Monday

So Chori had told everyone we needed to leave between 8 and 9 to get back to Mexico City since I was flying home. Considering it took us right at two hours to get to Tepoztlán in the middle of the night, I had a hard time believing it would take us that long to get back; my flight was at 8:15 pm. I also had a hard time believing (based on experience at this point) that Mexicans would all be ready by the suggested time.
I set my alarm for 8:30 realizing I would probably be the first up but unwilling to be the high maintenance gringa.
I got my shower, got packed, and headed downstairs. Chori’s brother (Chorilín, another variation of a talkative liar) was in his permanent place for the weekend: on the couch playing xbox.
I sat and read and got on the internet. Several people trickled down over the next hour. Those who had camera cards that fit into my converter graciously let me copy their pictures since I had fallen down on the job.
By about 11, we had all made Coca Light jokes, wakened those who were still sleeping, and packed and loaded the cars. We all stood outside the house (the family stayed until later in the day) as if looking for an excuse to stay (I could think of one: my flight didn’t leave for another 9 hours and we could eat, play, shop some more!). When it was inevitable that all that was left was the departure, we all said our goodbyes. Insert departure kisses here. Everyone kisses everyone (well, guys have a handshake hug mix), whether you know them well or like them. We all appropriately hugged/shook/kissed.
We piled into our cars and headed out. Since the couples car (the guy who looked like Che Guevarra, his girlfriend, brother and wife) had gotten seriously lost on Saturday night, we all departed Tepoztlán together.
At the edge of town, where it was almost freeway, we all stopped at an Oxxo. This is such a Mexican thing. Whenever on your way anywhere, there are multiple stops for food and drink. Occasionally you pack your own beverages (alcoholic only), but almost always you stop and stock up.
Once on the highway, we all inevitably separated.
We got to the outskirts of DF by 1ish and Chori said we were too early to go to the airport (ya think?!) so we’d head back to the house, get some lunch and then go. I was unopposed. I insisted on paying a toll this time since I had slept through the first. It was less than 200 pesos. I think it was less than 100, but too much time has passed.
We got to Chori’s house, which clearly was very nice, and made ourselves at home. A few minutes later, Juan and Paloma showed up sans witch and Ariana; they had been dropped off to visit family (the witch because she teaches in Cancun during the week) and boyfriend (Ariana). We all ordered take-out. I got a salad that was very satisfying and the boys got sandwiches. We put in Be Kind Rewind, which was a decent movie. It was hard to watch, though, because it was in English. No, my Spanish is not so good that I don’t understand English anymore. It was in English and there were Spanish subtitles, so the guys didn’t see much need in being quiet; they were reading the subtitles. So I had to read the subtitles as well (not to mention hang in there with their conversation!), trying to figure out what the actual phrasing was in English (so much gets lost in translation!).
A few minutes later, the married couple and brother showed up (Paulina had been dropped off somewhere) and they ordered take out. After the movie, we started looking through the DVR. Have I mentioned the TV was bigger than any I’ve ever seen and also a flat screen? It was like the size of those free standing tvs from the 80s or 90s that were like movie tvs. Am I making sense? Only this one was flat.
So on the DVR was lucha libre. Right. Wrestling. I thought they were kidding. Oh, no. They were serious. We watched a good hour or two of it. I thought WWF was bad and fake. Wow. This stuff was bad. But, like the good, low maintenance gringa that I am, I sat silently and watched.
By the end of that, it was 5:30 and time for us to make our way to the airport.
We all departed from the sidewalk with kisses all around again (didn’t we just do this 6 hours ago?!).
Chori drove me the 30 minutes in bumper to bumper traffic to the airport and parked and helped me in with my ridiculously large suitcases. He walked me up to the counter, waited for me to get checked in, and walked me to my security entrance. I thanked him for a really fun time and he thanked me for putting up with them. Ha! It was a great weekend and I’m really glad I went.
I sat in the airport (after buying a Mexico City Starbucks mug) and emailed and blogged as much as possible. This flight allowed for some sleep (I was exhausted after all), and Mabel was there to pick me up when I arrived. Cosette had gone to Mochis (a town 2 hours away) with Paulina (the neighbor whose mom had the baby shower early in my Culiacán life) for the long weekend (no school many places on Monday) and wouldn’t be back until Tuesday morning.