Here’s a teaser video with Gaz bolting a line in Guitarritas, a canyon waaay far back in Parque la Huasteca.
We’ve just seen the Banff Film Festival, where Escalando Fronteras’ program leader Rory Smith surprised us by having his video shown on the big screen, then bringing Gaz and I to join him, Ramon, and Nadia up on stage to represent the program while he talked to the audience.
To paint a picture of our experience in our new home so far, we’re in a cozy colonia with trees framing graffiti work eponymous to the artists. Our house has protective metal bars to keep out beaver-sized animals, and even the two upstairs windows have shadow puppets of pointed iron arches within tiny squares of light. The newly installed wi-fi has a fitful temperament, so as a result we share the modem cable. César had visited to fix the wifi on the first day, when I was alone in the house with a locked outer gate, and he had no hesitation in jumping over the fence to replace the modem.
The house is by no means shabby: we are actually in a very nice, quiet neighborhood next to a playground, and the national Parque La Huasteca. The graffiti by Tonda13 has a nice flare in their penmanship; the street is filled with trees, friendly dogs with dreaded hair; and only the occasional advertising car blasting the same pre-recording commercial about “tortillas amarillas”. On our left is a Déportivo, a small local bar (or a room with a few folded chairs where men get “barracho” and talk about the old days when they used to run in fit, younger bodies). There are also two tienditas – “little stores” – hoarding Penguïno packages and Modelo beer, tostadas, frijoles, and dish soap, allowing just enough space between the cigarrones and bag of pork rinds to squeeze to the counter and pay.
When we arrived, the house was stripped of furniture, and we now have a spare futon and mattress for visitors. Staying with us now is a cheerful British friend of Gaz’s, Adam, who we’ve happily pulled into our communal meals and with whom we have shared a healthy dose of Cards Against Humanity.
I can’t wait for Steven Lozano to visit us in January and help us develop with another drill. My ankle is healing slowly, and I can hike up a rope to take photos and video, even climb .12b, but can’t do any long venturing to help develop Huasteca.
Until next time!
Tiffany
The Alpine Addict 