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My happy place - tennis anyone?

Even though my Mexico City Airbnb host, Luis, and I met online, looking to find someone to date, we cultivated a friendship with no romantic inklings. As a Jungian psychologist, he is one person I find worthwhile listening to. We get along great, and the respect is mutual. Sometimes we share personal experiences from our respective online dating capers and at the end of the day, we both laugh with and at each other. At the moment Luis is on a hiatus from online dating, claiming it is a waste of time and he said to me he is going to just focus on the things he loves, like reading, volleyball, salsa dancing, his cat, and his large plant collection. He is sure the day will come when all the good vibes he is generating from enjoying his favourite things will attract the right match who will resonate with his personal frequency. I think that is an ideal attitude, so I am just taking things as they are in terms of online dating and everything I have enjoyed here so far has put a much bigger smile on my face than any would-be knight in shining armour.

Today was a prime example of that. I love to play tennis, and thanks to my mom enrolling my dad, brother and me in tennis lessons in 1979, I am capable of hitting the ball with almost anyone. I really miss playing with my late husband Misha, as he hit hard, and always kept me running. This morning my mom and I went to the Hotel Racquet Cuernavaca just a few kilometres from the family home. She was able to rally with me for a little while, but then cornered one of the junior pros whose job it is to play with members more so than to give lessons. Victor, 22 politely accepted my mom's request to hit with her daughter and I was glad to return the ball to someone who kept it inside the lines. We played a whole set, and he won 6-1. During the changeover about 10 minutes in, my mom asked if I was sweating and I said, "No." "That's not normal," she replied. At the next changeover apparently, Victor told my mom her daughter was very beautiful!

Entrance of the Hotel Racquet Cuernavaca

Chita behind me looking like a pro!


I'll tell you what's beautiful; The Hotel Racquet Cuernavaca! According to their website, the Club is "nestled in a hacienda that dates back to 1939, its colonial architecture invites you to enjoy pleasant spaces full of light and comfort. Surrounded by lush gardens and unique vegetation in the state, it offers an atmosphere of harmony and peace. Nine tennis courts (four lighted for night play) are laid out among the flame trees, sea grape and hibiscus." Between 1976-1980, the tennis court portion of the club was designed by Luis Barragán, a Mexican architect and engineer who won the Pritzger Prize, the highest award in architecture, in 1980 (and right around my tennis career was budding).  

Tennis club and grounds of the Hotel Racquet Cuernavaca

After my match with Victor, my mom and I enjoyed lunch on a beautiful terrace inside the club's courtyard. I have been coming here since I was a kid, and have brought my son Andrew here since he was little too, although just to eat and enjoy the grounds. We had a substantial lunch plus shared a guacamole appetizer and the bill was about $20.00. The view was free!

Lunch for 2, with drinks, was $20

Lunch with mom after tennis


A mural adorns the hotel part of the club

An inviting pool at the racquet club


A perfect setting for tennis

Back of the ex-hacienda that is now the club

View of the tennis racquet-themed fountain

Tomorrow I will go back to the club as I  noticed they had a gym no one was using that had spinning bikes and weights, adding to the criteria that make this my happy place. In this tennis context love means nothing.
Wink, wink!


Comments

  1. Unknown26 October 2021 at 13:40

    You look so happy.
    I'm loving your blog
    My goodness it looks beautiful
    Thank you for keeping us up to date.
    Big hugs
    Micheele

    ReplyDelete

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