Wednesday, September 19, 2012

spontaneous digestion


My life needs more spontaneity.

That is why, even though I knew I wanted to get away from the Melaque summer heat this year, I made no plans on how I would do it.

Well, not initially.  I first thought I would do something quite different for the summer.  I would take a house on Lake
Zirahuén for three months. 

I love the lake.  On my trip to
Pátzcuaro last year, I would drive to its shore to relax.  The lake has a certain Alpine feel to it.  A bit like Lake Tahoe must have felt a century ago.

But that idea lasted only a day.  Where is the spontaneity in planning the full summer that far ahead?

Instead, I decided to go to San Miguel for the month of August.  I would then decide where to go for the month of September.

You all know what happened to the San Miguel stay.  I ended up in Oregon for the first two weeks of August.

When I finally got to San Miguel, I realized I had left all of my travel research books in Melaque.  That turned out to be fortuitous because I lived my two weeks there on whim.

And my subsequent decisions to visit Morelia and
Pátzcuaro were just as spontaneous.  The experience fed my libertarian soul.

I am glad this is a flexible trip.  On Tuesday I was scheduled to breakfast with a group of men in
Pátzcuaro and to have lunch with my fellow blogger Don Cuevas and his wife.

But my stomach demurred.  On Monday night my digestive system decided to simulate Mount Etna at both ends.  Things are better this afternoon.  But I do not wander very far away from the bathroom.

I can breakfast with the men’s group next Tuesday.  And the Don and his wife are working on an alternate date.

If I had planned one of my usual bustling trips, that disruption would have bothered me.  Instead, I can sit and relax with my Kindle (where I am reading T.R. Fehrenbach’s interestingly provocative history of Mexico: Fire and Blood) without feeling that I should be Doing Something.

One lesson I continue to learn in Mexico that it is more important to live the life we are given than to spend a good deal of time trying to Do Something. And Be Someone.

So, I will wait out this little bout of stomach flu.  And then see what else comes ambling down the road. 


17 comments:

Felipe Zapata said...

A helicopter filming for a tourist promo crashed into Lake Zirahuen yesterday, killing one and injuring four.

Steve Cotton said...

I would have had a front row seat.

Andean said...

I do have to laugh at those images you posted.

Steve Cotton said...

I thought they were appropriate.

Andean said...

That's what I was thinking...

Andean said...

On another note, there's nothing wrong with spontaneity, then we are, who we are or could be...

Babsofsanmiguel said...

Good post.  Take it easy.  Lomotil..........never leave home without it.

Steve Cotton said...

A mutual blogger just dropped off some for me.

Steve Cotton said...

It gives me an opportunity to reinvent myself each day.

DonCuevas said...

What I want to know is where you ate that caused this illness.I don't want to eat there.

Saludos, Don Cuevas

John Calypso said...

Trying to reconstruct things to ascertain where the bug bounce occurred can help while-away the hours until better ;-)  Lots of opportunities for bugs in Mexico that is for sure ;-)

Get well soon amigo.

Christine Dubois said...

After many trips to Mexico and many different medications to fight the "tourista" I settled on Pepto Bismo pills. They work quick (at both ends) and have no side effects. Good luck!

Shannon Casey said...

Sorry to hear that you are under the weather Steve. I hope you are feeling better soon. 
If you do decide to go to Ziruhen in the future some good friend of ours have really beautiful casita that they rent there. Actually I think Jennifer stayed there a while back. Here is the website if you are interested.

http://www.vrbo.com/382411 

Steve Cotton said...

 At my place.  You are duly warned.

Steve Cotton said...

And there is never any answer.  But it is funny how our minds create scenarios that make eating certain foods difficult in the future.  Right now, mine is beans.  And I love beans.

Steve Cotton said...

I tried that remedy.  But I was too late.  By the time I felt ill, I was erupting.

Steve Cotton said...

 I think that is the place I was thinking of renting.