Puerto Escondido, Mexico         November 22, 2023

Where I came from: Puerto Vallarta to Escondido-

My room in the Palace-

turned out to not be that cool even with the ceiling fan or anything remotely like a palacio. I slept all right though even though it felt like I was awake a lot tossing and turning. Once awake I open my door and a nice breeze blew through the room. I couldn’t wait to get out of there-

I came back to El Coyote Hostel-

and talked to David the manager and explained what I had done last night and asked if I could have another night credit in an air-conditioned room.  He  said yes and took me to a four bed male room and said that one of the bottom bunks was opening. I was very happy because that is apparently the only room in the hostel that has air conditioning yet all the other hotels around have it.  They claim it’s a problem supplying electricity since the hurricane but I think it’s a problem of not paying bills.  I don’t care now as I’m in a good room-

It’s messy with four people and all our stuff but I like it when there are curtains because you can close them off and feel very private.  We also have a bathroom which is nice and 4 is a good number of people.  David is from the 17th arrondissement in Paris - that’s near the Arc de Triomphe, the other man is from Mexico City and the other woman is from Argentina.

I couldn’t check in until 3 pm and when I did, someone was in my bed – the woman from Argentina. I argued a bit with the worker who brought me to the room with no luck but then the Argentinian asked how many nights I was staying and when I told her three she said she would move to the top bunk, because after one night she was moving out anyway. Very nice of her!

Meanwhile I walked around Escondido.  Tomatillos can be eaten raw, used in salads or cooked for use in sauces-

Fire-

Making tortillas-

Wrapping, weighing and selling tortillas-

You never know what you’ll see moving down the street-

Fresh shrimp and fish for sale-

I bought half a kilo of prawns for 85 pesos ($6.76) and also made guacamole for lupper -

The kitchen is upstairs and very rubby-

Most of this stuff is mine but at least I do my dishes-

I can see the beach from the roof lounge-

Sheets,  probably from a hotel are drying on a nearby roof-

I checked out Chedraui, a department store like a Walmart and understand better why there aren’t numerous fans in the hot bedrooms because they cost $103 and $111 each-

They have fresh meat on ice in the aisles-

Later, I spent time up on the roof deck which was very comfortable, then on my bed in the AC visiting with David from Paris.  I also spent a lot of time talking to a man from D.C. who has been travelling four years!  

Around 6:30, there was music in the street and a parade because apparently November is party month.  The fiesta was led by a truck-

Then a band, dancers and people in costumes followed-

I was under a tree taking pictures and the birds in the tree were not happy with the noise.  I got pooped on!

I really had a hard time enjoy myself today.  I kept asking myself - what on earth are you doing here?  It’s rubby, smoking hot and if I’m not going to spend the day on the beach, why am I in a beach town?  I travel in the winter to see new places and escape the cold but it hasn’t been cold at home yet and this place is rubby.  I’ve got to remind myself that if I go home I’ll just work and I don’t need to be doing that either.  I’m lucky to be able to do this so I have to keep all of it in perspective.

Tomorrow I’m going to take a collectivo (public taxi) and go to the beach or somewhere!