. It is one of the largest museums in Mexico City and it is meant to show the different cultures and peoples of which the country is comprised. The museum has many rooms dedicated to ancient cultures full of relics and artifacts. Since we were pressed for time we had to be selective as to what to see. One of the rooms we visited was the Aztec room where the famous Aztec Sun Stone (a.k.a. Aztec Calendar) is located. The museum is full of many interesting-looking pieces. We had a good time appreciating the different works from so many cultures. In addition to the Aztecs we visited the Teotihuacan and Mayan rooms. In the Mayan room we saw some outside reproductions of the Mayan murals. There were also originals and copies of several stelae. One of Tonio’s favorite is the covering of Pakal’s Tomb.
Aztec Sun Stone (a.k.a. Aztec Calendar)
At the National Museum of Anthropology and Archeology
Kat: "What is that weird face-like building behind us?"
Tonio: "I don't know. Just smile!"
Tonio: "I don't know. Just smile!"
Later that evening we hosted a little party for Tonio’s friends to come. We had a good time. Overall five friends were able to make it. Two of them gave Tonio the best present he could have received. It was a shirt that had what appeared to be the Aztec Sun Stone (Aztec Calendar) and said Star Wars Mexico. However, if you looked closer you could see that each icon of the original Aztec stone had been replaced with a Star Wars Character. Tonio loved it. To this day he calls it his precious. For the little party we got a cake called King’s Cake. It is traditionally eaten on January 6 to celebrate the arrival of the Wise Men to baby Jesus. However, we decided to eat some early since we would not be in Mexico on January 6.
Best-Present-Ever
Best-Present Givers: Estela and Silvia
High School Friends: David and Mariana
Chewbacca (a.k.a. Yuri) and me.
On Thursday, we went with Angel and his family to Las Estacas. It is a park about two hours outside Mexico City that has a river formed by a Volcano underground runoff. The water is not too cold as it maintains its temperature constant throughout the year. This is the same place we visited in August of 2009. Katrina loves this place, particularly because there are swings she uses to jump in the water. She must have done about 20 jumps from the swing. She did not catch an ear infection (Christmas Miracle #6).
Cute, wet nephews
Say Hi to Mauricio!
Danny, show me your teeth!
On Friday we made preparations for the New Year’s Eve dinner. We went to Angel’s house and spent the evening with them. Tonio prepared his world famous turkey and Nadia (Angel’s wife) prepared a delicious picadillo. We, once again, waited until it was very late to eat dinner. After the arrival of the New Year we played a game with dice call Zilch. Angel and Nadia really liked it. We stayed up until 2 am playing the game.
Kiss the cooks!
The next morning we had a lazy day at Angel’s place. We had originally planned on going out but between having Angel’s car breaks not working well and rain outside, we decided to stay home, watch movies and eat leftovers. Everybody stayed in their pajamas. It is funny how lazy days go surprisingly fast. When we next noticed it was time to get ready and get back home. We left Angel’s place around 9 to return to Aida’s and pack. On our way to Aida’s we received a call from Angel. He wanted us to talk to Mauricio one more time because he got pretty sad after we left. It is always hard to leave such adorable nephews.
Attack!
One too many Margaritas (hey, it's New Years in Mexico)
At length we made it back home. It was good to visit family. Katrina had a chance to know a lot more of Tonio’s family and they also got to know a little more of this crazy and beautiful blonde. Tonio’s family commented on how fun and cute Katrina is. We could not agree more. You might wonder by now, what happened to the other two loaves of pumpkin bread. Let’s just say that they never made it out alive from Aida’s place. What happens in Mexico stays in Mexico. Feliz Navidad.
