April and May

I haven't written any blogs because there really hasn't been too much to write about.  Pancho is still working and playing tennis, and I'm still horseback riding and just doing daily household things in Mexico.  We've been to a wedding and two weeks ago we went semi-camping, which was a lot of fun.  We went to a place about an hour from Puebla with some cousins and did some bike riding, trailing, fishing, zip-lining, bonfire and s'mores (sort of- they don't have graham crackers in Mexico, so we had to use plain cookies).  We stayed in a cabin and had a really good time.

There are have been some tennis tournaments here in Puebla, so Pancho has been going to those.  The last one was on Saturday.  In the morning Pancho came to horseback riding with me and convinced my trainers to see if I could jump 110 cm, about 3'6.  I was jumping well at lower heights and they kept moving the bar up.  So I did my highest jump and was pretty happy about it.  Saturday evening we went out to eat in the downtown.  The food was really good.  It was typical food from Puebla.  There was a kitten sitting in an alley next to me.  It was really hard not to give it food and take it home with me.  It ending up sitting at my feet the entire meal.  But it wasn't annoying or asking for food, just sitting there.

It wasn't normally looking at me, but I made noises so he would look up.

On Sundays in Puebla one of main streets in closed from 8am-12pm.  We borrowed some bikes and went with a cousin and his wife to ride through the downtown area and have breakfast.  We really enjoyed it.  Afterwards, Pancho and I went to the ex-hacienda de Chautla.  I've been wanting to visit since I've seen so many pictures of it.  The house itself is a little disappointing because it's completely empty and not as big as it looks.  It's frustrating to see something so pretty not being put to good use.  It could easily be used as a restaurant or a place for events, but it's just an empty building.  But all the other buildings are really cool.  I like looking at ruins and imagining what they were used for.  This place must have been pretty big.  We had fun walking around and we brought a picnic dinner with us.  It was a very enjoyable day.

Here's the garden without water in the fountains.  Still very pretty though.

I love how the house reflects on the water.  But like I said, completely empty on the inside.

Walking up to the house.  That's Pancho on the right.

Walking up the tower.

Very pretty place to go.

I love seeing the cactus just growing out of the old wall.

The only other interesting thing is that the Popo has been pretty active.  One morning we woke up with a layer of ash on everything.  The only dangerous this for us is the ash.  Every time I stepped outside for a day or two my throat would start getting scratchy and it irritated my eyes sometimes.  But, it has since rained and washed away a lot of ash.

Pancho leaving for work.  That's ash all over the car.

That's about it for now.  We're doing well and looking forward to some family and friends visiting in July.  :)