Collaged Christmas journey daybook page

My determination to make journey daybook pages each day of this trip was undaunted with any challenges I encountered during the past month. I purposely forced myself to write as well as draw and paint daily. For me, this Christmas was somewhat difficult and I used my pages to record my feelings about my experiences – no matter how uncomfortable it was to do this. I was alone without any family presence. My memories of Christmases past were disjointed from my actual, very different Christmas experience of being in Mexico City.

Christmas poinsettias spilling over a neighborhood wall

On Christmas Day, the streets were largely empty when Mimi and I made our three daily walks in the neighborhood. Egoistically, I wanted to avoid the appearance of being alone. But . .  .  Alone I was! So, I reflected. I read. I unwrapped and cherished the lovely, small gifts that I carried with me to Mexico. I connected with friends and family at home. And, Christmas Day passed. 

Sitting by a busy neighborhood street

Each day I was away, I scheduled at least one activity. Often one activity led to another, unscheduled event. As I traced my inspiration, I made several new friends –  people with whom I shared contact information.

Learning about outstanding Mexican single source coffees

I eagerly followed threads of information I gleaned from many new experiences –  the history and life of Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz, the first North American feminist whose image appears on the 200 peso note, the concept of the scallop shell or “concha,” coffee culture in Mexico, and mural painting and the depiction of skeletons in popular Mexican art history. I remembered an interview I read this fall by Stephanie Ledoux, a well-known French journal keeper, wherein she states that she appreciates 1) traveling alone and 2) not speaking the local language when she is away. These seemingly counterintuitive statements point to the fact that she has a much more time for working – for processing her experiences. I so agree with Ms Ledoux! For me, the difficulties of traveling alone, especially with a small, old dog, were far outweighed by the benefits and the wealth of my many positive experiences, the movement I was forced to make alone, and the work I accomplished.

The garden fountain I enjoyed at Casita de Palma

Most of all, I have a lively record of many new friendships and experiences. I am pleased to share some of these here.