Thoroughly Mexican Melody (and Carl)

Yesterday I went to get a key cut at the Ace Hardware, where they are a little unhelpful sometimes. They were really busy, so after 10 minutes I decided to try the local Ferrateria (hardware store). It's counter-type place, not one where you can browse. I held up the key to the lady and asked, "¿Pueda copia?" She said, no, so I smiled and asked, "¿Donde?". She said- in Spanish, and I understood it, :" Go to the boulevard, turn right, and down three, maybe four or five blocks, there is a place called Nande's". I couldn't actually find the place, but I'm sure that's what she said. It was so cool!! She must have been speaking slowly for my benefit.

When we were out with Oswaldo at the jazz festival, he told us that in October, all month, there were travelling groups of musicians called bandas that wandered the neighborhoods and would play for anyone, as long as you wanted, as long as you kept the pesos coming.

Yesterday, Carl said he was sure that was what he had heard on Friday night until really late. Last night I was on my way to bed about 10:30, and Carl called me outside. He said, "that's what I heard last night!" I said, "Oh, f**k it, let's go!" They weren't far away by the sound. So I got dressed, we took some pesos and cervezas (con hielo), and off we went. They were just on the next block, in a little courtyard with people dancing. We came to the entrance, and I know we looked unsure, because a gentleman gestured for us to go in.

We grabbed a seat and spent the next hour and a half or so listening to this great band. They had tuba, sax, two trumpets, two clarinets, two trombones, timbales, snare, cymbals and bass drum. They had a mike for the sax solos, and man was it loud!! It was in a small enclosed space.

I got asked to dance, and I was as pathetic as you might imagine. Carl didn't even try. There was a young couple, her in a tight short red dress, I don't know what he was wearing, but they were great! He gestured to us that we should get up and dance, too, but everyone there could DANCE. So we listened instead. At one point the band stopped, and the crowd called out, and Carl heard the word pesos, so he got up and gave the band leader 200 pesos (about 20 bucks). That was a popular move! He got a little applause.

Finally the band took a break, and we headed home. But I dreamed about it all night. What a great authentico Mexican experience! Here's some more info for those interested in the genre:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banda_music