Whilst Ms Pacifica gets out her trusty camera (remember them) Lola meets a very drunk American Restauranteur, who proposes to her.  Not marriage you understand… as he didn’t divorce the last wife… as an insurance policy so that he cannot marry again. Propped up at a bar table of a not-yet-opened restaurant we somehow manage to drink 3 glasses of wine each, hear but defer answering the proposal and numerous other compliments, get a tour of the kitchen, play a few notes on the most amazing piano previously owned by John Paul Getty and finally to escape a few hours later with dignity, a free meal voucher (Sin limite)  – unlimited food and drink for two people in his San Miguel restaurant. Not bad for a walk around the block to take a few pictures.

First the pictures – it is colourful here!

How to summarise her new potential “novio” (boyfriend). He’s a loud and unapologetic American who sold up his 14 restaurants in Memphis and moved to Mexico. Why? is not quite certain although when Lola went to the bathroom Ms Pacifica did ascertain that he had worked for the US government – not ‘wet work’ you understand. Did I understand?, (well actually I was pretty sure I had) but as I didn’t react much, they leapt in to clarify it for me. Not exactly happy about the direction the conversation was going in, I diverted them –  but suspect that his flight from USA was propitious.

He was now rebuilding his empire – the current number of establishments was a little vague –  but more than one other. Interestingly we had been to the other one in San Miguel on our last trip, and which may have been the source of Lola’s 3 days of Montezumas revenge. Not being in the impressing mood, Lola conveyed that to him. (Treat them mean, keep ’em keen!)

He had leased a huge derelict building into which we had inadvertently wandered, in San Luis and redone it completely. The exterior was beautiful and had even warranted a photo (Below), the interior – well let’s say, not my taste and maybe it would have benefited from a designer.

Not to be churlish about our host though, who was holding court and doing his best to impress:  he was very close friends with Ringo Starr, also had know George Harrison – obviously had had nights out with Stevie Wonder, and had installed the ex-piano of John Paul Getty. It was wonderous. On the down-side he shouted at his staff in-training, bragged about women, downed serious quantities of whisky – and had been at it, long prior to our arrival. He had been to NZ – thought it the most beautiful country he had ever seen – but boring and they wouldn’t sever him more than a double shot of whisky at one time. New Zealand was clearly not  big enough for his character – they didn’t appreciate him!

Mexico on other hand  would take him in their stride. They love a fiesta.