Author: zihuathyme

Last minute plans last Friday had us heading out to Ixtapa Island or as it is also called Isla Grande. Our friends were getting a ride to the beach at Playa Linda and then the boat from Paraiso Escondio was to pick them up as a mobility issue makes the water taxi an impossibility.  We were to take the bus and then the water taxi and meet them at Paraiso Escondio.  The water was really choppy, the most I had ever seen it and boarding the water taxi was not easy, but since you are stepping down into the boat and with a couple of strong young men to help it’s do able. But getting  off  on the other side  is a whole different thing, you have to step up on the side of the boat, then step up again to the pier steps while the boat is rocking back and forth and up and down. The young men are there to pull you up, but they have no understanding that my knees don’t work quite like normal and for a minute I thought about just bailing out and swimming for the beach. I did manage to get on the pier but was quite sure I was going to fall backwards for a minute. I’ll be interested in what my knee doctor has to say about what more I can do to improve  the range of motion in this  second artificial knee or am I just stuck like this

Has a lovely day, sun in the sky, feet in the sand, drink in the hand good food, good company to visit with and a warm ocean to swim in.  It just doesn’t get much better than that.

The way back was much easier as we rode back to Playa Linda with our friends in the restaurant’s boat, which pulls right up on the sand making it easy to hop in and same thing on the other side just swing your legs over the side and wade on in.

We always like t visit the crocodrillo sanctuary  that also includes many birds, turtles and iguanas. Signing off KO

I had almost forgot about all the little things you see by walking around /zihuatanejo.  Due to my recent knee replacement my doctor said get plenty of rest, no cooking no cleaning, and no walking. So except for the cooking and cleaning I’ve pretty much obeyed doctors orders, But it is now 3 months since the replacement and I should be healed and I am walking again. I walked back from the swimming pool the other day and then walked from el Centro all the way down calle Adelita and once again I am amazed at all the little things you take time to notice when you are walking.  How much you miss if you always take the bus or taxi.

The Senor has difficulties walking these days, between sciatica and neuropathy in one foot he just can’t walk much without needing to stop and rest. So that makes me a solo walker, but that’s OK I can choose my own path and pace and marvel at some of Mexico’s little treasures. On calle Adelita I discovered this beautiful stone wall, the simplicity of it is amazing. It is basically a tall cage about 8 ft or so and about 8-10 feet wide and about a foot deep. It is made of a metal framework in about 1-2 foot squares backed by sturdy woven wire. The inside of this cage is filled with loose stones. No mortar necessary. But it makes a beautiful, and extremely strong and durable wall. 

Just before the bridge to the La Madera side there is this young boy, 10 ish helping his mother at their gift and coconut stand. What caught my eye is this young man is swinging a machete to cut the coconuts while his mother set their wares out on the table. Now I know that it is not that uncommon here, but at home 10 year olds have mothers hovering over them when they use sharp scissors.

You see hammock every where, on balconies, back rooms of shops, babies are rocked in them so moms can work. Even little kittens have hammocks to relax in.  If I ever have another kitten I will make sure it has a hammock. Signing off KO

The Senor likes to fish and he isn’t particular about what kind of fish, he just likes to fish. Fortunately at home we live on a small lake which our community stocks with trout each spring. That keeps him quite happy for a good part of the summer, and we are close to good crabbing areas which he also enjoys.  This is good for me to as I am basically a “fishatarian”, I don’t eat meat. So this is a win win proposition for both of us.

In Zihuatanejo where the fish is so plentiful, I’m  in hog heaven, but is a little costly to go fishing here. But a couple of days ago he found a fishing partner and the plan was to “go for a boat ride” that way if they get skunked their is no disappointment. Well that’s the idea anyway. While Paul and the Senor were fishing Faye and I were going to shop in Ixtapa. The first stop was the Ixtapa Marina for breakfast. This is our second breakfast at  Fishers and we knew exactly what we were going for, this lovely breakfast cocktail called a Pepillin and this fantastic emanada dish of eggs, poblano peppers, cheese all done up in this wonderful sauce. Of course this is complete with a view of millionaires yachts docked at the marina. Lovely way to start the day. We did our shopped at several stores, but the Mic-Mac shop was the favorite we we both found more things we wanted than we had money.

Before we were done with breakfast a call came on my cell phone that the boat ride had turned into a fishing trip after all.

The Senor had landed a rather large Dorado. It ended up the only fish of the trip but the had a great day on the water and I have a freezer full of dorado. Several years prior the Senior had caught a sail fish, and now his dorado,  and what is this word, marlin I keep hearing now.   Signing off KO

Sailfest is a fun week of activities that are planned for the purpose of raising money to benefit the poorest children in Zihuatanejo. But we the visitors to Zihuatanejo benefit greatly while supporting this worthy cause by having a “hell of a good time”. I busied my self with a few shifts of selling t-shirts, raffle tickets and event tickets and sailboat cruises and adventures.

Sailfest begins with a welcome dance that was so hugely attended it filled two waterfront restaurants, while folks danced in the sand to Expressions Inmune, a wonderful local Mexican band that has been supporting Sailfest for several years playing good old rock n roll. While the crowd is primarily grey, this was not a sedated group listening politely to the music. No it was more like  a bunch of grey haired teenagers dancing and bopping  to the music they have loved for so long.

Tuesday night brought us the M-Dock concert, another band who has been coming to Zihuatanejo to promote Sailfest since its inception. Their warm up band was another local Mexican band that was most excellent and got everybody warmed up dancing, and M-Dock kept the dance floor full the whole night. There were plenty of drinks and food available, a good time was had by all, except maybe me as I had severely pulled a leg muscle and was hobbling around on a cane. No dancing for me this year.

Wednesday is a crowd favorite with the chili cook off and silent auction where the food was hot and the bidding hotter. I did manage to score a few dinner certificates . So now the Senor will now have to take me out to eat.

Thursday is rally round the rock, a sailboat race out of the bay and around the rock and return.  I have yet not seen or participated in this event. But I think I want to participate in it next year.

Friday was the Gala Dinner at El Mediterraneo, a lovely restaurant the dinner was quite nice, the company was good, but my personal opinion I’m done going to these big dinners where you have a choice of one of two items. If I’m going to eat out and pay for my meal I want to order off the menu. I”ll find plenty of other ways to support Sailfest.

Saturday was the Sail Parade out around the bay then out to Ixtapa to pay respects to the port captain, then each boat is on its own to do as the group chooses.  We headed to Ixtapa Island, moored out away then most of us jumped in to swim in the salty brine. You just can’t help but float, my feet just bob up to the top.

Monday the volunteers were treated to a party at Gloria’s lovely Las Palmas residence. The weather was fantastic, the food and drink plentiful, the music was good, the pool a pure pleasure, at times it looked like standing room only as everyone walked around with a drink in their hand.

Sailfest is done for this year, I’m sure it was quite profitable, every year seems to outdo the previous. I had a great time and look forward to volunteering, and participating. It’s the least I can do for this lovely community I am lucky enough to live in 4 months of the year.  Signing off KO

Since I lap swim pretty much 5 days a week I though It would be great to kayak on Sundays. Living on a lake and near Puget Sound I have a little background in kayaking and a friend and I earlier kayaked to Las Gattas for the day. Paddling a kayak is the easy part , for me the getting in and out is the difficult part. At home Puget Sound is about 45 degrees, even in the summer.   In Mexico  the water is warm about 82 degrees and a water launch is no problem.  I arrived at La Madera Beach about 9:30, earlier than the kayak people.  But they soon came and I struck my deal of an hour and a half for 200 pesos.

I pushed the kayak into the water and climbed in, not very gracefully, but only wet to my knees.  Timed the waves just right and paddled right over them and I was on my way.  (I’ll admit these were just little breakers)

My plan was to cross over to the clear green water along the path to Las Gattas hope fully to see some under water life. Either the water was too deep, or underwater life not cooperative as I didn’t see anything special there. But that’s OK as it is only the

destination and the trip was marvelous.  Saw only one kayak on the way over and waved to the family of 4 enjoying their outing. Enjoyed the quite on the water, watching birds circle, loving the warm air and the cooling breeze, and singing old camp canoeing songs to myself.  Perfectly wonderful, peaceful way to spend a morning.

I was quite proud of my return beach landing, but I now realize coming clear on to the beach is not the best for me. The kayak is on the beach with me swinging  my legs over one side and a 10 year old “muchacho” holding out his hand to help me stand up.  Little does he know that this is almost an impossibility for me to get from a crouched position to a standing position with less than 2 men and a small boy pulling. While he tried valiantly several times I simply can not get my knees to cooperate. (Now it’s real easy to blame everything on my 2 artificial knees, but I think I need to do some serious working on leg muscles.) Now two ladies of similar age of me recognized the difficulties I was having and came to the rescue and after many more tries with the three of them I finally got to my feet. I think in  future trips I simple need to get off the kayak in waist deep water and walk the kayak to shore.  (That won’t work in Puget Sound, but there I usually kayak with a group or maybe I need a wet suit so I can solo)

After a quick lunch at La Madera I walked up to the mercado to get a few things needed for the next day and quickly returned to our apartment to shower and head out to do my shift at the Sailfest Desk. A common fault of mine is crowding too much into too small of a time period which leaves me rushing.  I did my 4 hour shift, mostly sitting and when I got up I could hardly walk. I had done some serious pulling or stretching of muscles trying  to haul myself up out of that kayak. Hobbled back to the apartment decided that a bottle of wine an some movie watching was it for me. The next morning was worse, no dancing for me tonight at the Sailfest Welcome party. Signing off KO

We have been coming to Mexico for 15 years, 13 of them to Zihuatanejo and just this year the Senior has  discovered bollos, that wonderful mexican bun that just breaks apart down the middle.  You see ladies with their white plastic tables all over town filling these  marvelous buns with all kinds of interesting ingredients for sale. Every day the “bollo man” comes by calling out “boy yee os” as he walks through the streets with a large flat basket on his head. I have mentioned before the Senor is not big on trying new things, especially new foods.  I’m just the opposite I prefer to order something on a menu that I have never had or heard of before, where the Senor sticks to hamburgers and steaks and then remarks that the steaks here just aren’t as good as at home.  Which is true for the most part. But I digress from the subject at hand.

The Senor first discovered bollos at Christmas Dinner friends had prepared. He then discovered he could purchase them  in a bakery around the corner and brought back a bag of them still warm from the oven only to discover they don’t stay fresh for days on end.  This is not Wonderbread!  It is a pure product, not chocked full of preservatives and unpronounceable chemicals. And there is no need to buy a bag of them as you can buy them fresh, everyday and just buy exactly what you need for that day as the Bollo Man will be back again in the morning singing his call. For a mere 5 pesos ( 25 cents) you get a fresh, warm bollo hand delivered to your door. What’s not to love about Mexico! Signing off  KO