Dear girls, boys and teachers,
Our red VW bug is ready to be loaded with your Symbolic Monarchs and carry them to our friends at schools that surround the nearby monarch sanctuaries.

But first, here a little story about our red VW, since he considers himself to be a very special part of the exchange between you and the children in our region.

I have a question for you: Have you ever read about the adventures of Don Quijote de la Mancha and Sancho Panza? (Ask your teacher if you have not! This story is for Spanish readers as Shakespeare is for the English language.)

Well, last year the little red bug took my daughter, Laura Emilia, and me here and there. He has been our first car and showed himself to be so loyal that we agreed he would be part of our very tiny family. So we decided to baptize him and name him:

R O C I N A N T E.

We had just finished reading the fascinating adventures of Don Quijote and Sancho Panza a few days before Rocinante entered our lives. After you have learned about Rocinante you will understand why we gave our red VW this name!

I am particularly emotional to remember what happened to our Rocinante nine months ago, during the flood in Angangueo. My brothers could not find Rocinante anywhere in the streets around our house. We thought he had been carried away by the flood the day before, just as many other cars in town had. Later, a friend of the family´s came and told my brothers that Rocianante was half-buried behind the enormous auditorium building, several blocks away from home. There he was!! Only the top half of the car could be seen.

Rocianante is now getting old and tired, but stubborn still. Today he is very, very proud to tell you that, after being under intensive therapy in México City for the 9 past months--undergoing an excellent cardio-surgery and getting several prostheses here and there in him--he is back home in Angangueo ready to courageously fulfill his task to take us far away with him this Monarch Season 2010-2011!!!

Rocianante knows this Monarch season may be his last adventure before he accepts that it's time spend the rest of his life at home with the family. So, girls and boys, fasten on your seat belts, close your eyes and do not open them until I tell you you can!!!

Your friend,

Estela Romero

Rocinante had returned from Mexico City just minutes before the phot. Children and the decorations were waiting for his arrival!

The story of Don Quijote de la Mancha is for Spanish readers as Shakespeare is for the English language.

Rocianante was half-buried behind the enormous auditorium building, several blocks away from home. (See video clip.)

Map
Find Angangueo on this map of the monarch sanctuary region

Angangueo