Food, Flowers and Toads Oh My!

By yesterday Bill was feeling human again. So we decided to go to the Panama Restaurant for breakfast. Could not get a parking place by the one in the Golden Zone so headed to Centro Historico to the one there. The sun was in a better position so took some more pictures of the Carnaval statues. This one is really weird. More like a nightmare than a dream.

He is really neat – colorful and active.

And one I completely missed the other day.

But before parking and eating we had to go check on Ron and Janet's car at the artist’s. It wasn't done yet but a lot more detail had been added. Probably be ready the next day [today.] Okay.

Then to Panama to eat. I like the way they display with real food their specials for the day.

While we were eating Willie was getting washed at the parking lot. After we all piled back in the car Bill took us to see an area that was on my To Do list. The flower market. Oh WOW! Janet and AI were out of the car before the wheels stopped rolling.  (Thank you Contessa for letting me know exactly where it was.) Beautiful bouquet of red roses.

I thought this was interesting the vase and stand are made out of big leaves.

Getting ready for Valentines Day – more use of the big leaves for the shape of the display.

And how about this one.

Now this is cute. Florist explained to us how to tell if the arrangement would last a long time. The mums have to be yellow in the center. If not they will not last long. About 200 pesos for this – less than 14 dollars.

Another doggy display. 

These arrangements were also 200 pesos.

This was a huge arrangement – it was curved and was made for the church to use today to display a statue of the Virgin Mary.

I took zillions more pictures but will spare you. This was outside the building – a neat mural.

Close up of a part of it. Too bad it is not being taken care of. 

The Banda Ancha - Internet stick is sooooo slow today, I could paint these pictures in the time it's taking to upload them!

So home we went for a while. Later Janet came to get us – the painter/artist said their car was ready to be picked up. So off we went back across town - the setting sun along the Malecon.

Coming home with the palm trees lit and the lights on .

And this is how their car looks. I need to explain the whole hood is dark green – the gray parts at the sides is just a trick of sun and shadow. Look at the detail on the frog and lily pad. Even drops of water.

A close up of the fly.

The artist’s facebook page is www.facebook.com/gilberto.a.manjarrez - if you look at it – and it is worth it – you have to scroll down a lot to see some of his bodypainting and other work. 

Hard to keep track of time.

What day is it today? Hard to keep track when you don’t have anything specific to do. Some mornings I have to check the computer to make sure of the day and date. So it is Friday already? Wow!

Bill is feeling so much better already. Glad we went to doctor when we did. You forget how great feeling good is until you aren’t. Yesterday he felt somewhat better so we went out to breakfast. Then had a good dinner [I cooked] of salmon, au gratin potatoes and mixed vegetables last night.

Here is a picture of two of the zillions of orange butterflies that are invading the campground. Like flower petals blowing around.

By afternoon he felt like taking a ride – just to get out of here. So we went up the Malecón again. Got a few more pictures of the decorations for Carnaval. But the sun was behind them so not as good as I hoped. They are so colorful. ( a repeat of this years Carnaval theme and meaning - The theme this year is “The Dreams of Momo”    Momo in Greek Mythology is the personification of sarcasm, the ridicules and the ironic sharpness. Also the God of writers and poets.) No talking about the decorations – just pictures.

From there we took Ron and Janet to the artists workshop to see how the work on their car was coming. Found the shop without any problems and here is what has been done so far. too bad part of it was in the shadow. 

The painters work bench.

His work is absolutely magnificent – Bill keeps looking at Willie and drooling with thoughts of having something done and removing the decals. … Trying to find his facebook page.

Spent rest of day at home. Weather is staying cool – but it is muggy so feels warmer. 

Everything will be all right. Don't worry.

Not too much to write about as we spent most of yesterday at home too. But the sunset last night was beautiful – taken from the campground.

And why have we spent so much time at home lately? Well Bill has had a little stomach bug. Just enough to make him feel icky. So yesterday afternoon we went to WalMart to the doctor. Yes, here in WalMart and some of the larger grocery stores they have doctors – real doctors. It costs 57 pesos for the consultation and the prescription. That is about US $3.92. Yes that is right 3.92 – I didn’t leave out any numbers! And today he is already feeling better. Our names were already in the doctor’s computer from when we went there last year for minor ailments. And when we left he got a printed receipt with the doctor’s name and schooling. On it was Bill’s weight and blood pressure reading. Also the name of the medication and directions for taking it – in English. Also on the bottom of the receipt right above the doctor’s signature this was printed “Everything will be all right. Don’t worry.”  I love it! Wouldn’t it be nice if we were treated like that at home. 

Speaking of home – got to love Brown County – another boil water notice. “Customers may experience low water pressure or water outage, discoloration and/or air in their water. Customers should use care when doing laundry if their water is discolored, especially with whites in the next few days.”  Okay – again – you can drink it but don’t do laundry in it!

Going to pay for another month here in Mazatlan at Las Jaibas today – until Feb 22^nd.  That’s okay I still have a lot of things on my “to do” list. Checked one more off with our visit to the church the other day. Though I do want to go back and check out the big window again.

Weather will remain wonderful for the next few days. High 70s and low 80s with party cloudy. My kind of weather.

Forgot to mention, our friend Angelica has a friend who has a print shop so we are getting our cards printed. 1000 for 420 pesos – less than $30. The ink for the printer would have cost about US$50!  

Football games, Carnaval and Church

Well – plans are made to be changed. As of right now we don’t have any plans. Except, we have decided to pay for another month here in Mazatlan – until Feb. 22^nd.  What we MIGHT do is take the car and do some traveling south. Stopping in Aticama, Guadalajara and going to Guanajuato. Seem strange to stay in hotels. Just in the talking about stage now. 

Haven’t done much the last few days. Sunday morning we went to Torres for a late breakfast. The restaurant was all set up for the football games. Lots of Seattle fans there. 

We left just as the games started and watched them at home in Spanish. Boy the Colts got whooped! And the weather was unbelievable.

And wouldn’t you know the sunsets the last few nights have been really pretty. From the campground Sunday night.

Monday we pretty much stayed home until late afternoon when we took Janet and Ron to drop off their car. But going down the Malecón we see that the decorations for Carnaval are starting to go up.

Their car at the painters. They are going to get a cute toad painted on the hood. The painter is more of an artist than a painter. The truck I posted a picture of with the flames was done by him. Can’t wait to see the finished product.

Then we had some time to waste before meeting friends for dinner at Fat Fish. So we found the church we visited four years ago. Here is the blog post about it then. Worth checking out. Saint Marys of the Americas is the name of the church.

Over the past four years so much has been finished. The outer area where the classrooms are.

Inside. The statues of the countries saints are in place now with flags of each country in the Americas.  And all the windows are completed.

This is just outside the front door. Gold leafed 3-D plaques. So pretty.

Then yesterday we spent at home except for a quick trip to the grocery store.