Author: zihuathyme

I'm a traveler, not as frequently as I would like , but I plan on doing more. After working full time at Mount Rainier National Park during the summer of 22 I have decided to retire completely and forever. Prior to that I was semi retired as a Wedding Officiant I officiated at about 20 weddings a season, and with my small delivery service I handled the distribution of a local high-quality Home and Garden magazine . Prior to my "semi retirement" I was in corrections and before that I owned and operated a bail bond agency. I now plan to travel to new places and exciting places, getting ready to do that as a solo as the Senior is no longer with me, his choice, and I am OK with that. For hobbies I'm a reader and love my kindle. And I enjoy writing.

ANOTHER GREAT ZIHUATANEJO DAY

A quick trip to El Mercado on my return trip from the pool has now convinced The Senor on the wisdom of Mercado shopping. The bulk of our supplies we get at the comercial, but he always wants to get eggs and some produce while we are there. The produce is never as good and the eggs are more expensive. This morning I got a flat of 15 eggs for almost 1/2 of what he paid at commercial for a dozen. I think I have him convinced.

Our cleaning lady showed up a day early this week, we usually do a beach day when she comes but this through our schedule into a tizzy and we at last decided we go visit La Bodega as we haven’t been there yet this year. Surprisingly enough the Senor suggested we walk there. It’s so good to get him out of the room and moving around a bit. La Bodega is basically on the back side of the pool complex so at least we knew the way. We did a little shopping, had just two bags so we took the bus back. We are reallylearning to live and travel the Mexican way.

Lights of Zihuatanejo in the background.

In the evening it was the “Chic Party” held on the enormous patio of this lovely home high up the hill next to Amueleto where the view is to die for. Especially the sunset. This is pretty much an open invitation party where all “interesting” ladies are welcomed. I’d guess the crowd at maybe 150. There were some local crafts people displaying their wares. I bought 2 pair of one of a kind type shoulder duster earnings that I thought would be fun to wear. Ladies from Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo and all parts of Canada and the US were there, giving everyone a chance to greet old friends and make new . A very pleasant day.

My dear friend Cathie ,who first introduced us to Mexico, suggested I might date my postings. I think that’s a great and helpful suggestion as some times I’m writing about yesterday or even two days ago or both. So when I sign off I’ll let you know what day I rambling about. 1/22/15 Signing off KO

M DOCK AND SAILFEST

M Dock at the concert last night was fantastic. These are real showmen who can handle any emergency like multiple power fuse blow outs and still keep the show going. And what a show it was. A terrific band and a great boost to the Zihuatanejo community.

We arrived way to early at the venue ( my fault), and that should have been the clue to go eat dinner elsewhere and return later for the show. But that didn’t happen. In efficiency upsets the Senor’s military mind. We spent the first hour with him explaining how things should go, with me saying this is Mexico, this is Mexico. I roll with the punches a little better than he does, most times.

No se la digas a nadie formerly El Pueblo to is a beautiful venue for concerts

The menu was extremely limited ( and I will remember that for future events there) all items were meat, no fish or vegetarian. The Senor ordered a hamburger and I went down to street and bought some cheese for my dinner and was happy. Getting our first

The Senor and I enjoying the evening. Photo cour test of Patty a great photoGrapher as this is about our best picture

drink as slow, but they were barely open. Later proved to be a real game of patience, waiting in a long line while one bartender prepared drinks.

This was a first time for these folks, so I will cut them some slack. But they lost the opportunity to make a real bundle off the generous gringos to-night by being under staffed.

Tuesday was my first shift selling T-shirts for Sailfest , thanks to my experienced and charming partner it was a fun experience

. Although in the future I think I would prefer a committee that doesn’t deal in cash.

Money makes me nervous. Signing off. KO

EGGS AND OTHER ISSUES

I’m getting in to a new morning routine of walking out to the pool, swimming for 30 minute then taking the bus back works for me. I’m always amused by the differences that make Mexico so charming. On my walk to the pool I noticed an attractive building that was an architect and construction company, the appearance would lend credabilitycredibility to the company. But as you look higher up the building to the second story, the attractiveness ends. The paint job only

went up half way. The residents up stairs I guess are responsible for their exterior area. My gringo attitude says the architect is

WeI going a dozen eggs — Weighing a dozen eggs

cheap and would cut corners.

I marvel at how eggs are sold by weight and packaged in plastic bags. But if the Senor goes out for eggs he takes a carton with him. I do marvel at the facts that eggs aren’t refrigerated here. That’s because they don’t pasteurized the eggs thereby ruining their natural protection. Lime is added to many things including mayonnaise, especially since there is no refrigerator in many homes.

Speaking of eggs we have planters at each end of our balcony . Both had an egg in them when we arrived. In one a pidgin has been nesting on this old egg on añd off. In the last couple of days she has added quite a bit of new nesting material so maybe she is ready to lay a fresh egg. I wish her sucess. Signing off KO

PLAYA LAS GATAS, A COLD, AND A SUNBURN

Maids day and beach day are often synonymous, we take off early and return to spic and span quarters. Playa Las Gates is our preferred beach for swimming and general relaxing. It’s never to hot, a bit of a breeze and our friendly waiter at Gloria del Mar. before we left a put on the crock pot to make a chicken stew so we would have dinner when we returned. Had a great lunch shrimp and fish shiskabob, swam just a little and then I made the mistake of thinking i could sit in the sun for 20 minutes to let my suit dry out a bit before going home. Bad mistake, the water must have washed all the #50 sunblock off me and I’m burnt to a crisp. And my cold is getting worse, by the time we sit down for dinner I have laryngitis so bad my voice is cracking. Of course with his bad hearing to begin with the Senor is up able to understand anything I say. Which at this point is probably a good thing, I don’t feel good— leave me alone! This has spoiled my plans of going out and listening to music tonight. Fortunately I have a real good Barbara King solver book in the works, read through most of the night, slept enough to feel a hundred times better this morning. But I know in the next couple of days I’ll be itching and peeling like a snake shedding its skin.

Little guy getting his picture taken with Iguana

Still is was a good day at La playa, I’ve always enjoyed the “stores” coming to you while you enjoy your drink and curling your toes in the sand.

I have so much of Juanita’s jewelry I had to pass, but I bought a lacy cover up to go over a stripped dress I have.

People watching is half the fun, this man was getting money from people who wanted their picture taken with his iguana. I keep thinking the marching band should get cooler uniforms as in lighter weight, it’s just tough enough carrying the heavy instruments. Signing off KO

Tuesday in Troncones and more.

I have found THE swimming pool

, Zihuatanejo’s Alberca Olimpia an olympic size, comfortable water temperature, clean and it opens at 7:00AM. It took me 20-25 minutes to walk there this morning. Paid my 20 pesos, I was almost alone in the pool , just one other person. Swam for 30 minutes and caught the first bus back to El Centro. Next on my agenda was the first Sailfest Volunteer meeting. We love Sailfest and since I’m going to be here for 3 months I figure I can spare a few days for the cause. I signed up to sell T-shirts. This should be interesting, me making change in foreign currency! I signed up for 2 shifts, I’m sure I’ll do more unless I screw up and they throw me out. The Senor is concerned I’ll over commit. It’s nice that he is concerned!! Back to the casa to pack for another over night to The Inn at Manzanilo Bay in Troncones for a dinner concert featuring Kim Marcoux

Al Alto on guitar, with songstress Kim Marcoux

songstress with Alan Alto guitarist. Alan is from our neck of the woods and we are loyal fans. It was a wonderful dinner show, we had a great time. Swam in the pool there, had great meals and this time we stayed in one of 2 upstairs rooms. This room was as lovely as any hotel room we have ever had. Completely private, a large outdoor sitting area and a nice size bedroom with a lovely bath. And no iguana this time. The Senor prefers this to the ambiance of a tropical thatched roof bungalow. I just don’t get it. El Senor is no romatico. I went for a walk on the beach the next morning and not only did I see the largest house I’ve ever scene just next door

, but since Mexican kids don’t have snow they have to resort to making rock men and rock families.

A little further down I noticed bicycle tracks in the sand and right beside the bicycle tracks were this other set. Looks like someone was out exercising their bird! We traveled to and from Troncones on the bus. It’s an easy trip but an adventure none the less. and far more economical than a cab and easy enough to do. We now travel like the locals.

These tracks made me think someone was exercising their bird?

A trip to the Commercial, drinks at the Flophouse with Dwight and Lynn and we are ready to fix some dinner and call it a day. I’ve been in computer hell the last couple of days , with a big computer a net book a tablet and a phone and all I’ve been able to do is totally confuse me. Signing off KO

SALSA AND MORE

While the Senor was footballing again on Sunday, my agenda was to go to El Pirata on La Ropa to listen to the music and watch the salsa dancing. As luck would have it my balcony neighbors were

just leaving for La Ropa so we caught a cab together and headed for the beach. We found El Pirata no trouble, found shady spot to sit and enjoy the

afternoon and watch the dancing. It appears to be the “in” spot for a Sunday afternoon as just about everyone we know was there. Including the handsome cheese vendor from El Mercado. Who knew he dancer! A few drinks, some nachos and guacamole, a lovely sunset and another lovely day has come to an end. We took the bus back, and in the future I would take the bus the bus both ways.

Donna and the handsome cheese vendor Bernardo

Easy enough to do and cheap, 7.5 pesos.

This morning I set out to locate the municipal pool, I had information that it was olympic size and very nice. I used google earth to locate the pool and the streets that I need to walk to get there. I got to the sports park that it is located in, but still didn’t see the pool, a couple of quick questions and the parking lot attendant sent me toward it on the opposite side of the park, as a gentleman passed me I asked if I was going the right way to the pool. He understood my spanish but as luck would have it he spoke a little more english that I do spanish. And as always the mexican people are so willing to help he walked with me to the office/reception area and I checked with the lady as to the time it opens and making sure it was open to the public, and the cost 20 pesos, less than $1.40. I thanked my new friend Deno for all his help and said I would return manana. I checked my phone and it was 1.60 miles, an easy walk in the cool of the morning. (Yes there is an app for that). I can either walk back or take any “El Centro bus” . I’m not sure what bus I would take to get there, and I don’t mind the walk and maybe I’ll learn the bus system yet. At home when I was working, that was one of my great skills, teaching the inmates how to maneuver the county by bus. Kind of excited to be swimming again in nice clean pool. After swimming in the open ocean at Troncones which is clear and clean, I really didn’t want to go back to swimming at La Madera where my suit smells fishy after swimming. Signing off KO

SHARKFEST at TRONCONES ONE MORE TIME

We took the bus out to Troncones drop off point, and then began to walk to the taxi stand which isn’t far. A nice young couple in a mini van with 3 kids stopped and offered to take us part way in, we were in the process of accepting their hospitality when the “combi” pull up behind them. We thanked them for the offer, but would have greatly over crowded their rig and we took the combi to the Inn At Manzanillo Bay.

Bungalow #8 poolside with the ocean a few steps away ocean

Our room was a charming bungalow with an ocean front view and a hammock from which to enjoy it and the sunset on our patio. It also came equipped with a 10-12 inch iguana, who had established territory in the wall pocket where the door slides. I asked if we got charged extra for the

iguana and was told it came free of charge. The windows are all wood louvers including the sliding pocket doors where you are cooled by an overhead fan and a nice sea breeze. So cool that the Senor got up in the middle of the night and turned off the overhead fan. Before dinner we went for a swim in the pool, then changed for dinner. The Senor enjoyed a sirloin burger, while I had quesadillas of cheese shrimp and mushrooms. We retired to our patio and had drinks before calling the lovely romantic (that translates to no TV) evening quits. It appeared that the iguana retired else where for which I was thankful. In the morning I convinced the kitchen staff to give me a little yogurt to mix with my protein stuff and we were ready for the short walk to Hacienda Eden to sign in for Sharkfest.

This is my second “Sharkfest “swim at Troncones . It is a 1.1 mile fun swim, not a race but still a competitive event. It is not for novices, but for folks who swim a mile in a pool in 50 minutes or less. I just barely make it as I average a 46 minute mile. At 70 and 11/12ths, I’m the oldest swimmer, the youngest was 21. My goal is simple, to complete and not come in last. I was successful coming in about in the middle, unofficially number 10 of 17 swimmers.

We start in Majahua and swim out around the point ending at Hacienda Eden. Many paddle boarders help mark the course and keep people like me from swimming out to sea.

One paddle boarder’s dog rides with him. As this was my second swim it was easier in respect I knew what to expect, but I think there were more swells this year keeping it interesting. It’s a fun event!

As we walked back to the Inn at Manzanillo we noticed the sign posted on one of the residences requesting the fruit vendor to stop. It’s like

businesses at home putting out the UPS sign when they need a pick up. Near the entrance to the Inn was this huge boulder encased by the tree’s roots. The tree was tall and the roots thick and most likely quite old. So how did this happen? Did the tree grow on top of the boulder and an earthquake push the boulder up, or did the tree grow in dirt and the boulder got push up into the roots, or did rain and erosion finally wear the dirt away or was it unearthed in bulldozer construction.

Some things you just have to ponder . I’m the pale one in pink with fins in the group picture.

LOST A DAY

On the afternoon of the 6th, Tree Kings Day here in Mexico, I set out to buy some trim at the fabric store and instead discovered that for 5 blocks and maybe more a whole new bazar of temporary shops had been set up. Tarps had been hung street-side and on the side-walk between the tarps and the shops are a myriad little booths of toys, clothing , mandarin oranges, and Rosca Cakes all for Three Kings Day.

Between the tarp and the shops a whole new bazaar sprung up on the side-walks

Evidently they started on the 5th and I guess will be gone on the 7th and disappears like a circus leaving town. Evidently the Mexicans don’t believe in shopping early, and this looked like a bit of a shopping frenzy to me. The Rosca Cakes are a wreath type pastry cake within it is a small baby Jesus figurine. I’m told that whom ever receives the piece with the baby Jesus in it is to host the same guests to a fiesta on February 2nd, Candlemas Day, the 2nd of February. I’ve also been told that it’s tamales that are to be fixed for the fiesta on Candlemas Day. Later that evening our

balcony neighbors brought us a slice of the Rosca cake and I got a lamb in my piece , Lynn got a shepard in hers. I didn’t realize there were many little figurines in the cake. The cake was a little on the dry side, but should be great with strawberries or ice cream on it.

Since I didn’t find any suitable trim to make straps for my new pant/jumpsuit I decided the sewing ladies would be able to put straps on it for me. They are so sweet and agreeable, I will pick it up from them this afternoon. It was a good decision because I was wanting black straps but out in good light I discover I really need navy blue straps. That was the whole extent of my yesterday as I really wasn’t feeling up to par and found it necessary to keep close to home and slept or read most of the day.

Work up this morning feeling like my old self, scratch that, my normal self again. After my morning swim my street dogs found me, they were in luck, I had bones left over from our ham hock soup last night. As I walked by the Plaza, a pick up game of soccer was happening at the basketball court. Just another Zihuatanejo day.

The rest of the day will be spent with an excursion to the Comercial. Signing off KO

STREET DOGS, ROOF CATS, AND OTHER CURIOSITIES

Hard working lady cleaning the La Madera path and beach

Zihuatanejo is much quieter now that the Mexican tourists have returned to their homes. The morning path to La Madera is no longer crowded with the health seeking runners, soon to be replaced by different tourists as more and more American and Canadian visitors arrive fleeing from the cold climes. I often have the feeling that here in Zihuatanejo if you are willing to work, there is work to be found. I marvel at how hard the lady who cleans the path to La Madera works, it’s not a glamour job, but it’s honest work and one whose labors we reap the benefits of. I’m amazed at the piles of sand she sweeps off the path, and the wheel barrows of litter she removes each day. Same with the daily street sweepers who appear early each morning and clean up the careless, thoughtlessness of others. Definitely unsung heroes!

My gentle little street dog was not at the bridge to meet me this morning, I don’t think I’ll tell her that I gave her breakfast to a friendly street cat. Actually “Luna” is not a true street dog as she does have an owner and a home, but I doubt she is being fed a High protein

Street cat enjoying the Senors left-over chicken

Science diet formulated for lactating mothers. She belong to the coco man who owns the chickens I feed. There are many street dogs here vying for scraps from the garbage sacks or the kindness of strangers. There are many of the yellow “anywhere” dogs of which Luna is one. There are many of very questionable parentage that have produced some very odd-looking dogs. The one common trait they all seem to share is a gentle nature.

Cats tend to be roof cats, traveling blocks without touching ground. But also found along the fisherman’s walk, and the occasional shop cat. We have planters anchoring each end of our balcony which tends to attract the roof cat population cats for their nature calls. We know as we see kitty tracks across the balcony, and occasionally , in the wee hours of the morning we have even heard their loud discussions. Just before day light last week I heard a cat on the tile overhang just below us, my flashlight has a laser light on it and I couldn’t resist a game of laser tag . But the laser scared the hell out of this cat. She ran as I chased her with the light. She didn’t understand what a fun game it can be.

There is a curious library kiosk in the artist park, it looks quite similar to the one just erected on the campus of the college I attended, with the main difference being this one is locked up tight and the one at home is open for anyone to take or leave a book. Maybe it is used by the school once the children return to school?

Today is 3 Kings Day, I’m not sure if it is a true holiday or a day of celebration, I don’t know if the children wake up to their gifts or if it happens later tonight. But I’m curious to find out. Signing off KO

MAS FIREWORKS

The fireworks display last night was the best fireworks display I have ever seen and it came as quite a surprise. The Senor had gone to bed early the results of a hard day watching football with his cronies. I was on the balcony watching a movie with my earphones so as not to disturb anyone, when the fire works started with what appeared some smaller one down at the plaza where the usual Sunday event was going on. Then the fireworks began in earnest! Huge bursts one right after another, actually on top of each other. The sky rained beautiful colorful starburst and kept going on. A far better display than my town does for July 4th. Thank you Zihuatanejo. At the end of the show the people started leaving the plaza and our street became wall to wall people, I have no idea how many people attended, but it looked like the whole town plus all the tourists.

Yesterday when I went to swim by boat was gone, the”La Raya ” had left and only the mooring buoy was there. Not a great land mark to swim to as there are small swells and some times bigger swells and then I can’t see it and I’m a bit direction-ally challenged anyway. It’s just a lot more stopping seeing where you are, and changing course. I will admit lap swimming in a pool is much easier, but I’m ready for the “Sharkfest ” swim in Troncones Saturday the tenth.

I have learned that the children here get toys on “3 Kings Day”. La Playa bar, where the Senor enjoys his football games, is doing a toy drive. The Senor and I will pick up some toys today to add to the collection. My understanding is that the toys will then go to the bomberos for distribution. Last night I met a lady who is going to help distribute the toys and am hoping I can meet up with her afterwards to learn more about it. For the last several years we have brought a dozen or so boxes of colored pencils and sharpeners to be distributed to children in the poorer schools. And of course we are big participants in the “Sailfest” activities when it rolls around in February. We feel like we are enough of the community to want to participate when we can.

Had to laugh as I walked by the museum the other morning, which has iron bars on every door and window, none the less they also have a security guard on duty. Having worked many grave yard shifts when I was working in corrections, I could sympathize with him how difficult it is to stay alert when absolutely nothing is happening. I would just suggest a less public place to rest. Signing off KO

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

balcony neighbors brought us a slice of the Rosca cake and I got a lamb in my piece , Lynn got a shepard in hers. I didn’t realize there were many little figurines in the cake. The cake was a little on the dry side, but should be great with strawberries or ice cream on it.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: