Caray, Caray!

This is great Jardinera and got everything covered.

Wait, what, I don't remember anyone mentioning a brother before last night, Don Alegario Alarcon.

What a way to make an entrance. Belen! Could she be Jorge? I thought it before and watched closely the time she removed the wrap and dismissed it thinking for sure it wasn't. Anyway, what on earth is her point of marching in like this and I wonder if Diego has anything to do with it? Oh my head.

What a fine man Jacinto has proved himself to be.

I like Ayala and I like Matilde but "Scra-a-a-a-atch", not as romantic partners. Crosseyed school crush mooning looked silly to me.

Golly Julio are you weak willed or what? Not like Isabela was kissing any ole guy but her husband. Wake up feller.

 

Boy I was wondering how and when Belen would return to the show. Talk about making a grand entrance at the Grand Hotel! She did look beautiful and I wonder who the two handsome men at her sides were? Take that, Diego! I hope she’s coming to bring down Diego and Teresa and everyone finds out the truth about the babies. I do feel sorry for Andres because for him, it would have been better that she stay away, but better that the truth be told even though he has to be hurt by it. My opinion is that Andres will be fine, once he discovers who he really is…..

I am disappointed in Julio though. He can do a lot better than Cecelia.
 

Yikes! I felt as though I was forgetting something as I was getting ready for work... I didn't see this last night. I meant to watch it in the morning, but I had an early appointment and forgot all about it. So thanks again, Jardinera. I would still like to see this, but it's easier to FF through the dull stuff when I already know where the juicy parts are.

Alfredo's old flame, Beatrice? So that was what Elisa was doing on the phone the other night. I heard her invite someone to the concert, but couldn't figure out the significance of it.

I didn't think Belen would come back this soon! I've been missing her. What's up her sleeve? Will Andres still be interested in her?
 

. They make it a gleesome threesome.

Pure Jardinera snark. Perfect.

Ah, that crafty Elise! Loved how she cooed over Beatriz and lamented that if only she'd had better luck, that would have been her daughter=in-law. Score!

This show never fails to amaze me. Not expecting Belen back. And not in full regalia and with handsome bookends. Whassup?

tofie, alas, have to disagree. I'm loving the nascent romance between Ayala and Matilde. Not only does she share his scientific/medical interests but his knowledge of astronomy as well. Thought the old coot was going to have an orgasm right then and there, hearing her talk so knowledgeably about the stars. Clearly...at least for me...they are destined for each other.

As are Angela and Guadlupe.

As for Cecilia and Julio. Como sea. I hope they enjoy this particular romp in the hay, regardless of the future. At least Cecilia delivers value for money..or in this case, no money. Never hurts to be generous...or will it?

Anyway, thanks for the recap Jardinera. This is one rip-roarin' story. No fast forward moments for me.
 

Thanks Jardinera. Interesting ep.

Loved Ayala's/Mati's scenes.

Loved Isa's knowing smile when she saw them.

Are those men with Belen bodyguards? They didn't act like they were "equals". She hasn't been gone very long. She works fast. Looks like she either made a good match or is someone's high-end mistress. Will she still want Andres now so she can get her greedy paws on the hotel? One more thing for Teresa to be p***ed off about with Diego. Shouldn't have let her live, ding dong head.

Poor Nat.

Nanette
 

Tks Jardinera

Wow, I knew Belen would be back, but still shocked to see her & looking prosperous too.
Wonder if she'll want her baby?

I don't think she is Jorge, she didn't have that much time to get all gussied up.

Brings to mind, will we see Mercedes again?

I think Cecelia threatened Julio if he didn't put out, that she would reveal sth about him.

I was surprised to see Violeta & Nat's bro sitting with the guests, didn't think that would be allowed for the help. Some of the others were watching from upstairs.
 

Variopinta: I was also surprised about Violeta and Gabe. They did get some looks.

I'm looking forward to Julio saying Isabel's name at a crucial point.
 

Variopinta, I think Mrs Limantur announced a few episodes ago that she wanted hospital patients and staff to come to the concert if possible. So that would include Violeta and Gabriel. (They're not "the help" as far as the hotel is concerned. Violeta is ex-help, but that's okay.)

I would like to see Mercedes again, just to be satisfied that she isn't still the raving wreck she was the last time we saw her. I wonder if it's out of the question for her and Felipe to get back together again? Maybe hanging with Jorge/Manuela and her peeps will improve his attitude. (If not, I'd like to see Mercedes come back with a super-hot rich fiance.)

Nanette: "I'm looking forward to Julio saying Isabel's name at a crucial point" OH YEAH! I love how you think! Cecilia's wrath would be mighty, though. I wonder if she would take it out on him only, or if she'd go after Isabel too. I suppose just letting Isabel know about them would cause enough trouble for a week's worth of episodes.
 

Maybe Mercedes was the one having the ice bath courtesy of the pseudo-priest? Perhaps she and Sophia will struggle toward sanity together?
 

I like Matilde and Ayala and I like the mutual respect they have for each other but I prefer he be her mentor instead of her lover? It happens. I clerked for an older male judge early in my career, we spent hours together professionally and during personal time and never was the relationship other than as a mentor/protege. (caveat: he was a fine looking man) He was like a surrogate father.

I think it's lame to jump into bed with CeCe again because she threatened to tell Isabela. So what. I understood Isabela's crush on Julio but after the shine wore off cannot think of them as a couple. He brings nothing to the table and even less now he's back with CeCe.
 

Thank you, Jardinera. The recap was great!

I loved: Felipe being kept for ransom
Matilde and Ayala as a detective team
Belén's arrival with her "posse"!
 

Thank you for an excellent recap, Jardinera! I too was puzzled by the issue of the empty coffee tin. Why emphasize that one of the two tins was empty unless the arsenic was sprinkled on the coffee beans contained in the second one. Unless, Ángela mentioned this solely as a justification for her suspicions and as the reason she searched the garbage (where she eventually found the tin containing the arsenic).

There was also a cryptic warning that Melibea gave Genaro: "Right now I'm telling you things nicely. I don't want to talk to you/proceed the hard way. You don't want to regret this later [Don't do something you might regret]" ("Ahora te estoy hablando por las buenas. No quiero hablarte por las malas. No te vayas a arrepentir"). I wonder what she has in store for her lover/abuser.

As for Ayala and Matilde, I really wanted that fantasy kiss to be true. This burgeoning love affair relegates all others to second-class romances. When Ayala asked Matilde a favor and the favor turned out to be an introduction to Nena Limantour, our feisty Doctora looked clearly disappointed. She was expecting a declaration or at least a flirtatious remark. Oooooh, she liiiiiikes him!

Mimí's excessive chirpiness annoyed me to no end but I did enjoy that telephone song she performed. It's interesting that her husband seemed to have recognized Diego.

Last but certainly not least, Belén sure cleans up well! I wonder where she got the money to dress in such fancy attire.

Many thanks to Julie for Monday's recap. I will endeavor to have the recap for tonight's episode ready by early afternoon tomorrow.
 

-- A quote from the capítulo --

“Astraea, la constelación de la justicia. Mire, si está inscrita allá arriba, es porque aquí abajo, entre los mortales, debe existir. Y usted es un enviado para cumplir ese mandato del universo.” *

* Matilde flirting with Ayala in her own special way: “Astraea the constellation of justice. Look! If it is written up above, it’s because down here, it ought to exist amongst mortals. And you are an envoy to fulfill that mandate of the universe.” These two are my favorite new shippeo. I’ve been willing them to pair up since the day Matilde’s irreverent scientific “prayer” swept Ayala off his feet. I find intelligence, empathy, integrity, respect and a great sense of humor way sexier than good looks. Ayala has these characteristics in spades and, in my eyes, he is the sexiest male of this show. Move over Julio, Andrés and Alfredo’s dimples! There is a new stud in town!

enviado(a) = a messenger, an envoy, an emissary.

cumplir = to achieve, to fulfill, to deliver (on a promise or a duty).

mandato = command, mandate, directive.
 

How did Teresa react when she saw the ransom letter? Did she have a fit? Laugh? Roll her eyes?

I am definitely in favor of Ayala/Matilde. They are much too special and too unique to be wasted on ordinary people.
 

Thanks for stopping and sharing....I am not for the May-December relationship. Never have been. --Got to go.
 

-- Julie: The Teresa I was playing rolled her eyes and wondered out loud whether the kidnappers would be willing to keep Felipe for a few more months in exchange for a ransom bonus. The Teresa on screen was completely distraught and on the verge of tears. She was so devastated that all she could manage to say when it was her time to introduce Mimí Peralta's performance was a timid "Thank you. Thank you." Mother Terror loves her kids, in her own misguided and clumsy way.
 

Yes, Teresa does love her children. She has to - she sees them as extensions of her own warped ego. This is reflected in the very weird ways that she expresses her love, like blackmailing doctors, paying monks to keep them company, and selling them in marriage to jerks.

I've seen some strange telenovela mothers over the years, but Teresa Alarcon is one-of-a-kind.
 

Tofie, glad that, as you weren't looking for anything romantic,your judge restricted himself to a mentor role. But there are legit May-December relationships.

Ayala has no particular positional authority over Matilde. This isn't like the quasi pedophilic "relationships" between professors, bosses, clergy, and so forth where there is an abuse of trust or power.

Most real life Matildes may end up with someone else as a life partner, but then it's pretty rare for a first or early relationship to end up being "the one" regardless of the ages involved.

Particularly interesting though that Jesus Ochoa stars as the unlikely Lothario in a recent film about a fellow trying to set his wife up with a new man.
 

This is also not a typical May-December relationship in that he is not attracted to her because of her age or appearance. He'd seen her before, but wasn't interested in her until he heard her praying to the scientists. That's what got his attention. He is hot for her brain!