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.

Tourist Again

E.T.C. is the Beach Club owned by Marta's brother Carlos. What a fabulous setting for Marta's sister Patricia's son's wedding on Feb. 6th, 2010!!! There will be about 300 people and it will be quite the party!!!!

Last Saturday Patricia and another sister Sylvia drove us to E.T.C. for our first visit. It is a very impressive place. The beach goes on for miles as you can see and the beach combing was fun. Ray and I walked in the water which was very warm and picked up treasures. This bay is very shallow and great for swimming. Thought about it, talked about it. Didn't do it!!!! Sat under an umbrella, sipped lemonada and read our latest novels.

I have to mention lunch. There was lots to chose from on the menu and we finally decided to have seafood mixto. Shrimp, octopus, fish, green peppers, onion, bacon and cheese. Too yummy!!!!

I don't want to whine about how hot it so I won't mention it ok??? I also won't talk about the blue sky and sunshine every day!!!!! Don't forget, we have two bedrooms at our house so you will be welcome any time.

Giving Back to San Blas

Thank you to everyone who has bought or will buy scarves from me in the past. I knit the scarves, sell them for $10 each and all the proceeds go to buy vitamins for children in San Blas. This year I brought down enough vitamins for 25 children to take one a day for a year. It was so much fun to go this year and to see how some of the kids had grown since last year!!!! It was really amazing.

I went with my friend Trini who speaks no English. We started off well at 4:00 p.m. with her talking really slowly and me understanding but by past 8 when she took me home, she was chatting away and I was hopefully making all the right gestures. That is one of the problems I have here. I'm so good at looking like I understand that everyone thinks I understand everything and I just nod and smile when I think it is appropriate and it is really working too well!!!!! Most of the time, I don't understand what is being said. I just look like I understand!!! I fake it well.

Now, this is a pot hole!!!! Thank goodness we were in a 4 wheeldrive vehicle. The roads in this part of San Blas are not maintained. Obviously!!!!!! Lots of fun!!!!

As you look at these pictures, notice the backgrounds. These are the houses that these families live in. They were very happy to see me again this year. I gave every family a picture of themselves from last year and that was fun for them too.

I also have a suitcase of clothes that I wanted to give to these families but Trini was not very giving and explained to me a number of times that she knows families that are much poorer and we are going to go there on Wednesday at 4 to give them away. My neighbour Ramona has a huge pile of clothes to add to mine so we have quite a contribution to make. This should be fun.

It is interesting to me that this year I felt fine after doing the vitamin delivery. Last year I was devistated and depressed. Not so this year. I guess I knew what to expect and there were improvements in houses and more smiles than last year.

Tourista for a Day

Yesterday we decided to play tourist for the day. Hopped on a bus, not a very touristy thing to do really. Guess we should have got a cab. Anyway, we headed about 8 miles south to Casa Manana. It was the first place we stayed 4 years ago when we discovered San Blas. We have been back every year since to eat, swim in their pool and enjoy a margarita.

It was so nice to be greeted by servers who recognized us and to order spaghetti frutti mari for lunch. Spaghetti with seafood - octopus and shrimp. The sauce has a hint of bacon and is just decadent!!!!! Enjoyed a swim in their pool although the water was icy when I first got in. There was some guy in the water when I got there and I figured he had to be Canadian. We have a reputation for being the only ones that swim in fridgid water. The saying, "It's nice once you get in " is known here as being strictly Canadian.

We headed out to catch the bus and after it hadn't arrived after an hour and a half, I hailed down a cab. We are great at getting to places but getting back home has always challenged us!!!! We had a great day regardless!!!!

The house you can see sitting up on the cliff is where we stayed for two months last winter.

important stuff

1) Anyone wanting to contact us can do so by emailing us at sheekey@bell.net .

2) Sorry for pictures not being where they would be best situated. I put them there and then the site has its way with them and I lose!!!!!

January 6th - The Day of the Kings

I forgot to mention in my last blog that when we got here Ray got an aweful headcold a couple of days afer arriving. He was no fun. Spent three days in bed sleeping which was better than whining!!!!

The third day he was sleeping all day, I got desperate for some healthy human contact and went out in the afternoon in search of some. As I biked past the square I saw an amazing sight. The whole square was lined with white plastic tables and there appeared to be food on the tables. Now, it is always about the food!!!! I get off the bike, climb the ramp and I'm there looking at the biggest piece of sweet bread you have ever seen!!!!

Back to the casa, wake up Ray. "There is something happening at the square you have to come!!!" "I can't. I'm dying!!!" "Come, you will have lots of company and they will feed you too!!!" It's a miracle. He arises from his sick bed and walks and then rides his bike to the square!!! First there were some wonderful female singers on a small stage. Either side of the stage kids were smacking pinatas with sticks. Nothing inside of them but they had a great time beating them up. The crowd roared at the good hits.

Next it looked like hundreds of kids and their families lined up behind the tables and after waiting far too long, the bread was finally cut and handed out to the waiting hands. Wrapped in plastic I may add. I lined up with the rest and got a piece and shared it with the other touristas who didn't line up!!! Very yummy.

Surprise Visitors

This picture below shows you what I saw when I walked out into the garage yesterday. The herd of goats and sheep from across the road were moving in!!!! Most decided to return but this ram was a little reluctant!!!! Never a dull moment around here. We have been here a week now and have settled in. All is well and we look forward to hearing from you. Love to you.

To The Market Every Day

We usually go to the market to shop every day. Here I am carrying a kilo of eggs - that's how you buy them here and for your info that is 16 eggs, a large basil plant that my friend Marta was going to throw out, a bunch of flowers and a backpack full of weighty stuffy. Ray has another backpack full too. This was actually our first trip to the market.

Inside the casa

This is how it looks on the inside. This house rents for $450 USD or 6000 pesos or $500 CDN.

Our Casa

This is our house. On the right handside is the living room/dining room. The kitchen is the window at the end of the garage/patio. On the left there is a bedroom, bathroom, bedroom. Out the back there is a nasty space where we store the bikes at night and I hang our washing that I'm doing by hand.

This house is clean, well maintained and comfy. The beds are the most comfortable we have ever had in Mexico. They tend to be very firm!!!! The furniture is comfy too. There are a couple of odd things. 1) The light switch for the bathroom is IN the shower stall. I kid you not!!!! 2) The Mexican sink in the back room drains onto the floor. It should have come with wellies. 3) There is no hot water at the bathroom sink as the pipe was stolen a few years ago when the price of copper was high!!!! Gotta love it!!!

We have arrived!!!!

This is the scene we left on Dec. 23rd, 2009. Off we went to Beeton to spend Christmas with our family and a lovely time was had by all!!!!

Gord kindly drove us to the airport on Dec. 30th and we joined the other anxious travelers lined up in long snaking lines to get checked in. Air Canada appeared to have the whole thing well orchastrated. Thank goodness we weren't going to the U.S.

This was the first year in many that we haven't sat in the emergency row. There really is a big difference in space. When the woman infront of me put her seat back my nose was on my t.v. screen!!!!!

Rabbit Proof Fence - I chose this as one of the movies to watch on our way down. If you would like to be publicly humiliated, I suggest you watch it in some very public place in broad daylight like an aircraft!!!! What an amazing movie!!!! A true story. Everyone should see it. I was just into the sobbies when the flight attendant wanted to know if I would like a drink. I muffled into Ray's shoulder that I needed water as I was about to dehydrate from so much crying!!!! Please rent this movie and buy Kleenex at the same time. Are we missing any of these situations today???

We arrived late in Puerto Vallarta and were surprised to be picked up by two men instead of one but it really helped with the luggage. Arriving in San Blas we were told our house was all ready for us as they are loading new mattresses into their truck to take to the house. The bedding didn't arrive until hours later and by then I was thinking we may just be sleeping on new mattresses with no linens. Half an hour later they arrived to fix the air conditioner but by then I was naked in bed and there was just no way I was getting up. It was gone midnight our time and we had both had it. The air conditioner is still not fixed but "Manana"!!!!