This is where we are right now. It is but a sixteen peso bus ride to Puerto Vallarta from where we are - La Cruz is in the north end of Banderas Bay, and Puerto Vallarta is near the middle of it.
I feel badly that I haven't written anything for so long. There are a lot of reasons for it, some of them "good" reasons but some of them are bad reasons as well. I like to keep things upbeat in this blog, but sometimes I feel like I am lying if I do that. Lying by omission, at least. But things have been up and down since I last posted, and I will simply tryin a linerar manner, to catch up on what has been happening on board Magda Jean since mid December and my last post.
We left Mazatlan Dec 20 at 3:30 pm and arrived in La Cruz on Dec 22 at 11:30 am. It was a really fantastic sail. We used our assymetrical spinnaker for the first time, and discovered it was not all that hard to use. For those who don't know, spinnakers are the big, brightly colored sails that are seen billowing out in front of sailboats in usually light air. Our sail is purple, yellow, and black. There are different types of spinnakers, and the differences have to do with the shape of the sail and the manner in which it is rigged. Ours is an asymmetrical spinnaker, which is shaped like a regular triangular sail, only bigger, made out of lighter material, and the sides are not completely symmetrical. Some spinnakers require a big pole be attached to the mast and many lines (ropes) attached to it and the boat in order to use it. Ours does not, thank goodness. But it is a bit unwieldly, for sure. Since we are not skilled racers, we only use this sail when the air is really light AND off the stern or the stern quarter.
Now these are usually the sailing conditions that drive me nuts - light air off the stern means you go real slow and the sails slat and the boom bangs around and all and all it is very uncomfortable. But with the spinnaker - the speed is drastically increased, the sail does not slat and the boom is still, and it is quieter than can be imagined. We had that going for 15 hours straight until the wind increased and we had to bring it down. THAT was a bit hairy for a few moments, but we got it. It was an incredible experience.
Getting here was one of the progress goals I had set for us - La Cruz by Christmas. Not for any reason related to La Cruz, just that I wanted to keep us moving along. Everyone has told us how much we are going to love La Cruz - maybe we heard that a little too much, which can set up unrealistic expectations. It is a very nice, very big anchorage, with good shore access. There is a nice shore view. There are also a LOT of boats here, sort of like San Carlos only more spread out. The anchorage is located in Banderas Bay, which is 20 miles wide by 20 miles long. We are on the north end, and as you go south along the shoreline, you eventually come to Puerto Vallarta, about 15 or so miles away by car or bus. It is only 9 miles by sea. There is a huge sailing community here - four big marinas besides this big anchorage. And even though Puerto Vallarta is smaller than Mazatlan, it seems a lot bigger, likely because all these little towns between here and there sort of run together. Like a tiny version of Los Angeles. La Cruz is charming, with cobbled streets winding up hills from the shore. There are plenty of pretty good restaurants, many of them run by members of the robust expat community residing here. And that is just La Cruz. Down the road is Bucerias - which has really nice beaches and is more touristy like a tiny little Cabo in some respects. Then you come to Nuevo Vallarta - seems to be mostly homes for gringos and a marina built on an estuary. We haven't really been there yet - it is home to the Vallarta Yacht Club, which I thought about joining since our membership to the Navy San Diego Yacht Club lapsed. Then after that, you come into Puerto Vallarta proper. We have walked around PV and really enjoyed sitting in a restaurant overlooking the malecon watching the people walk by AND seeing the Chargers get beat by Detroit and having the Raiders fan waiter tell us that as Charger fans, our beer would now cost more.
Okay, so that brings us up to now, anchored in La Cruz. Our nephew left yesterday for home, so we are on our own again. We miss him a lot and hope he decides to come back at some point - it was hard to see him go. He did a fantastic job with the boat and it is a better boat directly due to his hard work. The bad news - our outboard is having problems. There is no water coming out of the water indicator, which is where the water comes out that circulates through the engine to cool it. Mike and Walt checked the raw water strainers - but that isn't it. The water pump and/or its impeller are the suspected culprits. Of course, this does have to happen on a holiday weekend, causing us to be pretty much boatbound unless we want to row a significant distance (3/4 mile) in water that oftimes has waves to deal with and winds that may go against you. But other cruisers have offered to help us, so things will work out. There are some mechanics and a Honda dealership here. This cannot be the first cruiser's dinghy engine to ever have a problem here!
So again - we are in a holding pattern. But it is a nice place to be in one. The weather is gentle - not hot, but very pleasent. Good sleeping weather at night. We plan to spend New Years Eve here alone together with Magda Jean - time we can spend talking about what we want for each other, for ourselves, and for the New Year. I know it is cliched, but it seems like this is a good time for reflecting on the past and the present, reconsideration when called for, rejoicing (did I spell that right?) in the good things we are lucky enough to have in our lives, and recognizing that life is always but a work in process. So to all of you reading this: I wish you the best possible new year!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
More Holding Pattern
It is Sunday. The passports came yesterday. We cleaned the bottom of both the boat and the dinghy, got our laundry done, cleaned the inside of the boat, and filled all the tanks with their required fluids. Today we are going to the grocery store for the last provisioning trip. Then - we wait for a weather window. We had planned to leave Monday afternoon, but the weather looks dicey, according to Mike. So we might have to wait. I really don't want to wait, but no one, especially me, really enjoys sailing in crappy weather. Oh - I also have to buy a new coffee grinder because mine is dying. One of these days it will not work at all. I am hoping to find a hand grinder if it does not take up too much space. I also want a perculator like the kind used for camping - that way we can have brewed coffee when we are anchored because the coffee maker uses up a tremendous amount of power. It is worse than the microwave because the microwave, while it does use a lot of power, uses it only for a couple of minutes. The coffee maker takes longer and then stays on with the heating pad. Oh - one more thing I have to do before we leave - defrost the refrigerator. A very easy chore that involves putting the frozen stuff in a cooler, the other stuff on the counter, turn off the refrigerator, then run a hose through the hatch and melt all the frost that has formed. After that is accomplished, we wipe the inside down with a bleach solution and then turn it back on and put all the stuff back in. It takes about 20 minutes total, so it is not a hard chore.
I am having mixed feelings about leaving Mazatlan - I would really consider living here someday if I decided to stay in one place. It really does have everything I want or need, and the people are very friendly. The lady that does our laundry actually teared up when I told her we were leaving. I felt the same way. Everyone here is really good to us. And if I stayed, I would be living at a resort.
But there are more places to see before I could make that sort of decision. I am really eager to see the Pacific coast of Mexico - and Central America. I want to see what kind of fish we will catch. I am interested in what new birds and animals we will come across - Central America is jungle-ly with monkeys and toucans. I can't imagine how amazing it will be to see these creatures in real life, not in a zoo. (My mother forever ruined zoos for me, but that is another story.) I have heard that the howler monkeys will throw poop at you and steal your stuff if you leave it laying around. A friend who has been there saw a monkey running down the beach carrying hotel keys with a man chasing him. I am sure that guy never saw those keys again. I don't want poop thrown on me, but I am looking forward to hearing them howl. Animal sounds at night never keep me awake, but I like to wake up and just listen.
There are a ton of iguana lizards around here. They are actually very pretty if you spend a little time looking at them - they have markings on their faces that look like the intricatly painted designs the Indians here in Mexico do. Perhaps that is where they got their design inspiration. They are vegetarian, but a bit aggressive when they come up to the pool area here and decide they want what you are eating. They will rear up and put their iguana feet right up on the table. It is really funny. Some people scream and run away and get pool area staff to chase them away. Other people just casually shoo them off. There are some other lizards that look a lot like the iguanas, but aren't, and they do bite if you bother them and give them no way out. Iguanas also change color like chameleons or geckos do - maybe not quite as dramatically, but they do change and you can watch it happen if you get lucky. The juveniles are a really bright green, and the older ones are darker green with orange highlights.
Also, the other day when we were on a dinghy expedition, we saw and osprey swoop down into the water and catch a fish, then fly away with it. It doesn't sound like a big deal except for the fact we were close enought to see the whole operation in detail, including flying away holding the fish in his feet. It was one of those moments when you first think how lucky you are and then think "Damn! Where is my camera?"
Well, that is all for today - I want to get this show on the road and start getting my chores done for today. I am looking forward to spending Christmas in a brand new place. I hope everyone in cold snowy weather is staying warm but enjoying it as well. If my Christmas is white, it will be due to coral sand!
I am having mixed feelings about leaving Mazatlan - I would really consider living here someday if I decided to stay in one place. It really does have everything I want or need, and the people are very friendly. The lady that does our laundry actually teared up when I told her we were leaving. I felt the same way. Everyone here is really good to us. And if I stayed, I would be living at a resort.
But there are more places to see before I could make that sort of decision. I am really eager to see the Pacific coast of Mexico - and Central America. I want to see what kind of fish we will catch. I am interested in what new birds and animals we will come across - Central America is jungle-ly with monkeys and toucans. I can't imagine how amazing it will be to see these creatures in real life, not in a zoo. (My mother forever ruined zoos for me, but that is another story.) I have heard that the howler monkeys will throw poop at you and steal your stuff if you leave it laying around. A friend who has been there saw a monkey running down the beach carrying hotel keys with a man chasing him. I am sure that guy never saw those keys again. I don't want poop thrown on me, but I am looking forward to hearing them howl. Animal sounds at night never keep me awake, but I like to wake up and just listen.
There are a ton of iguana lizards around here. They are actually very pretty if you spend a little time looking at them - they have markings on their faces that look like the intricatly painted designs the Indians here in Mexico do. Perhaps that is where they got their design inspiration. They are vegetarian, but a bit aggressive when they come up to the pool area here and decide they want what you are eating. They will rear up and put their iguana feet right up on the table. It is really funny. Some people scream and run away and get pool area staff to chase them away. Other people just casually shoo them off. There are some other lizards that look a lot like the iguanas, but aren't, and they do bite if you bother them and give them no way out. Iguanas also change color like chameleons or geckos do - maybe not quite as dramatically, but they do change and you can watch it happen if you get lucky. The juveniles are a really bright green, and the older ones are darker green with orange highlights.
Also, the other day when we were on a dinghy expedition, we saw and osprey swoop down into the water and catch a fish, then fly away with it. It doesn't sound like a big deal except for the fact we were close enought to see the whole operation in detail, including flying away holding the fish in his feet. It was one of those moments when you first think how lucky you are and then think "Damn! Where is my camera?"
Well, that is all for today - I want to get this show on the road and start getting my chores done for today. I am looking forward to spending Christmas in a brand new place. I hope everyone in cold snowy weather is staying warm but enjoying it as well. If my Christmas is white, it will be due to coral sand!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Holding Pattern
Now that the solar panels are on and the windlass has been installed and Walt and Ricardo are done with the brightwork, it is time to get going and we are stuck here waiting for our passports. All our friends are heading south, and as usual, we are always the last. I suppose that isn't a big deal, but still - it is hard to watch everyone sail off when you can't join them.
The passports expire in January, so this was the time to do it. There really wasn't a better time, and Mike did not want to go up to LA to do it the fast (and more expensive) way, so we went through the consulate down here. They told us it would be three weeks - the three weeks were up on Tuesday. On Wednesday they told us tomorrow or Friday. It is Thursday and did not come today. So I will go down to the consulate tomorrow. If it isn't there, we have to wait to next week. I am really anxious to get going. I want to make La Cruz by Christmas. If I don't it is not the end of the world, but I like to have something to shoot for.
Mike and Walt went out tonight and I have the boat to myself tonight. That is pretty rare and I am savoring it. I plan to read as soon as I am finished with this post.
Lately I have been in a really reflective mood because it is the beginning of a bew year living this way. I want to make some changes and I also want some things to stay the same. I want to work on my writing, and maybe do some painting as well. I want to work harder cultivating friendships that I already have as well as forming new ones. Having friends is work and I am lazy when it comes to doing what you have to do to have friends. But I want to get better at it. After all, I can't just expect people to fall at my feel wanting to be my friend.
Yesterday Mike and I went for a dinghy ride along the estuarial area near here. I think it was originally a big saltwater marsh, and the developers made it into an estuary with big luxery houses all along the sides of it. It is full of fish that are constantly jumping out and splashing around. There are also some islands (probably formed by the product of dredging) that are covered with lots and lots of different kinds of birds. We saw at least three different types of herons, several kinds of egrets, seagulls, pelicans, sandpipers, grackles, purple finches, kingfishers - the list goes on and we were only there for an hour or so. It was wonderful. The jumping fish are mullet. Mike says they are not particularly good eating.
Tonight there was a little Christmas party at the bar here at the hotel - the marina sponsored it for us residents - it was really nice with free food and beer and margaritas. They gave away some prizes but we didn't win any - things for best decorated boat and things like that. We have lights on the boat, inside and out, but while it looks very nice and Christmas-y, we are not in a competitive decorating league. I am just relieved I don't have to deal with gettting and decorating a tree. I have been over that for about 8 years or so.
We saw a street procession yesterday or the day before for the Blessed Virgin of Guadaloupe - Nuestra Senora de Guadaloupe - the most important saint in Mexico. The people marched in the street with a band while carrying a big statue of the saint. It was really beautiful to watch - all ages, all sexes, all walks of life, walking and holding candles and singing.
Well, there isn't too much more to say tonight. I am reading "Typee" by Melville - it is pretty good. I am looking forward to reading it with no interruptions. Tomorrow I am hoping and praying that our passports come - I can then go to the store and provision up on Saturday and leave on Sunday. The only fly in the ointment (other than if the passports do not arrive) would be if the winds get stronger - they have been blowing hard the last few days. Today we sewed up a rip and patched a hole in the big genoa. The rip was new, but the hole that needed patching had been patched before. The tape I used was really old (it came with the boat) and didn't hold. I got new tape when I was in San Diego last month and this should do the trick. I could tell a difference in how it went on.
So - this is all for tonight, and I hope the next post I write will be from an underway status!
The passports expire in January, so this was the time to do it. There really wasn't a better time, and Mike did not want to go up to LA to do it the fast (and more expensive) way, so we went through the consulate down here. They told us it would be three weeks - the three weeks were up on Tuesday. On Wednesday they told us tomorrow or Friday. It is Thursday and did not come today. So I will go down to the consulate tomorrow. If it isn't there, we have to wait to next week. I am really anxious to get going. I want to make La Cruz by Christmas. If I don't it is not the end of the world, but I like to have something to shoot for.
Mike and Walt went out tonight and I have the boat to myself tonight. That is pretty rare and I am savoring it. I plan to read as soon as I am finished with this post.
Lately I have been in a really reflective mood because it is the beginning of a bew year living this way. I want to make some changes and I also want some things to stay the same. I want to work on my writing, and maybe do some painting as well. I want to work harder cultivating friendships that I already have as well as forming new ones. Having friends is work and I am lazy when it comes to doing what you have to do to have friends. But I want to get better at it. After all, I can't just expect people to fall at my feel wanting to be my friend.
Yesterday Mike and I went for a dinghy ride along the estuarial area near here. I think it was originally a big saltwater marsh, and the developers made it into an estuary with big luxery houses all along the sides of it. It is full of fish that are constantly jumping out and splashing around. There are also some islands (probably formed by the product of dredging) that are covered with lots and lots of different kinds of birds. We saw at least three different types of herons, several kinds of egrets, seagulls, pelicans, sandpipers, grackles, purple finches, kingfishers - the list goes on and we were only there for an hour or so. It was wonderful. The jumping fish are mullet. Mike says they are not particularly good eating.
Tonight there was a little Christmas party at the bar here at the hotel - the marina sponsored it for us residents - it was really nice with free food and beer and margaritas. They gave away some prizes but we didn't win any - things for best decorated boat and things like that. We have lights on the boat, inside and out, but while it looks very nice and Christmas-y, we are not in a competitive decorating league. I am just relieved I don't have to deal with gettting and decorating a tree. I have been over that for about 8 years or so.
We saw a street procession yesterday or the day before for the Blessed Virgin of Guadaloupe - Nuestra Senora de Guadaloupe - the most important saint in Mexico. The people marched in the street with a band while carrying a big statue of the saint. It was really beautiful to watch - all ages, all sexes, all walks of life, walking and holding candles and singing.
Well, there isn't too much more to say tonight. I am reading "Typee" by Melville - it is pretty good. I am looking forward to reading it with no interruptions. Tomorrow I am hoping and praying that our passports come - I can then go to the store and provision up on Saturday and leave on Sunday. The only fly in the ointment (other than if the passports do not arrive) would be if the winds get stronger - they have been blowing hard the last few days. Today we sewed up a rip and patched a hole in the big genoa. The rip was new, but the hole that needed patching had been patched before. The tape I used was really old (it came with the boat) and didn't hold. I got new tape when I was in San Diego last month and this should do the trick. I could tell a difference in how it went on.
So - this is all for tonight, and I hope the next post I write will be from an underway status!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Beisbol . . .
We went to a baseball game last night - the Mazatlan Venados (deer) played the Manzanillo Naranjeros (Orangemen? not really sure). The Naranjeros won 4-1- but we had a great time anyway. It was almost as much fun to watch the crowds and the food vendors as it was to watch the game. And I ate so much crappy stadium food that I had serious indigestion and acid reflux all night long. But it was a really good time.
Today we spent the day at the pool here with some friends we met in the Sea of Cortez this summer. They are at a different marina, and we have the best pool, so they came here. I got a lot of sun and hopefully my tan will start coming back . . . but it was a really nice day, good conversation, and we are going over to their boat for dinner tonight. They had their boat custom made because he is very tall and needs a lot more headroom than most every other boat has.
The brightwork is coming along beautifully. Mike is happy that everything has resolved itself to the point the only thing holding us up are the passports, not any problems with the boat or the boat work that needs to be done. We are (all three of us) eager to get underway. In fact, we are strongly considering changing our plans and heading to Polynesia in May instead of going to Ecuador. There is an organized rally that, if you go with them, has things arranged with the French authorities to waive a $1700.00 bond usually required to be posted when going to French Polynesia via private sailboat. There are other immigration things that get smoothed out too. Since we don't speak French at all, stuff like that can be really helpful. And it might be fun to have a group to stay in touch with via SSB radio. But who knows? We have only recently started talking about it.
Well, there isn't a whole lot of news right now - just wanting to get those passports so we can get underway for points south and El Salvador. After the seminar we went to this weekend, we are more excited than ever to go there, and also do some extra traveling thoughout Central America. Mexican culture is not real foreign to me, because I lived in Southern California for many years and also went to northern baja as much as possible. This is going to be new and I am really looking forward to it.
Have a great day!
Today we spent the day at the pool here with some friends we met in the Sea of Cortez this summer. They are at a different marina, and we have the best pool, so they came here. I got a lot of sun and hopefully my tan will start coming back . . . but it was a really nice day, good conversation, and we are going over to their boat for dinner tonight. They had their boat custom made because he is very tall and needs a lot more headroom than most every other boat has.
The brightwork is coming along beautifully. Mike is happy that everything has resolved itself to the point the only thing holding us up are the passports, not any problems with the boat or the boat work that needs to be done. We are (all three of us) eager to get underway. In fact, we are strongly considering changing our plans and heading to Polynesia in May instead of going to Ecuador. There is an organized rally that, if you go with them, has things arranged with the French authorities to waive a $1700.00 bond usually required to be posted when going to French Polynesia via private sailboat. There are other immigration things that get smoothed out too. Since we don't speak French at all, stuff like that can be really helpful. And it might be fun to have a group to stay in touch with via SSB radio. But who knows? We have only recently started talking about it.
Well, there isn't a whole lot of news right now - just wanting to get those passports so we can get underway for points south and El Salvador. After the seminar we went to this weekend, we are more excited than ever to go there, and also do some extra traveling thoughout Central America. Mexican culture is not real foreign to me, because I lived in Southern California for many years and also went to northern baja as much as possible. This is going to be new and I am really looking forward to it.
Have a great day!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
In Port
I haven't written for awhile because we have been here in Mazatlan catching up on things, seeing people we met the last time we were here, and meeting new people. I think I have made a new friend, and I am really happy about that.
It is nice and cool here. While I do sort of miss warm water and swimming and being tan (at least tan for a redhead) it is nice not to be sweating like crazy all day long. It is also nice to have the boat open and not use the AC. When we use the AC, it sits in the companion way, and we have to climb in and out of the hatch in the vee berth to get in and out unless we want to engage and disengage the AC every time we leave or enter the boat. Not the end of the world, but definitely a hassle. And it is a chance to wear some different clothes for a change.
I seem to write less when we are in port like this, in great part because it is more like regular life. We get up, make breakfast, clean the boat and do chores, then visit with friends, go to dinner, and so on. Not real interesting. But to me, living here in Mexico is an adventure almost every day, if I really stop to think about it. For example, yesterday Mike and I went out to get some pieces of aluminum for the new solar panels and then to find the proper stainless steel bolts, nuts, and washers to complete the work. We had to go to a new area of town, which was very interesting because it was not in the normal tourist areas. The guys at the storefront that sells every kind of screw imaginable do not speak English, and explaining that sort of thing goes way beyond my general knowledge of Spanish. Our measurements for the aluminum pieces were in inches, while the shop uses centimeters. And we walked for a long time, winding around through little alley-type streets. We ate at a local taco place and the tacos were awesome - carnitas with all sorts of chilis and vegetables and spicy onions.
My nephew has been here for about a week now and it has been great to have him. He and Mike have already installed the new windlass, and Walt is working with one of the local men sanding and re-varnishing the brightwork (teak on the outside of the boat). It looks fantastic, and Walt is gaining much "cred" from other boaters here on the dock with his excellent work. Mike is working on the solar panels, and I expect that everything will be completed within the next week. Our passports expire next month, so we have applied for renewal and the new ones should be ready around the 10th or so. Hopefully it won't be much longer than that.
We have also been enjoying seeing old friends here. There is a wonderful music scene here in Mazatlan and we are in it up to our ears! We made many friends among the various musicians - what stimulating company! Just being around people like that is very - I don't know - inspiring? motivating? I am really not sure. At any rate, the music is awesome, and there is nothing better than singing and dancing and all that goes with it.
We also went to a seminar about the El Salvador cruisers rally we plan on joining in March - I am more excited than ever about going to Central America. In fact, after we leave here, all the places we go will be totally new. I went to Puerto Vallarta once as a tourist about 20 years ago, but otherwise all the places between here and El Salvador will be new. Having lived so long in southern California, Mexican culture is pretty familiar to me. This will be new. Many of the people we will encounter will not speak any English and may not speak Spanish - only Indian languages. The food is different - we have been told there is no spicy food south of Mexico! So I told Mike and Walt not to worry - we would stock up on hot sauce prior to leaving. They also do beautiful weaving and fabric work there and I am hoping to get some nice things.
So that is all for now - just know that things are wonderful down here, I love Mazatlan, and wish everyone a really great day!
It is nice and cool here. While I do sort of miss warm water and swimming and being tan (at least tan for a redhead) it is nice not to be sweating like crazy all day long. It is also nice to have the boat open and not use the AC. When we use the AC, it sits in the companion way, and we have to climb in and out of the hatch in the vee berth to get in and out unless we want to engage and disengage the AC every time we leave or enter the boat. Not the end of the world, but definitely a hassle. And it is a chance to wear some different clothes for a change.
I seem to write less when we are in port like this, in great part because it is more like regular life. We get up, make breakfast, clean the boat and do chores, then visit with friends, go to dinner, and so on. Not real interesting. But to me, living here in Mexico is an adventure almost every day, if I really stop to think about it. For example, yesterday Mike and I went out to get some pieces of aluminum for the new solar panels and then to find the proper stainless steel bolts, nuts, and washers to complete the work. We had to go to a new area of town, which was very interesting because it was not in the normal tourist areas. The guys at the storefront that sells every kind of screw imaginable do not speak English, and explaining that sort of thing goes way beyond my general knowledge of Spanish. Our measurements for the aluminum pieces were in inches, while the shop uses centimeters. And we walked for a long time, winding around through little alley-type streets. We ate at a local taco place and the tacos were awesome - carnitas with all sorts of chilis and vegetables and spicy onions.
My nephew has been here for about a week now and it has been great to have him. He and Mike have already installed the new windlass, and Walt is working with one of the local men sanding and re-varnishing the brightwork (teak on the outside of the boat). It looks fantastic, and Walt is gaining much "cred" from other boaters here on the dock with his excellent work. Mike is working on the solar panels, and I expect that everything will be completed within the next week. Our passports expire next month, so we have applied for renewal and the new ones should be ready around the 10th or so. Hopefully it won't be much longer than that.
We have also been enjoying seeing old friends here. There is a wonderful music scene here in Mazatlan and we are in it up to our ears! We made many friends among the various musicians - what stimulating company! Just being around people like that is very - I don't know - inspiring? motivating? I am really not sure. At any rate, the music is awesome, and there is nothing better than singing and dancing and all that goes with it.
We also went to a seminar about the El Salvador cruisers rally we plan on joining in March - I am more excited than ever about going to Central America. In fact, after we leave here, all the places we go will be totally new. I went to Puerto Vallarta once as a tourist about 20 years ago, but otherwise all the places between here and El Salvador will be new. Having lived so long in southern California, Mexican culture is pretty familiar to me. This will be new. Many of the people we will encounter will not speak any English and may not speak Spanish - only Indian languages. The food is different - we have been told there is no spicy food south of Mexico! So I told Mike and Walt not to worry - we would stock up on hot sauce prior to leaving. They also do beautiful weaving and fabric work there and I am hoping to get some nice things.
So that is all for now - just know that things are wonderful down here, I love Mazatlan, and wish everyone a really great day!
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