Things are beginning to cool down a bit in Mazatlan . . . I actually put a blanket on my bed! Of course, the air conditioner is still on, but turned down. We had a big thunder, lightening and rain storm late last week (see photos) and it seems to have been the turning point. It still has a ways to go before being comfortable enough to expend much energy, but at least I can walk a block or two without having to use my sweat rag!
Confession time! Okay, the worst thing about this heat? Going to the bathroom! You know when you try to take off a wet bathing suit? How it all rolls up? Well, the same thing happens here . . . you sweat all day, so when you go to the bathroom, everything is damp, and the underwear rolls up as it goes down . . . and is hell to get back up!!! Life is hard, isn't it? :-)))
And activities are gearing up! Every Thursday morning I'm volunteering in the English Reading Library, checking books in and out, selling memberships, shelving books and meeting a lot of people. On Saturday mornings I'm taking a Tai Chi class. I'm not too sure about it yet but thought it would be fun to try! I'm still trying to find the perfect Spanish Classes. Oh, and I have a cooking class next Wednesday! Jeez, this retirement thing is a lot of work!
On Saturday, several friends and I are going to dinner at Te Amo Lucy's (I love Lucy's). Lucy is preparing a special dish called Chile en Nogada. It consists of poblano chiles filled with "peccadillo" (a mixture usually containing chopped or ground meat, aromatics, fruits, and spices) topped with a walnut-based cream sauce and pomegranate seeds, giving it the three colours of the Mexican flag (red, green, and white). (this info from Wiki!) It is traditionally served on Independence Day but Lucy's was closed that day, and since she is supposed to make the best Chile en Nogada in Mazatlan, my friend Lee talked her into making it for Day of the Dead instead. I'll report back how delicious it really is! Lucy also serves my friend Bobbi's famous Louisiana Bread Pudding! So much for dieting on Saturday!
After dinner, there is a procession called callejonera (or a word similar to that). It is an annual walk to look at Day of the Dead altars around Centro. I've already seen a few of them set up around Revolution Square. There will be a donkey or donkeys carrying beer to be dispensed (free) to the walkers. Some costumes, music and all that.
I won't have any Trick or Treater's at my place as it is upstairs and at the back of the building!
Happy Hallowe'en!!!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Home from Puerto Vallarta
I'm back . . . survived the heat . . . it was an interesting trip!!!
Lee and I left on Saturday morning at 8:45 on the local long distance bus. We arrived in Puerto Vallarta about 5pm. Taxied to the Villa del Palmar (my parent's time share resort) and checked in. They gave us a room with a king-size bed, and although PV is the gay capital of Mexico, and most people we met assumed we were a gay couple, we requested a different room, with twin beds. No problem, we were up on the 8th floor with a view of the tennis courts and the mountains . . . it was a very nice studio suite with kitchen facilities. By the time we were settled in, it was too late to do any exploring of the area, so we just checked out the beach and pools, then had a nice dinner in the restaurant.
The next day we got on the bus and headed into Centro to get a look at the town. We did not bring our laptops, and the internet cafe at the resort was $9.00(!!!) per hour (as opposed to $1.00 in town) so the first think we did was check out email. Then we wandered around a bit, getting mildly lost, but finally finding the Malecon. It was very hot and humid so wandering the streets wasn't as pleasant as we had hoped and we didn't feel like spending too much time, always rushing to the shady side of the street and checking to make sure a shop was air conditioned before going in! We found a nice place (with air conditioning!) for a leisurely lunch, then wandered a bit more, managing to find the Huichol shop that Lee had seen several years ago. We spent several hours in there (yes, it too was air conditioned!). Lee and I both bought some art, although hers was a "bit" more than mine, which was 60pesos (less than $6 Cdn). Just as we were ready to leave, the sales clerk asked us if we could do her a small favor . . . if we could attend a Time Share Presentation, I could have my $6 purchase for free and Lee would get an 85% discount on hers!! Well, what were we to do? Modeste was so nice, and she asked so nicely, and her little baby was sick, and it would be such a huge favor to her, and they'd give us a lovely free breakfast . . . and well, we were sucked in . . . we said yes, we would go to the time share presentation. In all honesty, I was very curious, I'd never been to a time share presentation. So, we were picked up from our resort two days later and taken to the "Westin Regina" resort in the Marina area. I should have known, right from the start that this adventure was doomed. I think all of you know of my obsession for anything orange . . . well, this place was Pepto Bismal Pink . . . everywhere you looked, bright pink!!! Ugg!!! The sales person we were handed over to was terrible! He said he had been selling for 12 years, but judging from the way the talked to us, I'd say he hadn't sold many places in that 12 years! He didn't know much about the place, he didn't ask us the right questions or give us the right info, he didn’t know the software program at all . . . he was just awful! After 2 hours of him (yes, he even ate breakfast with us!), we told him we were not interested (Modeste promised us we could leave after 90 minutes, so we had given him extra time) so he handed us over to another fellow, who was rude, arrogant and belligerent. We were about to walk out when he called over "the boss" . . . now this guy was slick . . . it was how I had expected the first guy to be . . . I might even have bought a time share from him (just kidding!!!) . . . we managed to escape from him, but not before we got money for a cab back to our resort as Modeste had promised. The whole thing was a very interesting experience. Not one I'd ever want to experience again, mind you!! Oh, nearly forgot! The next day we went back to Modeste's shop to tell her thank you for the discounts . . . and they told us that she would not be getting her commission "because one of us only worked part-time" . . . and that we should therefore pay the full price for the art!! Well, we got out of there pretty fast, the art was already packed away at the hotel . . . and we marked it all up to a new and different experience! Oo la la!!!
Although we both enjoyed the adventure of Puerto Vallarta . . . we have decided to never holiday again at this time of year, unless we go somewhere cooler. The heat and humidity just made it so we couldn't enjoy getting out and about. PV is also much more expensive than we are used to in Mazatlan. It is a resort town and the tourists will pay those prices. One interesting experience, we grabbed a taxi home from Centro one evening and I paid him 100pesos for a fare of 50pesos . . . he handed me a US$5 for change . . . he said he did not have pesos!!! I didn't want US money as I have no use for it at all in Mazatlan . . . so the porter changed it for us. But it just goes to show that PV is all about the tourist!!
The trip home on the bus was another adventure. The first half of the trip was through the mountains, up, down, around . . . ugg . . . my stomach did not like it too much!! For the second half, we thought we'd try a different bus line . . . it cost a few dollars less, and they promised us it was a First Class bus . . . well, I'm sure it was Economy because we stopped in every little village along the way, had five stops at inspection points, for immigration, police, I don't know what else . . . twice we had to get out of the bus, get our luggage out and have it inspected. (I've learned the secret, as the inspectors are all young boys, keep a box of tampons at the top of your bag . . . as soon as they see it they slam it shut and tell you to move on!!!). When finally we got to Mazatlan there was a gruesome accident where someone had been run over by a truck, the streets were blocked and traffic at a stand still . . . when we finally moved by, we could see the covered victim under the truck . . .
And now we are home again . . . and the most exciting thing . . . while I was gone, they got the internet fixed up and I actually have it in my apartment now!!
Sorry this was so long! Let me know if you made it to the end!!
Lee and I left on Saturday morning at 8:45 on the local long distance bus. We arrived in Puerto Vallarta about 5pm. Taxied to the Villa del Palmar (my parent's time share resort) and checked in. They gave us a room with a king-size bed, and although PV is the gay capital of Mexico, and most people we met assumed we were a gay couple, we requested a different room, with twin beds. No problem, we were up on the 8th floor with a view of the tennis courts and the mountains . . . it was a very nice studio suite with kitchen facilities. By the time we were settled in, it was too late to do any exploring of the area, so we just checked out the beach and pools, then had a nice dinner in the restaurant.
The next day we got on the bus and headed into Centro to get a look at the town. We did not bring our laptops, and the internet cafe at the resort was $9.00(!!!) per hour (as opposed to $1.00 in town) so the first think we did was check out email. Then we wandered around a bit, getting mildly lost, but finally finding the Malecon. It was very hot and humid so wandering the streets wasn't as pleasant as we had hoped and we didn't feel like spending too much time, always rushing to the shady side of the street and checking to make sure a shop was air conditioned before going in! We found a nice place (with air conditioning!) for a leisurely lunch, then wandered a bit more, managing to find the Huichol shop that Lee had seen several years ago. We spent several hours in there (yes, it too was air conditioned!). Lee and I both bought some art, although hers was a "bit" more than mine, which was 60pesos (less than $6 Cdn). Just as we were ready to leave, the sales clerk asked us if we could do her a small favor . . . if we could attend a Time Share Presentation, I could have my $6 purchase for free and Lee would get an 85% discount on hers!! Well, what were we to do? Modeste was so nice, and she asked so nicely, and her little baby was sick, and it would be such a huge favor to her, and they'd give us a lovely free breakfast . . . and well, we were sucked in . . . we said yes, we would go to the time share presentation. In all honesty, I was very curious, I'd never been to a time share presentation. So, we were picked up from our resort two days later and taken to the "Westin Regina" resort in the Marina area. I should have known, right from the start that this adventure was doomed. I think all of you know of my obsession for anything orange . . . well, this place was Pepto Bismal Pink . . . everywhere you looked, bright pink!!! Ugg!!! The sales person we were handed over to was terrible! He said he had been selling for 12 years, but judging from the way the talked to us, I'd say he hadn't sold many places in that 12 years! He didn't know much about the place, he didn't ask us the right questions or give us the right info, he didn’t know the software program at all . . . he was just awful! After 2 hours of him (yes, he even ate breakfast with us!), we told him we were not interested (Modeste promised us we could leave after 90 minutes, so we had given him extra time) so he handed us over to another fellow, who was rude, arrogant and belligerent. We were about to walk out when he called over "the boss" . . . now this guy was slick . . . it was how I had expected the first guy to be . . . I might even have bought a time share from him (just kidding!!!) . . . we managed to escape from him, but not before we got money for a cab back to our resort as Modeste had promised. The whole thing was a very interesting experience. Not one I'd ever want to experience again, mind you!! Oh, nearly forgot! The next day we went back to Modeste's shop to tell her thank you for the discounts . . . and they told us that she would not be getting her commission "because one of us only worked part-time" . . . and that we should therefore pay the full price for the art!! Well, we got out of there pretty fast, the art was already packed away at the hotel . . . and we marked it all up to a new and different experience! Oo la la!!!
Although we both enjoyed the adventure of Puerto Vallarta . . . we have decided to never holiday again at this time of year, unless we go somewhere cooler. The heat and humidity just made it so we couldn't enjoy getting out and about. PV is also much more expensive than we are used to in Mazatlan. It is a resort town and the tourists will pay those prices. One interesting experience, we grabbed a taxi home from Centro one evening and I paid him 100pesos for a fare of 50pesos . . . he handed me a US$5 for change . . . he said he did not have pesos!!! I didn't want US money as I have no use for it at all in Mazatlan . . . so the porter changed it for us. But it just goes to show that PV is all about the tourist!!
The trip home on the bus was another adventure. The first half of the trip was through the mountains, up, down, around . . . ugg . . . my stomach did not like it too much!! For the second half, we thought we'd try a different bus line . . . it cost a few dollars less, and they promised us it was a First Class bus . . . well, I'm sure it was Economy because we stopped in every little village along the way, had five stops at inspection points, for immigration, police, I don't know what else . . . twice we had to get out of the bus, get our luggage out and have it inspected. (I've learned the secret, as the inspectors are all young boys, keep a box of tampons at the top of your bag . . . as soon as they see it they slam it shut and tell you to move on!!!). When finally we got to Mazatlan there was a gruesome accident where someone had been run over by a truck, the streets were blocked and traffic at a stand still . . . when we finally moved by, we could see the covered victim under the truck . . .
And now we are home again . . . and the most exciting thing . . . while I was gone, they got the internet fixed up and I actually have it in my apartment now!!
Sorry this was so long! Let me know if you made it to the end!!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Settling In
I've been back in Mazatlan for over a week. Things move slowly here. Still no internet in the apartment, but I'm managing okay using the neighbour's deck. I guess the major problem was that my fridge was not keeping anyting cold . . . my landlord told me to go buy a new one (he is still in the States). Going to buy a new fridge is easier said than done when you don't speak the language! Had my friend Lee go with me and we found a suitable one and arranged for delivery . . . then just had to wait several days. It arrived yesterday and they hauled it up the stairs, took the door off the apartment to get it in, and it slid right into the space, with no even a centimeter to spare! It is purring away, and I have some cold drinks to offer visitors now!
It is pretty quiet in Mazatlan right now. Many people go inland where it is a bit cooler and not so humid . . . so some of the shops are closed and there are not too many activities happening. I usually go out in the morning to do chores and then hang around inside, with Air Conditioning, in the afternoons!
My Mom and Dad gave me a week at thier time share in Puerto Vallarta so Lee and I are heading there on the bus on Saturday. I hope it might be a bit cooler there so we can spend the days exploring!!
You would never have known there was a Canadian Federal Election here!!! Of course, everyone is much more concerned with the US Election . . . and I must admit, it is way more exciting!
It is pretty quiet in Mazatlan right now. Many people go inland where it is a bit cooler and not so humid . . . so some of the shops are closed and there are not too many activities happening. I usually go out in the morning to do chores and then hang around inside, with Air Conditioning, in the afternoons!
My Mom and Dad gave me a week at thier time share in Puerto Vallarta so Lee and I are heading there on the bus on Saturday. I hope it might be a bit cooler there so we can spend the days exploring!!
You would never have known there was a Canadian Federal Election here!!! Of course, everyone is much more concerned with the US Election . . . and I must admit, it is way more exciting!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Back in Mazatlan!
I made it back, safe and sound, but not without adventure!!
I flew out of Victoria on Tuesday morning in the middle of that beastly wind storm . . . it was a horrible trip to Seattle. Seattle to LA was okay. LA to Maz was awful! Twenty minutes up in the air and they had a light go on in the cabin so we had to go back to LA. Circled for half an hour to burn up some fuel. Were met by ambulances, fire trucks, police cars . . . sure, they told us it was all standard procedure . . . but jeez, it sure scares the poop right out of you!
I seem to have gotten a cold just before leaving . . . and I'm still working on getting rid of it. I suppose travel and change of weather and just stress and exhaustion in general aren't helping at all!
Because of the problems with my flight from LA, I was three hours late getting in to Mazatlan. I was certainly blessed by an angel, as my friend Lee was to meet me at my new apartment with the keys . . . and there she was . . . sitting right at the door to the building, waiting for me knowing I'd show up eventually!
My first day here was spent unpacking, going to the bank, picking up a few groceries and finding an internet cafe. The internet in my apartment isn't working . . . will get that organised when the landlord gets back next week. Meanwhile, my neighbour arrived and he got it going on his deck, so I can now sit outside and check email.
It is very hot and humid here. I don't quite understand the humidity factor, but they say when they do some sort of mathimatical caluclation, using the temperature and the humidity, they get the "actual" temperature. (I think it is like the wind chill at home . . . makes it feel a heck of a lot colder that the thermometer says!) Anyway, with the humidity factor, it has been in the 120 degree range!!! Yikes!! However, I have Air Conditioning and fans in my apartment and it has great ventilation and I'm finding it not too uncomfortable. Of course, I don't go out much in the mid afternoon!
My friends and I met today and went for lunch to one of our favorite's, Lupe Loco, a palapa restaurant on the beach. There was a lovely light wind and it was very comfortable. So good to see the waves rolling in! Apparently, the waves were bigger than normal due to Hurricane Norbert which will be by passing us completely. However, they say Hurricane Odile might cause us a bit more problems . . . but nothing serious! So don't worry about me!!
I flew out of Victoria on Tuesday morning in the middle of that beastly wind storm . . . it was a horrible trip to Seattle. Seattle to LA was okay. LA to Maz was awful! Twenty minutes up in the air and they had a light go on in the cabin so we had to go back to LA. Circled for half an hour to burn up some fuel. Were met by ambulances, fire trucks, police cars . . . sure, they told us it was all standard procedure . . . but jeez, it sure scares the poop right out of you!
I seem to have gotten a cold just before leaving . . . and I'm still working on getting rid of it. I suppose travel and change of weather and just stress and exhaustion in general aren't helping at all!
Because of the problems with my flight from LA, I was three hours late getting in to Mazatlan. I was certainly blessed by an angel, as my friend Lee was to meet me at my new apartment with the keys . . . and there she was . . . sitting right at the door to the building, waiting for me knowing I'd show up eventually!
My first day here was spent unpacking, going to the bank, picking up a few groceries and finding an internet cafe. The internet in my apartment isn't working . . . will get that organised when the landlord gets back next week. Meanwhile, my neighbour arrived and he got it going on his deck, so I can now sit outside and check email.
It is very hot and humid here. I don't quite understand the humidity factor, but they say when they do some sort of mathimatical caluclation, using the temperature and the humidity, they get the "actual" temperature. (I think it is like the wind chill at home . . . makes it feel a heck of a lot colder that the thermometer says!) Anyway, with the humidity factor, it has been in the 120 degree range!!! Yikes!! However, I have Air Conditioning and fans in my apartment and it has great ventilation and I'm finding it not too uncomfortable. Of course, I don't go out much in the mid afternoon!
My friends and I met today and went for lunch to one of our favorite's, Lupe Loco, a palapa restaurant on the beach. There was a lovely light wind and it was very comfortable. So good to see the waves rolling in! Apparently, the waves were bigger than normal due to Hurricane Norbert which will be by passing us completely. However, they say Hurricane Odile might cause us a bit more problems . . . but nothing serious! So don't worry about me!!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Moving along!
Wow, how time flys! A lot has happened since my last post here . . . I hope to keep things a bit more current soon!
The summer is over . . . Victoria is cold and wet and gloomy . . . and I can't wait to get back to Mazatlan! I had a great summer . . . lots of work, lots of sailing and a wonderful visit with my son.
I didn't get to see nearly as much of Brodie and Danielle as I would have liked, but they were only here for 12 days and had lots of friends and other family to visit. The weather held long enough for us to enjoy a day sail out to Sidney Spit for breakfast. They are back in Coventry now, already ensconsed in Brodie's last year of his PhD.
Bob and I went out for my last sail of the season last week. We had hoped to be out for 10 days but the weather changed and neither of us are much into cold wet sailing! It was wonderful though, to be out in September, when most other sailers had given up for the year. We had several evenings where we were anchored in quiet bays with no other boats around. We saw some awesome sunsets and masses of stars. On our last day out in we saw whales in the distance and had dolphins frolicking around the boat as we crossed President's Channel. A great end to the last sailing trip of the year.
The last few days have been spent getting me organised to leave. It is amazing the amount of "stuff" one accumulates. I had to make several trips to Value Village and the condo storage unit in order to get things down to one suitcase!
My next post will be from Mazatlan. Once I get settled in there I'll get the last few weeks of photos up.
Enjoy your winter! I will!!!
The summer is over . . . Victoria is cold and wet and gloomy . . . and I can't wait to get back to Mazatlan! I had a great summer . . . lots of work, lots of sailing and a wonderful visit with my son.
I didn't get to see nearly as much of Brodie and Danielle as I would have liked, but they were only here for 12 days and had lots of friends and other family to visit. The weather held long enough for us to enjoy a day sail out to Sidney Spit for breakfast. They are back in Coventry now, already ensconsed in Brodie's last year of his PhD.
Bob and I went out for my last sail of the season last week. We had hoped to be out for 10 days but the weather changed and neither of us are much into cold wet sailing! It was wonderful though, to be out in September, when most other sailers had given up for the year. We had several evenings where we were anchored in quiet bays with no other boats around. We saw some awesome sunsets and masses of stars. On our last day out in we saw whales in the distance and had dolphins frolicking around the boat as we crossed President's Channel. A great end to the last sailing trip of the year.
The last few days have been spent getting me organised to leave. It is amazing the amount of "stuff" one accumulates. I had to make several trips to Value Village and the condo storage unit in order to get things down to one suitcase!
My next post will be from Mazatlan. Once I get settled in there I'll get the last few weeks of photos up.
Enjoy your winter! I will!!!
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