I have now lived in Zihuatanejo for a full year. I’m often asked “any regrets” and I can say absolutely none. For me it was the right thing to do. In making this move I have become a minimalist. Not only was it not practical to move a lifetime of acquired stuff to Mexico. But I live in a one bedroom apartment with very little cupboard space and no real storage space. So if it isn’t used daily there is no place for it. And that has become surprisingly freeing. I am still continuing to cull unnecessary items.
The other thing I’m asked is how did you manage the summer heat and humidity? Well, surprisingly well. My apartment is well situated to catch the breeze of the bay which is only a little over a block away. I had installed sun screen pull down shades for my balcony and with the ceiling fans in each the living room, kitchen, and bedroom I didn’t turn on the air-conditioner until the last couple of weeks of the 90+ degree weather and then only for a couple of hours in the late afternoon. The only real issue with the heat was I developed a heat rash and didn’t realize what it was until it became quite uncomfortable. I just thought I was being chewed up by mosquitos. Once I knew what it was and got it under control I was much more comfortable.
Last night the bay and the sky became the same color after sunset
I thought it might be lonely without my large circle of female friends that keep me so busy during the high season, and while I missed them there were still my friends who live here full time to keep company and to go and do things with.
Celebrating Frida Kahlo’s birthday Keralei sings on Thursdays at Casanova’sAlways good food to eatRainy afternoon
I took a major trip, a 3 week African Safari this summer and a shorter 5 day trip to Cancun for my sons wedding. And I will plan on taking a big trip every summer. And yes I travel alone and throughly enjoy it.
King of the jungle enjoying fresh Cape buffaloMy son Brian and his beautiful bride Nancy
A week ago I traveled to Cancun for my youngest son Brian’s wedding. It was my first trip to Cancun and my first experience with an all inclusive resort. I found it interesting, but not the Mexico I know and love. My daughter April and son Shawn also made the trip as did Haeley my granddaughter who is Brian’s daughter. My other daughter Jeanette was unable to attend. So it was a bit of a family get together for me and it was also for the bride as 3 of her 4 daughters were in attendance along with her parents and one of her brothers.
The happy couple
It was raining the afternoon of the wedding but thankfully it cleared up and the kids had their lovely beach wedding. I was happy to officiate it. They had one unexpected guest show up, a baby turtle wandered by just as they were saying their vows. He had escaped from the group that was going to be released that evening. And of course they took that as a sign of good luck.
Uninvited but welcome guest.
It was a fun week with a snorkel cruise in the lovely turquoise water. The captain really didn’t want me to go snorkeling as they drop you off and then you swim with the current back to the boat. He kept saying that it’s an activity that isn’t recommended for people over 65. Everyone told him I would be just fine.
Son Shawn on the boat, daughter April in the background.
My daughter and I took a trip to see the pyramids and Mayan ruins at Chichanitza and then went swimming at a “cenote”. The Yucatán area has many of these large pools of underground water. A true tropical paradise, it was amazing.
April and ISwimming in the cenote
As we were staying at an all inclusive I decided I would bring my list of drinks that
The ultimate favorite, a Sidecar
I had heard or read about and never had tried. Since this was an all inclusive it seamed like the proper time to experiment. Managed to try 7 of the 13 on my list but so enjoyed the side car I kept going back for more.
Me, Brian,April,Shawn 3/4 of my kids
It was a great time, the hotel was fabulous and we really enjoyed it. But I wasn’t too impressed with Cancun. The turquoise water is lovely, but colder than the Pacific. Cancun struck me as Las Vegas without the glitter. Each hotel trying to out do each other in size and shape. There seemed to be very little activity on the street, I guess everyone stays in their own hotel. But then I’m a small town girl, used to lots of street life.
I’ve had a heck of a time trying to post this. My iPad refuses to up load my pictures so this has been written and edited on my phone. Far more difficult. That’s why it has taken me so long to post anything. Signing off KO
August ended giving us a spectacular “blue moon” which of course wasn’t blue at all just the 3rd full moon of the month and also close to earth. A photographers delight.
September is supposed to be a very wet month, but not this year. We are very short on rainfall. We have only a half dozen nights of rain fall and not even all night long rains. It is raining as I write this, one of the few day time rains I have experienced and it definatly cools everything down a few welcome degrees.
Zihuatanejo is all dressed up in her new finery. Town looks great, very festive.
September 16 is Dia de La Independencia. It is celebrated by displaying the National colors of red white an green of the flag, dressing in similar colors and shouting “viva” at midnight. Zihuatanejo has a parade, which I heard but didn’t watch and it it the only month where you can get “chiles in nogada”. I wish I had taken pictures of the dish that was served at the fiesta at La Kalle that night but I guess I was more interested in eating it that photography. It’s a beautiful dish composed of a stuffed poblano Chile smothered in a white walnut sauce sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and chopped walnuts garnished with mint leaves. Lovely presentation. It was a lovely fiesta.
I’m headed to Cancun Friday for my youngest sons wedding. So glad he has found happiness with Nancy. His last couple of years have been tough ones but now he has a sole mate. So a wedding, a bit of a family reunion and 5 days of fun are ahead.
My son Brian and his lovely lady Nancy
I’m a list maker. I have talked about my list of a hundred books that I am working my way through. Well for the Cancun trip I have a new list. I have entitled this list “ Drinks that I have wondered about but didn’t try because I didn’t want to pay for something I might not like”. Or worse having someone else pay and then not drink it. So with this being and all inclusive I thought it the perfect time. Some of these are drinks I have read about, or old standards that have lost fashionability. So here is my list.
DRINKS THAT I HAVE WONDERED ABOUT BUY WAS TOO CHEAP TO TRY
Harvey’s Bristol Cream
Manhattan
Old Fashion
Whiskey Sour
Sidecar
BlackRussian
Pims Cup
Singapore Sling
Dirty Martini
Rob Roy
Chichi
Champagne Cocktail
Dads Counsel
I plan to take notes and will report my opinions. Signing off KO
We visited a local school this morning, a government sponsored public school. There are a total of 11 teachers assigned to this K-7 school, with one teacher out ill and another doing some additional education so only 9 were actually teaching the 670 students that attend. That’s a class load of over 70 students per teacher. There is a real shortage of teachers and my guess there is a real shortage of money to pay them. There are a large number of private schools where the student teacher ratio is much different. The kids were charming, we sang “Row,row,row your boat ‘ to them and then they joined in with us as they already knew the words and then sang it as a round.
At this level their classes are in Swahili with English being one of their subjects. They spoke a little English with us, but you could see it was difficult for them as they are nowhere near fluent. Once they reach what we call high school all classes will be taught solely in English. We taught them how to fold paper air planes and then took them outside to fly their planes. They thought that was fantastic and had a great time. They had a few questions for us and drug us to their desks to sit with them which was quite difficult as they were already sitting 3 to a desk. The children were remarkably well behaved, all in the required uniform, but many of the uniforms were just-about worn out and in need of some serious repair so you know what a hardship it is for some families to even have their kids in public schools. They have a lunch room and grow a garden to help supplement the lunch menu. Also parents are expected to help pitch in with basic supplies, both school and for lunches. The tour company I’m traveling with has a foundation that helps support this school and many others in Africa.
The schoolThe classroomThe kids with their airplanesThe lunchroom which had been built and furnished through the foundationGreat kids
Following the school visit we went shopping at one of the many roadside markets to buy supplies to bring to a local family’s home where we were going to help cook a meal. The men did the prepping and we ended up with a lovely meal of a dish chickpea and hominy, a rice dish and a spinach dish and meat and vegetable dish and polenta.
Vegetable marketMy shopping list and money to payMen doing the prep workChick pea and hominy and rice dishesMeat and vegetable dish
We finished up the day with a stop at a tourist market where they were doing some wood carvings
Wood carver at work.
This will be my last African blog as tomorrow is the last day and then we begin the trek home. Signing off KO
The Masai tribe are located in Kenya and Tanzania. Most are being assimilated into modern Africa but deep in the heart of Masai country there are many clans that have resisted modern ways and are clinging to their ancient traditions. We have learned about the custom of removing a front lower tooth at about the age of ten and of other scaring that brand them as Masai. We have learned about the ceremonies of circumcision at about age 15 for males and female castration at the same age. The ceremony for males continues today but it is now illegal for the female castration, although sorrily it is still quite prevalent.
The Masai are polygamists, in the village we visited the chief has 3 wives and 15 children. The first wife is chosen by the the husbands father and the wife is paid for in cows. Future wives are chosen by the husband.
Lovely beaded neck collarWomen “remudding” their hutArt work on the interior wallsLooking up at the ceding from inside the hut
The women build their mud huts, and yes they still do live in them. They women ‘Remud’ them every two to 3 weeks to keep them in good shape. They do the cooking, the milking and the childcare and the men tend the cattle and goat herds. They wear their traditional dress all the time. Their faces are unlined and they appear happy. They sing while they work. We watched them grind corn , two women with a large heavy wood pestle alternating the pounding while singing a rhythmic song. I gave it a try and had difficulty keeping the rhythm with the heavy pestle. They women do intricate beadwork, and basket weaving. From my view point the women do almost all the work while the men watch over the live stock and provide security for the livestock and the village. They no longer hunt as hunting wild animals is illegal. And folks who are found poaching just seam to disappear and are never seen or heard from again.
We watched the men dance and were amazed at the heights they spring straight up to. The women have a shoulder shaking rhythm they do, not a shimmy but more of a shrug which is quite effective with the large beaded collars they wear.
The men dancing and springing straight upStarting a fire the matchless way
The children are now being educated up to the 7th grade as this chief is progressive. Children who pass exams can go on to secondary school. The school is located about a two hour walk away from the village and walking is the only transportation. I’m glad the children are being educated but I believe that education will also end up being the demise of village life as they know it now. Another fascinating day.
[I came to Africa to experience the wildlife, but two of my most enjoyable experiences have been with the people. A couple of days ago as we were heading out for our game drive our guide noticed drawings on the side of a building and thought it was unusual. So we stopped and she introduced herself to the owner and a few minutes later this very large man came out and welcomed us all to his home and explained the drawings. One was a small cow with brown spots and that represented the cow he had now that produced10 litters of milk a day. The large cow represented a cow that produced 30 liters of milk a day. There were drawings of the trees that he plants to produce the leaves that feed his cow. Then there was the drawing of a house. Literally he had drawn his business plan on the side of original house which was now where he stored the bags of leaves for feed. He told us that he knew an American cattleman about ten kilometers away that would sell him the cow when he was ready. He also told us the original drawing had show a goat where the brown cow was and the brown cow was originally where the black and white cow was and his house drawing was smaller.. I have no doubt that this man will gain the high producing cow, build a larger home for his wife and 3 children and continue to grow and profit as he has a very clear plan of what he wants to accomplish.
This clever entrepreneur drew his business plan on the side of his home to keep himself motivated
He invited us into his home, which was quite comfortable showed us the separate kitchen house; and out house and hand washing station. Our guide gave him a nice donation towards his goals and we thanked him for sharing his story with us.
The business plan What he has now a 10 liter milk cowThe goal is the 30 liter milk cowHand washing station next to the out houseRefrigerator/cooler covered in cow dung so it can breathNo electricity in the area but used solar panels.
We left Arusha heading towards the Simajiro game area when we spotted a small damed lake where several Masai women were collecting water. We drove down to the lake and our guide introduced our group to the women and delivered to them 4 of the 6 water filters that our group had donated enough funds to purchase. Our guide in conversation learned how they know the water gives them many different illnesses, some requiring a doctors care and costs but this murky lake is there only source of water for which they walk 3 kilometers each direction with jerry cans to collect. She then explained how the water filters work along with pictorial directions and give 4 of the women a complete water filter. This will drastically impact the lives of at least 40 members of their tribe as each woman had families of over 10 people. The organization behind these filters will follow up in the village in 3 months and again in 6 months to document health improvements. The women were so grateful and appreciative. The Masai tribes in Tanzania are clinging desperately to all their traditional ways of village life , in dress, education and family life style. They are polygamous, and have very large families. I will have more to say on that subject after we visit a Masai village and learn more. It was a beautiful but humbling experience.
Our guide explaining to the Masai women why we were thereMasai women with their newly acquired water filtersThe lake where everyone drinksExtra help in carrying waterCollecting the waterI thought she was a beautiful woman and she seemed quite happy
I am a novice world traveler and every day I learn more and more on how to manage traveling comfortably. The first thing I have learned is do not worry and stress over things. What every you are worrying about won’t happen instead something else you hadn’t even considered will happen. You can’t control the unexpected so just roll with it and cope the best you can.
My one and only bag went MIA on my trip to Africa. All I had with me was my medicine, makeup, purse cell phone,iPad and my kindle. My bag didn’t arrive until 4 days later. But a gentleman from the tour company volunteered to take me shopping for some essentials until my bag showed up, assuming it would show up.
I asked him to take me to a mall where I was sure I would be able to find all I need. After all Nairobi is a city of 5 million people. But since he was dropping folks off at a museum he decided that a down town shopping area would be just fine. It wasn’t to my way of thinking, but none the less after dozens of small shops and tiny stalls I managed to get a track suit , a pair of sweats, 2 T-shirts ,under pants and 2 sports bras which ended up being way to large for me to the point I was falling out of them. Any way that was my wardrobe for the next 4 days. At firsts it upset me as I don’t like dressing sloppy. But met the tour group and off on the safari we went and none of the animals seem to care how many days I wore the same T-shirt so all was good.
We travel in 8 passenger Land cruisers that have a pop top so you can stand up and take pictures with in the safety of the vehicle. They are four wheel drive vehicles as the trails and roads are really rough. My first time to go off roading! We had a driver and a Masai guide and both knew the landscape like the back of their hand made sure we saw all the animals that call the Masai Mara home with the exception of the leopard and the rhinoceros. They are both quite shy and elusive.”’
Our first 4 days in Kenya there were just 5 of us, now that we are in Tanzania we number 12. The weather has been cooler than I expected but this afternoon turned sunny and warmer. Today was a day learning more about the people and their culture, their problems and solutions. Clean water is a major issue throughout Tanzania and we visited a ceramic filter factory that has created a very unique water filtering jug that will service a family of up to 8 people. It actually remove mud and all other impurities from the water by filtering it through what looks like a clay pot. By mixing the clay with pine sawdust and then fireing at a very high temperature you end up with a layer of charcoal sandwiched between 2 layers of clay. We then visited a workshop that helps albino people. I never knew how ostracized and totally rejected albino people in Africa were and what is being done to re-educate people to not be afraid of them or harm them.
Two of the guys from our group made one of the clay filter potsThis muddy water was filtered to be perfectly clear drinking water. Absolutely amazing
Next we visited a cultural museum and huge gift shop to. Pick up some souvenirs and learn about tanzanite, the rarest gem stone on earth and only found in Tanzania. It’s been a busy day and a busy super fun week.
The big 5 to Totem Pole at the museum
A quick mention about our accommodations, the first 4 days we were at a lovely rustic lodge. My cabin was a stone platform with a a roof and canvas side walls that could be zipped off in hot weather with lots of mesh windows. Very comfortable in a wooded setting. Here in Tanzania it is a beautiful garden setting with cabins nestled privately off little paths complete with a fire place that the staff lit for me last night to warm up the room. I’m really getting spoiled on this trip and enjoying every minute of it.
My cabin in the gardenThe fireplace
Remember to tap the little pictures to make them big. Signing off KO
I leave today for the first leg of my African Safari, which will be to the Seattle area for a quick visit with 3 of my 4 children who live in the surrounding West Sound area and hopefully to see friends also. It will give me an opportunity for some last minute shopping for a couple of items that are not available in Zihuatanejo. On the 23rd of July I fly Seattle to Amsterdam, this is a 10 and a half hour flight and then the much shorter flight from Amsterdam to Nairobi. I have planned to spend 1 full day in Nairobi just adjusting to the time difference and un-jet-lagging before the safari begins.
Packing is quite a process for this trip as you are limited to a combined total for your carryon and checked bags of 44 lbs . My suitcase weighs in at 22 lbs and my back pack a 6.6 lbs so I’ll be ok even though I will be adding a couple of small items when I get to Washington. I have learned to travel light.
Not a lot of music entertainment this time of year but I have been particularly enjoying Thursday nights at Casanova’s to listen to the lovely voice of Kerelei. She does old show tunes, some country, lots of Frank Sinatra era with a beautiful, powerful voice that makes me think she is probably theatre trained. Go for dinner or just a drink and stay for the show 7 ish on Thursday evenings. Also I highly recommend Casanova’s gazpacho, mi favorito and the best in Zihuatanejo.
Rain on shine Kerelei will sing all you favorites and yes she does requests
Zihuatanejo remains warm and wonderful. I love it as it only rains at night and with lovely loud, bright thunderstorms, and lovely sunny days. Temperatures do reach the low 90’s, but cools off quickly to pleasant evenings. With that said yesterday I went to Maderas on Playa La Madera for one last beach day. It was lovely and sunny when I arrived and then the wind picked up and blew in some dark stormy clouds and the rains began. Everyone shifted from their beach umbrella tables to ones under full cover even if a bit leaky and watched the storm blow over with heavy thunder. And lightning you could hear sizzle. 45 minutes later it was all over.
Rain coming in Rain on the street.
A couple of new restaurants have opened up. It has surprised me that they would choose to open during the off season but I’m no expert. Kaizon (and I hope I have spelled it correctly) is located in the old upstair location were El Agave was for many years above the “beadman” on Nicholas Bravo. My friend Judy and I had lunch there and we both agreed it was quite good. I think they will need better signage or they will get overlooked. Then last night I had dinner at El Narvales across from Shimia and Brenda’s bar. I had a marlin taco served “haystack” style that was very tasty. They were out of white wine and offered to go to the store to get it but Brenda brought a glass from her bar across the way and saved them the time and trouble of a store run. Very good dinner. Great cooperation.
But probably the best meal I’ve had all week was breakfast at El Perla Negre, Nellie’s eggs on avocado toast is to die for. And you also get a lovely side salad, which I brought home for my lunch.
Two eggs, each on a large piece of toast covered with avocado slicesGreat side salad
I hope to post pictures and comments on face book while on safari. All I’m bringing is my phone camera so probable no super close ups. Signing off KO
Somehow I seem to be just as busy as ever. Just not quite so much going out. I”m still working my way through my list of “100 books to read before you die”. Most are great reads, some not so much leaving me wondering how they ever got put on the list. And I get distracted by other books that are recommended by friends or other articles I read so I’m not only working on the list and am reading whatever I want. Several books I have read have referred to two of the classics “Great Expectations” and Moby Dick. I did read Great Expectations and through enjoyed it once I got into the rhythm of the old English style of Charles Dickens. So my next book will be to tackle Moby Dick I read in the daytime and watch TV only at night. I do enjoy binge watching Netflix series.
I”m in the process of breaking my last tie with my life in Washington state, selling my much loved little car. I’ve had many cars in my life but only two I have loved. My very first car of my own a red 64 VW and my last car an 08 Smart Car that I ordered on line with a $99 deposit a full year before they were imported to the US. In selling this car also comes the reality that I’m pretty much giving up my driving privileges. At my age it becomes very expensive to rent a car for the occasional visit home to visit family, but certainly not worth storing a vehicle for a year or two at a time And of course here in Zihuatanejo I have no desire to drive. Taxi’s and busses do me just fine. I guess the good thing about it is I’m making the decision about ending my driving days, not my family or the police telling I am no longer allowed to drive.
My lovely little smart car taken before I headed to eastern Washington for some kayaking.
I have finally acquired a housekeeper thanks to the recommendation of two friends. What a difference it makes to have someone really deep clean every two weeks. Every crack and crevice has been cleaned and organized. Now it is so much easier to keep it up with minimal effort. I don’t know why I stalled for so long. I guess I was waiting for just the right person to be recommended to me.
My attempts to capture a couple of the local feline community and deliver them to Spaz to have them neutered has turned out disastrously. The first kitten escaped while I was trying to deliver it to Spaz but fortunately it ran right into their compound where he still is but still too feral for them to capture. But at least it’s safe and getting food and water and slowly getting socialized. The second one made his daring escape just as I had left my apartment with him securely (?). Then his weight shifted as I started down the stairs and it bumped the back of the trap and little Houdini came flying out the back door running and howling. 2 days later he is back on my balcony sleeping afternoons in my garden under the shade of plants. Mean time my little black momma cat comes regularly for meals. Wanders through my apartment like it was her own. Has even spent whole days cooling herself under my bed. But she still won’t let me near enough to her to even pet her. I really want to get her spade but it will have to wait until I can tame her a bit. She is too smart to go in the trap, I’ve tried that wit zero success.
My moma cat I call Pearlie Mae enjoying a meal in my apartmentLittle Houdini who enjoys napping in my garden
Everyone is complaining about the heat, for some reason I’m not bothered by it. Temperatures are in the 90’s and with the humidity factored in they say it feels like the high 90’s and this has been going on for weeks. I’m managing just fine with my 3 ceiling fans, I have yet to turn on the air conditioner. I also don’t go out from noon till about 4 O’clock unless absolutely have to. I’m not walking any distances as I perspire so heavily that I would be drenched by the time I got to where i was going. Siesta’s really make sense in this weather. Did get an hours worth of rain the other night, or I should say morning as it started about 3 AM. It’s the most rain I’ve seen since arriving here in October. Life goes on as usual during this hot summer, just everything is slower.
Some fun things have been going on such as learning of a fun Pozoleria in the La Noria area. Went there with a lively group and soon our waitress had us up and dancing. House parties with friends to see their new home and even have a July 4th event to attend. Enjoying ladies lunch days at restaurants that have pools. Life is still quite social, just at a much slower pace.
A great fun waitress and a good dancer
I’m still going to Spanish class 3 mornings a week. After todays lesson I finally feel I have made progress. I’m pretty much of the opinion I will not be having serious conversations with Spanish speakers, but what I want is to have enough skills to be able to ask the question and under stand the answer. To be able to read signs and labels, follow basic instructions.
My garden is thriving all except for the thankless tomato plants that I have so lovingly cared for. I nursed them from seeds to seedling to starter size plants, transplanted the 5 hardiest ones to a large trough type pot. Watered them faithfully watched them blossom and then watched the blossoms fade with out setting fruit except for one tiny tiny tomato. Then they quit blossoming, and wilted in spite of the fertilizer I added and on going watering. They drooped until I couldn’t stand looking and the dying mass so I cut them down and disposed of them. Thankless plants. I don’t know what I did wrong. I need to read up on growing things in Mexico.
Zihuatanejo 