Turkeys

Not only did we get a full Thanksgiving meal, but we dined with a celebrity.

We had filmed 4 interviews at the VW show and didn’t really think much about them afterwards. The first was a very long interview in English (nailed it!) and there’s no telling where it will go. The second was in Spanish with a cute perky host and we managed to laugh our way through it. The final two were with more stoic interviewers who weren’t so forgiving with our struggles in Castellano. Hopefully, it was the second one that aired.

Anyway, after a trip to the grocery store, we went for a rare McD’s treat for Bode on Thanksgiving Day. We followed our normal routine: Bode runs to the playground, Angela orders, and I go find the baño to wash the grease and oil off my hands. We later noticed a huddle of kids on the playground and figured Bode was in the middle – it wouldn’t be the the first time. The blonde English-speaking kid occasionally gets some attention on the playground.

Bode came to the table and the huddle followed. “Every time I say something, they all go crazy!”

The huddle arrived and in perfect English, they all started asking questions. “Are you the world travelers? We all saw you on TV!” Yep, that’s us. We felt pretty special and Bode posed for photos.

Later, we had a bigger treat: a real Thanksgiving dinner. We met Moises at the VW show. He’s a former California surfer who moved down here and opened Calexico. Super nice guy and killer – killer – Mexican* food!

Moises also hosts a big fancy dinner for the local expats on Thanksgiving every year. A restaurant full of Americans and a huge family-style traditional spread (including awesome tamales!) was a nice treat. We met some more interesting folks and there was even a kid’s table for Bode. We all made new friends and stuffed ourselves appropriately.

* back in the U.S. a few misinformed folks asked us if we were tired of eating Mexican food. For the record, Mexican food is only available in Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. Finding it in any other country is uncommon. Finding good Mexican food anywhere else is extremely rare.