Manzanillo, Mexico, el quince de Febrero, 2020

Yesterday was typical.  I went to the pool in the morning and then went to Wally and Sharon’s at 2:30 because at 3, it was happy hour at the Oasis - 2 for 1 margaritas and beer.  Win, win!

Today, I caught the bus about 11 because we were going to Santiago which is just down the street.  Wally and Sharon were waiting at the next bus stop.  Sharon went to the dentist and Wally and I had a couple beer at Gringo’s Corner.  It’s like The Stump Bar in Guayabitos - everyone sits on plastic chairs on the sidewalk.  After, we went for lunch and I had a Michelada Especial-

It’s a regular michelada with shrimp, cucumber and oranges around the rim.  After, we went to the market where the strangest vendors were selling tables and tables of hair bows-

and used tools -

The only thing I bought was an avocado that I had for supper with tostadas.  A shoemaker works out of a booth beside the street-

We caught the bus home-

and I went to the pool.  I have permission to stay in my place tomorrow until 4 pm.  Checkout is at 11 but no one is moving in and the cleaner lives downstairs so she doesn’t mind if I stay late.  My bus leaves for Zihuatenengo at 6:30 pm.  I can’t believe I’ve already been her a week!  Time flies in lovely Mexico!

Barra de Navidad, Mexico, el trece de Febrero, 2020

Yesterday was slower than usual - if that’s possible.  I found a Starbucks so now hopefully have enough coffee to last the next month, I got a few groceries at Walmart and spent some time by the pool.  The end.

The weather at home has been pretty decent, until this morning-

-45 wind chill!  Glad I’m not there!

Today I went to Barra de Navidad, which is one hour away by bus.  I was very lucky because when I got to the front gate, the bus was coming down the road!  It took an hour to get there with the stops and starts and it’s a nice, small place filled with Canadians.  Two marlins welcome visitors to the town-

The market was in progress-

I really like these small wooden bowls that are sanded smooth, painted and vanished-

I found the beach and it was practically deserted-

I had coconut water and red wine-

A couple boys, I would guess 10 and 12 were surfing from the shore.  The smaller boy was really good.  They had some vicious wipeouts but never quit-

I visited with a couple from Toronto for awhile.  They spend 6 months here.  Wow!  What would you do all day?  Well, he reads and she cross stitches.  Anyway, I eventually ventured in the water - the waves were huge and crashing on the shore.  I got out okay but then the food I’d ordered arrived and the waiter had my change so I was trying to get out and got absolutely demolished.  There was sand in my hair, inside my bathing suit and in my mouth!  My lips were scrapped up and I was killing myself laughing!  I went in and out a couple more times without difficulty.  After a few hours of staring at the waves, enjoying the heat and peacefulness, I went to the bus depot, only to learn the bus would be another hour.  So, what does one do in Mexico when they have an hour to kill?  Find a bar.  I visited with a man from who lives on the hill at Silver Star in the Okanagan and who was a guide for 25 years, taking people skiing in the outback, either via helicopter or by his favourite way, climbing.  He did it until his knees gave out.  I also visited with a woman from Idaho who lives in Barrie full time now but first visited in 1997 and with an oil trucker from Brooks, AB who knew a few people there I know.  Eventually my bus came, I got home just fine and went swimming for an hour.

I had a great day and am looking forward to happy hour at the Oasis tomorrow with Wally and Sharon.

Manzanillo, Mexico, el once de Febrero, 2020

I had another leisurely morning.  I went to the pool to lie in the sun and swim my lengths then went to Wally and Sharon’s for 2 pm.  There’s a funny sign on the street on the way-

No music or scandals allowed!   I had a taco for lunch in the street and then we caught the bus to HOA - Hostel Olas Altas which has 2 for 1 margaritas on Tuesdays-

There, we met Don and Donna Woodworth-

The place is packed with old gringos-

who dance to great music and play Jenga-

There are painted poems on the walls-

including one by Nietzsche-

There is a large umbrellaed beach area but we stayed inside-

We caught the bus home and I went to the pool for another half hour of swimming.  I’m really enjoying swimming, it’s something I haven’t  done for years but I may pick it up once I’m home.  Tomorrow I think I’ll go into Manzanillo to have a look around but I will spend the afternoon on the beach!  Life is awesome and the days are passing much too quickly!

Manzanillo, Mexico, el dies de Febrero, 2020

I had a leisurely morning - drinking coffee and reading the paper.  Eventually I wandered down to the pool which except for another couple from the Toronto area, was my own private place-

After my win, I wandered to nearby GOM gym which is very modern and cheap - $18 for a week-

Unfortunately they only offer Zumba at 7 pm and CrossFit at 9 pm!  I would never sleep if I worked out that late!  I think I’m going to just keep swimming in the pool because once in Zihuatanejo, I won’t have one.

Lunch was shrimp soup but they left the peel on the shrimp so it was kind of messy eating.  It reminded me of the time my family came for Thanksgiving.  I made a seafood soup but had never used that particular brand of shrimp before and didn’t realize they weren’t peeled.  No one was impressed-

A young fellow was hanging around the restaurant so he practiced his English and me my Spanish.  He drives a 15 passenger van as a taxi and mentioned he was taking a group of Canadians to Barra de Navidad later this week and if I wanted to come, I could pay my share.  He’s charging them $271 so that’s about $39 each!   It’s possible to go down to the main bus terminal and catch a bus but he said it’s a long way away.  I asked him if it wasn’t possible to just hop on a bus going by on our street which goes to the main highway.  He looked at me, hesitated and lied.  That was the end of our conversation.

I wandered over to Schreiber’s for a visit and a couple beer.  They are in such a nice complex-

We went down to the beach where there was a bocce ball tournament going on.  They raise money for a disabled man who was almost beaten to death and now needs a lot of help-

Wally and Sharon-

We wandered down the beach-

towards “The Village” which is a bunch of restaurants set up under umbrellas. It’s where the Mexicans hang out-

There were more people in the water-

and more boats-

I came home via a couple grocery stores so now have provisions for breakfast.  I was hot and the sun was just setting so went back to the pool for another swim.  The water felt like a bathtub.

Tomorrow there’s an event happening around 2 down at the beach and margaritas are 2 for 1.  So.....

Puerto Vallarta to Manzanillo, el nueve de Febrero, 2020

I took an Uber to the bus station, leaving my apartment at 6:45.  I was early, which is a good thing, then wandered down the street for breakfast.  Stalls were just opening so of course tacos were available. I just love this!  They start with rolled balls of dough-

 Then they put one of the balls on their press-

With what looks like an easy squish, they create a tortilla-

that they throw on the grill-

and in no time I have breakfast-

The bus left a few minutess late and we followed the exact path I had taken to get back to half a block from my apartment where we stopped to pick up more passengers!  I couldn’t believe it.  

The trip took about 5.5 hours-

We followed the coast for the first while where there are hotels for a long way.  When I first got to PV, Carlos, the owner of the hostel where I stayed, took a few of us past this area in his boat-

The first part inland was hilly and jungly-

but the further south we went, the more tropical it became with lots of palm trees and banana plants-

Wally Schreiber met me at the bus stop and we went to my apartment.  It’s a nice place-

I’m in a condo that looks out onto a golf course-

We went to Wally and Sharon’s place, visited on one of their decks, then went to the Oasis bar at the beach for a couple beer. We had supper at an Italian restaurant and I came home.  Looking forward to seeing my pool and more visiting in the days to come.