Guanajuato is for lovers

Oh Mexico! Thank you for being so warm and friendly and full of life. Travel makes it easy to fall in love. Every day seems to be a celebration of something here, cakes are bought, drinks are poured, music is flowing, smiles and hugs are being given. Hidden alleyways bring mystery and romance. Here's free cake we got in the town center on Wednesday night...we can have our cake AND eat it here.

Guanajuato inspires us to slow down and marvel at the sights and Gordon to get out his sketchbook again, something that was tough to have brain space for when working so much. I'm working on my paint by number next to him for people with stunted art skills.

Since Gordon and I got married less than 5 months ago, we are technically on our Luna de Miel or Moon of Honey right now. We honeymooners can stroll the streets hand in hand, smooch on a park bench like the lovebirds out on dates, or in Mexico called 'Los Tortolos' or love doves. Oh who wouldn't want to smooch for hours on some cold metal dog peed on benches?

Seriously our little square benches are full of 'Los Acarmelados' or the carmel ones, which is slang for people making out.  In Mexico, as in many other cultures multiple generations of family members live under the same room so it's important for the young courting lovers to have some space....which we find better on a hike to La Bufa just outside the city.

A close second to their families, Mexicans seem to share their love in spades for dogs and we've discovered Gus is our portable Spanish tutor. I had no clue how much attention Gus would receive here - a common goldendoodle breed in the USA that everyone and your brother owns, is 'que raro' down here. People cross the street often to let us know 'que hermoso' - what a beautiful dog we have. I knew he was handsome but I've never seen so much attention. And Gustavo is here for it. Here he is waiting at the top of the stairs for his after school welcome home smooch.

Everytime someone asks his name we say 'Gustavo' and they start laughing and telling the other people in their group that this dog's name is Gustavo. Many times a photo ensues. I asked our Spanish teacher why the name Gustavo always has this effect on people and it's because they don't name their pets people's names. Usually you get a spot, oreo, fluffy, or dolly, but not a true rare Gustavo.

Oh well, he's living it up as he gets pets, and sometimes churros from little girls, and we get to practice our Spanish and start conversations with people we wouldn't normally have the opportunity to. Dogs rule the world, but I had no idea how much fun it would be to have him here with us, he's invited in everywhere we go (yes we always ask) and is our home on the road. 

Another phrase we learned in school is 'Eres la salsa de mis tacos' - or you are the salsa to my tacos.  (instead of the apple of my eye). This cafe owner lost his salsa to his tacos and opened this cafe we walk past at least twice a day on our way to school. The name of the cafe is 'My Life without you' and underneath it says 'opened from heartbreak.'

I sure hope no german shepard in a skirt breaks Gus's heart.

But it's really this guy who is the 'Taco de ojo' or literally taco of my eye. Which is more like eye candy...it's been really fun to see his confidence and understanding in Spanish bloom after just 3 short weeks of spanish lessons and I couldn't ask for a better travel companion in this city of lovers.

Enough of this lovey dovey stuff, our other favorite slang we've learned is 'Que Pedo?' which literally means 'what fart?' but is used for saying 'what's up?' I think it's going to become a common phrase in our home...I implore you to add it to yours and the salsas in your tacos.