The Rest of My Trip

Here is the MUCH anticipated (HA) sequal to yesterday's post!!

Friday night, our speaker had given me quite a scare. He left so quickly trying to get to a baseball game that I thought he didn't notice that he had accidently taken the hotel's clip-on microphone with him. I completely ravaged our conference rooms looking for the mic. Nowhere. So I started making phone calls. I called the director (who has a habit of loosing things). Nothing. I called the speaker. Voicemail. Ahhhhh! I was screaming inside by this point. A microphone couldn't have just gotten up and walked away on it's own.

While you would think there is a happy ending to this story, in fact there is no ending to this story....When the speaker finally called me back 2 days later to tell me he didn't know where the mic was.

Saturday was the longest day. I got up at five to make sure I was downstairs working before 6 so I could have more time to look for the missing microphone. I really think I drove myself crazy about this. The hotel had already brought another mic for us to use just like we never lost the first one. I just kept my mouth shut. The last thing I needed was to have to pay for a microphone that they were charging 140 bucks a day to rent. There was alot of sitting and waiting for things to go wrong on Saturday. Once we got the all clear sign around 4pm, we quickly cleaned up the rooms and headed out to the Riverwalk. My travel mates chose a mexican restuarant on the Riverwalk that was the worst food I had ever had. So note to self...they don't get to choose anymore. So I made is a reservation at a restaurant called Pesca at the Watermark Hotel. I couldn't have chosen a better place. Cheers to me! I had a coffee, cocoa, and chayenne blackened swordfish steak with a side of mixed roasted corn, cilantro and roasted sweet potatoes. It was like being back in Key West again. The food there was always awesome and we have seriously been lacking that level of eating out since we moved to Beaumont. So this dish really went a long way in my book. Suddenly, alot of the home sickness was gone. It's amazing what food can do for you! This is a picture of all of us over the Riverwalk after dinner while walking back to the hotel.

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I crashed early that night so I could go ahead get my stuff packed for the next day. As soon as the session was adjourned on Sunday, we packed the car and headed back towards the market (sigh! I really didn't like the market...more pinatas, jewelry and t-shirts) so one of the ladies could pick a few things up along with a few more pastries.

After spending a good hour and a half in the same market we were in 2 days earlier we finally left to get food at one of the vendor stands. (BTW, I don't recommend this) I let Rosemary talk me into getting a gordita off of the street.

When she showed up with one full of chicken and ground beef, I tried my hardest to eat around the meat. Sorry, I just don't trust meat from a festival vendor anymore. I've been burned too many times. While they were in line for gorditas, I wandered over to another vendor and bought a glass of watermelon juice. Sooo Sweet!!!

Before I tell you where I wandered next, I need to preface these comments by saying that I am a city girl who eats normal things. I don't eat weird things so I don't pay attention to the names of things I don't eat. So I went over to this vendor.

Curious as to what these were, I walked over to the vendor and watched her cook a large pan of these mystery taco fillings. I watching for a while, I still couldn't figure out what they were. They looked kind of like mushrooms but more like squash. I was racking my brain and finally came to the conclusion that this must be a traditional mexican vegetable that I have never heard of. So I asked the old lady what she was cooking. She answered "Tripes Tacos." Well, I already knew that. That's what the sign says. About that time her english speaking daughter poked her head from behind her mother and said "Intestines!" I felt my lunch coming up very quickly. I felt so stupid for standing at her stand for a good few minutes eying these delicious looking "vegetables." I politely declined and returned to my group.

We walked across the street to YET ANOTHER market. Where the little girls were performing. They were so cute and I just had to snap a picture of them.

While we were in the second market, the strangest thing happened. I only know 2 people that live in San Antonio. My friend Erika's parents. And of all the people to see while we were there, I saw Erika's dad (click the link and go to the last picture. Hugo, her dad, is the one pointing towards the camera) in that second market. Hugo has a few shops in that second market. I heard his voice and was aware that I had heard that voice before but I wasn't sure where. I couldn't see his face for the longest time and then finally when I was able to catch a glimpse at him, I recognized him right away! So weird.

Well, we finally left and did a little normal shopping on the other side of town before heading back home. And boy was I ready to go home. I had fun, yes, but I honestly didn't know any of these people. These trips are much more fun with your friends, family or spouse.