Like the pictures have shown we live in a nice busy town, pretty quiet and with cobblestone streets. It is a big 'village' yet we can walk to most places like grocery stores and restaurants but occasionally you need to take a bus. We take a bus to wal-mart and church.
There are 2 kinds of buses and both cost little to nothing, 2-3 pesos. 13.10 pesos/$1, today anyways. Electric buses that are connected to a wire hanging above and they have to stay in the bus lane which minimizes the craziness. The bus drivers are all different, some crazy and some smooth drivers. There are bus stops for the electric buses and the regular buses will stop there too but they will stop anywhere if you just throw out your hand. When you get on you pay your coins and sit down, if there's a seat. If not, you stand and hope the driver is good with his shifting and stopping. You stand holding a bar above your head with your waist right in someones face trying to hold on tight. Last week we were standing belly to belly with other travelers as the bus was packed above capacity and the driver slammed on his breaks. You just about fall over. My shoulder, one particular time, was pulled in an uncomfortable direction because the bus driver slammed on the breaks. I've learn to hold onto the back of the seats rather than the bar above my head for the protection of my shoulders. Another trip we were standing squished to the front of the bus and the back of my knee was literally on the stick shift and there were 4 people between me and a Man standing on the last step with the front door open because it couldn't close and he was just holding on tight through the bumps and everything. It made me nervous when we turned left on the highway and traffic was coming and he was all exposed to the traffic. Men will give up their seats to elderly or women with children. But if I'm without Sally it's maybe 50% of the time they'll give up their seat for me. If you get on a bus and there is a window seat open the person sitting on the isle just moves their legs for you to just 'climb' over. Maybe for fear of losing their seat? We are used to traveling via bus as we live very close to two main busy roads and take it a few times a week. You have to learn the destinations so you don't get on a wrong one and end up lost. Doug got on a bus a couple of weeks ago that turned halfway to his destination and thought, ''Hmm, this could be interesting!'' I later got on the same bus and called him at work to see where his ended up because I think I made the same mistake. It took us just to the next stop down on the Metro system. No big deal.
OH! Let's talk about the Metro system! These people are crazy when it comes to getting on the train. They don't care about capacity. If a train pulls up to the platform and is full, the doors will open and maybe 2 people push their way out, 5 people will push their way in like they are gunna fit if they just suck it in! I wasn't about ready to push into that love fest so we waited for the next train. That one too, packed! So the third one to come was packed and Doug was like let's go! We pushed and then like 7 people pushed behind us and we were in there so tight that I could feel the short chubby guy's heart beat next to me against my arm that was protecting my chest from his face. Then I was so uncomfortable, hot and out of breath in the human heater of a train that I turned around... bad idea. I then felt that his lower belly region was now up under my butt, moving forward as the train sped through tunnel bumping and swaying. SO socially and physically uncomfortable and violating. I just kept looking up at Doug mouthing ''I am being violated right now. I don't like this. I really don't like this.'' Luckily shortly there after a seat became available and I was able to sit down and have my own space with my butt firmly placed on a seat. Sigh. Oh it's bringing back bad feelings. I think that's enough for today. All I know is I'm not traveling from that platform during morning rush hour again, if I can help it.
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