Blog #3 Winter 2011

This is the view in front of me as I am writing this week's blog. On Friday we took the bus from San Blas to Puerto Vallarta. We are staying at the Vallarta Torre a smallish timeshare at the north end of town near the marina. We have had a great weekend but the culture shock is really something coming from sleepy laid back San Blas to the craziness of PV.

We were supposed to return to SB today but our friend Paty has convinced us to stay at her house tonight and go salsa dancing til midnight. Doesn't she know I'm usually asleep by 9!!!! The other day when we told her we had been up since 7 she looked at us with wonder in her eyes and asked, "Why?"



This is the lovely entrance to the hotel. If this is welcome home, where is the snow?!?!?!

Do you know what this is? Well, let me tell you.....it is a baby turtle carrier and last night I got the thrill of launching a few baby turles!!! They have a fenced off area here where they keep turtle eggs that some turtle egg collector has put there. There are about 10 signs giving the date they were laid and the date they will be dug up. When one or two surface, a staff member goes in and digs up the rest.

Look at them!!!! Aren't they adorable???

They are golfina turtles and this one was the first one I got to launch. We were supposed to let them go on the sand near the water's edge which didn't make a lot of sense to me so I bided my time and when a huge wave came in I let mine go and off it swam. My clothes are still drying but it was for a good cause!!!

Some of the herd were returned by the incoming tide and we had to keep relaunching them. It was really a wonderful experience.

We were back at El Chaco this week for a swim and as we sat at the restaurant next door having lunch the cow herd came up from the beach. The funny thing was that as they passed the restaurant they crossed the coastal highway and no one was assigned the job of stopping or slowing down traffic. It was probably a surprise to new drivers to the area but old hat to the locals.

We took our first trip to Miramar this week for fresh oysters. In our enthusiasm, we arrived before the oysters!!! We were glad to see the arrival of the boats and our fresh lunch. What a treat!!!!

Times are tough down here for all of the businesses. Press concerning local problems have kept many away this year. Popular trailer parks on the ocean that are usually full sit with only one or two trailers in them. Small businesses have closed including some great eating places. In the past a dozen oysters at Miramar was usually 15 but this year, a dozen was twelve. A sign of our times.

Here are some of the kids that attended the first art class. There were 8 of them. We did drawing with pencil crayons or crayons. Next Saturday we are going to do beading. This also lets you see the inside of our house. The two bedrooms and bathroom are to the left. We like it. Our old house from last year was rented and the new one wasn't ready so we are staying here until manana.......

Finally the Saturday market. Can you see the faint white line infront of the grandmother and to the left of the walking man? Look familiar? See how straight the area is? New location. Guess where? The airport strip!!!!! I kid you not!! So if you are flying into San Blas please don't arrive on a Saturday!!!!

The Second Blog Winter 2011

Here off to the rear right, you can see Ray enjoying the dirty crowded pool at El Chaco. The water was freezing but oh so refreshing!!! Ray didn't get wet!!! Smart man.......

Now here is a sight you don't see every day. A herd of cows coming down the beach being herded by one guy on a bike and another on a motorcycle!!!! Gotta love Mexico!!! Always a Kodak moment at any moment.

These three little shots are from the Day of the Kings on January 6th. The bread was again all around the square. There was a clown entertaining the kids for a long time. This little girl was enjoying golf with her balloon until her club exploded. The last picture shows one of the kids enjoying a pinata. As quickly as one was demolished, it was replaced by another one.

Tangarines so fresh they still have their green attached!!! Yum.

This was the happy bicycle mechanic from last week. Every time we pass him now we get big, "Holas".

New Year's Day 2011

What a wonderful way to spend New Year's Day. We rode our bikes ( We had to have work done on them when we reurned. I had a flat. New hand grips. Seats adjusted. Ray had to have his wonky handly bars adjusted. Remember he doesn't have the tool he brought down to do that any more. He got air in both tires. We were there for an hour and the charge? $5 ) down to the beach to meet friends for lunch. I have never seen so many people at the ramadas. They were packed with happy celebrating people. We had the red snapper above grilled over mesquite wood. It was so delicious!!!! Oh, lunch was at 4:30!!!!

Caught!!!

First Ray was caught at Pearson with a four inch wrench that he had brought down to fix his bike. Too bad it was in his carry on!!!

Second, oh my, as soon as I saw the new xray machines in Puerto Vallarta, I knew I was screwed!!! We had already discussed how much cash to carry with us incase we got stopped with the vitamins. Enough to pay the "tax" but not enough to pay for our rent for 3 months. Sure enough as soon as they saw the contents they pulled me over. I opened the case wide and that is what they did with their eyes!!! One large case containing nothing but over a hundred bottles of vitamins.

After half an hour of different officers coming over and trying to read the boxes and me saying, "These aren't drugs." "See the pictures of the kids I give them to. See their houses. They are very poor." " I don't sell the vitamins. I give them to the kids." it was time for Ray to leave me alone and go to find the man who had come to drive us to San Blas. All the people had left from our plane and another plane load had also gone through customs. As I saw him walking away I wondered when we would see each other again. Would he contact help after five hours, five days, five months? Wait a minute, he would be back in Canada in 5 months!!! Would I still be held in customs?

Another painful hour went by. I was told we were waiting for the head hauncho to come. He never did. Finally a very nice woman explained about the new Mexican laws and how I had to go through a non-profit group to bring vitamins in in the future. She gave me a brochure and her phone number. I swore never to do this again and all ended well. I didn't have to cry and whine. I didn't have to pay any "tax". It was a good day!!!!!!!

Welcome to Winter 2011 in San Blas!!!

Welcome to Winter in San Blas 2011. The url has to remain the same at sanblaswinter2010.blogspot.com . We look forward to sharing our time here in Mexico with you and hope you enjoy the read!!!

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.