Just got back from a weekend’s worth of good living in Mazamitla to celebrate Sita’s birthday. The first night was grand, proper rain, lower temperatures and a fire roaring in the cabaña. We also discovered the restaurant we’d visit 4 times in our 48 hours there. However the spa/jacuzzi facilities weren’t all they were cracked up to be on the website so we upgraded to a different place with a jacuzzi in the room and a selection of DVDs for the 2nd night. We also used the charro skills we learnt in Brecon last summer to amble down to see a gorgeous waterfall on horseback. It was a lovely winding trail through bizarre mexican woodland full of pines, cacti, agave and palm trees.

In the afternoon there was spectacular thunder and lightning which we watched from the safety of our new favourite bar drinking Negra Modelo and watching Mexico lose 1-0 to France in between power cuts. A power nap and we were ready to polish off more meat that you can shake a stick at in the restaurant again. This morning I nipped into town to see what was going on at sunrise. Lots, as it turns out. But no flower sellers were open so Sita had to make do with a chile plant… Then we had the breakfast buffet at our restaurant. Since we’re regulars and were chatting with the owner after we’d eaten as much as we could at the buffet, he brought out cheesecake and icecream with a candle in it and put Las Mañanitas CD on. V.nice. I’m still full 7 hours later, and we’re off again to Santo Coyote this evening to fill up again. Bring it on. Check back soon for more online recording of what I’ve eaten lately. Lots of photos round Flickr if you’re feeling up to it

I’m doing my latest online poll on my telly habits and I get to tell them what I think about US TV. Eventually I get a 10 bucks Target voucher or summink. Here’s some highlights, starting with 60 minutes, dire US pseudonews:

Please indicate what you don’t like about 60 Minutes:

Its patronising presenters. Its dated look. Its holier than thou themes. And for the love of all things holy, the segment at the end, Curmudgeon’s Corner or whatever it’s called with Andy Rooney waxing geriatric on topics he knows nothing about. God I hate this program.

Please indicate what you don’t like about Extreme Makeover: Home Edition:

Can’t help feeling emotionally manipulated by it. Also throughout, there’s the nagging feeling that it’s just one big advertising-fest for companies providing the materials. And the presenter gets on my nerves no end. At the end of the episode I feel somehow tainted.

Despite eight questions about 80s Mexican football… I can’t take too much credit myself though. The only question I got that no one else knew was “What was the title of Kiss’s first album with no make-up”. Comment if you’d like to know the answer… We met Memo who has an encyclopaedic knowledge of music. And a musical encyclopaedia in his backpack. “We’re going to win, even if we have to use PRI tactics” I was informed. Anyroad we raffled off the prizes between us: A DVD player, T-shirt, beer glass and baseball cap. And we kept their biro. We got the t-shirt which is what we wanted. Go us… It was a very different beast to your usual UK pub quiz, which is invariably held on a quiet night to try and drag people out. First off, multiple choice. Kid you not. 2ndly cheating is not frowned upon. 3rdly, the questions aren’t read out, you have a 2 page, Times New Roman, 12pt badly formatted question sheet and fill it in while the music blares out around you. 4thly, the 80s were a very different beast in Mexico / the US, the 80s I remember were all about one-hit wonders and pop tunes, last night we were tested on our knowledge of: Heart, Ratt, Asia, Rush, Kiss, Styx, Foreigner, Journey and any other powerchord obsessed hair band. A fun night all the same even if I was a little out of my league.

Also the date has been announced for the next Pocilga Beat Fest party thing. Invite only I’m afraid. Looking forward to that one.

We didn’t make it to the Da Vinci Code the other night, more’s the pity . But it’s still looming, maybe tonight… Lots of design stuff on at the minute and a weekend getaway with horses, nature and jacuzzis is planned so we shall see. Latest project? ViveAjijic- click for the (pointless) flash header.

Hopefully I’m in good enough shape now to prove a valuable member of the team in tonight’s music pub quiz. They’re not that common round here and this here quiz is something of a yearly event apparently. I’ll be taking it easy all the same cos tomorrow I’m driving round for all kinds of meetings from 9 till 7. Have I mentioned it’s quite hot this week? Well it is and so I was inspired to finally take the car to mechanics to get the air conditioning sorted out. It’s always been working but had the inconvenient feature of howling like some demented banshee on helium, which attracts more attention that I’d care for when driving round town. Anyroad, 4 quid or 80 pesos later and it’s sorted, a loose belt or screw or summink. Nice one, Sr. Mecánico.

Mazamitla this weekend for Sita’s second to the power of five birthday. Apparently it’s going to bucket down on Saturday. That would be most welcome. And tomorrow, I’m told, is Towel Day. Not really a Mexican festival, indeed I think this bloke just made it up, it’s to celebrate Douglas Adams’s life or indeed liff.

Here’s me blog on bert’s phone. Which admittedly looks more like a prototype teleportation/microwave device than a humble mobile. If he sends me a pic of this entry i’ll put it in the blog and before we know it we’ll have an infinite cat project type thing on our hands… Tonight: bbqing the steak before it goes off… mine’s going to be very well done, for a change. Then Da Vinci code at the cine. If it’s even twice as good as the book. It’ll still be complete pants…