You Could See This Too - Bustamante

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

 

We were invited to a confirmation mass and party for Ivana.  Here parents are our good friend Felipe and Lorena who live in Bustamante, Nuevo Leon.  It is a small pueblo magico on Hwy 1 from Monterrey to the Colombia Bridge.   They run a small hotel and restaurant and live in a truly wonderful place.   There are caves up in the mountains with a new cable car that takes you up to a visitor's center and then a tour of the caves.   Nearby is a Nuevo Leon state park with a natural spring, palapas and electricity for campers.   It is a long and narrow park that runs about 10 kms.   Bustamante is well-known for its fantastic sweet breads such as semita and empanadas de piloncillo.  

 

We headed out Saturday afternoon after picking up some parts for the VW.   It needed new belts and a wheel bearing.   The work was done today in the afternoon at a mechanic up the road.  The timing belt, two others and two wheel bearings cost 630 pesos and the labor 900 pesos.   The parts are German but a knock off brand that we have used since the early eighties on my past VW cars;  a 72 Beetle, 78 Rabbit, 93 Jetta and now the 09 Pointer.   Never a quality issue.

 

Here are some great shots of our trip once we left the north side of Monterrey.   It has been raining off and on since the big storm but the clouds and the greenery are truly amazing.  Enjoy.

 

 

We spent Saturday night out under the stars at the hotel until 3 a.m. telling stories, laughing and chatting up a storm.  We have known most of these people over the last 30 years and many are folkloric dancers.   One interesting point came up.  Almost all of the members in the dance group went on to do great things; getting a university degree, buying a home, starting a family, etc.   Discipline and team work are great things.   

Needless to say, Sunday was a bit difficult.   I didn't drink much but those of you who know me, I'm pretty much a party pooper who drops out early.   Sunday came and I was up by 8 o'clock and down to the lobby for breakfast and reading my mail.   By 1 p.m., time for the mass and confirmation, I was pretty much beat.   But I stuck it out and we had a wonderful lunch.

The bishop said the mass and the mayors from six nearby towns came to the mass and lunch.  It was truly an event.  Here are some pics.

Proud parents with their daughter Ivanna.

The godmother with two teachers.

Yours truly with my lovely friend Clara.