Milestones and Mexicans!

Dear Friends and Family,

Life continues to slide along here in the land of the sun. There have been some events this week. The big one was our trip to Walmart. We had decided that with these nice courtyards and the morning sun, that we might pursue some lounge chairs for the back. There was not thing included with the house, so we decided to make our contribution to a place that provides nearly everything else. Walmart is always an adventure. Despite that endless Gringos, both from in town and fresh off the cruise ships, stop in there, there is no staff that seems to speak English. Of course, I always enjoy a challenge, but in this case it became a bit more complex than my "taxi/hotel/restaurant" Spanish as capable of. We found the lounge chairs, but as they are molded plastic and unwilling to conform to a cab, getting them delivered was the rub.

 

Not the most elegant of chairs, but they will do the job. And yes, by learning a new verb, "entregar - to deliver," I managed to get the chair to our place, free! Yes, Walmart does deliver and deliver they did about 2 pm yesterday (Sunday even). So now we anxiously await a few annoying clouds to clear and try them out.

Sunday evening we took our friend and waiter from La Fuente, José Flores and his wife Esperanza, to dinner at our favorite, fancier restaurant, Vitea. Each year we try to treat themn to a dinner at some place they might not ordinarily go. Vitea is a good choice because they have an excellent wait-staff and since José is a very good waiter, you don't want to take him some place where the help is sloppy. We have done that before. It was a lovely evening, although as always a bit of a chore, as Esperanza has not English. But we always manage to have a good time. Then yesterday, with our new accommodations, we invited them, after José got off work, to join us at our place for a beer. They brought along their daughter and her very new (4 months) granddaughter.

This time I was sharp enough to remember to take a photo. A lovely family and very devoted grandparents.

They enjoyed the house and I finally was able to get the cat off the bed so we could take a picture of the other major room in our new place: the bedroom

It is huge, nearly as big as other place was in total

Boy, are we becoming spoiled. Polley and I continue to pinch ourselves at the good luck in finding such a place, in an ideal location, at a price we can afford. What can be better.

So, as we begin the 3rd week of our stay, we are truly settled in and plan to spend a good deal of time in those chairs, in the sun. We have dinner with John and Mollie, friends from Beaverton tonight. They leave for home on Thursday and from there on out we will be on our own. The last of the people we know will be gone. Even now, the town is very quiet. Very few Gringos wander the Malécon, restaurants are beginning to close down. The "Season" is definitely over. THE PLACE IS OURS!

One last note. It was exactly 3 years ago today that the University honored myself along with colleagues from the College of Arts and Sciences, Judith Montgomery, Jill Hoddick and Richard Rutherford in a retirement ceremony. That day my brother gave me a Nike sports band, to officially record my walks. I am an avid walker. Today, on the anniversary of retirement, I recorded my 1000th walk. I captured it on the phone.

Thanks Dave, for keeping me young(er). More later

 

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With Tax Season Behind Us

Dear Friends and Family,

Little to really report, but I was aware of that infamous date yesterday, despite having filed (thanks to good friend, Will Price) several weeks ago. While it is a significant date in the US, it also seems to be an important date here in PV. YOu have a real sense the Season is over! It has become noticeably quieter. Some restaurants have closed. There are no lines at the grocery store and walking the Malécon is almost lonely. The familiar faces you see (not people you truly know, but you pass each other on a daily basis) are missing. They are all gone and the town now seems to be ours!

We continue to enjoy the new place. I mentioned our gaining a cat, Kira. The result of that is that I have yet to get a good picture of our spacious bedroom since she seems to be a constant addition to our bed and it becomes impossible to get the bed made. Also, because the only true light in the room is through two sets of very tall (I would guess 9-10 feet) double doors, out of which you don't want her to escape, I am unable to get adequate light for a representative shot. So that photo will have to wait. However, I did get this shot of the kitchen

The problem with photographing this place is that the rooms are so large you can't get back far enough to get the whole room in the frame. They recently put in a new range, so we have been doing a bit of cooking, soups, risottos. Things we make from our left over rotisserie chicken from Pollo Feliz. The owners were obviously cooks so the kitchen is equipped with about every pot, pan and utensil you could desire. Or course, there is rarely a lid that fits the existing pots, but it is hard to complain.

As you can see, behind the kitchen is one of two little courtyards.

With it comes, of course, responsibility for the plants. Yesterday morning was taken up with a good deal of watering. The second court yard, while similar, is primarily a space for hanging clothes to dry. The place comes with a washing machine, however, we prefer to take them down the street to the lavandería. It is not so much cost, as I enjoy another opportunity to connect with the Mexican population. The gal there now knows my name and each week I learn a phrase or two as she rattles away in Spanish without pause. I just hang on for dear life, smile and shake my head.

The weather continues to be delightful, however, I am sure it is too hot for many. That is largely what bringss the season to an end. It has not been particularly humid. And I thought we were here for the warmth!

Otherwise, life moves rather slowly. Lots of reading, a bit of strolling about, but little very dramatic. As I said in my last posting, this new place truly feels like you are just living in a Mexican neighborhood and you are a part of the action (or lack thereof). No complaints, from this end at all. I promise more soon, but I may have a difficutl providing different.!

 

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Bear with Me

Dear Friends and Family,

I am trying this old blog program that I like, but have struggled with the last few months. This blog is a bit of an experiment. Bear with me!

It may be hard to believe, when two people have little else to do, but "settling in" seems to take longer each year. Of course, this year we have a new home, so discovering how things work slowed us down a bit. Also, Polley continues to battle some health issues. Nothing dramatic, just nagging and annoying! Our first week was a couple of visits to the doctor, some medicines and some time. Things are still not quite in balance, but we are being cautious and conservative in our treatment, unlike earlier in the year.

We very much like our new place

Pictured here is the living room. As you can see, it is to big to get into one shot. It is very Mexican in style and many of the furnishings and decorative pieces are from the owner, who lived in the place up until the first of the year. As this blog is an experiment, I am not going to load it with photos this time around until I gain a bit of faith in it.

I may have mentioned in the first blog that our only complaint is the noise. While we have walked down Calle Guerrero hundreds of times, but because we lived well off it, we had no idea how busy it is. People, gas trucks, the garbage men and taxis, coming and going at nearly all hours, except, perhaps bewtween about 1 am and 4:30 am. Actually, I enjoy it. I love to hear the men, women and children chattering away in Spanish all evening long. I watch the old men and women trekking up the hill as they have done for decades I am sure. You truly feel you are "not in Kansas anymore"! Polley prefers the tranquility of our previous abode. However, the spaciousness of the place, its convenience to restaurants and the beach along with the fact that a cab can drop us right at the door, seem to outweigh the nightime cacaphony.

The other news, is that, surprise, surprise, we have acquired a cat! Actually, the cat is Kira, the old cat from our previous location. Our landlord felt that she was kind of lost, with no real cat people currently staying at his place. So, with our slightly reluctant permission, he brought her, a little box and litter down on Saturday. So far, so good. Within a day, she had found a comfortable spot on the bed and has settled in much more quickly and easily than we did. This morning she did seem to be a little bit stir-crazy, as she had always been able to come and go as she pleased, but after half an hour or so, she was back on the bed resting. Because of the busy street, we are apprehensive about letting her out. She has only lived one place her whole life and it was very removed from traffic. We will see if she manages to control her wanderlust.

So, that is the latest. The weather has been a bit strange. Very warm, but somewhat more humid that we usually experience. It makes us wonder what May will be like. Stay tuned!

 

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Holiday Wishes

Dear Friends and Family,

When you bask in temperatures in the mid-80s, it is a little difficult to conjure up the Christmas spirit. Activity in PV is certainly picking up, as Polley and I sat on a crowded Malécon last night, viewing at a bit of a distance the masses of people wandering up and down. Actually, it is a bit more enjoyable when there are fewer people, as then you can pick out individuals and make rude comments. Hey, it passes the time and never ceases to amuse us.

We are not quite sure what Christmas will bring to us down here. We have decided on getting a luscious "Pollo Feliz" grilled chicken on Christmas Eve and enjoying it for our Christmas dinner. I think we may do a Christmas morning breakfast as well. We still do not have a clear idea of what will be open that day. There are lots of opportunities at the hotels for a prix fixe meal, but I think we will opt for something a little closer to home.

Today, we are joining our friend, Reg, for a trip out to some "fish shacks" he knows about and swears by. Reg may not know a lot, but he is a serious eater. So, we will follow his lead and then report back. I am still struggling with getting photos into this blog. Somehow, between Greece and here nothing seems to mesh. I continue to explore the problem, but with little success thus far.

We did manage to link up with one of our waiter-friends this past week. Ricardo, from Langosta Loca, was one of our favorites. With the political drama of Langosta's new two story building, they were shut down. This past week, they reopened and while Ricardo was not there, we were able to track him down at another establishment where we found him on Saturday. He wants to return to Langosta, but will wait a month to make sure they will remain open. Langosta seems confident and I have seen their permits posted on the wall, but Mexican politics is very precarious and there still might remain an additional chapter. We shall see.

So, with that, let Polley and I wish you the very best for the Holidays: A Very Merry Christmas (Feliz Navidad) and a Happy New Year (Año Nuevo). All the best for 2015!

Ed and Polley

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A Leisurely Life

Dear Family and Friends,

Very little to report from this southern paradise. December definitely is a lovely time to come down. The weather has been just ideal and the crowds have no begun to gather. We are in the midst (actually it ends tomorrow) of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a 12 day celebration that seems to primarily involve ringing the church bells in a frantic fashion every 15 minutes and, when the bells aren't going, to fire off some sort of cannon! It is rather like a having a Salvation Army bell ringer synchronized with the back-firing of a car. Who can blame us for being a bit jumpy.

I have been walking regularly and in the last couple of days, after bragging about the weather, it has become a bit muggy. There is a chance of our first rain later this afternoon. We have been spending evenings down at Roberto's, getting to know a new set of waiters. Freddy is a nice little Mexican guy who actually grew up in Houston, but, as so many of the young Mexicans we have met, got into trouble with the law and are now back here and likely will not be able to return to the US. We spend an hour ore more watching the crowd pass by, usually everyone headed in one direction, but soon return seeking out the perfect place for dinner.

The sunsets have not been spectacular. Each night there seems to be a bank of clouds through which the sun disappears before the designated hour of sunset. I did catch this glimpse of the sun last night

But, as you regular follows of this blog know, more sunsets will soon be arriving.

We have been beseiged by cats of late. Since Polley's limitations with her hip have kept her away from the mass-feeding frenzy of years past, the cats have been coming to us. While we just have a small opening through which they can come and go, I need to beworking in a "revolving" cat door forgreater efficiency. The girl who lives below us acquired a kitten shortly before our arrival. She is a little stray (the cat, not the girl) that was found near the river. So she is called "Cuale," like the river. Very cute and, as you can see, seems to be settling in

Cuale is on the right and the old house cat, Kyra, is on the left.

Otherwise, life has consisted mainly of reading and drinking. I finished a very good book, Some Luck, by Jane Smiley. It is part one of an eventual trilogy that follows the Langdon family from the birth of their first son, in 1920, up through their 6th child, ending in 1953. There is little that might be called dramatic in the book, but it seems to deal with how each child, despite similar upbringings, is unique and how "some luck" seems to play a role in who we are, what we become, who we meet and how we survive. Highly recommend it and am looking forward to Part 2.

So, we are here, we are happy and enjoying each day. I will try to get up to stride in terms of day-to-day activities and have something new to share. But for now, we are sitting back and letting the days come to us. More soon.

 

Ed and Polley

 

 

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Nothing Comes from Nothing

Dear Friends and Family,

You have heard little or nothing (mostly nothing) from us for the past few days. Not to worry. We are well, but there has simply been little to report. The weather continues delightful. Mostly in the low 80s, with some light breezes and a tendancy to cool off after about 9 at night. Mostly, our days have been in trying to reconnect. It is still early in the season so many of the "Snow Birds" have failed to arrive yet. We have run into our Manitoba friend, Reg, a couple of times and plan to breakfast with him tomorrow.

We have enjoyed our time at La Fuente del Puente (The Fountain at the Bridge). Since we have hungrier at lunch than dinner, we have taken to eating there on an almost regular basis. I still think it is one of the best kitchens in PV. Polley, who is very much into soups, has had delicious Cream of Spinach and Cream of Carrot. I had the Tortilla Soup, which is always excellent. Prices are affordable and with the dollar so strong (over 14 pesos to the dollar), it is now even cheaper. We also enjoy the people and have gotten to know them all. Of course, still our favorite is José - the waiter supreme.

There has been one disappointment in terms of reconnecting. We have always enjoyed sitting by the sea at a little shack called Langosta Loca. Two brothers, Arturo and Ricardo, were the waiters there and have always treated us so well. Upon our return this time, we found that the little 'shack," was now a marvelous two-story, thatched-roof restaurant right on the beach, in the same location as the old place. The problem is that apparently after getting all the permits, building and then opening, they were almost immeidately shut down by an unhappy condo owner who now felt his view of the sunset was ruined by the two-story structure. So, they are shut down and our friends are out of work! It is really a shame, but everyone seems to agree that that is Mexican small town politics. Not sure how it will be resolved or when.

Part of our inactivity has been due to Polley trying to get back into form. Even I have noticed that the weather and the terrain tend to set you back for awhile. Polley can get down the hill, but does find it pretty exhausting to get back up. Even with a cab up the hill, it is another 83 steps to our front door. The strength will come, but it will be slow. So, our "neighborhood" has been somewhat limited. In fact, for those of you who have followed us in the past, you will be surprised to find that I have taken on 1 sunset pircture since arriving, nearly a week ago. Unheard of! Of course, for some reason, this program seems to not be accepting any of of the photos. I will continue to explore the probem. That should give me something to do. Until next time, we think of all of you often.

 

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Ah, Warmer!

Dear family and friends,

Just a quick note to let one and all know we arrived in Puerto Vallarta where the weather outside is delightful. Actually, for those of you who know where we stay, what with no actual windows, the weather inside is about the same! Mornings have been a bit cool, but that is only relative to the 80+ degrees during the day. Everyone has been praising the weather for the month of November and it seems to be continuing into the last month of the year.

Except for dropping my sunglasses in my brother's car on the way to airport, thus leaving them behind, all went well on the flight. Polley and I, taking every advantage of her cane, was whisked through passport control and secured our luggage in a matter of minutes. A few moments later, out landlord picked us up and we made our way into town and up the hill to the apartment. Of course, as most of you know, there are 83 steps to our apartment, so it was a bit of a slog with the 5 pieces of luggage, but that which does not kill us, makes us stronger.

Polley has been dealing quite well with the challenges of Mexican sidewalks: broken, uneven, cobbled, etc. She will doubtless gain some stamina over the coming weeks. We made it just down the hill to El Patio for salad and a couple of beers on Tuesday, having been up from about 2:30 am Portland time. We were pretty wiped out. Wednesday was pretty much devoted to setting up the apartment as best we could. While the landlord (hereafter referred to "Alfred," or "Fred") had tiled the floor of our place, it was still in a bit of disarray, with curtains down, shelving disassembled, and tiling materials still scattered about. There will be more to do on Thursday. Also needed to gather some groceries, at least coffee and wine. We had a nice lunch at out favorite haunt, El Fuente del Puente (The Fountain (which does not work!) at the Bridge. As we have said before, it is an excellent kitchen and we enjoyed some Cream of Spinach soup and their wonderful, zesty Tortilla soup. What with the chips and salsa, it is a meal that lasts the whole day.

In the afternoon, we reaquainted ourselves with the famed "siesta." And just managed to get down the hill to another our regular beats, Robertos, for the sunset, which I will say was nothing to write home about -- so I won't! We enjoyed a glass of wine, and met up, quite by accident, with our friend Reg, the 62-year old, always single, wheat farmer from Manatoba. Great guy, who we always thoroughly enjoy. With that, and Polley having walked her furtherest distance since arriving, we caught a cab up the hill, pretty done in for the day.

Before closing, however, I must say, that the cats were all waiting for us and, truly, seemed to recognize us as we came up the hill. Several appeared to be nearly Pavlovian as they began salivating at the thought of Polley's daily feedings. All the regulars were there, but there was a new kitten

For some reason the program will not allow the photos as it says they are password protected or something. Anyway, he is a very cute guy who took to us immediately and was sleeping with us all last night. I will work on photos in the near future

So, for those who you who are regular followers of our Mexican adventures, little has changed here. For newcomers, little has changed here. Which is why we come back again and again. More soon!

 

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