Ensenada

In typical Annie fashion... I went away for a meditation weekend. This time, I went with some friends, and it wasn't silent. It might as well have been because everyone was speaking Spanish. Oddly enough, I took French because the teacher gave out candy. It's so easy to bribe a six-year-old.

So here's what I learned at the OSHO Meditation Center in Ensenada:

Drinking is strictly prohibited - unless you're a resident artist

Jumping up and down saying Ho Ho Ho can lead to extreme pleasure - just not to me

Mr. OSHO was a very simple man: he ate the same thing every day, hung out in the bathroom for 3 hours every day, and drove his Rolls Royce down a road dedicated to him every day - ZEN

The best compliment in the world - 'You dance like a Mexican'

Guys in ski masks carrying guns aren't bank robbers - they're military

When scared of guys in ski masks... don't hide underneath the bed - try the closet instead

12.45 Pessos gets you $1 - $1 gets you 12.28 Pessos

Don't sweat the exchange - buy a street taco instead

Beans are magical - unless you have a roommate you don't want to offend

After a sober weekend - hit up the wineries on the way back 

Border crossing - pack some good CDs and say no to churros (oy so tempting!)

La Cetto Winery ~ Valle de la Guadeloupe

Did I have a good time? You bet I did! $70 US provided a weekend in a lovely place with great company, some stories I'll never forget and I even tried out my very broken Spanish. I learned that Mexico is beautiful, poor, rich, dirty, clean, colorful, friendly, smelly, frees your spirit, family is always first, and life is good when the sun is out.