I try to live as local as possible, I do shop every 2 weeks or so at the Megga Soriana grocery store which is similar, but still quite different from our supermarkets. In between I pick up, any forgotten necessities at any of the local mom and pop “miscelleneas” for my eggs, fruits, veggies and fish I prefer the large individual stall type mercado. A week or so ago I bought some dried hibiscus (jimica) flowers and boiled them to a concentrate to dilute and sweeten to taste and you have a delicious refreshing drink called jimica. It very healthful like cranberry juice.
At the little Saturday market I bought fresh flower petals, the center parts have been removed, and boiled them into the concentrate. I may have over sweetened it as the sweetener I used said 2-1 tsp which I did, good thing I like thinks sweet.
I am taking Spanish classes again, this is a real luxury for me on my new budget but I enjoy the classes and our new teacher this year keeps class moving and fun. I can read and understand much more than I can verbalize, and mentally composing then speaking is very difficult for me. But I have no fear of going anywhere, I can read all the signage, menus, cooking directions on food products or ingredients. This class they say is the hardest we are learning the
past tense of verbs, everything gets easier after this, supposedly.
I let my landlord know the hot water side of my shower was dripping and he said manana his friend would be by to fix, manana came 4 days later and the plummer spent hours working on it, lots of banging and clanging leaving bring more tools back. Well the
end result was the back wall of the shower will need to be removed to get to the piping and fix the issue. It was going to be two to three days work and my land lord wanted to move me to the hotel across the street while the work was being done. My first thought was wait till I leave in the Spring. I have just gotten all cozy and really comfortable I don’t want to leave. Then I remembered I am going home for 10 days over Christmas and I told him he can have the work done then. This made us both very happy, especially as I know 3-4 days can easily stretch into a week. The only issue is I will have no hot water in my shower until it is fixed. In this warm weather it isn’t really a problem, just a minor inconvenience. Signing off KO
this area 15 years ago before these ruins were unearthed, the fellow told us then that there was a pyramid and they were working to uncover it I really wasn’t sure if he knew what he was talking about, but the locals have known forever. There area few, very few archaeologist still working out there as there is still much to discover, but progress is slow, money is tight and some of it is on private farm land and can’t be touched.
Yesterday I finally made it to the swimming pool, now I am talking about the Zihuatanejo’s Olympic size Alberca de Olympica at the sports complex. I have been swimming there for years, quite frequently I would be one of two or three people in the pool at 8 AM, nice for lap swimming. A few years ago they covered the pool with a Quonset hut type roof and it kept the pool cool as the sun didn’t beat on it, but it was ice cold in the morning. The locker room was a disaster, gang showers that didn’t work, toilets that flushed with a bucket, doors missing and no running water. Few gringos would venture forth, but I am dedicated lap swimmer and you would find me there most mornings at 8. I knew they had remodeled and I hoped it would be nice and and is it ever nice. Stall showers with actual running water, new flush toilets, sink with running water. It is beautiful, they did an amazing job
Next the kids went from station to station to learn different aspects of how to protect the turtles. Nice little program and lots of cute, bright interested kids.
My first Mexican Halloween, I had no idea what to expect. One thing happened that no one expected was RAIN! and bucket loads of it. Since Steve and Brian were playing at Cate’s Legends Bar we thought we would go there and listen to the music and see what was going on. Soon crowds of kids, most with parents following, began arriving with small bags and plastic pumpkins, some just had a bowl. Some shouted Halloween, Halloween, some just smiled but not one trick or treat was uttered. The bar and patrons handed out candy until it was all gone. When I went home a little before 10 some kids were still splashing through the streets looking for anyone who had candy left. The kids were in costumes, most home made and clever, some with purchased masks, most had their face painted or decorated including parents. Frequently the parents were in some sort of costume or at least face paint. I think this will be the Halloween the kids talk about for years, running ankle deep in water from place to place to get their treats. An interesting evening , next year I will be prepared with a bag of candy for treats.
This is my first time I have been in Zihuatanejo for this very special Mexican tradition. Dia del Muerto honors and pays tribute to loved ones who have past. It is not macabre, it is spiritual. The belief is that loved ones spirits are with the families on this night. To honor them and show their respect, alters are constructed with flowers and food and revered items of the loved ones. Yes they miss them, but no longer mourn them They can now happily remember them, tell stories about them and share with the younger generation.
Zihuatanejo 