Today gets two posts because it was just that kind of day.
This is what it is about for me (and I think for Dave as well the more he comes here)... Being here and studying Spanish is a part of it. Meeting locals who make Mexico the awesome place we love is the heart of it - when you go from feeling like a paying guest to an invited friend.
But let me back up a little.
Typically, we don't make it back to our room until late afternoon but today I decided to head back after lunch to take a little break from the sun while Dave and the kids continued swimming at the pool. Shortly after getting back, the room phone rang. Instead of a call from Dave asking for me to bring something back with me, it was Jorge, a young man who works at the resort, calling to invite us to a baseball game. Baseball is really big here and since Reid (and Tyce, sometimes) is such a fan, we'd been asking around about games and places to play.
I hustled to the pool to grab everyone and rushed us back to get ready to meet our "chaffeur" in the lobby half an hour later.
It was a game between The El Cid Marina employees against the Costa De Oro Employees but this is not like our beer league softball games. These guys can really play and it's a fun, friendly competition for sure. So much fun... Dave was like a kid in a candy store. The fields (which are the "nice" ones) reminded us of the movie "The Sandlot". Part of the fun for sure (and another difference between our beer leagues and this) is that they have a bar in back of the dugouts and yes, they play baseball while drinking beers between innings or when they are on offense. Our friend Edgar shared his team's strategy; "No beer until the 6th inning and then only if they were winning." Sure enough when the 6th inning came and we were up 5-2, Edgar made his way to us with beers in hand.
Along with the game in general, it was especially enjoyable to see Reid, who was invited to warm up with them, briefly join the fun. We all learned a few new warm up drills that we had never seen. (I'm quite certain Dave'll be sharing at least one with Reid's baseball coach.) We were welcomed by many of the players with an offer of a beer and homemade ceviche (Yum!), thanking us for joining them and giving out hugs in friendship.
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| A few too many drinks for ol' timer, Pedro. Actually, my jaw dropped when I saw the bullets he threw before passing out. Turns out he was a professional baseball player in his glory days. |
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| Reid during the warm up with Edgar on his left. |
What I'm hoping made an impression on the kids was that while the fields were far from spectacular, the gear well-loved and worn, and the other team didn't even have uniforms, everyone was having a great time, enjoying each others' company and playing their hearts out for the love of the sport.
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| Enjoying the games from behind home plate. |
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| Dave loving the whole experience! |
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