Zihuatanejo

A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That

I was up a little earlier than usual, it was one of those mornings that was so still, nothing was moving. Then from the hillsides of Zihuatanejo I could hear the roosters crowing, which in turn woke the dogs and started them barking, which in turn work up the people, and then came the glorious orangy, pinky, purple sunrise and the people of Zihuatanejo prepare for another day.

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I love the sunrises and sunsets here. As of yet I don’t think I’ve quite caught either at their most magnificent orangy pink. But I keep trying. The foreground from our apartment isn’t the best, but I’m just after the colors.

One of the things I like about walking everywhere is the little things you see. As I pass it every day on the way to the pool,

I’ve been watching this Guanabanana tree that is growing up out of the dirt beside a light pole along one of the busiest main drags here. It is producing fruit like crazy, and some one is harvesting it, I just don’t know when it is ripe an ready for picking or I would be picking it.

My big excitement was finding the pool has now strung the ropes length wise. Ever since I’ve been using the pool it has been roped cross wise which I have never seen anywhere else. But now you can swim long course which are 50 meter laps It is so pleasant to turn up my music and zone out and swim.

I need to pick up eggs at the mercado.I used to buy a dozen at a time and he would pick them out ,weigh them and put them loose in a plastic sack,now I buy quince (15) and they come in a half flat, easier for him and me. The avocados here are to die for, always perfect. I have my fruit man pick them out for me. I ask “un por hoy, un por mannana” so I have one for today and one for tomorrow. I bought a package of cut up veggies, everything from cauliflower to diced squash. It’s probably scraps from stuff they were needing to discard. When I took off the plastic wrap it mushroomed up and out and I ended up with 3 baggies of cut up veggies. Cooked up one as a stir fry and it was really good, one I’m saving for chicken in a pot tomorrow and one I gave to the neighbors. Signing off KO

Two Parties, One Night

I finally made it to Rossy’s for the sunset show.

Steve and Frendz were featuring Kim Marcoux last night. Having seen her last year with Al Alto, I knew I didn’t want to miss this show, but I had made previous plans to be at Jimmy Mamou’s birthday party at the Baracruda. Not being one to want to miss out on anything I managed to do both because one was a before dark event and the other an after dark party.

The Senor and I rarely go out to La Ropa, it’s more difficult for us to get to. Either a bus ride or a taxi to to get there. Where here in El Centro we can walk everywhere. But right now walking is very difficult for the Senor, he is experiencing sciatica again and this time quite severely. So he is rarely going anywhere.

Steve and Friendz were in fine form, inspiring many dancers.

Their music makes us feel young, brings backs memories of our previous lives.I wish I could have stayed to the end of the show. I do like the time frame of the sunset show, and Rossy’s is a beautiful location as long as you are

under a palapa for shade and catching the cool breeze off the bay.

As always Jimmi Mamou is always high energy, fun music also

of an era most of us remember well. He had everyone up and dancing with or with out partners. The event was videoed so we all have that to look forward to. Well, maybe. Signing off KO

I’ve Been Busy

My friend Bonnie and I went snorkeling at Ixtapa Island on Wednesday morning, got a nice early start meeting her at the bus stop at 9:00. We checked in with the folks at Paradisio Escondido, staked out a claim on a table and a couple of lounge chairs for later and walked over the hill to the Coral Beach, the better snorkeling area.

Saw beautiful fish! I saw a small school of what I will call ghost fish. They were so white and so thin, almost transparent yet large in size. I almost didn’t see them util I was in the midst of

them. Bonnies saw what she called a trumpet fish, along slender fish with a trumpet shaped face. A little sangria, a wonderful breaded fish fillet we shared, a little swimming, sunning and reading and we headed back to town.

Thursday way our big night on the town. Dinner was at Don Nemos and because it was quite full we sat upstairs in the “Campanile” or bell tower. I really like the fish fillets there, it’s probably one of my most favorite places to eat. The Senor had lasagne. It always amuses me that the Senor comes to Mexico to eat Italian food. From there we had night caps at The flophouse, another favorite place. We had a second night cap at a new place a few doors down called Fireball. The Senor and the other gentlemen in our building have made a reservations there for the Super Bowl as it has full wall projection TV.

Friday I had some shopping to do at the Comercial and this was the first time I had ever seen eggs other than chicken eggs in a store. I really wanted to buy a carton, but I know the Senors eating habits and quail eggs isn’t on the list.

Friday afternoon I was back selling T-shirts for Sailfest and hawking concert tickets. I am looking forward to Sailfest starting Sunday, a whole week of interesting events. Most are things I can do and enjoy even if the Senor dosen’t feel up to them.

At the last minute I discovered that Friday night was the Bomberos Street Fair on Calle Adelita, so after selling T-shirts I hurried back to the apartment, quickly fixed our dinners so I could go the the street fair. They have had them the last couple of years to raise funds for more and better equipment for the firefighters, but for one reason or another I’ve never managed to attend. I knew the Senor would not want to go, to far for him to walk with his siatica acting upwalk and no guarenteen of a place to sit. Well I was impressed! This event is huge. I wish I had arrived much earlier and could have found a place to sit with friends, but every table and chair was taken. The young Mexican band, Expression Inmune, that we have followed since they used to practice in the street under our balcony was the band and a dance contest was in progress. I was so impressed of the stamina of a couple of older gentlemen who managed to keep up with their very cute, very young dance partners. Maybe that is just self explanatory in its self. Anyway it was a great fun event , next year I want to go with some friends, get there when it starts, and really enjoy it. Signing off KO

She Flew the Coop

My balcony pigeon has flown away with out so much as thank you for the food and company. She has been sitting on a nesting spot she made in our planter box since we arrived mid December. There never were any eggs. She was there last year too. She had grown quite comfortable with me talking with her in the mornings and evenings, seemed to appreciate the crackers I left for her. The Senor thinks it is strange that I would talk to her in full sentences and ask her questions, but she was kind of like a substitute pet while we are away from home.

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Not only is the pool full up with water but it is also circulating, my only ~~complaint~~ comment now is the roof they put over the pool keeps the sun out and the water cold. I’m happy. The locker room at the pool leaves everything to be desired, doors are falling off and missing on the toilet stalls, but the Mexican people are resourceful and they have re-purposed a couple of them to use as white boards at the pool.

Now about the “animal farm” I’ve been speculating on. Things have changed, much of the lot has been cleared of debris and it had been raked into a pile. The brush has been stacked sort of in front of a fenced area that has a trap or blanket draped on the fence and lo and behold behind this

fence I was able to catch a glimpse of a goat, a kid and a turkey. It appears they are all well, but now behind this enclosure where I can no longer watch them. I will miss my daily observations of them, but I’m sure someone official told them to get their act together. Mystery somewhat solved. Signing off KO

Scenes Along the Way

I’ve been fascinated by the happenings at this abandoned building and large vacant, fenced off lot that I pass by each morning on Jose Morales on the way to the pool. The building looks like it could have once been a car dealers show room, now missing all it glass, with a large adjoining lot that is covered with years of accumulated plastic

bottles,paper and other trash. When I first noticed it there were about 6 turkeys, and equal number of chickens, 1 rooster, 2 goats and a yellow dog roaming the yard area. There were a couple of old cars and newer small PU truck. A hammock was strung under the shelter of the building. That from time to time was occupied by an older man or a young man with a toddler. A couple of kid toys were strewn around. At the back end of the building which is L shaped I would sometimes see a younger woman who frequently seemed to be cooking over a fire in some sort of container.

Over the period of six weeks I watched the number of turkeys decline to 4, I thought the holiday season might account for that.

Then a couple of weeks ago a new goat arrived with 2 cute little kids, Next day the 2 original goats are gone. So are all the turkeys and could only see 1 or two chickens. The next day only one goat was there and tied to a tree branch and tangled up it the rope, not dangerously just couldn’t move much. The little kids are all gone. On my return trip the goat that was tied was gone. For that I am thankful, she was very unhappy.

Once I saw a police person call the old gentleman over to talk with him, don’t know the language so I couldn’t ease drop. Today on my way to the pool there were no goats, no kids, just the yellow dog and the old gentlemen and all the usual vehicles. On my return, at a small flat roofed shed sort of in the middle of the lot, the old gentleman and the young woman had about 4 small puppies that didn’t look like litter mates. The next thing I knew she grabbed puppies, two at a time, and tossed them up on the roof of the shed. Fortunately they all landed safely, but ran around yapping. All I could think of was “is this roof dog training” and with that a red newer car pulled up and parked on the sidewalk. Two men wearing red uniform T-shirts with emblems matching the logo on the back windshield pulled up and one went in to talk with them, the other stayed at the car. Couldn’t read the writing on the logo.

I am so intrigued as to what is going on there. I’ve imagined a million scenarios. My real take has been they were homeless and camping out and raising the turkeys for either food or for sale. But with the recent and so frequent changes in the farm stock I really don’t know. Can hardly wait for tomorrow and see what is there. Signing off KO

La Playa, Street Market and Sailfest

Friday morning arrived and we decided, it’s beach time! We headed out to Playa Las Gatas with our friends Will and Sylvia even though the day was overcast. None of us were worried about “working on our tans”, just wanted a relaxing day, eating, drinking and people watching and enjoying the friendship.

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Our favorites pot is Gloria Del Mar, the tide was way up so the Senor and I hit the water right away as it is easier to get in to swim. The Senor likes to bob in the water and I went out for a swim. A few drinks, some good seafood and suddenly the day is gone. We always come back from the beach tired and worn out, like we had really done something. Somehow a day in the sun does that to you even when it is hid behind the clouds. It’s a good kind of tired.

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I love Saturday mornings at the street market in front of the school. It was pleasantly cool yesterday morning by Zihuatanejo standards which made the market extra enjoyable. As usual I bought the Senor his mushroom tamales for his breakfast some tofu taquitos, more of the delicious pasta salad for lunch later and a grapefruit for tomorrow. Visited with the folks from the turtle preserve and other friends and headed back to the apartment as I will have a busy day as I’m working the t-shirt table for Sailfest today.

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Did a brisk business in T-shirt sales, koozies and a few caps. And I get to do it again Sunday afternoon. Signing off KO

Lots of Water

Earlier this week I discovered the swimming pool had been filled and finally enough water to cover the ladder. It is so easy now to get in and more importantly out of the pool. Thanks to Amazon I now have a new swim Ipod which I down loaded with a variety of up beat music, new goggles which don’t fit as well as my old speedo ones but they will do for now and a bright orange swim cap. The bright cap is so no boats run over me when swimming in the ocean. My only issue with ocean swimming is motor boats, well that and huge waves.

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Horse race mural on wall coming back from the pool

I am so happy to be back to my old routine. Walk to the pool, swim walk back to the Mercado, purchase the days fruits and veggies, walk back to the apartment. A great way to start the day and all before it gets too warm. But today will be a beach day so I’m just going to swim in the ocean.

Some days are just so busy, yesterday I managed getting a manicure, purchasing a new purse and started a new book. And all of that was done before dinner time. I also stopped by the gallery to admire the large coconut paintings that Suarez does. His beach scenes

with children and fishermen are magnificent, but what I really want is a big coconut painting. I bought 2 of his paintings about 6 or 8 years ago only to have to return them. I thought the price they quoted me was in pesos instead it was in dollars and I had just spent over half of our vacation money on the 3rd day of our month long stay.

He was in the gallery painting I was surprised to see what a young the man he is and also he is “muy guapo” (handsome). I probably should have tried playing “lets make a deal”, but I’m still in no position to own one of his paintings.

The Senor wanted to go out to dinner and selected La Vita Bella. His favorite restaurant and follow up with night cap at The Flophouse where we met up with our neighbors Will and Sylvia and met a group of new friends from Minnesota. Flophouse just has a very friendly atmosphere. signing off KO

2ND ANNUAL ROOF PARTY

As our apartments aren’t roomy enough for entertaining or socializing, so once again the residents of our building re-instituted the “roof party.” We have a nice roof top, not elegant or fancy but with a nice view of the lights of the town and the stars above. Quite adequate for having a few friends over. I think we numbered about 25-28

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depending on at what moment you counted. And even the moon made a dramatic entrance rising ever so slowly over the hills, fashionably later than expected, but wowed us all.

There was lots of great food.It’s amazing what folks can create in their make shift vacation kitchens, then others of us opted for an easy out and ordered pizza delivered to the roof top.

I’m a “kindle person” an avid reader having read several books while here. I’m often puzzled by a phrase I hear quite often here that such and such is a good “beach read”. Does that mean that it is light and frivolus with no real depth to it. Or is does it mean that it is very engrossing and you can forget the rest of the world while enjoying every minute detail. Either way I was drawn to “Paradise Girls” as the author chose the Zihuatanejo area as the local for his suspense mystery story. And I understand he will be signing books at Joe’s Marina on Monday morning. He describes the area well and I think my favorite quote would have to be how he describes Ixtapa “a safe cocoonlike atmosphere for those who want to enjoy Mexico’s climate without having to deal with its culture”. Thats a phrase I will find use for. For what it is worth the book kept me entertained for a few days.

Its getting near to “Sailfest” and once again I have volunteered to sell T-shirts, caps and whatevers twice a week over the next few weeks. I think it is a very worthwhile project and we are here long enough that I do have the time to donate. Signing off KO

Cheapskates or Down to Our Last 4 Pesos

Once again my neighbor and I visited the Saturday Market to sample some of the delicious food that is prepared there. This time we were prepared with out own coffee cups, and take out dishes to reduce waste and following the principle of reuse and recycle. My purchases for the day consisted of a

pretty hanging pot of ivy made from recycled material, that will never need watering. Some local honey, a pasta salad that was not only tasty but healthy, 2 Championes tamales for the Senor and a small but thoughtful gift for a graduating granddaughter who like to journal.

But that was only the beginning of my shopping. We had planned to go see “Revenent” in Ixtapa and I wanted to stop at the MicMac shop for a pair white slacks. Well 3 pairs of pants and a dress later we had spent most of our cash as they offer a 15% discount for cash. Next we stop for an ice cream and then on to the movies. I guess we are used to movies prices in Zihua, but they were almost double what we expected so after buying our tickets, 1 popcorn and soda to share and carefully putting aside 20 pesos for the bus ride home we were down to out last 4 pesos. As we waited for the movie to start we kinda grumbled that we would only go to movies in the future on the 2 for one nights or only in Zihuatanejo when it dawned on us. We were actually grumbling about 180 pesos

which is about $10. Try doing that back in the States. Then we really got to giggling because our only real complaint was ourselves, and our own lack of being prepared. So with 4 pesos in our pocket we got back to Zihuatanejo, hit the ATM and had a lovely dinner at Don Memos. Signing off KO

Swimming, Walking and the Chic Party

The pool is up and running again, still doesn’t have enough water in it to make getting out of it easy. It has become “strength training” to haul my body out of it on that 3 rung ladder. But I’m happy as I have become so used to lap swimming in a pool that when I swim else where it’s just for fun and I don’t get the exercise I really need.

I like walking too. I find all kinds of interesting sites in my walks all over town. This way I don’t miss the little stuff. I’m also learing my way around too, especially knowing if I get lost I just hail a cab and they will get me back.

I have found my way from the pool to the Bodega to the Comercial, and then to the Mercado and can combine my swim with the marketing and get it all done in the morning. This should please the Senor, allways the efficiency expert.

The fruit here is wonderful, the little bananas have become my favorite. I eat them with my breakfast and lunch and snack on them in between.

The Senor and I have been spending our afternoons watching the series “Game of Thrones” that my daughter recorded for us, we have all 5 seasons and are midway through season 2. It’s a pleasant retreat during the heat of the day, and also at night when the senor is too tired to go anywhere. He’s doing much better and getting out more but tiers easily.

The other night I attended the “chic party” with a couple of friends.

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Lovely patio

We enjoyed the view from high above Zihuatanejo, watched a fantastic sunset, perused the vendors, enjoyed drinks and food and met many new friends. One friend commented she had never seen so many ladies all in one place. All in all a most enoyable evening at the loveliest patios in Zihuatanejo. Signing off KO

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