Hello, Invisible Audience.
I have left my cold home and am now in Mexico, enjoying what
the locals seem to think is a cold snap of 74 degrees. They’re in sweatshirts;
I’m in shorts and a tank top.
I am in Lo de Marcos, a small town on the Pacific Coast about
an hour north of Puerto Vallarta and 20 minutes north of Sayulita. I am here
because I was asked to come to check out the place and write about it. I wasn’t
sure I would like it, but I do – a lot.
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| Lo de Marcos Beach and Lagoon |
The last time I was in Mexico was my ill-fated road
trip down the Baja to Ensenada. Many people have told me how much they love
that city; that they thought it was beautiful, with a rich culture. I couldn’t
see it. Part of it was clearly where I was emotionally, but I am fortunate in
that I have traveled to many places in Mexico, and frankly I found Ensenada to
be lacking the charm I have found in other Mexican towns like this one.
Lo de Marcos is still a village of sorts. It sits on a small
bay on the Pacific Ocean. It has cobble-stoned streets, a well-kept town
square, and colorful concrete buildings. There are certainly a fair amount of
tourists here – enough that no one blinks an eye when I walk by – but it’s also
still a small Mexican town. Most of the signs are in Spanish. For the most
part, prices are lower than they would be in a larger tourist town.
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| Lo de Marcos Main Square |
My last trip to Mexico was traumatic to say the least. In fact, I haven’t been abroad since that trip to Ensenada, which is probably some sort of record for me. Although I won’t say the trauma of that trip is the entire reason, I did find myself somewhat nervous as I packed to come here.
When I arrived, however, it felt like I had slipped back
into a comfortable pair of shoes. I had a lot of Mexican friends growing up in
Manson, and I still find the Mexican dialect the easiest Spanish to understand.
The people are warm and welcoming, and the food – the food, invisible audience!
– the food is fresh and delicious. Even when my phone wouldn’t work and it took
awhile to find my driver, I wasn’t worried. Things always seem to work out for
me in Mexico, and this trip is no different.
I love it here, invisible audience. I love the adventure of
trying to get even the simplest things accomplished. I love the fact that a
waiter will let you sit at a table for as long as you like, because it’s not
proper etiquette to bring you the bill before you ask for it. I love that old
men and women sit outside their doors on the streets and chat with their
neighbors. I love how many people know
their neighbors. And, admittedly, I love how I can reinvent myself in a town
like this – where I get to present only the parts of myself I want others to
know, not all that I am. It is freeing.
I am much different than the last time I was abroad. I am
calmer, and more curious. I hide less behind my sunglasses. I speak to people more,
and I feel welcome here.
It makes me sad that many of these people would not feel the
same if they came to the U.S. I am sitting
in a bar listening to the news; they are talking about Trump’s plans to build a
wall. I cannot get behind it, invisible audience. My own personal walls have
crumbled over the last several years. While my defenses are stronger, they no
longer require a far-reaching barrier to keep everyone out. Instead, I seek
only to protect myself from those who have not proven to be trustworthy. Since
I have destroyed the walls of my fortress, I have enjoyed life a lot more than
I did when I kept absolutely everyone on the outside as a matter of principle.
I cannot help but think of this new wall in the same terms.
For now, I will enjoy the time I have in this beautiful
country that feels so much like a second home. I am not sure what will happen
in the next four years; whether it will be as easy to visit after Trump has
implemented more of his policies.
For now, though, I am here, and that wall seems like it’s
far, far away.
Love and Lo de Marcos Kisses,
Morgan
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