slowly findi g my way in espanol

The plan for the day was to attend the Sat morning market, the “ecologiatianguissanka”, a charming littlebazzar composed of local artist making hand crafted items, many from recycled materials and organic foods that are usually served on a banana leaf. I found several things I  liked, but settled on a Christmas decoration for one of y daughters. I have more time for other purchases and limited suitcase space. My purchase had tobe done in Spanish, rocky but successful. Next was to get our phones set up. I knew where a

Sat AM Bazar
Sat AM Bazar

Telcel store was,  the one with the  handsome young man with the grey eyes who spoke fair, but not proficient english. Together we got my regular home cell phone up and running, and then he ran out of sim cards.  But one phone does us little good as we use them just to communicate with each  other.  So now I’m off to a different Tel cell  (they are as common as coffee stands at home.)  But here no english is spoken.   None the less I leave with the  Senor’s phone up and running. Next  I run into our friends from Ixtapa, Iswear all you need to do is just walk around town and you will eventually meet everyone you know.

Onward to purchase a hamburgerguesa from the corner bar for the Senor who has opted for a day of football and socializing at the Captians Daughter.  The cook speaks good english but he his going to make me do it all in Spanish.  Good practice, but makes me nervous but I do try.

After a brief siesta I’m off to the Posada in the La Madera neighborhood.  I am told this is very traditional Mexico. A block or two is blocked off from street traffic.   Both sides of the street are lined with tables with a variety of food, drink and other wares, much like at any bazar.

street of posada
street of posada

It begins with the children dressed as Mary and Joseph along with an angel and another child at the top of the street where folks are gathered arround  singing what appers to be a song with many, many verses, then the ribbon across the street is

singing just prior to posda
singing just prior to posda

dropped and the children parade down to the front of the stage and sit in the first row and you don’t see them again. On stage sits the childrens orchastra, dressed in jeans and white shirts. The program proceeds much like the School Christmas programs, the orchestra plays and they are good, a group of children singing stand below. Some music was familiar, others not. Christmas carols that we are familiar were sung in spanish of course, but the absolute star of the program was when they sang the beatles

Orchastra and choir
Orchastra and choir

“Imagine” in english, show casing the voices of two teenage fellows with great voices, an absolute show stopper.  The startling difference between this program and kids christmas programs at home was much of the audience had beer or other drinks in their hands.  Next were some folkloric dancers, very good, and then a group of latin dancers who were ok.

A pinata was hung from a tree in the center of the street and the kids gathered around to take turns batting at it until it would break. The man from the latin dancers got upset came and told them to stop the pinata until his group was done dancing on the stage. I was takings pictures of the kids and he told me “pinata later, now dancing” I think they did one more dance and it was pinata time again. He wasn’t making any friends  They did several pinatas and when the pinata finally breaks it is definitely a dog pile and the kids grab all they can get.  I’m amazed no one gets hurt, but the kids here tough and not whiney at all. Fun evening!

After returning to our ‘casa” Ii look out from the balcony and there is an art show set up in the street below.  Of course I went down to see, I’m forever amazed a the beautiful

street art show
street art show

art here. The big news for the day is the Senor finally has his TV going, still can’t get all the channels he wants but he cn live with this.  Thanks to all who helped.  Signing oiff KO

HOW CAN I BE SO BUSY ON VACATION

It’s been a very busy day.After a leisurely breakfast on our balcony, we headed out for the Senor to get a pedicure and me to get both a pedicure and a manicure.  All three services cost less than one us manicure.

The Senor getting a pedicure
The Senor getting a pedicure

The senor then took our laundry to be done while I was having my pedicure, and his annual trip to the watch repair shop. Every year while taking off his watch he drops it on the tile floor and it falls to pieces.  He has learned where to go and gets it fixed.  It is just an annual event.  The morning exhausted the Senor so he returned to our “casa” with his lunch, of rotisserie chicken and a pair of earrings for me.  How nice, they are quite pretty!.  Our weekly visit from the Lupita the cleaning lady happened while we were gone and our quarters are spotless. So now it’s off to the Commercial. as the senor has decreed the bed too hard and he needs a foam mattress topper.  We have to dicker a bit with the cab driver as he wants 5 pesos over the going rate and we won’t pay it, but he decides 25 pesos will be OK after all.  We are tough customers and have been coming long enough we know the ropes.  We make our purchases and marvel at the fact that all the Christmas  trees we saw 4 days ago are all gone.  But we did learn they  grow them in Mexico and they weren’t shipped from one of the tree farms that are literally in our back yard at home. My daughter used to say when she lived in Honolulu when the trees arrived you bought them that very day or they were gone.  I guess the same thing is true here.  We made our purchases and returned for a siesta before dinning on our balcony.

We are still fighting with Century link to get our home internet service up and running so we can receive our regular TV programs here.  Skype has become my friend.  It is very cheap for phone to phone calls and I guess free for folks who set up reciprocal invites to do it computer to computer.  So far my family has not responded. to any of my requests to sign up for Skype.  I guess they don’t need any motherly advice..

Many booths of Pinatas set up near Kyoyo Circle
Many booths of Pinatas set up near Kyoyo Circle

We rounded up our day with dinner and a movie on the balcony and then a walk to see the huge display of pinatas and

many to choose from
many to choose from

poinsettia.  Of course I got one of each.  The designs, the shapes and the colors are just fantastic, and you can watch them make them also.  There are booths with a variety of christmas decorations, colorful, but a little tacky for my tastes.  The Senor tells me I shouldn’t  criticize.    We picked out a nice poinsettia and returned to our “casa” to finish our

All decorated for Christmas complete with a cha cha-ing deer.
All decorated for Christmas complete with a cha cha-ing deer.

Christmas decorating         Skyped home again to find out there is still no internet, but I am to deal with the dispatcher in the morning. Signing off KO

Every thing is so colorfull here
Every thing is so colorful here

ON THE BEACH

Playa Las Gatas
Playa Las Gatas

One of the main differences I see between a beach in Washington state and a Mexican beach is people actually go in the water!  At home my experience has been very few adults venture into the water, some kids will, but not all.  Some will just splash around the edge because it’s cold.

Al ittle late snappingt his one
Al ittle late snappingt his one

And only in Mexico would you see a full marching band complete with a tuba on the beach. Here the water is warm and at Playa Las Gatas where we were yesterday the reef protects it from any wave action so it’s like swimming in a very large pool with beautiful colored fish.There are yellow fish with black stripes bright neon blue ones some big ones and little ones. fascinating to snorkel along the reef. We have been returning to the same spot there, Gloria del Mar and have over the years made friends with Juan the waiter.  He recognized us walking down the beach and waved us in, which was good as they are no longer allowed to have the sandwich board signs in front of their restaurants, the authorities decided it impeded strolling along the beach.

Life is good!
Life is good!

We had a wonderful red snapper fillet for a late lunch, soaked up some sun, getting abundance of vitamin D and generally just relaxing and visiting. My spanish professora would not be too pleased with me as I m still slow to use my spanish, and much english is spoken here. But I have learned a few new phrases and this will be a great help as we venture out more into the country side.

We had another lovely musical evening, again at the Baracruda this time with Steve Calvert and friends.  We have been following Steve  around town since we first heard his music several years ago coming in through our hotel kitchen window as it backed up to the now defunct Pacalos. He’s from Bremerton, but now lives and plays full-time in Zihuatanejo.  Once again we are a music groupie!

We are becoming more Mexican as we find it hard not to go out at night

Sunrise Feb 19, 2014
Sunrise Feb 19, 2014

and enjoy the soft warm evenings, there is always activity somewhere and it’s just pleasant to stroll, greet friends and people watch. Although this might change for the Senor if we get connected up with TV tonight.  Signing off KO

VERY EARLY ZIHUATANEJO MORNING

The sun isn’t up but I am.  Spent the last hour writing on my blog, thought i saved it but it disappeared instead.  I’m working on  new tablet and as of yet I haven’t figured out how to edit my pictures, or zoom in on pictures.  All this technology is pretty steep learning curve for me. But here on my balcony with the solar christmas lights we brought 20141217_164101from home give us the feeling of Christmas. They work wonderfully on at dusk off at daylight

I like the early morning time, it’s so early the chickens haven’t woken the dogs to wake the neighborhoods yet. a nice time to ponder, reflect and plan. My balcony is beautifully decorated with rope christmas light that are solar power.  With all the sun here they stay on all night and don’t go off until day light. Many businesses put up Christmas lights and there is a huge display of poinsettia and pinatas that I will walk out to see tomorrow

We plan to go to the beach today so it’s good I’m up this early to pull the chicken from the freezer. I like to do a chicken in the crock pot on beach days as we come back tired from all the sun and fun and don’t want to go out again.

Jimmi Mamou
Jimmi Mamou

Had dinner last night at Daniels on the beach, where Jimmi Mamou was playing.  Caught his show the night before at the Baracruda. It’s like we’ve become part of a “groupie” that follows Jimmi Mamou where ever he is currently performing as we met up with the same friends again tonight. We still love that old-time rock and roll that he plays so well. We made our Christmas Eve reservations for Daniels, the Senor will be having the traditional turkey and stuffing, while I, being  fisheterian, will have the lobster. And Jimmi will again be entertaining us.

Have just about become settled in our “casa”, everything is finally working, but our internet t home is still out preventing us from getting our home TV on the computer. With the help of skype I’ve called and set up another appointment to have it fixed, between our phone service going out and the internet just days before we left Century link just couldn’t quite send us the right repairman for the right job and only got the phone service up and running.  Most difficult task was to find someone at home who would be available to let the repair man in. Our neighbor Trish who is usually at home has an appointment that my interfere with the time frame they gave me.  Oh well one more day won’t hurt the Senor’s TV addiction too bad.

The sky is now pink with first light, this a favorite time of day for me especially here as sun rise is so beautiful.  Signing off KO20141218_045047

Back in Sunny Zihuatanejo

 Cruise ship from our balcony

Cruise ship from our balcony

And it feels like home, almost. We arrived to a few quirks at our apartment. Yesterday the air conditioner burnt out literally. This is the second time we have had an air conditioner go out in a shower of sparks in Mexico. Took all day but it was fixed good as new. We’ve eaten out the last couple of nights so we weren’t aware until this morning we the Senor went to cook breakfast that our stove doesn’t work.  No problema we have a microwave.  But lo and behold the microwave has been inhabited by goblins or spirits of some sort. He plugged it in set it for 3 minutes and the time came up 22 minutes.  So we shut it off and a couple of minutes later it started it’s own. You have to stand there and watch it and open the door when you want it to stop.  Then unplug it. Not the easiest way to cook eggs, but possible.

Our first day here we went to the commercial, the Mexican equivalent of a super market. Like Walmart it carries everything, but varies from time to time what is available. But they do have fresh Christmas trees and cheaper than we see at home which is amazing considering they may have been shipped from home. Less than $14 for 5-6 ft trees. It is also one of the very few stores that have cash register.  All the shops just use little calculators.

Today we went to the Mercado for fruits and vegies, my favorite shopping place, it is definatly  a sensory over load. There are baskets of spices that I have no idea what they are, yellow chickens complete with heads and feet, strips of beef hanging, flies flying and ladies waving fans over baked good to keep them away. Every thing from food to hardware under one roof.

Back at our “casa” Aurturo, the owner came and got both the stove and the micro wave up and running.  I got busy on skype and called dish, Centurylink and Verizon discoverer ou tv problems here are because our internet at home still hasn’t been repaired. I think that will happen tomorrow. If Trish got my message and can hang around the house in the am. Problems all solved, feeling good.  Signing off

I had envisioned that I would post twice weekly on my progress as a student.  Well because I am a student I have no time left to post.  I don’t know how these kids do 2 and 3 classes with all the homework.

Plus the fact that our rental house has imploded on us hasn’t helped the situation. I have successfully ( with the help of the courts and the Sheriff) successfully evicted a half-dozen squatters from the house and I am now am in the process of getting it cleaned up and rent able. Since it is located directly across from the college I attempted  to post a listing for it at the school, but the person I asked where to go to do that was house hunting so she and her roommate have rented it and are helping with the cleaning and painting.   They are two cute young gals attending Olympic College and are so excited about having a house with space.  I think this will work well for all of us.

I have  come to the conclusion that I will probably take this same class again next quarter rather than moving on to Spanish 102.  I can do the written work, I can pass the tests, but it’s the oral part that I’m still weak in. My goal has never been to become a translator or even be truly “proficient” in Spanish, I just need to improve my vocabulary and my ability to “hear” rapidly spoken Spanish.  Also to be able formulate basic sentences.  I’m in no hurry, I won’t move on until I feel I have mastered  the material. This is the luxury of taking a class for personal enrichment rather than credit.

What amuses me is that my costs for going to school on a $5 senior waiver ended up costing $47. On top  of the $5 fee they had a security fee a student fee and a something else fee. But it’s cheap at twice the price so I’m sure not complaining. Signing off KO

WHAT WAS i THINKING ???

Spanish class has been another of those moments of “What was I thinking!” !  I was sure I was on the right track, doing my home work, studying the vocabulario, only to find I’m half a chapter behind.  Did I not listen well enough in the class room?  Why can I not find the information I need to complete this assignment?  And then I remember I’m taking this class for fun? and relaxation? And to improve my mind. So I’ve come to the conclusion I now can’t spell in two languages!  

I’m sure this is just getting into the swing of things.  My vocabulary is ok, but I do struggle at composing proper sentences.  But that’s OK as I will be happy if I only end up with the ability of speaking “pigeon” Spanish, rather than University perfect Spanish.  My goal is simply to communicate

CAMPUS LIFE, MY PERSPECTIVE

The campus at Olympic College has changed so dramatically since I attended there in the 80″s that the only building I recognize is the Administration building.  As a result when I went to school for my first day of class on Tuesday I knew which building was the Humanities Bldg where my class was to be held, but my registration sheet gave a number that I thought would be the room number but of course BIG Mistake. As I stood around looking totally bewildered a young man, a very young man, asked if he could help, I explained my dilemma and he then took to the registration area logged on to the computer used his ID number since I didn’t know mine and located the room number and showed me where the room was.  I was impressed!  How helpful was that, I wish I’d gotten his name. As I walked through the halls I couldn’t help but notice the variety of ages of the students and no I don’t look out of place. There are many of us Seniors on campus.  But we dress a little more conservatively than some of the young ones.  I couldn’t help but notice a platinum blonde, so platinum that it was a silvery shade. At my age that’s a shade I avoid like the plagues, but she was very young so I guess silver was OK.  She wore ripped and almost shredded black tights, a short skirt and a black T shirt with a fur cape draped around her shoulders. I assume the cape was mink.  Muy interesante,but not quite my style.

My fellow students are a mix of ages, with a couple comfortable enough in speaking Spanish that I’m sure they have just completed High school Spanish. Most of us are a bit tongue tied when asked to say or repeat something in Spanish.  This has always been my short coming, I can read and write Spanish far better than I can pronounce it.  That is why I choose this class with this teacher as she is all about speaking.  At this point my head is swimming , I’m correcting a few bad habitats I have collected over the years. I try to  offer my self up as the guinea pig, to volunteer to speak when a question is asked in Spanish and I must reply in Spanish. But then  my answer gets critiqued until I get it right. The written work and the reading work at this point is a not a problem, but I know as time goes on it will get much more difficult.  What was I thinking!

ZIHUATANEJO, I WILL MISS YOU

Last night we had happy hour at the Catalina’s Sunset Bar, with our friends Will and Sylvia and balcony neighbor Ruth, and then we stayed for dinner

Doyle and Kathleen sunset at the Catalina Sunset bar
Doyle and Kathleen sunset at the Catalina Sunset bar

which was quite good, actually my shrimp tacos were excellent. We finished off the evening with a night cap (or 2) at Zorrito’s.  We had breakfast at the Zihuatanejo Pancake House, a favorite of ours, met and said goodbyes to friends along the way.  It’s getting that time of year when many of the seasonal people are leaving.  We spent the rest of the morning sorting what stays behind to be stored and what gets packed. I’m always amazed at how much we purchased that needs to be brought home.  Then off to La Madera Beach for one last swim and a massage for the Senor. Finish the last minute packing and off to dinner at Don Memos with friends.

cruise ship leaving Zihuatanejo Bay
cruise ship leaving Zihuatanejo Bay

We fly home tomorrow, back to the land of doctor and dentist appointments, doing our own laundry, cooking all our meals, jackets, coats and all kinds of other responsibilities that we have enjoyed not having during our 2 months in Zihuatanejo.

I will miss this land where a pickup truck is transportation for a large family including aunts uncles, cousins friends and a dog or two, a motor scooter will carry mom and pop and a baby or two. Where on any street corner you would never wait more than a minute or two for a cab, where ten pesos on a bus gets you 15-20 miles. I will miss the friendly people who help me with my fractured Spanish. I will miss eating at least 2 meals a day out side, I will miss the sunrise from my balcony, and sunsets over the bay, warm evenings, the cooling breeze off the bay during the heat of the day, happy hour with friends.  I will miss everything Zihuatanejo. But knowing we will be back makes it all bearable. We’ve reserved our little apartment for 3 months next year and we will be here for Christmas. That will be a new experience for us.  Adios Zihuatanejo

Signing off until December KO

OUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED

Whole hogs head.
Whole hogs head.
The Mercado
The Mercado

My agenda for the day was to go to the Mercado and pick up some salt for a friend and some cheese for my neighbor, I took the long way there just for the opportunity to look around one more time. The Mercado is one of my favorite places, I never tire of seeing the beautiful arrays of fruits and vegetables, many of which I can’t even identify the trays of bakery items, piles of rice and other grains which again I can’t identify, booths with chickens complete with heads and feet and the meat market which today displayed a hogs head. These are sights that I will never see at home. Shopping at the

Beautiful fruit at the Mercado
Beautiful fruit at the Mercado

commissary at home will be so boring compared to this.

I needed to go to the bank, but the armed guards were there filling the ATM’s and the line was growing longer by the minute. Now at home our armored truck guards do carry side arms, but they don’t post 2 guards outside with M-16 rifles. I’ll go to the bank later in the day when the line is not so long. It will give me reason to wander around again and make sure I’ve missed nothing.

We watched a couple of movies I purchased here, Philomena and Nebraska. Philomena very good, Nebraska not so. They cost 2 for 20 pesos, so I won’t be bringing them back with us, but with prices like that I’ve learned it isn’t necessary to take up suitcase space bringing a stack of dvds from home.

We are going with friends and plan to meet more friends at the Catalina’s sunset bar this evening, they have lovely music on Wednesdays, appropriate for a sunset.

 

Flower market
Flower market

Our refrigerator is just about empty. Last night the Senor wanted fried chicken and since I don’t eat chicken, we did “take out” from 2 different places, he got his fried chicken and I got my chile relleno and we ate a last balcony meal, well we did have breakfast on the balcony this morning, but the rest of our meals will need to be eaten out.  Signing off KO