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I thought I had a reasonably large vocabulary but this stumped me.\u00a0 It means “unshod” or “barefoot,” referring to Catholic religious orders whose members \u00a0wear sandals instead of shoes as a sign of poverty, penance, and reform.<\/p>\n
You could call Johnny Appleseed or Mahatma Gandhi discalceled. ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/marigoldonline.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Gandhi.-ebp-256x300.webp\")
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In search of another well-known unshod figure, in Mexico City I visited the Museo de El Carmen in the neighborhood of San Angel.<\/p>\n
Built between 1615 and 1626, the convent was founded in June 1615 by the Discalced Carmelites<\/a>. The Colonial Baroque building opened as a museum in 1938 and houses numerous pieces of religious art and a collection of twelve naturally mummified bodies of former benefactors, priests, El Carmen has a lovely cloister with rose bushes at the sides and a blue-and-white tiled fountain in the center. Inside is a series of four lavabos, used for hand-washing usually before meals and\/or worship, also made of tiles.<\/p>\n Carmelite nuns lived a cloistered, contemplative life dedicated to prayer, silence, and solitude, designed to foster a deep, intimate relationship with God. These followers of St. Teresa of Avila worked the large garden around the building providing members of the order with most of what they ate. On the second floor are former cells; number one was open but instead of a bed it now holds a desk with a skull and a few other ornaments on it. There are several chapels including one which has been gilded into blinding gold. In the convent is a painting of St. Teresa in which she wears sandals, accepted by many as\u00a0 equal to no shoes.<\/p>\n Carmelites ate austere meals and no meat with exceptions for those who were sick. This recipe for fava bean soup comes from a contemporary Carmelite newsletter.<\/p>\n Carmelite Fava Bean Soup<\/strong><\/p>\n Note: If you are using dried shelled fava beans, reduce the amount of beans to 2 cups, add 4 cups of boiling water, and cook on medium-low until beans are tender, about 40 minutes, before adding baking soda.<\/p>\n I might skip this delight and I thought I had a reasonably large vocabulary but this stumped me.\u00a0 It means “unshod” or “barefoot,” referring to Catholic religious orders whose members \u00a0wear sandals instead of shoes as a sign of poverty, penance, and reform. You could … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/marigoldonline.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mummyjpg-169x300.jpg\")
and wealthy parishioners interred in the crypt. The crypt floor is raised and the space dimly lit but you can walk among the mummies, some wrapped in now-darkened white fabric.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/marigoldonline.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/theresapg-169x300.jpg\")
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simply have a Margarita, Mezcalita, (Margarita\u2019s cousin made with mezcal instead of tequila), or pulque, which is the fermented sap of the maguey<\/a> or agave plant. The drink looks milky, has a low alcohol content and a slightly sweet taste. Or I might reflect on the friendly kindness of the many people I met in Mexico who cheerfully helped with directions and, with one exception, dealt patiently with my miserable Spanish.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"