Caray, Caray!

I'm sorry I was so late posting this page. It's my husband's birthday (together everyone, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOB!"). I simply forgot that I promised to post the page by 6 PM daily. Sorry!

Hey! Would anyone be interested in capturing screenshots? Just one image per episode. And you would choose which image, since I'm on Pacific Time and by the time I see the show, it's too late. Besides, I can't capture screenshots except from YouTube. Any takers? You would e-mail it to me, and I would post it to the page.
 

Happy Birthday Bob!!!!
 

Paula, thanks once again for getting this up. This was another wonderful episode for me. I am remembering how marvelous the music is with Domingo and just in general. And Isabela makes her appearance too bad the sad little crazy wife does too. Note how Hipol keeps caressing her own neck and looking dreamy for those of you who might have thought the neck kiss was uncalled for. Clearly it was exactly what she needed. All over again I like her spunk, not wallowing in ineptitude but taking the lead in determining her life.
Happy B'day Bob, I hope you got cake or something delicious to celebrate.
Sorry I can't offer screen shots, my TV and recording equipment are nearly antediluvian since all my techie toy money goes for photography.
 

Ahhhh...another satisfying episode. I love how Hipolita refuses to let her little bun be raised by the nuts in the nuthouse. I was also impressed how they used chicken blood to fake out the mom-in-law, serves the suegra right.

OK, so now we know that Diego and Doña Juana put the hit out on Luis Manrique's head, there was a baby switch at birth, and if the authorities find out that LM is the true count instead of Diego then Diego and Doña Juana will end up in the gallows.

Not to mention that LM's wife (not even referred to in the first episode!) has had 4 miscarriages but still wants to give LM a son. Too bad she has to have sex to do it because apparently that is her cross to bear.

Oh, and Hipolita and Luis Manrique are already mooning over each other from afar, Marcelo Cordoba makes his entrance tonight (sigh), so does Edgardo Tejedo as Vicente, and we get to see Valentino Lanus tomorrow.
 

Valentino Lanus! Squee! I love Valentino Lanus.

I really am enjoying this so far. It moves along pretty quickly! Can hardly wait for tomorrow!
 

I have no sex drive left and I would happily relieve Esperanza of her horrific marital duties. She is mental.

I love Hipolita's proactivity and the cleverness of her maid.

For all that I love this novela I have to say that the costuming needed some more work. The women's clothes are mostly fine, but the men's clothes span 3 centuries!
 

Wow, am I confused! According to Melinama's recap, Hipólita and her son and her servant escape from Panama when the child is three years old, and they are given "refuge" in a bordello. But I thought she escaped even before she gave birth (or was even visibly pregnant). I didn't see any child with them when they escaped, nor when they got refuge at the bordello. Can someone please explain?

Muchas gracias.
 

Hopefully Melinama will check in again. It seems to me that she started recapping Alborada after it had been on for a while, so perhaps her first recap combined and confused a few events. I know she said in a comment last week that there are mistakes/things she would now do differently.

Bravo for Hip for deciding she was leaving that nuthouse and not letting her child grow up with those crazy people. Also loved that she didn't even blink at the thought of living in a brothel and guessed correctly that it's the last place her hub and inlaws would look for her. I don't like that the madam is so hot to make her a working girl, instead of a girl working. The madam doesn't even care that she's pregnant!
 

Hi y'all, it was years ago and yes, when I decided I was going to blog the show I played catch-up on the first bunch of episodes (having forgotten some of the details). If anybody wants to post corrections in the comments they should feel free!
 

I believe Hipolita and Adalgisa are still in Panama. They are in Adalgisa's home town. In order to have made it to Mexico they would have had to travel by foot through Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala. Luis Manrique and Felipe traveled by boat from Panama to Mexico and in the previews we see Hipolita doing the same and meeting Valentino Lanus on said boat. Wheeee, can't wait until they hook up!

I have to give Hipolita big props for escaping her situation. I tried to imagine myself in a similar place, young, pregnant, suegra threatening to throw me in the madhouse if I didn't obey, insipid husband who won't defend me, a few jewels to hock for money. Then having the guts to run away on foot in the dead of night knowing that bad people will be searching for me. Our little heroine might be a hiccupy crier but she's no wimp.
 

Unfortunately I had to miss the first half last night. I'll watch on YouTube later today.

Can someone please explain what the chicken blood incident was? I didn't see it. Thanks.
 

They have been putting chicken blood in Hip's colonial era maxi pads (which I'm guessing was some sort of bundle of cloth) to mimic her period. Since the maids wash these cloths out, suegra has gotten the report from them that Hip has had her monthly visitor. So now suegra thinks Hip is not pregnant.
 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOB !!!!! ...AND...Greetings from sunny, chilly Toronto. I am free to join in the fun here while Hub is golfing, Daughter is at her aerobics class, and Son-in-law is working. Let me just echo the Whees!!! and Squeals !!! Even though I didn't get the chance to rewatch any episodes, I remember how swiftly the story moves along...just like Luis's ship . I loved Luis's reuniting with his ''hermano'' Cristobal and Tia. Gee, imagine Luis being married to TOWOEWDWTSWH [the only woman on earth who doesn't want to sleep with him.] I always have to chuckle when tiny, longsuffering Esperanza makes the ultimate sacrifice and offers Luis some relief after his journey . Then,when Luis declines the offer, Espy suspects other mujers may have made the same offer while he was in Panama. [Gee...do you think ????] And let's take a moment to reflect on Luis in that blue dressing gown. Are you with me ? On anyone else , it might have seemed a little fey , but Luis can make even a dressing gown look muy muy macho. Me like.
 

Alborada was my first telenovela and I'm loving it again! There were so many firsts for me in this show. First time ever I heard talk of "natural flowing blood". First hearing 'old wives tales' from another culture, thanks to Tia Isabelle - loving her again. First time seeing spunky Latin heroine. First time wanting to learn to sculpt the human body.
 

Feliz Cumpleaños Roberto! (does your hubster speak Spanish also, Paula?)

Yes, our little "recogida" Hip is an incredibly plucky feisty little heroine. Just the sort to appeal to Luis' heart after years of spineless, sterile Esperanza.

Although I can't help but feel sorry for Espe. First, for being locked into the concept that sex is only an unfortunate duty (although I'm sure that was a common belief for high-caste women at that time).

And second, for being unable to maintain a successful pregnancy. I've only had one miscarriage but it was devastating. And to go through four, and to suffer the well-intentioned but firm rejection of a husband...very painful!

Even if she's meant to be a ridiculous, unsympathetic character, I sense a lot of pathos there.

Well, and third...to be seen and dismissed as a skinny unattractive woman. People discredit unattractive people as if they looked homely on purpose.

Jeez...don't you think everyone wants to look good? I've never understood the contempt so many express for the un-lovely.

Hmm...what started that rant? Must be having a therapeutic moment here.

Loved the jolly rotund brothel lady with her blacked out tooth and juicy way of talking. Every little side character in this is just as delicious, in his or her way, as our two main lovebirds. I could just eat this telenovela with a spoon, it's soo good.
 

Hi, JudyB~~~It is going to be such a fun ride sharing this lovely novela with you!!! I've missed you, amiga ! I, too, feel sorry for Esperanza...such an apt name for this character...Hope. I agree that one miscarriage is hard enough to bear..let alone four. Espy is a truly tragic figure. Luis's rejection of her is the one character flaw in my hero, but then, as in real life, all heroes have some amount of clay in their feet, n'est-ce pas ? How's the weather in Ohio today ? Hub and I left the 90 degree heat of Florida last week for the cool, blustery , sunny weather here in Toronto. It was hot when we left PA. on Tuesday A.M., but I think that the temps there have dropped into the 70s.
 

You make a good point, Judy. It looks like the side plots will be enjoyable. Not the kind (e.g. Vicky from Dinero) where the side character appears on screen and you wish you'd be interrupted by a call from a bill collector or something.

Hubby understands a little Spanish. Living with me, no se puede evitarlo! My son's Spanish is better, but his favored language is Japanese. I talk to the cat in Spanish all the time, y sabes que? He ignores me in Spanish just as well as he does in English! I used to talk to our lab in Spanish and he'd get so frustrated because he wanted to understand me and couldn't. He'd get really upset!

I just ate the last red beet egg. They somehow taste better in the summer! Why I why don't I make them more?

Vivi, thank you for the chicken blood explanation. Sylvia, thank you for clarifying a few details.
 

I speak Spanish to my gatocitos and they seem to not only understand but love it. Especially Carmen.

After all, they hear about 7 hours a day of it from TV.
 

Ahhhh...red beet eggs...love them. I'm eating a salsa that daughter made for supper last night...black beans, corn, onion, red pepper, cilantro, olive oil, vinegar, and a little sugar...delish. I don't remember much eating in this novela, but they do like their wine.
 

Yum...red beet eggs...we always had them when we visited my mother-in-law at her lake house. Makes me think of Summer and blue skies, quiet lakeside mornings and good times.

@ Susanlynn..your daughter's salad also sounds great...healthy and light. I'm trying to learn to eat my salads without oil-- only a little rice wine vinegar. So far it's going better than expected. I did a lot of whining to myself before I finally did it but it's not bad.

And while I don't have a foot fetish, I'm experiencing major foot envy over your size 5's! My size 9's have been well and truly mangled by years of trotting around in pointy-toed spike heels, even when I was a reporter. Goood grief! what was I thinking?

Glad you join me in feeling the sadness of Esperanza's situation. I know we're not supposed to care because she's a ditz. But even ditzes have feelings.
 

PS I speak Spanish sometimes to my 6-year-old granddaughter who's taking a little enrichment course after school once a week. Lots of fun.

As for our cat Kizzie, my husband and I are too busy gushing in ridiculous baby talk in English to ever try Spanish. We are a complete embarrassment to our children when they visit.
 

Thanks for all the food references. I'll just have to go make some authentic Hungarian beet eggs from my FIL's side of the family.

Now back to TBLMOE. Did anyone get excited when he asked for water for a bath? After all, he was dusty and dirty from the fast horseback ride home.

I kept hoping as he and Tia were bantering back and forth--I'm going to get undressed now...well, go ahead, I've known you since you were a little boy...I'm not so little any more.

Dang, we only get to see him wrapped up after the bath. Oh well, we can insert the mental image of him in his Amor Real tub.

As for the Espe/Luis matrimony. With many marriages among the upper classes arranged for property and inheritance, it's no surprise Luis is not drawn to Espe.

He must have slept with her at least four times, right? With her attitude, is it any wonder he's not interested and he's too much of a gentleman to force himself on her. I believe Luis is basically done with Espe.

The miscarriages, as difficult as they might have been for her, have given him an honest and sincere excuse not to sleep with her again--to risk her life with another pregnancy.
Dona Nube
 

Dona Nube~~SI,sI~~I, too, was excited...and hopeful ...and eager...when Luis asked for water . Judyb````The size 5 feet can be a problemo since most shoe stores do not carry size 5. I usually have to get my shoes at the Clark and Easy Spirit outlets and take whatever they happen to have. However, until a few years ago, I wore size 4 which was actually better because they used to make the sample shoes in a 4. Well, can't wait until the next episode.
 

Wow, I'd forgotten that some old friends are in this as well as the main characters. Martin (Emanuel from LldA), Fermin (the nutty poet from Dinero), and one of my all time faves, Vicente (Costeño from un Gancho). And then there's Diego... what a hoot. One of the most haunting and daunting is Modesta... what a face... totally inscrutable. Scary.

I adore Tia Isabela, doesn't she have just about the prettiest, sweetest, kindest eyes you've ever seen? She appears as fragile as a delicate porcelain figure and yet as sturdy as leather boot.

I'd forgotten about Diego's masks, they lend weird to the already weird.

Now, the important thing is... when does Perla show up?

Happy Birthday, Bob!

Carlos
 

Carlos~~I think that Perla should be showing up very soon. I know that will make the male viewers happy. Perla will definitely add a little spice to the story. And yes, there are so many familiar faces in this novela. Of course, I enjoy Marcos ...my telenovio Marcelo Cordoba. Modesto is indeed an interesting character...quiet but always alert and listening.
 

P.S. Everyone should have a Tia Isabela on his/her side. [Mine was Aunt Eleanor.] Tia adores Luis as he does her . ..unconditional love and devotion.
 

Tia Isabella is the polar opposite of Dona Juana, just as Luis is the opposite of Diego.

Luis is a lion, Diego a reptile.
 

Good analysis, UA.
 

Ahoy all, I just wanted to throw in my two pesos worth about Esperanza. I completely loathed her the first time around but last night I felt positively sorry for her. I think the first time I watched I didn't realize she'd had four miscarriages. I'm guessing that in addition to possibly not liking sex due to her upbringing, along with the physical trauma to her body due to the miscarriages, sex might be physically painful for her as well as mentally torturous. I thought Luis Manrique was very kind to her but she is still left with her feeling of inadequacy for not being able to bear him a son. Instead of viewing her as a perpetual pain in the patoot (my view in 2006), last night I thought she was pathetic through little fault of her own with no hope in sight. She's kinda crazy, people don't really like her, she hides out in her religion, and she's a "failure" as a wife.

I'm pretty sure that Luis Manrique won't wait too long to pay a visit to Perla.