This and that!

Wednesday February 22, 2012

Monday was a day for me to bake cookies for my poor starving husband.  While I was doing that Emma the Chile Relleno lady showed up to take orders.  She usually comes on Thursday but ….this is Mexico so you just never know.  She also usually takes orders one day and delivers them the next but today it was “hoy”….today.  Okey dokey then.  I ordered three and they would be delivered at 4pm Los de Marcos time or 3pm our time (Mazatlan.) 

The Chile’s are in the big roaster and Emma dishes them out.  Her little grand daughter was unhappy to I gave her a cookie to cheer her up.  !It worked

While I was baking Eric decided to go out for a short ride north on the highway.  When he got just south of the main turn into Rincon he decided to cross the traffic and go into the Pemex on the other side so he could head back south.  As he was heading south he noticed flashing lights behind him and he was stopped by the Transito Police.  He was informed that he couldn’t turn left across the traffic and they wanted his driver’s license because they were going to give him a ticket.  He gave them a photocopy of the driver’s license and asked them where he should go to pay the ticket.  They knew it was a copy and told him he would have to go to La Penita to pay it.  The transito in the car who was the boss was consulted by the transito holding the copy of the license and after a short consultation they decided to just give  him a warning.  The transito in the car was very unhappy that he didn’t have Eric’s real license to hold since it didn’t matter if they kept the copy and Eric thinks they decided that they had nothing to bargain with.  They gave Eric back the copy and he continued on. 

Tuesday was a beautiful beach day and I spent the day reading, swimming and walking.  I must admit swimming here freaks me out a bit because the fish are always nibbling on your legs.  They aren’t harmful but they sure are creepy!  Eric had a down day relaxing and gathering energy for fishing.  Later that day we walked the beach and he took his small rod and fished as we walked along.  At the north end of the beach he caught a “poco pescado.”  A tiny Jack Cravelle that he released.  Everyone is always interested when you return to the park to see if you caught the big one!  Not this time. 

Today I was once again out on the beach in the afternoon reading and enjoying the quiet that is not available in the park.  So relaxing.  Eric showed up late in the afternoon with “Big Johnson” his really big rod.  Now, now ….I’m talking about his fishing rod….what else could I possibly mean!   This is a ten foot salmon rod with reel that our daughter Erika and husband Wade gave him for father’s day a couple of years ago.  Another walk along the beach casting up and down and “nada.”  Eric did notice at the north end of the beach that there were nets strung parallel to the beach attached to floating plastic fuel cans and he could almost cast right out to them. Not much chance of a fish getting through that!  So….no fish. 

P.S. All my posts are late because today is Saturday and the internet has been down for days.  Came back up yesterday but the park owner neglected to inform everyone that we all needed new passwords….go figure!

Horse Parade by Sayulita

This is a small part of the video that I recorded of the horse parade.  The horses kept coming and coming for another 10 to 15 minutes.  A good time was had by all! 

We try it again!

Sunday February 19, 2012

Weather is still not good for the beach so we’ll try another dry run to find the libramento that bypasses downtown Puerto Vallarta.  If you have never done this you will think we are being overly cautious and think what’s the big deal.  If you have done it….you know what I’m talking about! 

As we rode along the main highway before Sayulita there was a small herd of cattle on the road and everyone had to slow down while they crossed.  Eric gave them the horn and they started kicking and bucking!  Should I mention why you don’t drive in Mexico in the dark!  We turned off at Sayulita to take the ocean road that goes by Punta de Mita. 

Part way along the road that goes west from Sayulita to the beach we were stopped by police.  Turns out there was a parade of horses coming towards us and we would have to wait until they passed on their way to Sayulita. While we waited Eric and the Transito police officer who stopped us had a big conversation about motorcycles.  The other police officers  in vehicles were impressed by Big Red’s engine size but even more than that by the aftermarket GPS mounted on the gas cap!  Go figure!  The Transito officer was riding a 600cc, 4 cylinder Honda and he wanted to trade bikes!  Eric said sure if he’d throw in his uniform and radio!  That got a laugh but he admitted he couldn’t do it! 

We were at the head of the line of traffic waiting and when the horses arrived there were lots of them.  Turns out it was President’s day ( I thought that was a US holiday!) and all the Caballeros were riding their Caballos from the Punta de Mita area to Sayulita.  The riders were well fortified with cerveza and Tequila so they were all having a great time.  Beautiful horses and quite a few mules whose braying let you know they were mules!  After the parade passed we pulled over and let all the traffic pass so we could take our time. 

Eric and the Transito officer. 

  Here they all come!

This is only a small amount of the whole parade.  I took some video too which is great but I can’t figure out how to get it on the blog. 

By this time we needed to find lunch and Eric decided we would go back to the Mexican restaurant we had eaten at on a previous trip when we got lost in the maze in the Nuevo Vallarta hotel district  looking for a way out after finding our friends hotel.   More enchiladas for Eric and some Sopes (small thick tortillas with cheese/chicken/cabbage etc.) for me.   Delicious and reasonably priced but not cheap.  The closer you get to Puerto Vallarta the more expensive the food gets.  Much more so than Mazatlan. 

And now for another try at finding the turn to the libramento heading south through Puerto Vallarta.  We stayed on the main highway (decided to try the turn off the lateral next time) and when we got close to the intersection with the light to send us left….we missed it!  No signs and hard to see.  Up the highway, turn left, back on the lateral and this time we made the right northbound turn onto the libramento.  Got off the libramento, turned around, back north along the main highway, past the turn, turned around, back south on the main highway and actually made the left turn onto the libramento.  Whew….I’m dizzy….how about you!  As we neared the intersection on the last try we noted where the ramp off the lateral comes up (just past Office Max) and it is only a short distance from the intersection and you would have to be fast to get into the correct lane to make the turn.  At this point we’d had enough turning around and decided to head home.  As we may want to go farther south next year we need to know exactly where the turn is so we don’t end up downtown on the Malecon in a rig.  You may be able to to turn left off the main highway if you miss the left turn to the libramento but you would be on small streets so that may or may not work. 

This is the nasty intersection that has been giving us problems! You are trying to get from the light blue area to the purplish area and head south around that curve.  Looks simple….not! 

Another nice ride via Punta de Mita and Sayulita and home. 

P.S. I won’t bore you with anymore trips to the libramento road in Puerto Vallarta!

We try to find the turn to head south in Puerto Vallarta.

Saturday Feb. 18, 2012

Well this morning we decided the weather was decent and we would “Get out of Dodge” (old cowboy movie saying!  We know there is a left turn on the north end of Puerto Vallarta that will take you south on the libramento road so you avoid the downtown area and this is the route that all heavy traffic including RV’s is required to take.  You are also supposed to be on the lateral (like an access road) starting at the Puerto Vallarta airport so you won’t get a ticket and there is a small sign that tells you to do this but it is very easy to miss.  Last year when we went south with Frank and Sandi Frank’s GPS didn’t send us that way and we drove through downtown Puerto Vallarta instead of being on the libramento.  It wasn’t a huge problem since we weren’t towing a rig.  On our way back north with them it wasn’t a problem to find the libramento as there were signs telling you where to turn. 

And now for the long…..drawn out explanation!!!

So off we went and when we got to the airport we got on the lateral.  When we got to the point where you should make the left turn for the libramento we found out that there was no light…. and no turn from the lateral but that you would have to take a small ramp up onto the highway prior to the turn and then cross two lanes of traffic and make the left turn from the main highway at the light.   Does this all sound incredibly confusing??  You bet.  I should also point out there is no sign telling you where the turn to the libramento is….not even an obscure one.  So we made a left turn farther down the lateral, crossed the main highway and made a left turn on the other side and returned to the libramento which is easy on the motorcycle but would be impossible in an RV. We then followed the libramento to the south end of Puerto Vallarta.  The main south bound tunnel is closed and all north/south traffic is routed through the northbound tunnel.  It is very congested at the south end and you go through small downtown cobblestone streets before you see the sign that sends you south toward Melaque.  We turned around there and headed back to find lunch and head home.  On the reverse route on the north end of the libramento there are lots of signs saying Tepic as you flow into the northbound lane so you wouldn’t get lost.  

We stopped at a Pizza Hut by the Soriana’s mall and had a nice thin crust pizza and pop for lunch.  A quick stop at the Mega for a 24 pack of beer and off home.  We took the ocean route by Punta Mita which comes out at Sayulita because it is a much prettier and quieter ride. 

Tomorrow we will try it again!

And so I lose it!

Friday Feb. 17, 2012

We had a rig move in next to us on Wednesday night and at first it seemed all would be reasonably quiet even though they had two wiener dogs with them.  Okay it turned out the dogs were quiet as long as they kept the door shut and they couldn’t see anything but if the door was open they barked at anything that moved.  Swell.  She could keep them quiet but you know how it is with some dog people….they just don’t hear their own dogs.  Then tonight the park worker decided to start a truck/bumper repair in the space next to us at 7pm at night while we were quietly having a beer and listening to music.  Eric said “I’m saying something if the grinder starts up!”  Well the guy next to us who owns the truck and the wiener dogs came to look at his truck and the dogs started barking at the worker and so ….I lost it!  The dogs are on our pad barking and I’m out of the trailer yelling and swearing for them to get the hell off and the guy can’t catch them because they are off leash….and I scare the park worker half to death who says he’ll move the truck to a spot where there is no one close by….that would be a great idea!   Well…you get the picture!  I will usually avoid confrontation at all cost but if I am pushed over the edge it is not pretty.  All my good manners go to hell! Eric went outside and yelled at the owner  to get dogs out of here and the guy said he didn’t like to get yelled at.  Well that would figure since his wife yells at him!  Eric took Jose the worker up to the office to explain the problem to the the owner’s wife who doesn’t speak English.  Juan Jose, the owner had taken one of the Quebecois fellows in the park to Puerto Vallarta because he fell off his bike and has a head injury.  By now I bet you can guess how popular we are in this park!  We are definitely not being over run by visitors!  I might again mention we are very quiet people who make no noise and don’t bother anyone and this is the second dog attack issue on our pad since we got here and we don’t even have a dog!!!

The weather has been awful for a week but should be good enough for us to go out on Big Red for a ride.  We really need to get away from here for a day as we haven’t even been able to swim. 

P.S. I apologized to Jose the worker for yelling and that it wasn’t his fault but he said part of it was because he put the truck there. 

We had a storm over night!

Thursday Feb. 16, 2012

We woke up to thunder, lightening and pounding rain around 1:30 this morning.  You really have to worry about your awning when it gets like that.  Ours is an electric roll out which is quite high and without metal arms there is no way to deflapper it!  Eric has it tied on each corner with ratchet straps hooked to eyes in the ground so that helps but in a huge wind we usually roll it in.  In the middle of the night it’s always a judgment call and it was okay last night.  Then the power went out and kept hitting the rig when it tried to come back on so Eric went outside and switched the breaker off.  The fridge just switches to propane so it’s okay.  Here in this park the water is delivered from a well via a pumping system so you need power for that!  Luckily this morning the power was on and everything seems okay. 

One other issue here is that the water in the showers is solar so when there is a cloudy day….you guessed it…..no hot water.  Juan Jose needs a propane back up for hot water.  He does have beautiful washrooms here but there is no toilet paper, no paper towels and no soap for hand washing.  At these prices that should be included!  Not sanitary. 

It is likely this park will be full next year and I think he will have his hands full running it.  He is a very nice man and has done a really good job with the park itself….well except for getting the services on the wrong side of the rig.  He will likely have to get some rules in place as there are likely to be conflicts when the park is full.  The park is full of dogs and that always seems to be the issue that people fight over. 

So not much will happen here over the next couple of days as the showers and thundershowers continue.  It looks like the weather may be better by Saturday.  Messes up swimming and riding the motorcycle but what can you do!  We’d like to get a ride into Puerto Vallarta to scope out the route south but the rain hasn’t let us.  Boo hoo! 

A day with Merv & Monica at the Riu Vallarta Hotel.

Tuesday February 14, 2012

We hopped out of bed early for us and hit the road to see Merv & Monica about 8:30 a.m.  We needed to get there between 9 and 10 am in order not miss breakfast.  As the highway between here and Puerto Vallarta is a two lane windy highway you never know how long the trip will take!

One of the first little towns you hit is loaded with topes (speed bumps) and the traffic grinds to a very slow pace….well except for the Mexicans passing.  It is very dangerous for the local people to cross the highway and passing just makes it more so. 

We followed the truck in front ….we think it was loaded with white beans as they were bouncing out all over the highway….and didn’t break our windshield!  The truck behind was loaded as well but we made pretty good time. 

As  we were driving along the highway through Bucerias right before our turn off to the Nuevo Vallarta hotel district I spotted this gal!  Now you tell me….am I supposed to look like that before, or after I join the gym! 

Merv met us at the front gate when we arrived at the hotel and showed us where to park the truck. We were checked in at the front desk  and were amazed at the grandeur of the lobby.  We have never been into one of the these large all inclusive hotels so it was all new to us.  The first thing the young Mexican on the desk wanted was a picture I.D. from both of us.  Eric wouldn’t give up his driver’s license and I didn’t have mine with me.  We offered our tourist visas but he didn’t like that.  Merv just smiled and said “Go talk to the boss!”  No problemo.  Merv paid a huge fee for our 5 hour passes and with bracelets we were on our way.  We were totally unprepared for the cost.  Off to Merv and Monica’s room and then to breakfast. 

Their room is on the 8th floor in the centre of the hotel so they have a great view of the ocean from a beautiful balcony and an extremely nice room.  The room is stocked with a help your self bar and beer is delivered every day if you have emptied your fridge.  Your liver could really take a beating on a long stay.

This is a shot towards Puerto Vallarta from the 8th floor landing.  Impressive.  Monica told us they could also use one of the adjacent Riu hotels as well.  All of the services including liquor, food etc. are included and I can see that for a two or three week vacation it would be an option for many people especially woman who do all the cooking!  Eric didn’t think it was something he would do.  Too many people! 

We had to hurry to the large breakfast dining room as it closed at 10am.  A huge amount of food and many people eating.  We loaded up and enjoyed a really good meal…..and now off to the beach.

Merv had been down to the beach early that morning to reserve chairs right on the shore line.  What a guy. 

A cloudy day but still nice and warm with quite a few people in the water. 

That’s Merv and Monica in front with Eric, Merv’s Uncle Ray and  Brad Schultz who just retired from Telus on the Queen Charlotte Islands in the back.  The poor guy has an abscessed tooth and just got back from the dentist (who was in the local mall by the grocery store) who told him he couldn’t go in the sun while he was taking the antibiotics that he had given him.  How rude is that! 

Merv, Eric, Brad and Uncle Ray. 

Merv and Eric.

By 1pm we had to trot back to the dining room for lunch!  Another big meal and I must admit it is a bit like a cattle feed lot with that many people eating!  We were just one of the herd! Good food but I would get mighty fat after two weeks at the trough!  We had to hurry and eat and be back for check out by 3pm or they would charge Merv a hefty fee for another 1/2 day.  A whirlwind day!

This gorgeous arrangement was in the lobby.

Look at these happy people after a quick day together.   Thanks Merv and Monica….we had a really nice visit.  Funny how you have to go 3000 miles to visit with people you hardly ever see at home. 

Now it was off to the Mega for a little shopping and the drive home.

We see this Peace van around Los de Marcos and this shot is toward the beach. 

Another beautiful evening after a good day!   Hope it doesn’t rain.