I have always kept a record of my travels. It used to be with a pen and paper and 35 mm film. Now it’s all digital. On Flashback Fridays I reflect back on some of my past travels and travel mishaps before I started this blog.
I am back in the United States of Mexico for this episode of Flashback Friday. An evening at a Plaza de Toros. A date with a matador. Yes, please.
OK, so I am back in the United States of Mexico. For how long? Who knows? for what purpose? Who knows that either… all I know is I have a jobs of sorts, and a place to stay… maybe one day I’ll get tired of living in the tropics where it never drops below 70 degrees [probably not, but it could happen] maybe I’ll start to miss my friends back in the USA sooner rather than later…Right now I have no plans to return. I do, however, have to leave Mexico every 90 days so that I can renew my tourist visa. I’m going to Guatemala in November, and that will let me stay through February. I may be ready to head back then, but then again, I may not be either.
What is the last thing I need in my life right now? That would be a man in my life. I don’t have one exactly. But I did meet a guy and go out with him 3 times in 2 days. How we met was really strange. I was at the Plaza de Toros taking pictures like I usually do. Some random guy comes up to me and asks me if I would like to meet the matador. AFTER the bullfight.
Sure, why not, and I have always been fascinated by bullfighting. [I would say that in this regard I am definitely UNLIKE most Americans and that I actually like the bullfights. I can see them for what they are–which is a sporting event. I’m not overly emotional and say “oh poor bull”. Or “Oh this is so unfair”. besides after the bull is killed and the matador gets the ear or tail or whatever, the meat is donated to the community for food. It is not as if 2000 pounds of beef is going to waste. Really, how is it different from the slaughterhouse where they mistreat the cows and then straight up kill them for the meat. But I digress…
I really didn’t think that it will happen. You know, actually meeting the matador.
Apparently it is bad luck for a woman to meet the matador before a bullfight. Maybe the woman will interrupt the concentration–who knows? So after the bullfight the same guy finds me again, and asks again if I want to meet the matador. So into the tunnels we go, and I meet the matador. Not being Mexican or a follower of matadors I really don’t know who this guy is, but he’s cute enough. All hot and sweaty in his traje de luces and pink socks. He says I am very pretty [Awww] and asks me if I would like to go out to dinner tonight. Sure why not. I am still not sure that dinner will actually occur, but he told me where to meet him at what time and what to wear [I don’t have a whole lot of nice clothes and apparently where we are headed requires them].
The appointed time comes and dang if he isn’t waiting on me. We go to a very [VERY] nice Italian restaurant, and he orders for me! and pays for it too [Matadors are apparently wealthy]. Then we go for a walk on the beach where he lights up a cigar! [I think men who smoke cigars are damn sexy] and just hang out and talk [in Spanish….his English is very bad].
[A lot of what happened here is edited out–not because it is anything bad, but because this is more of a travel blog and not a dating blog. I will say that Antonio was the exact opposite of the ex and at that point in my life, that is what I needed].
The next day comes and we are still hanging out on the beach…we have breakfast and lunch and then he’s off to DF, and I to Campeche.
[Interject 2023 Michelle] I still look back on that and say What. The. Hell….how was that my life, but it was. For Months.
