Hmmmmm.....and I thought that the 17th would be my last post but ...... this was one of those times that the adventure just wasn't ready to be over!
It's taken me three days to get here but I am home now and all is well but....it is a bit of a story so for one final time....here goes......
As planned, I arrived at the airport in Zihuatanejo in plenty of time for my afternoon flight on the 17th. All seemed to be on track as we boarded the plane at the designated time for departure. Once on the plane things started to go a little sideways though....the crew came on the PA system to let us know that there was a minor computer problem and that they were in the final stages of correcting the issue and that we'd be underway as soon as it was taken care of. Several minutes passed (at least half an hour) before we heard anything from them again and this time it was an announcement telling us that there were IT airline staff as well as local IT specialists in attendance and that they should have everything taken care of in 10-15 minutes. This time it was closer to an hour before we heard from them again and this time they said that they didn't know if they'd be able to get the problem fixed and so options were being considered should that become the case. Another 1/2 hour would pass before the final word was issued....our flight would be cancelled and we would be put up in a hotel overnight and the airline would spend the night working on both the mechanical (computer) problem on our plane or bring in another plane or find alternate carriers to get us to our destination in the morning.
So.....we all piled off the plane (after spending a good 2 hours sitting on the tarmack) and followed our "leader" into the arrivals area where we would be able to reclaim our baggage that had all been unloaded again. Then it was another wait for the buses that would take us to our hotel for the night. It was well past 8:00 pm so we were hopeful too that there would be an opportunity to get some supper too as stomachs were beginning to rumble and babies beginning to cry.
Once on the buses....it was approximately a 1/2 hour drive to our hotel for the evening, the Melia Azul at Ixtapa, a massive all inclusive facility that is reknowned for being one of the "nicer" places. I had to laugh at this point as one of the things I have heard myself say many times is, "I'm not interested in staying at an all inclusive - my preference is the local culture and the all inclusives are a bit too touristy for my liking". Well....like it or not.....I'd be staying at an all inclusive this night! In truth, it is a lovely spot and I had a great room with a magnificent view of the beach and the ocean but.....as nice as it was in that way.....my night there simply confirmed my preference for something a little more authentic!
I enjoyed a late dinner at the hotel with three women from Salt Lake City who were also on the cancelled flight. Marilyn, Mary, Janet and I decided on the Asian buffet and in retrospect, I think it's better to eat Mexican in Mexico and Asian in Asia.
I was able to borrow someone's ITouch (thanks Erin!!) in an attempt to get a brief message to Lani via her facebook in the hope that she'd be able to contact Becky to let her know that I may or may not make my flight into Penticton as scheduled the following afternoon due to the delays....we still did not yet know just how long the delay would be.
Our group (well over 100 of us) met, as instructed, in the lobby of the hotel the next morning for an 11:00 a.m. departure back to the airport where we expected to board a plane and hit the skies in an attempt to minimize the damage the delay was causing for the connections that most travellers were scheduled to make. I, for example, had a connection from Phoenix to Vancouver and then another one at 4:00 pm on the 18th from Vancouver to Penticton on a different airline.
I know this story is likely getting a bit long but there is no other way to tell it as it was really really long! Our buses got us back to the airport where we lined up again to be re-issued boarding passes and to re-check our baggage that naturally all had to be manually searched (twice!) again. Both checked baggage and all carry on's are manually searched twice (by 2 different security agents) in the Zihuat airport! I'll leave it to your imagination as to how long that might have taken!!! Once people in the group began to receive their new boarding passes it became crystal clear that our replacement flight was not scheduled to depart until 4:20 pm so we were in for another long wait in the airport.
The clock moves so slowly when you're watching it and this was one of those times for so many people on the flight and as they watched the time crawl by they also watched their chances of making their connections with other carriers disappear. Our local airline staff had done a wonderful job of managing a very difficult situation and the airline had done a great job of ensuring that everyone's connections on the same carrier were taken care of but....for folks like me who had another connection on Air Canada from Vancouver to Penticton....we were just out of luck so it was an expensive delay!!! I had to pay for a hotel in Vancouver the night of the 17th that I never slept in as by the time our flight was cancelled, I had missed the deadline to cancel my room in Vancouver. And then to rub a little salt in the wound, I had to pay Air Canada an extra $125 to rebook me onto another flight from Vancouver to Penticton on the morning of the 19th...and then on top of all of that....I had to pay for another hotel room the night of the 18th so the delay/cancellation was an expensive night in an all inclusive for me.
But....all's well that ends well and even though my Vancouver to Penticton flight was also delayed due to another malfunction (this one with the emergency lighting), I finally made it home around noon on the 19th. There was another little glitch in the form of a very flat tire on my car when I arrived home which meant that I may not get to visit Lani today after all - a very sad turn of events as that had been at the top of my to do list since I started the trek home. Thanks to Basil and his mini compressor though - I had air in my tire and was on the road in no time so Lani and I did have a great visit after all. We shopped for baby "stuff" and I got to feel him doing his workout while she sat on the couch :) Soooo...... as I said......all's well that ends well and getting to spend a few hours with Lani and baby was a great way to end a great adventure.
Now, that really is it for this blog so....adios y hasta luego,
Lorrie
Monday, January 19, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
January 17, 2009
Well, it's officially my last day in Mexico.
It is 1:00 a.m. here and we've just returned from a visit to the hot springs. Mitch took me there during the first couple of days I was in Troncones and what a gift to get to go again on my last night! It is such a magical place....you leave the highway and bump along a very rural "road" for a few minutes before you arrive in a clearing where there stands a cluster of palms. The palms line the banks of a shallow river that you walk across and then it's just up a very small hill to the oasis that is a natural hot springs coming from a source higher up the hill. The higher you climb the hill...the hotter the pools become but the one that we visited is the largest (it's been helped along a little with a few sandbags to shore up one side so the pool is about 3 feet deep). It is so beautiful when you realize that the only light source you have is the stars overhead that peek through the palm fronds until Mitch lights the tea lights he's brought along with him and then it becomes downright magical!! What a perfect way to end my last day here......
Actually, the entire day has been pretty perfect. Had a great spinach and mushroom omelet at Cafe Sol this morning with Lynda, Lindsay and Jared and then stopped by Roberto's as Lynda had made arrangements for Lindsay, Jared and Viri to go for a horseback ride on the beach. As Lynda's luck would have it....the horse guy brought an extra horse and so there was nothing she could do but.....hop aboard and join her kids for an adventure on the playa (beach). It would have all been a good thing except that she had not planned for horseback riding and so her bare feet in flip flops and her dress (which means she had nothing to protect her inner thighs from getting seriously rubbed) and ... this part is maybe the best of all.....no bra.....creates quite a picture huh?! I'll jump to the end of this story and just say that she survived the ordeal and I give her total credit for giving it a go. She did end up walking part way back but all in all....I'd say she earned some major points with her kids today!!
While Lynda was off pretending to be a Lady Godiva look alike....I was sitting on the beach meeting some new people who were just up from Ixtapa for the day and wishing they didn't have to go back to their all inclusive. That's a pretty common conversation here...people stumble across Troncones from their vacation in Ixtapa and before you know it...they're converted to Tronconians.....must be something in the water here! Anyway.....I visited with my new friends until Lynda and the rest of the gang returned from their ride. Of course their ride was hot and dusty so there was nothing else to do but order a bucket of beer and then we just had to sit down to drink it and then of course it was important to have some guacamole to go with it and by the time the guacamole arrived.....yes you guessed it...the beer was gone and so we just had to order another bucket and so the afternoon progressed....it was yummy!!
I had to cut my participation in the 'after ride party' a little short .... but for good reason. I had booked myself a massage with Maribel and all I will say about that is that it is a good thing that I didn't do it sooner during my time here or I wouldn't have been able to control the urge to visit her for a daily treatment. It was an hour and a half of pure bliss....with the ocean waves as the background music for my heavenly session with Mirabel.....aaaahhhhhhhh........
I crawled off the table and guess who crawled on right behind me.....yep.....Lynda was next in line and so she too had an hour and a half of heaven right there at oceanside.
Tonight, we went to Roberto's for dinner and in my typical lucky fashion, I was treated to a wonderful send off that included: Lynda, Mitch, Viri, Lindsay, Jared, Connie, Maureen, Roberto, Bertha, and Jose. Limon, Beto and Jeff from Juno all arrived a little later so the party just kept on growing. It was a great party and I got to have my coconut shrimp for dinner and then afterward discovered that Viri had made arrangements for us to have a flan for dessert. She had ordered the flan from Rufie's and it was amazingly delicious and there was more than enough for everyone. In addition, Mitch had contributed wine for the table so it was a very festive evening all the way round.
And...that's about the end of the story as I started with the end of the evening at the top of this blog....our visit to the hot springs. It's been a wonderful 70 days in Mexico. I am so lucky and I have enjoyed sharing my experiences with you on this, my first blog. Thanks for reading along and I look forward to the next time I set out on a new adventure that I can share with you all again.
Till next time,
Lorrie
It is 1:00 a.m. here and we've just returned from a visit to the hot springs. Mitch took me there during the first couple of days I was in Troncones and what a gift to get to go again on my last night! It is such a magical place....you leave the highway and bump along a very rural "road" for a few minutes before you arrive in a clearing where there stands a cluster of palms. The palms line the banks of a shallow river that you walk across and then it's just up a very small hill to the oasis that is a natural hot springs coming from a source higher up the hill. The higher you climb the hill...the hotter the pools become but the one that we visited is the largest (it's been helped along a little with a few sandbags to shore up one side so the pool is about 3 feet deep). It is so beautiful when you realize that the only light source you have is the stars overhead that peek through the palm fronds until Mitch lights the tea lights he's brought along with him and then it becomes downright magical!! What a perfect way to end my last day here......
Actually, the entire day has been pretty perfect. Had a great spinach and mushroom omelet at Cafe Sol this morning with Lynda, Lindsay and Jared and then stopped by Roberto's as Lynda had made arrangements for Lindsay, Jared and Viri to go for a horseback ride on the beach. As Lynda's luck would have it....the horse guy brought an extra horse and so there was nothing she could do but.....hop aboard and join her kids for an adventure on the playa (beach). It would have all been a good thing except that she had not planned for horseback riding and so her bare feet in flip flops and her dress (which means she had nothing to protect her inner thighs from getting seriously rubbed) and ... this part is maybe the best of all.....no bra.....creates quite a picture huh?! I'll jump to the end of this story and just say that she survived the ordeal and I give her total credit for giving it a go. She did end up walking part way back but all in all....I'd say she earned some major points with her kids today!!
While Lynda was off pretending to be a Lady Godiva look alike....I was sitting on the beach meeting some new people who were just up from Ixtapa for the day and wishing they didn't have to go back to their all inclusive. That's a pretty common conversation here...people stumble across Troncones from their vacation in Ixtapa and before you know it...they're converted to Tronconians.....must be something in the water here! Anyway.....I visited with my new friends until Lynda and the rest of the gang returned from their ride. Of course their ride was hot and dusty so there was nothing else to do but order a bucket of beer and then we just had to sit down to drink it and then of course it was important to have some guacamole to go with it and by the time the guacamole arrived.....yes you guessed it...the beer was gone and so we just had to order another bucket and so the afternoon progressed....it was yummy!!
I had to cut my participation in the 'after ride party' a little short .... but for good reason. I had booked myself a massage with Maribel and all I will say about that is that it is a good thing that I didn't do it sooner during my time here or I wouldn't have been able to control the urge to visit her for a daily treatment. It was an hour and a half of pure bliss....with the ocean waves as the background music for my heavenly session with Mirabel.....aaaahhhhhhhh........
I crawled off the table and guess who crawled on right behind me.....yep.....Lynda was next in line and so she too had an hour and a half of heaven right there at oceanside.
Tonight, we went to Roberto's for dinner and in my typical lucky fashion, I was treated to a wonderful send off that included: Lynda, Mitch, Viri, Lindsay, Jared, Connie, Maureen, Roberto, Bertha, and Jose. Limon, Beto and Jeff from Juno all arrived a little later so the party just kept on growing. It was a great party and I got to have my coconut shrimp for dinner and then afterward discovered that Viri had made arrangements for us to have a flan for dessert. She had ordered the flan from Rufie's and it was amazingly delicious and there was more than enough for everyone. In addition, Mitch had contributed wine for the table so it was a very festive evening all the way round.
And...that's about the end of the story as I started with the end of the evening at the top of this blog....our visit to the hot springs. It's been a wonderful 70 days in Mexico. I am so lucky and I have enjoyed sharing my experiences with you on this, my first blog. Thanks for reading along and I look forward to the next time I set out on a new adventure that I can share with you all again.
Till next time,
Lorrie
Monday, January 12, 2009
January 12, 2009
Well....here I am into my last week and I've been taking this opportunity to spend a fair bit of time lazing by the pool. This is the first time that I've really done that in the entire time I've been in Mexico so it's a pleasant change of pace and feels like a totally different vacation than I've been enjoying up until now.
Lynda's daughter, Lindsay and her fiancee Jared arrived on Saturday night for a one week vacation so it's been lots of fun to get caught up with Lindsay and to meet Jared. How nice for Lynda to have 2 of her kids and their partners here at the same time. Troncones is a wonderful place and when you add the family factor to that....it could only be better for her if the rest of her kids and grandkids were here at the same time too.
When you're just laying by the pool...there isn't a lot to report but there is time to reflect and to remember a couple of things that I've forgotten to mention at other times.
One of those 'forgotten' things is the way the full moon looked the other night. I've never seen anything quite like it! The sky here is different anyway....perhaps it's just that it is from another angle so the stars are all in different places but it also seems that the stars move so much further in a night here than they do at home. Perhaps that is because of our proximity to the equator or something...I don't know but regardless of all that....the new full moon a couple of nights ago was soooo interesting! There is was a perfect orb hanging in the sky with a huge ring all around it. The ring wasn't close to the moon...in fact it was a long way away from it but it was just as clear as the moon was. According to Berta (Roberto's wife) it is called the 'house of the moon'. Lynda said that she had heard from someone when she saw it here once before that it was a sign that something would be born that night. All I know is that it was eerily beautiful and that I've never seen anything like it before and I'll look for it every time I see a full moon from now on. Another interesting thing about the full moon here is that the Mexican's say there is a rabbit living in the moon (instead of the man in the moon that we profess to see). That is particularly interesting given that the Japanese also say that they see a rabbit in the moon. Another commonality that I think might be a challenge to explain away.
Another thing I meant to include in this blog was some of the instructions I've heard for making a couple of the things I've come to love on this vacation so I don't forget them as I plan to try to replicate them once I get home. One is coconut shrimp. For that you just peel and devein and butterfly jumbo shrimp, dip them in flour and then in beaten egg. Finally you coat them in shredded coconut before frying them in a lightly greased skillet over low heat till they're cooked and the coconut is a golden brown. The other thing is sopes. That is 2 parts of masa flour combined with 1 part of regular flour. Add water to make a dough you can work with. Make tortilla rounds and turn up the edges to accomodate the 'stuff' you'll put on them after they're cooked. Dry fry them to cook both sides and then fry them in some oil (both sides) when ready to serve. Top them with frijoles, chopped lettuce, tomatoe, avocado and grated cheese (fresco queso) and enjoy.
For now that's all I can think of so I'll sign off and head back to the poolside. Ahhhhh....it's a tough life but someone has to do it so I'll sign up for another day and do my best to survive the trauma of basking in the sunshine for another hour or so.
Till next time,
Lorrie
Lynda's daughter, Lindsay and her fiancee Jared arrived on Saturday night for a one week vacation so it's been lots of fun to get caught up with Lindsay and to meet Jared. How nice for Lynda to have 2 of her kids and their partners here at the same time. Troncones is a wonderful place and when you add the family factor to that....it could only be better for her if the rest of her kids and grandkids were here at the same time too.
When you're just laying by the pool...there isn't a lot to report but there is time to reflect and to remember a couple of things that I've forgotten to mention at other times.
One of those 'forgotten' things is the way the full moon looked the other night. I've never seen anything quite like it! The sky here is different anyway....perhaps it's just that it is from another angle so the stars are all in different places but it also seems that the stars move so much further in a night here than they do at home. Perhaps that is because of our proximity to the equator or something...I don't know but regardless of all that....the new full moon a couple of nights ago was soooo interesting! There is was a perfect orb hanging in the sky with a huge ring all around it. The ring wasn't close to the moon...in fact it was a long way away from it but it was just as clear as the moon was. According to Berta (Roberto's wife) it is called the 'house of the moon'. Lynda said that she had heard from someone when she saw it here once before that it was a sign that something would be born that night. All I know is that it was eerily beautiful and that I've never seen anything like it before and I'll look for it every time I see a full moon from now on. Another interesting thing about the full moon here is that the Mexican's say there is a rabbit living in the moon (instead of the man in the moon that we profess to see). That is particularly interesting given that the Japanese also say that they see a rabbit in the moon. Another commonality that I think might be a challenge to explain away.
Another thing I meant to include in this blog was some of the instructions I've heard for making a couple of the things I've come to love on this vacation so I don't forget them as I plan to try to replicate them once I get home. One is coconut shrimp. For that you just peel and devein and butterfly jumbo shrimp, dip them in flour and then in beaten egg. Finally you coat them in shredded coconut before frying them in a lightly greased skillet over low heat till they're cooked and the coconut is a golden brown. The other thing is sopes. That is 2 parts of masa flour combined with 1 part of regular flour. Add water to make a dough you can work with. Make tortilla rounds and turn up the edges to accomodate the 'stuff' you'll put on them after they're cooked. Dry fry them to cook both sides and then fry them in some oil (both sides) when ready to serve. Top them with frijoles, chopped lettuce, tomatoe, avocado and grated cheese (fresco queso) and enjoy.
For now that's all I can think of so I'll sign off and head back to the poolside. Ahhhhh....it's a tough life but someone has to do it so I'll sign up for another day and do my best to survive the trauma of basking in the sunshine for another hour or so.
Till next time,
Lorrie
Friday, January 9, 2009
January 9, 2009
Yes...we made it back safe and sound yesterday. No new dings in the car either so all is good. It's so nice and warm here. We froze our butts off the past few days and in fact when I woke up in the hotel we had in Paracho....I thought Lynda had taken up smoking!! It was so cold in our room that her breath looked like she was blowing smoke rings!! Yes....3 heavy blankets on the bed and still I didn't move a muscle all night as it was too cold to move. At times through the night I wondered if I had just frozen in place but come morning the sun brought some warmer temps and we were both able to thaw out enough to crawl out from under the mountain of blankets the hotel had provided for our beds. Not complaining though.....like many other different things we've experienced on this trip....it's just the way it is.
Stopped in Urupan on the way from Paracho to Troncones yesterday and visited the National Park there. What a gorgeous spot that is. It is right in the middle of the city and amazing for the vast amounts of water that pour from the rocks into constant waterfalls that have been formed into every shape you can imagine. There are gorgeous little bridges and walkways that wind their way through the jungles that make up the park and we enjoyed the hour we spent exploring it.
Also stopped at that little town we drove through yesterday...the one where all the women wear traditional colourful clothing. They were having their market day and so it was a perfect opportunity for us to stop and mingle with them up close. What an interesting stop it was. The market was so rustic and traditional...I don't even know if I can begin to describe what it looks like.....there were a couple of meat stalls/butchers. The stall is make shift and all wooden so hygiene isn't high on the list of issues they attend to.....meat of all types is hanging and being cut up as the women in their colourful dresses crowd around the front of the shack. There were also several tables that had been set up for the market that boasted everything from fresh veggies and fruit to bread and dishes to lace for decorating their colourful aprons and skirts. I got a couple of pictures when Lynda was buying coconut strips from a couple of young girls and then again when she was buying a loaf of bread. It was nice to know we were contributing to their economy a little and it was really nice to have been able to stop and mingle among them.
I say that it's hard to describe what the stalls look like in the market but it is also difficult to describe what the houses people live in look like in the villages and towns we passed through along the roads we've travelled all over Mexico. The best example that Lynda and I have been able to come up with to try to help others imagine what it looks like is to suggest that you go back to when you were about 10 or 12 years old and were building a fort with a friend.....you used whatever you could to make the walls and they may or may not have lined up with one and other. You may have hung a blanket for a door or you may have gone without a door at all. There was likely a combination of wood and cardboard and maybe a piece of tin that added to the stability of the structure. If you can see that fort.....you're basically looking at many of the homes we've passed along our travels here. Most of them have dirt floors and the people who live in them are proud of them and take care of them....the ground or the floor in the house is swept and cardboard is replaced as it becomes available. Again....there are a lot of differences in our small world and having the opportunity to visit many of these places is a great reminder of just how much we have in our little corner of it.
Today has been a really quiet day just sleeping in and lazing by the pool with a book. Am so lucky to know that I have another week of this before it's time to catch my plane.
Went for coconut shrimp at Roberto's tonight and was able to get the directions from the cook so will do my best to replicate that delicacy once back home again. It's like having dessert for dinner!
Hope this finds everyone well.....till next time.
Lorrie
Stopped in Urupan on the way from Paracho to Troncones yesterday and visited the National Park there. What a gorgeous spot that is. It is right in the middle of the city and amazing for the vast amounts of water that pour from the rocks into constant waterfalls that have been formed into every shape you can imagine. There are gorgeous little bridges and walkways that wind their way through the jungles that make up the park and we enjoyed the hour we spent exploring it.
Also stopped at that little town we drove through yesterday...the one where all the women wear traditional colourful clothing. They were having their market day and so it was a perfect opportunity for us to stop and mingle with them up close. What an interesting stop it was. The market was so rustic and traditional...I don't even know if I can begin to describe what it looks like.....there were a couple of meat stalls/butchers. The stall is make shift and all wooden so hygiene isn't high on the list of issues they attend to.....meat of all types is hanging and being cut up as the women in their colourful dresses crowd around the front of the shack. There were also several tables that had been set up for the market that boasted everything from fresh veggies and fruit to bread and dishes to lace for decorating their colourful aprons and skirts. I got a couple of pictures when Lynda was buying coconut strips from a couple of young girls and then again when she was buying a loaf of bread. It was nice to know we were contributing to their economy a little and it was really nice to have been able to stop and mingle among them.
I say that it's hard to describe what the stalls look like in the market but it is also difficult to describe what the houses people live in look like in the villages and towns we passed through along the roads we've travelled all over Mexico. The best example that Lynda and I have been able to come up with to try to help others imagine what it looks like is to suggest that you go back to when you were about 10 or 12 years old and were building a fort with a friend.....you used whatever you could to make the walls and they may or may not have lined up with one and other. You may have hung a blanket for a door or you may have gone without a door at all. There was likely a combination of wood and cardboard and maybe a piece of tin that added to the stability of the structure. If you can see that fort.....you're basically looking at many of the homes we've passed along our travels here. Most of them have dirt floors and the people who live in them are proud of them and take care of them....the ground or the floor in the house is swept and cardboard is replaced as it becomes available. Again....there are a lot of differences in our small world and having the opportunity to visit many of these places is a great reminder of just how much we have in our little corner of it.
Today has been a really quiet day just sleeping in and lazing by the pool with a book. Am so lucky to know that I have another week of this before it's time to catch my plane.
Went for coconut shrimp at Roberto's tonight and was able to get the directions from the cook so will do my best to replicate that delicacy once back home again. It's like having dessert for dinner!
Hope this finds everyone well.....till next time.
Lorrie
January 7, 2009
Another great day driving around this interesting country!! We left Patzquaro this a.m. and managed to make our way (as planned) to Paracho. Paracho is world famous for the guitars that are made here and there are a lot of them!!! Every other store on the streets of the city are filled with them and the artisans who make them are working on their “made to measure” orders. We had heard of this place from a man we met in Troncones who was coming here to pick up a guitar that he had ordered for himself 3 years ago. It had taken that long for the artisan to make it special order for him!!! What a long time that seems to wait for something you’ve ordered and paid for!!!
The drive here was good. At first we thought we had missed the toll highway but were impressed with the free highway we were on so weren’t too worried about it. Before we knew it though....there were the signs pointing us to the toll highway and we were back on track with the original plan. En route to Paracho we had to go through a large city called Urupan where we managed to locate a Wal Mart and make a few necessary purchases. You don’t find many stores like that anywhere down here so it was kind of a treat to go in and find some of the things we had on our “shopping list” all in one store. The shopping list began with a small set of drawers for Lynda’s room and before we knew what had happened....we had completely decorated her room with a new mirror, some scatter rugs and a new bedspread. It was fun trying to match up the colours and since we had a car with us it was too good an opportunity to pass up. Carrying stuff home on the bus is a lot more difficult than just being able to load it into the back of the car!!
After our Wal Mart experience, we were back on the road to Paracho and as luck would have it we were stuck behind some huge trucks that were going super slow around the tight curves and up the hills we were climbing into. I didn’t mind a bit as it was a treat to drive so slowly and to be able to enjoy the scenery a little more than if we had been travelling at the usual designated speed of “as fast as the car will go”. We drove through some very different areas and we’re definitely in real Mexico again. All the women in a couple of the towns we passed through were dressed completely in traditional dress that I’ve never seen before. They wear brightly coloured long skirts that have hundreds of skinny pleats in them. They have a different coloured apron over the skirt and a totally different coloured underskirt under it all. Their blouse is another colour again (most were white with lots of embroidery on them) and they pretty well all had at least one shawl over all of it. It’s not that it was cold when we saw them out today...in fact it was very warm but it is obviously their everyday dress so they put it on regardless. The other thing that almost every female has here is a baby. It doesn’t even matter if they’re only about 15 years old....they have a baby in a sling made out of a shawl that they hang on either their front or their back. Their hands are most often free to carry other things or to complete whatever task they’re involved in. This has been the case in every city and village we’ve visited in all of Mexico, there are more babies here than you can imagine and they’re all either walking on their own as the mom has another one or two on her back or they’re in a sling. As soon as they’re old enough to walk (maybe about two years old) they’re walking everywhere and for long distances too. The other thing we’ve noticed here is that none of the kids are crying or whining. They just have to keep up and they do. There was one mom we saw on the side of the road today with 3 kids who looked to be under 5, she had another one on her back and a huge machete slung over her shoulder. They were all just returning from the fields from the look of it and so my guess is that they had all gone to work with mom for the day and were on their way home. As you can see....things are a bit different here!
Another interesting sight we came upon today along the road was a man riding his bike along the shoulder but down the wrong side of the road (ie: into the oncoming traffic) with a huge basket balanced on his head. The basket was full of bread so my guess is that he had just finished baking and was off to market with his wares. Vendors sell bread in the evenings and I’m assuming that people buy it for the morning.
Paracho is a pretty quiet little place and our hotel is very comfortable. It is called Hotel Melinda and is just about a block from the main square in the town. The room is large with two beds and cost $375 pesos ($37). There is secure parking in the courtyard at the hotel so all of our purchases should be safe overnight in the car. For dinner, we were directed to a restaurant that was supposed to be a “good one” and although it looked lovely and the lady working in it was lovely...the food was not so lovely. She served us some rice and chicken with mole. The rice was okay but mole isn’t a favourite for either of us and the chicken was so tough you could hardly chew it. We heard a rooster crow when she went into the kitchen to prepare our meal so I’m guessing it was his older brother we’d have on our plates!! Oh well.....not all the eating experiences can be as good as Rufie’s sopes or Roberto’s coconut shrimp in Troncones.
We’ll head back to Urupan and then south to Troncones tomorrow as we have to have the car back by 5:00 pm. It’s been another fun adventure and we’re both so conscious of how fortunate we are to have seen so much of Mexico and how lucky we’ve been at every stop along the way.
Lorrie
The drive here was good. At first we thought we had missed the toll highway but were impressed with the free highway we were on so weren’t too worried about it. Before we knew it though....there were the signs pointing us to the toll highway and we were back on track with the original plan. En route to Paracho we had to go through a large city called Urupan where we managed to locate a Wal Mart and make a few necessary purchases. You don’t find many stores like that anywhere down here so it was kind of a treat to go in and find some of the things we had on our “shopping list” all in one store. The shopping list began with a small set of drawers for Lynda’s room and before we knew what had happened....we had completely decorated her room with a new mirror, some scatter rugs and a new bedspread. It was fun trying to match up the colours and since we had a car with us it was too good an opportunity to pass up. Carrying stuff home on the bus is a lot more difficult than just being able to load it into the back of the car!!
After our Wal Mart experience, we were back on the road to Paracho and as luck would have it we were stuck behind some huge trucks that were going super slow around the tight curves and up the hills we were climbing into. I didn’t mind a bit as it was a treat to drive so slowly and to be able to enjoy the scenery a little more than if we had been travelling at the usual designated speed of “as fast as the car will go”. We drove through some very different areas and we’re definitely in real Mexico again. All the women in a couple of the towns we passed through were dressed completely in traditional dress that I’ve never seen before. They wear brightly coloured long skirts that have hundreds of skinny pleats in them. They have a different coloured apron over the skirt and a totally different coloured underskirt under it all. Their blouse is another colour again (most were white with lots of embroidery on them) and they pretty well all had at least one shawl over all of it. It’s not that it was cold when we saw them out today...in fact it was very warm but it is obviously their everyday dress so they put it on regardless. The other thing that almost every female has here is a baby. It doesn’t even matter if they’re only about 15 years old....they have a baby in a sling made out of a shawl that they hang on either their front or their back. Their hands are most often free to carry other things or to complete whatever task they’re involved in. This has been the case in every city and village we’ve visited in all of Mexico, there are more babies here than you can imagine and they’re all either walking on their own as the mom has another one or two on her back or they’re in a sling. As soon as they’re old enough to walk (maybe about two years old) they’re walking everywhere and for long distances too. The other thing we’ve noticed here is that none of the kids are crying or whining. They just have to keep up and they do. There was one mom we saw on the side of the road today with 3 kids who looked to be under 5, she had another one on her back and a huge machete slung over her shoulder. They were all just returning from the fields from the look of it and so my guess is that they had all gone to work with mom for the day and were on their way home. As you can see....things are a bit different here!
Another interesting sight we came upon today along the road was a man riding his bike along the shoulder but down the wrong side of the road (ie: into the oncoming traffic) with a huge basket balanced on his head. The basket was full of bread so my guess is that he had just finished baking and was off to market with his wares. Vendors sell bread in the evenings and I’m assuming that people buy it for the morning.
Paracho is a pretty quiet little place and our hotel is very comfortable. It is called Hotel Melinda and is just about a block from the main square in the town. The room is large with two beds and cost $375 pesos ($37). There is secure parking in the courtyard at the hotel so all of our purchases should be safe overnight in the car. For dinner, we were directed to a restaurant that was supposed to be a “good one” and although it looked lovely and the lady working in it was lovely...the food was not so lovely. She served us some rice and chicken with mole. The rice was okay but mole isn’t a favourite for either of us and the chicken was so tough you could hardly chew it. We heard a rooster crow when she went into the kitchen to prepare our meal so I’m guessing it was his older brother we’d have on our plates!! Oh well.....not all the eating experiences can be as good as Rufie’s sopes or Roberto’s coconut shrimp in Troncones.
We’ll head back to Urupan and then south to Troncones tomorrow as we have to have the car back by 5:00 pm. It’s been another fun adventure and we’re both so conscious of how fortunate we are to have seen so much of Mexico and how lucky we’ve been at every stop along the way.
Lorrie
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
January 6, 2009
Hi all and Happy Kings Day! You're going to get a few days worth of blogging in this missive as I've been away from internet for a few days so......happy reading.....just found an internet spot so am enjoying a cappuccino con rom poppe (trust me it's delicious!!!)
January 4, 2009
Well, that’s the first time I’ve typed that date this year!! Where has the time gone? January 4th is finished already and we’re ready for a new chapter in the blog.
Things have been hopping around here (at least that’s our story and we’re sticking to it cuz the days have disappeared so fast there can be no other explanation for it!). Truthfully though....we have been sooo busy with life and yes....work! The place has been fully booked with new people coming in as fast as the last group leaves so Lynda has been doing laundry every day. As much as you think that just means throwing it in the washer etc....it’s different here....as is everything. Not a bad different....just different and it takes a lot longer than it does at home. We’ve both been sweeping floors and making beds and chatting with guests and answering questions etc and the days have flown by. As well, I’ve become the new ‘Roberto’s flyer girl’ and the calls to help with that task are becoming ever more frequent. On top of all of that....we’ve been helping out with the dishes behind the bar whenever things get busy and we’re like the local tourist info for any and all questions it seems whenever we’re at Roberto’s and someone has a question.
We have taken a little time off though too and so spent a good part of the day yesterday driving north along the coast to the little areas not far from Troncones to check out the sites. Stopped in to Manzanillo Bay Resort for a snack and yes....a drink too.....which was a really nice spot to stop. Where we parked the truck at Manzanillo Bay, there was a large iguana basking on the rocks right in front of us so that was cool to see. Other sights of the day included a visit to the fishing village, Mahahua, where all the boats park by day waiting to head out for another night of fishing off shore.
We’ve gone back to Dona Rufie’s for dinner a couple of times and of course Roberto’s most evenings. Tonight though, we just stayed in and re-read the blog so we could revisit all that we’ve done as we prepare for the next leg of our adventure. Yep....we’re heading out again in the a.m. This time will be a totally different experience though as we’ve rented a car so will be driving. I’m looking forward to driving in Mexico and there will likely be a few new stories to tell as a result. The roads we’ll be travelling are all very good highways with lots of traffic and we’ll only be driving during the day so don’t worry about us please.
We’ll be gone for 3 nights and plan to stay in a place called Patzquara (about 3 hours north east of Troncones). It is a colonial town and supposed to be very beautiful with lots of sights to see. We’re both excited to be on the road again. Reading over the blog tonight whet our appetites for some new adventure.
I’m guessing you’re all thinking that I’m exaggerating about the days flying by with nothing to report (and we haven’t been to the beach or by the pool for more than a few minutes for days) but it’s true....whatever we seem to plan to do in a day just goes by the wayside before we know what’s happened. Today for example, the plan was to spend the day by the pool since there are only 2 rooms rented as of this morning so the place is much quieter (keep in mind that it is not unusual for a group coming in to have 12-18 in their group (including kids) and to only take up 2 rooms but alas.....just as we were getting ready to settle into the chairs....the phone rang with a call for Mitch (who was off getting his horse) to come to rescue of someone who was drowning in the ocean at the other end of town. Lynda and I grabbed his small surfboard and flippers along with the keys for the truck and waited for his return knowing that he’d get word from someone wherever he was with the horse. Sure enough....just a few seconds later, he arrived in the yard, at full running speed, jumped into the truck (where Lynda and I were already ensconced) and we were off to the rescue. Fortunately, by the time we arrived at the location, the person who had been in trouble was already on the beach and so no rescue was needed. However, it sure messed up our plans! From that point onward, a million other little things just kept popping up and we never did make it into the pool till after the sun was off of it which means that it was after 4 in the afternoon. After a dip in the pool....we just spent the rest of the night revisiting our trip via the blog and the day was done...there wasn’t even time for any dinner tonight!
Till next time,
Lorrie
January 6, 2009
Well, it appears you’re going to get a whole host of days in one blog when we finally find internet again!! We’re currently in Patsquara and the drive here yesterday was great. Toll highway all the way so no problems with the road or getting lost or anything.
Picking up the car was a bit of an adventure though. It has a BIG smash in the windshield in front of the driver so legally speaking, I’m sure it’s deserving of a ticket. I’m guessing though that based on the other vehicles you see on the road...ours is the least likely to get stopped.
Driving in Mexico is an adventure!! You have to watch behind you as much as in front of you and then of course there are the ever present topes (speed bumps) that require you to look down at the same time. The topes seem to spring up out of nowhere and there is more often than not nothing to mark them and since they’re the same colour as whatever the surface of the roadway is.....well, let me just say that if you don’t see them they jump up and bite you HARD!!!
Mexicans turn 2 lanes of traffic into 3 or 4 by using the shoulders of the road. It is an effective way of getting around slow traffic but it’s also a little unnerving when you’re the slow traffic!! In addition to the traffic on the road there are also the ever present animals. There are dogs, cows, horses, mules and donkey’s everywhere and they just cross the road at their pleasure and at their leisure so you really have to drive defensively here!!!
While en route to Patzquara, we took a little detour into a small place called Zirahuen as it had been recommended by a few people as a ‘must see’ spot on this leg of our journey. Well.....it sure gave us a giggle as we descended into the tiny town only to discover that I would after all have an opportunity to try my hand at driving on cobblestones. Before I knew what was happening, it was too late and we were into the narrow little streets with more holes than rocks it seemed. Soon enough we had wound our way along the narrow little “roads” to the centre of town where there were a cluster of restaurants hanging out over the lake that Zirahuen sits on. Along with these ‘interesting’ little restaurants we found a public bathroom that was locked and that no one had the key to, a huge boat (that had obviously once sailed the lake) set into concrete, tiny cooked fishes everywhere (in case you had the urge to chow down on fried smelts that have been sitting in little plastic cups for at least that whole day). I have to tell on Lynda here....she didn’t have her glasses on and so she thought all the little fish were French fries and she couldn’t understand why they had all the fries already cooked everywhere. Once she had a chance to have a closer inspection and discovered that they had eyes and a mouth...she became aware that they weren’t fries after all. Another opportunity to burst into laughter. Through all of this...we both were in dire need of a bathroom and finally were directed to what appeared to be the one restaurant that had a bathroom you could use. The hostess of the place finally agreed to let us use her bathroom (for a fee of course) and so we set off with her to locate it. It required a short hike down a very remote alley, past a bunch of chickens and then further past a couple of pigs, a little more to get beyond the kids playing in the mud and voila...we had arrived. It was a luxury model with two toilets so we were in heaven...there would be no waiting for either of us. I should mention that neither of them had toilet seats though ( a fairly common reality here) but when you gotta go...you gotta go so we went. Once finished, it came time to flush and Lynda being first finished discovered there was no water in the tank so flushing was out of the question. Just outside the stalls, she located a large bucket of water though and thought this would be the answer to the flushing problems. She lifted the back of the tank, poured in a bucket of water and gagged with disgust when the toilet filled with rusty smelly dirty old water (or something disguised as water). I was still in the toilet laughing my head off while Lynda is in the throes of describing her adventure on the other side of the door that I had had to lift onto it’s hinges to get it to hang properly when I had come in. I suggested that she try pouring the water into the toilet bowl instead as that is the way it is done with the squat toilets I’ve used in other places and sure enough...it worked. She had to flush about 4 times to get some semblance of clean though so I’m sure the poor person who carries the water to fill the big bucket in the toilet there will wonder who could have gone through so much water!!! After a couple of posed pictures to remember this adventure by we were on our way back down the alley and into the restaurant row.
Now that we were able to take a more relaxed look around the place, we located Dona Mary’s restaurant, where Mary was cooking up something neither of us had ever seen before. We knew we couldn’t eat any fish from around here as the lakes are too polluted but according to Mary, she was cooking some kind of potatoes with cheese in a batter that was then fried till golden and served in a corn tortilla. In true adventurer spirit, we decided to give it a try and although we’ll both likely die a couple of years sooner than we otherwise would have from the grease that was dripping from it....they were great. So good in fact that we decided to have two each and shave a full 4 years off our lives. Sometimes a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!
From Zirahuen it was back into the car and on the road to Patzquara about 25 minutes further down the road. I should add here that we’re travelling during the busiest time of the Mexican year (well, one of the busiest) and that January 6th is King’s Day....a way bigger day than Christmas. This is the day that all the kids get all their presents etc and so everyone...and I mean everyone is in the city to shop for the big day!!! We arrived along with about a million others and as we wound our way around the city plaza’s it was much like being in a maze. We found a spot to park the car (thanks Dad!!!) and from there set out on foot to see if we could locate the hotel that had been recommended to us as clean and cheap and right in town. It didn’t take too long and we were checked into the Valmen Hotel for $250 pesos per night....yes....that’s right.....2 beds for less than $25 Cdn! Nice big room, super clean and even though we didn’t think so at first...we have hot water – wahoo!!! We were able to park the car in a secure parking area about ½ block away for $40 pesos for the night (less than $4)and we were good to go.
We wandered around for hours bundled in our jackets again (yes, we’re back into the cold folks). There was a massive market filled with junk (and I have to call it junk...cuz that’s pretty much what it is) for the people looking for gifts for their kids for King’s Day that we toured along with that same million people who drove into town with us. Speaking of shopping.....I should say that there are more shoe stores in every town in Mexico than you can begin to imagine!!! There are at least two in every block and they’re all full of shoes, in fact, in the block where our hotel is here...there are 5 shoe stores and the block isn't long...there are only about 10 stores on it plus our hotel....– how many pair of shoes can people use??!! We laughed at the fact that both Lynda and I are still only wearing sandals (hers are more obvious than mine as mine have toe caps but her toes are bare) so we’re sure people are wondering why we don’t just go and buy some shoes somewhere. Truth be told though...I doubt very much that there is a pair of shoes in this whole country that would fit either of us!
By the time we rolled into bed last night, we were both done for and glad to have a good place to stay once again!
This morning we had planned to get an early start but...you know how it goes....you hit the snooze button and then you just turn off the alarm all together and before you know it, it’s 10:00 and you’re just rolling out of bed.
I decided to brave the cold shower at least to wash my hair and was thrilled when it began to turn hot about ½ way through the shower!! Soap comes out so much better with warm water!! We breakfasted on cookies we’d purchased from a street vendor the night before, hit the bank to refill our coffers and before long were back in the care and on another adventure. This time, we’d decided to drive all the way around the lake. Well....when you’ve got a car....you might as well make use of it right?!
The man at the parking lot gave us some basic directions and after a couple of mis-starts we were on our way. The first little village we entered into (and you need to know that you don’t enter into the towns by choice...one minute you’re on the main road and the next you’re on cobblestones with cows...it’s kind of spooky how it happens so quickly) was a nightmare for both of us as it had hills and we’re driving a standard and all the roads are NOT wide enough for two vehicles and all of them have 2 way traffic so you basically weave your way down the roads. You can imagine why it was a nightmare for me but I have to tell you that Lynda should get a medal for keeping her mouth closed so many times today. She was faced with the grills on the front of trucks in her side window as I dodged through unmarked intersections, her sunglasses flew off her head as I missed seeing a tope and hit the brakes in fourth gear at the same time as I hit the tope, she was faced with being in the passenger seat while I drove the wrong way down a one way road and then there was also the time that I decided to pull a u-turn at a round about and could only manage it by going the wrong way into the roundabout while a combi was approaching .... yep....she gets a medal for this day!!! Well, for that matter, so do I as we’re both sitting here back in our hotel room tonight.
A couple of honourable mentions from our day include, spending a couple of hours in a little town at the north end of the lake called Quiroga where the artisans are famous for their woodworking abilities. Neither of us saw anything that we wanted to buy though...it’s kind of like a trip back to the 70’s with all the heavy wood furniture etc. Lunch at a counter in a market was interesting and definitely off the tourist map. It was good but the people watching was even better. All the men around Quiroga are truly working cowboys and their wives look like they work plenty hard too. There was one old couple sitting down the counter from us...she was dressed in the traditional garb with the scarf over her head and the layers of dresses and he was dressed in his Sunday best working clothes. We also discovered that we’ve been pretty spoiled on our travels as everywhere we go now, we expect to find something as nice as we’ve had in so many of the places we’ve been. Happily, Quiroga was the closest we’ve found in a while as it had a little zocalo that was being well used.
Further along the road around the lake....we happened upon a lot of people making a “pilgrimage” in traditional clothing. It didn’t take long till we discovered their destination as there were a number of cars parked along the roadway and there were kids climbing all over the banks. People were climbing a dirt path and Lynda was certain that we’d been invited to their party, I on the other hand was more concerned about staying on the road and dodging the parked cars and kids that were rolling down the hill toward the roadway. We didn’t stop, but.....I might have to buy Lynda a drink tonight to make up for driving past her “party”.
Not too much further along the road, we came into another little town....well, this one was a little bigger but it was similar in that it was full of hills, cobblestones, people, cars, cows, chickens and dogs. This one was also hosting a huge festival and in order for them to do that they had closed down the main street which is also the street through town that we had to take to complete our journey. Fortunately, we’ve both become fluent Spanish speakers the past couple of months so we were able to ask for and get directions to detour the festivities and to get back onto the right road. Well, there were a few extra turns in there and maybe we did have to ask a couple of people but we didn’t bump into any cars along the way...we still have 4 tires on our car....and I now know that I can back down cobblestone hills and over topes while the machine gun toting police watch in amusement from the box of their pick up truck.
Magically, our car found it’s way back to the parking garage where we’re secured in for another night. We’re heading out now to see if we can get into any trouble that we haven’t already stumbled across. Tomorrow we’ll likely head out to check out another city where there is supposedly a place where water pours from the rocks. It is near the town where they make guitars so we’ll likely make our way there too.
Till next time and till we can finally get this posted on the internet for you to read .....
Lorrie
January 4, 2009
Well, that’s the first time I’ve typed that date this year!! Where has the time gone? January 4th is finished already and we’re ready for a new chapter in the blog.
Things have been hopping around here (at least that’s our story and we’re sticking to it cuz the days have disappeared so fast there can be no other explanation for it!). Truthfully though....we have been sooo busy with life and yes....work! The place has been fully booked with new people coming in as fast as the last group leaves so Lynda has been doing laundry every day. As much as you think that just means throwing it in the washer etc....it’s different here....as is everything. Not a bad different....just different and it takes a lot longer than it does at home. We’ve both been sweeping floors and making beds and chatting with guests and answering questions etc and the days have flown by. As well, I’ve become the new ‘Roberto’s flyer girl’ and the calls to help with that task are becoming ever more frequent. On top of all of that....we’ve been helping out with the dishes behind the bar whenever things get busy and we’re like the local tourist info for any and all questions it seems whenever we’re at Roberto’s and someone has a question.
We have taken a little time off though too and so spent a good part of the day yesterday driving north along the coast to the little areas not far from Troncones to check out the sites. Stopped in to Manzanillo Bay Resort for a snack and yes....a drink too.....which was a really nice spot to stop. Where we parked the truck at Manzanillo Bay, there was a large iguana basking on the rocks right in front of us so that was cool to see. Other sights of the day included a visit to the fishing village, Mahahua, where all the boats park by day waiting to head out for another night of fishing off shore.
We’ve gone back to Dona Rufie’s for dinner a couple of times and of course Roberto’s most evenings. Tonight though, we just stayed in and re-read the blog so we could revisit all that we’ve done as we prepare for the next leg of our adventure. Yep....we’re heading out again in the a.m. This time will be a totally different experience though as we’ve rented a car so will be driving. I’m looking forward to driving in Mexico and there will likely be a few new stories to tell as a result. The roads we’ll be travelling are all very good highways with lots of traffic and we’ll only be driving during the day so don’t worry about us please.
We’ll be gone for 3 nights and plan to stay in a place called Patzquara (about 3 hours north east of Troncones). It is a colonial town and supposed to be very beautiful with lots of sights to see. We’re both excited to be on the road again. Reading over the blog tonight whet our appetites for some new adventure.
I’m guessing you’re all thinking that I’m exaggerating about the days flying by with nothing to report (and we haven’t been to the beach or by the pool for more than a few minutes for days) but it’s true....whatever we seem to plan to do in a day just goes by the wayside before we know what’s happened. Today for example, the plan was to spend the day by the pool since there are only 2 rooms rented as of this morning so the place is much quieter (keep in mind that it is not unusual for a group coming in to have 12-18 in their group (including kids) and to only take up 2 rooms but alas.....just as we were getting ready to settle into the chairs....the phone rang with a call for Mitch (who was off getting his horse) to come to rescue of someone who was drowning in the ocean at the other end of town. Lynda and I grabbed his small surfboard and flippers along with the keys for the truck and waited for his return knowing that he’d get word from someone wherever he was with the horse. Sure enough....just a few seconds later, he arrived in the yard, at full running speed, jumped into the truck (where Lynda and I were already ensconced) and we were off to the rescue. Fortunately, by the time we arrived at the location, the person who had been in trouble was already on the beach and so no rescue was needed. However, it sure messed up our plans! From that point onward, a million other little things just kept popping up and we never did make it into the pool till after the sun was off of it which means that it was after 4 in the afternoon. After a dip in the pool....we just spent the rest of the night revisiting our trip via the blog and the day was done...there wasn’t even time for any dinner tonight!
Till next time,
Lorrie
January 6, 2009
Well, it appears you’re going to get a whole host of days in one blog when we finally find internet again!! We’re currently in Patsquara and the drive here yesterday was great. Toll highway all the way so no problems with the road or getting lost or anything.
Picking up the car was a bit of an adventure though. It has a BIG smash in the windshield in front of the driver so legally speaking, I’m sure it’s deserving of a ticket. I’m guessing though that based on the other vehicles you see on the road...ours is the least likely to get stopped.
Driving in Mexico is an adventure!! You have to watch behind you as much as in front of you and then of course there are the ever present topes (speed bumps) that require you to look down at the same time. The topes seem to spring up out of nowhere and there is more often than not nothing to mark them and since they’re the same colour as whatever the surface of the roadway is.....well, let me just say that if you don’t see them they jump up and bite you HARD!!!
Mexicans turn 2 lanes of traffic into 3 or 4 by using the shoulders of the road. It is an effective way of getting around slow traffic but it’s also a little unnerving when you’re the slow traffic!! In addition to the traffic on the road there are also the ever present animals. There are dogs, cows, horses, mules and donkey’s everywhere and they just cross the road at their pleasure and at their leisure so you really have to drive defensively here!!!
While en route to Patzquara, we took a little detour into a small place called Zirahuen as it had been recommended by a few people as a ‘must see’ spot on this leg of our journey. Well.....it sure gave us a giggle as we descended into the tiny town only to discover that I would after all have an opportunity to try my hand at driving on cobblestones. Before I knew what was happening, it was too late and we were into the narrow little streets with more holes than rocks it seemed. Soon enough we had wound our way along the narrow little “roads” to the centre of town where there were a cluster of restaurants hanging out over the lake that Zirahuen sits on. Along with these ‘interesting’ little restaurants we found a public bathroom that was locked and that no one had the key to, a huge boat (that had obviously once sailed the lake) set into concrete, tiny cooked fishes everywhere (in case you had the urge to chow down on fried smelts that have been sitting in little plastic cups for at least that whole day). I have to tell on Lynda here....she didn’t have her glasses on and so she thought all the little fish were French fries and she couldn’t understand why they had all the fries already cooked everywhere. Once she had a chance to have a closer inspection and discovered that they had eyes and a mouth...she became aware that they weren’t fries after all. Another opportunity to burst into laughter. Through all of this...we both were in dire need of a bathroom and finally were directed to what appeared to be the one restaurant that had a bathroom you could use. The hostess of the place finally agreed to let us use her bathroom (for a fee of course) and so we set off with her to locate it. It required a short hike down a very remote alley, past a bunch of chickens and then further past a couple of pigs, a little more to get beyond the kids playing in the mud and voila...we had arrived. It was a luxury model with two toilets so we were in heaven...there would be no waiting for either of us. I should mention that neither of them had toilet seats though ( a fairly common reality here) but when you gotta go...you gotta go so we went. Once finished, it came time to flush and Lynda being first finished discovered there was no water in the tank so flushing was out of the question. Just outside the stalls, she located a large bucket of water though and thought this would be the answer to the flushing problems. She lifted the back of the tank, poured in a bucket of water and gagged with disgust when the toilet filled with rusty smelly dirty old water (or something disguised as water). I was still in the toilet laughing my head off while Lynda is in the throes of describing her adventure on the other side of the door that I had had to lift onto it’s hinges to get it to hang properly when I had come in. I suggested that she try pouring the water into the toilet bowl instead as that is the way it is done with the squat toilets I’ve used in other places and sure enough...it worked. She had to flush about 4 times to get some semblance of clean though so I’m sure the poor person who carries the water to fill the big bucket in the toilet there will wonder who could have gone through so much water!!! After a couple of posed pictures to remember this adventure by we were on our way back down the alley and into the restaurant row.
Now that we were able to take a more relaxed look around the place, we located Dona Mary’s restaurant, where Mary was cooking up something neither of us had ever seen before. We knew we couldn’t eat any fish from around here as the lakes are too polluted but according to Mary, she was cooking some kind of potatoes with cheese in a batter that was then fried till golden and served in a corn tortilla. In true adventurer spirit, we decided to give it a try and although we’ll both likely die a couple of years sooner than we otherwise would have from the grease that was dripping from it....they were great. So good in fact that we decided to have two each and shave a full 4 years off our lives. Sometimes a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!
From Zirahuen it was back into the car and on the road to Patzquara about 25 minutes further down the road. I should add here that we’re travelling during the busiest time of the Mexican year (well, one of the busiest) and that January 6th is King’s Day....a way bigger day than Christmas. This is the day that all the kids get all their presents etc and so everyone...and I mean everyone is in the city to shop for the big day!!! We arrived along with about a million others and as we wound our way around the city plaza’s it was much like being in a maze. We found a spot to park the car (thanks Dad!!!) and from there set out on foot to see if we could locate the hotel that had been recommended to us as clean and cheap and right in town. It didn’t take too long and we were checked into the Valmen Hotel for $250 pesos per night....yes....that’s right.....2 beds for less than $25 Cdn! Nice big room, super clean and even though we didn’t think so at first...we have hot water – wahoo!!! We were able to park the car in a secure parking area about ½ block away for $40 pesos for the night (less than $4)and we were good to go.
We wandered around for hours bundled in our jackets again (yes, we’re back into the cold folks). There was a massive market filled with junk (and I have to call it junk...cuz that’s pretty much what it is) for the people looking for gifts for their kids for King’s Day that we toured along with that same million people who drove into town with us. Speaking of shopping.....I should say that there are more shoe stores in every town in Mexico than you can begin to imagine!!! There are at least two in every block and they’re all full of shoes, in fact, in the block where our hotel is here...there are 5 shoe stores and the block isn't long...there are only about 10 stores on it plus our hotel....– how many pair of shoes can people use??!! We laughed at the fact that both Lynda and I are still only wearing sandals (hers are more obvious than mine as mine have toe caps but her toes are bare) so we’re sure people are wondering why we don’t just go and buy some shoes somewhere. Truth be told though...I doubt very much that there is a pair of shoes in this whole country that would fit either of us!
By the time we rolled into bed last night, we were both done for and glad to have a good place to stay once again!
This morning we had planned to get an early start but...you know how it goes....you hit the snooze button and then you just turn off the alarm all together and before you know it, it’s 10:00 and you’re just rolling out of bed.
I decided to brave the cold shower at least to wash my hair and was thrilled when it began to turn hot about ½ way through the shower!! Soap comes out so much better with warm water!! We breakfasted on cookies we’d purchased from a street vendor the night before, hit the bank to refill our coffers and before long were back in the care and on another adventure. This time, we’d decided to drive all the way around the lake. Well....when you’ve got a car....you might as well make use of it right?!
The man at the parking lot gave us some basic directions and after a couple of mis-starts we were on our way. The first little village we entered into (and you need to know that you don’t enter into the towns by choice...one minute you’re on the main road and the next you’re on cobblestones with cows...it’s kind of spooky how it happens so quickly) was a nightmare for both of us as it had hills and we’re driving a standard and all the roads are NOT wide enough for two vehicles and all of them have 2 way traffic so you basically weave your way down the roads. You can imagine why it was a nightmare for me but I have to tell you that Lynda should get a medal for keeping her mouth closed so many times today. She was faced with the grills on the front of trucks in her side window as I dodged through unmarked intersections, her sunglasses flew off her head as I missed seeing a tope and hit the brakes in fourth gear at the same time as I hit the tope, she was faced with being in the passenger seat while I drove the wrong way down a one way road and then there was also the time that I decided to pull a u-turn at a round about and could only manage it by going the wrong way into the roundabout while a combi was approaching .... yep....she gets a medal for this day!!! Well, for that matter, so do I as we’re both sitting here back in our hotel room tonight.
A couple of honourable mentions from our day include, spending a couple of hours in a little town at the north end of the lake called Quiroga where the artisans are famous for their woodworking abilities. Neither of us saw anything that we wanted to buy though...it’s kind of like a trip back to the 70’s with all the heavy wood furniture etc. Lunch at a counter in a market was interesting and definitely off the tourist map. It was good but the people watching was even better. All the men around Quiroga are truly working cowboys and their wives look like they work plenty hard too. There was one old couple sitting down the counter from us...she was dressed in the traditional garb with the scarf over her head and the layers of dresses and he was dressed in his Sunday best working clothes. We also discovered that we’ve been pretty spoiled on our travels as everywhere we go now, we expect to find something as nice as we’ve had in so many of the places we’ve been. Happily, Quiroga was the closest we’ve found in a while as it had a little zocalo that was being well used.
Further along the road around the lake....we happened upon a lot of people making a “pilgrimage” in traditional clothing. It didn’t take long till we discovered their destination as there were a number of cars parked along the roadway and there were kids climbing all over the banks. People were climbing a dirt path and Lynda was certain that we’d been invited to their party, I on the other hand was more concerned about staying on the road and dodging the parked cars and kids that were rolling down the hill toward the roadway. We didn’t stop, but.....I might have to buy Lynda a drink tonight to make up for driving past her “party”.
Not too much further along the road, we came into another little town....well, this one was a little bigger but it was similar in that it was full of hills, cobblestones, people, cars, cows, chickens and dogs. This one was also hosting a huge festival and in order for them to do that they had closed down the main street which is also the street through town that we had to take to complete our journey. Fortunately, we’ve both become fluent Spanish speakers the past couple of months so we were able to ask for and get directions to detour the festivities and to get back onto the right road. Well, there were a few extra turns in there and maybe we did have to ask a couple of people but we didn’t bump into any cars along the way...we still have 4 tires on our car....and I now know that I can back down cobblestone hills and over topes while the machine gun toting police watch in amusement from the box of their pick up truck.
Magically, our car found it’s way back to the parking garage where we’re secured in for another night. We’re heading out now to see if we can get into any trouble that we haven’t already stumbled across. Tomorrow we’ll likely head out to check out another city where there is supposedly a place where water pours from the rocks. It is near the town where they make guitars so we’ll likely make our way there too.
Till next time and till we can finally get this posted on the internet for you to read .....
Lorrie
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
December 30, 2008
Happy almost New Year's Eve everyone!!! I can't believe that tomorrow night will officially mark the start of 2009! I keep remembering when everyone was so nervous about the whole Y2K thing...that seems like it was yesterday and here we are nearing a decade later!!
All is sunny and warm in Troncones (no surprises there) but for those of you who are feeling envious of me right now.....don't worry.....I'm in the throws of a brutal cold in sympathy of you all. You'd think that colds wouldn't find their way into the tropics but alas...they do....and the one that I seem to have contracted is a very common one and likely as a result of leaving the fan on in the room overnight. Sweating during the night combined with the fan blowing on you results in catching a chill that turns into a chesty cough, sore throat and stuffy head. Boo Hoo.....I'm feeling sorry for myself...... Mitch has been taking great care of me though so I'm full of bee propolis (in every form imaginable from tincture to capsules to syrup) and royal jelly (another form of propolis I think) and then there is the tincture of oregano oil....so as you can see....there is no shortage of attention for my cold. I was probably just looking for some attention as it's been a while since my scorpion experience.
I truly feel like a local here now. Lynda and I took the bus into Zihuatanejo again yesterday and to tell the truth, as much as Zihuat is a lovely town....it sure feels good to be back on the bus and heading home after a hot sweaty day in the city! You know you're 'local' when you meet up with vendors you know catching the bus to Troncones to come to work. All the vendors here know both Lynda and I so....just like I mentioned when we were in San Cristobal.....it is a different experience when they sit down to visit with you instead of trying to sell you any of their wares. I also know I'm a 'local' as yesterday, Roberto phoned to ask if I would come over to help him to work up another flyer for distribution about the New Year's Eve party among other upcoming events. I also had the task of coming up with an insert for the menu that outlines the feature for the evening meal (surf & turf). Roberto has lots of ideas and is open to any others (he needs help with wording signage and designing flyers in english though). It's been lots of fun coming up with ideas for/with Roberto to enhance the systems that are either currently in place or more often absent. It's a bit of a balancing act to ensure I don't come off as having a 'new broom' and Roberto is great....he usually sleeps on an idea and then the next day you'll know that he liked it (or didn't) as magically the change will occur (or not). Some of the staff have been a little resistant as they're not used to much change but all have risen to the occassion and adopted any of the new ideas that Roberto has instituted. Last Saturday, for the weekly Mexican Fiesta, there was a super full house so both Lynda and I spent most of the night helping out (mainly washing dishes behind the bar so nothing too glamorous people) and from the looks of things that will be how we spend tomorrow night (New Year's Eve) too. I'm enjoying being behind the bar (even if it is with my hands in the sink) but am reminded just how much hard work it is!! Viri is a great little bartender (self taught for the most part) and it has been fun giving her some new information.
Yesterday, Lynda was called on to come to the aid of a couple she met here last year. The husband (Jack) was stung by a ray while boogie boarding in the waves and that is a painful experience! There are plants that grow all along the beach and you boil up the leaves and then you immerse the sting into the water/leaf mixture while it is still as hot as you can stand it and voila....it takes some of the sting away and after a day of sleep - you're as good as new. It was lucky that Lynda was close by as she was able to reassure her friends that all would be well....I know from experience that getting stung by something you're not used to can be a scary one!
Mitch's place has been hopping busy for the past week. Both buildings have been full with new people coming in as quickly as the last ones leave. There have also been tents in the yard to accomodate the 'extras'. It sure keeps the washer and dryer busy as well as Viri! What a girl...she works by day doing the rooms and then each night at Roberto's behind the bar. She's working hard as she is saving all that she can for a trip to visit Canada in the spring (for Lynda's 60th in May). It is fun to watch her bring home her tips and her pay each night and add it to the ever growing pile. From the way she's going....I have no doubt she'll have the money for her ticket in plenty of time. It will be fun to be able to host her for part of her visit to Canada. She has never been outside Mexico and even here....she's only been to her home town area (Leon) and the Troncones area so there will be lots of new adventures in store for her.
For Christmas, Mitch and Viri cleaned and painted Lynda's room from last year so she and I have moved into the lower floor alongside the pool. We're both loving being on the ground floor and one of the coolest things for me is that she has a "couch" in her room. I had no idea how much you miss a place like that to sit when you're on the road in hotel rooms for a long time. Lynda's room in Mexico is so quaint and comfortable. Mitch painted it a nice shade of pink with terra cotta trim and installed a new rain shower head in the bathroom. It's such a treat to be able to run into your fridge without climbing the stairs that we're both appreciating that fact too.
Day before yesterday was a FULL day to say the least. Mitch is a wonderful man and he has an amazing ability to be able to exaggerate in whatever direction will make the story more palatable for the listener (reminds me of my dad!). Mitch invited Lynda and I along with two young people who are camping on the beach in front of Roberto's and who are from BC to accompany him on a visit to a small mountain village where there is a piece of property he is interested in. He 'sold' the idea with the promise of an amazing swimming hole (that part is totally true) that we could walk to from where the truck would have to stop as the road becomes impassable. The road is called a Camino Real and those roads are surveyed, at least in part, but impassable for anything other than man on foot or horse or mule. The mountains that the Camino Real cuts through are the true outposts of Mexico and many of the 'settlements' along the trail will never have seen anyone other than local Mexicans. Mitch is cautious about where he takes us and has spent some time making friends with the locals in the hill villages we'd be passing by so we felt confident that all would go well for our outing/adventure. Now for the slight exaggeration part.....Mitch told us that the walk would take about 1/2 hour and that we'd cross the river 3 times......well.....the walk there took about 1 1/2 hours and we crossed the river 7 times each way. Truth be told though...as much as it was a tough day .... it was all worth the effort. It felt amazing to be walking down a trail that goes all the way to Mexico City (if you're up for walking for a few weeks) and where only local farmers/tribesmen travel. The river we crossed (yes....7 times each way) was gorgeous and only knee deep so actually a pleasure to feel the fresh clean water on your feet after the dusty trail we'd been travelling over. At the end of our "walk" we did arrive at the swimming hole where there was a small waterfall and rock cliffs all around that Mitch and the other two just had to jump off of. Lynda and I decided to forgo that opportunity and in fact...she made sure she had the car keys in her possession prior to Mitch jumping. The swimming hole was plenty deep and cool clear water that was super refreshing so once we'd all had a chance to get our second wind we headed back onto the trail to retrace our steps. The trail is obviously well travelled and there was no concern about getting lost. It was interesting to hear all the little lizards and other foreign creatures (like armadillos) in the bushes and the fields along the trail as we were walking. We made it back to the truck before nightfall (nightfall comes very rapidly here once the sun goes down!!!) As we were walking the return trip, there were several young boys (maybe about 10 years old) who passed us on their mules heading back to the village. Who knows where they had come from??!! Once we were in the truck we also passed an old man who was walking in the middle of nowhere carrying a large stick and dragging an even larger one. Mitch stopped the truck so the old fellow could hop into the back and we were on our way again. The old guy just knocked on the roof of the truck when we reached his destination (at least a couple of kilometers down the road) People walk a lot here!! Vendors on the beach walk all day long for miles and miles and then sometimes they have to walk the 4 kms back up to the highway to catch the bus back to Zihuat if they're too late for the last combi bus or taxis. Yikes!!! I couldn't do it but none of them seem to mind a bit...it's just a part of their day and they do it all with a smile.
Before I leave you with this post....I want to share a new Mexican tradition we learned about today. At the stroke of midnight tomorrow night (New Year's Eve) we'll be eating 12 grapes (one for each month of the coming year) and making a wish with each of them. We'll also be putting our suitcases outside of our door and walking around the house or down the road with them to ensure a year of travel. In addition, we'll both be wearing 3 pair of underwear. One will be yellow (for wealth) another will be blue (for health) and the third will be red (for love). And....all of this has to be done in one minute flat!! Boy will that be a busy minute but we're game to give it a go!!
Hope you all have a happy new year's eve and I'll be in touch again next year.
Lorrie
All is sunny and warm in Troncones (no surprises there) but for those of you who are feeling envious of me right now.....don't worry.....I'm in the throws of a brutal cold in sympathy of you all. You'd think that colds wouldn't find their way into the tropics but alas...they do....and the one that I seem to have contracted is a very common one and likely as a result of leaving the fan on in the room overnight. Sweating during the night combined with the fan blowing on you results in catching a chill that turns into a chesty cough, sore throat and stuffy head. Boo Hoo.....I'm feeling sorry for myself...... Mitch has been taking great care of me though so I'm full of bee propolis (in every form imaginable from tincture to capsules to syrup) and royal jelly (another form of propolis I think) and then there is the tincture of oregano oil....so as you can see....there is no shortage of attention for my cold. I was probably just looking for some attention as it's been a while since my scorpion experience.
I truly feel like a local here now. Lynda and I took the bus into Zihuatanejo again yesterday and to tell the truth, as much as Zihuat is a lovely town....it sure feels good to be back on the bus and heading home after a hot sweaty day in the city! You know you're 'local' when you meet up with vendors you know catching the bus to Troncones to come to work. All the vendors here know both Lynda and I so....just like I mentioned when we were in San Cristobal.....it is a different experience when they sit down to visit with you instead of trying to sell you any of their wares. I also know I'm a 'local' as yesterday, Roberto phoned to ask if I would come over to help him to work up another flyer for distribution about the New Year's Eve party among other upcoming events. I also had the task of coming up with an insert for the menu that outlines the feature for the evening meal (surf & turf). Roberto has lots of ideas and is open to any others (he needs help with wording signage and designing flyers in english though). It's been lots of fun coming up with ideas for/with Roberto to enhance the systems that are either currently in place or more often absent. It's a bit of a balancing act to ensure I don't come off as having a 'new broom' and Roberto is great....he usually sleeps on an idea and then the next day you'll know that he liked it (or didn't) as magically the change will occur (or not). Some of the staff have been a little resistant as they're not used to much change but all have risen to the occassion and adopted any of the new ideas that Roberto has instituted. Last Saturday, for the weekly Mexican Fiesta, there was a super full house so both Lynda and I spent most of the night helping out (mainly washing dishes behind the bar so nothing too glamorous people) and from the looks of things that will be how we spend tomorrow night (New Year's Eve) too. I'm enjoying being behind the bar (even if it is with my hands in the sink) but am reminded just how much hard work it is!! Viri is a great little bartender (self taught for the most part) and it has been fun giving her some new information.
Yesterday, Lynda was called on to come to the aid of a couple she met here last year. The husband (Jack) was stung by a ray while boogie boarding in the waves and that is a painful experience! There are plants that grow all along the beach and you boil up the leaves and then you immerse the sting into the water/leaf mixture while it is still as hot as you can stand it and voila....it takes some of the sting away and after a day of sleep - you're as good as new. It was lucky that Lynda was close by as she was able to reassure her friends that all would be well....I know from experience that getting stung by something you're not used to can be a scary one!
Mitch's place has been hopping busy for the past week. Both buildings have been full with new people coming in as quickly as the last ones leave. There have also been tents in the yard to accomodate the 'extras'. It sure keeps the washer and dryer busy as well as Viri! What a girl...she works by day doing the rooms and then each night at Roberto's behind the bar. She's working hard as she is saving all that she can for a trip to visit Canada in the spring (for Lynda's 60th in May). It is fun to watch her bring home her tips and her pay each night and add it to the ever growing pile. From the way she's going....I have no doubt she'll have the money for her ticket in plenty of time. It will be fun to be able to host her for part of her visit to Canada. She has never been outside Mexico and even here....she's only been to her home town area (Leon) and the Troncones area so there will be lots of new adventures in store for her.
For Christmas, Mitch and Viri cleaned and painted Lynda's room from last year so she and I have moved into the lower floor alongside the pool. We're both loving being on the ground floor and one of the coolest things for me is that she has a "couch" in her room. I had no idea how much you miss a place like that to sit when you're on the road in hotel rooms for a long time. Lynda's room in Mexico is so quaint and comfortable. Mitch painted it a nice shade of pink with terra cotta trim and installed a new rain shower head in the bathroom. It's such a treat to be able to run into your fridge without climbing the stairs that we're both appreciating that fact too.
Day before yesterday was a FULL day to say the least. Mitch is a wonderful man and he has an amazing ability to be able to exaggerate in whatever direction will make the story more palatable for the listener (reminds me of my dad!). Mitch invited Lynda and I along with two young people who are camping on the beach in front of Roberto's and who are from BC to accompany him on a visit to a small mountain village where there is a piece of property he is interested in. He 'sold' the idea with the promise of an amazing swimming hole (that part is totally true) that we could walk to from where the truck would have to stop as the road becomes impassable. The road is called a Camino Real and those roads are surveyed, at least in part, but impassable for anything other than man on foot or horse or mule. The mountains that the Camino Real cuts through are the true outposts of Mexico and many of the 'settlements' along the trail will never have seen anyone other than local Mexicans. Mitch is cautious about where he takes us and has spent some time making friends with the locals in the hill villages we'd be passing by so we felt confident that all would go well for our outing/adventure. Now for the slight exaggeration part.....Mitch told us that the walk would take about 1/2 hour and that we'd cross the river 3 times......well.....the walk there took about 1 1/2 hours and we crossed the river 7 times each way. Truth be told though...as much as it was a tough day .... it was all worth the effort. It felt amazing to be walking down a trail that goes all the way to Mexico City (if you're up for walking for a few weeks) and where only local farmers/tribesmen travel. The river we crossed (yes....7 times each way) was gorgeous and only knee deep so actually a pleasure to feel the fresh clean water on your feet after the dusty trail we'd been travelling over. At the end of our "walk" we did arrive at the swimming hole where there was a small waterfall and rock cliffs all around that Mitch and the other two just had to jump off of. Lynda and I decided to forgo that opportunity and in fact...she made sure she had the car keys in her possession prior to Mitch jumping. The swimming hole was plenty deep and cool clear water that was super refreshing so once we'd all had a chance to get our second wind we headed back onto the trail to retrace our steps. The trail is obviously well travelled and there was no concern about getting lost. It was interesting to hear all the little lizards and other foreign creatures (like armadillos) in the bushes and the fields along the trail as we were walking. We made it back to the truck before nightfall (nightfall comes very rapidly here once the sun goes down!!!) As we were walking the return trip, there were several young boys (maybe about 10 years old) who passed us on their mules heading back to the village. Who knows where they had come from??!! Once we were in the truck we also passed an old man who was walking in the middle of nowhere carrying a large stick and dragging an even larger one. Mitch stopped the truck so the old fellow could hop into the back and we were on our way again. The old guy just knocked on the roof of the truck when we reached his destination (at least a couple of kilometers down the road) People walk a lot here!! Vendors on the beach walk all day long for miles and miles and then sometimes they have to walk the 4 kms back up to the highway to catch the bus back to Zihuat if they're too late for the last combi bus or taxis. Yikes!!! I couldn't do it but none of them seem to mind a bit...it's just a part of their day and they do it all with a smile.
Before I leave you with this post....I want to share a new Mexican tradition we learned about today. At the stroke of midnight tomorrow night (New Year's Eve) we'll be eating 12 grapes (one for each month of the coming year) and making a wish with each of them. We'll also be putting our suitcases outside of our door and walking around the house or down the road with them to ensure a year of travel. In addition, we'll both be wearing 3 pair of underwear. One will be yellow (for wealth) another will be blue (for health) and the third will be red (for love). And....all of this has to be done in one minute flat!! Boy will that be a busy minute but we're game to give it a go!!
Hope you all have a happy new year's eve and I'll be in touch again next year.
Lorrie
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