Polyglot grandpa

Sepia fineliner and watercolor on HandBook Watercolor Journal 8" x 8"

I found this view walking the streets of San Cristobal de las Casas.  I stopped here for a second time to sketch all those red tile roofs. I was told by a tourist guide, that San Cristobal de las Casas is the colonial town with the greatest percentage of red tile roofs in all Mexico. I don't know if this is a fact, but based on my experience, I haven't seen so many of these roofs in one Mexican town and in such a great number. I noticed the two times I was in this place, the same man was sit on one of the benches taking the sun. He looked like a local grandpa. While sketching many passerby seemed to know him and greeted him. Sometimes he started conversations with young backpackers. He spoke English. Nice! Then another couple passed by and he spoke French, wow! Even the Canadians were surprised. Then he spoke German! My goodness, I felt so ignorant...I'm just bilingual. I overheard him saying he spoke 5 languages. Out of curiosity I started a conversation with him telling him he seems to be a celebrity, everybody knows him! He told me he worked in Germany, Belgium and France as a waiter. He liked traveling so much, and that was what he did all his life. The last country he visited was Saudi Arabia, before he had a stroke. Since then, he came back to San Cristobal de las Casas and sits on the bench in front of his house. When he is not  talking to passerby in five languages, he is enjoying this view.
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