I hope this old train brakes down

Then I could take a walk around
See what there is to see
Time is just a melody

So I’m currently trying to pack the last 1.5 years of my life into 3 suitcases, except I had somehow mistakenly thought that I would only be bringing 1 home.
I have already gotten rid of two reams of paper boxes worth of stuff, and Mom, this is for you.- I read the card out loud about how proud you were of Carrie purging her room before going to college and then ceremonially threw out some shoes. I know you would have enjoyed that. I really wasn’t in the mood to pack, I would have much rather been filling out a job application, but the internet kept kicking me off. My friends gave me a lovely ceramic water jug, and a plaque for my future home with all their signatures on the back. Both are very breakable, but I also have a ton of clothes, so I should have enough padding. R----- and Hannah hung out with me. R----- really scored as I gave her my left over junk food and some Mexican candy, and first choice of any clothes I didn’t want, but she helped too.

I’d love to write more about going to Ensenada on Saturday. Since Gabe and I are both “leaving”; him for summer job/college, and me for, well, whatever is next, Hannah (I think) proposed a fun day! A big group of us drove up to Ensenada, we left at 8am- no, David and I started cleaning the van out at 8. Somehow all the wet clothes and swimsuits from the day before were still in there. I sorta understand that for the little kids, but was embarrassed when I saw my 16 year olds wet clothes. My favorite part of all this was when the car seemed clean to me, but David still wanted to sweep the seats off so that they would look “enjoyable” to sit on. Haha. Totally something his dad would say. By the time we had picked up everyone and got gas it was like 9:15. You know, Mexican time.
I think I was recruited to drive, but had graciously given the keys to David. I later realized the positive consequences of this.
We were headed north on the highway, which is just a two lane road. We were past the military checkpoint and out of the mountains. Coming around a corner through a pass we saw a semi coming south. NOT IN HIS LANE. He was passing two cars, and couldn’t have gotten back in his lane. There wasn’t really a shoulder, just a wall of rock on our side, and we were going 60 mph, I’m sure the semi was going at least that fast. David got as far over as he could in the 15 passenger van- maybe about half way off the road. The cars the semi was trying to pass saw, and seemed to brake while the semi narrowly avoided us. It was soooo scary. I thought for sure we were going to get a flat or get stuck half on/half off the road, but we were fine. Had I been driving, I would have had to promptly get out and give the keys to someone else, but David handled it soo well.

Later I did drive around Ensenada town while we stopped at different places. Can I tell you how fun it is to park that thing in an overcrowded parking lot? Really fun since there are parking lot attendants that assist you and recommend spots, and show you how to pull in!!! ☺ I love those little men.

One of the places we went were the two museums Ensenada has to offer**. The history museum was mostly closed, an English speaking man who worked there told us it’s closed every Saturday!, He gave us some really nice pamphlets that I have yet to read. The other one, directly across the street, is an gov’t office that doubles as an art gallery that has two warehouse-esque rooms. One of the rooms, all the artwork was covered with brown butcher paper and blue tape, b/c they were opening that exhibit that night. The other room had walls filled with primary colors painted in bold juxtaposition with one another. I liked several of the paintings, but there was no photography, and I can’t seem to find the images on the internet. One was a windmill with a sparkling black background. One was a representation of a tobacco leaf in bright unnatural colors. They were having a Cuban exposition of paintings, so all the stuff was Cuban.


This is the history museum ^ It's a beautiful building with manicured gardens :) So glad to finally go in it, I've probably passed it 30 times on my ways to and from the border.


This is a real exhibition in another museum, but there was a painting similiar to this in the Cuban exhibit. This is by "los Carpinteros" and it's called "frio estudio del desatre" I loved Hannah's interpretations of all the paintings, I would have liked more time to listen to her theories.


We went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner, and that was nice. There was another table that sent us cookies, as well as a cheesy, ham, mashed potato concoction on the house. There were young men at that table, but they were also sitting with the owners of the restaurant, so it could have been from either demographic.

We spent some time at the marina. We watched a yacht being dry docked. The boys were in awe. While we were standing there it seemed like it might start to rain, I even felt some drops, and instead of being grateful thought, “It never rains in Mexico in the summer. If I would have known, I woulda’ brought my umbrella.” We were a few blocks from the car, and I didn’t want MORE wet clothes in the car, especially for such a long ride home. But it didn’t rain. Thinking ahead about the worst possibilities, or worrying, just wastes time, and eats out happiness.

Later we went to the movie theatre! It wasn’t as exciting for me, b/c even in the states I don’t go to the movies all that often. But here, when you have to drive 2.5 hours (not exaggerating) to see a movie in a theatre, it’s a special treat. The best part was playing DDR as an arcade game instead of a video game! I don’t think I’d done that before, and it was slightly embarrassing playing in public. The metal pads were GREAT.

I was going to drive home, but we didn't leave Ensenada until 10 pm, which is already past my bedtime ;) Plus, I don't like driving in the mountains at night. I love that I have friends willing to do the dirty work!

We had a great "despedida" trip. Maybe I'll have to put up more photos and things...



**I’m exaggerating of course. But I still think I’ve seen much better museum selection in smaller cities.