Well, enough rhetorical speculation on that subject, yesterday it was "into the breach rode the ten thousand - and me" - or in local terms, into GDL drove 10,000 trucks and me, always good to up your heart rate and increase the adrenalin flow about 300%. Nothing terribly dramatic actually I just needed to make a run to the usual GDL stores and then lunch at Applebees.

Then, feeling fearless I decided to make a loop over to Tonala where Margaret and I had intended to go today (before the morning rain canceled that). I thought I might just explore a bit and maybe catch a glimpse of a nice copper fountain for the entry downstairs. As to catching a glimpse? - that was near impossible from the car. Tonala's main street with all the shops is a divided boulevard, two lanes each way with a pedestrian sanctuary in the middle to provide safe haven to the foolish on foot attempting to cross. Then along each side of that are laterals, parallel side lanes, another two lanes where shopper’s cars (needing to load up with purchased treasures) are competing with trucks delivering, passing through or just careening along. And then to add insanity to complexity if you want or need to get from the main lanes to the laterals or visa versa, or turn from a main lane onto a side street (which I managed to do at risk of life, limb and fender) you do the waltz of the foolhardy with intricately timed and choreographed cross over maneuvers in your vehicle often sending wary pedestrians on foot scattering for their lives clutching purchases in one arm and dragging kids with the other.

The foray into Tonala was mostly unsuccessful revealing only a few pottery types in lovely green and gold - a bit ostentatious for my tastes. Actually this is somewhat a fool's errand as I received word Monday the owners of the house are coming home in June, so I've got to find a new place and chances are the fountain won't fit, but it's a quest none-the-less. So, we'll try again Friday and see what we find.

The careening around yesterday reminded me of the accepted doctrine of "First Fender Wins" which is practiced in the narrow streets of Ajijic where virtually all corners are blind and except for a few notable exceptions Alto signs are non-existent. The concept of "yield" is somewhat wrapped up in FFW which basically is; approach each blind intersection by first glancing up at the wall of the building on the far side to see if there is an arrow indicating a preferred direction of travel (NOB call it one way). Now, it might be rather prominent, or it might be faded, higher or lower on the wall, painted or in some cases repainted with an arrow on each end leaving you to guess? But, as you process the apparent direction of an approaching car/truck/ATV/bicycle/motorcycle/horse (I think that covers it) the first fender to the intersection is accepted as the winner and has right of way and others yield. It works most of the time but the other day I almost presumed too much as a horse and rider trotted on across in front of me and I didn't see any immediate fenders following and just started to move as an tethered pony trailing somewhat behind mom came trotting along - I dutifully held my position for the young guy to follow mom and master before continuing – that’s just the way it works.