Chat Zone for The Big Big Trip Journal!

[IaninSheffield]

...
Why am I talking about plane crashes?
Well, I haven't been in the best of form for a while. Nothing serious, but it first manifested itself in a poor sleeping pattern. I'd wake up suddenly and have terrible difficulty getting back to sleep. This would happen several times a night, and of course, with sleep, it affects everything else.
It took me a while to i.d. the trigger and as I alluded to above it was a few things all running together.
...

Reading onwards from the above would indeed suggest a rather rough patch ... hopefully, rather than a crash, more ... 🤔, more ...

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Captain has turned on the fasten seat belt sign. We are now crossing a zone of turbulence. Please return your seats and keep your seat belts fastened. Thank you.”

Good to see you appear to have flown through with no more than a little spilt coffee down your shirt. The city, the architecture, the trees, and of course the people (and the dogs!) together constituted your seat belt. Maybe it was tricky to get it to clunk-click at first, then it dug in a little at times, or was a little too tight, but in the end it kept you safe.

Oh, and if you could avoid paragraphs like:

In the centre of the old town of Coyocán a girl walking her Shepherd notices that the little guy selling sweets shrinks from her dog. Leaving the dog sitting obediently, she goes over to the little guy, hunkers down and has a little chat. On cue, the shepherd approaches and she slowly takes the little boy's hand in her own and places it on the dog's head. Moving slowly, they rub the compliant dog's head as one until she slowly removes her hand leaving his stroking the dog. How often do we get to see new friendships start?

... in future, I'd be grateful. Definitely felt the quivering of my lower lip. If there'd been a photo accompanying it, I'd have been a blubbering wreck!

Enjoy the rest of your flight 😉

 

[Shadow]

Weird. A couple of days ago I was wondering what had happened to you because we (CC) had not heard from you in a while. Now we know why. Thanks for posting, it made a good read. An uplifting, ultimately, little tale. As Ian above said, glad you have got over your bumpy ride.
As always, a fascinating insight into life in the city. Your observations are always interesting.
Love the special tree in the last pic. Others presumably also found it special in order to build a plinth around it. Or was it planted in its own concrete housing to commemorate something/someone?
Looking forward to the next post and reading about the impending decision.
As always, best wishes.

 

[Vantage]

Sorry to read of your rough turbulence @HobbesOnTour but glad you landed safely with a complimentary pint of sunshine

 

[HobbesOnTour]

If there'd been a photo accompanying it, I'd have been a blubbering wreck!

Enjoy the rest of your flight 😉

Thanks Ian😊
Fear not, there is no photograph! Some scenes can be destroyed with the introduction of a lens.....and I wasn't risking that one!

It was an unusual scene, but not out of character for this place. There's something in the air, it seems, that people take the time and interact with each other in meaningful and respectful ways.
It was a special moment and I discovered that I'd apparently swallowed a golf ball😊

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Love the special tree in the last pic. Others presumably also found it special in order to build a plinth around it. Or was it planted in its own concrete housing to commemorate something/someone?
Looking forward to the next post and reading about the impending decision.
As always, best wishes.

Thank you, Shadow.
The tree is indeed special but how or why I am still trying to find out.
It's located outside the convent at Churubusco and was the site of the last battle between Mexico and the USA in the war of 1847.
There'll be a post with more detail in the not too distant future and there's a friendly man who mans the Church gates on Sundays that I have a hunch will have some more info - once my Spanish improves enough to understand the details

This city is full of trees and having a plinth is not unusual. Nor is it unusual to see (new) buildings built around an (old) tree! The one photographed is particularly special though. I can't tell you how many times I visited to get a chance to take a photo without people under it! To step under the protection of that tree when the sun is belting down and feel the instant coolness is almost magical. There's a calmness under those branches that's hard to explain - no wonder it's so popular!

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Sorry to read of your rough turbulence @HobbesOnTour but glad you landed safely with a complimentary pint of sunshine

Ah, it was just a bit of turbulence, but thank you for the kind words.
I debated with myself whether to include it or not, but it's part of the journey so it belongs here.
On a regular trip bad places or experiences can literally be left behind, negative thoughts can be dumped on the side of the road never to be seen again (unless dumbass does a big circle!), but this has not turned out to be quite the typical little bike tour

In the supermarket a couple of days ago I saw some cans of Guinness and thought of you! I'd have bought one and drank it in honour of you and Vantage Snr. but my trangia set is in a corner under the bed and I was just too lazy much of a conservationist
Thanks again

 

[cwskas]

On a regular trip bad places or experiences can literally be left behind, negative thoughts can be dumped on the side of the road never to be seen again (unless dumbass does a big circle!), but this has not turned out to be quite the typical little bike tour

... a philosopher

... I was just too lazy much of a conservationist

... and a humorist.

Willie

 

[Shadow]

I debated with myself whether to include it or not, but it's part of the journey so it belongs here.

Quite so.
It is all these things, good and bad, that make us the folk we are today. Some are memorable, some stay dormant or hidden but still remain part of us. Surely this is one of the principal reasons for these journeys.
I have mentioned it before, so this is merely a reminder when able, I think you (and all other CC'ers who read Hobbes' posts) would really enjoy Kate Harris' 'Lands of Lost Borders'.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I think you (and all other CC'ers who read Hobbes' posts) would really enjoy Kate Harris' 'Lands of Lost Borders'.

It's available on Kindle!!
Downloading a copy as I type!
Thank you!

 

[Shadow]

It's available on Kindle!!
Downloading a copy as I type!
Thank you!

Hope it lives up to my hype now!! Don’t let it disrupt your Spanish revision!
🇨🇦

 

[IaninSheffield]

The Date.....Part 1

It sounds like start of a wonderful relationship! Love at first sight?
What an amazing place! And a splendidly evocative description.
What you've been doing since your enforced but serendipitous rest from travel is, with each post, opening my eyes to the wonders of a location I would never have associated with such cultural, architectural and social wealth. That's doubtless sadly due to my ignorance and eurocentric(?) biases. How ironic though that without this infernal worldwide affliction, you might never have been able to share such detail ... and yet we are (I am!) unable to pursue the possibility of enjoying what this amazing city has to offer because of that very same pandemic. <How selfish of me 🙁> One day though ...

 

[HobbesOnTour]

@IaninSheffield
Yes! Most definitely love at first sight!

My photo doesn't do her justice, but it's an accurate representation from the day.

Located with a busy artery on one side, most wonderful park (surprise!) on the other, with a vast expanse of space in front, now thankfully usable for people to gather, it's like she has risen from the ground as a beacon of beauty and grace that we should all strive towards!

Don't be hard on yourself with respect to ignorance or Eurocentric attitudes. My experience is less that of a tourist and tilted slightly to that of a resident.

Simple fact is that any news about México is invariably bad. Top news story on the BBC website the last few days is the discovery of 59 bodies in a town.
It's also the same for the UK. And Ireland. And the US. Bad news sells.
It's a lesson we'd do well to learn, especially those of us on bikes - get out and see the real world - not the fake, mass media representation of it.

There's a trick, though. We need to give ourselves the time to appreciate it too. And once in a strange place, be open to the strangeness, not critical of it. These are choices we make and the further I get away from home (measured more in time than distance these days) I see how the society I come from places different importance on different things.
This weekend, Halloween to you and I, is the perfect example. There is such a happy, joyful, natural slant on death that is quite different from my own, it is quite simply mind blowing.

If my trip ended tomorrow I don't see how I could have squeezed anymore out of it. This weekend has been that special!

I often wonder if I could wander the city I used to live in NL with the same attitude as here? I know I could do it in the next town over. If I could do it at home? Magical!😊

Sorry for prattling on! This weekend has been delightfully emotional😊

 

[CharlesF]

The Date is a brilliant read, I felt was there with you. Maybe your best post to date. Thanks!

 

[HobbesOnTour]

The Date is a brilliant read, I felt was there with you. Maybe your best post to date. Thanks!

Thanks Charles!
There's parts two and three to come.....so I'll have to ask you to keep your distance

 

[HobbesOnTour]

An interesting video....

View: https://youtu.be/1wxJ4KcFbws