Música Marimba

I'm in group that makes these small quilts each couple of months.  One person will pick a theme and we will make our expression of the theme.  Last fall there was an exhibit of our little quilts at a quilt show that Wendy, one of the ladies in our group helps it organize, here in Mexico.  At the time of the show there were 3 people in our group.  After the show more people joined our effort.  I don't really know how many without checking, I think we gained 6 ladies.   I picked the first theme.  It was Sun and Sand.  My friend, Janet, in Mérida, picked the second theme of Morning.  And Wendy picked the third theme which was Dessert.  Those three themes rendered 9 little quilts and those were the ones exhibited. Click here  to see the 9 little quilts.  Next the picking came back to me and I picked the theme Music.  The little quilts had to be completed by March 1st.  I'm not sure but I don't think that they are all finished.  I finished mine March first.  My Music theme was inspired by several visits to a particular restaurant in Panajachel, Guatemala.

There is enormous restaurant competition in this little tourist town.  And restaurants come and go each visit that we make.  But this one came to our attention because there was a Marimba Band playing.  Unusual as you might think, Marimba is a very popular musical form in the area and we have seen many Marimba Bands.  And we really like the music.  But we have never seen a female Marimba band.  That is what caught our attention in this restaurant and we were drawn in.  The owner is a very amiable man and one night we chatted with him about the band.  I had noticed some facial similarities and we asked if the man was related to the 3 lady musicians.  He told us that 2 of the young ladies were his daughters and that the third was his niece.  He continued the story.  It seems that the restaurant was barely making enough trade to stay in business.  His daughters and niece hatched the idea that they would take Marimba lessons and then play in the restaurant to attract customers.  Well, they were all in their mid twenties and had never played any musical instrument.  So, we found it completely amazing that in 2 years time they were able to learn and begin performing in the restaurant.  And the whole scheme worked.  The music hooks the people into coming in and they sit down and listen and at first they order drinks and then before you know it they are returning and ordering not only drinks but meals.  Now they get tour buses that bring customers specifically for the whole package!  Business is great!

Cuando mi esposo y yo fuimos de vacaciones el otoño pasado supe que le toca a mí para escoger el próximo tema por el Proyecto 8 X 11.  No pude pensar en nada.  Pero cuando estuvimos en un restaurante favorito la idea me agarró.  Este restaurante es extra especial porque allá tocan música marimba.  Pero la cosa extra ordinaria es las músicas son mujeres, Marimba normalmente es tocado por hombres, que lo he visto.  Y su historia también es interesante.  El dueño del restaurante tiene enorme cantidad de competencia.  Sus hijas y su sobrina que nunca tocaron música antes llegaron a la idea de aprender de tocar música marimba para atraer clientes al restaurante.  Y adentro de 2 años lograron a aprender este arte y tocan en el restaurante.   Y por esto el restaurante tiene mucho más clientes y ha realizado más éxito que nunca.  Cada vez estamos en Panajachel, Guatemala, pasamos por este Restaurante y disfrutamos la música con unas chelas y botanas.  Así que, la idea del tema de Música me agarró durante esta visita a este alegre restaurante.