Valentines Day /el dia de San Valentin is really something new over the past few years and like in other countries it is becoming quite commercial. When I went to Ticul to do the daily shopping for the restaurant I saw mums buying chocolate suckers, others were buying floral arrangements or just single roses .
It always takes me back to my memories of when I had a flower shop . A constant flow of mostly men coming in to buy flowers and orders going out faster than we could make them .My store was tiny by comparison of many in my area but the last year before selling my business left the store on Valentines Day, at least 5,000 rosas as well as mixed flower arrangements and bunches of cut flowers..It was hectic! But I did love the flower business and arranging was my forte.
Like last year, I bought roses for each one of the staff so that they could take it home to their wives.Why I started this was because they were all so busy working that they would not have time to travel to Ticul to buy that special something for their loved ones. Also because it is a new concept for them too! They really appreciated this gesture and of course a lot of jokes were flying around especially as the wife of Zacaria is called Rosa(she makes the handmade tortillas) When I gave the rose to Zacaria he immediately went over to give it to his wife.
Cuantos besos ? I asked him.Uno ? No ! Valeria, dos! Ay que bueno! All started to laugh and I said ,¡hay muchas van hacer loch hoy! Loch is a mayan word for a tender hug and to hacer loch is to hug. If you are interested in learning more Yucatan phrases you can check out William Lawsons blog page where you can buy his book.
I joked with them all, saying , if there are newborn babies in 9 months time its not my fault… Si si Valeria you can be the padrina……………………. Oh no, thank you. I retorted with a giggle. Maria, the camarera ,doesn’t have a boyfriend so I thought it only fitting that she too should have one.
All this made for a fun morning, whilst creating another chapter in the life of the Yucatan ,and a new tradition at The Pickled Onion .












