Toluca Diablos game vs Monterrery

I went to my 3rd Toluca Diablos game yesterday with the crazy Detroit and Toronto guys. We had a blast - there was 9 of us at the game and all wearing Toluca jerseys to support our team! We sat in the close up section (palcos) so we were up close and personal to the action. The good (bad) thing about these games is that the beers are only 20 pesos each....

The rains have begun?

Normally the weather in Toluca is sunny and dry, however there is a rainy season that starts in May and goes through September. During this time it rains every day in the afternoon for a couple of hours at least.

Well, today is the 2nd day in a row that I am hearing rain on the roof! And this is heavy, steady rain, like a summer thunderstorm in west Texas.... I am thinking that the rains have come early this year.

Picture of the view from my office window looking west/southwest through the rainstorm. you can see the water on the streets.

Hoy Empieza Una Nueva Vida

I received that message in a package of granola bars yesterday. In English that translates to "Today start a new life" which I thought was highly appropriate given my circumstances. The company (Quaker) has different messages regarding health in their packages here in Mexico and it is all focused around eating right, exercising, taking time for yourself, de-stressing, etc.

In short, the messages we all need to hear and the ones that they need to be putting in their packages in the US as well....

I realize I need to be exercising daily to have an outlet for my stress and to stay in shape so I am taking a cue from my friend Mike and starting a "workout streak". (see Mike's blog for his running streak count, http://mikencarey.blogspot.com/).

I am on day 3, made it to 5 days last week before I broke my streak. I'm sharing with you all in hopes to motivate you to start your own streak.... Hoy empieza una nueva vida! Vamos, tu puedes! (let's go, you can do it!)

Toluca - things to know before you come visit

ok folks, based on the feedback given from my friend Kelly last weekend when she visited, I need to communicate a little more about Toluca so you guys know what you are in for when you visit....

first off, Toluca is at an altitude of over 8000 feet. So be prepared that you will have a little bit of a hard time breathing, and may be a little "ditzy" due to lack of oxygen.... for example, you may feel winded by just walking up the stairs or doing other normal activities. I am used to the altitude by now but Kelly felt bad for the first 2 days of her visit here.

Also the climate is sunny and dry here, so you need to drink lots of water to stay hydrated. that also helps with the altitude adjustment. I read some info today online and it is recommended that you should refrain from drinking any alcohol for the first few days until you adjust to the altitude (sorry Kelly, I just saw that today).

The temperature here is in the 40s at night and in the 70s during the daytime, so bring clothing that you can layer. Also, it is very sunny here so it is easier to get sunburned than you think. by the way, most Mexican women do not wear shorts, they do not consider it appropriate clothing to wear out in public. So I would advise you ladies to bring skirts, dresses, and capri pants if you want to wear something other than long pants.

Hope that helps to give you a more comprehensive feel for what to expect when you come to Toluca. You can take a look at the link below for some more general info on Toluca.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toluca

First Day of the Rest of My Life

OK OK, I know that is such a corny saying but it is a true one and I needed to hear it... So I am posting it and a pic to help me remember that things can only get better from here on out...

Today IS the first day of the rest of my life....

Valentine's Day (belated post)

OK
So I am a little behind on my blogging. I wanted to post some pics and info on how I spent Valentine's Day down here in Mexico by myself. I was feeling very isolated and upset that I was away from my boyfriend and not feeling that he was making an effort to be very connected/supportive/romantic with me. I was determined not to be sad that night and the opposite happened - I HAD A BLAST!

I went to dinner with some of the "crazy Detroit" folks that I had met at the hotel. (I met them and we bonded on Superbowl Sunday as we watched the game together in Espanol and without any of the fun superbowl commercials....)

We went to El Parian, nice restaurant in Lerma with a band with a fabulous singer, a large dancefloor, and a balcony overlooking the valley. Very nice atmosphere all the way around. We had a great time talking and dancing in between dinner courses. We started talking with the singer and she was very nice, took her picture with some of the group. She invited some of us on stage with her to sing - my song was the ever popular when you are mad on Valentine's Day choice of "I will Survive"....

New friends from Canada

I made some new friends from Canada that are down here working in Mexico to support a new plant startup. One of them is Dennis, here is a picture of us at dinner together with his wife of 35 years, Barbara. He is a hoot, always has a story for whatever situation is at hand....

The other person in the picture is my new friend from Detroit, Yvonne.

NOTE- I am wearing my new silver necklace and bracelet that I bought in Taxco.... NICE

Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo

I headed for a weekend in the sun i n Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo with my new friend from Detroit, Yvonne. We had a blast, it was the perfect girl's weekend. We flew out late Friday night on Interjet with no hotel reservations. Found a beautiful ocean view room at the NH Krystal and stayed there the next 2 nights. Spent Sat laying out at the pool and relaxing, Sunday we went to the nearby town Zihuatanejo to check out Playa de la Ropa. Very nice all the way around....

Some pics from our weekend: