Nacho Average Mexican Relocation

Hola Nuestros Amigos Queridos!

Hola Friends and Family!



Well, we made it to Mexico- safe and sound. In the midst of all the bad press about drug violence and swine flu, we feel very safe and are enjoying our new home- Hermosillo.



First, we would like to send a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to all of you that came out to our going away parties in Tampa, DC, and Philly. Also, we are very grateful to our friends that hosted us on our cross country trip- (Kristy King, Daddy G, Lisa, Chloe, Adeline, Kimberly and Keith in Alabama; Natalie and Mike in DC; Katie, Roark, Jake, Mac, and Mia in Indianapolis; Jarrod and Teresa in St. Louis; Kimmy, Russell, Jennifer, and Sophie in Denver. Thank you all for creating lasting memories with us. We look forward to repaying your hospitality.



Our cross country trip started with Joy driving from Florida to D.C. by way of Alabama. A brief stop in DC to reunite before we moved North to Philadelphia. In Philadelphia we celebrated the next adventure in our life with the O'Brien's, Tim O’Donnell, John Nangle, and Richie (The Thrilla in Manilla) Wilcox. Then we where on our way, next stop Pittsburgh. We took a slight detour to visit Frank Lloyd Wright's house, Falling Water. It was raining lightly and we had the whole place to ourselves. It was really gorgeous. Pittsburgh itself is a charming and lovely city. We especially enjoyed the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning with 26 Nationality Classrooms located on campus. Each of the classrooms reflects the customs and architecture of Pittsburgh's diverse immigrant groups. That evening we spent the night in a cute B & B. Our favorite feature was the claw foot tub. We also couldn't miss the Pittsburgh culinarygem, known asPrimanti Brothers. The restaurant is a 70-year-old institution famous for putting fries and coleslaw on their sandwiches along with chopped meat, cheese, and sliced tomato. Delicious!



We departed Pittsburgh and made a very brief stop in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus is another great city. It’s charming and clean with gorgeous big homes. We had lunch in the German Village at a German restaurant. The food was amazing; we finished the meal with a 2 pound cream puff. Yum-Yum!!



Our next stop was Indianapolis. Katie, Roark, and some of their closest friends took us in for a few days and extended to warmest hospitality. We had our first bon-fire of the year and eat smores- always a great sign that summer is near. We also had the pleasure of catching up with our 3 four-legged friends Mia, Jake, and Mac. Amazingly, they seemed to recognize us after a 5-year hiatus.



We left Indy for St. Louis and arrived just in time to meet our friend Jarrod for a Cardinals-Cubs baseball game (One of sports oldest and greatest rivalries). The St Louis Arch was of course the highlight. It was fitting to mark our journey west at its’ gateway. It was also great to catch up our old friends Jarrod and Theresa (We’ll spare you all the sordid details from the Chocolate Bar http://www.baileyschocolatebar.com/).



After a few days in St Louis we headed to Kansas City. In K.C. we ate steak and listened to some great jazz. We spent a relaxing week-end in our B & B, which was the perfect place to enjoy the few rainy days along our journey. Before we left KC we decided to sample some of their famous BBQ. We asked around and learned that Arthur Bryant’s was the best in town. As we arrived to Arthur Bryant’s, located in one of the seediest parts of town, there was a line out the door. Joy’s Mom always told her “go where the locals go” and “look for lines and smoke at BBQ places”. Well Arthur Bryant’s had it all. We waited in line for about 20 minutes until we finally arrived at an ordering window. We decided to share a combo sandwich (we use this term loosely depending on how you define sandwich), half pork - half beef and fries. What a vision-the man behind the counter randomly scattered 5 slices of Wonder bread on a sheet of waxpaper,grabbed a handful of bread-n-butter pickles and dumped them on the paper. He followed up with two huge handfuls of meat (a handful of pork and another handful of beef). As we watched in a state of confusion he topped it off with two handfuls of fries. He then proceeded to wrap up the entire heaping mass into a package that required a few extra pieces of wax paper. It was hilarious to walk out with this 10-pound football shaped concoction but WOW was it tasty. The BBQ was more of a rub and had a strong paprika flavor.



We continued on our way through the state of Kansas. It was a beautiful drive with big skies and endless prairie grasslands. The plains were looooooooonnnnnnnnggggggg and we were grateful to arrive at my friend Kimmy and Russell’s home. Kim is currently in culinary school and will soon be an official “chef”. Since, we all share a love of food, Kim and Rus took us to some of their favorite restaurants to sample many delectable creations. We finished the evening in a restaurant/bar atop a downtown hotel. The place enjoyed an incredible view of the Denver skyline so we sat and drank in the gorgeous evening. The best part was reconnecting with old friends. Next day, we met Joy’s cousin Sam for breakfast. He is currently in the army and stationed close to Denver. After BFast we took off to visit with our friend Jennifer and her daughter Sophie. They generously took us in for the next evening. Jennifer and her family took us outon the townto see one of their favorite bands play (Their good friend was the fiddler). We shared an incredible evening. They were all tons of fun and we were all able to cut lose. The following day the grey sky finally cleared and as we were leaving Denver we could see the Rocky Mountains. They are really spectacular! It was amazing to drive south and see the landscape evolve from mountains to mesas and then into a dessert.



Next stop---Albuquerque. We loved the architectural style represented in New Mexico; the adobe homes and pueblo art deco. After last year’s visit to Spain, we could appreciate the Spanish influences married with Native American culture to make a uniquely American city. We especially enjoyed our Sunday night dinner where we enjoyed a table on the main drag with a perfect view of the parade of chulo rides (Pimped-Out). We love watching them “hit the switches” and watching the hydraulics work their magic.



After Albuquerque we drove to Nogales, Arizona. In Nogales John had to actually work for what seems like the first time in the last two years. So he spent the day with the Law Enforcement reps at the border crossing observing the issues they deal with daily. The next day a few members of the consulate met us in Nogales to escort us to our new home; about three hours south of the Nogales border crossing. When we arrived at our home in Hermosillo we were greeted by 12 of John’s new co-workers. They helped us unload our vehicle, get settled a bit and took us out to dinner. That was 7 May; a day many of you spent with us four years ago on a beach in Clearwater Florida. So our arrival to Mexico made for a fourth wedding anniversary we’re unlikely forget.



We love our home and Hermosillo. It is very safe with many U.S. comforts close by. We dove right in and our first weekend we drove an hour west to the beach of Kino Bay. It was nice, but nothing compared to the beach resort in San Carlos; where we spent our second weekend. San Carlos is about an hour and a half south of Hermosillo. It is a beautiful place where the desert mountains meet the gulf’s clear blue waters. During our second week we received an invitation to the Counselor General’s house (John’s boss) for an intimate jazz performance. He and his family have a wonderfully located home which overlooks Hermosillo. We were able to enjoy great company, delicious wine and see the city lights in the night sky. It was a perfect evening filled with music and a lovely breeze. The next morning we were invited back to participate in Tai Chi class taught by the Jazz performer from the night before. It was a great way to start ourday. Lastweekend we drove 5 hours south of Hermosillo to an old Spanish-Mexican colonial town called, Alamos. The Hacienda de los Santos where we stayed was better than anything we could dream of (www.haciendadelossantos.com). It was difficult to leave the oasis and head back to Hermosillo and daily life. I am attaching pictures of Alamos and San Carlos in order to entice all of you to visit. We recommend flying into Tucson, where we would pick you up.



We will be hosting our first visitor this week-end. Joy’s Mom is flying in to Tucson on Friday 5 June. We are then all going to visit the Grand Canyon on Saturday, Joy’s 31st BDay. What a great way to celebrate!!!



We will only be in Mexico through July. In August, we are off again. This time we head to San Angelo, Texas where John will attend some mandatory Air Force Reserve training. We’ll spend approximately seven months in Texas. Sometime around March 2010 we will make our way back to Hermosillo, Mexico where we’ll complete our tour in May 2011.



The last two years have been an amazing adventure. And, the excitement doesn’t seem to be letting up. We continually feel grateful to have these opportunities and friends and family like you to share them with. You are all welcome here or wherever we land in the future!



Thank you for all of your support, friendship, and love. Our relationships with you are truly the best part of our lives!



Joy and John