Chef Mamá Alma

Since Alma had told me she had planned on leaving work at 1:30, I assumed she would get to the house around 2. We left the hotel around 1:30 to go wait for the bus. We ended up walking into an empty house (except for Vasito of course) at the stroke of 2. We made ourselves at home, and I dropped off a few things from the hotel so I would have enough room for everything I needed to bring back from the hotel. A few minutes later, Mamá Alma walked in with her grandchildren Dael and Lía. She got them settled on the couch with a movie (Dael had been sick all day) and came into the kitchen to start preparing things while we sat and chatted. She was such a gracious host (duh). The chiles rellenos were already fixed and waiting in a pot, so she started cutting up fish to fry. She had lettuce, cucumbers and avocados for a salad and red rice. It was too much, but again, we had no trouble eating it all. She's just an amazing cook. She had made sure to have coca light for me. Alma got there and had snuck away from work and would have to get back within the hour. We sat down and ate and really enjoyed each other's company. Mom could see why I was so happy there. Mamá Alma truly treats me like her own daughter. Alma said she would take us back to the hotel when she left for work, but Mamá Alma hadn't heard that, so when we were all finished eating, but Mom and I were so stuffed we couldn't stop sighing, she asked if Mom wanted to go up to her bedroom and take a nap. The Mexican culture is just so open, welcoming and hospitable. Whatever they have is yours.

The next thing she offered was absolutely ridiculous, but she wouldn't take no for an answer. She asked when Mom was leaving and we told her at 7am Saturday, and she said "I'll pick you up for the airport." Are you CRAZY?! She was volunteering to be at our hotel at 5:30 am. I told her absolutely not, that we would call a taxi and she said she'd be up already anyway. I asked Alma and she said, "Yeah, she can do it. She's always up early."

Wow.

We left there with Alma, stuffed and happy.