What I'll miss about Mexico

Tomorrow we leave for Patzcuaro for a few days and when we return on Monday, we will only have four more days here before we go back to Chicago.  I'm not sure when I'll spend another six months at a stretch in Mexico as we have a lot of things to do in Chicago.  Like work for one.  So now I'm becoming more aware of Mexico and what I'll miss while we're gone.  We will be back early next year but it will be different. So here is some of what I'll miss and it is in no particular order:

1.  The view outside our bedroom window.  I've bored you with enough pictures of it, but I never tire of looking out that window.
2.  All the mountains that surround Mexico City.  Chicago is great but it just doesn't have the same landscape as Mexico.
3.  Family and friends that we have here.
4.  Vegetarians beware - I'll miss the terrific meat at the neighborhood butcher's little shop.  I am trying to eat less meat but this butcher shop is the best.
5.  Going to La Lagunilla on Sundays with Arturo and the dogs.  Besides looking at all the vintage goods and antiques, they have the best quesadillas there.  Can you tell that food is a big part of my life?
6.  Walking downtown amongst modern buildings that are side by side with colonial architecture from the 1500s.  I prefer the colonial buildings.  It's a part of history that we don't have in the Midwest and I love all of it.  The churches built hundreds of years ago are spectacular.
7.  Patzcuaro.  Going to the plaza there and sitting with a cup of coffee in one of the little outside restaurants watching the kids and dogs play in the huge plaza.  We walk around the plaza chatting and watching while getting some exercise as it is about a quarter of a mile around.  I never tire of that plaza.
8.  Walking the dogs up and down the hills around our house.  Poukie knows where all the dogs live and he stops to bark at some of them.  I have no idea what his criteria is as to which dogs he chooses to bark at but his routine doesn't vary.
9.  Sitting up in my little "office" working on my book or sewing with Citlali curled up sleeping on top of Diana's and Laura's old crib that we filled with who knows what stuff.
10.  Our house and backyard that Arturo has worked so much on.   If finally feels like a home to me.  And I'll miss the vibrant, beautiful bouganvillea that is everywhere.
11.  Polanco.  I love everything about it.  The park, the restaurants, the architecture, the total "aliveness" of that neighborhood.

There are many other things I'll miss and even more that I want to do next time we come here.  Including having more people visit us!  We loved having Tom and Goya here and we enjoy showing off the city so start making your plans!

Next week I'll post my favorite pictures and places.

Have a great weekend!