Fiesta!

We are officially setting sail from Mexico manana. It is finally time to leave after a week of relaxing and enjoying Hualtuco. We have almost forgotten that we were waiting for a weather window for the dreaded Tehuantepec with all the fun we have had. We have had a great time surfing, meeting other cruisers and taking advantage of being tied up to a dock. We postponed our departure one day due to engine problems on our friends boat, Attu. We really wanted to continue buddy boating with them but it looks like they will be a few days behind us as they stay and wait for a new starter motor for their engine. We are sad to say good bye tomorrow but are confident they will be just a few days behind us. We have already sent pictures and updated you all mostly on our Hualtuco experiences but the other day we had such an amazing experience I feel obligated to share it.
A few days ago we took the bus back to our new favorite surf spot for our last day of surf before heading out. This time we made sure to bring baby clothes, school supplies and some paper plates and plastic cups that were donated to us from the Royal Pelagic. We were about three fourths of our way through the three mile hike to the beach when we saw a bunch of families blowing up balloons and decorating for a fiesta! We offered them our paper plates and cups for the party and were graciously repaid by an invitation to the fiesta at two o' clock. We told them we would go surf and meet them in the afternoon. A few minutes later as Brandon was paying to enter the private property that leads to the beach I saw a little girl run across the street and called for her to come over. She was only about three and so precious. I showed her my bag of clothes and handed her a pair of pink pants with a big heart on them. She held them looking at me very confused and just kept repeating "Que", "Que"?? Eventually she realized that I was giving them to her and she giggled and ran off with them. It felt so good to make her day. We continued down to the beach and had another great surf session.
On our way back through town I gave a family the rest of the baby clothes and we came across the beginning of the fiesta we were invited to earlier in the day. We quickly learned that it was a birthday party for a three year old little girl when we saw her all dressed up in her princess outfit. Their were long decorated tables and tons of balloons. The whole town seemed to be invited to her birthday. We followed the family as they headed up the hill to the church. Before we knew it we were sitting in a beautiful church awaiting the baptism of the little girl. To say the least we felt a little out of place in our grungy surf clothes carrying boards as we were surrounded by almost the whole town who were all dressed up. It was such a special experience and they were so gracious to invite us in that we decided to stay anyways. It was so magical listening to the ceremony. The whole church was decorated and everyone participated in the prayers and songs. Sitting in the open air church on the top of a hill with a view of the country and town, listening to the ceremony brought tears to our eyes. As we were walking out of the church Brandon grabbed my arm and told me to look next to him. Their she was the little girl I had met earlier and given the pink pants to. She was all dressed up for the party in her new pink pants. It was so cute!!! She had them on backwards with the big heart in the front. She looked so proud. As we made eye contact she gave me a little smile, blushed and quickly looked away. Moments like those make this whole trip worth while.
We stayed through the ceremony but considering our attire and the fact that we had not had anything to eat or drink all day we decided to head home. We hitched a ride in the back of a truck back to the marina. It was such a great experience and hard to leave all these new people that we just began to make friends with. That is what we have learned most about traveling in the last few months. Life moves like waves do. Both good and bad times intersecting your path for only a short moment and sometimes following you for great distances. Likewise for the people we have met, some you only talk to for a split second, some end up being life long friends. Whatever the circumstances you are always left to wonder where they're going and from where they came, your happy when they arrive and sad when they leave. Either way we will continue on our journey...in search of waves.