Something new, something wierd, something not blue and something yummy

So, I'm headed to the mainland, my mission today is to buy coffee (it's cheaper there) contact lens cleaner (don't have any on the Island) , get some cash (have no banks here) have lunch at the market (fish or shrimp dish for 50 pesos) , buy a red dress for a Valentine's day dance (I'm still in dance training) and make a physio therapy appointment (heard the guy was hot and single....he might go nicely with my red dress) and also wanted to stop at a friend's house (hadn't seen her yet this season)

The ferry boat was just leaving as I was approaching, the captain backed the boat up and waited for me, I thank him, I smile at everyone and greet them just in case I now made someone 3 minutes late for something. One guy has his life jacket on upside down, everyone laughs as his wife points it out to him, I don't. (I think I've done this)

AT the other end as I approach the street a taxi driver asks if I need a ride, I decline, like I always do, but then he asks "why not?" , I laugh and point at my legs, he whistles as I walk by, I wished my dancing skills were up to par....I would have done  the cha cha for him.

As I turn a corner to head towards my friends house a guy asks if I am lost, I say no but I am not sure if the street I am looking for is 2 more blocks or 3 (streets here have names not numbers) he says it's 2 blocks and walks with me, I didn't really like this but its daylight and there are many people walking and driving by so I relax. He asks where I live, I tell him the Island, he asks how long the ferry ride is (means he's never been there), after chatting briefly he takes out a little wee plastic bag with some white powder in it and asks if I want some. I put  my hand over my mouth to stifle my scream of  "ARE YOU CRAZY", I can't not scream. This has never happened to me before, I have never even seen shit like this here , never, not even marijuana. He puts it back in his pocket and continues walking beside me in silence, 1/2 a block later I realize I still have my hand over my mouth, and I haven't breathed yet. I'd make a great hostage, I'd suffocate myself. I finally take a breath and am ready to give him a piece of my mind and he turns a corner and walks away......and what do I say to him, get this, I say "thank you", And remember I do know how to tell someone off in Spanish now, and when I actually have the opportunity to do so I choke  and say "thank-you". Thank-you for what? For freaking me out? Who knows, I'm just polite that way I guess, and hilarious.

My friend and I have a great laugh at this, as I look in the mirror in her bathroom I try to see what part of me looks like I like stuffing shit up my nose, I don't see it.

Next stop, red dress, I see a shop that might work (I'm a fast shopper) , I find two dresses, one is red and one is pink, they have no dressing rooms or mirrors, a cute little girl helps me pull the red dress over my head over my clothes, I ask her how it looks, it feels tight, she gives me a very enthusiastic thumbs up, yeah yeah you're just trying to sell me a dress I think. I say it feels tight (my clothes are underneath it) she says "it would be better if you were a bit thinner", ouch! such honesty isn't really necessary I think, but this is Mexico. I try the pink one on, it seems to fit better but it's pink, I wanted a red one, she thinks it's perfect, better than the red one. I don't like the color but she seems really excited about it, I get caught up in her excitement and buy the Pepto-Bismol pink dress for 99 pesos, a dress I haven't even seen myself in, just to get the shopping part over with. Now....would I get lucky to randomly just happen to see a pair of matching pink flip flops somewhere, because I am NOT going to shoe shopping. We'll see.

Lunch time, upstairs at the market, I have breaded shrimp, it comes with rice, beans, a small salad and French fries,  and tortillas for 50 pesos. You can't beat this, and as long as the fish and shrimp are fresh it's always good, you just can't really screw up fresh fish and shrimp. I am a fisher lover, I like all fish prepared in every which way, I have never had fish I didn't like. I don't even ask what kind of fish it is anymore because it just doesn't matter, It was awesome. I try to think of life without fish and shrimp, "stop it" I tell myself it's not time for that yet. The waiter is learning English and we work on the words  "breaded" and "napkins".

I accomplish everything on my list and head home, on the boat going home I am once again relieved that I live on the Island. It always feels a wee bit cooler on the Island (by the way it is still blazin hot here), maybe it's just because you get a quick cool down on the boat ride across.
 - I do actually have a stiff neck, I'm not that desperate that I would go see a cute therapist just because  he is cute.
- When I got home I realized I could have gotten the girl to take a picture of me wearing the dress with my Iphone and then I could have seen what it looked like, I wouldn't have bought it then. I will never wear this dress......I'm an idiot.- We do have drugs here on the Island, lots of it, but it is so small that everyone knows everyone and the druggies know who  does drugs and who doesn't so you are not going to get hit up to buy some unless you give the impression that you are open to that.

How to make gorditas

Today  a friend invited me over to show me how to make gorditas. Really very simple.2 ingredients, Masca and water. Once again genius.

Mix the Masca, which is corn flour with enough water to make a soft dough. Masca doesn't get sticky like flour. Knead it softly until it is nice and soft and stays in one piece. Roll a little bit into a ball and then flatten it, making a round disc. Shape the disc into a little sombrero, lifting the edges and pulling a point up in the middle. I have seen them made without the point, but that's not important, it's cute with the point. Get the point? Haahha. Don't make them too fat or they will take forever to fry, thus soaking up a lot of grease... not that I am worrying about grease, gorditas need to be eaten with reckless abandonment.

Heat oil up in a pan, in this case it was done over a fire, and fry your little sombrero, point side up first and then flipping it over, frying until it is golden brown.

What you load onto your gordita is up to you, there is no end to what you can put on it. Carne asada, chicken, beef, beans, pork...no end to the possibilities.
We had a stir fry of onions, garlic, squash and tomatoes, topped with cheese. We had fresh basil to put on it but forgot.....just dove in  to eat it as quick as we could. 

The veggies getting sauteed 

First gordita in the pan

Making little sombreros 

Lista! Bien Provecho .....yummmy