Another Cha Cha Takes Me Back

Last night I was watching figure skating on t.v.and I saw that one of the girls skating performed to a familiar tune which I had not heard in a long time. All I remember from the song is its beginning chant: "One two, cha cha cha, three four, cha cha cha..." So I decided to Google in these lyrics and I found that the song is titled "Another Cha Cha" and was released in the late '70s by a Franco-Latin disco group called Santa Esmeralda.

My memories of this song take me back to 1979, the last full year of my life that I spent as a citizen of Ecuador before emigrating to California the following year. The song reminds me especially of my trips to the seaside, an hour and a half away from Guayaquil, the city of my birth. My grandmother loved to travel and enjoyed leaving the city. This was especially true during Easter week, but also whenever she had an opportunity. She would leave my grandfather behind who couldn't easily escape his duties as the headmaster in an all boys orphanage.

My grandmother would take my two younger sisters and I, our travel bags in tow, sometimes accompanied by her "helper" or one of our aunties, but once in a while with no help whatsoever. If we went to the beach communities of Playas or La Liberta, we would rent a little room for our stay. If we went to Salinas, we would stay at my godparents Nancy and Rodrigo's beach condo, a block away from the water.

These trips to the sea were magical for my sisters and I, and I have a feeling that they were also a welcome respite for my grandmother. We would all swim and play in the water for hours, building a nice appetite in the process. I have fond memories of ordering fish and crab, salty green plantains, and drinking coconut water right out the fruit. I remember my grandmother drinking a cold beer and getting a great satisfaction from it. I remember these restaurant stands having palm-leaf thatching for roofs. And I remember Santa Esmeralda's catchy and festive hit "Another Cha Cha" always blasting from a juke box or radio.

Now I can't wait until I go back to Ecuador again! It's been 3 years...

47 Days and 47 Nights

My good friend Kathy, a fellow blogger asked, "Are you observing Lent this year?" on her February 25th post. Well, for those who didn't know already, I am! This year my friends Robert, Raquel and I decided to give up red meat and all alcohol for Lent. I for one am not someone who drinks in excess, but I normally can not live without a glass of red wine for more than a day. I also enjoy a nice cold beer when it is warm, which is quite frequently (even in winter) if you live in Los Angeles. As for red meat, I do not eat it everyday, but I thought I could one up most Catholics who only give it up on Fridays!

Well you can imagine my shock when I discovered this weekend that Lent is actually 47 days long and not 40. All my life, I had always believed that Lent was 40 days and 40 nights. Since we started our observance, my friends and I had been doing a countdown, counting backwards from 40 days. Looking at a calendar, the three of us thought Easter Sunday would be on April 5th (40 days counting from February 25), but we soon learned that it won't be until the 12th of that month. We were perplexed. I brought the subject up in the lunch room today with my colleagues who are also observing Lent and giving up something or other. Beth is giving up coffee (yikes!). Maggie is giving up sweets. Carolina is giving up all carbonated sodas. Beth then said: Lent is 40 days and 40 nights, but you don't count Sundays!

What a realization, I thought, but it just sounded dumb to me. I know Sunday is a holy day, but really! Does this mean one can cheat on Sundays? Don't worry, yours truly will not! I just think those who are in observance should be given credit for the 47 days of practicing their will power.

O.K. With my new knowledge now, as of today: 6 days down, and 41 days to go...