Thursday, August 14, 2008

Mexican Drag

finally, the vacation recap. with sequins and feathers!

So, you know, we had a great time with family in Acapulco.
We swam in the pool

We played at the water park at the resort (this is the slide where the May Queen got a huge bump on her head last time we were there, which we caught on video for posterity. Me screaming and everything, setting a fine example of model parenting)

We played on the beach, ate tons of Mexican food (cheese quesadillas for MQ, but only flour tortillas. She would not touch the ones made with corn tortillas that they served everywhere but the resort).

The three of us went snorkeling one day and it was SO cool. We went to this little island, and as we got off the boat we were met by Carlos, and it turns out it was our lucky day. I had planned to go by myself while the big guy played on the beach with the May Queen, but he outfitted her with snorkel and mask, put her in a life jacket, and had her hold onto a tube that one of us then always had a grip on. She could see everything, too! It rocked! Then Carlos, our own private tour guide, would swim down and bring things up for us to see up close, like sea cucumbers and urchins... and he even caught a puffer fish with his bare hands that we all got to hold before we released it. Unfortunately my disposable underwater camera cracked, and I doubt I'll be able to get any photos back because the film got wet. But here we are on the island.


However, I know the thing you're all REALLY wanting to hear about is how we accidentally ended up at a Mexican drag show.
Our cab driver ("I don't meet customers. I MAKE FRIENDS") who took us on our snorkeling adventure recommended several other places to us (that he would be happy to take us to, of course). One was a fancy restaurant, the other was a local restaurant with good, cheap food and authentic entertainment (he mentioned Mariachi), but he warned us it would all be in Spanish. A Mexican Fiesta, as we understood it. We consulted with the rest of the family (remember, we were there with all of The Big Guys' immediate family) and we decided to split into two groups: one to the restaurant, and one to the Fiesta. I sold The May Queen on the Fiesta idea by telling her how, during our last Acapulco trip when she was 16 months old, we took her to a Fiesta and she was entranced by the dancing girls with the big, colorful twirling skirts. She would gleefully clap along and all the people near us watched her instead of the show.
So...
We go, and when we arrive a band is playing (loud!) samba music, and people are dancing. We are seated with a young couple from Oregon, the only other gringos in the place, which is otherwise filled with local families. Kids are running around, dipping in and out of the pool that is off to the side of the covered eating area. We order our food and drinks. I go with the special, as recommended by our driver, and got an AMAZING soup, and some other unknown and not as tasty things.
The show begins innocently enough.


(We were celebrities, sitting right up front, and MQ's blond hair attracts all sorts of attention. This picture is terribly fuzzy though, sorry)
Then out come the dancing girls. But not in big, colorful skirts. Think Las Vegas feathers.
And then...

The first drag queen. I'm sure she was hysterical, not that we understood a word of it. Several little girls came and sat on the floor in front of us to watch, and scampered to catch any feathers that came loose.

Then another drag queen. Then the dancing girls came back one by one, dressed in skimpy outfits and lip syncing to Mexican pop tunes. Although now we're not entirely sure that they are actually GIRLS.

Then a couple comes out. The man, with the DRAWN ON mustache and beard, makes eye contact with me before they begin singing. (I sense that I'm in for treat). They begin lip syncing a song which is clearly the couple fighting about him cheating. Take a wild guess who they indicate as the other woman.

He keeps coming over to me and putting his arm around me, which is fine, and I play along, and get lots of laughs from the crowd. Then they start slapping each other. And pulling each other around by their hair. I whisper in the May Queen's ear that they are just pretending.

Then he proceeds to TAKE OFF HIS BELT. By now the woman is sitting in the chair, and he pretends to HIT HER WITH THE BELT (he is, of course, hitting the chair). I'm am in turns laughing hysterically and whispering messages about acting and make believe in the May Queen's ear, all the while trying to figure out what this is going to cost me in therapy for my child.

I think that was about the time when she asked where the girls in the big colorful skirts were.

Oh honey, Mommy was wrong. It's not that kind of show.

It was hysterical, and educational, and of course interesting to get off the touristy path and see how the locals really live. It was not at all what we expected, but afterwards I insisted that I was glad that I went (because really, it makes a good travel story, no?). However, every one of us that went there got hit with a stomach bug, so now I'm not so sure it was worth it. I mean, I've heard of Montezuma's revenge and everything, but I'm at 5 days here. That's some revenge.

18 comments:

JCK said...

OK, only you would end up at a Mexican Drag Queen show. And the May Queen seems to be holding her own. It sounds a bit dicey with the whip, I mean belt, and all...

flutter said...

I seriously almost pissed my pants.

the dragonfly said...

It seems they picked the perfect person, of course you would play along!

I hope you're feeling better soon. Yuck!

Woman in a Window said...

I applaud you for staying through the show and being a good sport! There's a lesson there, I think, on open mindedness and acceptance. I like that MayQueen was there, too, innocent to stil wonder about the big dancing skirts.

Anonymous said...

Oh, that did make for a colorful travel story. You'll laugh about it for years.

I hope your stomach bug leaves you quickly. That is a much less welcome memento.

Melissa said...

Yeah, you gotta watch stuff like that in Mexico. Even though they are a pretty conservative country when it comes to certain things, their definition of family entertainment is a little different.

But it still looks like you had a good time. :) Hang in there with the tummy bug though.

Mad said...

OK, that was hilarious. How happy they must've been to have a tourist in the front row who was also an actor who could and would rise to the occasion.

imbeingheldhostage said...

Oh yeah, I'm with JCK, only you...

"while trying to figure out what this is going to cost me in therapy for my child" hilarious! Great start to the vacation photos.

Amy Y said...

I'm glad you were a good sport about the whole thing :) I'm sure MQ didn't have a clue what was going on ~ clearly she's only upset about the bad choice of dresses they used :)

I LOVE snorkeling! I can't wait to take my kids...

Kat said...

That is hilarious! What an experience! I love the pics too. hehe

Sounds like you had an amazing time. It looks beautiful. Wow!

Unknown said...

hope you are feeling better. It is rotten to be sick, but maybe worth it for the hilarious story? maybe, a little?

Girlplustwo said...

sounds fantastic. i so need a vacation now!

Cynthia said...

OMG...a Mexican drag show...crazy!

Anonymous said...

I had to read this post another time b/c it just cracked me up.

Kyla said...

That is SO funny!

Angela DeRossett said...

Oh my goodness.... the snorkeling sounds like a blast. The show...um, there are no words for how hard I laughed reading that.

Jen said...

There is nothing I love more in the world than snorkeling.

Hmmm... on the show, lol. At least it looked like the folks in the show were having fun. ;-)

Run ANC said...

"I don't meet customers. I MAKE FRIENDS"

I love it.