Guitar fest is an 8 day series of concerts of talented international Guitar players performed under the stars on the beach and in several local restaurants. The proceeds from these concerts go to purchase musical instruments and scholarships for the young aspiring Zihuatanejo artists. A very worthwhile cause. I only attended one of the beach concerts this year but truly enjoyed it. Following the concerts the musicians usually gather together at one of the local bars for a jam session which I always thought might be the best of the best. But midnight is getting to be a little late for me these days.
As I sit on my balcony tonight surveying the street scene in Mexico, which is so much different than at home, I ruminate on the many differences. I don’t mean to imply criticism, just amazement. Everyone rides in the back of pickup trucks, mamas hold their babies and toddlers in their arms in the front seat of vehicles, and car seats are not the norm. Few people wear seat belts. 3-4 people on a motor bike or scooter is normal, few wear helmets. Teenage girls hold hands with their friends and with their mamas. Children play outside until 10 or 11 O’clock at night. Parents walk their children to and from school, all school children wear school uniforms. Not all children go to school. 6 people in a taxi is not too many.
I don’t know what all business is transpired in a bank, but the lines are very long and folks wait patiently. Grocery stores have no concept of “nighttime stockers” it is all done in the daytime blocking aisles to the point you can’t get your cart down the aisle. To stock the top shelves they just climb up the lower shelves. Eggs are not refrigerated in the stores. You can buy just about everything you need here, but maybe not your preferred brand. USA brands are more expensive, so buy local whenever possible.
Life here is different, slower more and more relaxed. Far less rules, regulations and efficiency. But it all adds to the charm, according to me. The senior is frequently frustrated by what he perceives as inefficiency and knows just how to fix it. But this lack of efficiency keeps everyone working here.
At home when I shop I buy many fruits and vegetables frozen or canned. Here I buy everything fresh. Mostly because it is easier. If I were to go to the grocery store, Mega Soriana and buy frozen items they would be un-thawed by the time I got them back to our apartment in a taxi, and canned good are heavy and have to be carried up a flight of stairs. So I go to the “Mercado Publico”, just a couple of blocks away and buy fresh fruit and veggies and now I’m even buying much of our meat and fish there.
The Mercado is a cornucopia of sights and smells. It is the way folks all over the globe have shopped since time began. I find it fascinating, other turn up there nose at it. Signing off KO
of gifts. There are little booths with purses, shoes, lingerie and the more traditional gifts of flowers, sweets and stuffed animals and beautiful wrappings and boxes for the gifts. The restaurants are full that evening, we went out that night with 2 other couples and while enjoying an after dinner we were serenaded by a wandering mariachi band.
little restaurants and Boutique Hotels. This fair is a fund-raiser for the local Bomberos, which translates to: firefighters, EMT personnel and crocodile wranglers when one encroaches into areas where they could become a danger to folks. Twice over the years I have watched the Bomberos, rope, wrangle and tie up a croc then transport him to a preserve. This year they were raising money for a defibrillator, a worthy cause. Food and drink was available, as was a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle. Couple of different
mouth of the bay I had intended to go out just a ways into the ocean, but I think the tide may have been coming in as there were some low rolling waves at that point and I decided it might be too much work. I’m not a novice kayak-er, I have one of my own and have done several Puget Sound trips, but I’m not a strong kayak-er. Hell, I’m not a strong anything anymore. And due to previous experience landing thru the surf I planned to hop off before the waves break and swim or walk the kayak in. But as I approached the shore the surf looked to mild that I went for it. And shouldn’t have! The surf pushed me sideways a position you never want to be in a kayak . As I started to hop off the kayak it, came with me and dumped me in the sand with the kayak on top of me. I could lift it up but could not flip it off me. I lifted up I think 3 times long enough to catch a breath before the next wave came, then some one came and lifted it off and I was finally able to get up and walk in. When I have rented a kayak here before the staff was a little more attentive as to helping you get in. I think in the future just before I come in I might call the Senior to be available for one of my ungraceful landings and render necessary assistance. Also in the future I will get off before the waves and float it in.
the way we sunned, visited made new friends, I discovered folks that are probably related, distantly, but us Driscolls all originated from Ireland. As we anchored off Ixtapa Island Captain Jeff called for the panga from our preferred restaurant to come out to take folks ashore to eat and drink more. We were anchored about 200 meters off shore so another gal and I “jumped ship” and swam a shore ahead of the crowd and got us a great table. A couple of more also swam in but most took the
Zihuatanejo 