Zihuatanejo

Divisidero and the Mirador Hotel

As we arrived at this lovely, very elegant, upscale lodge style hotel where we were awed by the deep set canyon, the exceedingly blue skies, and stunning views every where you turned. It was still quite arid and the Apache Pine trees with their long needles, while a bit stunted for pine trees, were a welcome site for this tree lover.

We partook of an early evening wine tasting and of course found several to our liking. They will be shipping us copious quantities of excellent wine to our hosts in Zihuatanejo where we will retrieve them. We are all anxiously awaiting.

The dinning room was lovely with full windows showing the view and an outside deck for relaxing and our rooms also had balconies. As we we’re traveling with just a carry on bag and I have always liked to dress up a bit for dinners I had carefully planned to bring just one long black dress with several accessories to change it up so you don’t feel like you are wearing the same thing every night. But the one accessory I forgot to include was a pair of sandals or any other suitable shoes for my feet. All I had was my bright red tennis shoes. So I swallowed my pride and went to dinner in my black dress with a sparkly overlay and red tennies.

We had all opted for a cable car ride across the canyon over a zip line experience. As we rode across we could see far, far below small farm plots and a few houses and out buildings of the Raramuri people. Very sparsely populated the only way in or out of this canyon is on foot. Where the cable car landed we again were treated to native dancing and viewed the many objects for sale. Mostly hand woven baskets of all shapes and sizes, jewelry, and hand stitched clothing with voluminous skirts with intricate designs all had sewn on by hand. Farming produces beans and corn, the staple of their diet plus some fish and game.

That afternoon we took a very long drive to the bottom of one of the canyons to visit a Raramuri Village San Louis Majimachi and to see a mission from the 1700’s. Construction may seem crude, but is still standing and being used with a combination of native religion and Catholicism mixed together. This village has a government sanctioned school where most of the students board in each week as it is too far from their sparse. canyon homes for daily travel. They receive standard Mexican Government sanctioned schooling along with their own cultural traditions.

They also have a clinic/hospital staffed by a doctor that has been assigned to live and work there for a one year term of duty. (Sounds like a good plot for a TV show)

Mission style church from the 170’s still in use with a combination of original, traditional and catholic religions

We were invited to visit one of their homes, it was very rustic, crudely built but houses the families belongings. It consisted of two rooms one a living, kitchen area and the other a bedroom. Chicken coops were built above ground to keep coyotes away.

She kept weaving her basket while visiting with us.

There is a barter system where they can exchange the baskets and other crafts they make for government vouches that subsidize their needs. Beans and corn being the staple of their diet.

More to come, signing off KO

El Chepe Train through the Copper Canyon

Six ladies led by Sandy and Vidal of Zanka Travelers set out from Zihuatanejo on March 25, 2025 to tour the Copper Canyon. None of us had been before including our intrepid leaders. But they had researched it well, arranged for all transportation, hotels and tours and events and took us on a marvelous 8 day adventure that far exceeded our expectations.

Day 1 had us arriving at Topolobampo Bay off the Sea of Cortes. It is the 2nd largest bay world wide, with San Francisco Bay being the largest. We stayed at very nice hotel which I will describe as “Mexican modern, minimalist”. It was a concrete block building, very comfortable and a deck with spectacular views of a spectacular sunset.

The next morning we opted to take a tour of the bay and meet Pechocho, a long time resident dolphin that loves people and the attention they give him. He loves to be scratched on his back and swims right along side the boat so folks can per and scratch him. He is a loner and not part of any pod, probably having been stranded there as a baby and prefers people than the other dolphins we watched swimming and breaching.

More dolphins performed for us, (tap the picture for full view.)

From here we boarded a large passenger van heading to El Fuerte.

In the late morning it was all aboard El Chepe, for the first leg of the journey to El Fuerte. We have first class tickets which not only entitles us to comfortable seats but access to the club cars. The one we enjoyed the most has full width, drop down windows.

The canyon twists and turns so that we could sometimes see the engine from the rear of the train

The scenery is varied and interesting, quite arid in this part with steep canyons and tall mountain peaks. Because Cesar, our local guide for the rest of the trip, has an “in” with everyone, he was able to secure lunch seating in the “vista dome” of the dinning car for our group where we enjoyed a great lunch of Black bass if memory serves me correct.

We crossed 86 tunnels and 39 bridges. Ridding in the open club car I soon knew exactly why dogs love to ride with their head out the window. The weather was perfect, pleasant neither hot nor cold.

In El Fuerte our first destination on the train, our hotel I only could describe as “old world elegance”. It is the combination of several houses, one of which is supposed to be the birth place of El Zorro. It had seven patio”s and many levels. We entered via an fairly steep up hill ramp, which I envision must have been the stable entrance at one time. I could just picture horses running up this ramp, or pulling elegant carriages, even though it was quite steep. During happy hour at the bar I even got romanced by Zorro

While in El Fuerte we visited the fort which is now a museum and then a Mayo indigenous family and were treated to hand made blue corn flour tortilla’s learned of their culture and how they are keeping it through changing times. The head of the family shared their traditional dancing with us explaining the symbolism of the clothing and danced for us.

Next chapter, (hopefully by tomorrow will be about our trip to Divisdero. (I must just add these are my insights and my memories and if names, dates and information isn’t exactly as the experts say consider the source, me.) Signing off KO

AND THE FUN KEEPS ON (never a dull day)

Every day there is something going on, to the point that occasionally you just have to say no, I need to stay home and rest and recharge.

There are birthday parties.

Fundraisers for very worthy causes such as “Libros por Nino’s” which was held at the lovely Capricho Del Rey restaurant, one of the loveliest buildings in Zihuatanejo.

This gorgeous stone structure is located at the end of the newly paved road between La Ropa and Playa Las Gatas.

Spaz had their annual fundraiser to support the work they do at the animal shelter, spaying, neutering and adopting pets to new foster and forever homes.

Celebrating with friends that we all finished the walk/run

Enjoyed a Paella Fest sponsored by the local Rotary Club supporting their many causes, with at least 20 different paellas to sample.

My book club meets monthly to discus the book we have just read, then select a new one for the next month and a location to discuss it.

We are in the middle of the two weeks of Sailfest, I’ve completed my shifts on the Sales/Information desks. I still have the annual M-Dock concert to attend and a champagne brunch to enjoy, which leaves me time for lunches and dinners with friends.

And now for the latest update on my cat. She finally decided I could pet her on her back and tail, but not too close to her head. I know she is really enjoying it as I’ve actually heard her emit a purr or two while I stroke her now long silky fur. It’s amazing what regular healthy meals have done for her appearance. She loves spending time on my porch and balcony gardens She is free to roam the neighborhood roofs as she always has, but she sure likes sleeping indoors at night and always returns in the evenings and some days she just hangs around all day. We have become comfortable companions.

It’s nice to live in Zihuatanejo with a busy interesting social life, where everyone is friendly and helpful and I never need a jacket or a sweater or even long sleeves. Signing off KO

Always something going on in Sunny Zihuatanejo

You would think following the busy holidays things would slow down, but not so much here. There are always fun things to do in Zihuatanejo.

Three Kings Day was celebrated with friend Judi bringing a Rosca de Reys, which we respectfully referred to as the “baby cake” to share with some friends. It is the traditional pastry of 3 Kings day and whom ever gets the piece with a baby baked in it serves tamales to the group on Candlemas/Candlario which is Feb 2nd.

Our cake had three babies in it so those 3 folks are bringing the tamales for a tamale party on Feb 2. January 7 found me taking down my Christmas lights, I was so glad to bring down the blinky lights. When a holiday is over I am so done with it. By choice I’d take them down on December 26, but I respect their traditions here and leave them up through Jan 6.

Then it was on to our Saturday night dinner out group where we like to try a variety of restaurants, this time it was at Agave.

I had a lovely wine and tapas get together at La Tasca to catch up with a long time friend and then visit to the open mic at Miguels

But the spectacular event was the first of the seasons Sailfest house parties to raise funds for Sailfest. Sailfest is now a two week long celebration to raise funds to build schools for the most needy children in Zihuatanejo. This dinner event was held at the personal residence of one of the main supporters of Mexican children’s education. It was a sit down dinner for approximately 117 people held on the patio of their home over looking a lovely lagoon.

The dinner was excellent and the evening was complete with dancing on a lighted dance floor with music provided by Vertical.

My Creative Writters group met the past week at a Tanino Wine shop where we did some writing, met new friends and sampled the wine. Always an enjoyable time.

Seldom a dull moment and certainly no dull people in lovely, sunny, warm Zihuatanejo. Signing off KO

Sorry, I’ve Been Lazy, but also busy

I’ve become quite lazy and have ignored this blog too long. I will try to do better in this new Year of 2025. I think I will work from yesterday and go backwards over the past several weeks, months.

Christmas and New Years were spectacular especially as my eldest son Shawn came to visit for two weeks over the holidays. So I wowed him with dozens of parties, parades, and fireworks. I don’t think any town could decorate better than Zihuatanejo for the holidays, it glitters and sparkles every where.

New Years Day we celebrated with our 3rd annual “Polar Bear Swim“, where the only thing cold is the ice in your Margarita. Each year we get more and more participants to brave the waves at the rousing hour of 11:00 am.

I had decided that New Year’s Eve fireworks might best be viewed from our favorite infinity swimming pool/ restaurant Escollera, so I made reservations for Shawn and I, but before the big night came 4 more friends choose to join us for a full table. The food was excellent, after dinner, while waiting for midnight and the New Year display we enjoyed card games.

Shawn, who is a DJ by profession, treated a group of friends to a karaoke evening at a friends house. Where we soon discovered not many of us are singers, but these gals did a great job on Dolly Parton’s Jolene

Parties and dinners almost every night what a wonderful season of fun

30 friends gathered at Mikes’ Diner for Christmas Eve dinner

We went swimming at Escollera

I even got some work out of him while here, he cleaned my curtain rods, installed a couple of screws and nails where I needed them, helped me with my Christmas lights. Unfortunately he took out my folding step ladder but were able to complete the tasks with the landlords ladder. It’s been kind of nice to have a man around the house.

The city/government has restored the building dubbed the “Partenon” to it’s original glamor from it’s dubious past when it was a playground for a very dishonest Police official from Mexico City. Now it is a lovely event center for the people of Zihuatanejo. I attended a fashion show there and was impressed with the finished project. The fashion show was fun too, but I am amazed that in Mexico they say it will always be a alcohol free establishment. Quite a surprise as everywhere else the booze flows freely. Part of the culture it seems.

Partenon before restoration when the steps (replaced by bleachers) went down to a swimming pool (replaced by a stage.)

I’ve now been a full time resident of Zihuatanejo for just over two years, even in the humid summers when I suffer from heat rash I know this was the very best decision I’ve ever made. Getting to live in this warm friendly place where everyone talks to everyone, friends, shopkeepers, neighbors. It’s impossible to walk a block with out meeting people you know. My son was quite surprised to see when you get on a bus every one greets you with a “buenas tardes” or “buen dia“. Strangers will stop you on the street to pay you a complement. It’s still affordable to live here, but long gone are the days of Mexico being cheap. Somethings are far less expensive, medicine for one, and labor is quite cheap. I have no need for a car here, buses and taxi’s are plentiful an very inexpensive. I live quite simply here after having shed myself of 60 years of collecting stuff, and only have just enough for my personal needs.

I do have some wonderful things to look forward to in 2025. In the spring I am going with friends to ride the train through the Copper Canyon in northern Mexico, about a 10 day trip. Then in late July I am going to take my first luxury cruise on a very large (3000+ passenger) cruise ship through the Greek Islands. Every day is still an adventure here in warm sunny Zihuatanejo. Signing off KO

Cordoba

Here we discovered the Mezquita originally a moorish mosque but later reclaim by the Catholic Spaniards. Instead of destroying the mosque they recognized the artistry and architectural beauty of the building and simple used a part of it for their cathedral. To me it almost the ultimate peace symbol. It is a Catholic Church where mass is said every morning but the lovely moorish arches are everywhere. And as our group exited the cathedral the bell tower rang the angelus. It was beautiful to hear. The bell tower was added on top of what was the original minaret where the faithful moors were called to prayer.

Bell tower built on top of the original minaret

Cordoba is a beautiful city with hidden courtyards and gardens behind closed doors and gates. As people come and go you get a glimpse into these sheltered areas. Here again the streets are very narrow with lovely doorways often decorated with color or plants. The city sponsors cat feeding stations so the feral cats are guaranteed some sustenance while keeping the rodent population under control. (Much like Disneyland does)

Cordoba is where I fully learned the concept of walled cities and gates or doors to the city. One of the entrances to this city you had to pass through a gate house to access the bridge over the river to get to the city gates. There would be several entrances to these ancient walled cities but they would all be closed at night and then reopened again in the morning. The farms were located outside the city walls.

The gate house you had to pass thru to get to the bridge across the river

Next will be a visit to a fighting bull farm

signing of KO

Seville

Our ship, The Corinthian, was waiting for us in Seville on the Guadalquivir River. Being a small ship, only 89 passengers max we could dock right in Seville unlike the bigger cruise ships who have to tender in. I was amazed at how spacious my cabin was. Pure luxury as far as I was concerned.

We made several trips in to Seville, some on our own some guided. We visited the Real Alcazar which is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe today. Fascinating knowing that you are walking the same hallways where Catherine of Aragon played as a child. The gardens were exquisite, and much of the original moorish architecture remain even after being reclaimed by the Spanish kings. The cathedral with it’s beautiful bell tower is the final resting place of Christopher Columbus confirmed by dna in 2006. Here in Europe he is still considered a good guy and revered by the Portuguese and Spanish.

The moors used water features in their buildings

Next Cordoba

Signing off KO

Lisbon, the first stop on my Mediterranean adventure

We visited the tower of Belem, saw the monument to Henry the Navigator and all the other explorers of the discovery age then toured the oldest neighborhood of Lisbon, Alfama. This is the most picturesque place I have ever seen with tiny, narrow up hill winding streets. The buildings are ancient going back to the 1700’s, when this area was devastated by an earthquake leaving only two original buildings. But they rebuilt again in the same location. I am fascinated with the beauty of ancient architecture especially when I consider the tools they worked with to make these buildings a work of art. Here in Lisbon many of the old buildings are faced with beautiful tile work.

Avenida de Liberdad is a beautiful wide street with a park running through the middle of it. In the parks are small garden restaurants, lovely place for a meal or just a glass of wine.

Lisbon is a lovely city and many parts are quite modern. But they are plagued with horrible traffic and rising rents to the point that families have had to move out of the inner city to areas out side of Lisbon and commute to work increasing the traffic situation. While tourism fuels much of the economy it has driven prices up beyond what the locals salaries can handle.

I loved Lisbon, next chapter Seville.

NEW ADVENTURE AHEAD

Lazy August, not much happening around town, not much live music as many musicians still on vacation and and I am taking this time to get organized for my big seasonal trip, this time to Portugal and Spain. In September, I leave Zihuatanejo for an overnight in San Diego then the next morning at O dark 30 I go to Philadelphia and from there on to Lisbon, Portugal. Fortunately I have a friend in San Diego who will harbor me overnight and get me to the airport in the AM. Once in Portugal I will have 4 days, then meeting up with my small boat, (under 100 passengers,) and on to Seville, Cordoba, Tangiers, Gibraltar, Malaga, Cartagena, Valencia, Tarragona and ending in Barcelona, where I will spend an extra 3 days.

While I am in Lisbon I will be meeting up for dinner with a friend from Zihuatanejo who is also visiting in Lisbon. In Barcelona I will be staying with a couple I met in Zihuatanejo. I feel like quite the world traveler having friends in so many different countries.

I’m needing to get organized for this trip well in advance as the week before I leave my youngest son and his wife will be visiting me for a week and I will only have 1 day to actually pack. Now I realize that it only takes a few hours to put things in a suitcase, but it takes a bit of planning as to what it is you are going to put in that suitcase. And with weight limits, and liquid limits it takes a bit of planing and organizing. I try to take only the very essentials of personal care products in the smallest lightest weight containers. This I have learned through trial and error. I once traveled camping on the ferry boat with my backpack, carrying my sleeping bag, tent and clothes for a week and got the weight down to 18 lbs. I did that by weighing every item to discover which hairbrush weighed the least, weighed every item of makeup, clothes, shoes, jewelry, to keep it at a minimum, but still having the essentials. I’m also a list maker. I have my standard packing lists but they always need to be tweaked depending on destination and type of activities. And to top it all off I have to find where in this apartment with no storage space, cabinets or closets to speak of I have stashed stuff. Actually that has been the hardest part. But it’s all part of the adventure and with just one day to assemble everything that I will have to live with for 3 weeks my check lists will pay off.

During my recent trip to Morelia I was able to “field test” my new packable hat. Hats are the hardest things to bag and I’m going with only two, both you can roll up an put in your suitcase, but I do have a small supply of hatbands so I don’t feel like I’m quite so limited. I also learned on that trip to pack a small roll of duct tape. As both my sandal’s heel straps broke I was able to duct tape them back together and they lasted the rest of the week. Back home in Zihuatanejo my shoe man fixed them so they look like new for 150 pesos, ($7.77) They can now go to Europe instead of the garbage can.

I’m very excited to have my son Brian and his wife Nancy visiting. This is the first of my family to visit me. When asked what they want to do they say they just want to have a relaxing vacation. That should be easy enough to have happen as this time of year, not much excitement going on. The beach, a day at Playa Las Gatas, visit the Pyramid, eating, drinking, visiting and catching up. Should be a good visit. Signing off KO

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