South Carolina feels "English" today: gloomy, drizzly, not too cold. I'm sipping hot ginger tea and nibbling a yummy, chocolate-filled pastry at Panera's, grateful for their Wi-Fi, and wishing for a trip to some warm, exotic place. Thumbing through the archives of my soul, memories of Mexico City surface. Aaaahhhhh, the honeymoon.
Mexico City, Mexico - the final destination of our 1975 honeymoon. Amidst the ten million inhabitants and twenty-four hour construction, with scaffolding I wouldn't trust, we ventured here and there with our feet barely touching the ground; we were in love. The tour guide pointed out the "Zona Rosa," pink zone, for nighttime activity. We weren't interested, we had our own. I imagine we ate but don't remember what. Seafood? Probably. And chocolate. My sister would remember, but she wasn't along for obvious reasons.
Lunching at our hotel a motorcade passed. We did a double-take. A dark-haired woman wearing a small hat stood and waved - slightly. A tall man stood behind her. My eyes popped. "Is that Queen Elizabeth II?" I stammered. " Here?" Riding in her magic carriage wearing gown and crown, she paraded through my childhood living room on her 1953 Coronation Day. I was awed. A real Queen. She was so beautiful and looked kind. My mind wrapped around "Royalty," and decided she was "The Good Queen." I still think so.
Our server snapped us to the present, "The Crown Jewels are on display at the Museum." We couldn't get there fast enough.
Glass limited accessibility to the Crown Jewels, but their brilliance reached out to all in an explosion of color and light showing off nature and man's best work: gold, pearls, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, deep purple velvet, and more. The best of the best. A study in exquisite beauty and tradition. Thinking aloud I murmured, "The Crown is gorgeous. Huge. Heavy. My neck would hurt. What kind of shoes would I have to wear? I'd stumble. It'd tumble. What if jewels fell out?"
My honeymoon-husband put his arm around my shoulder, leaned close, and whispered, "Don't worry, you're not in line to wear it!"
Copyright 2006 Red Convertible Travel Series
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