Emiliano's Baptism

Emiliano with his Padrino (Godfather) Omar



Laura, Pollo, Emiliano and Andrea

El Padrino playing Bolo with the kids...he throws a fistful of coins and the kids scramble to pick them up.Omar y los hermanos, finally all together! From left: Juan Carlos, Omar, Pollo, Marco Antonio and Hector.

Las cuñadas: Ania, Liliano, Laura, Aby e Amy

Natalia & Renata, Andrea & Emiliano

Sra. Belem, Emiliano and Pollo

Sra. Belem, Gral. Hector, Emiliano and Andrea

Omar out with the girls: Renata, Andrea, Natalia and Amy (Sra. Belem in the front seat)

Omar at the movies with Natalia and Renata

Waiting for the ballet recital: Gral. Hector, Sr. Belem, Pollo and Omar

Andrea and Laura, this is a Mother/Daughter ballet class

The ballerina, Andrea

All the girls in the ballet class

Meeting Emiliano

Omar's brother Mario (aka Pollo) and Laura had their baby, Emiliano, on January 13. He was born over a month early, but healthy and doing great now.

Ready for baby exercises

More sightseeing in Mexico City

Visiting the Palacio Nacional, formerly where the President, now used for Presidential meetings and events. Omar's friend, Oscar, took us on a great tour. Thanks Oscar!

The president's desk

Oscar

The murals of Diego Rivera, depicting the history of Mexico along the second floor arcade

The Castillo de Chapultepec, former fortress, home of the Emperor during the French occupation and later the President, it's now a museum.

Great view down Reforma

Plaza de las Tres Culturas: the remains of the Aztec city of Tlatelolco, the Church of Santiago and modern office and apartment buildings.

Returning to Mexico City

Great views of volcano Popocatepetl

We stopped in Puebla for a brief visit and lunch with Omar's brother Hector and family. Little Hector was heading to football practice.

Bicyclers on pilgrimage to the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City, we passed several large groups of pilgrims.

Tlacotlalpan and Veracruz

On the road between Minatitlan and Veracruz, Lake Catemaco

A brief stop at the colorful town of Tlacotlalpan

And the reason for all the men on horseback...another festival, this one with a running of a bull...

The zocalo, we just made a quick trip around it while the bull was out of sight

On the higway, approaching Veracruz City

We arrived in Veracruz City on the first day of the weeklong Carnaval. This afternoon featured the kids parade.

We drove along the coast road in search of Omar's favorite food in the whole world, Arroz a la Tumbada (a seafood and rice soup) and found it here, at the only open restuarant near the beach. It was good, but sadly not quite as it was remembered :)

Coffee before hitting the road at the Veracruz institution, Gran Cafe de la Parroquia, delicious!