Well no more possum sightings since Wednesday night. Hopefully it was an "eclipse-related" event and will not occur again until 2007! LOL Thanks to all of you for your concerned emails. My latest visitor is a black cat that has been lying in wait on the stairs only on the nights when we forget to turn on the outdoor lights. The last two nights, he/she streaked by me as I came up the stairs. I told Colleen and she said to be thankful it is only one cat. Last year they had about 50 cats hanging around until someone decided to poison them. Then there were just a lot of dead cats ... :(
On Friday night, I had dinner with my friend Karin. We work together at VIVA and she is a fellow Canadian. She has a cute little one bedroom apartment with a rooftop terrace, ideal for nude sunbathing and/or a nightcap after a delicious homecooked meal. I am so lucky to have friends that love to cook! :) As we were enjoying the last of our wine upstairs, I noticed a light glowing behind the mountains to the east. It was the moon rising! What a fabulous sight ... we watched it for an hour along with the fireworks over the Bay. It was a beautiful, clear night.
So the weather has changed somewhat. I am finding it less humid and cooler in the mornings. I am sleeping under my sheet and comforter almost every night now. I can't even imagine what it is going to be like in January! Brrr ... The good news is the mosquitos are dying down and hopefully dying off with the cooler weather. With the time change this weekend, it will be lighter in the mornings (no more carrying my flashlight to the gym!) and turning dark when I leave work. Speaking of which, I worked six days last week and it didn't kill me. Haha ...
Today I went to Bucerias with some friends who go every Sunday. We hang out on the beach, play dominos, settle grudge matches from the week before, consume numerous "libations" and just generally relax. On the way back today, we stopped at Mauricio's just outside Ixtapa for a bite to eat. I don't know the term for this type of restaurant. We don't have anything similar in Canada but there are several like it here in Vallarta. I've been to El Coleguita outside of Pitillal last year but Mauricio's is much, MUCH better ...
It is a huge outdoor restaurant under a palapa roof. Seating is plastic tables and chairs and the menu is simple -- seafood. Shrimp with fish, shrimp with octopus, shrimp in soup or shrimp with shrimp. Price is 99 pesos. Your dinner comes on a huge platter with rice, salad and a piece of garlic bread. Drinks are extra but free while you wait. ;) Let me explain ... this weekend is a four day long weekend for the Mexicans, with Monday being All Saints Day and Tuesday being "El Dia de Los Muertos" (Day of the Dead). Vallarta is currently overrun with Nationals on vacation, enjoying the beaches, shopping for treasures, eating and drinking everything in sight!
Mauricio's was packed to the rafters. It was probably the worst Sunday to go there but, once committed with our names on the list, we decided to stay, hoping the estimated 45 minute wait was a slight exaggeration. It was. I think we sat in the "holding area" for about 20 minutes. While there, we were provided with free beer and free food. There was cooler full of ice cold Sol and Indio beer plus barbequed ribs and fresh ceviche. And this was before we even had a table! We considered hanging out in the holding area instead of going to dinner!!! But I'm glad we went inside.
Once seated, they convinced me to try a Tecate beer. I wasn't really in the mood for more beer but everyone else was having one so I went along ... am I ever glad I did! A cold can of beer arrived for each of us with FOUR HUGE FRESHLY PEELED JUMBO SHRIMP piled on top! I considered simply having beer for dinner ... LOL. To give you an idea of how succulent these shrimp were, a guy at the next table accidentally dropped one on the floor. He pushed back his chair, got down on his hands and knees to retrieve it, rinsed it off (in beer?) and ate it! We all cheered!!!
The table was crowded with serviettes, four different kinds of salsa, salt and salad dressing. I looked around and when I saw the size of the dinner platters being served at the other tables, I quickly agreed to share my dinner of fish and shrimp. It was delicious. Dessert was included (some kind of sweet thing made with bananas which I didn't want) and a small glass of kaluha with milk on ice. Dinner for four, with one shrimpy beer each, was $278MXP.
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Sleepless in Vallarta (11:45PM)
This is the second night in a row that I haven't been able to sleep. Maybe it is the full moon tugging on me or the change in the weather which we all feel is just around the corner. I just don't know. Tonight I read about the lunar eclipse that is supposed to be happening in this part of the world tomorrow night so maybe that's it. Maybe it is just the car alarm ringing downstairs or the guy screaming down the street or the cricket that sounds like a little bird chirping outside my door. Quien sabes?
I should probably explain that the "windows" in my bedroom are actually 90" x 90", without screens, inlaid with an elaborate wrought iron grate painted white. The only thing between me and the great outdoors is the grate and a lot of huge plants. BTW, these plants make any attempt at growing houseplants NOTB lame by comparison. The leaves on these suckers are larger than dinner platters -- at least 20" in length. The stems on these plants are reminiscent of Jack's famous stalk.
I hope the plants aren't holding up the house. It's an old house and we are up on the second floor, I think. It's sort of hard to tell because the stairs wind up and around. Maybe we're on the third floor. I know there are people above us and below us. Did I forget to mention the huge tree that crashed into the neighbours' house the other morning at 5AM? We thought it was an earthquake. I guess the termites took one too many bites out of that tree! :) We also have an avocado tree growing just inside the gate that frequently drops fruit. Anything we don't salvage is mysteriously half eaten the next morning.
These huge plants provide me with some privacy but the bugs are still getting in. And unless I position myself strategically behind a huge leaf, I could probably been seen from below; that is if anyone was looking up or even cared (remember I live in a predominantly gay neighbourhood). Anyway, I feel safe and secure here and not too exposed but I am thinking of buying some sheer or gauzy curtains to cut down on the mosquito feeding frenzy in my room every night but now I'm thinking that something a bit stronger might be in order.
I had a visitor tonight. A rodent-like creature climbed onto the window sill outside my smaller bedroom window. I could hear him coming so stealth is obviously not one of his strongpoints. Judging from the noise he was making, I thought he would be a lot bigger. He is possum-like; bigger than my teddy bear but smaller than me. I wanted to scare him off so I yelled (not really a girlie scream --more of a "Hey you, get the hell out of my bedroom!" type scream) and he calmly turned his back on me and sauntered away. This leads me to believe that I didn't really frighten him but merely interrupted him on his nightly sojourn to another part of the jungle.
So I can't sleep now. Quel surprise! And of course, as I'm lying in bed, I can see bats flying maneouvres outside my window. These are probably big fat fruit bats since they are light in colour and just a little bit bigger than the mosquitoes lying in wait for me. I came out to the kitchen because the computer sits on a table right beside the kitchen counter. Did I mention that the power went off earlier? I felt compelled (OK, can you say obsessive/compulsive?) to go around resetting all the digital clocks, including the one on the microwave. I've held off on the fixing the one on the coffee maker so that the gecko languishing on the counter could finish eating up the sugar grains in peace. Did you know that geckos have TONGUES? This is a frightening thought for some reason ...
Anyway, I found a big stick and it is now sitting beside the dresser beside the window where Mr. Possum (or whatever the hell he is!) appeared earlier. If he should decide sometime tonight that I am way more interesting than whatever is on the outside of my window, I want to be prepared. Although if he ends up on the bed with me, I'm afraid the stick won't help at all. Goodnight to all of you, wherever you are ... sleep tight and don't let the ... well, you know. LOL
I should probably explain that the "windows" in my bedroom are actually 90" x 90", without screens, inlaid with an elaborate wrought iron grate painted white. The only thing between me and the great outdoors is the grate and a lot of huge plants. BTW, these plants make any attempt at growing houseplants NOTB lame by comparison. The leaves on these suckers are larger than dinner platters -- at least 20" in length. The stems on these plants are reminiscent of Jack's famous stalk.
I hope the plants aren't holding up the house. It's an old house and we are up on the second floor, I think. It's sort of hard to tell because the stairs wind up and around. Maybe we're on the third floor. I know there are people above us and below us. Did I forget to mention the huge tree that crashed into the neighbours' house the other morning at 5AM? We thought it was an earthquake. I guess the termites took one too many bites out of that tree! :) We also have an avocado tree growing just inside the gate that frequently drops fruit. Anything we don't salvage is mysteriously half eaten the next morning.
These huge plants provide me with some privacy but the bugs are still getting in. And unless I position myself strategically behind a huge leaf, I could probably been seen from below; that is if anyone was looking up or even cared (remember I live in a predominantly gay neighbourhood). Anyway, I feel safe and secure here and not too exposed but I am thinking of buying some sheer or gauzy curtains to cut down on the mosquito feeding frenzy in my room every night but now I'm thinking that something a bit stronger might be in order.
I had a visitor tonight. A rodent-like creature climbed onto the window sill outside my smaller bedroom window. I could hear him coming so stealth is obviously not one of his strongpoints. Judging from the noise he was making, I thought he would be a lot bigger. He is possum-like; bigger than my teddy bear but smaller than me. I wanted to scare him off so I yelled (not really a girlie scream --more of a "Hey you, get the hell out of my bedroom!" type scream) and he calmly turned his back on me and sauntered away. This leads me to believe that I didn't really frighten him but merely interrupted him on his nightly sojourn to another part of the jungle.
So I can't sleep now. Quel surprise! And of course, as I'm lying in bed, I can see bats flying maneouvres outside my window. These are probably big fat fruit bats since they are light in colour and just a little bit bigger than the mosquitoes lying in wait for me. I came out to the kitchen because the computer sits on a table right beside the kitchen counter. Did I mention that the power went off earlier? I felt compelled (OK, can you say obsessive/compulsive?) to go around resetting all the digital clocks, including the one on the microwave. I've held off on the fixing the one on the coffee maker so that the gecko languishing on the counter could finish eating up the sugar grains in peace. Did you know that geckos have TONGUES? This is a frightening thought for some reason ...
Anyway, I found a big stick and it is now sitting beside the dresser beside the window where Mr. Possum (or whatever the hell he is!) appeared earlier. If he should decide sometime tonight that I am way more interesting than whatever is on the outside of my window, I want to be prepared. Although if he ends up on the bed with me, I'm afraid the stick won't help at all. Goodnight to all of you, wherever you are ... sleep tight and don't let the ... well, you know. LOL
Monday, October 25, 2004
Dating Vallarta Style!
| The single ladies here in Vallarta have a saying about the men in Vallarta, they are all "married, gay or leaving on Tuesday"! LOL There are a lot of us here, of all shapes, sizes and ages. I think there are a few single men here who are not married or gay or leaving on Tuesday but from the few that I've met, pickins are slim. A lot of the men here are well over 50 years of age. A lot of the single gals here are well under 50 years of age.
This makes for some interesting combinations, especially when you factor in the cross-cultural combinations between the Mexicans and those of us born and raised NOTB (North Of The Border). I've seen some outrageous looking couples here -- beautiful young Mexican women with older stodgy American men and young Mexican guys sniffing around "mature" American women. Editor's Note: When I use the word "American" here, I actually mean to refer to anyone not born and raised in Mexico. I refuse to use the words "gringo" or "gringa"! My experience with Mexican men has been somewhat limited. (My friends are no doubt holding their sides laughing at this point!) The two that I have dated both work in the restaurant business which means that they both work almost every day and night. So you can just imagine how much time we actually got to spend together! Now that I'm working days, I'm looking for a banker. Haha! I do love Mexican men though. Aside from their obvious physical attributes, they are romantic, direct in their intentions and usually very good dancers. Some of them can even sing! And all those corn tortillas makes for very white teeth -- they are quick to smile, joke and blow you a kiss. So as much as I miss the quick wittedness of my Canadian counterparts, I wish they were more like Latin men ... *sigh* |
Working Out Vallarta Style!
| Well I finally bought my gym membership this afternoon. I have already worked out at the gym twice since Saturday. No one really seemed to care whether I had a membership or not. I probably could have just continued to go there, pretending that I belonged, but I am an honest person so I paid the money, filled out the forms and got a membership number. So now I am official.
The gym itself is very small and compact but it has everything including spa facilities. Free weights in 5 pound increments (so I will be missing my 8 pound dumbbells!) and only one set of each so if I meet someone else in the free weight section who is training at exactly the same time and we end up both needing the 10 pounds dumbbells at the time, I will just use the plates instead! They have all kinds of machines (I'll probably only use the ones for legs and back) plus a brand new Smith Rack which is a bonus! Two treadmills, two eliptical machines, two exercise bikes, two recumbent bikes and a small stretching area. There is also a "juice bar", beautiful change rooms, showers plus the aforementioned spa facilities. I will be showering at home but it is a nice feature for those people going straight to work. So this morning, I left the house shortly after 7AM. Unfortunately, it was still dark out so I had to take my flashlight with me! The walk over the top of the hill at Francisca Rodrigues was a little hairy since the steps are quite steep and it was still rather dark. The area is also a bit isolated so I think I will take the long way around in the mornings. Besides, who wants to climb 70 stairs after a hard leg workout? It took me about 10 minutes to walk briskly to the gym so I arrived around 7:15AM. The gym wasn't open. One of the employees arrived but she had forgot her keys. Alfredo, the trainer who usually takes the early morning shift, left for England yesterday for 2 weeks as his wife is having their baby there. Finally the manager/owner showed up at 7:30AM to unlock the doors. She assured us that this will not happen again but it's Mexico so who knows? We are allowed one small towel per workout, about the size of hand towel. If you want a shower, the bath size towels are 10 pesos each so by going home every day to shower, I am actually SAVING 120 pesos a week! Two towels per day (one for body, one for hair), six days a week would cost me that much. Besides, I have the time in the morning since I only start at 10AM and doing it this way adds another 30 minute walk to my day, every day. I should be svelte any minute now! :) Thank the Goddess we put the clocks back one hour this weekend. This means the sun will rise an hour earlier at 6:30AM and I won't need my flashlight in the mornings. However, I will probably need it to come home from work at night! LOL |
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Random Thoughts ...
Well, I've been here over a month now. There are many things about living in Mexico that you don't think about living in Canada or the U.S. For example: 1. In Toronto, I don't have to check my toothbrush for ants before I use it. 2. NOTB, I don't usually think about where to put my used toilet paper. Here, I have to think first: "Do I flush it or toss it in the wastebasket beside the toilet?" Decision, decisions ... 3. When I see something at the grocery store I've never seen before, I will buy it, just in case I never see it again, even if I don't need it. 4. There are so many dragonflies here; even fushia and purple ones! The word "dragonfly" in Spanish is libélula. Pretty huh? I learned that at work because one of our Mexican silver orders contained silver and turquoise or malachite dragonfly pins. Classic designs from Taxco ... 5. I finally figured out that the old man on Basilio Badillo wasn't actually calling me "honey" everytime I went by. He was offering to sell me miel but it was fun while it lasted! (Just kidding.) 6. You gotta love a country that puts up yellow police-type tape across the booze aisle in the grocery stores on election day. And everyone respects it! 7. Stereotypes about Mexicans are just that, stereotypes. They are some of the hardest working, most intelligent people I know. Most of them speak two languages. How many of your friends can do that? 8. I've been asked twice recently, by Mexicans, in Spanish for directions. So I must either look like I know where I'm going or look like I know what I'm doing ... either prospect is pretty scary when you think about it! 9. I'm actually thinking of buying mosquito netting and making it into curtains. How domestic! 10. My favourite new friend here is five months old and her name is Jessica. I am just in love with this kid! She's half Canadian and half Mexican ... sort of like me! :) |
Monday, October 18, 2004
Moving and Working ...
Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I've been busy moving into my apartment and starting work. The move was relatively easy ... I borrowed a friend's small truck on Saturday in order to pick up my belongings from three different locations. That all went without a hitch but, unfortunately, the apartment is located up approximately 50 stairs and one of my suitcases was pretty heavy! My roommate, Colleen, was my driver but since she was so sick with a cold, I did all the lifting. Who needs to join a gym now? LOL
On Sunday, on his day off, my friend Adan from Casa Andrea, helped me with the last suitcase and a few boxes of last minute items, including food from the fridge. He gamely hauled all the heavy stuff up those damn stairs for me and I thanked him with a suitable propina. So now I'm in. We have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living rooms, two dining rooms and two entrances. One kitchen which we share although neither one of us cooks! We have cable TV, a washer and dryer, Colleen's computer with high speed internet and most kitchen gadgets including a microwave. Oh, and a phone line. Water, hydro, gas and cable are included in the rent.
The place is not a palace but it is big and Colleen lived here last year so I knew what to expect. The mosquitoes are feasting on us (new meat!) but we are battling back with sprays, lotions, burning coils and the like. If you have any other bright ideas, let me know! I am averaging about 6-10 new bites a day. It is very uncomfortable sometimes. Right now I'm typing with a Raidolito (burning Raid coil) smoldering under my chair. It is the only thing that seems to work when we are at the computer. The landlord has promised to paint, starting tomorrow. I wonder what he was doing for the last month when the place was vacant? LOL
We are just off Calle Amapas near the Tropicana. Security is good because of the huge locked wrought iron gate at the end of the driveway but we are also living in the heart of the gay district in southside Vallarta so I feel safe and content to be here for the next six months or so. It is a 15 minute walk for me to work -- less for Colleen who will be working at Que?Pasa on Olas Altas. She will be working nights and I will be working days so I don't expect to see her much after this week! :)
I got a bit of a promotion at work. Not really more money or prestige but a specific position within the company. The boss and other managers all thought I was suitable for this responsibility so I guess, in a way, it is a pat on the back for me. I will be in charge of marking all the merchandise that comes into the store and supervising any staff that helps me in this endeavour. In exchange, I asked for regular working hours of Monday to Saturday 10AM to 6PM. I am hoping to be able to leave at 2PM on Saturdays ... This is much different than my shifts last year which were inconsistent from one week to the next. Now I can plan my social life much better. I don't know when I'm going to find the time to buy groceries though.
I was actually quite happy to get back to work as I could not be a turista forever. One month off left me lazy, fat and unmotivated. Deciding where to eat dinner was my hardest decision of the day. BTW, I had a lovely meal the other night at Mariscos Polo ... six juicy jumbo shrimp on a skewer with grilled veggies and some rice on the side. It was delicious! With a beer and the tip, I think it was $180 pesos. Dinner at El Brujo last week was also good ... shrimp fajitas for $90 pesos and there were enough shrimp leftover (ie. a dozen!!!) for another meal. Great meal, excellent value. Brenda Martin is cooking a full course turkey dinner (just like my Mom used to make) every second Sunday night at Que?Pasa for $90 pesos. (FYI, the $CDN is trading at 8.9 pesos at Scotiabank here which is incredible!)
So even though I am working a lot, I really enjoy my job. The store is beautiful and the people I work with are outstanding. We are Canadian, American and Mexican. This is the sixth season for the store and we are hoping to have our best year ever! Mary Sue is a dynamo and working for her is exciting, demanding and fun. It is a lot of hard work but it is interesting and so different from working in a law firm. I feel sometimes that this is the kind of work I was born to do. It is fast-paced but I am learning a lot about fashion trends, marketing and sales. I am also learning a bit about myself -- who knew I was a good salesperson or that it could be so easy? I guess I am my father's daughter after all! :) Anyway, when you're in Vallarta, drop in to say "hi" and look around. It is the nicest store in Vallarta! And I'm not just saying that -- enough people have told me that so it must be true.
On Sunday, on his day off, my friend Adan from Casa Andrea, helped me with the last suitcase and a few boxes of last minute items, including food from the fridge. He gamely hauled all the heavy stuff up those damn stairs for me and I thanked him with a suitable propina. So now I'm in. We have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living rooms, two dining rooms and two entrances. One kitchen which we share although neither one of us cooks! We have cable TV, a washer and dryer, Colleen's computer with high speed internet and most kitchen gadgets including a microwave. Oh, and a phone line. Water, hydro, gas and cable are included in the rent.
The place is not a palace but it is big and Colleen lived here last year so I knew what to expect. The mosquitoes are feasting on us (new meat!) but we are battling back with sprays, lotions, burning coils and the like. If you have any other bright ideas, let me know! I am averaging about 6-10 new bites a day. It is very uncomfortable sometimes. Right now I'm typing with a Raidolito (burning Raid coil) smoldering under my chair. It is the only thing that seems to work when we are at the computer. The landlord has promised to paint, starting tomorrow. I wonder what he was doing for the last month when the place was vacant? LOL
We are just off Calle Amapas near the Tropicana. Security is good because of the huge locked wrought iron gate at the end of the driveway but we are also living in the heart of the gay district in southside Vallarta so I feel safe and content to be here for the next six months or so. It is a 15 minute walk for me to work -- less for Colleen who will be working at Que?Pasa on Olas Altas. She will be working nights and I will be working days so I don't expect to see her much after this week! :)
I got a bit of a promotion at work. Not really more money or prestige but a specific position within the company. The boss and other managers all thought I was suitable for this responsibility so I guess, in a way, it is a pat on the back for me. I will be in charge of marking all the merchandise that comes into the store and supervising any staff that helps me in this endeavour. In exchange, I asked for regular working hours of Monday to Saturday 10AM to 6PM. I am hoping to be able to leave at 2PM on Saturdays ... This is much different than my shifts last year which were inconsistent from one week to the next. Now I can plan my social life much better. I don't know when I'm going to find the time to buy groceries though.
I was actually quite happy to get back to work as I could not be a turista forever. One month off left me lazy, fat and unmotivated. Deciding where to eat dinner was my hardest decision of the day. BTW, I had a lovely meal the other night at Mariscos Polo ... six juicy jumbo shrimp on a skewer with grilled veggies and some rice on the side. It was delicious! With a beer and the tip, I think it was $180 pesos. Dinner at El Brujo last week was also good ... shrimp fajitas for $90 pesos and there were enough shrimp leftover (ie. a dozen!!!) for another meal. Great meal, excellent value. Brenda Martin is cooking a full course turkey dinner (just like my Mom used to make) every second Sunday night at Que?Pasa for $90 pesos. (FYI, the $CDN is trading at 8.9 pesos at Scotiabank here which is incredible!)
So even though I am working a lot, I really enjoy my job. The store is beautiful and the people I work with are outstanding. We are Canadian, American and Mexican. This is the sixth season for the store and we are hoping to have our best year ever! Mary Sue is a dynamo and working for her is exciting, demanding and fun. It is a lot of hard work but it is interesting and so different from working in a law firm. I feel sometimes that this is the kind of work I was born to do. It is fast-paced but I am learning a lot about fashion trends, marketing and sales. I am also learning a bit about myself -- who knew I was a good salesperson or that it could be so easy? I guess I am my father's daughter after all! :) Anyway, when you're in Vallarta, drop in to say "hi" and look around. It is the nicest store in Vallarta! And I'm not just saying that -- enough people have told me that so it must be true.
Friday, October 15, 2004
Bowling and Blood
Every Friday, a group of local ex-pats get together here for breakfast at Andales and then head out to go bowling at Collage by noon. Today we had a group of 16 people! We used four lanes, bowled three games each and then Lynnda gives out prizes for the highest score, lowest score, etc. There is always a lot of good natured ribbing going on and grudge matches from the week before. The bowling alley is air conditioned and the drinks are cold. Afterwards, we all head someplace for a late lunch, usually Munchies, but today we went back to Que?Pasa for pizza.
It was Tom's birthday and he wanted to hear a certain country and western singer (forgive me but I can't remember the name) so we started searching through Lynnda's huge CD collection at the bar looking for it. Apparently he had burned her a copy recently and was interested in hearing Track 9, something called "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem!". Anyway, we found the CD, the song started and Tom kept asking Dennis, the bartender, to turn it up. Then he decided there wasn't enough woofer so he jumped up on the bar and reached over towards the stereo. WHACK! The ceiling fan was on ...
Needless to say, there was blood EVERYWHERE but he didn't feel a thing. We got him down off the bar, into a chair, with a clean cloth and ice before he decided to call his wife at home in Conchas Chinas and tell her what he had done. Four minutes into this conversation, I told him to "Hang up the phone. We're going to the hospital!" Howie drove, I road shotgun. We went to CMQ and they took him right away. They were so fast, he was done before his wife Michelle could even get to the hospital. Ten stitches later, Tom has a permanent reminder of his "39th" birthday. Isn't that special?
Signed, Nurse Juliana xo
It was Tom's birthday and he wanted to hear a certain country and western singer (forgive me but I can't remember the name) so we started searching through Lynnda's huge CD collection at the bar looking for it. Apparently he had burned her a copy recently and was interested in hearing Track 9, something called "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem!". Anyway, we found the CD, the song started and Tom kept asking Dennis, the bartender, to turn it up. Then he decided there wasn't enough woofer so he jumped up on the bar and reached over towards the stereo. WHACK! The ceiling fan was on ...
Needless to say, there was blood EVERYWHERE but he didn't feel a thing. We got him down off the bar, into a chair, with a clean cloth and ice before he decided to call his wife at home in Conchas Chinas and tell her what he had done. Four minutes into this conversation, I told him to "Hang up the phone. We're going to the hospital!" Howie drove, I road shotgun. We went to CMQ and they took him right away. They were so fast, he was done before his wife Michelle could even get to the hospital. Ten stitches later, Tom has a permanent reminder of his "39th" birthday. Isn't that special?
Signed, Nurse Juliana xo
Monday, October 11, 2004
Nuevo Vallarta - Take Two!
Would you believe I have never been to Nuevo Vallarta? I always wrinkled my nose up whenever anyone mentioned Nuevo. It's not PV and I always considered it too "new", filled with huge hotels, golf courses and not worth the detour off the highway when I could go to other, "better" places like Bucerias, Destiladeras and Punta de Mita. So when my new friends, Jeff and Constance, invited me out to the Grand Marival, I was kind of/sort of interested. They had decided to fill up the last week of their three week vacation with "beach time". Living southside was just a bit too busy for them and they needed to unwind before finally heading home and back to reality.
So on Sunday, we made arrangements for me to come to their hotel for the day, their treat. Have I mentioned yet how lucky I was to have this incredible couple living above me at Casa Andrea? They are the kind of the people that give Americans a good name in other countries! They are well-travelled, funny, generous and hopelessly devoted to one another. It was such a treat for me to meet them and add them to my growing roster of PV friends/fanatics. I hope that we will be able to spend more time together sometime in the near future.
Anyway, I took off from here around 9AM and my first stop was Pastel du Village for chocolate croissants made fresh daily by our resident French pastry chef, Eric Lanoit. Then I hopped on a bus to take me up to the hotel zone. However, I miscalculated and the bus turned about two blocks before the place I wanted to get off so I had to run up to the front and ask to be let off in the middle of a busy road. Thank the Goddess it was Sunday morning and there wasn't a lot of traffic! Anyway, just before I made it to the transfer point, I saw a number of the gray ATM buses pulling away so I knew I had missed my connection but 15 minutes later, another bus for Nuevo pulled up.
As I paid the driver, I told him I wanted to go to the Grand Marival. No problem -- 10 pesos por favor. When we finally pulled off the highway and down the road heading towards the ocean, all I could see were these immense hotel complexes in the distance. As we drew closer, the canopy of palm trees grew denser until you could hear them slapping the roof of the bus! We stopped at Paradise Village first (I think). It was sort of hard to see the names of all the hotels from my seat on bus despite my straining my neck to do so. After a while, I went up to the front to remind the driver again about the Grand Marival. I was afraid I wouldn't see the hotel myself and was waiting for him to point it out to me. He told me five more minutes. Well I waited and waited, wondering if he meant MEXICAN minutes because 20 minutes later, we will pulling back out onto the highway to Vallarta!!!
At this point, I bolted to the front of the bus to speak to the driver. His response was a quick shrug of his shoulders ... he forgot about me! *sigh* His solution was to drop me on the highway at the roadway leading into Nuevo and suggested that I walk back in. I don't think so! Anyway, I felt kind of queasy by this point and had to go to the bathroom so I stayed on the bus until we arrived back in Vallarta, at which point I got off at Walmart and cooled down by browsing around the store. I ended up back at Casa Andrea around 1PM and immediately sent Jeff and Connie an email. But what I didn't know what that their internet service was not available on Sunday. She finally called around 3:30PM and we made plans to do it again today (Monday).
So after doing a trial run the day before, and having everyone go wrong that could go wrong, I left this morning at 8AM and made it to their hotel lobby by 9AM. They met me there a few minutes later and checked me in at the front desk -- I got to wear a purple plastic bracelet for the day -- YUCK! It brought back some bad memories ... LOL We enjoyed a leisurely yummy breakfast and then went up to their room overlooking the beach so I could change into my swimsuit. We spent time on the beach, at the pool, back on the beach and in the pool again before a late lunch. The food was good and the company was outstanding! All in all, a very relaxing day. The bus ride home was long, hot and uneventful. At the end of the line, before the driver pulled into the bus station, I hopped off and grabbed a cab back here. I was so stuffed from eating all inclusive, all day, that I never did make it to my turkey dinner at Steve's Bar. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
So on Sunday, we made arrangements for me to come to their hotel for the day, their treat. Have I mentioned yet how lucky I was to have this incredible couple living above me at Casa Andrea? They are the kind of the people that give Americans a good name in other countries! They are well-travelled, funny, generous and hopelessly devoted to one another. It was such a treat for me to meet them and add them to my growing roster of PV friends/fanatics. I hope that we will be able to spend more time together sometime in the near future.
Anyway, I took off from here around 9AM and my first stop was Pastel du Village for chocolate croissants made fresh daily by our resident French pastry chef, Eric Lanoit. Then I hopped on a bus to take me up to the hotel zone. However, I miscalculated and the bus turned about two blocks before the place I wanted to get off so I had to run up to the front and ask to be let off in the middle of a busy road. Thank the Goddess it was Sunday morning and there wasn't a lot of traffic! Anyway, just before I made it to the transfer point, I saw a number of the gray ATM buses pulling away so I knew I had missed my connection but 15 minutes later, another bus for Nuevo pulled up.
As I paid the driver, I told him I wanted to go to the Grand Marival. No problem -- 10 pesos por favor. When we finally pulled off the highway and down the road heading towards the ocean, all I could see were these immense hotel complexes in the distance. As we drew closer, the canopy of palm trees grew denser until you could hear them slapping the roof of the bus! We stopped at Paradise Village first (I think). It was sort of hard to see the names of all the hotels from my seat on bus despite my straining my neck to do so. After a while, I went up to the front to remind the driver again about the Grand Marival. I was afraid I wouldn't see the hotel myself and was waiting for him to point it out to me. He told me five more minutes. Well I waited and waited, wondering if he meant MEXICAN minutes because 20 minutes later, we will pulling back out onto the highway to Vallarta!!!
At this point, I bolted to the front of the bus to speak to the driver. His response was a quick shrug of his shoulders ... he forgot about me! *sigh* His solution was to drop me on the highway at the roadway leading into Nuevo and suggested that I walk back in. I don't think so! Anyway, I felt kind of queasy by this point and had to go to the bathroom so I stayed on the bus until we arrived back in Vallarta, at which point I got off at Walmart and cooled down by browsing around the store. I ended up back at Casa Andrea around 1PM and immediately sent Jeff and Connie an email. But what I didn't know what that their internet service was not available on Sunday. She finally called around 3:30PM and we made plans to do it again today (Monday).
So after doing a trial run the day before, and having everyone go wrong that could go wrong, I left this morning at 8AM and made it to their hotel lobby by 9AM. They met me there a few minutes later and checked me in at the front desk -- I got to wear a purple plastic bracelet for the day -- YUCK! It brought back some bad memories ... LOL We enjoyed a leisurely yummy breakfast and then went up to their room overlooking the beach so I could change into my swimsuit. We spent time on the beach, at the pool, back on the beach and in the pool again before a late lunch. The food was good and the company was outstanding! All in all, a very relaxing day. The bus ride home was long, hot and uneventful. At the end of the line, before the driver pulled into the bus station, I hopped off and grabbed a cab back here. I was so stuffed from eating all inclusive, all day, that I never did make it to my turkey dinner at Steve's Bar. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Thursday, October 07, 2004
Canadian Men, More Turtles, The Storm and A Baby
I recently received an email from a young man in Calgary named Mike who arrived in PV last Saturday with two of his friends. He had somehow stumbled across my blog on the internet and wanted to meet me. On Monday night, I arrived at Andale's at the appointed hour of 9PM to meet Mike ("a cute brown 35 year old guy from Trinidad"), Todd ("a big white bald guy") and Trevor ("a skinny white guy"). All descriptions in quotes are Mike's, not mine. They were accurate too as I found them without a hitch. We sat and chatted over a few margs and then I took them to CCs for a few more margs. Nice guys, great evening.
They were intrigued by my turtle adventures so we made plans to meet last night for dinner at the house they had rented (chef included!). I found the place without a problem. Actually, it is right across the street from my boss's house in Gringo Gulch. The house sleeps ten but there were only the three of them. Talk about decadent! We enjoyed cocktails while sitting out on the terrace overlooking the Bay. They are situated directly behind the clock tower of the church and the vista was amazing! The sky was looking ominous on my way over and the rain finally started after I arrived. What a relief! Some fog rolled in over the mountains as the rain continued to fall ...
Finally Victor, the cook, and his wife Carmen arrived to prepare dinner. We were eating early so we could be at the Marriott at 7:30PM to meet Oscar and his baby turtles. The guys had asked me what I wanted for dinner and I said shrimp or fish. We had both, along with fresh sauteed veggies, fresh guacamole, garlic bread and homemade tartar sauce for the fish and homemade shrimp sauce. A meal fit for a Goddess, along with the wine that I brought with me.
We all piled into their rental VW and headed towards the Marina. Having never been there before, I wasn't sure exactly where the Marriott was but we stopped and I asked a taxi driver for directions in passable Spanish, impressing the hell out of my new friends! The hotel is HUGE and really beautiful with a fabulous, well stocked Koi Pond on the other side of the lobby. There is also a sushi restaurant there ... I wonder if one supplies the other? LOL It was easy to spot the nursery on the left hand side of the beach as per Oscar's instructions but he was nowhere in sight and the sun was dropping fast.
A few minutes later he arrived with his bin of baby turtles; less than 100 this time. Most of the anxious participants were English so he said his little speech quickly in only one language so that we could get to the beach and release the turtles. The guys brought their cameras and I was anxious to take some photos of them holding their baby turtles so I did not release one myself. If you can only imagine their faces, filled with delight and wonder, as they held their baby turtles. I took photos of them all as they released these little miracles onto the beach. Mike, if you're reading this, find a way to post those pics -- I want to see them! The release was over all too soon and every one of the turtles made it out to sea. The guys all admitted it was just about the coolest thing they had ever done ...
Releasing turtles is thirsty work so we booted it back into town and I took them to the Burros Bar for a well deserved margarita. Sitting on beach, sipping a margarita with three handsome Canadian men ... what more could a girl want? How about fireworks from the Marigalante? How about lightening? How about thunder? It was threatening to rain again and the guys had had a busy day so we called it an evening. As I walked home down Olas Altas, I saw my friend Heather Van Patter and her mother, who had just arrived from Canada. Heather runs the Lazy Lizard bar on the beach which is set to open this Friday. I also met her baby daughter, Jessica (5 months old) and Jessica's father, Tony. I stayed and played with Jessica for quite a while ... she is a spririted, happy baby! I enjoyed her so much I even offered to babysit! :)
But it was getting late and Jessica was getting tired so I left them and continued home admidst the rumblings of thunder and the occasional flash of lightening in the distance. Once safely tucked into bed with my book, the rains really started in earnest and I was lulled to sleep by the sound of it.
They were intrigued by my turtle adventures so we made plans to meet last night for dinner at the house they had rented (chef included!). I found the place without a problem. Actually, it is right across the street from my boss's house in Gringo Gulch. The house sleeps ten but there were only the three of them. Talk about decadent! We enjoyed cocktails while sitting out on the terrace overlooking the Bay. They are situated directly behind the clock tower of the church and the vista was amazing! The sky was looking ominous on my way over and the rain finally started after I arrived. What a relief! Some fog rolled in over the mountains as the rain continued to fall ...
Finally Victor, the cook, and his wife Carmen arrived to prepare dinner. We were eating early so we could be at the Marriott at 7:30PM to meet Oscar and his baby turtles. The guys had asked me what I wanted for dinner and I said shrimp or fish. We had both, along with fresh sauteed veggies, fresh guacamole, garlic bread and homemade tartar sauce for the fish and homemade shrimp sauce. A meal fit for a Goddess, along with the wine that I brought with me.
We all piled into their rental VW and headed towards the Marina. Having never been there before, I wasn't sure exactly where the Marriott was but we stopped and I asked a taxi driver for directions in passable Spanish, impressing the hell out of my new friends! The hotel is HUGE and really beautiful with a fabulous, well stocked Koi Pond on the other side of the lobby. There is also a sushi restaurant there ... I wonder if one supplies the other? LOL It was easy to spot the nursery on the left hand side of the beach as per Oscar's instructions but he was nowhere in sight and the sun was dropping fast.
A few minutes later he arrived with his bin of baby turtles; less than 100 this time. Most of the anxious participants were English so he said his little speech quickly in only one language so that we could get to the beach and release the turtles. The guys brought their cameras and I was anxious to take some photos of them holding their baby turtles so I did not release one myself. If you can only imagine their faces, filled with delight and wonder, as they held their baby turtles. I took photos of them all as they released these little miracles onto the beach. Mike, if you're reading this, find a way to post those pics -- I want to see them! The release was over all too soon and every one of the turtles made it out to sea. The guys all admitted it was just about the coolest thing they had ever done ...
Releasing turtles is thirsty work so we booted it back into town and I took them to the Burros Bar for a well deserved margarita. Sitting on beach, sipping a margarita with three handsome Canadian men ... what more could a girl want? How about fireworks from the Marigalante? How about lightening? How about thunder? It was threatening to rain again and the guys had had a busy day so we called it an evening. As I walked home down Olas Altas, I saw my friend Heather Van Patter and her mother, who had just arrived from Canada. Heather runs the Lazy Lizard bar on the beach which is set to open this Friday. I also met her baby daughter, Jessica (5 months old) and Jessica's father, Tony. I stayed and played with Jessica for quite a while ... she is a spririted, happy baby! I enjoyed her so much I even offered to babysit! :)
But it was getting late and Jessica was getting tired so I left them and continued home admidst the rumblings of thunder and the occasional flash of lightening in the distance. Once safely tucked into bed with my book, the rains really started in earnest and I was lulled to sleep by the sound of it.
A Day in Yelapa
This past Monday was my friend Charlene's last full day in Mexico so we decided to go to Yelapa for the day. First thing in the morning, she got up to do her back exercises as usual and something went "ping" and before we knew it, her back was in spasm and she was back in bed for the day. But she insisted that I go on the trip as planned with my upstairs neighbours, Constance and Jeff. Char has suffered from back problems for years so when she told me she would be OK on her own, I believed her. All she needed was a day of rest.
The three of us met my friend Alfredo ("Burrito") at the pier in time to catch the 11AM water taxi. The price was 180MXP return. I am not a boat person and was not looking forward to the trip but the view was wonderful and the breeze was gorgeous! We travelled along at quite a fast clip and a number of times, we had to grab on to our seats while the boat skimmed across the swells in the ocean. I think we were airborne once or twice. We could really feel how hot it was when the boat stopped as we reached Yelapa.
Burrito was born and raised in Yelapa and never had much formal schooling. However, he speaks, reads and writes both English and Spanish. He learned to speak English from taking tourists to the waterfall in Yelapa starting when he was 7 years old. He loves his home village and is very proud of his family's contribution to the founding of Yelapa. His 90 year old grandfather was one of the first people to settle in Yelapa and as a result, most of the town are members of Burrito's family!
Our first stop was his house. Up and up and UP we went until finally we arrived at a small, white, three bedroom house perched at one of the highest points in Yelapa. We were welcomed by Burrito's mother, Aurora, who was waiting for us with a prepared lunch. Burrito and his two brothers paid for the house three years ago for his mother. Before that, the family lived in a palapa hut which is now occupied by chickens. Aurora's house was immaculate and our lunch of pulpo, rice and beans was yummy. After lunch and a few photos, we left Aurora and headed towards the waterfall.
Burrito is as sure-footed as his nickname suggests and rarely wears shoes. He led us up the path to the waterfall as he has no doubt done so many times in the past and when we arrived, his uncle naturally owned the little cantina there. We were very overheated by this time and couldn't wait to jump into the fresh spring water and stand under the waterfall. The area is quite small but the water was extremely cold and refreshing. Of course, the Canadian girl could withstand the temperature a lot longer than her Mexican guide ... LOL.
After cooling down and drying off, it was time to hike down to the beach. Burrito led us all the way through town and he knew everyone ... this one was a cousin, that one was a friend, and then we stopped at his aunt's house to meet his grandfather who, unfortunately, has recently developed Alzheimer's and did not recognize his grandson. Jeff insisted on shaking his hand and saying "hola". He didn't look 90 years old and I caught his eyes on me more than once, looking at me rather shrewdly I thought and I could imagine what he must have been like in "his day" ... strong, virile and quite handsome.
We left there and continued our trek to the beach. Upon reaching the water, we seemed to cross a tributary of a small river on the way to the beach and when I looked upstream, I saw a dozen or so huge, black buzzards hanging around ... I removed my sandals so as to walk more quickly away from their prying eyes. *SHUDDER* Finally we reached the beach and the shade. Drinks were ordered and we relaxed, enjoying the veiw, meeting more locals and a tourist from South Africa who was arranging for a sunset cruise with Burrito out of Yelapa that evening. The famous pie lady of Yelapa stopped by and we bought some pie from her. One slice of cheese pie and two slices of chocolate pie -- divine!
The three hours we spent in Yelapa passed slowly and we savoured every minute of this new experience with our guide. The boat ride back was uneventful save for the little boy sitting in the seat in front of me who couldn't keep his eyes open. More than once I reached out to grab him as his head dropped and his body slumped back towards me, totally limp and relaxed. We were all quiet on the trip back, ruminating on the things we had seen and the places we'd been on our day in Yelapa.
The three of us met my friend Alfredo ("Burrito") at the pier in time to catch the 11AM water taxi. The price was 180MXP return. I am not a boat person and was not looking forward to the trip but the view was wonderful and the breeze was gorgeous! We travelled along at quite a fast clip and a number of times, we had to grab on to our seats while the boat skimmed across the swells in the ocean. I think we were airborne once or twice. We could really feel how hot it was when the boat stopped as we reached Yelapa.
Burrito was born and raised in Yelapa and never had much formal schooling. However, he speaks, reads and writes both English and Spanish. He learned to speak English from taking tourists to the waterfall in Yelapa starting when he was 7 years old. He loves his home village and is very proud of his family's contribution to the founding of Yelapa. His 90 year old grandfather was one of the first people to settle in Yelapa and as a result, most of the town are members of Burrito's family!
Our first stop was his house. Up and up and UP we went until finally we arrived at a small, white, three bedroom house perched at one of the highest points in Yelapa. We were welcomed by Burrito's mother, Aurora, who was waiting for us with a prepared lunch. Burrito and his two brothers paid for the house three years ago for his mother. Before that, the family lived in a palapa hut which is now occupied by chickens. Aurora's house was immaculate and our lunch of pulpo, rice and beans was yummy. After lunch and a few photos, we left Aurora and headed towards the waterfall.
Burrito is as sure-footed as his nickname suggests and rarely wears shoes. He led us up the path to the waterfall as he has no doubt done so many times in the past and when we arrived, his uncle naturally owned the little cantina there. We were very overheated by this time and couldn't wait to jump into the fresh spring water and stand under the waterfall. The area is quite small but the water was extremely cold and refreshing. Of course, the Canadian girl could withstand the temperature a lot longer than her Mexican guide ... LOL.
After cooling down and drying off, it was time to hike down to the beach. Burrito led us all the way through town and he knew everyone ... this one was a cousin, that one was a friend, and then we stopped at his aunt's house to meet his grandfather who, unfortunately, has recently developed Alzheimer's and did not recognize his grandson. Jeff insisted on shaking his hand and saying "hola". He didn't look 90 years old and I caught his eyes on me more than once, looking at me rather shrewdly I thought and I could imagine what he must have been like in "his day" ... strong, virile and quite handsome.
We left there and continued our trek to the beach. Upon reaching the water, we seemed to cross a tributary of a small river on the way to the beach and when I looked upstream, I saw a dozen or so huge, black buzzards hanging around ... I removed my sandals so as to walk more quickly away from their prying eyes. *SHUDDER* Finally we reached the beach and the shade. Drinks were ordered and we relaxed, enjoying the veiw, meeting more locals and a tourist from South Africa who was arranging for a sunset cruise with Burrito out of Yelapa that evening. The famous pie lady of Yelapa stopped by and we bought some pie from her. One slice of cheese pie and two slices of chocolate pie -- divine!
The three hours we spent in Yelapa passed slowly and we savoured every minute of this new experience with our guide. The boat ride back was uneventful save for the little boy sitting in the seat in front of me who couldn't keep his eyes open. More than once I reached out to grab him as his head dropped and his body slumped back towards me, totally limp and relaxed. We were all quiet on the trip back, ruminating on the things we had seen and the places we'd been on our day in Yelapa.
Sunday, October 03, 2004
Happy Birthday To Me!
I turned 46 yesterday. Don't be shocked that I revealed my actual age -- I'm not ashamed of it. And I'm not one of these women who pretend to be younger than I am. I've been through a lot in these last 46 years which you can probably tell when you look at my face so what's the point in denying it? So as I head into my 47th year, I usually take the time to stop, reflect and make some resolutions.
1. Read more books. I've been doing that in the last two weeks and have devoured 4 novels so far. I hope to expand my repetoire to include something other than fiction.
2. Get more exercise. It's kind of hard not to, living here, since I usually walk everywhere. I still haven't joined a gym but plan to this week.
3. Learn to speak Spanish. This one is a little bit more difficult to accomplish. Until I know my work schedule, I can't really join an organized class so I guess I will just have to learn by using the language more often and insisting that my Mexican friends speak Spanish to me.
My birthday itself was fun. I had to do a style show for Viva at Villa Verano ("Summer House") in Conchas Chinas. We modelled for six couples staying in this huge home and then stayed for a drink afterwards. Very nice people -- hopefully the ladies will all come into the store today or tomorrow and pick up something they like. I wore this beautiful turquoise and silver necklace/bracelet combo which cost around 23,000MXP. Very chic!
Charlene and I ended up at Steve's Bar for a quick lunch of fish & chips. This is a great little place for food from home, including nice salads, and a clear view of the street so you can wave down everyone you know walking by! It's an air conditioned sports bar and very popular during the heavy sports season (hockey, football, etc.).
Back at Casa Andrea, I tried to have a siesta and think I succeeded for a little bit. We met people for drinks at Langostino's at 7PM, including Brenda and Keith Montague from Las Vegas. Keith just got a job here selling for Velas Vallarta and it is their first time in Puerto Vallarta. Nice folks. Mike Pohl, the owner of Langostino's and Cafe Frankfurt, provided a free bottle of champagne to help my birthday celebrations. Thanks Mike! :)
I had salmon for dinner, which was wonderful. I was serenaded by Los Bambinos (thanks JR!) and Jorge and Lenny, who are back together again. I also bought their new CD, which I can't wait to play! Afterwards we went to Que?Pasa for a nightcap and then Charlene and I came home for a quick, cool swim before bed. All in all, it was a good day! Thank you to everyone, both here and away, for your birthday wishes.
1. Read more books. I've been doing that in the last two weeks and have devoured 4 novels so far. I hope to expand my repetoire to include something other than fiction.
2. Get more exercise. It's kind of hard not to, living here, since I usually walk everywhere. I still haven't joined a gym but plan to this week.
3. Learn to speak Spanish. This one is a little bit more difficult to accomplish. Until I know my work schedule, I can't really join an organized class so I guess I will just have to learn by using the language more often and insisting that my Mexican friends speak Spanish to me.
My birthday itself was fun. I had to do a style show for Viva at Villa Verano ("Summer House") in Conchas Chinas. We modelled for six couples staying in this huge home and then stayed for a drink afterwards. Very nice people -- hopefully the ladies will all come into the store today or tomorrow and pick up something they like. I wore this beautiful turquoise and silver necklace/bracelet combo which cost around 23,000MXP. Very chic!
Charlene and I ended up at Steve's Bar for a quick lunch of fish & chips. This is a great little place for food from home, including nice salads, and a clear view of the street so you can wave down everyone you know walking by! It's an air conditioned sports bar and very popular during the heavy sports season (hockey, football, etc.).
Back at Casa Andrea, I tried to have a siesta and think I succeeded for a little bit. We met people for drinks at Langostino's at 7PM, including Brenda and Keith Montague from Las Vegas. Keith just got a job here selling for Velas Vallarta and it is their first time in Puerto Vallarta. Nice folks. Mike Pohl, the owner of Langostino's and Cafe Frankfurt, provided a free bottle of champagne to help my birthday celebrations. Thanks Mike! :)
I had salmon for dinner, which was wonderful. I was serenaded by Los Bambinos (thanks JR!) and Jorge and Lenny, who are back together again. I also bought their new CD, which I can't wait to play! Afterwards we went to Que?Pasa for a nightcap and then Charlene and I came home for a quick, cool swim before bed. All in all, it was a good day! Thank you to everyone, both here and away, for your birthday wishes.
Friday, October 01, 2004
More Turtle Tales
Third time's the charm ... isn't that what they say? I lost a beautiful blog the other night and I just lost another one right now. I am not a happy camper. As a result of my earlier loss, I thought I would copy this most recent blog just in case. Well, in doing so, I somehow deleted it and cannot retrieve it. God I'm pissed!
So I will just keep this simple. My friend Charlene arrived on Tuesday and I've been busy doing stuff with her, including looking for turtles laying their eggs on the beach because this is something she really wants to see. After three nights of looking, we've had no luck but we are going to try again tonight.
I contacted Oscar, the guy who runs the turtle program, and found out they were releasing turtles at the Fiesta Americana Hotel last night. We arrived in time to hear his talk about the hatchery and then we all moved to line up on the beach in single file. After "washing" our hands with sand (to remove any oil), we were all handed our very own baby turtle.
At first I thought mine was dead because he wasn't moving and I couldn't see if he was breathing or not. But when Oscar picked him up, the turtle started moving his tiny flippers like a windmill so I knew I had a strong one! The turtles rested in one palm while we gently held them on either side of the their shell with two fingers.
On the count of "uno, dos, tres", we all stepped forward to a line drawn in the sand at the water's edge and crouched down to place our turtle in the sand. Oscar also dumped the bucket holding another 100 or so turtles at the same time. They all started scuttling towards the ocean, some faster than others, but all driven by nature's oldest calling.
It was just after sunset and the sea was glowing with that special light that appears only at dawn and dusk. The waves came in at different heights and some actually broker over the turtles, bringing them back into the beach with the water. You could see their tiny little heads bobbing out into the Bay right in front of us, heading for a precarious life in the ocean.
Finally, all the turtles but one made it. This poor little fellow was too tired after being washed ashore too many times so he will be released tonight with over 400 turtles! It was so amazing to see this rare sight and such a privilege to be involved in such an amazing program. If you ever get the chance to volunteer, you won't regret it!
So I will just keep this simple. My friend Charlene arrived on Tuesday and I've been busy doing stuff with her, including looking for turtles laying their eggs on the beach because this is something she really wants to see. After three nights of looking, we've had no luck but we are going to try again tonight.
I contacted Oscar, the guy who runs the turtle program, and found out they were releasing turtles at the Fiesta Americana Hotel last night. We arrived in time to hear his talk about the hatchery and then we all moved to line up on the beach in single file. After "washing" our hands with sand (to remove any oil), we were all handed our very own baby turtle.
At first I thought mine was dead because he wasn't moving and I couldn't see if he was breathing or not. But when Oscar picked him up, the turtle started moving his tiny flippers like a windmill so I knew I had a strong one! The turtles rested in one palm while we gently held them on either side of the their shell with two fingers.
On the count of "uno, dos, tres", we all stepped forward to a line drawn in the sand at the water's edge and crouched down to place our turtle in the sand. Oscar also dumped the bucket holding another 100 or so turtles at the same time. They all started scuttling towards the ocean, some faster than others, but all driven by nature's oldest calling.
It was just after sunset and the sea was glowing with that special light that appears only at dawn and dusk. The waves came in at different heights and some actually broker over the turtles, bringing them back into the beach with the water. You could see their tiny little heads bobbing out into the Bay right in front of us, heading for a precarious life in the ocean.
Finally, all the turtles but one made it. This poor little fellow was too tired after being washed ashore too many times so he will be released tonight with over 400 turtles! It was so amazing to see this rare sight and such a privilege to be involved in such an amazing program. If you ever get the chance to volunteer, you won't regret it!
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