Celebrating Cinco de Mayo at the Fair

 This week we went on a youth trip to the Cinco de Mayo fair. This is a big deal here in Puebla. I usually go to the parade on the fifth, but since my sidekick found a new partner back in February, I had no one to go with this year. However, this fair goes on for about a month starting in April and ending mid-May. This was the last week it was going to be open and I was just dying to go!! Abner set a date with his young people and I piggy-backed on their trip. 

I ended up taking everyone there in the car, but got stopped by the police before driving even a mile. They had a stop set up in the road, pulling over random cars. This has been one of my greatest fears in life - I'm scared of Mexican police! I'm so glad I wasn't alone! Immediately my adrenaline started pumping and I hand my license to the officer. He walked off to go check it and I start chanting out loud "stay calm, stay calm, stay calm!!!!" Everyone in the car was cracking up, but seriously - I was so nervous. Abner dug through the glove box to find the car's circulation card, gave it to the officer and that was that! We were good to go. I rolled up my window and zoomed out of there as I let out a pent-up shriek of terror. I was so glad to get that over with!! I won't freak out as bad in the future because I now know it isn't that big of a deal. 

Sigh.

I've always had this scene in my head where they pull me over and say they are taking the car. I respond cooly, "Excuse me, but I am calling my lawyer." To which I then call my Tio Mario and beg him to come save me from the awful and dishonest policemen. The lawyer thing technically isn't a lie because Mario is our organization's legal representative.

We arrived at the fair with no further incident. We parked the car in the designated area, caught the free transportation to the top of the hill, and there began our night of fun! 

Right off the bat, everyone wanted to ride the "Kamikaze". 

I more prefer to start with something like the Teacups or that ride that looks like a giant swing set and goes round and round. Something easy on the digestive system. 

But whatever! We started out with a bang, and boy did my stomach protest! :-/ Also, the majority of us had walked in asking, "Donde esta el baño?" Thankfully, we all held it together while being tossed upside down and through the air.

 

Juan and Abner

 The bull gave the guys a run for their money! 

The inside of Abner's knees were bloody by the time he got thrown off - LOL.

...aaaand, he's down!

And I thought we hung a lot of papel picado for Nicole's weddings!!!

Abner and Messi

 A local college here in Puebla had a booth set up at the fair. It was very unexpected and turned out to be the most touching and interesting thing of the night.

In this picture I am holding a actual *real* six-month-old baby that was miscarried because of a problem in its spine. 

This is a REAL baby!

Tiny, fragile, but formed in perfect detail. Her umbilical cord is still attached and she has soft hair on her head.

I was shocked speechless. 

It was a very moving experience. I'd never seen anything like it.

Tiny fingers and toes, a tiny little body. It is amazing to think that babies are born even younger than this and survive.

Obviously it had some kind of chemical process done to it to preserve the body. It looked like a little mummy, felt like wax, and smelled like cinnamon.

 They also had a real human heart out on display! So cool!

Proof that Abner actually does have a heart!

Me and Montse

 All of us young people rode this ride. The one with seats all around in a circle...it spins so fast, you can't even move. 

After the ride was over, the guy went around unlocking the bars on each car. I leaned down to tie my shoe as the ride was coming a full stop....All of a sudden the bar comes slamming down on my forehead and then the bridge of my nose. IT HURT SO BAD. But since I am such an unlucky person, I woke up in the morning with not even a hint of a bruise on my face. It was extremely sore, but no battle scar was to be found. I've felt totally unjustified complaining of the soreness these past few days. To me, you can only complain if you have a bruise, are bleeding, or it's broken.

I am disqualified. 

Some of us are way too hardy. 

LOL.

Montse, the bravest of us all, rode this ride. 

The rest of us were too chicken. 

Me, Abi, Karla, Jose Luis, Lucy, Juan, Montse, and Abner

 When we were leaving at the end of the night, I had someone snap my picture with a police car. I was going to scare my mom and tell her I'd gotten stopped by the police. **Which was true, ok.**

The kids said this picture was perfect because it looked like I was crying and stressed. 

(In reality, my nose hurt and I was irked my that my long-awaited caramel-filled churro ended up being a spongey disappointment HAHA)

 However, Mom ended up calling me when I was on my way home and the joke didn't pan out. 

All in all, we had a great night! I love spending time with these kids! They are a great group of young people that make me laugh until my face gets cramps.

~Bethany~