Empalme was an important railroad town, and trains still pass by. This antique steam engine marks the entrance to town.
From the beginning, I wasn't exactly driven by shopper's zeal, and soon I was feeling irritable, not much interested in anything I saw and sweating by the quart. I found a jar to hold utensils on my new shelf, and by then I was ready to start back, shopping for produce along the way. I never buy veggies until I'm on the home stretch, they're much too heavy to cart around. I called the Capt, arranged to meet midway at the ice factory, and started back.
Produce is by far the best deal at tianguis. Bags of just about everything can be bought for less than a dollar, and I was already lugging bananas, zucchini and tomatoes by the time I reached my favorite veggie stand right next to the ice house, run by a friendly fellow named Giapetto. I was collecting peppers, broccoli, pears, a fat pineapple... Suddenly I was feeling dizzy, my vision seemed to telescope down to a pinpoint, my skin was clammy and I had to lean against the counter to keep from falling. I told Giapetto I needed to sit down and one of his helpers brought a couple of crates for me. Then my hands became numb and tingly at the same time. I had a bottle of water to drink, and I probably should have put my head between my knees, but I was already embarrassed enough.
The Capt appeared after a few minutes, and gallantly went to get the car when I told him I probably couldn't walk. Giapetto kept a worried eye on me, until I got up and started shopping again... after all, he had strawberries and apricots, not often I find those this late in the year. This will probably have to be the last tianguis for me until October, I told him reluctantly, so I made the most of it.
In the car, I was shocked at how red my face was, and remained, for the next hour. At home I Googled my symptoms and found it was most likely heat exhaustion rather than heat stroke, but if I hadn't had access to shade and water, if the Capt hadn't been on his way to meet me, the outcome could have been a lot worse.
My friend Susan tells me she has had ten episodes of heat stroke in the past few years, and they seem to come faster and with less warning now. She stays indoors in air conditioning whenever the temperature tops 85 degrees. One might call such caution thermophobic, but having after today, I'm inclined to agree with her.
Today it got up to 105.
9 comments:
I spent my working life in a steelmill, men would go down with no warning at all on hot humid days. I had a man go pok-a-dot on me one day, his skin was all red with white quarter size dots-stuck him in a shower for a half hour-he finished the day.
Yet another reason to settle in the cool mountain air instead of on the sweltering coast. Pack and come this way. We would welcome you.
thankfully, it was not worse and i'm glad you're o.k. 105 and humid is miserable.
i commented last week but guess i forgot something because it didn't go through. just wanted to tell you that steve and i are moving to japan at the end of next month. next week, on the 17th we are leaving for a househunting trip. we are very excited as we lived there twice while he was in the navy and loved it. this time we will be in nagoya. the only sad part is that we have to give our pets away because it is next to impossible to take them. we're down to 1 cat but have someone who will take her if we can't find some else.
enjoy your summer and stay inside when it's so hot. oh, that reminds me, it's very hot in nagoya too-average high in summer is 90 and very humid.
take care,
teresa
Yes, careful now that your system has had that expereince, it will recall it much sooner. I spend a few hours in the Grand Canyon clinic when I was 29 years old and fit as a fiddle. An Alaska girl hiking out of the canyon in 110 degree temps carrying 32 pound on my back, making record time to catch a flight. Not a good idea. A long story I will have to relate in a blog one day.
Glad you are ok, today it is in the low 80's a trade off for not living by the sea.
After reading your report, I appreciate the high country even more.
At least I have not yet had heat stroke down here. The last time was thirty years ago in Palm Springs. I do not need it again. Hope you are feeling better.
I wish our tianguis carried produce. But, as you know, they don't.
Norm - I wouldn't last half an hour in a steel mill on a hot day. I don't know how workers do it.
Felipe - Sounds really good about now...
Anon - Oh, no, you had to give up Jack? I'm sorry to hear it. But sounds like you really like Japan, and I hope you enjoy it as much as you did before.
C&K - I'm just grateful for air conditioning. I think I got dehydrated -- those quarts I sweated -- and didn't compensate. I'm going to pay close attention to symptoms from now on.
Tancho - see comment to Felipe.
Steve - I remember only one stall with strawberries piled high at Barra de Navidad tianguis. Can't figure why the farmers aren't bringing in produce. Is it all going to the cities and the US?
I had heat stroke once here but the experience still wouldn't move me to go the mountains except for a visit. Some people just need to be near the ocean, and I am one. I suspect that you guys also do - especially since your sailboats wouldn't be much use on Lake Pátzcuaro!
Glad you are ok, amiga.
Nancy - por cierto, amiga, I would not consider making a permanent move to the mountains. A visit, however, would be nice. I could collect Felipe, La Señora, Tancho and his novia and we could go out to lunch in a nice cool patio restaurant.
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