November 12, 2008

Wish you were here.....what a cliché line but you know....it makes sense when you’re writing home from a muy bonito place.

Life in Troncones is definitely different but good. Very simple....haven’t had a watch on since arrival and don’t plan to have one on any time soon. I think it’s about 7 pm though.

Mitch, Viri, Raf, Joanna and I went up to Saladito bright and early this morning so Mitch and Raf could catch some of the big waves that were expected as a result of the full moon. Saladito is a total surfers spot....in fact I might have been the only person in the entire community who has never been nor will ever be “catching a wave”. The beach there was absolutely gorgeous!! A huge arc of sand in either direction for as far as you could see. Only a few buildings along the shore that were for the most part hidden in the palm trees. Nature at some of it’s finest.

Speaking of nature...I must take a little aside to describe for you where I am right now as I type this missive. The sun has just gone down (it was a gorgeous sunset tonight) and I’m sitting in the living room...oh yes....the living room is outside....as is the kitchen. I’m on the couch and there are a couple of hammocks hanging beside me (that call me often during the heat of the day). There was just a little chirrup from overhead so there must be a gecko on the ceiling watching me work away on the computer. There are a few mosquitoes but it is the no see ‘ems that take their toll at this time every evening. And..since I’m the only one out here at the moment....I’m likely going to be the main course. The horse, Romeo, is right behind me (well there is a low rock wall between us)and I can hear him moving around. The cats are drinking out of the pool across the table from me and the cicadas are singing up a storm. The dog just came in from across the road and the crocodiles are in the slough just behind the fence that is behind the kitchen which is just to my left. (Today we picked up a raw chicken so tomorrow might be feeding day at the slough-what a sight that will be! I hope Mitch doesn’t get too close to them....they’re way too big and horribly mean looking!) As I said at the start of this message...life is different but good.

Our trip to Saladito today (maybe 30 minutes north) was interesting to say the least....beyond just the surfing....there has been a large military presence in the area around Troncones since I arrived and today was no exception. While driving to Saladito this morning we saw the military along the sides of the roads and by the time we were returning this afternoon they had their roadblocks up in full force. We had been waved through other road blocks since my arrival but this time we were stopped and the vehicle was searched quite thoroughly. It took just a few minutes and we were on our way again none the worse for wear. I guess there has been some trouble in the area with a drug lord from up north and a taxi driver from around here and well.....the end of the story is that the military has stepped up their presence to ensure no one is carrying anything they shouldn’t be in their vehicles (weapons or drugs) so it’s really not a bad thing although I must admit I had a few butterflies when we had to get out of the truck and they had their ever present weapons at the ready.

Last night was a fun night at Casa Caprice. Mitch cooked up a big pot of macaroni with meat sauce and several people dropped by (people dropping by is a pretty common occurrence from what I've seen so far). One of them, Limon (pronounced Leemone) is quite a good drummer and Viri is learning so they had the drums out and with the music playing in the background (it is going most of the time as there are outdoor speakers) it was a pretty festive place. Raf and Joanna had bought a big bottle of tequila earlier in the day and so before long...the margaritas were flowing too.

Tonight is much quieter though...it has been a busy day. Viri and I chose not to go with the others to climb a mountain to see a cave (she had work to do and I had had enough sun for one day) but Mitch, Raf and Joanna did the substantial climb and descent just in time before the sun went down so I think everyone is pretty tired tonight. While they went to the cave, Viri got caught up with her bookkeeping job and I went over to Roberto’s (a restaurant across the street and down about ½ a city block). Roberto’s is closed on Miercoles (Wednesday) but as there are no walls...I just made myself at home and sat at one of the tables on the edge of the deck so all there was between me and the waves was a strip of sand and not another soul in sight. There were 3 bins of baby turtles in the middle of the restaurant though so I did spend some time visiting them....I think they might be releasing them to the ocean tomorrow. Perhaps I’ll get to see it. I don’t think there will be any more eggs this year though as from what I understand the turtles come ashore to lay their eggs in July, August and September so by November...they should all be finished. These babies are some that just hatched a few days ago and they keep them safe in buckets for at least a few days before releasing them to the ocean in the hope that they’ll have a better chance at survival.

Well...look at that.....everyone has decided to come to the living room and Mitch is making Margarita’s so I’m signing off for tonight .

Hasta luego amigos.
L
p.s.
Margarita's were excellent, another friend of Mitch's dropped by, Edwardo - called Lala, and we all went back to Dona Rufie's for dinner. Dinner is normally pretty late in this part of the world...there really are no clocks anywhere from what I've seen. Tonight I ordered sopes con pollo and they were delicious!!! I'll order them again. The red sauce (some kind of salsa I guess) was amazing - so good in fact that Mitch talked the owner of the place into giving him some to take home for some shrimp he is going to BBQ for us on Friday when Lynda arrives. I wanted to add this bit in as I think you'll find it interesting that....there were 6 of us for dinner and we each had a beer. The guys all ordered double meals so that really means we ordered 9 meals and 6 beer and the total bill was just under 200 pesos (or about $20 Cdn). With prices like that going out isn't a bad idea at all!!

Now I'm off to bed for real and I can see from the computer that it is just after 12:00 Mexican time so it's no wonder that I'm a little tired...getting up early this morning to go to Saladito was a loooonnnnggg time ago. I can hear the bats going crazy with their squeaking outside the door on my balcony. I don't think they like Mitch's techno music that is still playing tonight.
Buenos noches,
L