Song: FF Prelude (Orchestral)
Original Composer: Nobuo Uematsu
I had seen on FaceBook that my old favorite Mexican restaurant in Cripple Creek...
had finished redecorating and was opening under a new name.
This past weekend was their grand opening...
and today was their last day of half off all food and drinks.
I couldn't resist...
and so...
I worked out a little bit...
took a long hot shower...
and then headed off to the new Mexican Restaurant at just before 2 PM.
Halfway to the main road to Cripple Creek.
I had arrived in under 15 minutes.
I didn't notice much change in the decor.
When I asked for a table...
the waiter said that they wouldn't open until 4 PM.
As I already had my heart set on tacos...
I just walked down to the casino and played Keno for just over 1.5 hours.
I played penny Keno at first...
...and then I switched games to big money Keno...
5 cents :)
As I have said before...
I don't enjoy gambling
(tedious and boring).
I only did so to pass the time before the restaurant opened.
I ended up with $1.00 more than I had started with after over 1.5 hours playing...
so...
it was just to kill time.
I loved their chips and various dips.
Their salsa was so good...
super flavorful.
I had ordered a six taco combo...
each one different.
I had beef...
beef with dipping sauce (Birria)...
chicken...
pork...
fish...
and shrimp.
This was the first time in my life I had ever tried...
either fish or shrimp tacos.
Each taco was so delicious.
I was especially pleasantly surprised with the fish and shrimp tacos...
they were so good.
Each taco also came double tortilla wrapped so as to not fall apart as it was eaten.
At the taco truck in Woodland Park...
I could finish six tacos easily.
However...
these tacos were just enormous.
My eyes were so much bigger than was my stomach.
These shrimp were HUGE...
and the shrimp taco was filled with them.
Each taco was just jam packed with meat and other ingredients.
I wanted to leave room for dessert...
so I took back 2.5 tacos.
I am so glad to have a great Mexican restaurant in town once again...
and, this new restaurant is better than the old one.
I had Tres Leches for dessert.
I enjoyed the beautiful partly cloudy day on the way home.
(I had played the included song all the way home...it just fit my mood).
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In the restaurant...
a very friendly and funny (humorous) Korean lady sat next to my table.
She had merely walked in without waiting to be seated.
She was about my age...
and she was country.
She spoke her mind (in broken English) in a loud tone...
and looked around as if something were wrong with the people staring at her.
She looked at me after having sat for a few minutes...
and loudly proclaimed...
"They are sure taking a long time...huh?"
Then she looked at my taco plate and said...
"I will get that" (the same combo).
I assured her that she couldn't finish it should she order it.
So...
instead...
she ordered two tacos.
She was from the countryside of Korea...
I could tell (vs the city).
She was very straight forward...
and...
not at all shy.
And...
typical of many Asians...
she tipped very well.
Without a second thought...
she pulled out a $20 bill and put it on the table with her card.
When the waitress came by...
she politely asked the Korean lady why she had lain out both, the cash and the card.
The Korean lady just pointed to the cash and said...
"This is for you".
Her $20 dollar tip was more than the cost of her meal.
At first...
I was afraid she wasn't used to the value of her money...
and I was about to say something...
but...
taking into account her sureness of action...
and thinking she had probably won a good amount of money in the casino
(people often tip big once they have won money in a casino)...
and the fact that most Asians are very good with money...
I just kept my mouth shut.
She was also funny in her actions.
She kept looking over at me as I ate...
and when I caught her eye...
she just kind of motioned to me with her chin and smiled as she looked at my food...
as if to say...
"That looks so good...
I can hardly wait for mine to arrive."
After finishing my meal...
I then bid her goodbye as I strode away from the table.
But...
I had forgotten my leftover container...
and she loudly proclaimed...
"You forgot your food!"
I thanked her and retrieved my food...
and then gave her a country nod and smile.
She then returned my country nod and smile...
and off I went.
I chuckled to myself as I walked down the stairs and out the casino to my car.
She and I had instantly meshed because we are both country at heart.
I could tell...
that like me...
she was very simple and wasn't concerned with what other people thought of her
(Not only in speech...but in mannerisms.
She sat for comfort...
and she boldly looked at others and her surroundings in the restaurant
instead of surreptitiously giving furtive...
almost hidden...
glances).
In the country...
people are open, friendly, and trustworthy.
They don't put on false airs of sophistication...
for we are...
very simple.
I feel so much at home here...
for once again...
it feels as if this is where I have always belonged.
In my heart...
I have always been country.
It is all about simplicity...
fresh air and open land and skies...
but most of all...
it is about freedom.
------
My next article will be in a couple of days.
I will be going back to Denver for another appointment...
and I will be stopping in at a highly rated restaurant on my way back.
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