On my early morning walk to feed my flock of chickens I passed by the school and watched as Moms and Dads walk their children to school, holding hands with children in crisp white uniforms, some arrived in taxi’s with their children, the families all waited in front of the school until it was time for class to begin when the children went in and the parents went home, or to jobs or whatever their day involved. It appeared there was food vendors there for a last-minute breakfast or maybe to buy lunches. Families are very important here. I believe this school to be a very good one. Not all are like that as a couple of years ago I had an opportunity to visit one of the schools that “Sailfest” has raised funds for. It was way up in the hills, one building was very substantial cinder block type building that SailFest funds had helped to build, the other 2 shacks or sheds more fit for livestock than children. But there were the happy faces of children learning, no crisp uniforms here, but moms were there to help with the lunch program.
Yesterday was very busy as it was laundry day. Now at home the Senor does our laundry, and bless his heart he volunteered to keep on doing it here. Except at home Saturday is laundry day and here it is Monday probably because we packed enough clothes for a week and we arrived on a Monday. So he loaded it all into the rolling cart , rolled it through the bumpy streets of Zihuatanejo it to the “launderia” and promised faithfully to return and pick it up at 5PM. On the return trip he had to pass by the Flophouse Bar, and of course stop to visit with our neighbors who were there to hear the blues. Laundry is a tough job, but someone has to do it.
We visited several shops for the Senor to purchase a pair of shorts and a shirt. We have learned the fabrics they have here are much cooler, and pack easier than the jean shorts he wears at home and loose shirts are cooler than T-shirts. They also come back from the laundria ready to wear, no ironing necessary. Also part of that is the casual attitude that we have learned to embrace here, nothing needs to be spit shinned, perfect creases that were so much a part of his uniformed life for 20 many years aren’t required here. Life is good!
The little shops or “tiendas” that we visited don’t carry an extensive inventory and it wasn’t possible to get both shirt and shorts in one store but now both the Senor and I equipped with a full week of a Mexican wash and wear wardrobe. beginning to feel like a local.
We dined at Daniels as the Senor was wanting steak and they have it for an excellent price. As luck would have it they were busy but our Canadian neighbors were there and graciously let us join them. Not being meat eater I went for the “fish in broth”. I really like trying new things and I was impressed. In my bowl of broth, that was very tasty, there was a whole red snapper cut in two pieces. Really a great meal except for the thing I thought might be a carrot, it was a pepper, hot, not to my liking at all. But then if you don’t try, you don’t know.
We ended the evening with a couple of shots of tequila at what I refer to as “the gathering” in front of Javiers liquor store/scooter rental and then on upstairs to call it a day. Just another great interesting day in Zihuatanejo. Signing off KO
PS I think I’ve mastered locating pictures, it’s only taken me 2 weeks!
Zihuathyme 