In the glorious city of Guanajuato, learning enough Spanish to eavesdrop on the construction workers next door.
…it’s a lovely space with a patio for the students to enjoy. There’s no wireless internet here so you don’t have that central cafe feeling from Guanajuato, and it is much smaller too. The classes are one 2 hour session and one 1 1/2 hour session. I have not seen a class with more than two people so that’s pretty amazing.
Surrounding this patio are buildings for administration and classrooms.
Past that first patio and buildings is this way-back with more rooms and a kitchen area for coffee. Notice the church in the background. You can pretty much look up from anywhere and see a church.
Exactly across the street is this other church (I’ve walked a block away by now). I think it might have something to do with a seminary, but it surely is old.
I have no guide book! If I don’t get around to it before I’ll have to backtrack and get the scoop later.
And the kids at mi casa! Hola Katia and Luis! They are completely delightful and make me feel welcome every day.
This is the street where I live! That big building in the foreground is actually four rather small two bedroom townhouse type residences. Mine is the last at the back.
When you go in the door that looks like it’s part of the garage it actually leads to a parking area and the front doors of the other units.
(I’ll replace this photo if I get a better one…)
This is another view of the church that was having the pageant on the first day and the one that shoots off the rockets to ward off evil. I pass it many times a day.
Now I’ve gone out for a walk without my honkin’ backpack for a change and just my honkin’ camera across my shoulders. Here’s a view.
A view from the inside.
“Strictly speaking, the basilica is a parallelogram with the width of the building being neither greater than one-half nor less than one-third the length. At one end was the entrance with a portico and at the other end was the apse.
“There was one main aisle flanked on either side by an aisle (or two, or even three) with columns separating the aisles. Since the ceiling of the main aisle was higher than that of the side aisles, a clerestory was added atop the columns to allow light to enter the basilica. Numerous examples of ancient basilicas exist, particularly in Italy.
“…Later the term “basilica” was used to identify churches of historic and spiritual importance. Usually, these churches are built in the basilica style, but the key criterion is that they are important places. The Holy Father officially designates a church as a basilica. Therefore, when one speaks of the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome, the title “basilica” refers to the historic and spiritual importance of the church itself and the honor bestowed upon it by the Pope. ”
Ah ha, a church is a Basilica if the Pope says it is.
Pátzcuaro is also an icon for its lake and during the time of Day of the Dead it is the number One tourist attraction around. Places as far away as Morelia book up with people trying to be part of the festivities here and at the lake.
…it’s this, the Public Library! Further to the left is the local theater and arts center.
Wow! Can you imagine a world where we convert all the churches to public libraries? Whoo, I want that.
There are two plazas in town, the Grand Plaza that I’ve been enjoying for several days, and two blocks away is this, the Plaza Chica. I think they call it Plaza Chica because there is a stature in the middle of a girl who is, I think at this point anyway, a hero of the revolution.
It’s definitely down-market from the Grand Plaza but still it’s quite nice and that church-like building you see on the right…
The Day of the Dead is November 1-2 and here on October 10th a few places are starting to put out their decorations. We should be so lucky.
This place has a big one hour photo service and a custom printing service as well. And it’s behind a door just like the door that leads to my school.
I think it’s a grandfather who was doing a promenade with this kid who never stopped laughing at everything he passed, including me, and he passed me twice. What fun!
And these are the gates along the road above. You know, I’m thinking, I may not have yet seen its front?
Here’s my home-stay mama Sandra and the dog who has captured the life of the family. Everyone is Nuts for this dog. He’s only six months old so he hasn’t been around that long and he is awfully cute and lovable.
Sandra works at a restaurant from 1-10 6 days a week and the papa Jose works from 8-3 M-F as a teacher. Everyone is up by 7 to get Jose and the kids off. Then Sandra goes to exercise class, comes back and cleans and prepares food for the day, and then she’s off to work. At 3:30 Jose is home having picked up the kids at the restaurant where they’ve been since 2:30. He then puts together the meal that Sandra has left, cleans up, supervisies homework, playtime, the evening snack, and getting the kids washed and to bed.
And then they’ve got me taking up one of the two bedrooms. Wow, this is one hard-working family. They are of the new-age, families looking at having fewer children and doing whatever it takes to provide a good education for them all.
This is a different street. They do all the markings on the walls in the same font and same black and red ink so there is this feeling of tidiness that is quite surprisingly serene.
The entire historic downtown is made up of blocks and blocks of buildings just exactly like these, and churches on about every third corner.
What’s cool is that in these buildings there exists at least one of Everything. As well as residences, think of any sort of business and one of them will be here, and behind every door is a design mystery.
October 8
For those who were wondering, the explosions at my church have not continued into the week but I did just get an email from Michi warning of a big Catholic holiday on Friday, and then Sunday will be along soon. I’m looking at it as a photo-op.
Here come several pictures of kids-in-crowds. Boys actually, I didn’t see any girls…
…and I had no idea what was going on.
These are all here so you can get a little feeling of what the Plaza Grande in Pitzcuaro is like. Look past the kids and you’ll see the colonnaded buildings which surround the square. There are really delightful restaurants, curio shops, small business, public WCs, and every fifth shop is given over to an internet cafe.
Not to mention that local obsession – ice cream. I’ll get to that in the next day or two.
It’s all quite charming and although this is a tourist town for local people still it feels like a real place that people live in all their lives.
So, what’s going on here anyway?
It’s a big road race. That explains why the younger ones were in front – they’re off!
And lest you imagine that I’m strolling around without a care, mi casa is up here and the town, the school, everything, is down there. But of course compared to my mountain climbing adventure in Guanajuato, it’s a walk in the park.
October 7
I’m up at 5am to get ready to leave Guanajuato. The papa at my home-stay drove me to the bus station and I need to update my comments about the traffic tunnels. They are a miracle, not just a few diesel traps but an elaborate network of passageways that makes the total delight of Guanajuato possible.
Now, from the bus window, is this, and I don’t even know what it is but…
…it includes This. And since we were speeding by on a very commodious, well-tended bus, this shot is about 1/4 of how many there were.
I had a four hour layover in the colonial city of Morelia so I took a cab into town to look around.
According to TripAdvisor, the number one attraction is an aqueduct followed by some churches and museums, but they don’t go too nuts over the place like local people do.
I knew there was an old cathedral and since this was Sunday I went straight there. Driving through the city we passed maybe a dozen groups of families with boys and girls dressed up like these. Is it the confirmation ceremony? I think so.
The priest talked to the children and the parents, shook water around, and then they all filed to the front of the church. To me, this is more scary than the mummies in Guanajuato.
Outside the cathedral was what looked like a semi-permanent protest. Under the tent there were mattresses stacked up, a cooking area, and a generator.
Oddly I thought, all the words on the signs were not in my dictionary so I couldn’t piece together the topic, but a woman I think was a martyr to the cause and her picture was prominently featured.
I wandered for two hours through street after street, this being one of the tidier examples. I was having a hard time feeling it for Morelia and then, on a street much like all the others, I was propelled through a door with no sign which led to a garden around which was this Wonderful restaurant.
It was the best meal I’ve had in Mexico so far this trip. One reason was these tortillas. At the time I didn’t know there were three ladies working full time to keep the restaurant in tortillas (I got these photos when looking around after the meal).
It’s true what someone in Guanajuato told me on the first day – you’re not here for the food. Maybe that’s why the street food there was so appealing and really good whereas the street food here in the Big City Morelia did not look appealing but this random restaurant was top notch.
Ok, time to get back to the bus.
I arrived in Patzcuaro around four, got settled with my home-stay family, and then went out for a gander.
Just down the street from my new mi-casa is this church. I guess this is my church now since it is the closest. This church…lordy…believes that it needs to keep away evil by firing off Ear SPLITingly LoUD fire crackers every 10-20 minutes. It was Sunday, and today is Monday past 6 and I haven’t heard it yet so cross your fingers that it’s a Sunday kind of thing.
That’s right, cross your fingers for luck. Some fantasies are just quieter than others.
They were having a huge fiesta at this church with a pageant and a parade, food, music, the works.
This I think is Mary Magdalen because under her headscarf her robes are scarlet…
And this is the tiniest part of the crowd as it surges forward to watch.
What a festive welcome!
October 6
It’s my last day in Guanajuato and I’ve stopped off at the school to check my email. I have to sit outside because it’s closed. I had to come here because it’s only 10:30 in the morning and the internet cafes have not opened yet.
Then I met up with Michi as we had planned on a farewell stroll through town when…
…Miguel! Here he comes walking down the street towards us, Mr Salsa Himself. Miguel Miguel! Foto Foto!
There’s nothing I can do about my goofy expression, squinty eyes and skewey mouth, but this picture’s stayin’!
Looking down from the roof into the walk/steps that pass by the front door. Erasmo told me today that he built this whole house with his own hands and with no help not even from the bank.
I really think that’s what he said! It seems these houses across the walkway are not nearly as finished as ‘our’ house.
Back home, it’s time to do up a last batch of laundry. These are the steps from my room leading up to the roof.
October 4-5
This shot is from the the night of the 4th as I was walking home after dance class. Hey! This is on my corner next to my church and on my street! Those who know me can just imagine what I’m thinking now.
Then, that night, when I was happily at home enjoying the veranda, when all the venues for Cervantino were hoppin’, including my corner pouring out the amplified ‘music’, pwwww, the Entire City went dark. It was something to see all right from my perfect vista.
Then the power came back, and the air filled with sound, and then pwwww, dark again. This process occurred another few times. What was surprising to me more than the power failure, considering what was going on around town, was that it always came back so quickly and from what I can tell there has been no ill effects.
It’s my last day at school…con muchos abrazos y besos. Adiós to Las Ninas! (We’re all pink because the building facing and behind is Pink pink.)
I think it’s something like Cervantino is to Cervantes as Shakespearean is to Shakespeare. Cervantino started out as just a week of performances of Cervantes works but it has grown into this international extravaganza with celebrated artists from around the world.
That and incredibly colorful youth out for some performance art, and plenty of plan old Party Hearty.
I decided to try a restaurant that came highly recommended by many of the teachers and students and it was a great thing to do (and not because the food was particularly delicious). For example, here are the chairs!
More. After two weeks I know all these places, I know how to get around in the central city and I can’t walk two blocks without running into someone I know.
One of those reflecto shots of which I am so fond. That rooster in the back is the name-sake of the restaurant.
As I was leaving down this very long and very steep multiple sets of stairs I passed by at least five of the restaurant people coming up with bags of provissions. This last guy was my waiter.
At the school they are doing a lot of construction and because we are on a walk street, guys are carrying bags of cement and sand, and all sorts of building supplies on their backs.
Even when my home-stay family was doing the paint job the workers were carrying all the supplies long distances up the mountain.
And still, there are old people who live here, so they must stay mighty darn strong!
It’s interesting to note that Guanajuato, the birthplace of Diego Rivera, among the most renowned artists of Mexico, was rejected by his very conservative hometown for his radical political stance.
Now though, that time has passed and passions faded, they are calling him their own.
October 2-3
More from the plaza of La Escuela Mexicana – a teacher, an administrator, and a student. Hola señores.
The dog at mi casa, Niko, who either entirely sleeps through my arrival and movement through the house, or wakes up and barks and barks and Barks until, for no apparent reason, he stops. Hola Niko.
Pepe! Hola Pepe! I haven’t figured out his relationship to the family but he stays here during the week, through Thursday, and goes home Friday-Sunday. He was great fun to talk with because he’s studying English and he could find words for me and I could find words for him. Also we shared the second floor but it wasn’t a problem at all because he left so early.
Kids start school Early. The mama gives them a piece of fruit or a piece of bread and they are off. Then they eat a sack breakfast around 11. At 3 they are back at home for the big meal of the day, and then at 8-9 they eat cena, a last before bedtime meal of cereal and fruit, or quesadilla, or maybe leftovers.
This is the street of the Diego Rivera Museum and Birthplace. The Museum was Maravilloso. Really amazing since, although there were many original works, they don’t have the pieces you know, and it doesn’t substitute for a trip to Mexico City, but still they did a fantastic job of biography. You can more clearly understand the times and get a feeling for him and his tumultuous life.
These guys and the like are out in force because of the arrival of the Cervantino Festival crowd.
I’m sitting on a park bench trying to eat my entire bag of pastries (pastries are a specialty with shops everywhere) and it seems they are going to stand there singing until I come up with some money. They sang a few verses of Blue Moon until I asked them por favor, en español, and was treated to Besame Mucho, which was at least more entertaining than Blue Moon!
Last night was the big opening of the Cervantino Festival with a fireworks extravaganza which I saw from my patio with all the folks in mi casa. I so cheated on this photo…now I know how they get those shots in the newspaper. Maybe I’ll work on the composition tonight instead of doing homework.
October 1
The city of Guanajuato grew into it’s gorgeous state from the individual wealth of The Rich Guys, from the silver and mineral mines. Now it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and great civic interest goes into preservation and restoration.
Check out the details on these balconies – leaded glass windows, carvings on the frames, and the iron work.
Another view of El Pípila looking between the Teatro Juarez and one of the great churches built on every block.
I’m having a wonderful time but will be moving on anyway at the coming weekend because there is a HUGE festival going on that literally doubles the population and makes everything so painfully crowded.
I’m planning on trying Patzcuaro in Michoacan but have not bought tickets yet or confirmed with the school there. I should have made a decision by tomorrow!
Torsten’s dog. She is majorly upset right now. I was carrying food and she really really wanted it and then when it became clear to her that she wasn’t going to get it she plopped herself down like this to block my way!
Mostly the dogs just bark bark bark. The noisiest ones seem to be kept behind gates or chained up but still it is such a racket all night long and the care in general is definitely not up to spca standards.
I’m sympathetic to this dog because all day long someone different is telling her what to do. She hangs around the school ‘plaza’ and people throw things for her to catch, tell her no a lot, call her to come, and yell ‘down!’. Under the circumstances I’d say she was pretty well adjusted.
Here’s Torsten, director of the school, with Esme my conversation teacher (who does know that smoking is bad for her health…). This bench appeared on our street from where I don’t know but it has added to the ‘plaza’ effect of the street between the school administration building and the classrooms on the other side.
This is the guy who teaches my dance class at 6:00. I asked him if he did any other classes and thought I learned (there’s always that chance of misunderstanding in a language you don’t know!) that twice a week he does a class at the ‘Casa de la Cultura’ so I went there. I don’t know what I was expecting, but this definitely wasn’t it.
Here were a room full of women and one other guy who seemed to be his assistant, keeping 15-20 women at 15-20 different levels of accomplishment all smiling and dancing. It was an amazing feat.
Then he’d have to race up the road maybe 1/2 mile to my class where he would be cheery and in constant motion keeping everyone going. It’s Impressive.
See that woman in the sensible dress and the sensible shoes? I was doing my daily trudge and she passed me by with a hearty Hola! and was this far ahead in the minute that it took me to get out my camera. Maybe that could be me if I did this for 5 years?
September 31
After four long hours of class I went by bus to the mummy museum and walked back, because if you’re here you’ve just gotta go see the mummies. There are no-photos of course, and I was going to pick some off the internet, but it is something that might very well scare the children. It might scare You! So if you want to see dead people all skin and bones and some even have their clothes preserved but most are weirdly naked with expressions right out of The Scream, ask your favorite browser for images of the Museo de las Momias.
Here’s what LP has to say: ‘…(it) is a quintessential example of Mexico’s obsession with death. Visitors from all over come to see scores of corpses disinterred from the public cemetery.
‘The remains were dug up in 1865, when it was necessary to remove some bodies from the cemetery to make room for more. What the authorities uncovered were not skeletons but flesh (and skeletons) mummified with (really really) grotesque forms and facial expressions. The mineral content of the soil and extremely dry atmosphere had combined to preserve the bodies in this unique way.’
I ate lunch at this place across from the Museo and no where in the world would it be necessary to have a better sandwich than the one I ate here. YUM YUM.
I’ve also mentioned before how pleasant all the walk-streets are and how crowded all the one-way drive-streets are. Here is the one reason it can work at all – underground drive-streets. You definitely don’t want to walk down there without a gas mask.
September 30
To remember in future days what it was that I lugged up and down that mountain once or twice every day (it is no longer a hill to me – it is a mountain that looms before me. I thought I was getting better at it but this weekend was worse than the first days!):
1) camera (missing from the photo for obvious reasons), extra battery, extra memory, pcmcia card, cleaning cloth 2) computer, power supply, plug converter, mouse 3) two school text books, large notebook, dictionary 4) map, compass, small notebook, name cards, pencil, pen, comb, keys, sun block, umbrella (not every day), salsa shoes 5) contact information, handkerchief, Rome’s photos, my Birthday Book 6) in the pink trimmed bag-family photos, (unsuccessful) mosquito repellent, breath drops, nail file, toothpicks, tweezers, incense and matches, emergency allergy pill 7) in the black trimmed bag-more allergy pills, money, credit cards, receipts.
She’s on my daily route and we ‘hola’ a lot. The cats live in an empty space behind a gate and she brings them scraps to eat.
Here she is trying to get the cats to look at the camera. And she’s always smiling, purring at her babies.
This guy is a cutie too. He’s always got his shop set up here at the end of the lane.
I bought one of these and ate it just to see what something this color would taste like. It was half churro and half marshmallow.
I was out for an afternoon stroll with Michi and as would be no surprise to anyone who knows me, she likes to look into stores and I stand around looking for a photo.
This was our favorite store and this is the lobby outside the store leading to something we weren’t sure what.
The University! Here’s a little intro from their own website: ‘The history and academic tradition of the Universidad de Guanajuato date back to the 18 th century, the most prosperous period of Villa de Guanajuato, a mining town which received the title of City in 1741. The University had its beginnings in the Hospice of the Holy Trinity, established on October 1, 1732 in the home of its principal advocate and supporter, Doña Josefa Teresa de Busto y Moya. She, along with 14 wealthy miners contributed financially to create the first school in Guanajuato.’
…but you can click now for the mostly done story of GETTING ACQUAINTED In GUANAJUATO.
The rest of this entire building is under scaffolding with no workers in sight, but wow, it’s something for sure.
On my trudge. Across from this is a small neighborhood church that is always hoppin’.
I miss seeing you and I think about you Every Day. When I am back home in October we are going to have some good fun again! I hope you are feeling well and enjoying all your birthday presents!
Doesn’t my hair look funny in the wind?! This is looking down into the whole city where I am staying. with LOVE from Granny
The next two are for Rome!
Hola Rome! It’s Granny here sending you Love and Kisses and Big Hugs from Mexico! I am standing in front of my school here.
The girl with the flag is from a different picture but isn’t she gorgeous? I hope she has wonderful dreams and high aspirations.
“By 1809 Hidalgo’s sense of discontent was turning openly to revolutionary politics, and the possibility of a rising against the vice-regal government of what was then New Spain. He was joined by Ignacio Allende, a young officer from the nearby town of San Miguel, also a Creole, frustrated by the inherent chauvinism in the colonial administration, which preferred to advance immigrant Spaniards, rather than people born in Mexico, no matter how “pure” their blood. The fall of Ferdinand created a vacuum which Allende and other ambitious Creoles were determined to fill.”
September 28
It’s that big celebration I mentioned yesterday, and What a Parade. You can come and go from one spot, as I did, for more than 3 hours and still the river of parade would be passing by.
All the material in quotes I lifted straight from the Wiki.
“The city played a major role in the Mexican War of Independence since it is the capital of the State Guanajuato in which Miguel Hidalgo started the independence movement. The Statue of El Pípila and the Alhóndiga de Granaditas still remind of that time.”
Los hombres. The parade was so HUGE because every organization from the whole state sent teams of marchers. Every school, every government department, every public service group, it just went on and ON.
“Early on the morning of Sunday September 16, 1810 Hidalgo and Allende received from Doña Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez (“La Corregidora” from Querétaro) a warning that the authorities had intelligence of the planned rising. Hidalgo’s parishioners had been coming in from the surrounding countryside, expecting to hear mass; instead they heard a call to arms. As well as invoking the name of King Ferdinand and the Virgin of Guadalupe, he denounced the Gauchupines, a derogatory term for the Spanish-born overlords, specifically designed to appeal to an Indian audience.”
This is the main plaza and the main cathedral.
“From Dolores, the rebel force moved on San Miguel, gathering support along the way like a rolling avalanche. In the process the movement began to be openly anti-Spanish rather than pro-Ferdinand, and Hidalgo dropped his own pretence to loyalism in favour of outright support for Mexican independence.”
EVERY conCeivable organization had a presence and every conceivable conveyance. At one point the Red Cross took up half a mile of the street. Many of the walk streets were open for the parade.
My favorites were the National Park folks marching with shovels and rakes.
“So, what began as a conservative reaction turned into a popular, largely Indian, anti-colonial revolution. The army then moved on Guanajuato, the provincial capital, where Antonio Riano, the governor, attempted to organise a defense. But he was only able to assemble some 500 men, Creole and Spanish, against an Indian force now estimated at 20,000 strong. The town fell to onslaught on 28 September, during which many of the defenders were massacred.”
You know, an army parading down the street evokes too many emotions, and none of them any fun at all, no matter what the circumstance, in what country or in what city you find yourself.
“The rebel army then moved south-east towards Mexico City, close to which General Felix Calleja had placed some 3000 cavalry and 600 infantry at the pass of Las Cruces. In the ensuing Battle of Las Cruces the tiny defending force faced 80,000 rebels. The Royalists managed to hold off the advance in two days of hard fighting, assisted by the fact that Hidalgo’s men had scarcely any firearms. But in the end they were defeated by sheer weight of numbers, and 200 survivors of the battle fell back on Mexico City, now virtually defenseless.”
And wow to all the costumed groups in celebration of Viva La Revolucion! They were clearly having the most fun.
“As he did not have confidence in the discipline of his newly recruited army and did not feel he could control looting or useless violence, Hidalgo did not press his advantage, and the rebels moved away from the capital, to the north-east in the direction of Valladolid, present-day Morelia, and from thence on to Guadalajara.”
The school offered a tour this afternoon and it was great fun. We drove on the Panoramic Road that circles the city, stopping at all the tourista spots along the way.
We could each pick out our routes to everywhere because the central city has such promonent and memorable landmarks.
These fine folks are leaving Sunday after a stay of a few months, to get some Spanish before continuing their journey. We had a great class together and now they’re gone and new students will take their place. Maybe I have an idea of how other people might have felt when I first arrived.
I haven’t met anyone who is staying less than 2 weeks, most stay at least a month, and a good many stay even longer and I can surely see why.
And this is me and Guillermo. You probably won’t recognize him, but this is Guy #1 from the airport trip! He’s around the school all the time doing whatever needs doing and he especially likes to tease me about La Salsa.
Notice, Climbing Straight Up Hill. We did this, and a few more walks, missing the longer stops because I HAD to get back for salsa class.
Oh I am taken with this class. But I’ll tell ya, I could barely make it home at the end of the day. I walked all through town twice, once to buy myself a pair of shoes for, can you guess, salsa class, and again with Michi who had some shopping to do, and we walked a lot during the tour, and then one none-stop hour of pouring sweat, and then back up the hill home. ps My clothes are not the least bit loose either. What’s with That!?
September 27
This is from my patio in the evening as the lights are coming on around town. Way cool! And from the patio outside my window. It stormed like crazy during the night – windows blowing open, doors slamming, and the sounds of destruction coming from outside.
But this morning all is well and the weather is again perfect, as it has been the whole time I’ve been here.
I was going to write today about how I am busy every single minute what with all the walking, the classes, hanging out (important of course), homework (!), photos and More.
But then instead today one teacher was sick, so that’s one hour free, and Michi and I CUT CLASS! We have the one together with las niñas. I’m so over it. Michi, we know, is a grown-up woman and can make her own choices…it’s not like I’m a bad-girl influence or anything…I just told her I was Cutting Class to go to the museum and she said OH YES Me TOOO.
First, Tamales!
This is the courtyard of the most famous museum in Guanajuato and the site of a major historical event (one of the many Independence Days) that is going to be celebrated throughout the entire city tomorrow with a giant parade, musicians, food stalls – the whole enchilada.
Inside the museum the staircases are painted with these giant Diego Rivera-like murals. The church, the occupiers, war and more war, all the major themes.
We both were crazy for these pre-Hispanic pots. There is a whole room devoted to them although not much is know of the culture that produced them.
80% have these faces molded in. All the faces are cute too, happy looking guys. That’s pretty darn rare!
En mi casa! Yes, these children come here for the main meal around 3pm. Most of then are grandchildren but I haven’t figured out exactly who is who.
Missing is Pepe who is around a lot too. He’s a cute-as-pie teenager who helps me with my homework.
La professora and two of my classmates in the ‘good’ conversation class (as compared to the class with las ninas…).
And this is the common room of mi escuela. Note, Laptop City GTO.
It is a lot of fun in here – literally Everyone is chatty and friendly with all the very best features of a hostel without any of the down sides.
