As already blogged, my mum called Iberia yesterday, 140 quid approx for change to 6 Jul. But for wanky security reasons I had to call myself.
I just called. From a call centre. At MXN16 (or nearly a quid) a minute. Took nearly 10 to get to speak to anyone. Call as a whole cost MXN384. OR ABOUT TWENTY ONE FUCKING QUID. All because the person paying has to use a credit card which can be presented on check in.
Oh, and Jul 6 no longer an option. Nor any date not long before. So I am now flying very late on Jul 7. I get to London too late to get a train to Skegness early evening on Jul 8. That means I either get to drag my Dad over to Peterborough to pick me up or go over very early Jul 9. In either case I grab the suit and black shoes I hope I have there then hare it back down to London for the night of Jul 9.
Man this sucks. Yes it's my choice but that date just absolutely puts the fucking pressure on when I get back. I am tempted to rely on buying an off-the-peg suit in London on the Friday, but the chances of getting trousers short enough are slim. Oh, I could have paid 700 quid to upgrade to a different class and fly on Jul 4. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. It cost me a quid or two sat on the phone while the Iberia woman worked out that too.
Oh, and I have to present the credit card I paid with on check in. So if I lose the card or have it stolen, they just get to tell me to fuck off? I damn well hope not.
So although I got what I sort of wanted (more time for the trip at mininal financial cost) I am now fucking dreading the whole return to the UK. So hacked off about the fucking business - especially the call cost, but what could I do? - I have come for a beer.
My teacher said I could probably call from the school for free tomorrow but I didn't want to wait. Good job given a 24h period or so since my parents called I have already lost the half-decent Jul 6 date. Jul 7 is frankly pushing it and had it slipped to Jul 8 I think I would have been forced to return on my original planned date.
I do almost wonder if I could buy a suit here. I'd be stuck lugging it round and it might get a bit creased up but it might take the pressure off a bit.
Anyway, not happy.
Far from totally clear but I think it cost me 110 quid. In theory I am getting an e-mail with the new details but I am not optimistic, despite it being a googlemail.com address consisting of my first and second names which they already know.
15:40. Mental backlash about whether that was a smart thing to do coming on. Fucking hell. I just have to look at it that it's hardly an unendurable hell spending an extra two weeks in Mexico. While things are incredibly tight getting to the wedding, that is solely because my damn suit is in Skegness. (It might have been nice to get up there and see my parents and drop my suitcase off before the wedding anyway, but far from essential.) I suspect I could get something off the peg even if I had to bodge the trouser legs with safety pins or something. I guess I just need to apply my massive brain to other possible solutions. The idea of buying a suit here (especially if I did it here in Oaxaca City, where I am probably staying for more than a week from today, so plenty of time for alterations) is not totally unappealing. Especially if it was cheapish anyway. I could probably squash it into the case, there might be time to get it pressed at the hotel in London when I arrive and while I'd
rather not, better to turn up at the wedding in a crumpled suit than not be able to turn up at all.
20:45. At La Primavera in Zocalo. Walked miles and got lost briefly on the way. Went to try some bar/restaurant recommended by teacher today, Don Tomas Pescador or something like that. Finally found it. Didn't look appealing. V restauranty, waiter lurking on front door, antiseptic-looking white tiles on floor. When a waiter disappeared I sneaked in. People in there but lots of empty tables. Was about to sit down when a waiter approached me babbling incomprehensibly, but clearly I had done something wrong, so I just said 'disculpe' and left.
Then got lost trying to find Bar/Salon Central, as recommended in guide book and in class the other day. Finally found it and it clearly wasn't open. It has/is a converted cinema look. Potentially interesting but not much of a bar as far as I can see. May try it again another night.
On walk over to Zocalo from there heard tolerable cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (I think; my memory has gone) and rather bravely I thought popped down the passagelike hallway of the bar (Black & White). Live band playing or practicing but not a soul otherwise and no obvious waiters.
I am having something to eat here, will maybe have a beer or two then go see if B&W is properly open, for a bit of a change. It is not far off the Zocalo on Hidalgo (Central is on there too, but it's 3 blocks west and hence a bit more of a trek just on the offchance.)
Have ordered 'tasajo encebollado con champiñones' based on the English-language description and asking the waiter if it had sauce (he said no). Menu says it's thinly sliced beef with grilled onions and mushrooms. I can't quite believe any chef will be able to resist the temptation to create a mushroom sauce but we live in hope.
21:00. Just got it. Looks OK except for the near-mandatory and unadvertised dollop of guacamole on the side.
22:15. B&W was deserted, dark and despite being tiny had some horrible pseudo-club pounding music on. Two women walked in just ahead of me and pretty much walked straight out. I mused for five seconds and followed their example.
Now at Central. It's not very nice. Very dark as there is a film on (English with Spanish subtitles). No tables. Am perched at the bar. Film soundtrack is not excessively loud but loud enough and the 'you bitch! I should have aborted your fucking arse' or whatever dialogue is frankly annoying.
Maybe 10-20 people in here.
At least I didn't get charged to come in. I nearly didn't, thinking it was shut, except one of the staff loitering in the shabby 'alley' of an entrance opened the door onto the bar for me.
I don't know if I will have another here. I don't feel intimidated now I am in but I don't really like it. On the other hand, I also don't really want to go home after this one or want to go to some probably nearly closing bar in the Zocalo and start a fucking tab and have to tip afterwards etc. (It's UK style cash with each drink here. MXN26 a beer is not super cheap but no worse than the Zocalo, especially if you assume I won't leave a tip here.)
Purely for the record, the film appears to involve at least tangentinally some organisation called "Each One Teach One".
Although I can see the screen from the bar, I just noticed a curtained off area. I expect there are seats behind there for people who want to watch the film 'properly'.
23:50. Still here. I don't exactly like the place but there you go. Film just finished and I should probably go but am having one more.
Film was sort of cool in that slightly depressingly gritty way. I didn't see it all but I got the gist.
00:10. Very sober (I drank too much today, but three were this afternoon post phone call). Walked past B&W on way back & couldn't resist a look. Live band on and busy. So am having one here. Not pissed at all but hope won't be too tired tomorrow...
00:20. I suspect I am the only tourist in here. Which is slightly cool yet slightly disturbing. (The leftover drinkers at Central appeared in a large part to be SYT tourists.) Will have one more I think then tear myself away. (It's not bad here, but not great enough to super fuck myself over tomorrow morning. I may well come back eg Fri night, tho I will prob have a tour at 10am so even then have to be careful.)
00:50. Just got back. Zocalo surprisingly busy (tho FWIW no bars obviously open), I think the majority of people were the camping protesters and the myriad stallholders shutting up. Would have been slightly cool to stay out but it wasn't that great, as I already said. If I didn't have school at 9 tomorrow I would have stayed. (The band went off just before I left but I understood enough of what they said to know it was just a break.)
Anyway, super-quick shower and to bed...
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