While I was in Santa Rosalia, I treated myself and ate out 3 times, twice at the same restaurant.  The twice frequented restaurant was called Muelle’s, or the Dock’s, in downtown.  The first visit was with a group from Worth Waiting 4 and True Blue 5.  I ordered for  everyone because no one else had my fine command of the spanglish language.   Among other things, there was a ‘special’ pizza ordered, and I requested some sauteed scallops in a garlic sauce.  I definitely didn’t get scallops.  I think I got bat ray wing, a frequent scallop imposter.  It was good enough, and we were all served soup, some salad, and some beans.  The pizza had all sorts of goodies on it, including veggies, shrimp, and something else I just couldn’t put my finger on.  It was tasty and satisfying, and it was nice to let someone else cook in the heat.  I returned a few days later for a late lunch and ordered arrachera.  This is a flavorful, tender and marinated cut of either skirt or flank steak.  Done right, it is sooooo tasty.  I again was served soup, but today’s soup was different.  I didn’t have my OLGs (old lady glasses) with me and was disappointed with myself.  I like to see what the ingredients are so I can try (key word here is try) to re-create some of the dishes.   I was at the mercy of my tastebuds to tell me what the soup was made with.  Pleased with myself that I figured it out, I then laughed out loud because the main ingredient was hot dog!  The chief hot dog manufacturer down here is a company called FUD.  This isn’t pronounced ‘fudd’ with a short ‘u’, but ‘food,’ as we say at home.  I chuckled for quite awhile at my ‘sopa de perro caliente.’   Someone at a nearby table ordered the ‘special pizza’ and I was able to determine the unknown ingredient as hot dog!  It doesn’t end here.  I went to the local chinese restaurant with Bill and Julie from Voyager and had a ball.  First off, a beautiful chinese young lady comes to our table and in flawless spanish asks if we’d like a beverage.  It was so unexpected to hear perfect spanish come out of her mouth.  I giggled to myself at my ignorance and expectations.  We ordered one of the multi-plate specials that comes with soup, chow mein, rice, a couple of main dishes; you get the picture.  Well, the fried rice dish had slices of, wait for it, hot dog in it!  I couldn’t help myself and just laughed and laughed.  Bill and Julie couldn’t get what I was chuckling about, but apparently hot dogs are pretty big here in Mexico, and in China!  Why shouldn’t everyone enjoy re-constituted chicken feet and pig lips?  I just thought it was so much fun! 

After all the waiting, juggling and conniving to get my new phone down here, it’s just not working anywhere but La Paz.  So much for the All-Mexico plan.  I decided to stop in one of the TelCel stores in Santa Rosalia to check out the cheapest phone and plan that would allow me to call the States and check in with family and friends.  This one I was able to negotiate easily with my spanglish.  For twelve bucks US, I can get a small, no-frills phone with twenty-five dollars worth of air time that will let me phone home.  I can add more time to the phone just like I do with the wifi card online.  It was pretty nice to be able to call home, check in, get caught up, and let everyone know things were fine.  Mr. TelCel, Carlos Slim, has a great thing going for him.  Make the apparatus cheap, and you’ll get ’em on the minutes.  Smart guy.  Maybe this is why I hear he’s the richest guy in the world.  This way, just about everyone in Mexico can afford one of these phones, and pay for the time they will use, and can afford.  Not too shabby.

Have a great day, Everyone, stay cool, and enjoy your summer!  I miss you all!