5C's Que Pasa

So much happens here in a week and time is already passing quickly.  We had three RV’s arrive today, one for four months and the others for 5 or so days.  Of course within a few hours they have fallen in love with the Isla.

One of the first things we did within a few days of arriving was to walk over to Miguels for dinner.  Yes Rae, Angel did ask about you.  It was great to see them both again.

The shrimp burritos were even better than before. Have you changed your mind yet Chris?

The day we painted the patio we drove into Mazatlan to pick up plants for my garden.  After all who wants to watch paint dry?  The new road makes getting into town so much easier.  But it was so very very hot and humid at the nursery.  Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Two bags of soil and 15 plants including a new papaya tree. It was a tight fight but we did it.  Somehow there was just enough space for the girls. Last year we did it all with a pulmonia and a private panga to transport it over to the Isla.  Much much easier this year plus we were able to make a stop a Ley’s ( grocery store ) for fruit and veggies.

A few days later the RV Park ( both # 1 & #2 ) held a baby shower at RV1 For Rene and Veronica, locals here on the Isla.  That is me in the blue chair.  Sadly just at sunset the very nasty noseums/jejenes came out in full force.  The worst attack any of us could remember.  It didn’t matter what bug spray/creme you were using, everyone was bit.  Fortunately the usual sunset visits by the noseums have been rather mild since that evening.

Veronica and Rene and their three sons.

Last Wednesday we attended the monthly spaghetti dinner at Carmelita’s put on by a former RVer.

The food and margaritas were great but the music was outstanding.  A new group comprised of RVers called the Rolling Stoners performed three numbers.  There performance was wonderful.

Today we took part in the Poker run to help raise funds for our Christmas Hamper fund.  Basically Colin and I made a donation and ordered lunch.  Colin enjoyed a Jamaica drink while I indulged in not one but two very very good margaritas.  El Veloro has not changed, if anything the restaurant only gets better.

A random sunset from the last few weeks not yet posted.

PS…..it only got down to 59.5F last night/early this morning.  It was a great day for our beach walk and to the enjoy the day in general.  The temps are heating up with 31C in the forecast for end of the week 😀  and here we are at 8:30PM local time @ 68.5 F outside.  Perfect!

I started to write this last evening but fell asleep so I have changed the tenses etc.

Seriously, paradise was lost Friday night.

It started with a wedding celebration next to the RV Park during the very early evening.  Someone had rented the restaurant next to us for a celebration as well as a very very loud band.  We had no quarrel with the wedding party and their celebration.  It was with the band that only stopped at 4AM!!!!  None of us got any sleep.

Pierre & Diane were in the end site furthest from us and right next to the restaurant.  You can just make out their Class A to the left of the post in the sand in middle of the photo.  There is a brick wall to the right of that post and the band set up with their backs to the RV Park.  We could all hear the band and especially the bass as the night wore on.  Pierre described it as being in the middle of a drum.

Colin slept off and on, me, not so much.  At one point I could feel our bed vibrate due to the bass.  I think I fell asleep just after 3AM.  Colin woke up near the end of the last song at 4AM.  Not two minutes later the wind picked up and the skies opened.  I slept through his battening down the hatches, removing the area rug and putting it into the car, flattening all the chairs and end tables so they did not go flying.  In the end he decided that he could do nothing with the gazebo and could only hope that it was still there in the morning.  It held as he had done a thorough job of fastening it down.

I was surprised when I awoke to see the mess.

The wind came from a different direction and was strong enough to push the green mesh off our fence away from the wall. Everything we had on the tables were swept down below in the wet sand and muck, mostly dog beds and towels.

The new patio was a mess so Colin ended up washing it.

The girls couldn’t figure where their stuff had gone.  All the area carpets were soaked.

The beach looked sad, lonely and wet.

We still went for our walk. It was a nice change not having to wear a hat nor sunglasses.

The local young surfers were certainly enjoying the aftermath of the storm.  A few shrimp boats out on the horizon.

Carmeh stayed inside resting her head on her favorite toy.

The day improved and we started to dry out.  I was looking forward to the temps cooling down at night.

We enjoyed a different sunset last evening.

We were looking forward to a lovely sunny day today.

………well that all changed about 2:00AM this morning.

Yet another wind and rain storm.  For the second night in a row the residents of Tres Amigos were outside instead of in their beds bringing in awnings and patio furniture.   This time the wind came from a different direction and our palapa kept our patio clean and dry.  The previous nights storm had the rain coming in sheets totally sideways which made for the larger mess.  Depending on where one was located in the park the first or second storm was the worst.  However this last rain was torrential and soon the parking lot was a lake.

We woke up to 66F outside this morning 🙁   It was no longer cool but cold 😯   Some turned on their furnaces.  Just a few days ago we were running air conditioners 😥

Today was mostly cloudy, cool and windy.  We didn’t go for our beach walk till 1:30PM and I had to hang onto my hat even though it was tied under my chin.  The sun came through late afternoon but it never got warmer than 74F.  So what to do but clean the inside of the RV 😆   The girls were in shock at the change in climate.

They huddled together shivering.

The bright spot of the day was yet another new bloom on one of my new purchases.  I love the variation of pinks and white.

Sunset tonight.

End of the day for the surfers.

FYI, I froze getting these final shots.  Needless to say we have cancelled our dinner tonight with Carol & Bill.  No way do I want to cross the shipping channel in a small open panga plus Bill thinks it’s too cold to sit outside for dinner.

The forecast for tonight is 51.5F 😯

Tomorrow is yet another day and hopefully paradise will be restored.

First off, some comments from me to your comments or emails.  The decrease in temperature in not a problem unlike Arizona and California, in fact it is a blessing making this truly paradise.  It is a normal decrease which usually happens earlier in November so we are all happy, well except for the locals who are finding it cool which is normal for them.

Cheapchick asked if we were thinking about moving here once Colin retires.  No, not at all.  We love our home in Kelowna and will always have that as our home base.  We plan to travel the world once the girls are gone and of course still travel here to our beloved Mexico and not only the Isla.  Colin will never permanently retire and so we will always spend several months of each year in Canada.

Chris asked how the newly paved road has affected life on the Isla.  It hasn’t as far as we have seen to date.  Very few RV’s stopping in to check out the RV Park.  The only thing we have noted is that there are about 80% less vehicles on the beach.  It seems that most are using the road including the tractors.  So many times on our daily walks we never see anyone else nor a vehicle including ATV’s.  It is great for us.  I will make a point of checking with some of the restaurants and merchants and will let you know.

The patio project came about as the carpet we have used for the last 5 years was getting very dirty and worn despite our power washing, etc.  Before we left last April it found a good home with a local who was overjoyed to have it.

The first thing we did when we arrived was powerwash the patio and let it dry for three days.

We had decided on a color more or less before we left last April. We bought a special cement paint in Lowe’s in Palm Springs. Each gallon cost $50.00 US, good thing we bought 2 gallons. The cement soaked it up.  I got to do the roller part of the job.  Who knew that so many arm and shoulder muscles would be involved?  Not me!

Colin did the edging while I did the painting with the roller.  He later, as you can see here, edged the patio with a row of red brick.  That has helped to keep the pea gravel off the patio plus it gives it a nice look in my opinion.

It is difficult to capture the exact color due to the variance of light on the patio area.

As you can see we added a lovely area carpet.

We love the new look. What do you think?

Finally the Mazatlan summer heat has started to dissipate.  We are down to the mid 80’s during the day with about 55% humidity.  In a word it is cool.  Heck I even put a sweater on this morning as I sat out on the front patio with my coffee and a book.  The wind off the ocean had a bit of coolness to it.  That makes the weather almost perfect.  My hair is not longer frizzing and I am no longer feeling heat stress.  We haven’t had the A/C on for a few days and it is cooling to about 69F at night.  Lovely and refreshing.

Everyday starts out with a 2 mile beach walk.

The girls love the walk and you would never know that they are 11 and 13 years of age.

We have a crooked palm tree that can only be seen from one particular area on the beach.  At the moment this is our turn around point.  Eventually we will walk further as we build up our stamina to the heat.

We no longer have to walk at 7AM because of the cooler weather.

We now walk with the tide but the occasional rogue wave still comes in.

Saw this fish washed up on the beach the other day, no idea what it is.

Something happened to one of Carmeh’s toes. It was rather inflamed so we have been doing Epsom Salt soaks which has helped.  I had to borrow some as I can’t find ours.  We have a few other things  misplaced as well.  She is barely tolerating the soaks.

These three came in late afternoon yesterday, separately,  and were gone before 7AM today.

A few young fishermen coming in at the end of the day.

And so passes yet another day in paradise.

We have seen a few cruise ships come and go since we’ve arrived.  There are on average three ships coming and going per week.  We don’t seem to have as many  cruise folks hanging around the beach here on the Isla so it hasn’t been issue for us.  Perhaps they are spending their days in Mazatlan.

The distinctive shape of a Princess ship.  Does anyone remember the Love Boat?

If you look in the bottom left corner of the first photo you can see this fisherman preparing his net.

He appears to be swimming out to the ship.

The end to another wonderful day.