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The Virtual Vacation Mexico: Pátzcuaro – Early Morning

February 21, 2014 By Laura Davis 4 Comments · · · · · · Read & Respond

photo credit: Tracy the Astonishing via cc

photo credit: Tracy the Astonishing via cc

I really wanted to sleep in this morning. I was dreaming of ten hours of sleep and not opening my eyes until 9 AM, but at 5:30 I was wide awake. I guess there’s still a lot of adrenaline coursing through my body from being on performance mode at the conference. It was still completely dark in my room, yet I could tell, that without pharmaceutical support, more sleep was impossible. And it was too late to chip a little piece off the Ativan by my bed. I didn’t want to wake up three hours from now, groggy.

I thought about how nice it would be to lay in bed, put on my earphones and listen to my audiobook of The Goldfinch for a couple of hours until breakfast was served. But then I remembered my father and how, whenever we traveled together when I was a child, he’d always get up at dawn and set out alone while the rest of us slept, often returning an hour or two later when we were just waking up, with a little treat or a story.

Venturing out alone, armed with only a smile and a Buenas Dias, was a little scary, but with my Dad by my side, I got up and quietly dressed, pulled a brush through hair badly needing a washing, and pulled a fleece shirt over my head. I stepped out onto our patio, holding my hotel keys, my phone camera and a small notebook in my hand. A wave of cold and the sound of many roosters greeted me, encouraging me on my small morning adventure.

When I let myself out onto the street, I smiled at the intricate sidewalks made of volcanic rock—large slabs of it and then small broken pieces patterned at the edges.

sidewalk

The 2/3 moon was still above me, the sky just beginning to lighten. People dressed in hoodies, shawls and track suits walked purposefully around me—they were going somewhere—to work, to school—their days were beginning.  Deep resonant church bells tolled behind me, filling me with pleasure and awe. A surge of joy brought a smile to my lips. I was so happy to be out here looking, noticing, being, delighted and surprised by everything I was seeing, hearing, feeling. And I felt like my father was with me. I only wished I could speak Spanish—how that would open this world up to me!

When I reached the Plaza Vasco de Quiroga (also known as Plaza Grande), just a few blocks away, people were jogging, stretching, or just getting where they were going. An old man in a white wide-brimmed hat swept the path with a large branch:

sweeping

As I meandered up some of the side streets off the Plaza, I noticed this tour bus:

bus

Suzy had told me yesterday that busloads of Mexican tourists come here to buy the local crafts and I guess she was right. Cars drove by, headlights still on. Madres and abuelas walked their children and grandchildren to school. And the long narrow cobblestone streets were full of shops with the red doors still closed, the promise of the day’s commerce as yet unfulfilled.

shops

Many of the doors had beautiful knockers like this one:

knocker

Some of the walls were aging:

meter

When I looked closely, I could see that the adobe walls were made of mud and straw, and in this case, held in place with wire:

inside of wall

I passed lots of the limed trees I told you about yesterday:

limed tree

I loved the gate surrounding this old church:

gatewall3 gatewall2 gatewall1

The sky had grown light and the day had begun. I walked home to the sound of roosters. The church bell was tolling again, its deep resonant reminder of grace.

When I walked through the front door of my hotel, I was greeted by beauty. I loved the inside-outsideness of the inner courtyard. Aside from the senora making our breakfast in the kitchen, the whole place was still asleep:

garden

Filed Under: Mexico, The Virtual Vacation Tagged With: creative writing, entrepreneur, marketing, memoir, mexico, teaching, travel, writing practice, writing tips

« Previous Post: The Virtual Vacation Mexico: On The Road to Pátzcuaro
Next Post: The Virtual Vacation Mexico: The Sound of Hummingbirds »

Comments

  1. Jane Leder says

    February 23, 2014 at 7:23 am

    I was one of those writers sitting at one of the long tables under a white tent on Monday morning. By then, I was worn out. Sensory overload. Workshops, speakers, social events. Luckily, my husband and I rent una casa in San Miguel for two months. I didn’t have to worry about hopping on a plane but could go “home” and re cooperate before returning to my memoir, Spanish and yoga classes. Oh, did I mention sitting on the terrace with a good book?

    I think maybe next year I’ll skip the workshops and focus on the speakers and saving my energy (and money!) for another side trip and a wonderful piece of folk art.

    Cheers

    Reply
    • Laura Davis says

      February 23, 2014 at 9:50 am

      I am happy with what I bought. But I did love the conference too!

      Reply
  2. June Radicchi says

    February 23, 2014 at 10:31 am

    As an armchair traveler this trip was too short although, truth be known, I remember the exhaustion of “brain overload”, the result of trying too hard to make every new or interesting idea our own.
    I loved this trip, Laura, and thank you once again for including us all.

    Reply
  3. Petrina says

    February 24, 2014 at 12:46 pm

    wow! :]

    Reply

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Like this Virtual Vacation?

You can also read about Laura’s travels to:

Peru 2017

In which Laura and Karyn and 18 writers explore Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley of Peru.

Serbia 2017

In which Laura leads a workshop at the Incest Trauma Center.

Greece 2016

In which Laura explores the wonders of Crete and Santorini with a wide-eyed group of Write, Travel, Transform adventurers.

Vietnam 2015/16

In which Laura, who grew up during the Vietnam War, goes to Southeast Asia and finds out what Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are really like today.

Commonweal 2015

A journey toward healing loss and grief in a magnificent Northern California setting.

Scotland 2015

In which Laura returns to Scotland with a new group for another jaunt through the wonders of the Scottish Highlands.

Scotland 2013

In which Laura attends the Edinburgh theatre festival and leads 14 writers to a magical retreat in the highlands of Northern Scotland.

Bali 2013

In which Laura visits Australia, and spends three weeks diving, exploring, and teaching in three regions of Bali.

Florida 2014

A journey into old age in America in which Laura brings her 86-year-old mother to Florida so she can see her last surviving sister one final time.

Mexico 2014

In which Laura attends the San Miguel Writer’s Conference and explores the artistic towns around Patzcuaro.

About Laura Davis

In the course of my career as a communicator, I have also worked as a columnist, talk show host, radio reporter, radio producer, blogger, editor, and speaker. Words have always been at the core of my work and my self-expression. Read More . . .

Photo taken by Jason Ritchey

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What People Are Saying About Laura Davis:

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Retreating with Laura: Julie Sheehan

Julie Sheehan

For many years I put off my dream of writing and traveling. I told myself the kids were too little, my husband could never survive without me, that I couldn't possibly be so selfish. I couldn't imagine realistically stepping out of all of my responsibilities and roles. Then I started attending Laura’s summer retreat at Commonweal in northern California and that became an annual gift to myself for the next three years.

When the opportunity to travel with Laura internationally came up, my Land of Later mentality said I could never pull it off. But when my friend got cancer at age 39, I decided to stop taking life and it's endless opportunities to grow, live, nurture and explore myself for granted.

My children were 6 and 9 when I began allowing myself the luxurious pleasure of taking 10 days to two weeks each year to travel abroad with Laura, to spend time with like minded, soul searching people who share a passion for living and writing, to have all my meals prepared for me, to have the space and freedom to stretch out of my cage and check in with who I am, what I want, and how best to get there.

Laura is a skilled and nurturing teacher who encourages her students to take risks, to grow as human beings, and to be vulnerable. She has provided me with a forum where I can gain all my CEUs and learn techniques on how to become a more engaging writer, all while completing yearly emotional rehab.

I return home from each of Laura’s trip a little wiser, a little more open, and a lot more compassionate. I greet my family, friends and daily life with sparkly, clean energy and a renewed patience, brought about by way of re-writing old stories that I needed to let go of. I come home ready to move forward in my life.

A retreat with Laura Davis is one of the best gifts I ever received and gave myself. It took many years to realize that I was worth the time and financial investment, but now there is no looking back.

Julie Sheehan, Livermore California

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