When You Have Three Home Countries, You Are Truly Blessed

Catedral de Mazatlan

In a little over two weeks, we will complete our three months in Mazatlan, Mexico. Last week, I shared with you the 2019 Mazatlan Carnaval which I thought best exemplified Mexican culture. This week, I would like to tell you about why I keep on returning to the notion of Mexico having become my third home. 

The Philippines is where I was born and lived for 54 years. It's my first home. The USA is where I have lived for the past 16 years after I retired. It's my second. And starting this year, Mexico is where we will stay for three months each year. It has become my third. It was Bill's decision to spend this much time here but now there are many reasons why it really feels like home to me, too.

Mexico and the Philippines share major parallels in history. Although we started with very different indigenous cultures, we both were ruled by Spain for centuries, Mexico for 300 and the Philippines for 377, both starting in 1521 at the height of the global Spanish empire. Thus, Spanish influence is heavy in both cultures. It is why we have the following  similarities in our cultures:

       First, 90 % of both countries are Roman Catholic, although Mexico is bigger by 20 million people with 130 million in population. Therefore, one of the obvious comforts for me is that we do not have a hard time finding churches to hear mass on Sundays around El Cid Resorts where we stay. There are two only a kilometer (ten minutes walk) away in each direction.
    

Mexican dishes that are also Filipino

     Second, Mexico may be the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. But many Tagalog words are the same as their counterparts in Spanish: silya for silla (chair), sapatos for zapatos (shoes), deretso for derecho (straight), kamiseta for camiseta (shirt), banyo for bano (bathroom), for example. This resulted in the relative ease with which I  can carry on a smattering of conversations here even without learning it formally. And, as you know, I am learning the language in free El Cid classes. I can't wait for the time when I can speak it fluently. I've had progress.

Third (and what I am thrilled about), we share so many dishes. I thought it was just tacos and fajitas and burritos and enchiladas. I delighted in finding a lot of my favorites in buffets and a la carte menus. One of those is chicharrones (crispy pork rind) especially since they are almost discarded after the pork meat is shredded for the tacos de puerco. The pork thighs and legs are first roasted, much like how the Filipino lechon is cooked. Don Ignacio chicken could easily be mistaken for chicken inasal. Sopa de mariscos is actually a version of sinigang na hipon or isda. I love to eat my pescado frito or pritong isda with a plate of fried garlic rice and sliced tomatoes. Even their grilled mahi-mahi, pescado zarandeando is similar to our inihaw na bangus. Finally, for dessert, I always have the option of flan (just like our leche flan), candied camote or plantain banana, or the tropical fruits I have so missed for desserts. Jicamas (singkamas in Manila) have been mainstays in my salads, too. The only part of Filipino cuisine we do not share with Mexico is that which comes from our Chinese heritage. So I miss pancit and the various forms of lumpia. 

Feliz Ano Nuevo

     Fourth, even music is shared due to our common Spanish origins. I loved singing Cucurucucu Paloma when I found Lola Beltran’s Museo in El Rosario, an hour south of Mazatlan. And I always sing or hum to La Bamba, Besame Mucho, Sabor a Mi, or Cuando Caliente El Sol whenever they are aired through the piped-in music of the 9 El Cid restaurants.

        

Dia de Los Muertos

         

Fifth, festivals and traditions are very much alike: Navidad (Pasko), Dia de Los Muertos (All Souls Day), and Dia de Los Santos (All Saints Day), for example. This year we had a Feliz Ano Nuevo party at La Concha just two days after our arrival, complete with fireworks and round fruits. Then on Feb. 14, we had a party called Dia del Amor y la Amistad (Day of Love and Friendship). Filipinos celebrate these festivals with the same pomp and traditions.

Feliz Dia del Amor y La Amistad

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Sixth, both Mexicans and Filipinos are warm, expressive, and hospitable. Whenever Mexicans are complimented, I tell people they should also go to the Philippines and they will experience the same level of helpfulness and hospitality. We have many new friends not just from the guests from Canada and America like us, but from the staff of El Cid. We have even been invited to their family parties. 

Lastly, our climates are so alike: sunny, warm, and humid. And our sunsets are gloriously the same.

After the periods of Spanish rule, both of our histories became intertwined with the USA. The Mexicans were defeated by the Americans in the Mexican-American War and Mexico ceded half of its territory to become the southwestern USA. The Americans also defeated the Spanish in the Spanish-American War shortly after that and the Philippines was ceded to the USA in 1898. This began the 50-year rule of America over my native land until our independence was granted in 1946. But we could say that, during this period, the Philippines developed like its new territory, the southwestern USA. 

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pinnable image

It is not by chance that we have also chosen to live in southwestern USA, Arizona in particular, as our primary home for the major part of the year. Filipinos, Arizonians, and Mexicans are truly brothers in history and culture. It's good that I do not have to travel the 24-hour flight to Manila to be “home.” Now in my 70s, it has become more difficult to do this. I will still visit the Philippines once every three to five years. Today, I can just take the 2 or 3-hour flight to somewhere in Mexico and I am also "home!" 

Prepare to Be Dazzled at Mazatlan’s Carnival

…and Witness Mexican Culture at its Best!

This is my third time in Mazatlan but I always went in the Fall. Luckily, we came in winter this time and ran right smack into the Carnaval de Mazatlan 2019.  It is reputed to be the third largest carnival in the world, after Rio and New Orleans. We have been in Mazatlan for ten weeks by this time so it was but natural for us to have learned a lot about Mexican culture. But at the Carnaval Parade, it was encapsulated in dazzling hours of pageantry from 5-10 pm. We saw the best of Mexican culture.

dramatic sunset

This year’s theme was Equinox and the Parade started near the Diver’s Point on the Malecon. It traveled along the Avenue del Mar that hugs the long boardwalk. We watched the Parade from a raised platform built by the Hotel Hacienda, almost where it started. Jutting out from the hotel’s façade, our front row seats were a strategic spot from which I could take pictures of the floats and the people with the glorious sunset glowing on the ocean as a backdrop.

During the whole night, it became obvious that Mexicans enjoy music. This includes traditional Mariachi, Norteño, Ranchera, and Corridos. It was in Mazatlán that the loud, booming Banda music was born. In fact, bands are a regular feature at Mazatlan beaches. But at the Carnaval Parade, it was front and center. One of the most applauded floats regaled the crowd with Banda music played by a band from a gigantic platform on a very tall float.

"bullfighting" at the Parade

prized seafood on floats

The national sport of Mexico is Charreria, which consists of a series of equestrian events. But bullfighting, a tradition brought from Spain, is also popular. In fact, Mexico has the largest venue for bullfighting in the world, the Plaza México in Mexico City which seats 48,000 people. There is one in Mazatlan but the city has banned the sport due to the urging of animal safety enthusiasts. At the Carnaval Parade, the penultimate showcase was a surprising and entertaining mock bullfight of a matador and two huge “bulls.”

Mazatlan’s economy is built upon the strong foundation of agri and aquaculture. Being next door to America is, in fact, a major stimulus to the country’s economy and Sinaloa is so close to Arizona that it is even more pronounced here. The city is extremely proud of its seafood. On this previous post, I wrote about Mexican food and mentioned that Mazatlan is the “shrimp capital of the world.” Many floats featured the prized seafood: pulpo (octopus), langosta (lobster), delfines (dolphins), etc. in contrast to the others that put Mexican beauties on pedestals. 

Mexican beauties on pedestals

Of course, Bill preferred those ladies to the bulls and the seafood! But both will not win against the favorite drink. Pacifico beer, the most popular Mexican beer, was founded in Mazatlan in the 1900s by German settlers. At the Parade, there was a special viewing platform for their people. In fact, because they partly sponsored the event, it was a huge Pacifico float that started the parade.

The dancing horses of Mazatlan ended the Parade. That’s when we started to walk back to the hotel as there was no taxi or pulmoniya around. It took us about an hour to reach the roundabout where the Carnaval Parade was just turning right at Avenue Rafael Buelva to go to its end point, Old Mazatlan near the Catedral. On the walk, we saw hundreds of thousands of Los Mazatlecos, families having spontaneous parties with food they had brought (or bought from the many street food kiosks on the main avenue and all its side streets), senoritas and senoritos dancing to the loud Banda music on the street, children collecting confetti so they can throw them again, and chairs seeming to float on their own as they were being carried on shoulders back to the cars.

picking up confetti to throw again

The Parade was well staged and directed. It brings to mind Mexico’s outstanding film industry that has produced Oscar winners in the Best Director category like Alfonso Cuarón who just won for Roma (which also won the Best Foreign Film category). The outstanding color and creativity all along the Malecon also brought to mind the famous  Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.

Mexican History on a Float

Mexican culture reflects the country’s complex history: the Aztec and Mayan roots that became an important cradle of civilization, the 300 years of Spanish rule and influence, and the turbulent road to independence. In one night, the warmth and expressiveness of the Spanish and the creative and artistic bent of the indigenous were meshed and on display. We were prepared to be dazzled at the Carnaval Parade. And we witnessed the best in Mexican culture.

POSTSCRIPT

One of the floats seemed to caricature the President of the US with whom Mexico seems to have a tenuous relationship. You be the judge!

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pinnable image

pinnable image

Unique Scenes, Unusual Stories, and Beautiful People in Two Small Magical Mexican Towns

One of the best things we did on this trip was to drive down to Mazatlan despite the warnings (see this previous post). Our car has been so handy for drives to Walmart and the mall, the dentist, and the art galleries. But it is the day trips to the small towns around the city that has been the best blessing of all. These two separate day trips have given us many delightful memories to treasure and to share.

El Quelite to the North

My husband’s college fraternity brother sailed from La Paz in the Baja Peninsula into the Marina Mazatlan beside El Cid’s La Marina Resort Hotel and Spa. It was an easy four-minute shuttle ride for us to meet him, visit the boat, “Derive”, and have lunch at El Cid’s La Terraza. We invited him to join us two days later on a trip to this famously cute town many people were raving about. It is north of Mazatlan, about forty minutes away. The town didn’t appear on our GPS so we had a MapQuest sheet to guide us.

As luck would have it, we got lost. We followed Mexico 15D, the toll road instead of Mexico 15, the libre (toll-free) road, and they were unusually far from each other. We found this out when we sought help at a truck stop. In my broken Spanish, aided by similar Filipino words owing to Spain’s 333-rule of my home country, I asked the truckers who were having their rest and some snacks, “Donde esta El Quelite?”   All of them, including the lady storekeepers, felt dumbfounded to reply because they didn’t speak any English. A brave fellow proceeded to patiently communicate to me how to get there. Lo and behold, I understood him perfectly because he so wanted to help. I had met a beautiful Mexican!

After an hour and fifteen minutes, we approached the town from Mexico 15 and bougainvilleas of all colors greeted us on both sides of the road. It was my utter luck that a yellow arch marked the entry to the lone street and the colorful homes on both sides. On the right, we saw a plazuela with a statue of a man playing the game ulama. The country is reviving this ancient sport. The oldest ballcourt is dated 1400 BC.

All the cars in town were parked at El Meson de Los Laureanos. You won’t believe the art and decor, the roosters and horses, all the colorful nooks and corners, and all thriving plants and people inside. It was the energy of Mexico in a nutshell. The food heartily complemented the lively atmosphere. We were immediately served with the traditional Sinaloan snack, coyotas. Our order of barbacoa de res (beef), carnitas de puerco (pork), and cordoniz (quail) a la parilla with arroz, tortilla, frijoles, salsa, and pico de gallo arrived soon after we made our order. It seemed to be consumed just as fast. Dessert was a selection of complementary Sinaloan specialties: candied papaya, squash, and sweet potatoes and leche quemada (burnt milk).

There is another restaurant in town, the Hacienda Tequilera Mi Quelite.  We wondered why it was absolutely empty in stark contrast.  We found the owner to be so kind and polite. He asked us if we wanted to see his little secret at the back. It was a small zoo with his precious collection of a family of llamas, a lone donkey, several peacocks, lots of rabbits, fighting cocks and pigs, and a beautiful banyan tree in the middle. We offered him a couple hundred pesos for the tour but he graciously refused. I had met another beautiful Mexican. Hopefully, he will be given a chance by tourists. We will next time!

El Rosario to the South

We also wanted to visit another Magico Pueblo (Magical Town), a program launched by the Ministry of Tourism in 2001. So far there have been 121 named. The first one we saw was Teotihuacan near Mexico City (see this previous post) and the second was Todos Santos to which we took a day trip from San Jose del Cabo (see this previous post) El Rosario is only an hour south of Mazatlan. We invited another couple to join us. The drive was beautiful with all the beautiful agave and mango plantations on both sides of the highway.

Our GPS listed only one attraction, El Museo de Lola Beltran. When we got there, we hesitated to go in; we didn’t know who she was. But the admission fee was just $1 for all four of us. We found out that María Lucila Beltrán Ruiz (7 March 1932 – 24 March 1996) was an acclaimed Mexican singer of Ranchera music and a movie and TV personality. She was internationally renowned for her interpretation of "Cucurrucucú Paloma" which I knew by heart when I was young, owing to our shared history with Spain.

And that’s where we met Carmelita, a grandniece of the grand old lady, who proceeded to graciously tour us around town. She is another beautiful Mexican.  Across the Museo stands Las Ruinas which is what remains of the parochial temple that crumbled circa 1931. Minas del Tajo was mining a large silver belt that was discovered right under it. The town’s faithful painstakingly transferred the beloved temple, stone by stone, to this site. Close by is the lagoon at the old entrance to the mine and the old site of the temple. It was created by the flood waters from the 1935 Super Cyclone. There now stands a beautiful suspension bridge and recreation park at the center which the townsfolk lovingly call Isla del Iguanero.

Then Carmelita led us to the El Tiro San Antonio (Casa de Lola), a restaurant run by her twin brother, billed as the place where the song Paloma was born. It was right on Calle Beltran that had a statue of Lola herself at the intersection with the main street in town. The colorful walls are filled with mementos of Lola Beltran, just like at the Museo. They served us a hefty lunch of tacos de camarones, asada de res, pollo frito, enchiladas verdes, and candied camotes for dessert, all for only US $25 for all of us!

After lunch, we had a quick trip to the Museum of Regional History of El Rosario, built in what was formerly the Municipal Prison, as of seven years ago. That is where the glorious history of one of the wealthiest towns in Mexico in the past and the mining industry that led to the founding of the port of Mazatlan was told to us. Nearby is the Los Arcos Virreinales (Colonial Arch) which was the old bus station during the mining town’s heyday that lasted for 300 years.

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pinnable image

Our last stop was the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary in front of which is a plazuela with another statue of Lola Beltran. Built from 1758 to 1771, the church has an elaborate baroque style and a spectacularly intricate gilded altar inside. There are two places where you can have souvenir photos taken: the colorful town sign and a pair of golden wings. Both will have the church as a background.

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pinnable image

As you can see, these are memories that are a treasure. They are both near enough to Mazatlan that we can revisit them anytime we want to when we are there for our annual three month holiday. Definitely, we will take our guests to them, especially those who have already visited many beach resort towns and want to see the magical side of  Mexico.

4 Major Parks and Gardens of Melbourne: Our 3rd Deeper Look into the City

an oasis in the middle of the city

Curator's Rock, Garden Ball, and the Garden House

Southeast of Melbourne’s Central Business District is two giant complexes that are reasons for the city’s acclaim as “the most liveable city in the world” six years in a tow. Together, the Royal Botanic Gardens and Kings Domain form a giant oasis in the middle of the city. The Sports and Entertainment Precinct, on the other hand, is site for many Melburnian gatherings and events that contribute to a high quality of life. One lazy afternoon Bill and I roamed the grounds.  

Royal Botanic Garden

Australia's National Tree, a golden wattle, n bloom

The Royal Botanic Gardens of Melbourne is internationally renowned. Located on the south bank of the Yarra River, it consists of 38 hectares of lands cultivated with a mix of the native and exotic vegetation of over 10,000 individual species. A second area in the suburb of Cranbourne, some 45 km southeast of the city, focuses on Australian native plants and has won an award for the section called the Australian Garden which opened in May 2006.

Bill and I luckily chanced upon a free Discovery Tour of 1 ½ hours led by a knowledgeable volunteer. I loved the Herbarium, the Gardener’s House, and many native Australia and New Zealand trees, plants, and flowers that dotted the pathways and the large pond in the middle. I was also in this Garden that I found my first-ever wattle tree, flared with its bright yellow blossoms! It is the national tree of Australia and we would soon find it common on road trips in the countryside.

King’s Domain

Kings Domain surrounds the Gardens. It includes the Government House, the home of the Governors of Victoria. The park was established in 1854 and covers 36 hectares of lawns and gardens strewn “with non-native and native Australian mature trees, a mixture of deciduous and evergreens.  Around the Domain are scattered memorial statues and sculptures, each with their own story.”

Shrine of Remembrance, Sidney Music Bowl, and the Governor's House

On a high hill of the Domain beyond the south end of the Royal Botanic Gardens stands the Shrine of Remembrance. It was originally built as a memorial to the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I.  Now it is a shrine to all Australians who served in a war and is where ANZAC Day on April 25 and Remembrance Day on November 11 are observed. It is one of Australia’s largest war memorials.

On another hill beyond the opposite north end of the Gardens is the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Opened in 1959, it was inspired by businessman/ philanthropist, Sidney Myer. About 3-4 free, open-air concerts are held in a year, including one by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The largest crowd ever was the 1967 Seekers homecoming concert (200,000) listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the greatest attendance in history in the Southern Hemisphere in history. Other artists who have performed at the Bowl include ABBA, AC/DC, Metallica, Wings, The Beach Boys, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Paul McCartney, and most recently Bon Jovi and Kanye West.

Melbourne and Olympic Parks

Australia's heart of sports and entertainment is the Melbourne and Olympic Parks. It is situated east of Melbourne’s CBD, across the Yarra River from the Gardens described above. It hosts around 600 events and attracts more than 2.5 million people a year.

Melbourne Park and Olympic Oval

Most notably, it is the site of the Australian Open, one of the four major tennis grand slams. Other celebrated national and international sports events such as rugby, football, netball, basketball, cycling, and gymnastics. It also stages highest-rated artists and shows like Katy Perry, One Direction, P!NK, Beyoncé, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and Disney on Ice. 

Melbourne Park includes Rod Laver Arena (15,000 seats), Hisense Arena, (10,000 seats), Margaret Court Arena, (7,500 seats), 2 show courts, 35 outdoor tennis courts, and 6 indoor tennis courts. Melbourne & Olympic Parks, which also runs the adjacent Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, also includes the Olympic Park: the AAMI Park (30,050 seats), Holden Centre, Olympic Park Oval, and Gosch's Paddock training fields. A major reconstruction was taking place and we were only able to take pictures from the outside.

Yoyogi Cafe in Chinatown

The afternoon was preceded by lunch at a Japanese café in bustling Chinatown. At the end of our roaming, we found ourselves at the Café L’Incontro just a block away from where we started, enjoying large scones and clotted cream. From there we boarded the tram to my daughter April’s apartment nearby, just about 6-7 stops away. It was a great way to spend a lazy afternoon!

L'Incontro Cafe's scones

Our Lifestyle Adventures: Where Else Does One Celebrate a Birthday?

the skies at Caesar's Palace

at the Atlantis monument

Bill turned another page. He celebrated the 33^rd anniversary of his 39^th birthday, and we went on another road trip, this time to Las Vegas, Nevada for three nights and four days. Bill deserved the big break but contends that the party place is more my kind of town. And he is right but when the wife is happy so is the hubby! We booked ourselves at Harrah’s Hotel and Casino right on the Strip. We enjoyed a view of the High Roller at the back of Harrah's and next door Linq!  

On our first evening, we strolled in and around the hotel. But, as the weather was rather cold, Bill and I proceeded to The Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace to look for a sweater for Bill that was going to be my gift! Fortunately, we found a blue casual item at the Banana Republic. As we walked around, we found Trevi, with Atlantis as a background and the refreshing artificial blue and cloudy skies above the tables. It felt right, and we proceeded to have our a sumptuous Italian dinner!

Menopause the Musical

together with the menopausal ladies

Then Dick, Bill’s Sigma Chi Fraternity brother from Pittsburg State University, and his wife Marrene joined us. They had just come from LA. After snacks, we had front row seats at the 6 pm showing of Menopause the Musical. What a blast it was! Bloomingdale's is where the four menopausal ladies enact the entire show, from the jewelry, the lingerie, cosmetics departments, in the bathroom, beauty salon and restaurant. They bonded over hot flashes, mood swings, insomnia, etc. to the tune of baby-boomer ditties.

joining the other menopausal ladies on stage in celebration of our freedom

They sang "Wish we all could be sane and normal girls" to the tune of "California Girls." "In the guest room or on the sofa, my husband sleeps tonight” was sung to the tune of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." "Change of Life" was "Chain of Fools" or "Stayin' Awake" carried the tune of "Stayin' Alive.” The crowd broke into wild fun when we got "My Thighs" instead of "My Guy" which segued into "Drippin' and Tricklin" to the tune of "Wishin' and Hopin.” We had our best laughs when "Help Me, Rhonda" became "Thank You, Doctor" for familiar mood-enhancing medication. " It was a riot to see plus-size actresses dressed a la Tina Turner in a micro mini or singing "Puff, My God, I'm Dragging" about working out. Other women's issues like chocolate cravings, vibrators and arguing with your mother followed litanies against hot flashes. But, later, they all morphed into triumphant celebrations of freedom!

the Birthday Boy having this day

It was very witty, very hilarious, and very relevant to me and the other ladies of similar age in the audience! So, at the end of the show, when the powerful cast invited us to join them on stage, I did not hesitate to go and wear the pin that declared, “I’ve Changed” and I am proud of it. Later, I bought the shirt that warns, “BEWARE: My Mood Swings!” Bill even had a photo with the menopausal ladies! It was just right that we ended the night with a light dinner at Sushi Roku across the street at Caesar’s Palace!

Bill’s Birthday Events

photo credit of the super bloom at Death Valley National Park: Washington Post

One of the activities Bill and I had planned on was to make a day trip to Death Valley, one of the hottest places on Earth, just two hours away from the Strip. The Park has come to life in a “super bloom”, after record rain last October, with the most desert wildflowers since 2005. The flowers were expected to stick around until mid-March but over the weekend, it rained and even snowed a bit, and they suffered. It was too bad that we had to scrap the idea because midway lies Pahrump, Nevada and that’s where a lady I met on my Facebook group, Living the RV Dream, camps at Saddle West Casino. We had both wanted to meet each other in person and my namesake Carol wanted an autographed copy of my book, Carolina: Cruising to an American Dream. In fact, she is a cheerleader for my next one, a cookbook. Oh well, next time or when we get to Oregon, her home state when we get there in October later this year!

the White Swan at Embassy Suites

In any case, Bill and Dick escaped from the clutches of the wives and went to see two games in the PAC 12 Conference of Champions (basketball). The Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament is the annual concluding tournament for that NCAA college conference that has taken place in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena since 2013. They chanced upon Game 5, #1 Oregon Ducks vs. #8 Washington Huskies and Game 6, #4 Arizona Wildcats vs. Colorado Buffalos. Marrene and I, on the other hand, descended to the casino floors. I tried my luck with $100 of promotional vouchers and just broke even at Penny machines. Sigh.

a huge and hearty dinner @ Pampas Brazilian Steakhouse

the fraternity brothers with Toby Keith at his Bar

At the end of the day, we all proceeded to Pampas Brazilian Steakhouse in Miracle Mile beside Planet Hollywood. It was the first time for me to taste Brazilian cuisine and I loved the burnt outside of the meats served on large skewers, individually sliced for each of us. There were chicken breasts wrapped in bacon, filet mignon, garlic sirloin, tri-tips, lamb, pork loin, Brazilian pork sausages, etc. There were also lots of shrimps and we could all go back to an endless buffet of salads, soups, and pasta. We all had never eaten so much in one meal! So afterwards, we all went to the Toby Keith Bar and Grille at Harrah’s for drinks, country music and dancing.  

The next morning, we said farewell at breakfast in the Fulton’s Food Court between the hotel lobby and the casino. But it really wasn’t a tearful goodbye because, come October 19-22, we will be together again in Capistrano Beach, on our trek down the US West Coast. Their home is only thirty minutes away from the Riviera Shores Resort where we will be staying.  What a birthday Bill had and what a year it promises to be for both couples! Las Vegas did it again!

the High Roller in front of Harrah's and Linq, our hotel chain