paying taxes on the land
As Colleen said, "It was Biblical." One needs to pay in person. We took a cab to the shopping center where there are buses going to the surrounding small towns. We paid taxes on our land in Dos Rios, Emiliano Zapata, Veracruz. (Town, county, state?). The line was long, the day was hot, but mission accomplished. The municipal building was a beautiful orange colonial style with gray trim. We know at least some of the taxes went to keeping up the appearances. Well, maybe our $14.00 contributed toward gas money to get the paint. On the way back it was a cinch - same bus company, Mercedes Benz, 2nd class bus. Oops! Paro to protest diesel price increases. The driver said yesterday's traffic was stopped for 5 hours and if we wanted to walk he'd be glad to pick us up at any point if they got started sooner than he thought. Also if we got far enough, past Central de Abastos where the paro originated, we could board any Miradores bus for free, by saying we came from #71. We walked right down the center of the 3 lane highway through now 4 lanes of parked cars (the shoulder had become the 4th ). We were very lucky to run into the coconut seller early on and drank water from a baggie, he had forgotten the straws, and ate the meat with chili powder and lemon juice. It saved us. At the starting point it was really strange walking down an empty highway where traffic is usually zooming. We trucked on and finally boarded a Miradores bus right before Plaza Americas where the cloverleafs start and walking would be quite challenging. I had the previous receipts and we paid nothing.

paying taxes on the house
It was totally a breeze. We went on a cool, overcast day in the afternoon, not the morning. NO lines! The Xalapa Municipal Palace was a sight to be seen. There were red and white jacketed helpful young people all over the place, a modulo de informacion, and many open stations that had been temporarily set up in the patio. Zero wait, no separate bank line. Done. If you pay in January there's a 20% discount Seniors get a 50% discount if they pay in either Jan or Feb.

other payments
It is now easier in Mexico to pay bills. We've paid phone and cable at the local grocery store, any cashier. Water has to be paid at the water works if you pay a year at a time, or other places if you pay monthly. We saw an ATM like machine for paying electricity.

movie and a mojito
We tried Cineopolis movie complex at 2 shopping malls but there were no tickets for Hereafter with Matt Damon so I suggested mojitos at Cubanias downtown. The young people were out! There must be some Wednesday special. We found a refuge from the loud rock music in Cubanias as they've now expanded across the alley and have gone upstairs. We enjoyed the best mojitos I've ever had (we haven't been to Cuba) while watching a Buena Vista Social Club taped concert on the big screen!

reading
I'm really enjoying my Nook. I've downloaded older free books and am reading Booker T Washington, WEB DuBois, Helen Keller, Andrew Carnegie, and Mary Seacole. It's like taking a personal journey into the past and I'm grateful to them for writing. I finished Resilience by Elizabeth Edwards, Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross, Black Titan, biography of A.G. Gaston, and Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo. Am looking forward to The Help by (?), Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese and have started both Hot, Flat and Poor by Thomas Friedman and Family of Secrets by Ron Baker about the Bushes.

food
It's been yummy. Had a different kind of granada, not the pomegranite one, zapote chico and lots of oranges, mardarins, papayas and a variety of bananas. Made mushroom and spinach quesadillas that were a hit with Roberto and me.
It's Friday so the lechero is coming with fresh milk :)

ESL
A friend came over tonight and maybe we've arranged for three classes a week. We really had fun. Dora sat in and was rightly proud of her contributions. I had given Otilia the functions list from ESL Miscellany as homework to get an idea of a starting point and a bit of a road map. If it's not fun I'm not interested.

There's a chance I'll write more frequently so it won't be so long. Totally disgusted and fascinated at the same time with the shootings in Arizona. Feel so far away and helpless. Would love to have gone to Keith Ellison's Congressman on the Corner today in Minneapolis.