The Last Post of Winter 2010

As I look back over the blog for Winter 2010, I can't help but notice that there are a few important features of San Blas that you haven't been introduced to. The heart beat of the town is the main plaza or centro There are constantly events going on here day and night. I know we miss a lot of them even though we only live a few blocks away.

This is the Municipal building where local government is conducted from getting your Internet connected to paying bills and fines.



Most Mexican towns have a church as part of the plaza. This one has been reconstructed on the outside during the last few years. It's looking good!!!





Many local people come to the plaza to sit and visit with friends. Pigeons are fed by a few people. The geode was a gift from a twinned town that has many of them. Strange but true!!!

Finally, the new presidente has implemented free hair cuts for any one who wants to get one. What a unique idea!!! I took my chances with Marta.

And that is it for Winter 2010. It was a wonderful winter. We loved it and we will be back!!

Muchos Gracias San Blas!!!!

Just a Few More Bits and Pieces

I had three of these not so little visitors the last week in San Blas. I hear they don't bite BUT I wasn't taking any chances. A fly swatter or a can of Raid like material took real good care of them!!! Did I tell you that I found a tequila for $1.63 a liter??? Not bad either.




This iguana lived on our roof. I had seen it a number of times and then one day I say it's great grandfather measuring in at 3-4 feet. Good grief, I had no idea they could get that big!!! Why did all of this happen after Ray left? Too much excitement!!!!




Here my friend Marta is cutting my hair. Yes, that's right the hotel owner not the hair stylist!!! She kept insisting the price was right as it was free. As Marta always says, "Thanks be to God!!"

This is the delightful man that brought little mini-bananas to our house. He sang,"Platinos" as he walked up and down the streets of San Blas selling his wears. He also sometimes has bags of cut cactus or hermika for making tea.

My Mondays....

Mondays start with taking the laundry to the nice lady who does our laundry. For the first three weeks I did all of our laundry by hand. Now you may ask why I did laundry by hand and I would have to tell you, "I have no idea why I did it!!!! I just did it!!!!" It costs us about 45 pesos a week for our personal laundry and the same for linens. That amounts to $3.75 Canadian!!! Quite the deal!!!

See my lovely bike?!?!?! I love it!!!

From the laundromat I head out to the beach. This is the main road that takes you about a mile out to the beach. It amazes me that we live so close to the ocean but rarely go there. This road is four lanes but as you can see there are no lines on the road so everyone drives or rides where ever!!!! There are always lots of bicycles on the streets.

My next stop is here at the Hot Spot where I write the blog every Monday morning. I usually get breakfast here served by Marco the fine fellow in the picture. I just ask him to serve me what ever and he does. It usually turns into something of a buffet with fries, an egg, bacon, salad, rice, beans and shrimp. It is never the same but always delicious!!! Marco also sells the best coffee in town by the bag!!! I will be buying some today to take home as a week from now I will be in Puerto Vallarta at the airport!!!!

After I have finished breakfast and the blog I head down to the beach just for the bike ride and a look at the ocean. Quite the beach eh??? San Blas is know as a surfing beach. The waves are generally smaller in the morning. You will note there are no houses or hotels on the beach. There are many ramadas or palapas. They open about 10 in the morning and close about 4-5. You can have a wonderful lunch, sleep in a hammock, walk the beach, buy food from the roaming vendors or Mexican crafts etc. It is a great place to be.

It is with great sadness that I will leave San Blas next Sunday but I know I will be back!!!!!!

Mal Perro - Bad Dog!!!!!

I so didn't want to open with this picture but I can't move it!!!! This is a problem I have sometimes with the blog site. Anyway....

Saturday started like so many other Saturdays here in San Blas. Wake early. Little read in bed. No coffee in bed because "A" my coffee tastes like gnats pee as my Father would have said ( don't know how he knew that piece of information ) or "B" my coffee tastes like the main ingredient in asphalt!!!! Grabbed a banana and a piece of cheese and I was out the door before 8.

I was anxious to see the woman who had had a set of king size sheets in a silky kind of material the week before. I had dickered and dickered over spending this $17.50!!! In retrospect, like a lot of other things, this seems ridiculous. She had sold them but assured me that by next Saturday she would come up with another set so I will check that out this Saturday. I bought some fruit and vegetables for about $2.50 and headed home. It was still not 9:00 o'clock.

There are many ways to get back to our house from the market. I decided on a longer route as it was early and I had no other plans for the day except doing crafts with the local kids at 1:00. I turned off the interlocking road onto a cobblestone that would take me half a block away from our house. I noticed a large dog kind of running beside me but didn't pay too much attention as there are many dogs on the streets of San Blas. There are probably as many dogs in town as people!!! I was almost at our corner when I heard this low growl beside me and then felt sudden pain as a new dog to the scene sank its teeth into my fleshy part extending over the side of my seat. I screamed and yelled no and peddled harder to get away. It kept right up with me and bit me again!!!!

There were two men working on the road at the corner and when I stopped I was just about joining them in their project. I hiked up my shorts to feel for blood. I thought I had lost a couple of chunks out of my bod. I showed the two men who told me to go to the hospital. Not a good sign!!! I had been yelling for Suan to come out of her house and she finally did and took me inside.

Saun was great. She washed my parts off with peroxide,slathered me with antibiotic cream and two bandaids. She also comforted me with hugs and much needed kisses!!!!!! The affection probably helped more than the medical attention as I was feeling very much alone. I was really angry when it first happened but that changed to self pity. I hadn't cried at all until Suan suggested that I was bitten because the dog knew I was afraid of it to which I responded, "I'm not afraid of dogs!!!!" and cried 5 tears. I think I was now rethinking that statement.

I took the groceries home, picked up the computer and headed to Marta's to phone Ray. I had 5 more tears when I walked into Marta's and she took one look at my face and said, "Honey, what's wrong???" and gave me a big hug. One look at my wounds and she insisted that I go to the hospital against my wishes. She called a cab for the two block ride and off we went.

As we walked into the emergency department and I saw all the people I figured we would be there for the weekend BUT we were ushered right in!!! Not exactly what I would call a life threatening injury!!!! I say the doctor who asked all kinds of questions I didn't know the answers to but when he asked if the dog was healthy I was quick to say that it could run like the wind and had really big white teeth!!!! Marta was wonderful interpreting everything back and forth. 5 more tears when she told me they were going to give me rabies shots. I had heard about them and I knew I didn't want them!!!!! Then she checked again and it was a tetanus shot! Ok, sounds fine but doesn't that normally have to do with metal??? A nurse spent a long time washing and sterilizing the wounds and then I was good to go.

We went out to pay the bill. I was given a script for antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. I haven't gotten them filled as there is no sign of infection. The doctor explained that the staff who had helped me were going to be here for the next three days if I wanted to come back and have the wounds washed again. They were incredibly nice. Now for the big news. When I went to pay, there was no bill. It was all free. I guess this kind of accident is bad for tourism!!!!!

The aftermath of the whole thing is that I'm really jumpy, insecure, afraid and have no kahunas!!!! So not me. I don't want to be alone and feel real sucky!!! So not me!!! I know this will pass. I just hope it passes quickly so I can enjoy my last two weeks in lovely San Blas!!!

More bits and pieces....

Ray left a week ago to go home to Canada. It was time for me to do my own thing. Number one was to go off to the Chinese restaurant and load up. As I did, you can see!!! Enough for 4 dinners and I loved every one of them!!!

Next was to get some charo or whatever they call this delicious stuff. It is a concoction of flour and water. It is extruded from a massive hypodermic needle like thing. Fried in lots of trans fats and then cut and rolled into sugar and cinnamon. Ray can't stand the smell let alone the taste!!! I slapped down my 12 pesos and got about 7 long pieces. Went home and ate them all. Woke in the night with the worst heart burn I've ever had and probably won't do that again!!!!!

When we first moved into our house I thought we had an abandoned house beside us but within a few days I realized that it is actually an appliance repair business. I was happy to see this truck arrive one day and a lot of the treasures from the front of the house were loaded on, I never thought they would all fit but they did, and were hauled away. These guys are constantly roaming the streets with their load speakers trying to get folks to sell them metal. A super recycling project. They pay you for your metal. A definite win win situation.

Daily Shopping

From our garage you turn right. Peddle on our cobble stone street for three and a half blocks. Turn right again. Peddle for two blocks on the interlocking brick road to the main square of San Blas. There are no paved roads here, cobble stone or interlocking. Turn left and then right around the square and you are at the market. Note the fish sellers on the left of the main building. The market opens at dawn and closes every day at 2.

Here is Ray at his favourite breakfast place in town. Just inside the door on the right. We share a licuados ( a drink with a base of orange juice or milk and then you add all the fresh fruit you want from individual bowls or you could go for a green one with lots of miscellaneous green stuff ) for 20 pecos and a torta or sandwich in a bun for another 20 pesos. Breakfast cost 60 pesos or about $5. Please note the new born babe on the counter!!!! Gotta love San Blas!!!

This is the view as you walk in the door of the market. It is all about eating. Ray's place is on the right. You can buy everything you need here. If they don't have it, you don't need it. There are no supermarkets here or large grocery stores. There are many great mini-supers.

Remember the fish sellers? Walk past them and look for a tiny alley way on your right that will take you to this gem - My Grocery Store. You find a blue plastic basin and fill it up!!!! No one speaks English and everyone wants to get served first. I have had women pass me cucumbers when they thought mine were too small in my basin. Too funny!!!!! Or, they have put my papaya back and got me another one and these are other shoppers not the staff!!!!

I think this woman is the owner. You never know where the parrot will be but it is always there. Many times it is eating a green chile!!! One tough bird!!! I couldn't eat one of those!!!!

We usually shop every day. The only thing we have had in our freezer is popsicles!!! It is so different from shopping at home. I tend to go about every two weeks there. I have less than three weeks left here so I need to start thinking about changing the life style again but maybe not quite yet.

Bits and Pieces

This is one of our household critters.

This is my "garden".

One of San Blas' best restaurants but in an odd place. It is probably one of San Blas' best kept secrets. Notice the bike/walking path. It covers the sewerage pipe that runs through town. This awesome restaurant is on this path. The food is the best and the prices can't be beat. They also deliver!!!!!

While I was waiting to take the next picture this cowboy happened to pass by. Not uncommon!!!

This was too funny but yes, a tad dangerous!!! The kid on the 4x4 is dragging the kids around the block in this little plastic red car. The kids were all yelling and jumping up and down and having a ball. I only saw one kid wrap himself around the telephone guy wire!!!! Great fun until the Mom of the 4x4 kid appeared in her car and made him take his mean machine home. It was like the San Blas Indy for Kids!!!

A Trip to the Dentist

"Oh, no!!!! I've broken a tooth!!!! Oh good grief, it's next to my front one!!!!"

I had to go to see Doctor Rafael Rodriguez, Ray's dentist. I confess, I'm a complete dental suck. Once the appointment has been made everything in my life evolves around that day and time. Like someone on death row I guess.

I arrive early in case he isn't there and I can leave but he is waiting on the sidewalk for me. He shakes my hand and we enter his waiting area. A small room with two concrete benches. I think there were cushions on them two years ago but not any more. There is no receptionist. No hygienist to hold my hand and say,"How are you doing? We're almost done. You're doing great!!" This guy doesn't even speak English!!!!

I tell Ray, "If you hear me yell, break down the door, jump on your mighty steed and come rescue your woman!!!!" Yeah, right.

I sit in the chair and the first thing he does is give me a serviette. "No thanks, I've had breakfast." Then I remember the last time I was here and recall there is not a sucking snake in your mouth and you have to continually spit. As you may recall, last time I was here, I spat with such gusto it flew out of the bowl, hit the wall and ran down to the floor. I try to spit with class. I must have done about 100 sit ups/spit ups. Great exercise.

He drills and drills and drills. I feel the tooth and freak to realize it is now tiny!!!!!! I liked it big and matching the other side!!! Then I hear the drill behind me. "Oh my God. He's going to start drilling through the back of my head!!!!"

After he has applied a liberal amount of porcelain, the tooth now feels immense. Lots of more drilling and I'm done. He gets his little mirror and I get to see this lovely looking tooth. I'm done. I'm free. I can make plans for Christmas and I didn't even need freezing!!!!!

The Birthday Party

A week ago Sunday we were riding our bikes to Kane to load up on liquores when we were stopped by our landlord Gustavo. He wanted to know where we were going and what we were doing. Very unusual questions from a Mexican. They are really big on noninterference!!! He then invited us to a birthday party in honour of his two sons, one to be 12, the other 7. All plans were canceled and off we peddled to the party.

What a great experience. We were greeted at the door by this clown that carried on all night and did an amazing job. He made everyone balloon things. I got a yellow flower on a green stem. The boys all got swords and naturally started fighting with them. The girls got poodles. The kids also got masks and throwing confetti all over your friends was big.

The party was held in a "casino" or party place. It was so clean when we arrived and an hour later it looked like a war zone. The pinata above was the first of three that the boys beat the snot out of. Interesting that this was a male only event with lots of yelling and making fun of one another. Lots of laughter!!!!!


There were two young teenage women looking after this baby. We were sitting quite a long way away from them. I told Ray I really wanted to hold the babe when, oh my gosh, one of the young women got up and gave it to me!!!! I was so surprised. It was such a thrill!!!! Sure hope this doesn't mean I have to take it home!!!!

The food was prepared by Alicia, Gustavo's wife and it was fabulous. It was probably the best meal we have ever had in Mexico in 10 years. This woman should open a restaurant.

Following the food came the live entertainment, a group of local teen musicians. They were having such a great time playing and the kids were having a ball dancing. It was tiring just to sit and watch!!! It was so much fun to have this experience. An honour and pleasure.

Aguascalientes

Last Tuesday we left San Blas on a roadtrip to Aguascaliente with our friend Paty. Here you can see her in her kitchen. We took turns driving and it was my turn through Guadalahara!!!! Good grief. Paty drives a GMC suv so I just pointed it where I wanted to go and floored it. Everyone was trying to get infront of us but I was tough under Paty's guidance!!!!!

This is the wing we stayed in of Paty's gorgeous home. The city was wonderful with some awesome architecture but it was a tad cold. It felt like minus 2 according to the weather chanel. Ofcourse there is no central heating!!!! This is Mexico BUT it rained, the wind blew, the temerature soared down!!!! Yikes it was cold. Paty had warned me but I didn't think it could possibly be THAT cold. Oh yes it was!!!! We still had a fabulous time.

Friday we headed back to San Blas by bus. I thought we might be in trouble when the bus that was only to make two stops on the way to Tepic stopped at a taco stand and the driver bought four tacos with sauce and a hard boiled egg, got back into the bus, adjusted the steering wheel so he could use it as a table and off we went!!!! He was quite young and had blue eyes which is very unusual here. On the open highway he did very well. Ray saw him using cruise control but in the cities he became a mad man - The Road Rage Warrior!!!!! He followed transport trucks so close a piece of paper couldn't be passed between us and no one was getting infront of him no matter what!!!! Agressive plus. He wound his way in and out of traffic like he was in a little car not a huge bus. He kept crossing himself all during the six hour journey and more and more I began to understand. Thank you God for getting me another mile safely. By the end of the trip I was doing the same thing!!!!!

So nice to be back in San Blas!!!! It is warm and sunny.

I love to Boogie!!!!!

Ray was at the dentist. I was quietly sitting in the living room ready a good book when I suddenly heard this incredible sound from outside our house. The worst muffler noise in San Blas and it was sitting and revving outside my house. Time to check on this delinquent. It was my friend Carl and he had come to take me for a ride in his wife Joy's boogie!!!!

Let's go!!!!

My first dumb question was, "Are there and seat belts?" "Sure," says Carl, "But they don't work!" We were flying through the back streets of San Blas. Taking flight over potholes bigger than the boogie. I was hanging on to the roll bar over my head thinking to myself that this was just like being on a midway ride and I gave them up years ago!!!! What the hell were we doing!!!!! Having a blast is the answer.

Back to the house to pick up Ray. We rounded the block and there were the neighbourhood kids waving and jumping up and down with excitement in seeing their crazy Canadian neighbours driving a boogie. I got it into second and then third. Never made it into fourth. The little machine is very gutsy!!! Goes like stink!!!!

On one open stretch I flew through a puddle on Ray's side and that started the whining. "No more puddles!!!! I'm soaked" and honestly when we got back to the house it looked like he had on leopard skin shorts. It was too funny. He really was covered with mud!!!!

The whole time I was in the boogie I had this stupid inane grin on my face that I couldn't take off. It was just so much fun. Dangerous but fun and we survived yet again!!!!

Gotta love San Blas!!!!!!

El Chaco

It seems there is a rumour around town that the pool at El Chaco is dirty and I want to keep the rumour going!!! Look at it!!!! Filthy!!!! The result is that when we were there yesterday with our friends Carmen and Lawrence we had the place to ourselves!!!! Perfect!!!! What a great afternoon we had basking in the sun and swimming unencumbered by any other swimmers. I can't wait to go back. No rash today but I'm not telling anyone that!!!!

Carmen and Lawrence are our friends that we play cards with occasionally. Last week we were at their house playing cards, eating Belgum chocolate cookies and drinking tequilla!!! A gourmet feast!!! My kind of people!!!!

The Wedding

What an honour and priviledge it was to attend the wedding of Sophia and Paco on Saturday February 6th, 2010.

The wedding was held at ETC just south of San Blas. I have written about ETC before. It is the perfect place for a wedding. The staff were most attentive. I was afraid to finish my libation as another was always always imediately there to replace it but I was brave!!! The meal was great - huge shrimp, a mystery potato dish and a green salad with a balsamic dressing and a sprinkling of cranberries, walnuts and raisins.

There was a constant flow of music that started at the end of the ceremony with 4 mariache kind of musicians singing and playing. There was a traveling group that visited every table as we ate and then the serious Cuban band started with an ipod thing giving them the occasional break. Now, the Cuban band was great but they must have played tunes that lasted for at least 15 minutes each!!!! Exhausting. Two dances and you're done at our age!!!!

Did you say a cyclone????

It started raining Tuesday and didn't stop until Wednesday night. In coming to Mexico for 6 years in the winter, we have never seen any rain before. Quite the experience!!!! No water drains away until the sun comes out and evaporates it all. San Blas' highest point is 5 feet above sea level. That is what makes it such a wonderful place for bike riding but not for water drainage!!!

The excitement started about 10:30 p.m. Ray had just come to bed and woke me up changing the fan blah, blah, blah but it wasn't the fan noise that I could hear.
"Ray, are you awake?"
"No!"
"Is that the wind I can hear?"
"Yes!"
"Good grief, something is wrong. It sounds like a hurricane!!!! Get up!"
"No!"

I decided one of us had to be brave and look outside so I got up and headed to the bathroom first. Now, all of our ceilings are about 12 feet high. The window in the bathroom is at ceiling level and about 1 foot by 2 feet. As I sat on the toilet, my short hair was blowing around!!!!! Now I'm positive something is very wrong!!!

"Ray, get up!!!!"
"No, I'm asleep!!!"
I head into the living room in the dark and suddenly about 4 feet from the front window, I'm wading in water!!!!! The house is leaking!!!!

"Ray, get up right now!!!!" and Mr. Brilliant says back, "Don't get excited!!!!"
Let's have a short recap. Hurricane outside, water flooding the inside. Not a time to get excited?
"If now is not a time to get excited, then I'm not sure when a good time could possibly be!!!!"

He finally staggers out of the bedroom and exclaims, "What do you want me to do? It will be fine in the morning." Yeah right, if we live that long!!!!!
"Get a pail and mop. Start piling the furniture up!!!"

I mopped and mopped and mopped and mopped.Every room in the house was leaking between the wall and floor or coming in the window. About an hour later I was mopping the living room again when I saw a gecko leaving the house through a crack around the front door. It seems to me that when the wild life is leaving and not wanting to stay inside to be protected from the storm, it isn't a good sign!!!!!

I finally make it back to bed where Ray has been for a very long time and I'm have trouble sleeping as my thought for the day is, "I know you can die in your sleep from smoke inhilation. Can you die in your sleep from drowning?????!!!!!"

Two days later a friend who is fluent in Spanish told us that the storm had been labeled a cyclone so there you go, another Mexican adventure!!!!

Saturday Crafts at 1....

The first Saturday we met to do crafts at 1:00 p.m. in our garage, I had 3 kids. The next Saturday there were 6 and goodness knows how many will be there next time!!!! Too bad you can't drop me off some supplies but I can collect all year for next winter!!!!

In this picture we are making frames for their school pictures with magnets on the back to hang on the fridg.

Other Stuff.....

Here is Ray getting comfortable for the ride to Miramar on Wednesday for oysters with our friends Joy and Carl. Ray is a good man!!!

I went on a boat ride one afternoon about 3 to see rosietta spoonbilled something or others. There were gorgeous. Probably the most beautiful bird I have ever seen in my life. We saw lots of other birds too. San Blas is on a migratory path so many bird watchers come here to gawk!!!

I have had a nasty cold all week and haven't felt the greatest but it hasn't slowed me down too much.

We went to our neighbours house for a birthday party and another night for Navajo tacos. Very yummy!!!!

We have one gecko in the bathroom behind the toilet and I hear two, not one as I previously thought, every night in the kitchen. I have counted up to nine in the garage at night. When I scream from the kitchen at night, Ray now knows that one little critter just ran across the counter infront of me!!!!!! I'm not impressed!!!!!

The 6th Annual International Bird Festival

The Bird Festival opened with a bang like it always does. This year the dancers were imported from the state of Jalisco. For the last few years the dancers have come from our state of Nayarit. Quite honestly, I think our dancers are better but they were unavailable as they were performing in Spain. Now, what does that tell you????

These young people were just full of enthusiasm and energy. The audience loved them. The costumes were great and changed with every number. There was a number where the men danced alone with their maches, swinging them recklassly between their legs. Male dancers dancers looking macho I guess. In another number, the men had bottles on their heads. It was very entertaining. A great night!!! A great celebration to start the week.

Personally, I like my birds with salt and pepper!!!!!!!!!!!!

Proud to be Canadian!!!!!

Last weekend we were invited to a fund raiser at the new mariner. We dickered around about whether or not we wanted to go. We would have to ride our bikes home in the dark with the perils of dogs and pot holes along the way!!!! Finally our good friend Patti volunteered to drive us home so we agreed to go.

The fund raiser was put on to support a local school for special kids and here is the best part it was organized and orchestrated by a Canadian couple from Toronto, Ruth and Don. They prepared all the food for the scrumptious buffet. Now, I think it really helped that Don is in the restaurant trade!!!! He told us they were expecting about 150 people but cooked for 200 and then word got out in the community that there was a party and wow!!!! they served almost 300!!!! It was a great experience and it made us so grateful that we had attended and so proud to be Canadian too!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mirimar for Oysters

Here we are at the oyster co-operative in Miramar. There are currently 62 divers involved. As we sat at our table we watched the boats coming in loaded with divers and the freshest oysters you have probably ever eaten. The divers have an innertube with a net attached. They dive down to the rocks and knock the oysters off the rocks with metal crowbar like things. Up to the top, oyster into the innertube down into the net and down they go again for another. Standing on the shore you can hear them laughing, joking and singing as the work.

My lunch!!!! Yumm!!!! A dozen raw oysters on the half shell actually turns out to be about 15, sells for less than $7. You can also see the fish ceviche (raw fish) tostadas and I also had a shrimp one for less than $1.50 each. What a treat!!!!

The Market at our Door

I have to tell you, one of the things I just love about living in San Blas is that every day someone comes to the door trying to sell us food. One day I bought some sausage looking stuff that I had no idea what to do with. It turned out to be chorizo which is spicy meat that you take out of the skin and fry. I added a couple of eggs. We have also bought tomatoes, oysters, watermelon, cucumber, tangarines, bananas and cactus. This guy in the picture sings as he is coming down the road. He sells tiny bananas, red ones or regular old yellow ones. We have turned down chairs, Christ on a four foot cross and beds. Gotta love it. It is so much fun.