It's Mango Season...

Well, almost mango season.

I went for a bike ride this morning, just to keep my legs fresh.  I had ridden on Saturday, and when I first got on the bike today, my sit-upons were feeling a little, well, sat upon.  Within a few minutes I was feeling better, though.   It was cool and there was just a bit of misting going on this morning.  Then, there was a headwind during the parts where I go slightly uphill.  Ah, it felt like riding in Kansas.  Almost.


Yes, the temp, wind and mist all combined to make me feel like I could have been riding in Kansas, maybe on the Wicked Wind.  Except for the part where we all had to slow down because there were two different ox carts creating a traffic jam.  Or the part where I had to ride through the vultures on the corner that were munching on some roadkill.  At least the vultures had managed to drag the dearly departed dog a bit further onto the sidewalk, rather than where he and they were yesterday: right in the roadway.  Or the part where a lady was burning her trash in the road in front of her house. I guess maybe the Kansas comparison quickly fades, huh?

After my ride, I showered, did a load of laundry and headed out toward the post office.  My parents' anniversary is in three weeks and I'm hoping that the card I sent out today will actually get to them in time.  It's the first time I've mailed things from here, so I'll just take the ever popular 'wait and see' approach.  It cost 42 Lempiras to send my Hallmark wishes northbound.  Yup, Hallmark.  When Sandi and I were in HiperPaiz last week, I looked for anniversary cards and actually found one I liked.  Mom & Dad may have to take it to their church to have the Assistant Pastor translate it, but I was glad that I managed to find a card.


As I left the post office, I was rubbing excess glue off my fingers.  Oh, I forgot to tell you that you don't lick the stamps here.  They weigh your letter, sell you the stamps and then offer you the glue.  Basically, it was a bit of Elmers in a cap from a spray paint or hair spray can with a Popsicle stick in it.  After sticking on your stamps, you need to wait just a little bit so that the glue can dry and your letter won't get stuck to others.


Excess glue off my fingers, I continued walking back toward the mercado and home.  When I got to my friend Walter's corner fruit stand, I stopped to talk to him for a few minutes.  I saw that he had some mangos, but they were the small ones, the ones that are picked green, cut and served with salt, vinegar, hot sauce, etc.  But at least these ones were a bit more ripe.  I asked Walter if he had any of the large mangos yet.  He said that he did.  I asked if they were sweet and ripe.  He said, "yes" and plopped one down in front of me.


Honestly, the mango looked a bit sad.  It was starting to wrinkle, from being old, and was yellow and green with no signs of red.  But Walter assured me it was a good one.  I paid my 10 Lempiras and put the mango in my purse.  I knew that the price was super expensive because it's so early in the season.  I also know that once mango season really gets under way, people will be giving them away by the bagful -- kind of like the over-productive cucumbers of a Kansas summer.  Still, I didn't mind paying 10 Lemps if I had a good piece of fruit to consume.


Once home, I got out my mango splitter, ready to christen it on the first mango of the season.  I'll be darned, but the skin seemed too tough for the splitter.  Maybe I should have peeled it first? Plan B was to follow AB's foolproof mango cutting instructions.  Sorry, I couldn't find an actual Alton Brown demo of it, but this video is pretty much the same as I remember AB cutting it.


Mango cut and released of its skin, there was nothing left to do but taste.  And, oh my, was it tasty!  I stood over the sink and quickly consumed ('inhaled' might be a better word) the whole thing.  Walter's record of never selling me a bad piece of fruit remains untarnished.


I am absolutely convinced that it was not an apple, but a mango, that satan used in the garden to tempt Eve.  And with fruit as heavenly as a mango, it's at least a bit understandable why she gave in to the temptation.  OK, not really, but I stand by my assertion that mangos are heavenly!


So, for the record: Let mango season begin!