Tuesday

This is a story of plan B. Remember the famous mummies of Guanajuato [blog, photos]? Well, they're following me: several armfuls have become a traveling exhibit* and it has reached Monterrey's history museum,* showing through Halloween. At the grand opening tonight I was amazed at the turnout--mummies seem pretty popular here. Hundreds of people were waiting without shade, lined-up to the hot riverwalk construction area at the capital building. We had complimentary tickets for an exclusive kickoff conference where panelists were to talk about different methods of mummification and the different types of mummies which result. Because of the vast number of attendees, though, this talk was sold out, they were very sorry to say. That was plan A. Up the street, however, the MARCO had been set up for an annual awards gala* honoring Latin American journalism. We were walking back to the car when we decided to crash it. Sunshine had complimentary invites to this, too, but she'd given them away (although we just walked right in without any hassle). Olga was there, and we found good seats. The governor of Nuevo Leon was there. Gabriel Garcia Marquez* was also there. He doesn't speak at these things, just sits at center-table, filled with dignity, poise, and charm, greeting the yearly winners in the fields of print and photo journalism. He is a perfect gentleman. I could not believe that we got to sit in the same room with him for nothing. When the awards were finally given and the crowd was milling, well-dressed men with trays of strong drinks and good food started to mingle, and Celso Piña's* seven-man band broke into a surprise set so heroically cool it took two accordions.* I'll say this for the luminaries of Latin American journalism: they can dance. [Cavin]