The Moment -- San Miguel Style

I am in awe of this man's intellect and ability to give that moving address extemporaneously. I didn't see a teleprompter, did you? What a beautiful man and an inspirational leader.

San Miguel streets were almost empty at 11am as residents congregated around any place with a large flatscreen. We chose Juan's Cafe Etc and it was a full house.

Mama Mia's had an overflow into the street.
And Milagros was home to the Democrats Abroad and several large screens.
Today I am full of hope for our country and love for the wonderful people who braved the freezing early morning weather on the mall. I'll never hear My Country 'Tis of Thee (or maybe it is called America) again without thinking of Aretha's performance today. She still has it! And hopefully so do we.

After the Wedding

Yes, there is life back in San Miguel after the wedding of the year. (It must have been, considering it took place only 3 days into 2009.) I've had a request for a photo of the mother and father of the bride so here it is. Of course there are plenty of photos on Melissa's own blog.

We had a seamless trip home, this time returning our rental car at the San Diegio airport, then taking the Volaris airline bus from the Santa Fe station downtown across the border to the Tijuana airport. Our three-hour fight to San Miguel was right on time to the second and our Super Shuttle was waiting at the gate.



The next day was Three Kings Day, eagerly awaited by the children who get gifts from the Kings that day rather than from Santa Claus on Christmas day. This year we saw almost no Santa Claus' except at the big mall up the hill where you can choose to sit on the lap of Santa or a King. We ran into the Kings doing their business in the Jardin (main square). The children got sweets and they were handing out the colorful balls you see in the pickup trucks. I think that is the mayor with the crown.





Here's to a New Year full of promise and change. We wish you all the best.

The Wedding

Well, it happened and it went, in Melissa's own words, blissfully perfect. The day started with rain showers. The officiant, Kirsten, a yoga instructor and friend of Melissa's from college, started the morning with meditation and stretching for the bridal party women, focusing on the Sun Salutation to encourage the sun to shine. It worked and by evening the sky was a mass of changing clouds over the ocean off the cliffs of Pt. Loma. Since the wedding was at sunset Melissa and Tim decided to do formal portraits before the ceremony. This photo, taken by Scott Hatelstad of San Diego, is my first peek at some of the wonderful shots captured by the 18 professional photographers in attendance.

In the next couple of days more photos will be available. Until then you can read a review of the wedding at I Do Monday Morning, a blog by a woman who covers the San Diego wedding scene.

Congratulations to Melissa and Tim Selenak!