and, in this corner, wearing yellow trunks . . .

There is a great line in Radio Days.

Actually, there are a lot of great lines in Radio Days -- as there are in all Woody Allen films. But this particular exchange captures the essence of two of the film's protagonists.

Narrator: And then there were my father and mother . . . two people who could find an argument in any subject.

Husband: Wait a minute! Are you telling me you think the Atlantic . . . is a greater ocean than the Pacific?

Wife: No. Have it your way. The Pacific is greater.

Narrator: I mean. How many people fight over oceans?

For some reason that reminds me of an aphorism my secretary Jamela loved tossing at me: "Many a truth is said in jest." And, everyone knows "two people who could find an argument in any subject."

It happened on our trip to San Luis Potosi. Our group had just entered the Plaza Del Carmen when we discovered a jacaranda in full bloom.

Jacarandas have always reminded me of what a lilac bush would look like if it was Mama Cass. Clouds of purple.

A woman who had traveled most of the world announced jacarandas were her favorite tree. "Did you see the rows of them in bloom when we flew into Mexico City? Stunning!"

There is something in the human spirit that reacts when anyone announces something is her favorite anything. And it happened this week in the plaza.

I do not believe I have seen any jacarandas around the Barra de Navidad area. Omar, who has lived here his entire almost-20 years says he has never seen one. But, then, I doubt he has ever looked.

What we beach people have are primaveras. The word means "spring." And that is when they put on their full show of bright yellow flowers.

Someone in our group retorted that he far preferred the primavera to the jacaranda. Of course, that set off a small slide of side-taking.

Spring, of course, comes early to our little beach towns. I thought I would have to wait for a week or two for the primaveras and their rather gaudy displays. I completely missed it last year during my travels.

On my walk to church this morning, I noticed the path was strewn with crushed yellow blossoms. Sure enough, I was treated to primaveras in full bloom on my first day back.

Even though I joked two days ago that I am an advocate of primavera supremacy, I really am not. What is the point? Both trees are great specimen trees.

And the primaveras are not alone in their pr-spring display. On my walk to Villa Obregon, I saw numerous trees in bloom. Orange. White. Red. Even a couple of yellow rivals.

I did not move to Mexico for comfort, but a bit of it came along as part of the bargain. That includes year-round floral displays.

If we cannot enjoy that, we are liable to end up in one of Woody Allen's next scripts.