Miércoles, veinticinco de febrero de 2009
If you want time to accelerate, just go on vacation. I began my winter sabbatical, what seems like yesterday, on Jan 12th, and I now have only 3 weeks remaining. I might not gather much sympathy from my readers, but HEY! It’s all about me! (lol)
I was talking to some friends before departing the frozen tundra and asked if they had ever been to Mexico. Many had an affirmative answer but upon further questioning I learned a completely different perspective of “Mexico”.

1. Were there high-rise condos in your Mexico? Oh, tons of them. All up & down the beach. And there was always somebody trying to sell us a timeshare.
2. Did they take your American dollars or did they only trade in pesos? Oh, we never even exchanged our dollars. What is the value of the peso now anyway?
3. Did you have to order in Spanish or were most of the people bi-lingual? Heck, we don’t know a single word in Spanish, but where we stayed you didn’t have to. If they want my money, they should learn English. Oh, we know the word for beer. Isn’t it: Cervasa?
4. Was your local tienda strictly Spanish speaking? What’s a tienda? We ate out every meal.
5. Did you wander through any of the local neighborhoods? Heck no! Are you crazy, you can get killed walking the streets. We stayed at our hotel the entire time. It was all-inclusive. Why would we want to leave?

My response was, “You have never been to Mexico! That might be your perspective of it, but that is not Mexico. It is more like a gathering of thirsty sun-starved lemmings.” I got a haircut yesterday at a local salon where no English was spoken. That is a great experience. My friends all said that it looked good. (and I believed them) I will add that if you haven’t travelled to the interior of Mexico, you have not experienced the real Mexico. If can pronounce the names of the towns, you are doing well. I am guilty of the lack of such travel, but that will be corrected with next year’s plan.

Like I need to explain this one.

A pile of rocks and 15 pesos.....so what would you do?

The look of fear on the child's face....or was it the mother's face?

Foosball in Sayulita....who would have guessed it?

So where is the BAF when you need them? (Bureau of Alcohol and Firearms)

Leslie, Sharon, Pete, Richardo..... Can you spot the 'happy' person? (answer: far right)

Wow! Quite the night with the carnival in town. My words are miniscule compared to the pics of last night’s debauchery. If you have never traveled outside the US of A, you have never experienced a Sayulita carnival evening. Can you imagine throwing rocks at beer bottles to win….. a beer or cerveza!. Or how about a one-legged foosball player. Amazing! Enjoy!

Sábado, Febrero Veinte, 2009
Saturday morning in Sayulity, and the tea is brewing as I put in CD 5 of 25 for my Wall Street Basics refresher course. It’s the last CD for class 1 and one key point that Gary Williams makes that struck me was, “…it is the discipline to do a half dozen things everyday that other people don’t.” For anybody interested in Gary’s classes, let me know.

I have completed books #6 and #7……yeah! Again, #7 was called “Three Cups of Tea” a story about Greg Mortenson. It is great!!! As I write a few notes about the book, I am sipping on my third cup of tea. So as not to give away the entire story, I shall only include a few clips from the book.
1. 580 letters, 12 rams, and 10 years of work was a small price to pay, Mortenson thought, for such a moment.
2. The enemy is ignorance.
3. The only way to defeat it [terrorism] is to build relationships with these people, to draw them into the modern world with education and business. Otherwise the fight will go on forever.
4. Essentially, the state is failing its students on a massive scale and making them far too easy for the extremists who run many of the madrassas to recruit.
5.”I supported the war in Afghanistan,” Mortenson said after he introduced himself. I’m here because I know that military victory is only the first phase of winning the war on terror and I’m afraid we’re not willing to take the next steps.

The carnival is in town and vendors have setup their shops on many of the dusty streets of Sayulita. I expected a noisy sleepless night with all the music, but I was pleasantly mistaken. I shall attempt to capture the essence of the festive mood in town with some photos today.

Today is also moving day, so I thought. The photo above is of my new spot. It consists of two levels with the highest one covered by a palapa. More pics on Sunday. Enjoy!

This a common area on each level where there will be a table for potluck dinners and chairs for lounging. I was standing on the third level where the three units had been completed.

The bedroom will have two queen size beds. On the right: for those that like a firm mattress.

The bathroom is not huge, but adequate. The shower is large enough for two. (wink)

The kitchen has seating for four, coffee maker, toaster, blender, a full-size fridge, and a gas stove with an oven (luxury for Mexico)

The living room has....you can see what it has. A place to entertain, if needed. Or pre-siesta seating.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Went to LaPeñita yesterday with Joe & Rita. Besides picking up the obligatory kilos of bacon, ground beef and smoked pork chops, I spoke with Armando, the owner of a Joyeria y Relojeria (jewelry store) concerning his new bungalows for rent. See photos. Behind his shop he has completed 3 of the planned 8 bungalows. I thought they were very nice and spacious. But most of all affordable. He is asking for $600/month for his units. A possible downside is that he is right in town and the ocean is at least a 5 minute walk. It does has possibilities for 2010. Enjoy.

Dinner for four last night. Pete, Sharon, and my new friend grilled hamburgescas con queso.

Note the mual in the tile on the back wall. Really cool!

This is a view from my dining table or the top of the stairs, tropical or what!

The Courtyard! My new digs. I forgot to mention that last Saturday I had to move to a different bungalow within Macondo. (I was scaring the animals) The owners couldn't accommodate me in the same place for the full 9 weeks, so I have to do a little moving around, but it's all cool. The Courtyard, the one pictured above, is one of two of their newest bungalows. It's huge. These pics only show the kitchen and dining area. The kitchen is covered by a palapa or thatched type of roof, very much indigenous to the area. To those with a trained brewers' eye might notice a liter of brew next to my 'workstation'. It's ok to work with a cool beverage within arms reach, when you're retired. Enjoy, because you know I am.

Let's see, I haven't written in a while about my latest hobby: reading. I think I left off talking about beginning my 5th book, called "Origin" by Diana Abu-Jaber. Update: finished it. Isn't that exciting! Began reading #6 and #7 simultaneously, almost. They are "Playing For Pizza" by John Grisham and "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin. A fascinating, astonishing and uplifting story about a real-life Indian Jones and his remarkable humanitarian campaign in the Taliban's backyard. To quote, "Here (in Pakistan and Afghanistan) we drink three cups of tea to do business; the first you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family we are prepared to do anything --- even die." I highly recommend it, even though I'm not quite done yet. The goal is to read 9 books during my Sayulita stay. I am sipping a nice cup of white tea as I write this, fyi. Cheers, mate! And enjoy another Sayulita sunset.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Another beautiful day in Sayulita, one after another. It's now been 5 weeks since I arrived and I am refusing to succumb to the reality that less than 4 weeks remain here in 'paradise'.

I also realized that I haven't added anything to my e-journal, even though my camera continues to burn through millions of pixels.

So let's talk about teeth! Oh, look! A Chicken, indeed! To those of you that don't have a dental plan or a poor one, I have a solution. See photos. What a clever entrepreneurial use of an RV. For those that might require a foreign exchange calculator, amalgam = $20, resina = $25 and a cotonita or crown = $66. With good insurance and a listed doctor, my out-of-pocket expense for a crown in CA was $400. So if you have a mouthful of problems, a person could quite feasibly pay for 14 days in Mexico, including flights, bungalow, cervezas, and lime for the price of a few hours in your local chair. Think about it. And Enjoy!

Looking North on Sayulita beach.

One of many fishing or whale watching or surfing trips that are available.

Fresh fruit is around every corner. Sweet!

A view from Don Pedro's looking south on Sayulita beach.

An artist's view of the streets of Sayulita.

Devon, one of our local friends and landlady/neighbor to Pete & Sharon. She has beautiful paintings and cards.

Valentine's Day, part II
It's almost 2pm and my new bungalow is still not ready, so I decided to walk around town and take some Valentine's pics of local flowers but other images somehow appeared in front of my lense. See above. Ran into Steve and Laura and they both informed me that a band was playing on the beach this afternoon/evening. Perhaps a plan is forming....

Enjoy.

¡El Día de Valentino feliz de Sayulita!
Sábado, Febrero Catorce, 2009
Happy Valentine's Day. It’s moving day for me at Macondo Bungalows. I have to move to one of the new large apartments, located about 50 feet from where I am or was. I’m there for a week, and then I move to the top bungalow, which is really cool. (more on the new places when I can take some pics) For the last 17 days of my stay, I return to my original apartment. It’s actually a nice change in scenery, the internal kind, and although moving can kind of be a pain, these aren’t.
Mi hermano, Pedo (aka: my brother), Sharon, Pablo, and Christina have taken off for Patzcuaro for a 4-5 day get-away. It is about a 7-8 hour drive mostly East of here. I’m sure that pics and stories will return when they do…..sometime next week. In Mexico a trip of 2-3 days can easily turn into a week or more.
After dinner last night, which consisted of the 2nd helping of my shrimp Alfredo linguine dish that I had prepared the night before, I settled into my couch to enjoy some recreational reading. (almost done with book #5, so it’s the good part) It was 7:37-ish, when all of sudden it sounded like somebody, right outside my place, had turned up the radio to 10 on their pickup truck that was equipped with a 2000 watt amp and six 18” sub-woofers. Holy Crap was one of my thoughts. It was so loud that the my glass windows and doors rattled when the frequencies dipped. Shortly afterwards, as if this wasn’t enough, a second ‘vehicle’ with equally obnoxious sounds was ignited. Double holy crap. Then I remembered, “Oh, that’s right, it’s Friday night in Sayulita, Mexico!” The weekend was upon me and this was a reminder that Sayulita days were coming, later this month, when things get really dicey. The good news was that it began to taper off at midnight, so only 4 hours of thumping, banging, and severely distorted foreign disco music…not sure where the good news is in that observation, but it did end. No I didn’t finish my book, but I did manage to put a few chapters behind me. Ahh, silence, unless you count the 2 dozen local roosters and dogs in town who don’t own watches.

Oh, lest I forget about the photos, these were taken the other dusk, next to the trailer park, and either a wedding reception or a rehersal dinner were in the makings. Not sure, but it did have a romantic quality and hence the pics. Enjoy.

Viernes, Febrero Trese, 2009
“Olvidé me blanco bolso de lavanderia” That was my Spanish lesson this morning. Earlier in the day I had made the long pilgrimage to the laundromat and when I returned, I realized that I or they had forgotten my laundry bag. So before returning, I checked my Spanish language resources, and learned how to say “I forgot my white laundry bag”. Brilliant! (definition: long=1.5 blocks) Exhausted, I collapsed on the couch to take a preliminary siesta.
Later, I hiked over to the trailer park to enjoy their 5pm happy hour discussions. The photo shows what happens when the temperatures dip into the 70’s. (I’m not kidding) They were bundled up in ‘winter’ gear. I had to laugh. How soon they forget! From left to right: Diane, Ruth, Rita (with the hood), Maureen, and Alaskan Gail.

Martes, Febrero Diez, 2009
I fell in love yesterday. Yep! With pineapple. Wow! It is fantastic. I had stopped at a local tienda the other day, and picked up a large one, it was about $1.50. It is soooooo sweet. Another really nice treat for this part of the world.
So is everything cheaper and better in Sayulita? No. A gallon of leche (milk) is more, if you can find one. It’s usually sold by the liter or 2 liter jug. And queso (cheese) is better in Wisconsin. Occasionally, if you go to the big city of Puerto Vallarta, you can find fairly good cheese. Then you read the label: imported from Wisconsin.
Also, it’s near impossible to find a good hand-crafted beer. IPA, Porter, Pale Ale, etc. The beer you can buy, Corona, Pacifico, Modelo,…..is inexpensive, and cold. Just part of the suffering to which I am subjected. (yeah, go get the violins out of the closet)
I just got off the phone with a customer service rep for Kwik Trip. She was located in LaCrosse, WI and asked where I was calling from. When I said Mexico, she almost hung up on me. After being extremely polite and clearing up a problem with my billing, she said “You Suck!” and then hung up. Perhaps it’s the way I project my image…?

Lunes, Febrero Nueve, 2009
Buenos Dias. Picked up book #5 titled “Origin” by Diana Abu-Jaber. A dark, noirish literary mystery with an entirely unique detective-heroine. It’s my book of the week. So why the sudden interest in reading? One of the many things that an extended stay in Mexico gives me is the ability to completely relax and thereby allowing me to pursue the hobby of reading. Relatively new hobby but nonetheless a hobby. In addition, as I mentioned in yesterday’s blog, I am going through a refresher course on Wall Street Basics and in the first hour of class, one of the key points of Gary Williams, the instructor, was that ‘Wealthy People Read’. It stimulates the brain and that is extremely essential. To that extent, I have also placed an order(s) for several new books, so that they will be waiting when I return to WI.

Gecko, in my kitchen.

Frog in my bathroom.

Fish in my bedroom.

Domingo, Febrero Ocho, 2009
You will never guess what I had for breakfast this morning! Correct….Paella! Still might have two more meals. The beauty of tortillas is that you can put almost anything in them and call it breakfast, lunch or dinner.
So what’s on my busy schedule this coming week? Besides the normal chores of washing dishes on Monday (translated: I have to leave my place while the maid does this) and dropping off laundry on Tuesday and picking it up on Wednesday (never said it was going to be easy living down here) I have booked a whale-watching sailing trip with the owner of Macondo (where I stay). He has a 22’ Santana (sailing vessel) and regularly takes paying tourists out for a 3 hour tour. (where have we heard that before, Gilligan fans?) Of all my years coming down to Sayulita, I have to admit that I have never been out on the ocean. Yeah, that’s sad, but it’s about to change this week. Don’t worry because I have recently updated my will and if you knew how well I swim, you would understand. Granite sinks slower than I do!
Besides the sailing, I hope to get back up to LaPenita to look for jewelry bargains and to backup all my photos before I accidentally erase 4 weeks of evidence that I am actually down here and not writing from the storage room at Festival in Fond du Lac.
I also hope to start my 5th book since I arrived which means I need to finish my 4th book. Brilliant, John! (that momentous event might happen tonight, unless I can download the latest episodes of 24 and Prison Break)
I have also begun to retake my Wall Street Basics course which consists of 25 hours of lecture (on 25 CDs) It’s a great refresher and reminder of what a good stock trader needs to do to be successful. It’s also a huge guilt generator if you haven’t been following his instructions verbatim.
So to sum up the list: laundry, dishes, sailing, reading, studying, and going to the market.
Today’s photos are of my walls. Now that might not sound very interesting….and it isn’t, but some of you have been complaining about too many sunsets.
Enjoy!

Sábado, Febrero Siete, 2009
paella
in Spanish cuisine, a dish of saffron-flavored rice cooked with meats, seafood, and vegetables. Originating in the rice-growing areas on Spain's Mediterranean coast, the dish is especially associated with the region of Valencia. Paella takes its name from the paellera, the utensil in which it is cooked, a flat round pan with two handles; paella is traditionally eaten from the pan.
Oh, look! A chicken! Where did that come from? Read on......
Saturday morning and once again a plethora of decisions. (every blogger is required by national blog law to use the word 'plethora' at least once)
I had a hankering for pancakes this morning but I wasn’t quite sure if I wanted banana or potato. I checked my pantry of ingredients and determined I was lacking not only in baking powder, but the Spanish word for baking powder. (levadura en polvo, I learned later) Living in Sayulita, you just don’t drive down to Safeway, go to the baking aisle, pick out the best baking powder and drive home. First of all I have no car in Sayulita and more importantly, there are no Safeways in Sayulita. Most so-called ‘grocery stores’ are no larger than a small American bathroom. Called tiendas. And they speak very little or no English, so you have to know the Spanish words for the items on your list. Waving your hands and speaking loudly doesn’t actually work well. That might come as a shock for many gringos. Perhaps now you understand the need for me to take some Spanish classes.
Leche, patatas or papas, huevos, sal, cebolla, harina, levadura en polvo, and plátanos, Milk, potatoes, eggs, salt, onions, flour, baking powder, and bananas were on the list and with backpack, coins, and hat (petate, dinero, and sombrero)…..I was off.
So where does paella come into the story? Keep reading......
After searching the tienda for my ingredients with limited success, I decided to walk to the north side of town, two additional grueling blocks, and popped into Rollie’s a long standing Sayulita restaurant known for their …..breakfast. (and dinner, which is when they serve Paella) On occasion, they have 1 or 2 orders of Paella remaining from the night before. I was feeling lucky, and this morning they had one left. For the budget minded person who might be reading this, Rollie charges 130 pesos for the dinner Paella and only 80 pesos for the breakfast version which is identical except its cold. For those that are mathematically challenged, 80 pesos is about $5.71 However, the portion, coupled with a package of fresh tortillas, is huge and will easily make 8-10 Paella tacos to feed 4-5 carnivorous tourists.
The dish is fantastic and includes a generous portion of a chicken breast, numerous shrimp, fish(Dorado), sausage, and a behemoth portion of saffron infused rice and veggies. In culinary terms: totally yum, dude! If you wanted to stretch the meal even further, scrambled eggs are the key.
Enjoy! I certainly will for the next few days.

Sábado, Febrero Siete, 2009
Last night was again a treat, as I was invited, to an impromptu dinner party at Pablo & Christina’s bungalow which is located directly above Pete & Sharon’s bungalow. The occasion: Big Red was in town. Red is a 6’3” 87-year-old fisherman from Alaska that his lived in Mexico for many years. First in Puerto Vallarta, then in Sayulita, and now in San Sebastion. What a character! One that has many rich stories and I felt privileged to be in his presence.
Dinner was a wonderful culinary compilation of marinated & grilled Alaskan salmon, a delectable shrimp & pasta dish, a fresh salad and the incredible melt-in-your-mouth creamy Tres Leche cake. The first photo shows Sharon, Pete, Christina, and Pablo. The 2nd photo has Alaskan Gail, Red, Pablo, and Pedro (mi hermano), the 3rd has…ok, you can figure that one out yourself. The fourth has the Tres Leche.
Enjoy!

Viernes, Febrero Seis, 2009
I am remarkably on my 4ourth book titled “Up The Amazon Without A Paddle” by Doug Lansky. It is written more in the blog style as it is a collection of 60 three page stories of his travels around the world. One excerpt follows so that you can get a taste of his humor.

…this is partly because they have to be there at a certain time. “Four o’clock?” some locals probably laugh, having no idea what four o’clock means. Rajasthanis seem to have derived their concept of time from a Salvador Dali painting. and
….the key to this is keeping them together in a flock, where sheep are better behaved than a bus full of nuns on a field trip to the Vatican.

Having said this, I received an application for a job, yes a job. In my book, it is either a 3 or 4 letter word. It is a writing job, as in blog writing. They appear to be looking for an entire team of bloggers in 20 different categories. It is not a full time position, or else I wouldn’t have even opened the email. The application is quite extensive for somebody that hasn’t filled out an employment application for 30 years, even one question would be considered extensive. We shall see if I actually attempt to complete it and submit it.

The photo was taken, not surprizingly of Sayulita beach looking north and has absolutely nothing to do with this article. Enjoy.

Viernes, Febrero Seis, 2009

The Mango Trio is one of my favorite groups here in the Sayulita area. I was dismayed when I learned that they no longer play in Sayulita and especially at Macondo where I’m staying. Today, out of the blue I get an email from them with new details on where and when they play nearby. Yeah. Here’s their email and links so you can see and hear them. Go to the myspace link to hear 5 or 6 of their songs. The photo is from a few years ago, so they only had two singers in their trio. Enjoy!
Howdy Friends!

By request, a quick note of the rest of our weekly shows in the area of Banderas Bay:

Saturdays, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, La Pajarita Restaurant, 7:30-9:30 Jalisco time
http://www.lapajaritarestaurant.com/, 01-329-295-5736,Calle Camaron #200

Sunday BRUNCH! 11am-1pm Jalisco Time, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Hikuri, Art Gallery and CafeAddress: Coral 66, Web Page: http://www.hikuri.com/Email: http://us.mc632.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=hikury@prodigy.net.mxPhone number: 01 (329) 295-5071
Sundays, San Francisco (San Pancho), Mar Plata Restaurant, 6:30pm-8:30pm+
http://www.marplata.com.mx/ 01-311-258-4424, 01-311-258-4425, Calle de Palmas 130, Costa Azul

Queridos Amigos, we look forward to seeing you!
-- Zoe Wood
www.myspace.com/mangomexico

Jueves, Febrero Quinto, 2009 (part 3 of 3)
Casa Puesta del Sol…..the sunset. This was the hardest part, because I had taken over 50 photos that night. I’ve included my three favorites. Which reminds of my saying, “There are 3 kinds of people in this world; those that can count and those that can’t.”
Enjoy.

Jueves, Febrero Quinto, 2009 (part 2 of 3)
Casa Puesta del Sol…..the food. Fantastic! Bob served whole stuffed chile rellanos that were incredible. We learned that his maid makes them and he had put an order in with her for 6 huge ones. He also grilled some Dorado (Mahi-mahi), a rice side dish and espárragos. (asparagus) The desert was also quite the treat…..Key Lime Pie made by Sandrita Bakery in Sayulita. Of course no meal is quite complete with margaritas, vino blanco, a sip of brandy, and a taste of Reposado Tequila. Truly a feast. Thanks to Bob. The one photo shows, from left to right, Pablo, Christina, Alaskan Gail, and Bob. The other one has Sharon & Alaskan Gail. The third….Juan Marcos himself. Enjoy.

Jueves, Febrero Quinto, 2009 (part 1 of 3)
Thursday, February 05, 2009
What an incredible treat last night, both for the views and food. P&S, Pablo & Christina, Alaskan Gail, and myself were invited to dinner and sunset at their friend’s place, Bob Guard. In Mexico, it is common to name your house or casa, and Bob’s place is called “Casa Puesta del Sol” or Sunset House. Words cannot describe the incredible views he has and shares. Bob has been a long time resident of Sayulita, maybe 30-40 years and was one of the first to build on the North side of town.
The first set of photos were taken as we arrived. It was about a 10 minute walk from town and a 10 minute climb up those stairs.
Enjoy!