Zihuatanejo

SAIL-FEST CONCERT

Last night was the Sail-fest Concert and a great concert it was. We’re told that four of the best musicians playing locally are asked to participate and to bring along friends. So not only did we here from the lady who plays at La Puerta, Patricia, Jose Luis Cabo, Zihua Juanito, and Steve & Allan,who expanded to a full size band with 2 more guitars, drums and a sax and from Mexico City Dos Hermanos with a lovely lady. Then to top it all off a charming group of school children dancers. My sincere apologies to any one whose name I have wrong, or left out, or misspelled no slight intended but with out a program I’m just relying on my ageing memory.

The Senor and I with our Canadian friends from our apartment building

Our group of friends has learned to arrive early to get a good seat and get food ordered before the festivities begin and the waiters at El Pueblito get swamped. It was a good crowd. The evening got off to a great start with Patricia who has a beautiful soulful voice performing songs in both Spanish and English. Between performers raffle tickets were drawn and I was lucky again and won a great t-shirt and a Canadian ball cap, which amused everyone at our table as the Senor and I were the only non Canadians. I don’t normally wear a ball cap, but I will proudly be sporting my new red hat at the Chilli fest today.

The children’s performance was the one of the highlights of the evening. I got a quick picture of the boys mugging for the camera prior to going on stage, but once on stage it was all

business while they performed several indigenous dances, One spectacular dance with possibly an Aztec theme, involved 10-year-old dancers, a lighted torch and long peacock feathers head dresses waving wildly as they danced. Very beautiful but something that wouldn’t be seen back home.

Following the children’s performance they wandered

through the crowd arms loaded with beaded bracelets they made to earn funds for their craft programs. I bought one for my youngest granddaughter and one for her cousin. 20 pesos well spent!Zihua Juanito is a handsome and charming performer who brought a long his cousin on drums and got people up to dance. Senor Cabo brought up one of what I understand to be one of the employes of El Pueblito to sing with him. Great voices. The group from Mexico City was lively and more people danced.

The evening concluded with the Steve Allan show with Nelson on Sax, Ralph on guitar and singing as was Leo and I believe it was Don on the drums. and everybody danced. Great end to a great evening. It was such a nice night we walked back to our apartment. Signing off KO

SAIL-FEST AUCTION

We always look forward to Sail-fest, when the cruisers come to town and the bay is full of sailboats of all sizes and shapes. These people are always interesting to visit with with, hearing of their adventures sailing up and down the pacific coast and some have sailed world wide.

During the week of Sail-fest there are daily activities to fund raise for the “Por Los Ninos” fund which helps to educate some of the areas poorest children Lat night was the auction which is always a fun event. While waiting for the auction to begin I hear the clown horn of

the ice cream man and it was the one I like in the galvanized tub, this time I got my vanilla ice cream which is a glorious shade of gold. Most excellent! There were many interesting items to bid on and the name of the game became win,win,win. The bidding was lively. There were some good bargains and also some generous bidders knowing it was for a good cause. The Senor loves to bid, sometimes he actually wants an item other times it’s just to bid someone up. I get nervous that he will win something we have no earthly use for, but last night we did OK and won the bid on an all inclusive 1 night stay at the Pacifica resort in Ixtapa, all inclusive means food and beverages. Sure hope they have lobster!

Cute VW painting with carona beer cap hub caps

I’m always wanting the paintings, but there are people there with my same great taste in art but with far deeper pockets than I. During the breaks they did raffles, and I really like the way they do them. Your tickets are good for all events, if they call out your ticket and you aren’t there your name goes back in the pot and that item goes to the next person. I bought 15 tickets and was the recipient of a great prize a bottle of Tequila and a set of leather coasters and another set of more disposable type coasters and I still have 14 more chances to win. I think I will have a Margarita party with our friends and neighbors on the roof top some evening.

We had really worked up an appetite at the auction so we headed out to Casa Elvira and shared Red Snapper. It was almost 10 PM, which at home would be a strange time for dinner, but the evenings here are so nice it’s really a great time to sit in a lovely outdoor restaurant. The Senor was planning to finish off dinner with a banana split, but the fish was to big and he was full. We decided some evening we would return for just the banana split. Casa Elvira is about the only restaurant that has ice cream. Most of the ice cream shops don’t have seating, or the seats are in the sun. Just another great evening in Zihuatanejo. Signing off KO

With Sailfest starting up this week Monday was the only day available for going to the beach. We don’t want to over do so we must pace ourselves. Monday in it’s self is already busy with the loading of the laundry into a suitcase and wheeling it up to the laundaria and then picking it up again after 5. Then of course there is the tidying up of our apartment as the cleaning lady comes on Monday. So to make things easy on ourselves we went out to breakfast first. Then we had to stop by the Sailfest booth so I could purchase my sail parade ticket. The Senor opted not to go, he says after 22 yrs in the Navy he’s already spent plenty of time on the ocean. Funny how he looks at it differently if the boat is going fishing! By this time it’s almost noon and we grab our beach stuff and headed out to Playas Las Gatas

On the water taxi we met a fellow Northwestener who joined us at Gloria del Mar and was soon joined by his spouse and friends. So a nice afrtenoon of swimming, snorkeling, conversation, food and drinks was had.

As always Juanita, my jeweler, came by. This year I’m just buying bracelets, but it is so hard to choose as there are so many pretty ones. The peanut man came by, I’ve finally learned to say peanut in Spanish

(cacahuate). I only wanted one bag, but he kept handing me a second empty plastic sack. then I figured it out the second sack was for the shells to keep the beach clean. I really do try to learn a few new words every day even though the Senor thinks folks can understand my English better than my Spanish. A young boy came by with a sack full of shells he had been diving for so I bought one for my granddaughter Morgan who plans to decorate her new apartment’s living room, nautical.

The Senor and Jose our waiter at Gloria Del Mar, Playa Las Gattas

We catch the water taxi back to the pier and decide it’s definitely siesta time before we reheat the chicken in a pot that was last nights dinner. Dinner on the balcony, the Senor watches a little TV, computer time for me and my latest kindle book while I listen to the pleasant music coming from the Baracruda Bar. A most pleasant day. Signing off KO

A REAL LIFE HERO

Victor is a hero! Just as the Super Bowl was about to start yesterday a man grabbed the cash box off the “Sailfest” table in front of the Baracruda Bar and ran like hell. As the cries of “that man is a thief” were heard, Victor responded and chased the thief over 4 blocks before he did a full body tackled on the thief in full view of Super Bowl party patrons at La Playa Bar where the Senor just happened to be in attendance. Another good Samaritan helped hold him until the police arrived. The police took the thief as prisoner and wanted to take the cash box with them also. I guess as “evidence,” but the “Sailfest” lady had arrived by this time and had retrieved her cash box and no way was she going to relinquish it to anyone, especially the police. Victor, the hero of this true life crime story, is a waiter at Tres Amigos Restaurant and simply stepped up to do the right thing. Word is the 49’ers could use a good tackle like Victor. The reality is the money raised by “Sailfest” goes to building schools and educating the very poorest children of Zihuatanejo, stealing from “Sailfest” is robbing very poor children a chance at learning to read and write. Victor is a true hero. Signing off KO

I LOST MY FAN

I arrived in Zihuatanejo with 2 fans, lost the first one the very first day. Probably left it in the cab going to the Commercial as I was not yet in the habit of carrying one every where I went. To most folks this would be minor inconvenience, for me a small disaster, but I have a spare. That is until yesterday, when I must have dropped my fan in the movie theatre when I stood up to leave. The issue is I perspire, not only do I perspire I sweat like the proverbial pig. Especially my scalp and face. It’s embarrassing, and if anyone has a better solutions than I have come up with please let me know. My friend Cathie (who first introduced me to Mexico) gave me a sort of headband/scarf with elastic band across the back so it fold up compact but opens up to fit your head like a cap. Originally I used it so I could snorkel and not sun burn my scalp and made several extras. But now I have learned to wet them, keep them in the refrigerator and put it on under my hat, cold & wet before I go out. It acts as a sweat band and protect my eyes, and while it doesn’t totally solve the problem it reduces the issue and keeps me cooler with less perspiration. This in addition to a fan and a wash cloth to dab away with I maintain comfort even though I look like a drippy mess.

So my last fan disappears and I have to bargain with the “Fan Man” for a new fan, but this one is too big to fit in my purse. Anyway I got him down from 50 to 20 pesos and I think that’s 10 more than I paid last year, but I have it and am happy.

It’s Super Bowl Sunday in Zihuatanejo and almost every bar and restaurant has the specials and the game going. I’m not a fan, nothing against football I’m just not a fan, but the Senor is and has his favorite bar to watch it at. So Sunday evening I’m a football widow, which gives me a chance to just wander the streets and admire the beautiful statues that are placed around town. Each statue represents a specific area of the state of Guerrero which I am in. My favorite is “The Pescadore” the fisherman, which just doesn’t photograph well, but certainly speaks of not only the past but of the present of Zihuatanejo. I visit him on a regular basis.

oNE OF MANY STATUES — ONE OF MANY STATUES

After a dinner of Pescadillos at Daniels I return to my balcony to listen to the beautiful Mexican music being featured this Sunday evening Zocolo. I can hear it like I was there and here I have a place to sit and glass of wine and no crowds. Can’t beat that. From time to time I hear the roar of approval from the crowds at the bars as the Super Bowl continues. I do love my balcony, my view of this small part of our world. Signing off KO

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMMM

Things that amuse me, fascinate me or that I find strange and remind me I’m in a foreign country.

You can sit in a restaurant forever and they might ask if you want something else, but would not present you with a bill until you ask. Children 3 years and up wandering thru the bars and restaurants late at night selling trinkets.

Chilidren selling trinkets — children selling trinkets

Shopkeepers washing off the walkway in front of their store with a pan of water daily. Bars that stay open until 6 AM. Grocery stores where children bag groceries for tips instead of being in school. Street dogs everywhere. Re-bar protruding from the roof tops of most buildings, I’m told it signifies that it is unfinished and makes a difference in taxes paid. Vehicles with loud speakers on top advertising. Stores that close between 2 and 5 and then reopen until 10. Lots of small mom & Pop shops, lots of small Mom and pop restaurants. Street vendors and push cart vendors. Venders hawking their wares like carnival barkers. Workmen communicating with each other by whistles. Mothers and family members holding their babies, or wearing them in shawls, I rarely see a stroller.

Pick up trucks with 10 -15 people in the back. Small children standing up in the front seat of automobiles. Buses being crowded and standing room only. Policemen riding the on the side of coke and beer delivery trucks with their rifles slung over their shoulder. Police pick-up trucks with automatic weapons mounted on top of the cab with a half-dozen rifle armed officers standing in the pack. Military vehicles with the same armed presence, some times personnel is in full face mask driving through town. Banks with long lines of people inside every day. 3 wheel bicycle deliver vehicles. Whole yellow chickens hanging by their feet in the Mercado, sides of beef being butchered in the open air with flies hovering. Stalls with the most beautiful array of fruit and vegetables where it takes one person to weigh it, note the cost on a slip of paper for you to pay the cashier who sits right beside the weigher. Labor intensive! It takes 3-4 people to complete a sales transaction in the fabric store. American brands with a twist; McCormick pepper has ground up lime in with the pepper. Mayonnaise comes with lime in it. Or you can get it chilli flavored. Eggs come loose in a plastic sack. Toddlers playing at the beach in their birthday suit. Some are wonderful, some not so great, but viva la difference. Signing off KO

Back in Zihuatanejo

So happy to be back in peaceful, quiet Zihuatanejo. With no agenda other than with a vist to the chickens as now my neighbors in our building are saving their scraps for me to bring to them and a little shopping. As I headed out to the Mercado for fruit a colorful serape caught my eye as the ideal thing to put across the foot of our bed for the sole purpose of keeping the bedspread clean, as we lay on the bed to watch TV and read.

We settled on a price and it was mine, I put it in my rolling bag, where it soon was joined by cucumbers and cheese . A stop at the Merza for bug spray and milk was added to the bag, then on to the pink bakery for “bollios,” probably not spelling it correctly, but the senor wanted to try them instead of regular bread, Purchased three and the daily shopping was done. Why is shopping here such an enjoyable experience, where back home it’s just a chore? We quickly put our new sarape to test for siesta time. A great addition to our little home.

Evening found us at the Flophouse Bar listening to Al Alto and soon joined by

Nelson on the saxaphone. What a great combination.

We visited with old friends, made new ones, learned the best place to get the rolls or “bollios” is just up the street from the Flop house,

Later that evening several of residents of our building gathered together for a bit of wine and/ or tequila and conversation. A great end to another great day. Signing off KO

Pool at Los Flamingos where "Tarzan swam — Pool at Los Flamingos where “Tarzan swam

Our last day in Acapulco at Los Flamingos I started the day with a few laps in the pool and a breakfast of fruit and yogurt, gosh I almost feel like a heath nut. I can’t say enough about this hotel, with its interesting Hollywood past, hammocks on every terrace,

the beautiful grounds, good terrace restaurant right on the cliff, sunsets to die for, rooms with a terrace and a hammock and are naturally air-conditioned by the ocean breeze. So we packed,

watched the news, read lazed in the hammock, ate a lite lunch, but mostly interested in getting home to Zuatanejo.

We wished we had scheduled an earlier than 3 o’clock bus ride. We left the hotel at 1:30, caught a cab and didn’t arrive at the station until 2:40. This should have been a 20 min trip at best, but…… Traffic during the day is horrendous, half the streets are torn up, but Acapulco drivers are the rudest, most aggressive, inconsiderate drivers I have ever seen.

Beautiful sunset fromnour room terrace — Beautiful sunset from our room terrace

absolutely no rules of the road. I’ve been in heavy traffic in Rome and Naples, this was far worst. And to make matters worst there are 2 bus stations in Acapulco, Ejidio & Central. We of course had no idea which we arrived in and our ticket s said Centro, but when we got to Centro we were told take a taxi to other station. The trip home was uneventful, but long. Even though it was a first class bus that didn’t mean non stop. More and better research next trip. The only reason I would return to Acapulco would be to stay at the hotel, it is a little slice of paradise on the highest cliff in Acapulco and possible to go to a bull-fight. I know the current trend is that they are barbaric, but I have been to bull fights in Spain, and that bull is as mean as a junk yard dog, and the “torerros ” are as graceful as ballerinas, and the pageantry is beautiful. Enough said!

We were welcomed home by a trail of ants from the balcony along one wall to the front door. Not welcome visitors, fortunately we had bug spray and solved the problem quickly. So glad to be back in our little home away from home. Signing off KO

ACAPULCO CLIFF DIVERS AND THE ZOCOLO

Our trip to Acapulco is all about seeing the cliff divers again, and getting some good photos and of course relaxing in the beautiful Hotel Los Flamingos.

Our day started with breakfast at the hotels terrace dining area, then we walked around the grounds, a veritable jungle of plants and trees and path ways, we located the pool with plans to swim later. Next we flagged a taxi outside our hotel grounds, most taxi’s are VW bugs. This makes getting in and out of a bit difficult as some have the front seat moved all the way up to make it easier to get in the back and others have it pushed back so you can sit in the front. Either way it’s a bit difficult and when you ask “cuanto cuesta “ to your destination they say “very cheap”, or “what you want to pay.” Mostly it’s about 5 bucks to everywhere.

It is truly amazing as they start from the water and scale the cliff they are going to dive from. No safety harness, no repelling gear, no pick axe or pegs, their only equipment is the “Speedo” they wear. There are several different natural platforms in the cliff they dive from, that is if you can call a flat spot on the cliff that really isn’t more than a few inches wide a platform. Their dives are graceful, and obviously well times with the tide and current.

The tiny inlet they dive into is only about 13 ft deep at the highest tide deepest current, with beautiful blue water, but the divers do a sweep to clean the water it of any floating debris that could cause them injuries

We choose to watch them from the lowest vantage point, a small pavilion a couple of hundred steps down the hillside. It costs 40 pesos to watch from there and that money goes to the divers along with any tip money they can get from the tourists.

Going down was easy, going up hot and tiring but well worth the show, one of the divers we visited afterwards said he’d been diving for 18 years, which would have made him about 10 or 12 when he started. Some of the other divers we saw were young, but not children. They were very gracious and signed shirts for our grandsons.We were amazed not only the height of their dives but at what beautiful dives they did.

Next we flagged VW cab and headed for the Zocolo. Acapulco has a beautiful square with huge trees, and a large gazebo facing the very busy street that runs along the water front, on the opposite side is a very beautiful church. Along both sides are shops and restaurants filled with people shopping and alley ways off the main square with shops and booths of just about everything. A small shop with very bright colors caught our eye and I purchased two pairs of capri’s and the Senor bought 2 pairs of shorts for 6.90 pesos each.

Although it was past lunch time we weren’t really hungry and decided Ice cream would be just right. We picked a side-walk café and ordered “malteados” which were listed in English as milk shakes. Well milk shakes they were, I don’t think there was any ice cream in them at all, but tasty none the less. Then back to our lovely hotel for siesta and dinner.

As we opened our door on to the veranda, the wind came up quite strong, but it was a warm wind and continued most of the night. We had a nice dinner of broiled chicken for the Senor and a tuna stuffed tomato for me as once again we watched the beautiful sunset. We retired to our room to read catch up on the news and sort through our pictures. A very pleasant day in Acapulco, a lovely place to visit, but too crowed and busy to ever want to stay here. For some reason the internet went out and ended the news for the Senor and brought our day to a close. signing off KO

ACAPULCO AND LOS FLAMINGOS

We boarded the Estrella Blanca bus about 2:30, noting it was first class, but not luxury class like the Parihuni bus we rode last year. It had a few hanging TV screens and showed a couple of movies during the trip in Spanish as would be expected. We mostly dozed and I read and dozed as we passed through small village after small village, often right on the cost line.

The highway is strictly 2 lanes, not even a shoulder and the bus moves fast even on the curves.

We arrive in Acapulco about 6 pm, catch a cab and head for the beautiful Los Flamingos hotel, former playland of the rich and famous hollywood stars of bygone days. We get settled in our room and head to the dinning terrace for dinner and to catch the sunset. I had baby shark peccadilloes and onion soup, which was excellent, the Senor choose a pork chop that was a little tough. We watched the sun set visited with other dinners from Minnesota and watched as the waiter prepared bananas flambe, one more drink and we retreated to our room for the night.

The room has ventilator windows on both sides and a ceiling fan. No need for air conditioning as we are situated right on the cliff above the ocean and the breeze blows right through the room while you listen to the waves lapping at the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. Not a fancy room, but attractive and comfortable. This morning as I sit on the veranda right out side our door this is my view.

signing off with more to come KO

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