09 In Itlaquentzin Iuhquin Tonatiuh
(click on the audio title below the blog heading for music/song accompaniment. For photo enlargement - click on the picture).
We arrived @ Texas El Paso airport without knowing where to go? Walter phoned his nephew Jimmy to pick us, as we walked towards the airport exit. Since this is our 1st trip to this Mexico/United States border city, I wasn't sure what to expect. Looking out from the airplane, I saw miles of dry desert landscape and dry hills. I knew there and then I will not be moving here anytime soon or ever will. The reason we're here - to attend a Family Wedding (Walter's niece - Ms. Courtney Lane Bissett to Mr. Joshua Daniel Royke) and a Birthday Bash (Walter's brother-in-law Mr. Larry Vandewarker). Although, the bridal couple live and work in New York City, her family resides in El Paso, Texas. As for Larry - his birthday happened to fall a couple of days short of the wedding reception. Since most of Walter's family members are in El Paso for the wedding ceremony, Larry's beloved wife - Mary (Walter's elder sister), threw a 60th birthday party for him, so the family can celebrate together.
Jimmy drove us to Carl Bissett's (Walter's older brother) house where his family and close friends were having an American Barbecue Cook-Out (huge chunks of meat/sausages/buns and Ketup). Walter was happy to see his family, especially Mary's children - Jimmy, Douglas and Nichole whom he is close. The soon to be bride and groom and her family were all present to greet us and their guests - whom many flew to El Paso from different parts of the U.S. to celebrate their nuptials.
Being of Chinese origin, I'm not great when it comes to an all American Barbecue Cook-Out. Not one who believes in eating excessive amounts of red meat, I went for the salad + trying a couple of Mexican dishes that are authentic to El Paso. Leaving Walter to spend time with his family, I opted to stay in the Living Room, watching re-runs of The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge - Westminster Abbey wedding ceremony during the entire duration of the American Barbecue Cook-Out lunch special happening by the pool. Not much for screaming children splashing in the pool either, I was perfectly happy relaxing in the cool air-conditioned room watching the Pomp & Circumstances of the British Royal Wedding.
Ardovinos Desert Crossing Restaurant
It seems like Walter's family loves to eat and they seem to eat all the time. A few hours after the Big American Barbecue Cook-Out, we headed for dinner @ a restaurant across the border from Texas to New Mexico called Ardovinos Desert Crossing. It came highly recommended from Nichole (Walter's niece) who had eaten there on one of her previous trips visiting uncle Carl. Since El Paso is the junction city between 2 states and 1 foreign country - Texas, New Mexico and Mexico, this restuarant is located on the border between New Mexico and Texas. A part of the restuarant is in New Mexico and the other half in Texas. You guessed it! It serves a mixture of Mexican and Texan food - which translates to big chunks of 'Cowboy' type meals (meat, meat and more meat).
Mexican or 'Cowboy' food are definitely not my kind of meals. But it was nice that I got a chance to speak with Walter's family and also to know that my beloved Walter is happily catching up with family chit-chats/gossips/news again. You know, most families live far apart these days, we have little time and few occasions to spend with each other. When time arrives to gather for weddings, funerals or the occasional birthdays, it is generally fun events to see/catch up with family members - if only for a short while!
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