Sunday's post - where did it go?

This is yesterday's, Sunday's post. don't know what happened to it I thought it posted?????

Saturday was pretty much a do nothing day for me anyway. Did a lot of reading and napping. First thing in the morning we watched the owner plowing up the sand to keep vehicles off of it. Beyond where he plowed is the beach road and the part of the beach the people play on.

There is another RV in here now. Owned by a lawyer who works for the Mexican Department of Transportation.
I did go out last evening to watch the sunset – one of the nicest we’ve seen here.

Got prettier as it got later.

This morning we went into Aticama to the Centro Cultural for a small tiangas. The Cultural Center is run by gringos living around the area.

It is to help the town. There is a library there, a WiFi connection, a few computers and some classes. Several events are held here throughout the winter. Over the weekend there was an art show.

Today as we were leaving there was an auction going on for some of the art work.
One of the vendors was selling large woven throws and colorful tablecloths.

This rocking chair was part of the art exhibit. The rocker belonged to an older woman from Aticama who rocked her many grandchildren in this chair. The artist carved the drawing of the woman and child in it.

Our main reason for going to the tiangas was to get some coffee from the coffee processor that we visited a couple of weeks ago. We got some Mocha and some Continental. Smells so good. They sell it in beans or ground. Their web site is http://www.capulin.com

A couple of the plants for sale here. We asked if they could live in Indiana and got a resounding No. But to qualify that – they would live if we brought them inside during the winter but they wouldn’t bloom. No sense having them then.

I finished reading an excellent book by Nelson DeMille – The Panther. It’s one of the John Corey series.
Going to have to go to the restaurant to post this. Still no connection for the TelCel. It tries but can’t stay connected.
This is a repost from yesterday. I thought it had posted but guess it didn't. Today's post is just below this one.

New Year's Eve -

New Years Eve day. It sprinkled here last night and might rain a little for the next day or two. I’ll believe it when I see it. Sure didn’t cool it down any. More and more like a sauna out there. And the bugs love the humidity. Until last night I’d managed to stay unbitten. Now I have polka dots on my legs. Guess I’m lucky that all the anti-histamines I take to keep my hives under control keep the bites from itching.

We got two more RVs in last night. One on each side of us…..One is one of those strange German RVs that look like tanks. The other a B Class. I think both are just overnighters.
Today is going to be a busy day here at El Chaco. The couple that owns it is celebrating their 50^th wedding anniversary and it is going to be a BIG deal. Right now John is helping move tables and chairs etc. from the restaurant to the little church in La Palma for the ceremony. Then he’ll help bring everything back to the campground for the dinner and party. We are invited but neither of us have any dress clothes with us. We’ll see….
The invitations to the event are really original and pretty. They are a small box with a gold bow on top. Take off the top and the box opens up with all the information inside. Very very nice.

I imagine the party will continue way into the night tonight.
Bill is cooking another one of his wonderful breakfast concoctions. Getting real spoiled.
Going over to the restaurant now to post this before it gets to crazy with party preparations over there.
Happy New Year to everyone – have a fun and safe evening.

Yesterday and the day before

John we miss you and always will. You're always with us.

A couple of days posts today. No Internet from the TelCel yesterday or so far this morning so up at the restaurant using their wifi which is coming and going.

Up early yesterday morning, watched the sun come up over the mountain and the fishermen bringing their small boat in. Had some banana bread for breakfast and went up the mountain into Tepic. Needed a few things that we couldn’t find here in San Blas. George and Carol went with us.

Uneventful trip up and back. Spent $1588 Pesos – even in US dollars that is quite a bit. Mainly stocking up on staples and really not needed goodies that are imported.
Had lunch at Burger King – Whoppers all around. Then trying to figure out where to put stuff once we got home.
Lots of people on the beach and at the restaurants around here. Probably be that way until after New Years.

The little town of San Blas is really busy this week too. This is the main corner of town. Believe it or not this is a through street. The produce vendors on the left and the fish mongers on the right. Everything you need for a complete dinner.

More pictures of the same corner.

And here comes desert.

But if you want meat there is a meat market inside the central market. Hungry?

In the plaza were lots and lots of vendors. The Cora Indians are the most colorful. Their work is beautiful as well as their clothing.

One of their sons.

Bill fixed a delicious breakfast this morning. He is sure handy to have around.
Yesterday morning and today there is a soccer team practicing out on the beach. Oh to be that young and energetic. Practicing in the newly plowed sand is really going to be a work out.

The owner of El Chaco has already been out on the beach with his tractor and plow plowing up the sand in front of their ramadas. Dual purpose I guess – buries the trash and keeps traffic off it.

Late yesterday afternoon the "boys" were out playing around. The bottles were already there.

And sunset last night

Today the beach is already filling up - going to be a busy weekend till after New Years Day

Toilet Paper by the Roll

It was a lovely cool day yesterday. Even almost cold last night. Bill is just about 100% now. We took the laundry in to Casa Manana – a hotel that also does laundry. Then picked it up later in the afternoon - 100 Pesos not quite US$8. When I do laundry at home I always put it through a second rinse just to make sure all the soap is out. Here of course there is no second rinse and the laundry soap has a very strong smell. Not unpleasant – just strong. I keep sniffing and wondering who is doing laundry. Dah it’s my own clothes.

On the way to the leave off the laundry we took the short cut to Aticama, between the hills and the ocean. A narrow road made narrower by people parking and visiting along it. He's got his machete, his beer and someone to talk to. All thats needed to make a good day.

Also passed the guys out in the bay diving for oysters. They have a net in the middle of the inner tubes and when it is full they bring it in.

On the way back we made a quick stop at a little minisuper. Needed toilet paper among other things. Asked the clerk where it was and she asked how many rolls we wanted…? Seems they usually sell it by the roll not the package. So got four rolls that were still in a package. They also sell cigarettes by the cigarette not the package.  Every day we learn something new.

Then we stopped at a little corner store/house that sells produce. Bought six plum tomatoes and four tangerines – very fresh and goodt – for 10 Pesos – Less than US$1.00.
Again there were a lot of people on the beach as school is out and a lot of the government businesses are closed until after New Years.
We stopped a vendor and got a couple of fesca and creams – frozen strawberries with heavy whipped cream. Yummie.  
Bill got on line when we were both up in the middle of the night. Why were we up in the middle of the night? Woke up to a strange sound. Tick, tick, tick, beep, beep, tick, beep???? What the??? Took quite a bit of searching before Bill found the source. Way back in the upper storage cabinet behind the TV was an old smoke alarm with a battery that was running down. By then we were wide awake so I read and he went on line. Looked at our home town newspaper and all the pictures of all the deep snow. Lots and lots of snow and it was still snowing. And we missed it!
Can't get the pictures to upload so not even going to try any more - just going to try to post this.

It is actually COOL out today

Much to my surprise I managed to post yesterday. I didn’t think anything made it. Never got the “posted” message. I must have tried 20 or 30 times. Could not get the TelCel Internet to stay on at all yesterday. The restaurant was full of customers all day and according to John the WiFi there was soooo sloooow.

And Bill is almost completely well and the weather is very cool this morning. I see people outside wearing long sleeves! – Not that cool for me.  
Finished another necklace – I should have taken them out on the beach yesterday and tried to sell them! –

As I said a busy day at the campground, restaurant and beach yesterday. A couple of horses came by. Got a picture of one. He was one BIG horse and beautiful.

Of course there were the inevitable stuck in the sand vehicles. And this one belongs to the family that owns the campground! You’d think they know better. The blue truck is John’s – he is pulling them out.

Lots of traffic on the beach – especially the ATVs with lots of people on each one. Saw a couple with five people riding. As many children as there was room for.

The three wheeled canopied vehicles are vendors – ice cream, snacks, etc. The one car had stopped to buy something – or just visit – and there suddenly there was a traffic jam with blowing horns and hollering. Just like a real highway.

A look up the beach. Kept me amused most of the day just watching all the activity.

Lots and lots of people in the water and playing in the sand. Or sitting their chairs in the sand.

If you want music there were strolling musicians. Just call to them and they would come over and play you a quick song.

Around sunset everyone started to pack up and go home.

These are the people and pictures the US media need to post and talk about.
A small excursion planned for today - have to take the laundry in or else get another basket for it. About it for now -

Tis Christmas Day – Merry Christmas and we hope Santa was good to everyone. This will be a very short post as the Internet is driving me nuts. Not working at all today.

Got a couple of good gifts. It was a little cooler here today. At 11:30 and we still had the windows open with a nice breeze and the AC wasn’t on yet. 

Bill is finally starting to feel somewhat better. By afternoon he was up, dressed and walking on the beach. Whoopie!

 

Finished another necklace – I should have taken them out on the beach today and tried to sell them! –

Christmas Eve - going to be a quiet day.

Christmas Eve already – doesn’t seem like it to me. One long hot day just morphs into the next hot muggy day. This year we don’t even have our little tree – it was too big to fit in Jennie. Got a picture of our home with snow on the ground. Looked so nice and cool. Thank you Tom.

This morning I can’t get on line – guess every body else in the area is using the TelCel system. John said that the Internet at the restaurant wasn’t working too good either. All the kids are out of school now until around the 8^th of January. Lots of people on the beach yesterday. Perfect day for it.
Did get Bill to go to the doctor yesterday. He has a virus or bacteria and is being treated for both. Rest, liquids and pills. Doctor says gringos can even get sick from the air! Lovely. I know it wasn’t anything he ate as we’ve both eaten the same things. And we both drink the water in our coffee and tea. I drink bottled water and he doesn’t drink water, only hot tea and Zero from home, which is probably part of the problem – he got dehydrated.
John’s wife Carol is a nurse in real life so I had her come over and take a look at Bill. She’s the one who knew of the Doctor and where he was. So off the three of us went, Bill driving of course. Very nice doctor in Santa Cruz about seven or eight miles from here. He speaks very good English and was available on Sunday. He has a Farmacia, examining room/office and his house all in one place. Cost 250 Pesos (US$20.00) for the visit, 3 prescriptions and 2 bottles of electrolytes. And advice of course. NO he didn’t say “Don’t drink the water” In fact he said drink lots of water. He also recommended rice water. Told me to get a cup of white rice and a liter of water and boil for ten minutes. Save the water and do what ever I wanted with the rice. And Bill should be drinking the water. But we don’t have any real rice – just instant….modern society.

Guess I’m just feeling sorry for myself today.

Face Lift for San Blas

Continuing with Friday’s day in San Blas. A year or so ago the two main streets in San Blas running east and west were completely repaved. This year the government has a project to put all the electrical, phone etc wires underground. They are also installing new electric meter boxes on all the buildings. So this entails tearing up the sidewalks and the side of the newly paved streets. It is quite a project. Both sides of the street are involved.

See the new electrical boxes on the buildings.

It is making shopping a little difficult if you aren’t really steady on your feet.

As a side benefit of this project most of the buildings are getting a new coating of plaster on their fronts. The government will also repaint all the fronts – in a base white.

It will be up to the owners to repaint in their own favorite colors.

What a difference this will make to the town.
Where the ditch crosses a street the new pavers were taken up and wait to be replaced. The man is sifting sand to make more cement/plaster.

Right now the street is only open to traffic on Sunday and nights. Kind of interesting driving as it’s two way traffic.

The construction is about eight blocks long – both before and past the main plaza. Once it is all done the plan is to make the two main streets pedestrian only. There will be public parking lots set up. It will really make a difference to the town. Can’t wait to see it.
Walking up one of the side streets we passed a lady selling shrimp.

And then the casket store. For some reason they fascinate me.

Also saw the home where the Virgin was staying that day. For 40 days she travels around to different homes.

Back on the beach to come home. We now know what kind of birds I posted pictures of yesterday. Check out the shout box at the bottom of the blog for their names. Thanks.

Love this picture – think maybe I’ll use it on the blog heading or for a Christmas Card this year.

After we got home George (Ms Tioga and George) told us we were invited to Weng’s husband Francisco’s, birthday party. We drove up to the house on the hill. The road leaves a little to be desired in places. If you miss this turn you’ll be in the cemetery - literally.

The beautiful view from the house. That is the dirt road from the beach into Aticama.

The house itself.

Much to our surprise no one was there. So off we went again to find them. They were at the RV park just past Aticama and were not planning to go to the house until after dark. At the time of Francisco’s birth they were going to release glowing balloons. Here’s a link to them - http://www.skylanterns.us/About-Sky-Lanterns-s/87.htm
We returned home and at the designated time went outside to watch the balloons float out over the water. Pretty neat.
Sunset that night – taken from Playa Amor RV Park.

Bill is a little under the weather for the last couple of days. Just feeling lethargic. So we’ve done next to nothing. If he doesn’t get feeling better he is going to the doctor in the town down the road.