Sunrise - Sunset San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico

I was up really early yesterday morning and crossed the street to watch the sunrise!

While I was watching hundred of pelicans were flying up the coast. They came in bunches – one after another. How can they fly two inches off the water without hitting a wave? Another of natures wonders.  Some pictures of the sunrise.

Sun is behind the hill just thinking about coming up

Some of the pelicans

Looks like their wings are touching the golden water

All the pelicans in a row

Sun is just starting to shine on the buildings

Like a postcard  Sunrise over San Carlos

Didn’t do much else yesterday – a day of rest – with the exception of a load of laundry and thinking about vacuuming….just thinking.

But later on I again walked across the street to watch the sunset. Best one since we’ve been here.

Golden cloud

Serene beach San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico

Using "oil painting" setting on my camera

After enjoying the sunset we went out to dinner. And we’ve extended our stay here one more day. But if the weather is good we will be leaving here tomorrow. There is supposed to be a storm and colder weather moving in so plans in jello. 

Shopping in Guaymas

It seems like RV travel to Mexico is even less this year than last. This RV park used to be almost completely full – 140 some spaces. There are probably less than 30 coaches in it now and most of them are from Canada. Don’t know if it is because of the media or the fact that prices here have gone up in the past few years. Gasoline here is more expensive than in the states and diesel is almost the same. Prices of spaces in the RV parks have gone up too. Though this one is reasonable at US$23 a night with WiFi, cable TV and right across the street from the beach.

Yesterday we went into Guaymas to go to a yardage store and the Central Market. Our first challenge was finding someplace to park. AND making sure we were going the right way on the one way streets. The first small estacionamiento [parking lot] we found was full. There was one narrow space between a car and an SUV but the attendant said No it was too small to fit in. Bill tried to convince him it was big enough but couldn’t change his mind. A  block and a half further we found another lot with only two other cars in it. So we parked there. [When we were headed home I noticed a real big parking lot right on the main street! – We’ll use that one next time.] This building was across from the parking lot. How many different colors it had been painted through the years. Notice the right hand side is a “Love Boutique” store.

Walking down towards the main shopping area I found the sidewalks interesting. This one is all tile.

A few feet further on it is very uneven rough cement. You really have to pay attention to where you are stepping when you’re walking.

Passed a shop selling outfits for Baptism and Communion. So pretty. I'm so busy looking in shops Bill had to drag me by the shirt to keep me up with him. 

As we reached the main street we found Churros – actually smelled them before seeing them. Didn’t buy any though as they were really greasy. Bill was tempted…..

We went into the Parisina – yardage store – they have so much neat stuff. Our friend was looking for oilcloth for her table. Large selection. From 16.99Pesos a meter to 59.99P a meter about US$1.20 to US$4.50. She bought some of the sunflower one.

I was looking at the wide variety of Christmas material. Reduced to less than a US dollar yard.  All kinds – even some made especially for curtains with the rod pocket and ruffled bottom.

From there we headed to the Central Market. Always interesting places to visit and shop in. This street in front of the market is only for walking.

The first area we went into was---the meat market. A long narrow section of white tiles and counters.

And lots of meat. The butchers were laughing at me taking this picture. Probably thinking Those Gringos take pictures of everything. 

And every Central Market has it food court. Must be good there were a lot of people eating at the little restaurants.

Thought this was convenient – a place to wash up in amongst the vendors.

Most of the vendors inside the building were selling clothes – other than the meat market we didn’t see many groceries for sale. Very different from other markets we’ve been into.

Walking around the other side of the market back out on the street we saw lots of peanut vendors.

Continued walking back around the front of the market and we found some produce – only two or three vendors set up on tables.

The bags on the front left hand corner have squash blossoms in them.

Zucchini, tomatoes, radishes, carrots, some corn, beans, onions, peppers and watermelon available. And a couple of things I’m not sure what they were. Everything looked very good and fresh.

Down a little ways and there was fresh fish for sale. I think he was still wiggling.

Beautiful flowers. By bunches or in arrangements.

And back on the main street – candies.

We’ve passed a lot of Woolworths here in Mexico but never gone in one. Finally did. More like a Target than what I remember a Woolworths being. Mainly clothes, toys and personal hygiene items. And a few TV’s  -  no soda fountain though. Really liked this sweater dress – if I were 50 pounds lighter. And a couple of inches taller. Oh well we can’t all be perfect.

Lots of vendors on the sidewalks selling all kinds of stuff for Christmas.

This is kind of a typical view of one of the side streets. There is a little restaurant in the front of a home. Some of the buildings are newly painted and occupied some are in various states of disrepair. The yellow building at the end is a very modern store.

There are a lot of Chinese restaurants in Mexico. More than in the states it seems. And this one has Sushi too.

And this is a delivery boy. They use the motor scooters with hot and/or cold boxes on them. Seems like a better idea than having to drive a car through this traffic.

Stopped at WalMart on our way home and I got some ice cream – this year the container is smaller [just like at home] and the price is bigger. Almost US$7 for a one pint container of Häagen Dazs Dulce de Leche. I AM going to enjoy every single spoonful of it. AND lick the carton. 

Stayed in for dinner last night – had gnocchi and meat balls with Bill’s special homemade spaghetti sauce from home. 
No plans for today but I did get some spectacular pictures of the sunrise and birds this morning. 

San Jose Church

I was digging around on the Internet and discovered an old church in the little town of San Jose just a few miles inland from Guaymas so off we went to see it.

The inevitable topes going into San Carlos – these remind me of cannon balls with half of them embedded in the pavement.

The main plaza of town with the church. The church was built in 1890 and is still in use.

A closer look at it.

The little side garden with its statue.

The old front doors with the new lock. The church unfortunately was closed. The priest would be by at 5 p.m. to say Misa [mass] He travels from nearby town to town.

Looking inside through one of the windows. What looks like stained glass on the windows is actually something like contact paper.

Found another window that was broken with a piece missing just enough for me to stick my hand and the camera inside to take this. I know - I do feel guilty about doing that but..... Sure wish we could have gone inside. I’d have like to get a good look at the floor.

Bill was talking to a couple who were sitting in the plaza and found out some interesting information about the town. In 2009 Hurricane Jimena destroyed almost the entire town. Around the plaza only the church and one house were left standing. So the homes we were looking at around the plaza are all new.

Except for this one. The only one left partially standing.

A closer look at the original construction with the adobe blocks.

This is the same hurricane that collapsed the roof of the church in Guaymas.

From there we went back into Guaymas and went to Sam’s Club – from one extreme to another – like two different places in time. This is a very complete Sam’s Club – we got croissants, prosciutto and salami. Just like Christmas.

Then home for some housekeeping. Or reading or napping. What ever.

Went out to dinner at La Palapa Griega again. The evening was warm with no wind so we enjoyed the outside dining at the beach.

Other than that it was a quiet day in a beautiful country.

This morning doing a load of laundry while Bill is still hunting for music on his computer and putting it into playlists.

Later we might go into Guaymas to go to the Central Market and the Shell House [read about it don't know if it still exists or not] if we can find it.  

San Carlos - eating

Sunday morning and all is quiet around here. Sun is out and sky is clear – going to be up in the low 80s today. Yesterday was cloudy but humid all day.

Back to our busy day with the Pearl Farm and Jail.

After leaving the Jail we went to the dry dock to visit with Phil who has his boat out of the water doing lots and lots of work on it. He is living on it while he works on it. Phil's blog 

I was wandering around checking out things when I saw this boat – I think it needs a little too much work to be useful again.

Going back through the downtown of Guaymas this elderly lady decided to cross the street in front of us. The first thing we saw were the red socks and shoes. Just like a stop light. She made it.

Then back in San Carlos we went to eat at La Palapa Griega restaurant right on the beach. Very nice view.

And the food was very good. Three of us had fish and chips and Joe had “kind of” scallops. Looked very good. But I wondered if they were the little oyster animals the Pearl Farm sells to the local restaurants.

Yesterday we were walking around the area – this store is right in front of the campground. Sells all kinds of pretty stuff but I like the stairs going down into it. Broken pieces of tile, pottery etc.

And a Spa that offers everything.

Later on we went to a “Shrimp Festival” just up the road a piece. It was kind of like “A taste of San Carlos”  If you wanted to eat you had to buy tickets for the food. Lots of people in line. 

Several vendors selling the usual things. Rugs, blankets, trinkets, purses and paintings. 

 I like these raindeer made out of grasses.

Some of the food vendors.  

This salad smelled really good.

And of course the "Queen" of the festival. Love the high heels. 

Then home for the rest of the day. Bill has been trying to get his music playlists to work. And I've been reading and knitting. 
Not sure what we'll be doing today.