warmerwinters

Staying in the Zocalo

2012-02-13T12:04:00.000-08:00

We arrived yesterday afternoon after a frustrating departure from Havana. We arrived at the Havana airport at 12:00 thinking we had plenty of time before our 2:30 flight. How wrong we were!

The line to check in was one hour long, then we had to line up to pay our departure tax and next we had to wait in line to go through immigration. The immigration line up was the worst as we were running out of time and we knew we still had to go through the security line.

We made it with time to spare and the one good thing was that we didn't have to wait long to line up for boarding the plane - no seat number calls, no children first and no first class boarding. Just one big line.

We sat on the plane for over an hour waiting for the people who couldn't get through the four major lines fast enough. We did have a fairly smooth flight and we breezed through customs in Mexico City. No checked luggage means we get to the lines early....and we pushed a green light!

We are staying at the Holiday Inn right on the Zocalo and I would highly recommend this hotel. The Holiday Inn chain has taken an old building and restored it to original condition. The rooms overlooking the Cathedral and the Palace are huge and very clean.

We spent the better part of the morning walking the streets around the Zocalo. According to rumour, Carlos Slim has spent millions restoring this area of Mexico City and it is great for walking and looking.

As usual though, our curiosity gets the better of us and we venture too far out of the restored areas. We didn't have to walk more than an hour before we were back in the poorer parts of Mexico City. It was a little uncomfortable walking through this area as it was littered with garbage and homeless people.

The Zocalo is home to the Presidential Palace, the main Cathedral and numerous restaurants and hotels. It does have the odd homeless person sleeping across the street from our room as I found out this morning while checking out the view.

Havana Revisited

2012-02-12T18:23:00.001-08:00

Below are some of the memories we have of our week in Havana....all good!

Street scene in Old Havana.

Taxi service!

Old Havana.

View from our room.

Getting our picture taken in front of the Capitolio - notice the pin hole camera!

Fred and his Cuban buddies!

Band performing in the afternoon.

When it rains and you don't have a window...do what you can!

Caught in the rain so spent time at this outdoor restaurant....they loved performing for us.

Typical buildings in some parts of Old Havana.

Power Shopping 101

2012-02-12T06:09:00.000-08:00

As usual, we left souvenir hunting to the last day and we seemed to be in a time crunch. We did have time to say goodbye to Anne and Rick yesterday morning before heading to Old Havana in search of the "perfect" souvenir.

We wandered for hours and found another area of the city that has been renovated and was bustling with tourists - Plaza Viejo. It reminds me of the centre square in Krakow - a large square surrounded by outdoor restaurants and bars. There are some new hotels being built there also.

An early dinner in the square meant an early night in the room. Our feet were killing us....a good soak did help!

We are flying to Mexico City for a two day layover and I am looking forward to some memories revisited. We haven't been in Mexico City for at least 10 years.

Cathedrals and Mojitos

2012-02-11T05:32:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was Anne and Rick's last full day in Havana so of course we tried to cram everything into a few hours. We took the shuttle bus to Old Havana and walked to the Mercado where we wandered around looking for bargains. Nothing found!

We didn't have any real destination in mind so we stopped to look at anything that caught our attention. Havana does have some beautiful churches, many of which look fully restored.

We eventually ended up at Hemingway's hotel and went on the short tour of his room where he wrote two of his novels. Nothing special, but it does give some insight into his life.

It was Mojito and music time so we stopped at a bar to listen to a Cuban group while sipping a Mojito, or in my case a beer. Still looking for that perfect place to have my Mojito! The "keeper of the toilets" was starting to get into the music scene!

We continued to wander the streets until we were picked up by a pair of fast talking Cubans. They were going to lead us to an International Salsa Festival - that's what we thought we heard, but we ended up at a restaurant. We knew something was up, but we didn't know how they were going to do it. I would have stopped there but one of the members of the band was the last living member of the Buena Vista Social Club, one of Fred's favourite musical groups so why not give it a shot.

We ordered pop and beer and a Cuba Libra for our "friends" thinking that was one of the cheapest drinks around. That was how they got us - their two drinks cost us close to $18 Cdn. No tip offered to the waitress as she was obviously in on this scam. Other than the cost, I love doing things like this, but I don't know how my three travelling partners felt. And, I was too afraid to ask!!

Back to our wandering of the streets! I thought we walked up and down every street in Old Havana, but Fred warns me there are many more to explore!

We walked back to the same restaurant as last night for a good, cheap and filling meal. There is a cigar shop connected to the restaurant so we spent some time buying cigars for a certain Calgarian!

Cigar Factory

2012-02-11T05:22:00.001-08:00

We need a pedometer to check how far we walk each day. Today was the longest walk yet. We took a cab to the Cigar Factory tour and when that was finished we walked to every site we wished to see.

The Cigar Factory was quite amazing. They showed us how the cigar is made from the beginning right up to the stage where they box them for export and for sales within Cuba. There are over 900 workers making the cigars and each worker has to make a daily quota...what the rewards are, we don't know.

We were offered a chance to smoke a cigar and two women took the opportunity. They were not feeling well afterwards, despite the guide's advice of not inhaling. I didn't know that cigars are never inhaled.

We walked to the cemetery that Anne had heard about and did a short walking tour through a small part of it. The cemetery is huge and it is impossible to see all of in one day.

Next on our list was the Nacional Hotel which is an Havana icon, opened in 1930. The hotel is very well preserved and very busy with many people just stopping for a beer or ice cream.

There wasn't much life left in our legs so we took a cab back to our hotels where all of us tried to rest up for the long walk to our chosen restaurant. We were amazed at the prices of this place.....Rick thinks this restaurant is one of the few private restaurants starting up in Havana and the lower prices reflect that.

Busy Day

2012-02-09T04:53:00.001-08:00

Aw, my aching feet! Okay, they weren't sore, but they should have been...we walked for hours in Old Havana exploring new sights and sounds different from yesterday. The streets are not always smooth or clean so walking was made a little more difficult than normal.

Our goal today was to see a few of Ernest Hemingway's old hangouts while visiting the historic section of town. We found the hotel he lived in for years, but it was closed for the day due to the changing of his display.

We were impressed with the beautiful old buildings, many of them in a state of disrepair and in dire need of renovating. This is a massive job as there are an incredible number of stately buildings with an important historic story to tell. There are a few sections of Old Havana that have already been restored and these areas are very nice.

Anne and I had a daiquiri at noon in one of Hemingway's favourite bars. According to legend, he would walk from his hotel to this bar every morning and have many daiquiris before moving on to another favourite place to drink Mojitos. We have not stumbled upon that place yet, so my first ever Mojito will have to wait!

It is suggested that you pay for any photos you take of the locals and we had this thought in mind when we took pictures of some colourful Cuban ladies near the Malecon. They certainly knew how to play these four tourists from Canada! The pictures turned out great, but before we could figure out what was happening they had taken money right out of Anne's hand and were demanding more. It wasn't a lot of money, but we will be prepared for the next time!

Old cars are everywhere! Some are in great shape while others are not looking so good. I'm glad Rick is here because Fred now has someone to talk to about this motor or that fin. Not that I wouldn't have played the "great listener"...but could I have done it without yawning?

Cuban food is not something to look forward to when planning a visit to Havana. I have not had one meal that I would have again, nor has Fred. Anne tried the pizza last night and found it to be delicious....fresh fish not great, but good pizza???

Only two more days for Anne and Rick before they move on to the beach scene so we will be on the move trying to complete this whirlwind tour of Havana before they head out.

Surprise

2012-02-07T17:07:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it didn't go according to plan.....but we did surprise Fred's sister Anne and her husband. When we heard they were planning a trip to Cuba we decided to join them - without letting anyone know. Only their travel agent and ours!

We were sitting having a beer at their hotel, not expecting them for at least another half hour, when they showed up in a cab. We felt like Maxwell Smart, hiding behind pillars and trees. Anne and Rick were just getting into the elevator when Fred joined them, welcoming them to Cuba. The look on Anne's face tells it all.

They had a smooth and uneventful flight from Saskatoon, but were very tired. The four of us tried the Italian Restaurant in their hotel and my opinion of Cuban food hasn't changed at all.....nothing to get excited about.

We are meeting Anne and Rick tomorrow morning and are going on the Hemingway Hunt. It should be interesting.

Short Holiday

2012-02-07T06:03:00.000-08:00

We left San Carlos on Sunday, catching a ride with friends to the Hermosillo Airport. We flew to Mexico City and overnighted there before flying to Havana, Cuba. We arrived in Havana yesterday afternoon.

The ride from the airport to our hotel was one trip I will never forget. We piled into a 1956 Soviet-made vehicle and limped all the way to Havana. The cab driver blamed on the "bad, bad" gasoline! Every time he stopped at a red light we would stall and every so often the car would get flooded and we would have to wait it out. An adventure in itself - this was no guided tour transportation, it was the real thing!

By the looks of the cab's back window ledge our driver found other ways to occupy his time!

Birthday Party

2012-02-06T06:21:00.000-08:00

Our neighbour invited us, along with 8 other people, to a taco dinner last week. She made the appetizers, cooked the meal and kicked us out of the kitchen when we tried to help her clean up. She said it was "a one-ass" kitchen!

This feat was not amazing in itself, but considering Janet is 90 years old it was fabulous! She then proceeded to beat most of us in a game of 31.

New House on the Block

2012-01-29T19:10:00.000-08:00

Getting a house built in Mexico is often more of a challenge than at home, but the end result can be very rewarding. Watching these men start from the ground up and following it through to completion is interesting and fascinating. They are masters of brick work.

Today John and Linda opened their new house to their neighbours - beautiful. It makes me envious of a new -build!

It feels like our weather has turned the corner and we are out of the "winter" months and into "summer" - much like Saskatchewan

The long walk home!!

Mexican Party

2012-01-28T20:37:00.000-08:00

Mexicans love their music, the louder the better! Parties are often held at the Athletic Club just behind our Parque and for the three winters we have lived in this house we have had to try and sleep through some pretty loud parties.

Last night there was another party at the Athletic Club - but this time I was invited! Our Zumba/Latino instructor is leaving for a ten month sailing trip and the Club wanted to give her a farewell party. And party they did!

We visited and did a few Zumba routines. The hardest part of the evening was trying to recognize people in their party clothes, out of their shorts and headbands. Where are my heels?

Please excuse the blurry pictures!!!

Mexican Friends

2012-01-25T17:20:00.000-08:00

Our housekeeper sometimes brings her daughter when school has been cancelled and Tuesday was one of those days. Paola loves to come here so she can play with Maggie and ride a bike while her mom works. Maggie and Paola spent hours together playing ball and going for walks. Just like a typical Golden Retriever, Maggie carries her own lease and leads the way.

She doesn't have a bike at home so it is a novelty for Paola to go for a ride. She is learning fast and has mastered the art of riding without hands!

I was at the golf course so Fred played the gracious host and nuked a pretty good lunch for the three of them. There went our leftover supper!

It was a good day all around - 18 holes of golf, house cleaned, Maggie tired and an enjoyable visit with Chuyita and Paola.

Market

2012-01-22T11:00:00.000-08:00

Eight of us were up early to head to Empalme for the Sunday Market. Some of us needed fruit, others vegetables and others wanted clothes.

My personal mission was to buy a huge supply of vegetables but I came home empty-handed in that department. The good news....I bought some clothes and a picture! It's hard to turn down a good deal.

The roasted sugar pecans seemed to be the hit of the day.

Day of Golf

2012-01-21T17:21:00.000-08:00

This morning eight Canucks headed for the golf course and a great time was had by all. We didn't golf like the pros do, but we did okay and had fun doing it. No sightings of horses, cows or snakes - only a few dogs!

The weather was perfect for the game and for our lunch after. The golf course kitchen is famous[around here] for their fish and chips and today didn't disappoint.

Great Day

2012-01-17T17:25:00.000-08:00

The temperatures were hovering around 27C, I played 18 holes of golf, dropped Maggie off for a sleep-over, went out for an early dinner of coconut shrimp and now, at 6:29, am watching TV in my pjs.....just doesn't get any better!

Walk on the Beach

2012-01-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

We took a 25 minute bike ride to the beach by the Pilar Condos outside of San Carlos. The beach is quiet and peaceful with very few people about. The dolphins often play in the water by the condos but today they were elsewhere.

We don't often ride out here - usually Fred walks Maggie along this beach giving her freedom to get her exercise.

Friends

2012-01-07T10:34:00.000-08:00

Maggie has another friend who lives two doors down from our house. Our dog has always had a fear of jumping over fences but not anymore. We are unable to leave her alone outside because she now escapes whenever she wants to see Knightly.

She not only goes for a dog visit, but Maggie walks straight into the neighbour's house to eat Knightly's food and steal his toys.

Dog retraining is now in order! How can we get that fear of jumping fences back?

Great Weather for Kiteboarding

2012-01-07T10:20:00.000-08:00

A few days ago the weather was perfect for an afternoon of kiteboarding - watching, not participating! The only physical activity we took part in was to strengthen our "cerveza arm". And that took repeated reps!

Golfing

2012-01-07T09:56:00.000-08:00

Pretty good form for someone who hasn't golfed in 9 months! And, he beat me!!

The course isn't in the best of shape but they are working on getting water to the greens and fairways. I can see small improvements every week.

Hangover Breakfast

2012-01-01T13:02:00.000-08:00

Fred and I didn't have any special plans for New Year's Eve so we volunteered to spend a couple of hours working at the bar for Tecalai's Dine and Dance. The Committee had hired local Mexicans to be behind the bar, but they are unable to handle the club's cash so we took that upon ourselves.

Imagine our confusion when we were introduced to the four workers - Luis, Luis, Luis and Luis Manuel! All the Luises worked hard and kept the bar hopping!

People often need a pick-me-up after a night of dancing and celebration so Fred and I hosted a "Hangover Breakfast" for 25 of our neighbours at 9:00 am. It was a huge success and many left here full and ready for an early morning nap. The camera remained hidden this morning!!

The first day in 2012 was hot and sunny which meant "the beach"!

Happy New Year to all!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T07:21:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! We hope you have a wonderful holiday season and you are healthy and happy!

We spent Christmas Eve with friends from Tecalai at the Fiesta watching the boat parade and eating lobster. The boats were decorated with colourful lights and with various themes. My personal favourite was the boat being pulled by Rudolph the Dolphin hooked up to Santa's sleigh. The owners of the boats spent hours decorating them just so we could stand on the beach and watch them float by in the dark.

We haven't opened our gifts as of yet as we are going golfing with friends from the Parque. The sky is clear so it looks a perfect day for being on the course.

Alice and Jim thanks for the surprise package that we found in the closet. Thanks to everyone for the Christmas wishes and wherever you are today [Saskatoon, Las Vegas, Eatonia, Edmonton, Calgary] have a great day!

Flea Market

2011-12-24T10:37:00.000-08:00

Recently, on one of our excursions to Guaymas we came across a Mexican flea market. This market was not for the tourists and retired North Americans - it was set up strictly for the residents of Guaymas Norte.

Of course, we couldn't resist! We spent some time walking the dirt street looking at the wares of the locals. Mostly clothes!

On the walk back to the car we came across this lonely puppy. A companion for Maggie? The puppy seemed to think this was a good idea!

Going For a Swim

2011-12-21T16:18:00.000-08:00

When Maggie gets restless we take her for a swim in the ocean and for this she is thankful, at least for a few minutes. She has a tendency to get ear infection so she has to be rinsed off to get rid of the salt water.

And no surprise - she hates this step! She will stand quietly but then she begins the pouting phase of this whole adventure. She begs to get into the house and it becomes a contest of wills. I usually break down first! Who knew?

She carries this pout until bedtime and even then she takes control. Who looks out of place in this picture? Maybe this is why we call her "Queenie"!

Friday Morning Shopping

2011-12-16T12:09:00.000-08:00

On Friday's, a group of Mexicans deliver super sweet corn to the Marina and sell it out of the back of their truck. We make the bike ride to pick up corn and oranges, usually stopping for water on the way home.

It has become somewhat of a Friday routine - go to the last Zumba of the week, head to the library and then bike for fresh vegetables. Are we predictable or what?

On the horizon....a bike ride to the Soggy Peso!

What's Wrong?

2011-12-10T14:31:00.000-08:00

What's wrong with our grapefruit tree? It has all kinds of fruit, but no leaves. We water and fertilize the tree and yet it appears to be dying a little more each day.

Maybe Don will come down and use that green thumb of his to save this poor looking specimen!

Shrimp Tacos

2011-12-09T12:35:00.000-08:00

Even though Fred has inherited Alice's cold, he rode with me to the Marina to pick up some super sweet corn. The corn and beans were the best we have seen so far this winter.

We stopped at La Palapa for shrimp tacos and they also were the best we have had this year. Sorry Alice, but they even beat out JJ's! The atmosphere wasn't the same but it is hard to do better than lunch on the beach! It wasn't cold like Fred's sweatshirt would indicate - it is just him fighting a head cold.

Fresh Shrimp

2011-12-08T06:37:00.000-08:00

We spent some time looking for fresh shrimp and we had our choice of a street vendor selling shrimp on the corner, buying from a lady who delivers to the park or buying from Tony's open market. We chose the biggest and best shrimp we could find on that particular day and the result was well worth the bike ride to find it.

Alice and Jim cooked us a fabulous meal and because the shrimp were not peeled and de-veined we designated Jim to handle that job. Alice makes a good supervisor and Fred won't touch raw meat so that left Jim or I - he volunteered, really!

Relaxing in Mexico

2011-12-08T06:29:00.000-08:00

Alice spending a morning getting a pedicure....does this look like someone who was in a hurry?

The Bikes Are Silent

2011-12-04T09:38:00.000-08:00

Alice and Jim left San Carlos on Saturday afternoon and today the bikes sit!

We rode the bikes every day and only had one flat tire and one crash. This time I am innocent!

Jim will be very happy if he never sees his bike again as he became the "butt end" of many jokes throughout the week. More padding or a better bike seat?

It was a hectic week, but we had a great time with our visitors and hopefully we will see them or other members of the family next year. Adios!

Dolphins

2011-12-04T08:56:00.000-08:00

On Friday we took a nature tour of the waters around San Carlos and I, for one, thought it was an amazing experience. We saw different bird types, including the Blue Footed Boobies. Who needs the Galapagos?

The highlight of the trip was the dolphins and the show they put on for us. After an hour of touring to check out the birds and sea lions we found the dolphins, or maybe they found us.

We watched them surface and dive before they started to play with the boat and lead us around the bay. The guides allowed us to move down to the very front of the boat and we had a perfect view of the dolphins swimming ahead of us.

Jim and the Captain of the boat were in fine form! Who is steering this thing?

We made a very amateurish video of the event that you can see if you cut and paste the link below:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5JHiFCTvXA&feature=g-upl

Ruins

2011-12-04T08:38:00.000-08:00

The movie Catch 22 was filmed in San Carlos in the late 60's and there are a few ruins of the set that remain today. We drove through desert and cacti to get to the old runway and some of the buildings.

Not much is left, but amazingly vandals have not destroyed what is there. I think a revisiting of the movie is now a requirement!

We may have looked a little strange walking with our heads down and high-stepping through the desert - we had been told there were snakes in the area and one of us is terrified of the little creatures!

Pepe

2011-12-02T19:14:00.000-08:00

Sibling rivalry....Alice has now land claim on Adelle's Mexican boyfriend! Pepe enchanted Adelle when she was here two years ago and now he has done the same with her older sister.

We had an excellent meal at Blackies Restaurant earlier tonight and we couldn't escape the lure of Pepe!

After the Climb!

2011-12-02T14:29:00.000-08:00

I gave up on Fred finishing "The Climb" so I have moved on and will comment on the "After-Climb". It is tradition to have a cold Dos Equis immediately on return to sea level and so they did! If you look closely you can see Alice's Dos Equis just in the picture! (Stay thirsty my friends).

We drove to the Soggy Peso for lunch and more cervezas. The weather at the Peso can be windy and chilly at times, but today it was perfectly calm and very warm. We enjoyed the crab tostadas and shrimp tacos that are so very different from their North American counterparts.

We tried for the perfect Christmas card for Alice and Jim with them sitting on the beach looking at the mountain they had just climbed. Does the location look familiar?

We thought the scenery was great and most relaxing, but some visitors were far more interested in the local flora than the view!

The Climb

2011-12-01T13:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day for climbing Tetakawi - clear and no wind. Even the temperature cooperated and stayed at a very pleasant 26C.

Colleen dropped us off at the base around 9:15 am and we were on our way - laden down with cameras, water and snacks. The climb started with a fairly easy hike, prompting Jim to come out with his now famous quote of "I thought it would be more rugged".

Little did he know!

"I thought it Would Be More Rugged"

2011-11-30T19:10:00.000-08:00

This was a most interesting quote from Jim...ten minutes into the trek up Tetakawi! Now look at him, 8:00 pm and sound asleep!
More quotes to come tomorrow morning - if Jim is up before noon.

Just Touring Around

2011-11-28T15:39:00.000-08:00

Alice and I had made plans to go to the Athletic Club early this morning but as usual the Goat's Head thorns have a way of delaying all bike riding. A quick removal of three or four thorns plus the installation of "Slime" and we were on our way.

Monday turned out to be another beautiful day and that called for the top patio. We didn't rest long before we were on another mission - a tour of Guaymas via car.

We stopped at Miramar on the way home to view the historic Cortez Hotel. It is a fascinating place that has tons of history behind it. The gardens are perfect for picture taking. And yes, that is a cold beer in their hands! We found out today that the Cortez Hotel has the coldest beer in the area!

We went from the spectacular to beyond belief in a matter of minutes. A fishing shack that sits on the edge of the Sea of Cortez was in stark contrast to the Cortez.

Long Hot Bike Ride

2011-11-27T18:42:00.000-08:00

For three hours today we toured San Carlos by bicycle. The flea market finds worked exceptionally well! We checked out the beach homes and the scenery near the Club de Playa.

We rode as far as the Marina and needed every ounce of water that we took with us - the temperature was 30C and we were getting dehydrated. On a day like this beer won't work!

Tetakawi is in the background and the climbing of that mountain is on our agenda for Wednesday.

Visitors

2011-11-26T18:55:00.000-08:00

Alice and Jim's flight from Phoenix into Guaymas was an hour late so we had plenty of time to watch the donkeys at the airport - real donkeys, not people!

They flew in on a small prop job with only six passengers so passing through immigration was quick and easy.

After getting organized at the house it didn't take long to get to the Fiesta Hotel for cervezas with chips and salsa.

Not Maggie's Fault

2011-11-23T17:37:00.000-08:00

Last night was a repeat of the night before, but this time we can't blame the dog. There was a raccoon on our top patio and it is a dog's instinct to chase!

And she chased all night long.....from window to window and door to door. Fred finally had to try and scare the invader out of the yard. No, it didn't work!

All I want for Christmas is a good night's sleep - no raccoons and no wind!

Raising Chickens

2011-11-22T15:37:00.000-08:00

I think we have raised the biggest chicken of all time. Maggie is afraid of absolutely everything and she appears to be getting worse as she ages.

Last night was a good example. We left the screen doors open and after a few hours in a deep sleep we feel this big lump on our feet. The wind had started to rattle the blinds and that put her in a tailspin.

That problem was solved and we were back in the sleep mode when this big lump appears again! This time it was a small outside ornament that was moving in the wind. This was a strong breeze, not a serious wind!

Another problem solved! Sleep again, but not for long as Fred's backpack was hanging on a chair outside our bedroom in the inner courtyard. That backpack may attack at any moment! Back on the bed and growling!

Okay, enough. Wait, don't go to sleep yet! The fireworks have started and that meant that big lump wanted to sleep on our pillows.

We do have a king sized bed but it wasn't meant for two adults and a 90 pound Golden Retriever.

Both Fred and I had to get up early for other commitments but Maggie could sleep all day - and she did!

Market Day

2011-11-20T17:25:00.000-08:00

It was so beautiful this morning that we decided to head to Empalme and their Sunday market. Because it is a Mexican holiday celebrating the revolutionary victory of 1910, the towns and markets were extremely busy.

Again, we were on the lookout for a second spare bicycle. We bought that and more. All ready for visitors from the cold north!

These vendors were selling a sweet, deep fried treat that was rolled in sugar and cinnamon. Looked very good!

Selling dried shrimp and posing for the Canadians

Finishing the Job

2011-11-18T17:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Nacho, the park's gardener, told us we hadn't removed enough of the tree and this morning he took the complete tree out. Looks much better and it won't return!

This afternoon we went for a bike ride with friends that I met at the gym. We didn't tackle any steep hills or mountainous terrain, but we did manage to work up enough of a sweat to stop for a beer.

Yard Clean-Up

2011-11-17T19:10:00.000-08:00

We decided it was time to trim the trees in the front yard and I think we got a little carried away! What do you think?

We're Here

2011-11-15T17:34:00.000-08:00

We had a very uneventful drive down. Even the Mexican border crossing was easy and very quick [45 minutes as compared to three hours for some people].

Our house was spotless! Chuyita had cleaned the place a few days before we arrived so move-in was very trouble free. We arrived around 2:30 and were settled in by 5:00 - little tired and a whole lot lazy.

Our car was overloaded and cramped. We were full when we left Eatonia but by the time we left Tucson both Maggie and I were crowded out. She couldn't even turn around in the back and I had food at my feet. The small car was well worth it as it only cost us $167 Cdn to drive to Mexico. Last year the truck cost us close to $600 Cdn.

Our first week was spent getting reacquainted with Mexico and friends from Tecalai. We were without the Internet until Sunday so things were quiet in terms of communication with home.

I am back at the gym doing Zumba five days a week and also golfing one or two days. Fred has been cleaning the yard and tinkering at whatever!

We have planted the pots and our front yard with a whole bunch of plants that we don't know the name of, nor do we know what they will look like in four months. Good thing plants are about 1/10 the price of home.

We are also back managing the clubhouse bar. That involves purchasing all the supplies and finding workers for the two nights a week that we are open.

The weather has been great with the exception of two days of rain, a much needed rain. Even though we are on the Sea of Cortez, we are in a desert and water is scarce. This is a very unique environment.

We are expecting visitors so we have been searching the markets for two bicycles - one down and another market tomorrow afternoon.

We're Off

2011-10-30T16:40:00.000-07:00

We left this morning [October 30th] at 7:00 and were in Helena by 2:30. We should have gone further, but we were so tired from the work on the Trade Show and then getting ourselves and the farm ready that we decided to stop early and enjoy the rest.

Maggie is unable to join us in the room as there is a $250 cleaning fee for pets in the room. I don't charge anything to clean the Prius! She travelled rather quietly today as we gave her a sedative to stop the constant whining and pacing. Same routine tomorrow.

The weather is so perfect that I had to change into sandals - I think Fred even took off his long underwear! That is a sure sign of warmer winters!!

Part Way Home

2011-08-23T20:37:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we started the long and brutal trip home. We left Ho Chi Minh Airport at 8:25 pm in the midst of heavy rain and some lightning. A few hours earlier there was a wicked thunder and lightning show that made me wonder if we would ever lift off.

The Turkish Airlines flight to Bangkok was very rough and for the first time in many years I needed to know where the air-sick bag was. Fred slept through most of this 90 minute flight.

We had two hours to kill in Bangkok so we visited the Star Alliance Lounge where we could rest comfortably. Very nice airport.

We used Thai Airlines to complete the five hour flight to Seoul. It was comfortable and smooth. Both Thai Airways and Turkish Airlines are top-notch carriers, but the seats in the Turkish plane were much more comfortable.

The airport at Seoul is very hi-tech and ultra modern. They deal with long layovers like ours (10 hours) by having every imaginable convenience available. They have an intransit hotel where you can book sleep time in six hour segments, without having to go through customs.

For the well rested traveller they have a driving range, two movie theatres, fitness centres, a mini golf course and tons of restaurants and shopping.

As of yet, we haven't used any of these facilities as we are not well rested. Instead we are spending most of our time in the Business Lounge trying to sleep. However, we did use the showers and the massage chairs to revive the bodies.

It took us almost one hour to get from the plane to the Air Canada transfer booth, first we were sort of lost and secondly this place is huge.

We still have four hours to wait out in Korea.....it will be a long afternoon!

Eating in Vietnam

2011-08-22T21:03:00.001-07:00

The Vietnamese diet is amongst some of the healthiest in the world. They live on rice, fish, fruit and vegetables. You seldom see an overweight person living and working in Vietnam.

We found there were three distinct styles of cooking. In the North the food is rather bland and does not use a lot of herbs. Central Vietnam uses the chili rather freely and the food is hotter and spicier than any other region.

The food in the South is sweeter due to fact that the people here use sugar cane in many dishes.

I didn't have a favourite region, but I did eat a lot of fresh (not fried) vegetarian spring rolls everywhere. Pho was a regular at all meals, including breakfast. Pho is a noodle soup often containing pork or chicken. You add your own flavourings when you eat your soup, things like basil or beansprouts.

We tried lots of other foods, some of which we didn't have a clue as to what we were eating. I know we didn't eat dog or rat! We tried the rat meal once in Belize and once is enough!

Fish didn't make make my list of favourites and neither did the chicken.

Rice and fruit were served everyday and in hundreds of different ways. I didn't try them all, but those I did eat were excellent. The most interesting way of cooking rice was the sticky rice ball that we saw being cooked at a roadside restaurant.

Vietnamese Streets Continued

2011-08-22T06:11:00.001-07:00

Okay, so we got lost! We walked for what seemed like hours and after a lot of nagging Fred finally asked for directions. Everyone sent us in different directions until we were completely confused.

Not even the locals knew where the street was and finally one gentleman told us "you are really lost". As if we didn' t know that already.

We were looking for the Black Cat Restaurant and finally settled on the Spotted Cow - both animals, right! So I think we did okay..... Thank God Fred was leading!!!

Complexities of Vietnamese Streets

2011-08-22T02:02:00.001-07:00

We are planning our strategy to find tonight's restaurant. I have marked the route on my tattered Saigon city map and have also written down the directions on a notepad. Let me know if you know any shortcuts.

From our hotel (Sanouva) on Ly Tu Trong, turn left, go one block and turn right on Truong Dinh. After one block turn left at Nguyen Du. After two blocks turn right at Cach Mang Thang Tam. In three blocks turn left at Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. In four blocks (only if you are on the north side of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai) turn right at Nguyen Thuong Hien. In about 320 metres turn left into Duong So 4 alley and then in about 400 metres you will find Phan Van Dat. The Black Cat restaurant is #13.

I wonder if I have to take a map or if I have it down pat now? Thank God Colleen isn't leading!!

See you there.

Fred.

Modes of Transportation

2011-08-22T01:04:00.001-07:00

We did it! Our mental list (mine, anyways) was completed when we took a cyclo back to our hotel. We thought it would be too nerve racking in the heavy traffic of Saigon, but it was an easy trip back to our hotel.

We have used taxis to get to and from the train stations, plus we have been picked up in private cars at the airports. Private cars seem to be our favourite mode of transportation for tours.

We have braved the streets of Sapa on the back of a motorcyle which was scary in itself. The weaving in and out of cars was a little much for me, but I did it! I even rode a motorcycle in the hills of Vietnam.

In Hoi An we were willing to tackle the street traffic on a peddle bike. It wasn't as bad as I thought, except for the fact that I missed our hotel and ended up right in the middle of the busy part of town. I will never lead again! We also rode bicycles through the jungles of the Mekong Delta - no traffic to speak of!

The train is a convenient method of transportation when travelling long distances, such as from Hanoi to Sapa. They aren't always the cleanest nor the most comfortable, but they are reliable.

The rivers were an interesting way of travel. We travelled on tour boats meant for 16 people. The one below was our boat on the Mekong.

The most memorable method of travelling on the river was the sampan. I loved being that close to the water

Regardless of where and how we travelled, we always came back to the best method for us - walking. We walked constantly, sometimes as much as 10 - 12 kms a day. It is the best for us as we can stop whenever we wish and do whatever we want.

Weather Report

2011-08-22T00:31:00.001-07:00

If I was as interested in the weather or weather channel as Fred, you would have received a DAILY report....but I will only give the highlights!

August is in the heart of the rainy and monsoon season so we expected daily rain and sometimes worse. We actually got the opposite of that and had a very dry and hot spell. In fact, the whole trip was stinkin' hot!

We had a few thunderstorms at night, but by morning everything was as it should be.

Not once did we get caught in rain....that is until today. We returned from the Mekong tour and after checking into our room we went for a short walk. We only walked about 100 metres when we were stalled by a sudden downfall, along with fierce thunder and lightning.

We took shelter under a store canopy and before we knew it the shopkeeper had brought chairs for us to use - Kindergarten size, of course.

On our return we were stopped again, only this time by a storm that lasted about an hour. We took refuge in a restaurant and sat in comfortable chairs watching life go on in the rain, drinking a glass of imported wine!

Day Two on the Mekong River

2011-08-21T01:16:00.001-07:00

After a restful night we were ready to tackle the busier part of the river. Yesterday we boated and biked through canals and narrow pathways, today we toured the floating markets which showed the hustle and bustle of life on the river as Vietnam knows it.

The markets open around 5:30 am and run until 10:00 am. The seller's boats are moored on the open river for over a month or until their supplies run out. They live on these boats, but have a smaller boat that they use to go to the orchards to get their supplies.

The buyers show up in their own boats to purchase cheap fruit and vegetables for their restaurants or their own market in town.

This market is strictly for the local people and is not set up for tourists, although they do tolerate the tour boats floating through the market. The local boats don't look very sea-worthy to me, but neither did the tour boat below!

Women would wind their small sampans through this maze to sell breakfast from their boats.

We had to force ourselves to leave this exciting area to go check out the orchards and to sample many of the different fruits they sell.

The Mekong River has so many canals branching off that the only comparison I can make is that it is like 8th Street with the canals being the streets that come off there, like Preston Avenue.

The tour, even though it was just new, was awesome and our tour guide was perfect for me as he never lingered too long in one place. Today he was a little slower as he must have partied too hard last night and this morning much of his free time was spent finding a place to throw up. Did we give him a rough time? Never! I hear Ukraine tour guides do much the same thing.

We are now back in Saigon with plans to do very little this evening. Tomorrow we will try to see some of the sites of the city, buying last minute gifts and trinkets.

We head out to Bangkok on the evening of the 23rd so the time of trying to get all our things into a small backpack is getting closer.

Tour of the Delta

2011-08-20T08:07:00.001-07:00

Mr. Fred Humeny and his lovely party left for a two day tour of the Mekong Delta this morning and they both had a great time, especially the lovely party!!!!

We had the same guide and driver as yesterday and almost made it to Can Tho without an accident - it was minor but still took up some of our time.

The Mekong Delta is what I have been waiting to see, it was everything I expected and more. The river is brown from all the silt, just like the Mississippi and the Nile.

We went on a new tour that has only been in operation a short time. In fact, we were only the eighth couple to talk this particular one.

We started the day with a two hour drive to the delta and from there we hopped on a boat that was ours for the day. No problems, just a rudder that kept slipping and we would drift away. Our pilot would disappear every so often to fix it on the go.

We had a smaller boat so we could go down some of the canals that took us through the local fishing areas. It was fantastic to see life on the river

It was a full day as we stopped at a small brick factory and a coconut candy maker. Plus, we stopped to observe women making traditional mats.

We also stopped at a local restaurant for lunch. To get there we had to ride bikes on a narrow pathway through the jungle for at least 20 minutes. No sliding off the trail here or you would end up in a canal full of who knows what!

The highlight of the day was the trip back to our boat - we had to take a sampan with a local guiding the boat. I felt like we were right in the middle of the jungle! No snakes!

After another two hour drive, we are spending the night in a luxury hotel on the river. We left the booking of the tour too late and all the reasonably priced hotels were full. For a country where $3.00 rooms are possible and $60 rooms are the norm, spending $176 is unheard of. We take the blame for this one.

Tomorrow morning we are being picked up at 7:30 for a tour of the floating markets. More on that when we get back to Saigon - we learned today that the inner city is called Saigon and the outskirts is called Ho Chi Minh City. Confusing to all tourists.

Lazy Afternoon

2011-08-20T05:21:00.001-07:00

What can be better than having a nice cold beer on a 'stinkin' hot day? Nothing, unless you are also getting your sandals cleaned and polished at the same time.

We got back from the tunnels around 2:00 and all we wanted to do was sit back and relax. We walked to the backpacker district (low-budget travellers) and watched the excitement as we enjoyed a bowl of Pho and a beer.

Fred got his sandals polished and then mine were cleaned thoroughly - okay, maybe there was a little odour to them after 23 days of constant wear! Poor guy! All of this for $2.00 total.

On the walk home we had to have a beer in the Baba Restaurant, but we couldn't even finish the beer as there was a guy bothering everyone who came close.

The Tunnels

2011-08-20T03:57:00.001-07:00

The Cu Chi Tunnels are located approximately 60 kms north of Saigon. Tours or hiring a private car and guide are the only way to get to the tunnels so we chose the latter for $39/person.

The introductory video indicated that the tunnels were built for the War with the Americans, but they were in place before this war started. Even so, the way they were used in the Vietnam War - I mean the American War, was ingenious.

The Viet Cong and their sympathizers lived in these tunnels and used them for protection from the invading armies. There were three levels that offered protection from chemical warfare and the constant bombing, with the deepest level going to 18 metres.

The tunnels were interesting in themselves, but the booby or hidden traps on display were disturbing. I guess the movies on the American War were more realistic than I thought.

The most interesting attraction was a hidden entrance to the tunnels. As I have said before, Vietnamese people are tiny and the entrances were built for their body size. Our guide liked to say that if the Americans followed they would often get stuck.

Fred is not a big man, but even he felt closed in and uncomfortable.

We were told that the area around Cu Chi is called "White Land" by the locals because rice and fruit trees can no longer grow there. Tom, our guide, blamed it on Agent Orange because this area was one of the heaviest bombed areas in the South.

Rubber trees have been planted and they are now a thriving business around Cu Chi.

At the end of the day we tried something new, tapioca. It tastes much like a mushy potato and probably will be left on my plate from now on.

Dining on the River

2011-08-18T05:59:00.001-07:00

Our last night in Hoi An was spent in a restaurant overlooking the river that flows through the town. It had the most amazing desserts and that was the number one reason for choosing the place - Fred had the last say on this!

Vietnamese wine is not some of the best we have tasted so it was a pleasure to find a place that served foreign wines.

This morning we had an early flight to Ho Chi Minh City which was formerly called Saigon, even though the locals are hesitant to change the name.

We are staying in the heart of the city very near the market. We spent the day arranging tours to Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta. We do the tunnels tomorrow and then on the 20th we leave for two days on the delta.

Vietnamese beer is excellent, but sometimes we would like a glass of wine (see above statement) so today we set out to buy a bottle. That was an experience in itself! Wine stores are relatively hard to find in this country so we decided to test the local knowledge.

We stopped at the market to ask a shopkeeper if they knew where we could buy wine. What a mistake....they told us to wait one minute - we did and eventually were presented with a bottle of local wine. Not what we were looking for, but we kept our options open. She wanted 480,000 Dong and we felt good bargaining her down to 200,000 Dong.

All was well and good until we were close to the hotel and we finally found a wine store and they had our wine for 60,000 Dong! Talk about losing your glow! Plus the wine is almost undrinkable, even with hours letting it air. Love it!!!

Silk Worms

2011-08-17T17:16:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we rented bikes ($2.00 per day) for a trip to the beach 4 kms from our hotel. The beach area is very nice and well developed, but we didn't spend too much time touring around as there were a few more things we wanted to do in town.

Once back in Hoi An, we went to a shop that has silk worms on display. They showed us the complete process from the starting worms to the actual retreiving of the silk. Our guide told us that the silkworm isn't really a worm, it is a caterpillar.

The woman on the floor is separating the worms from their waste and mixing them in with new and clean food.

As the worms get larger, they put them on a screen so they can produce the cocoons from which the silk threads are extracted.

The last stage is the spinning of the silk from the cocoons gathered the screens. Each cocoon offers as much as 600 metres of silk thread.

The store also had women working with other fabrics, making rugs and material for shirts.

Another tour completed on the recommendation of our "tour guides". Well done!

A Touch of Paradise

2011-08-16T06:53:00.001-07:00

We hired a car and driver to take us from Hue to Hoi An, which by bus is around four to five hours depending on the type of bus you choose. We were in Hoi An in 2.5 hours, although we did have to sacrifice a few tourist stops along the way.

Hoi An is an historic city protected by the Unesco World Heritage program. It is located on the coast of the South China Sea and it boasts a unique shopping district.

Because of the many tailors located in the city, you can order any type of clothing you want and within hours it will be ready. Many people have their suits made to measure and shipped home for around $40. We had planned to have some capris and shorts made here but suitcase limitations changed that idea - or is it that we are too lazy to search for the right material and then get measured and then go back for more measurements, etc?

We spent the day just wandering in the Old Town looking at the tailors and their silk shops. We especially liked the fact that the Old Town is car and motorcyle free, a wonderful feeling after dodging traffic in Hanoi and Hue for the past ten days.

There is an abundance of fine restaurants that cater to the many tourists that come to Hoi An. Many overlook the river and are a great place to sit and people watch.

I tried to concentrate my pictures on the people and activities of Hoi An rather than the city itself.

Visiting of the Tombs

2011-08-15T01:36:00.001-07:00

Why do the Vietnamese people have such high steps when they are such small people? I climbed enough of them today to wonder!

We spent the day visiting some of the Emperors' tombs surrounding Hue and were blown away by the structures, especially the tomb of Khai Dinh. The blackened concrete of the complex was a striking contrast to the colourful interior of the tomb.

This tomb was started in 1920 and was completed in 1931, two years after the Emperor's death.

After this we visited the tomb of Minh Mang and found this one a little less impressive, even though it was more in harmony with nature (a guide's words, not mine). The strange part of this tomb was that the Emperor was never buried here and the 200 workers who built the tomb were beheaded to keep the secret.

Our final stop of the day was at the Thien Mu Pagoda, which was worth a short visit. Behind the main area of the sanctuary was an old Austin car that transported a Buddhist monk to Saigon where he burned himself to death to publicly protest the South Vietnamese policies in 1963.

The last stop of the day was at the Why Not Cafe for a cold Tiger beer. A cold beer is rare in Vietnam so when we find a place that serves them we are reluctant to leave - plus we had to do some shopping from the vendors who travel from cafe to cafe. Did I mention something about smaller backpacks earlier?

I think Fred has a complete new wardrobe by now, but not me....I don't think Vietnam knows there are sizes above eight!

Question of the day....what is the difference between a temple and a pagoda?

Hue

2011-08-14T01:06:00.001-07:00

We spent yesterday touring the surrounding neighbourhoods, near our Hanoi hotel, picking up lots of souvenirs that we don't have room for. This is one of the major downfalls of taking small rolling backpacks

The sights on the streets still amaze me with all the activity and what I think is organized chaos. Obviously, it works for them.

Today we had a 6:00 am flight from Hanoi to the city of Hue, in central Vietnam. Hue is located very near the Vietnam War's (they call it the American war) demilitarized zone and it suffered considerable damage from bombs and street fighting. The city is in the process of rebuilding the Imperial Enclosure, which is where we spent most of the day.

The enclosure is huge and I know we didn't do it justice, but we did the best we could. Some of the structures are beautiful and others are the way they have been for years. The enclosure has a moat and ten ornate gates guarding a palace, temples, gardens and tombs. Its most prominent feature is a flag tower..

Hue is also famous for its blistering hot and dry season from May to August and I can attest to that - take a look at my new hat! When in Rome....

And it only cost me 20 000 Dong which is equal to $1.00!

I had the setting wrong on my camera so some of the pictures have a strange look to them, but they still show what I intended.

Tour of the Bay

2011-08-12T17:57:00.001-07:00

Well rested after yesterday's break in the action, we hired a car and driver to take us to Halong Bay. Halong Bay is an Unesco World Heritage site and it was worth the four hour drive there and four hours back.

The bay has over 3000 limestone islands called karsts. The islands are uninhabited which makes them quiet and peaceful, except for the 800 tourist boats that cruise through them everyday.

The scene was chaotic when we arrived at the dock to find our boat. It had rained hard in the morning so the boats could not go out and all were given the okay to leave just when we arrived.

We were on a private tour but we did not expect our own boat! There were the two of us, along with our guide, with five people to take care of our needs.

Once on board we were served a huge lunch of crab, shrimp, octopus, fish and squid, all cooked in a true Vietnamese style.

We spent most of the four hour cruise on the upper deck of the boat watching the scenery and boat activity.

We made one stop at two caves that were discovered in 1993. We found this cave to be special because it was almost raining inside due to the recent rainfall outside. The government has done a tremendous job building the walkways inside and out and they were not slippery!

Getting to the caves was an adventure as it seemed all 800 boats were trying to dock at the same unloading area at the same time. After the captain dropped us off he had to move away from the dock so others could do the same. It appeared that there were only inches between the boats, but our captain knew what he was doing, even if he did look to be fifteen years old.

We were back in the car by 4:00 and home by 8:00. The drive to Halong was bad enough in the daylight, but coming back at night was "troublesome". The thousands of motorcyles seem to drive without lights and are everywhere on the road.

Our tour guide and crew were great, the boat wasn't the newest or best on the bay, but the day was something to remember.

A Day of Rest

2011-08-11T01:36:00.000-07:00

After travelling overnight from Sapa to Hanoi, we are sort of listless today and have been taking it easy, plus it is pouring out - our first day of rain. We arrived in Hanoi at 4:30 am and weren't able to get into our room at our chosen hotel until 10:30.

The staff was very accomodating and put us up in their Spa Room for three hours. We were able to shower and change clothes, but they needed the room at 7:30 so we were homeless once again.

We took this time to try to book a tour to Halong Bay. Just what we needed at 7:30 - a 6 km walk! We couldn't even find the travel centre and ended up booking right at the hotel.

Our room is everything we needed today, especially after last night's train ride. The train was a different one than we took to Sapa and that was evident right away. I don' t have a lot to say about the train ride other than I'm so glad it is over!

This hotel is like a five star hotel back home and I am loving it! Nothing like being pampered when you are tired. Room service at its best!

People of Sapa Area

2011-08-09T19:56:00.001-07:00

More pictures from our trek yesterday and around Sapa town.

Well, maybe not a person!

Wow!!!

2011-08-09T02:30:00.001-07:00

What an amazing day.....the power of a smile!

We didn't want to take the normal tourist bus to see the villages of Ma Cha and Ta Phin so we decided to pay two motorbike drivers to take us from Sapa to the village of Ma Cha where we would walk from there to Ta Phin.

Problems? Yes, of course! Fred skillfully negotiated a lower price on the cycle ride and the drivers skillfully dropped us off in the middle of nowhere with about 4 kms left to walk to Ma Cha.

What a stroke of luck, as we met three fantastic ladies from the Red Dzao tribe and they "sorta" tagged along with us with the before mentioned great smiles! They took us on trails beside rice, corn and indigo fields and we were constantly amazed at what was ahead of us.

They helped us take shortcuts through other mountain villages, they fed us a lunch of cucumbers when we took a break and later they invited us into their homes.

My favourite, the water buffalo, were plentiful and we were warned a few times that some of them were not agreeable to picture taking.

Ta Phin was our final destination and we were told constantly that it was just over the next mountain. That was no lie as we are sure we walked at least 10 kms to get to the village. It was constant up and down through valleys and over hills.

This was the real Vietnam we were looking for. No tourist stops and very few foreigners.

On arriving in Ta Phin, we were encouraged by them to enter their homes to see where they lived and to meet their families. We could only visit two homes as the third was "just over the next mountain" at least 20 minutes away.

Our legs didn't give out like yesterday and we are so glad as we wouldn't have wanted to miss this experience for anything.

We wanted to offer them a monetary gift, but had been told by a guide yesterday that it is more respectful to buy rather than give. So does anyone need a Red Dzao shoulder bag? We have two, plus a table mat. Fred negotiated a better price for three items we didn't need. But...the information we gained was worth more than any items we bought.

Now for the ride back! We knew we couldn't walk the 14 kms back to Sapa so before we realized it we were offered a ride on their families' motorbikes - at a cost, of course.

I let Fred ride with the young son and he is still drinking wine to get over the speedy trip. I, on the other hand, told one of the ladies that I am a chicken and she warned her husband. Nice slow ride for me!

The day could not have been better. Sometimes you just have to let things happen.

Moving North

2011-08-08T01:17:00.001-07:00

Sapa is located 380 kms north of Hanoi in the very north west part of Vietnam near the Chinese border. Most people choose to take an overnight sleeper train to get to this remote town and that is exactly what we did.

We left Hanoi at 8:30 pm and arrived at Lao Cai railway station at 5:00 am. Lao Cai is located on the Chinese border and is a 45 minute drive from Sapa. The 45 minutes were like a life time. What a change in culture!

The main attraction of this area, apart from the natural beauty of Sapa, is the fact that this part of Vietnam is home to the largest concentration of ethnic groups in the country. Many of their traditions, dress and lifestyles have changed very little over the past 100 years.

As soon as we arrived at our hotel we were surrounded by the group of women from the Hmong tribe. These women walk 25 kms to Sapa to sell their handicrafts and they can be a little aggressive.

We ate a quick breakfast, checked into our room, showered and went on a 3 km hike to the village of Cat Cat. The walk was only 3 kms, but it felt like it was straight down. Only a short way and my buns were burning and Fred's calves were speaking to him.

We walked beside rice paddies and met water buffalo face to face. Pot bellied pigs are also a common sight. Children were on the prowl for hand outs and will do anything to get your attention. I tried to teach a young girl a few words in English, but she was only interested in selling her mother's craft work.

The scenery was specatular and breath taking. I know the camera can not do it justice, but I think you can get an idea of the area.

On the way down to Cat Cat we had met a young man called Hon who assured me we would need his motorbike for the trip home. He was so right! The climb back up just to get to his motorcycle was tough and as the mist kept burning off, the temperature kept rising. This was all before 10:00 and remember the train had arrived at 5:00 am.

After Hon and his buddy dropped us off, we walked to the market area and had some lively conversations with the Hmong tribe. All you hear is "what is your name, how many children do you have, where are you from, buy from me and I will go". Fun, but tiring.

Touristy Things

2011-08-07T01:08:00.001-07:00

For the last two days we have been hoofing it around Hanoi, visiting all the required tourist sites. We visited the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, after saying all morning that we wouldn't take that one in. There were other sites we wanted to see within the complex, but to get to them we had to go through the whole line up thing and by then it was too late.

The man is a national hero and symbol so the whole procedure was very solemn and quiet. No stopping, no talking, no cameras and no inappropriate clothing.

We had wanted to see the One Pillar Pagoda and even that place was busy. Very nice, but crowded. The water plants surrounding the pagoda were beautiful.

We were having a break at a street side coffee shop when we realized we were right beside the Army Museum. It was the first time either of us has been that close to the big US war machines. That display, plus the display on the destruction of Agent Orange, was rather sobering and harsh.

On the way home we wandered through some streets that sell t shirts and caps and as I am a sucker for that sort of thing, I now have a supply of three too small T shirts!

It was so darn hot that we just had to stop for the Tiger! Tiger beer that is!

Once we cooled down we had enough energy to walk to the Opera House, which was closed for the day so we had to be content to just look around.

On the way to the Opera House we came upon a large group of people protesting China's involvement in off-shore oil rights. We think! Peaceful demonstration.

We are catching the over night train to Sapa, a small town in the mountains north of Hanoi. The train leaves at 8:30 so we kept our hotel room for an extra half day. We knew we would need to cool down before the train and that is exactly what we are doing right now - that and packing. It's going to be a long night!

The guy repairing the street lines was amazing. He just walked on the lines to the other side and went about his business.

Street pictures

2011-08-05T16:17:00.003-07:00

Just some of the scenes we see everyday and are getting used to. All of these picturse are from a five block area around our hotel in the Old Quarter.

The last one is for our tour guide!

Location:Hàng Cót,Hanoi,Vietnam

Another Day on the Streets

2011-08-05T16:17:00.001-07:00

Again we got up early to beat the heat and again it didn't work! The temperature only went to 36C today but with the humidity it felt like 46C.

We walked to see the Hoa Lo Prison to see where the French kept their political prisoners but also to see where the American pilots were held after being captured during the Vietnam War or the American War, as the Vietnamese call it.

It was interesting to see Senator John McCain's flight suit and the pictures involving the rest of the American prisoners. The write ups were definitely one sided! I think Mc Cain spent five years in this prison.

We then walked to the other side of Hoan Kiem Lake to check out a hotel for our return from Sapa. The walk wan't that long but we had to make three stops along the way just to cool down. We found stores that had a working AC and pretended to be interested in cameras, TVs and computers.

We had a tour through a newer hotel and loved the place. Fred, being the bargainer that he is, negotiated a lower prices for their best room in the house!

At 12:30 we had to call it quits for awhile as we needed a break. We rested and washed a load of clothes in the jacuzzi tub - loaded it, poured in some laundry soap and turned it on! Works like a charm, as long as you keep your hand over the in-take valve!

We must be getting over our jet lag for we still had the energy to go to the local market to check out some runners. We didn't want to carry extra shoes in our backpack, but we are planning on taking a couple of longer hikes in Sapa so feel we need the support of runners. You can get all kinds of knock-offs here including Nikes. No purchase made, but we now know where to go.

Tomorrow we plan on walking to the complex of Ho Chi Minh and to see the pagodas around there. We will try to keep up with the blog but they have been cutting me off and not letting me save or post anything online.

Location:Hàng Cót,Hanoi,Vietnam

Walking Tour

2011-08-04T00:13:00.000-07:00

I was able to get Fred mobile by 6:00 am, using the excuse that it gets too hot to do much walking in the afternoon. We ate breakfast at the hotel and it was surprisinly good. Much different type of breakfast from Canada, but very tasty.

Pho, Vietnamese noodle soup, was the best part of the meal. Pho and spring rolls were the biggest hit, but if you wanted to go a different direction, they would create an omelet for you.

We started a walking tour of the Old Quarter that would take us through the backpacker's district and on to Hoan Kiem Lake. The backpacker's area is filled with budget hotels and restaurants geared to the young budget travellers, very much like Europe was open to the boomers who travelled there in the late 70s and early 80s.

The streets of the area around the lake were easier to walk as there were fewer outdoor restaurants and people sitting on the street. We found the highly recommended restaurant across from the lake and finally had our relaxing beer while watching the traffic below. It wasn't cheap, but sitting on an outdoor balcony with a light breeze was well worth the money.

We were back in the room by 12:30 trying to cool off with a cold shower and the AC. Alice was right when she said Vietnam was a three shower a day country.

After a little quiet time, we headed back out in the heat to eat at one of the restaurants we spotted early today. Finding the restaurant was easy as my tour guide's internal radar finally started working again. As for me, I know that I could not walk around the block and find my way back. The street names change suddenly and everything looks the same so I can't find any reconizable landmarks to guide me home.

Supper consisted of Vietnamese fresh spring rolls and fried rice, along with a trying of the local beer called Tiger. All was good and very cheap. The meal for two cost us a little over $6 Canadian. Another piece of advice from Alice was that we take our own chopsticks and now I can see why. The restaurants and street vendors just grab a set of chopsticks for you and they look very much like they have been used multiple times. We listened and now have hidden away in our backpack eight disposable sets that we "borrowed" from the Business Lounge in Hong Kong!

It was a great day of walking and visiting pagodas and traditional Vietnamese housing. So much to see and only four days in which to do it.

Food and Lodging

2011-08-03T10:36:00.001-07:00

It is 12:30 am and I am wide awake after already having nine hours sleep. I am not prone to exhaustion but yesterday I crawled under the blankets at 3:30 and haven't been out of bed since. I feel much better, but I still have six hours to kill before I can legitimately turn the lights on to wake Fred up.

This may be a good time to talk about our room and our first eating experience.

Our hotel is located in the Old Quarter in the heart of Hanoi. It is surrounded by busy streets with crowded businesses. We had booked a suite with a king bed, jacuzzi tub and a balcony and that is exactly what we got. What we didn't get were drawers to place our unpacked clothes...so everything stays in the backpacks!

The hotel picked us up at the airport in a private car, which was included in the price of the room. When we arrived at the hotel we were asked to wait while they completed our paperwork. While they took copies of our passports they served us a delicious watermelon drink and then the same young worker showed us to the room and explained the workings in the room itself. She had a good grasp of the English language, but struggled with certain phrases.

The in-room safe is not bolted down to anything and can be easily picked up and taken out of the room so when we left to research the area around the hotel we decided to leave our US money, Euros and our passports in the hotel safe. Here comes the language barrier part - the young girl told us she couldn't open the safe herself but everything would be "safe for when you return". And it was safe when we returned - it was sitting on a shelf behind the front desk! I guess the non-bolted down in-room safe is the best option. Reminder to ourselves: never assume people can understand what you want when you can't understand them!

We walked for four hours and accomplished very little in the way of finding recognizable sites to guide us home. We were lost in the maze of steets and we enjoyed every minute of it. We think we walked by our hotel at least once, but the buildings are so close together that they all blend in as one.

Walking was very difficult as the sidewalks are blocked by people eating outdoors or by motorcycles parked for the day. You could try to walk on the street but the numerous motorcycles and cars made you very aware of the dangerous decision.

Finding a place to eat was something else entirerly. All we wanted was a couple of beer and something light. Because we were lost, we couldn't find any of the restaurants I had researched at home. We did find many local establishments that left much to be desired and nothing that was remotely inviting.

Finally we stumbled upon a open air restaurant that had lots of locals eating (a good sign) and beer. Once we sat down, we realized that this was actually a beer place that sold food as a sideline.

Sitting down was another story! We had noticed that many places have only kids sized chairs and tables, all of which are plastic. If you think about what it is like to sit at a kindergarten table and chairs as an adult, then you have a good idea of what it was like to sit down for that beer. I can think of two good reasons for these chairs: one is lack of space. If you keep your furnishings small you can seat more people on the street or in your small restaurant. The second reason is that the Vietnamese are small people and they are very comfortable sitting in these chairs. I'm sure we will eventually be comfortable too, but yesterday was quite hilarious.

It wasn't the cleanest of places so we didn't linger too long. Besides it was hot and very humid and we still had to find our way out of this maze.

By this time we were beginning to feel the heat and humidity so we forced ourselves to find our way home. That was a smart move as Fred started to feel overheated and sick as soon as we got back. We picked up four large water bottles and drank as much as we could. Food could wait another day! We can easily survive on the grapes supplied daily by the staff!

I am finding this posting of the blog a little difficult on Fred's I Pad so bear with me and ignore the mistakes. I had published a blog about our flight and after reading it, I somehow pushed the delete button and it was gone forever into cyberspace. Too lazy to redo it.

I am also having difficulty getting the settings on my new camera to match the blog so pictures may be blurry for awhile.

First Impressions

2011-08-03T00:10:00.000-07:00

My first thoughts when we hit the streets of Hanoi was that there were a million motorcyles driving around. That impression stayed with me all day as we wandered the streets by our hotel, trying to get a feel for the area.

And the noise....constant honking of the horns to warn other bikers, cars and pedistrians. It never stops.

Fred has a pretty good sense of direction, but even he was lost in this maze of streets and shops. We hadn't eaten much in the past twenty four hours so we searched for a nice, clean restaurant to have a beer and a bite. Today that was Mission Impossible!

The heat and humidity took its toll on our weary bodies earlier than we would have liked, but the AC in our room was so soothing and tomorrow we will be fresh and ready for some exploring.

Getting There

2011-04-16T09:01:00.001-07:00

We left San Carlos on Wednesday, April 6th and have been travelling north letting the weather be our guide. This has been a most unusual trip as the wind has been almost non-stop. We have spent more time in the camper than we would have liked!

The drive to the US border was easy and hassle free. Don't believe everything the media says about Mexico! The wait time crossing into the USA can vary from twenty minutes to eight hours, depending on the traffic. The longest I have waited in line was six hours. On Wednsday we were finished in twenty minutes.

Our first stop was Tucson, where we free-camped for one night at the Desert Diamond Casino RV parking area. At any one time, there are at least twenty motor homes camped.

We moved to Parker, Arizona to spend time at Buckskin State Park. The park is located on the Colorado River and is often too hot to be comfortable. Not this time. We were there seven days and out of the seven we had three nice days. Wind, wind, wind!

Our plans were to go to Death Valley, California, but their forecast was for cooler weather, (and we know the wind can surprise you there) so we sat at Parker, hoping things would clear.

We moved to Laughlin, Nevada on Thursday and stayed until Sunday, the 17th. We camped at Avi RV Resort and enjoyed it immensely, even with some wind.

I won a jackpot of $1311 USD on the first night - happy day! The Federal Government took 30% so I only took home $917.

We are moving to Mesquite tomorrow morning, after I hit the gym and Fred hits Lowes. We will sit there watching the weather through Utah and Montana and decide when to leave based on that information. Too many times we have driven through snow storms and regretted it immediately.

it seems like two months ago that we left for Mexico, instead of the six that it will be before we get home. It will be nice to see family and friends!

Leaving Time

2011-04-05T21:33:00.000-07:00

We moved the camper over on Sunday and Maggie has been going crazy ever since...or should I say crazier?

She is in a panic thinking we might leave her. She sneaks out of the yard and lays beside the camper staring at the window or door, hoping she can get in.

Another two weeks and she can see her farm again and run like the wind! No more being cooped up in a small yard.

Music and More Music

2011-04-05T21:20:00.000-07:00

Pretty soon you are going to be calling us Doug and David as we seem to getting quite heavy into the music scene. Listening, not playing!!

There was another concert on the beach last Saturday, just after our stint with the Castaway Kids. This one was billed as a country and western event as the main headliner was Jeremy McComb from Nashville. Again, it was a huge success.

We have been told that the gentleman with me is part of a family who owns or used to own huge tracts of land around San Carlos, including the land the golf course sits on.

Volunteering for Kids

2011-04-05T21:02:00.000-07:00

Castaway Kids Mexico is a charity group made up of American, Canadian and Mexican volunteers willing to sponsor the less fortunate children and families of Guaymas. Castaway Kids makes a positive difference in the lives of Mexican children in Guaymas and surrounding communities by funding education scholarships to needy children, hosting recreational activities for children, providing food, clothing and shelter to families in emergency situations and mentoring children from underprivileged families.

This group is always looking for volunteers so last Saturday Fred and I offered to help Castaway Kids take students to the Dolphinario. Although these students live in Guaymas, which is a sea port, many have never been to the beach.

Two busloads of 12 - 16 year olds were given lunch at the Dolphinario, along with a tour of the sea lion and dolphin shows. I know there are many different opinions on the captive dolphins, but the show was very good....and this is Mexico!

On the way home we were stopped by the Federales who conducted a search of the vehicles. A huge show of firepower!

A New Career

2011-04-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

Tecalai has a social bar night every Monday and Thursday evening at the pool. We volunteered to fill the manager's position for one year so if you are trying to find us from 4:30 - 7:30 on those days, we will be in the bar!

We look after the purchases, organize workers and control the finances. Much like the canteen at school, without the booze!!

Bands on the Beach

2011-03-28T07:04:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, a group of performers from San Carlos donated their time to play for one of the largest crowds ever to attend a beach concert. All profits from the raffle sales, CD sales and a portion of the food and drink sales went to a program called Castaway Kids. This program works with needy and orphaned children of Guaymas.

The weather was hot and the skies were clear so our group settled in for a long afternoon, getting comfortable with the umbrellas and lawn chairs. The concert started at noon and went to 5:00.

Fred was one of the lucky ones who found some shade under a palapa. In this heat, shade was valued more than the beer!

Live lobsters were being sold as well - ready made dinner!

We had a great time listening to the performers, but we especially enjoyed the location. There is nothing like listening to music on the beach with a cerveza in hand and hearing the waves in the background.

University Class

2011-03-27T06:48:00.000-07:00

I spent Saturday morning speaking to a class at a small university in Empalme. The students are 20 to 21 year olds taking classes in Engineering and Administration. They take extra classes on Saturday, hoping to improve their English skills.

We were not allowed to speak any Spanish so it was a one-sided conversation at times. There were 16 students with only one or two of them having basic English skills.

We talked about Saskatchewan and Alberta, making comparisons between Mexico and Canada. The students were especially interested in the climate and the cost of living. The most difficult part of the session was trying to explain the sport of curling. Absolutely no success with that one!

After the class, we sat around trying to carry on a conversation in English. I'm so glad we did that and I didn't have to put my Spanish skills on display!

Fred joined us in the small cafeteria after class meeting some of the students. I assume the session was successful as they asked me back again. Maybe in the fall!

Lazy Day

2011-03-21T15:58:00.000-07:00

We are the four "wise women of Washington Street", doing absolutely nothing. After our daily inspection of the new house construction next door, we just sort of hung around surveying the world.

The two of us on the ends are from Saskatchewan, the lady beside me is from Manitoba and we tease the fourth that she is our "wanna be" Canadian (originally from Michigan). Life is good!

Music on the Beach

2011-03-16T20:24:00.001-07:00

San Carlos has been bringing in as many musicians as the economy will allow. Last night and tonight La Palapa hosted the performance of Keith Sykes. He is a song writer and performer who used to play with Jimmy Buffet's band. He wrote songs for Jerry Jeff Walker and Roseanne Cash, along with many others.

His guitar skills were amazing and we thoroughly enjoyed his songs and stories. Great entertainment for such a small market.

Fiesta at the Local School

2011-03-13T06:54:00.000-07:00

Students from Kindergarten to Grade Six go to school in San Carlos while the older children must take the bus to Guaymas. Yesterday the parents and teachers, along with a very active Rotary Club, hosted a fiesta at the school. This is a major fundraiser and this year new washrooms are on the receiving end of the money. I will say that this appears to be necessary!

The children danced in costume with the Kindergarten class being the highlight of the day. Lenore would have loved this!

The parents fed over 400 people a wonderful carne asada. They are not as slick as our local catering committee and this process took well over an hour, but well worth the wait.

Donations from local businesses were everywhere and I'm such a sucker for raffle tickets. No luck!

To end the afternoon, a local mariachi band performed sending most people home happy!

Housewarming

2011-03-09T06:03:00.000-08:00

Friends from Edmonton finally completed the building of their home and last night the whole park was invited to an open house. Appetizers and drink were plentiful and a Mexican family was hired to prepare and serve carne asada. This was a true street party as the roads were blocked to all vehicles!

A pinata was filled with money and presented to them...both love Tecate so the design was appropriate.

The lady in the middle lives right behind us and she calls San Carlos the fountain of youth. She is a very active 90 year old who seems to never slow down. I want to be like her when I am that age!

Of course, nothing runs smoothly and while we were setting the tables the spare bathroom sink sprung a leak. It took a whole crew to fix this one!

Pancakes

2011-03-09T05:54:00.000-08:00

Shrove Tuesday brought the annual pancake race! Contestants walked the course, flipping the pancakes at the same time. Silly game but fun to watch! After the pancake breakfast, the bar was opened, Bloody Marys were served and everyone went home happy...all before 10:00 am!

Hot Weather

2011-03-06T06:46:00.000-08:00

Hot weather means exploring another beach. Yesterday a group of us from Tecalai drove 40 kms south of here to a beach known for the seashells found there.

It is Carnaval in Guaymas so the beach was empty, except for one lonely puppy. No plans were made; we just walked the beach, some played cards and others tried to protect their umbrellas from the ocean breeze.

The day was perfect for doing nothing, with temperatures reaching 33C by 11:00 am. It was too hot to stay much longer as the sun was starting to burn a few body parts. Driving and beer don't mix well in Mexico so we had to settle for warm water and warm Gatorade. Our cooler couldn't keep up!

Even the cows were hot!

Carne Asada

2011-03-03T07:05:00.000-08:00

Our friends hosted their annual carne asada last night and the weather could not have been more perfect. Lately the evenings have been cool enough to wear a light jacket, but last night was warm and very pleasant.

It seems every year brings more and more people to the house and last night was no exception.

What do they say about too many cooks?

Shopping Spree

2011-03-02T06:28:00.000-08:00

We spent ten days away from San Carlos and had a very enjoyable break. It was sunny but chilly in Vegas. We spent hours looking for the "perfect" BBQ and even more time looking for outdoor lights. Being married to a shopper is hard on me!

Our view from the Paris Casino and Hotel was one of the best in Las Vegas. We could see the Eiffel Tower and the Fountains of Bellagio while sitting in the room. We love to walk the length of the Strip and we did walk a lot......whenever we could get away from the stores.

We made arrangements to spend an afternoon in Mesa with Doug and Lenore. The weather there was unusually chiily, but it didn't stop us from having an enjoyable time. We were fortunate enough to have a chance to also visit with David and Ellen along with Pat and Kay. Oh, the stories we heard! How can one person remember that many jokes?

Nice break, great to see familiar faces and we even have a new BBQ, along with many other toys!

I'm Cold

2011-02-19T19:11:00.000-08:00

We are in Wickenburg, Arizona and freezing our butts off! We left San Carlos at 6:00 am this morning for 10 days north of the border and are wondering why? I checked the Internet at 8:00 pm and it is 24C in San Carlos and 6C here.

We plan on spending six days in Las Vegas with free rooms at the Paris Casino. Maggie will spend her time in Laughlin at her favourite kennel. A little shopping is also on the agenda.

Golfing

2011-02-13T06:50:00.001-08:00

On Friday, Tecalai had its second golf tournament of the year. This one was to be held last week, but with the temperatures dipping to 19C, with lots of wind, we had to cancel.

This week things were back to normal and the weather was super. Forty four of us got together for some golf , a good meal and fun times.

As usual, Canadians were the last table to leave the festivities!

Bazaar

2011-02-13T06:35:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we went to a bazaar that supports our local ambulance service. There were hamburger sales, beer stands and lots of local artists displaying and selling their wares.

Included in all this, was a fairly decent car show that had people milling around for hours.

Good weather, good friends and all for a good cause!

Just For Baby Sis!

2011-02-08T19:19:00.001-08:00

Part way through our BBQ and stairway renovation we decided that it was far too messy to go through this again so we had the crew build us a deck on our roof at the same time. I wasn't completely sold on the idea as I prefer to have my feet planted firmly on the ground and not on some higher structure, but I have to admit that I really like the area.

We made the deck somewhat presentable with some old outdoor furniture and now we are just starting to enjoy the addition. The BBQ patio will just have to wait until we can get to Tucson as outdoor furniture is extremely expensive in Mexico.

There is still some work to be done before we can call the job complete. We don't have electricity in either area and the iron railings between the cement walls still need to be installed.

Considering the only electrical tool used was the radio, it is amazing to see what Mexicans can accomplish using so very little.

Picture

2011-02-08T06:41:00.001-08:00

I thought this picture represents the scenery around San Carlos perfectly. We have the cacti of the desert and the Sea of Cortez with the mountains in the background.

Dust Storm

2011-02-03T06:07:00.000-08:00

Yesterday a strong wind blew in from the desert and it brought dust and eventually more dust. Many people have never seen anything like this before, although I'm sure it has happened in the past.

The above pictures were taken from the same location, on a normal day and again yesterday.

This wind cooled the temperatures down rapidly and last night the temperatures in our courtyard went to 3.5C. What happened to my awesome weather?

I stuck my head outside a few minutes ago and it feels just like yesterday, windy and cold. It is only supposed to go to 16C today. Even Maggie won't go outside in this!

Bonfire on the Beach

2011-01-30T06:45:00.000-08:00

The skies cleared and Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day for a bonfire and wiener roast, although most of us dressed warmly thinking it would be a cooler evening. What better location than on the beach with a view of the mountains behind!

The wood problem was solved by visiting the local carpenter. The cutting down of certain types of trees is illegal in this part of Mexico so it was a bonus to find a portion of one that had been removed to make way for a building project here in Tecalai.

Lights were set up, music was playing and the fire was warm. It was a fun night with maybe a little too much food and drink consumed.

Even the littlest things can amuse retirees in Mexico.

Fred's dream!

Slow Week

2011-01-29T06:20:00.000-08:00

It has been a slow week here in San Carlos. Fred has a cold which put him out of commission for a while and I have been content to watch the work on the house and read.

We did attend the homeowners meeting on Thursday where I was one of the polling clerks. On Wednesday we managed to go for a round of golf - maybe things haven't been as slow as they feel.

It rained last night for the first time since we arrived November 6th. It didn't amount to much more than a dribble, but it was a surprise - even though San Carlos is located on the Sea of Cortez, we are backed by a desert so rain is scarce.

A group of friends is having a bonfire and wiener roast on the beach tonight so hopefully the clouds disappear. Hey, we are so well organized we even rented a portable "john". Firewood is another story!

Baseball Playoffs

2011-01-23T12:46:00.000-08:00

Friends of ours had an extra ticket to a playoff game in Obregon so when they offered, I jumped at the chance to join them. This was the second game of the final series in the Mexican Pacific Coast League. The winner goes to the Caribbean Finals in Puerto Rico.

I have heard nothing but good things about baseball in Mexico and I was not disappointed. Mexicans love the sport and last night was an example of the dedication to their team. It was loud, wild and great fun. Dancers perform on the field between every inning and vendors sell the strangest things in the stands. Strange to me, at least!

The selling of the beer was something that was uniquely Mexican! When we arrived, large pails full of beer and ice were sitting at the end of many rows. To buy a beer you had to signal one of the "cup vendors" who would pour you a beer and walk away. I was at a loss until one of my Mexican companions told me that people pay when they leave - payment is based on the number of cups in your stack. I assume it was because of the large crowd , but I did see some vendors keeping notes. My friend also told me that some people choose to pay immediately for their beer and that is acceptable too.

Three of my five travelling companions: Oscar, Pado and Barb!

We Have Stairs

2011-01-19T19:11:00.001-08:00

The last few days have been busy ones for the crew. The have gone from building forms for the base to starting to set in the bricks for the risers. All cement is carried by pail and many times it is mixed right on the ground!

We asked them to remove the railing covering our window. Such a neat and tidy job!

Master Builder

2011-01-16T06:19:00.000-08:00

We took out our 'never used' dishwasher and are filling the empty spot with a wine cooler. We wanted it built in and that meant finding quality wood. As you can image, wood is scarce in a desert so when you find a good shop you never forget the location.

I will never forget this particular shop in San Carlos. The man who owns the place builds cabinets for all the new houses going up in Tecalai and he does excellent work. After seeing his completed cabinets, we assumed we would find a fantastic shop with state of the art equipment. Mexicans can do so much with so little!

Plaster

2011-01-13T13:03:00.001-08:00

Yesterday the crew started plastering the bricks and today it finally looks like a BBQ patio. Watching the procedure was interesting and educational. Nothing like it in Canada!

The young men working on our house and the neighbour's love to have their "photo" taken and will stop anything to do so.

Progress

2011-01-10T14:02:00.000-08:00

The stairway is starting to take shape, with plans to have it wrap around the back of the house.

Note their wheel-less wheel barrow.

The Saga of House Renovations

2011-01-06T11:03:00.000-08:00

We decided before we came down that after last year's hurricane damage we were going to bite the bullet and not do any expensive work on the house. That idea lasted about a month!

We have hired a Mexican crew to remove our spiral stairway and build a new concrete one that blends in with the house. While doing this, we also decided to have them build us an enclosed BBQ patio so we can remove the BBQ from the central courtyard and access it easier from the kitchen.

Alberto has promised completion in three to four weeks. The crew has been working slowly, but we can see some changes already. Adelle's freshly painted spiral stairway is now perched on our driveway and the bricks for the walls and new stairway have been delivered.

Now the hunt for patio/stairwell tile begins!