Salvador and Veronica Castro Lopez 25th Anniversary in Puebla, MX
We were delighted to be included as family in a mass and fiesta celebrating the 25th anniversary of Salvador and Veronica Castro Lopez's marriage in Puebla, Mexico. Their daughter, Veronica and their son, Diego, have each spent time with us in Geneva, IL - Vero as a Rotary exchange student two years ago and this Spring as a visitor, Diego in March as a cast member of Up With People. Preparations for this huge family event began in secrecy a week ago as a surprise for Veronica. On July 1 (the actual anniversary date) at 2 am a mariachi group of 12 players arrived and came into the house since there was a drenching rain. They serenaded for an hour and Salvador presented roses to a surprised Veronica. For the next few days while Salvador and Veronica (both architects) ran their business, the three young adult children Diego, Daniel, and Vero made arrangements for the mass, moving a fence, erecting four tents, setting up two musical groups, two caterers, and Linda and I helped by keeping mother Veronica busy taking us places we "had to see" whenever she had a moment of free time. She now accuses us of being "accomplices."
On Saturday the 3rd the house and yard were full of workers and fires and foods and an alter being set up for the mass. Guest began arriving at 11:15 am and the mass got underway at 11:55am. In afternoon and evening we had chalupas cooked over a grill pan on an open fire and rolled stuffed beef filet, rice cooked as a casserole with cheese and chili, and a green salad. On the tables were bottles of tequila, brandy, beer, rum pope, coke, and sprite. There was good music and as dark came, salsa dancing. The crowd was made up of family, extended family and friends. There were lots of architects, engineers, and young adults who have studied all over the world. At one point in the evening we found that in the group we were talking with there were people who could speak Spanish, English, French, Mandarin and German in various combinations. The graciousness and warm hospitality were abundant. Veronica and Salvador introduced us as new members of the family and said since we are also Vero's parents then we are sister and brother to Salavador and Veronica. And we inherit all the cousins, uncles, aunts and grandparents!
The party would have gone on all night and spilled over into nightclubs for the younger set, but the 4th was election day in Mexico and all the bars were closed. The house began to come to life again at 10:30 am on the 4th and we went to a 24 hour market with Salavador and Veronica to get supplies to prepare Pepian sauce on pork which Veronica instructed Linda in preparing. Dinner was served at midnight and Linda and I started waking up after 9 am today.
We are overwhelmed by the hospitality and love of our new family, the richness of their culture, and the sadness of the current tension between our cultures.
On Saturday the 3rd the house and yard were full of workers and fires and foods and an alter being set up for the mass. Guest began arriving at 11:15 am and the mass got underway at 11:55am. In afternoon and evening we had chalupas cooked over a grill pan on an open fire and rolled stuffed beef filet, rice cooked as a casserole with cheese and chili, and a green salad. On the tables were bottles of tequila, brandy, beer, rum pope, coke, and sprite. There was good music and as dark came, salsa dancing. The crowd was made up of family, extended family and friends. There were lots of architects, engineers, and young adults who have studied all over the world. At one point in the evening we found that in the group we were talking with there were people who could speak Spanish, English, French, Mandarin and German in various combinations. The graciousness and warm hospitality were abundant. Veronica and Salvador introduced us as new members of the family and said since we are also Vero's parents then we are sister and brother to Salavador and Veronica. And we inherit all the cousins, uncles, aunts and grandparents!
The party would have gone on all night and spilled over into nightclubs for the younger set, but the 4th was election day in Mexico and all the bars were closed. The house began to come to life again at 10:30 am on the 4th and we went to a 24 hour market with Salavador and Veronica to get supplies to prepare Pepian sauce on pork which Veronica instructed Linda in preparing. Dinner was served at midnight and Linda and I started waking up after 9 am today.
We are overwhelmed by the hospitality and love of our new family, the richness of their culture, and the sadness of the current tension between our cultures.
posted by Loy @ 11:52
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