May
22
2006

Circus Mexicus Recovery @ J.J's Cantina

PhotosMonday, May 22, 2006 - 04:48:44 pm (Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 11:48:44 pm MST)
(Posted Under: Travel, Circus Mexicus, Mexico Mexico)
Photobox Image This morning, there was certainly no rush to get out of bed, based on the big night last night. The only think we had on for the day was driving out to J.J's Cantina, which is the tradition post show hangout on Sunday.

After getting out of bed, I went out to the balcony to have a smoke, and took some excelelent photos of the sky. I'd been with my photo taking thus, what with not having my laptop, and not wanting to run out of memory too soon. I was even somewhat conscious of this last night. However with just today and tomorrow left in Mexico, and heaps of space left, I decided I could start to go nuts.

When Katie joined me, she insisted on having a smoke. It's pretty funny how as much as I talk about wanting her to smoke (which I know is a pipe dream), I'm was pretty hesitant to let her. It's sad how, really I don't want her to smoke. We joked about her mum worrying about her taking up smoking through me, and watching her smoke - I was reassured that there was no concern about this happening. [lol] Made for some fun photos. After Catherine arose, we tried to put Kristin's parrot back together, which wasn't all that successful, but again, made for some enjoyable photos.

By about 2 o'clock, we decided to make our way to Cholla Bay. Again, taking a lot of photos, which was good, I didn't yet have a lot of photos of Rocky Point other than at Pinacate. The drive out there was pretty cool, a dirt road out of Puerto Peñasco. As we hit Cholla Bay, Katie mentioned that Roger had a house out there.

We soon parked in the lot outside JJ's and headed up the sandy road. A SUV past us that had an Australian flag sticker on the front wind shield, which was obviously quite exciting. Certain not something I'd expect to see in Mexico, and seemed really out of place to me. JJ's was quite packed, and we ran in to Denise on first arriving, who'd said Steve and PH had been there earlier. After a while I moved out to the beach front to have a smoke, and we ended up finding a table out there. Katie and Cath when to go get drinks and food while I held the table.

I was kinda still tired, in a lathargic way, from last night, and combined with the heat, I was more than happy to just chill out and sit there. Because of the crowds, it took forever to get served, but Cath finally came back with drinks, and Katie with some food. Notibly, I had my first taco here. Definitely a big fan of Mexican food. I didn't expect the tortia to taste as oily, but I got used to that.

As it got later, we decided that we should go to attack the merch table. We'd put it off thus far, in the hope of avoiding the lines. I really felt like sitting at the table, but knew that if we wanted to get the stuff (which I did) and do the Roger meeting, we'd have to make a move). On walking back to the indoors part of JJ's, there was still a fair line, which we joined. As we got closer to the table, they had pretty much packed everything up into the duffle bags to go into the bus, which was disappointing. I definitely wanted a t-shirt, and a PHisbee. After residing to the fact that we could order them online, we stayed in line to get stuff signed by Roger. Standing in line, the "Pauly Shore" thing really hit me. In certain photos, Roger certainly looks like him, and that's even truer in person. And to whatever extent, looks somewhat cartoon-ish. It's really hard to explain, but he looks significantly younger, in a 40 years old body. I don't know, it's hard to explain. But that, plus the surrealness of being in Mexico, and Roger Clyne standing two feet away kept hitting me.

Standing in line, to whatever end, this kinda seemed trite. What with the whole Roger Clyne philosophy, and yet standing in line to take a photo / get stuff signed... It's a double edged sword, I am not oblivious to the fact that several thousand people travel south for the shows, and there is a practicality issue, sure. But then again, the way Roger advocates going to Mexico, and them never leaving a fan behind et. al., it doesn't really conjure up images of this. I had actually expected it to be them wandering around JJ's (as Nick was) rather than a U2 like meet and great. I dunno, a double edged sword, I can see both sides, but I can't deny it takes something away from it. Especially people would call out, and Rog would take his attention from what he was doing and give it to them. Added to the fact, at some point, Roger said to go "counterclockwise", changing to people at the back of the line. We'd been standing there for what felt like at least an hour, I was the triteness of it all was working on me, and I really didn't find the Counterclockwise reference cute, especially since we were close to getting our crap signed and the hell out of dodge. As it turned out, the whole counterclockwise thing didn't happen before we left - thankfully, because by the time we were next in line, I was pretty much ready to say "fuck this!" and leave.

In addition, I recognized some regulars ahead of us, in line just to get a photo with Roger. I couldn't help but feel the lameness of this. I mean, I've flown literally have way across the world, first time in Mexico, second Peacemakers show, only one for god knows when, and with all that I'm still questioning my rock cred status when it comes to standing in line. Seeing people, who I know are at literally every show, and have been to every Mexico show, still needing to have a photo with Roger (well, particularly, line-up to have a photo with Roger), the mind boggles to me how you'd fail to realize how uncool this is.

So anyway, when it became our time, it was a case of having to pick the right moment to walk up, because Roger seemed more interested (and I will concede that levels of Mexican moonshine were also working against us) in chatting to random people in the line, rather than processing the line. So anyways, once I saw my moment, I went up, said hi, and that we'd come from Australia. Which, again, maybe/probably influenced by the moonshine, had about as much weight as if I'd said we'd come from Tijuana. [wink] He signed my copy of Honky Tonk Union, and Cath's PHrisbee, and then we got a photo.

He was gracious enough, but certainly in terms of meeting my idols, the Roger Clyne experience doesn't rate. And certainly I was glad that I went for the show and Mexico experience in general, because if it had of been for the JJ's experience, it would have been a rather large let down. After getting that out the way, we exited JJ's and sat at the taco stand adjacent to have a drink, and reflect on the experience. And compare it to experiences with, for example, the extremely hospitable Scotty Johnson. [wink] All the while, keeping an eye out for Steve, who we'd hoped would show up, as Cath had still not met him. At the end of the day, we were all glad we did it (the whole line fiasco), I loved that I got my CD signed, and Catherine loved that she got her PHrisbee signed, but we all agreed that it didn't reach expectations, and no-one would be in a huge rush to do it again.

After a while having a drink, discussing the disappointment, and reeling over it (because even so, it was still a big thing, having at least said hey and had a photo with Roger Clyne), we decided to head back to Pinacate. Cath and I took some photos of the exterior of JJ's, before heading back down to the car.

On the way back we talked about Roger having a house there, and Katie tried to remember which one it was to point it out, but was unsuccessful. On getting back to Pinacate, we took it easy, lounging around, which for me, equated to taking photos.

We headed over to Cocodrillos for dinner. Again, on Sunday night, it was quite a different atmostphere to earlier in the weekend, a ghost town in comparison. This was evident by the very few people eating at Cocodrillos. Much to my amusement, Katie ordered a pizza, and Catherine ordered a hamburger, while I order a chicken fahita. All my life I have been ribbed about what I eat, and I could help but laugh, and be proud about the only one eating authentic Mexican. The night was quite, and not to be cliche, but it really felt like, as per Counterclockwise, everything had slowed down, and I definitely loved the fact that we were still there. There was no way I would have wanted to have left today. Definitely sitting at Cocodrillos was an opportunity to reflect on how awesome the whole weekend and Mexico experience had been, and how cool it was that, while slowed down, wasn't over yet. And about how much I loved it here. Obviously there was everything athetically, which I have been drawn to since I was a kid, I loved the beer (I drink beer, I never loved it before Mexico - save maybe Bud), I love the food. After ordering, we talked briefly to someone who also came in to eat, who Katie knew. Not much of consequence happened, but there was definitely something cool in the air, and that dinner is going to remain one of my (albeit many) favorite memories. Oh, the chicken fahita was awesome, as was the Tecate.

Being the last night in Mexico, I had a jonesin' to smoke the Cuban cigar I'd brought at the fish market, which I'd been thinking about before dinner, and decided that smoking it on the condo porch probably wasn't the best idea, hence we all went down to the pool. Down there, I broke into the Cuban, definitely loving the coolness of smoking a Cuban cigar in Mexico. I wanted to do it, more than anything, to say I did. And all the while, the irony that you can probably purchase Cuban's in Australia was not lost on me. [lol] But still, it was too cool, and I had to do it. While down there, we messed around with photos, with me being the butt of more jokes about being unable to keep my eyes open with the blinding flash. At one point, after Cath had gone back to the room, I snapped a photo of the palm tree beside us, which gave us the brilliant thought - Katie doing her Keith Richards impression. [lol] Which hence resulted in some very fun and entertaining photos. Ahhh, good times! [smile]

After Katie was all Keith-ed out, we made a move back upstairs to crash.


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