Jalcomulco

February 20, 2017February 20, 2017 / edebock / Leave a comment

According to the weather forecast it was supposed to be overcast and rainy in Coatepec today, but when we awoke to another gloriously sunny day we decided to make the 30 km trek into the foothills to Jalcomulco. We flagged down a taxi around the corner from Richard M and Colleen’s place and when they asked him where we needed to go to catch the bus to Jalcomulco, he told us he’d take all four of us there for a total of 120 pesos (about $7.50 CAD), only a couple of dollars more than it would cost us to go by bus. Perfecto! The sights along the way were worth the trip.

Jalcomulco is a centre of outdoor adventure and ecotourism. Whitewater rafting on La Antigua River which runs through town is particularly popular. We thought it might be very touristy, but it wasn’t at all. Jalcomulco is a charming colonial town, much smaller and quieter, but similar in appearance to Coatepec.

We crossed a rickety suspension bridge and enjoyed a delicious lunch on an outdoor patio overlooking the river.

This was my view from the table. Exquisite!

After strolling around and checking out a couple of shops, we caught another taxi back to Coatepec. On the way, we were reminded of the fact that we’re in a third world country. Our young driver received a call from his dispatcher and, joining several other taxis that were pulled off beside the road, informed us that he couldn’t go any further. We would have to wait about 30 minutes until an issue with the police in Coatepec had been resolved. Apparently, to the best of our understanding, the police had suddenly imposed a “tax” on the taxi companies! We were told that this kind of thing isn’t uncommon. Can you pronounce “graft” and “corruption”? Fortunately, we were able to be on our way in less than ten minutes.

It has clouded up and cooled off a bit this evening, so perhaps the anticipated rain is still on its way. It was even hotter and drier in Jalcomulco that it’s been here in Coatepec.

Doors and windows

February 19, 2017February 19, 2017 / edebock / 2 Comments

I’m quite madly in love with the architecture here in Coatepec, Mexico. I adore the bright colours, but the doors and windows are most amazing. In the downtown core, many of the businesses have huge, ornately carved wooden doors.

Some have a door within a door. Only one panel actually opens to allow access.

These are some of the windows above that amazing door! The balcony railing is a great example of the beautiful wrought iron work found all over Coatepec.

Most windows in both homes and businesses have wrought iron bars for security purposes, but rather than being plain and ugly, they are usually delightfully decorative.

Climbing Cerro de las Culebras

February 18, 2017February 18, 2017 / edebock / Leave a comment

Richard M and Colleen use a laundry service here in Coatepec. For approximately $1.40 CAD per 2 kilograms of laundry, you drop it off one morning and pick it up the next afternoon washed, dried and neatly folded! When Colleen and I were on our way to pick up the laundry yesterday she pointed out a green hill in the distance. On top was a bright yellow circular tower of some sort with a cross its side. I immediately wondered if there was a trail leading up to it.

A quick internet search was all it took to discover that Cerro de las Culebras (Snake Hill) and the lookout tower on its top are easily accessible from the centre of town. This morning was warm and sunny, so after a hearty breakfast the four of us set out to find the trailhead and climb to the top. Forty-five minutes later we were at the bottom of a series of steep cobbled steps leading up the hillside.

The lush greenery on either side made it a beautiful climb and soon we began to catch glimpses of the town spread out below.

Before we knew it, we were at the top where the lookout tower with a white statue of Christ at its top stands in the middle of a grassy clearing. The views of Coatepec and the surrounding mountains were spectacular. In the distance, we could even see the snow covered peak of Pico de Orizaba, Mexico’s highest mountain and a dormant volcano that last erupted between 1545 and 1566. It is the third highest mountain in North America and the world’s second highest dormant volcano, behind only Kilimanjaro in Africa.

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If you can’t spot Pico De Orizaba in this photo, I’ve circled it in the next one which was taken from the top of the observation tower.

What’s your best sleeve length?

February 17, 2017February 17, 2017 / edebock / Leave a comment

Sleeve length can enhance or detract from a woman’s appearance by drawing the observer’s eye toward or away from specific parts of her body. Though we’re probably not conscious of it, our eye is automatically attracted to the part of the body where the sleeve ends thus emphasizing that spot.

Let’s take a look:

Even if they aren’t perfectly toned, your arms will usually look longer and leaner in a sleeveless garment as it has the advantage of the unbroken line. In my younger years, I was self-conscious about showing off my arms feeling that they were too skinny. It wasn’t until I was almost 40 and started to work out with weights that I felt comfortable going sleeveless. Now it’s my favourite look for summer. I especially like the freedom of movement that it allows when I’m golfing and it also ensures that I don’t end up with a “farmer’s tan”.

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img_1799-version-3 If you are truly uncomfortable going sleeveless or you work in a corporate environment where it isn’t considered appropriate, you might prefer a cap sleeve. Depending on your body shape, you might also appreciate cap sleeves for their shoulder-widening and therefore hip-balancing effect.

Short sleeves tend to fall parallel to the bust. This is great if you want to emphasize that part of your body, but not so great if you’d rather not.

3/4 sleeves, considered by many to be the most flattering length, are my all time favourites for several reasons. I have long arms, so finding long sleeves that fit properly can be difficult. 3/4 sleeves eliminate that challenge. They’re also cooler than long sleeves when the weather is warm, but they usually provide adequate coverage when it’s cooler. Unlike longer sleeves, they don’t get in the way and, as a cancer patient who often has to deal with blood tests and IVs, they make it easy for me to expose the crook of my arm. They do tend to end close to the waist, however, so if that’s a part of your body that you’d rather the eye was drawn away from, they might not work for you.

Long sleeves draw the eye down providing a good option for anyone who would like to distract attention from their midsection, but they do place more focus on the hips. On me, long sleeves often end up as 3/4 length!

Do you have a favourite sleeve length?

Grocery shopping Mexico style

February 16, 2017February 16, 2017 / edebock / 3 Comments

As we were preparing for our latest travel adventure, many people back home on the cold Canadian prairie had a hard time understanding why we would go to Mexico and not spend our time at a beach resort. To me, the answer is easy. First and foremost, the friends that we’re visiting don’t live at the coast. Secondly, this trip is giving us a rare opportunity to see “real” Mexico and to learn how the people of this country live.

Shopping here is absolutely nothing like shopping in Tijuana or on 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen. Market areas aren’t inundated with cheap trinkets and we aren’t constantly accosted by aggressive hawkers. Everything here has set prices, so there’s no need to barter.

Wherever I go in the world, I like to see how and where the locals buy their groceries. Here in Coatepec there’s a Chedraui supermarket within walking distance that sells groceries, clothing, and household items; much like Walmart or Superstore back home. Chedraui is a huge Mexican supermarket chain that originated in nearby Xalapa. A person could easily do all their grocery shopping there, but Richard M and Colleen buy most of their food from small street side vendors and marketplaces that remind me of how we shopped in China. They also shop at tiny hole in the wall family run shops like the one just up the road from here. With it’s rough cement floor, shelves lining the side walls and a meat counter at the back, it’s smaller than our single car garage at home. In all of these places, the products are fresh and locally grown or produced. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy this kind of shopping!

So, let’s go grocery shopping…

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There are also vendors who regularly come through the neighbourhood or to the gate selling foodstuff. Today we had delicious tamales for lunch that were purchased from one of these pedlars. Yum!

Hello Xalapa!

February 15, 2017 / edebock / 3 Comments

We first woke up at 4 o’clock this morning because the house was shaking and the windows rattling. The 4.4 magnitude earthquake with its epicentre beneath the ocean less than 150 km east of here, was not something I had expected to experience during our stay in Mexico. After living for a year in Japan where the earth moves almost every other week, we’re pretty blasé about such things though and soon went back to sleep.

Later in the morning, we took a 20 minute bus ride into Xalapa (pronounced Halapa), a city of approximately 400 000 people that is the capital city of the Mexican state of Veracruz. Xalapa is also known as a centre of arts and culture.

We enjoyed strolling around the central part of the city including Parque Jaurez, one of the city’s most popular attractions. The park, located next to the provincial government building, is home to an amazing dragon play structure; it’s tongue a two sided slide, its body a climbing wall and its tail a rope climbing apparatus. I could imagine my five grandchildren having a blast playing on it.

We also enjoyed the Greek inspired statues of the four muses, especially this one!

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Across the street from the government building stands the impressive Xalapa cathedral, beautiful both inside and out.

As we walked the nearby streets stopping into a few little shops, we joked that this one must be part of the empire owned by the newly elected president of a certain country to the north!

Clearly it was a fun filled morning! After a fabulous lunch in one of Xalapa’s finest restaurants, we returned to Coatepec but we’ll be back in Xalapa on Friday evening to hear the city’s symphony orchestra in concert.

To Xico for lunch

February 13, 2017 / edebock / 1 Comment

After starting my day with a zumba class, I was ready for a hearty lunch. We caught a taxi in Coatepec and headed for Xico, a smaller town about 9 km away. Here’s the sight that greeted my eye as I stepped out of the car!

Turning around, we crossed the street and headed down the newly restored pedestrian avenue lined with colourful homes and shops. It felt a bit like a step back in time.

Toward the end, road construction was still underway.

The restaurant that was our destination was located near the end of the street. Fortunately, shortly after we arrived, it was time for the construction crew to take their afternoon siesta. The machines shut down and the workers gathered in the shade across the street from where we sat in the sunshine on the outdoor patio. Again, I had to remind myself that it’s the middle of February!

There’s very little English in use in this part of Mexico. Richard M and Colleen function fairly well in Spanish and are able to help us order from the Spanish only menus. There have been a couple of surprises, but they’ve both turned out rather well! On our first morning in Coatepec we went out for breakfast. I thought I’d ordered an omelette, but it was actually fried eggs in a very tasty sauce. Today, I was expecting a shrimp sandwich, but it turned out to be an absolutely delicious omelette! If the surprises continue to be this yummy, I hope there are a few more of them!

Welcome to Coatepec!

February 12, 2017 / edebock / 2 Comments

great-wall When we climbed the Great Wall of China with fellow Liaoning Normal University English teacher, Richard M, and his wife, Colleen, almost four years ago, we had no idea that someday we’d walk the streets of Coatepec, Mexico with them! Richard and Colleen are now enjoying retirement in this colourful town of approximately 50 000 people located about 300 km east of Mexico City. We arrived the day before yesterday and after talking until almost one o’clock in the morning, decided that we didn’t have to do all our catching up in one night!

After being out and about exploring Coatepec yesterday and then again today, we can easily see why Richard and Colleen love it here! Dressed in shorts and t-shirts, I have to keep reminding myself that it’s still February, but climate isn’t the only reason to like this place.

The people are warm, friendly and very welcoming; the food is fresh and delicious; and the architecture is gorgeous. A beautiful park at the centre of town is a vibrant gathering place.

Come take a look around with me…

Introducing Ella and Silvan!

February 10, 2017March 31, 2020 / edebock / 4 Comments

As a wearer of prescription eyeglasses since the tender age of two, I’m delighted to introduce the newest collection of glasses by American brand Warby Parker!

In collaboration with fashion and portrait photographer and TV host, Amanda de Cadenet, Warby Parker designed two new gender neutral frames named after Amanda’s twins, Ella and Silvan.

Warby Parker, a company that strives to offer quality, on-trend eyewear at affordable prices, was pleased to have the opportunity to team up with Amanda on the new frames in support of her latest venture, #GirlGaze. #GirlGaze is a multi-media project that showcases the ways in which young women view the world as shown through their photographs. It also generates visibility and support for the next generation of female photographers.

Silvan

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That’s Amanda herself modelling my favourites, the Peony pink Silvan frames. They pair beautifully with this spring’s most popular colour and look at how they make her blue eyes pop! Silvan is available as either prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses with silver reflective lenses.

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Ella

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Ella is an optical frame with the same modern oversized silhouette as Silvan, but it comes in Jet Black with gold accents on the temples. Though I’m afraid that this bold look would overwhelm my face, black is a very popular look in eyewear for 2017 and it looks great on lots of people.

Each of these frames is crafted from a single sheet of cellulose acetate to maintain colour parity throughout. Warby Parker lenses are made from polycarbonate, the most impact-resistant material for eyeglasses, and offer 100% UV protection. Anti-scratch and anti-reflective coating is included with every pair.

This is definitely a company with a social conscience. Not only is Warby Parker partnering with Amanda de Cadenet to promote #GirlGaze, but through their Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program, they work with nonprofit organizations to train individuals in developing countries to give basic eye exams and to bring affordable glasses to their communities.

You can purchase your own Ella and Silvan eyewear online or at Warby Parker showrooms across the United States or in Toronto, Canada.

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Disclaimer: This is not a paid endorsement. Information and images were provided by Warby Parker, but the words are my own.

Favourite fashion blogs for women of a certain age

February 3, 2017November 22, 2021 / edebock / 15 Comments

As a woman of a certain age, most of the fashion blogs that I follow are written for women over the age of 40. Though I also like to look at what the younger set has to offer, women of my generation tend to look at fashion differently. We aren’t trying to look younger. In fact, we want to celebrate who we have become. We’re interested in expressing our unique personalities through how we dress, but at the same time, we face the reality of living in older bodies.

Today I’m going to introduce 4 of my favourite fashion blogs written by and for more mature women.

Over 50 Feeling 40

I’ve been following Pam Lutrell at Over 50 Feeling 40 for several years. Shortly after turning 50, Pam received her new drivers license in the mail and was shocked by the appearance of the woman in the picture. That moment inspired a determination to reinvent herself, something that she has done with great success. Through her blog she carries out her mission “to inspire women over 50 to look and feel their best… to strive to be women of strength and dignity…and to enjoy every single day of life…one day at a time.” Since turning 60, Pam has reinvented herself yet again, leaving her job as a high school journalism teacher and more recently, taking on the role of editor of San Antonio Woman magazine. Though Pam and I lead very different lives, have different body shapes, and different personal styles, I have learned a great deal from her.

A Well Styled Life

After a successful career as principal buyer and manager for several independent women’s boutiques in Northern California, Jennifer Connolly of A Well Styled Life trained to be a professional image consultant and personal stylist. She brings that expertise to her blog where she strives to help midlife women look their best while confronting the challenges that accompany this stage of life. Jennifer loves to travel and in the past year, she and her hubby have purchased a travel trailer, so we have more in common than just our passion for fashion.

That’s Not My Age

British freelance journalist and former fashion editor, Alyson Walsh, has been writing That’s Not My Age since 2008. Her motto is “you don’t have to have youth to have style.” She is the author of Style Forever: The Grown-Up Guide to Looking Fabulous and is presently working on a second book. Alyson’s creative, but casual style is quite similar to my own and I have found lots to inspire me on her blog. After all, I have to love a woman who spends most of her life in jeans, as I do, and yet is as glamorous as Alyson!

High Heels in the Wilderness

Like me, fellow Canadian Susan Burpee of Ottawa, Ontario writes about much more than fashion on her blog, High Heels in the Wilderness. In fact, Sue and I have a lot in common. Also a retired school teacher, her passions include books, fashion, travel, and staying fit. When she’s not writing about fashion, she might be writing a book review, an intelligent opinion piece or telling about a recent hike or a trip she’s been on. If we ever had the opportunity to sit down together over a cup of tea, I’m sure we’d have no end of things to talk about!

While those four are my favourites and I follow them faithfully, here some links to a few other fashion blogs for the mature woman that I’ve been reading lately and that might also interest you:

Do you have any favourites that aren’t listed here?

Following Augustine

A lifestyle, travel, and fashion blog by Elaine DeBock.

Author: edebock