5C's Que Pasa

I was first introduced to building homes out of plastic bottles in July of 2011.  Rather than repeat myself please click here to read what I had discovered.  Then in January this year yet another article was written about these plastic bottle homes on the Mazatlan Exchange Forum, encouraging everyone in Mazatlan to become involved in saving their empty 600 ml and 1 liter bottles with the lids.  It can take up to 6000 bottles to build a small home.  There is a government sponsored program, for a very limited time I understand, to help a few of the less fortunate here on the Isla build these homes.  Cement and other construction costs run about 40,000 pesos  ( about $3150.00 USD ) per home.

Avy knew where 2 of the homes were and we found 3 more. The homes are not large but so much better than a shack. The home owner collects the empty plastic pop bottles and then takes them down to the beach and just fills them with sand. Last December there was a young family filling their bottles just below our place here. For some reason, perhaps because I felt it was so very personal, I chose not to take a photo. They had 3 young children and all of the family was involved in filling the bottles, but the parents made it a game, and played with the kids and just had a marvellous time. They rolled in the sand and laughed but kept filling the bottles. The hard part was carting the full and much heavier bottles back up to their vehicle. I love how they have been creative with the design. Plastic bottles and cement = home!!

This is the inside of the same home.....they have covered the inside with a layer of cement. The home is wired for 25 to 30 AMPS of electricity. Out back they were building a patio out of cement. The inside is not very large but to them it is a palace.

This was the first bottle home competed on the Isla and a few more details are on my previous post mentioned above. This home was built with Sprite bottles plus they added colour to the cement. The front door looks to be of a very fine material and has a lock on it. What you don't see is behind the house. To me it was obvious that this is where the family use to primarily reside, a tar paper shack. Now they have a 4 X 4 square metre home safe from the elements.

This home was under construction just down the road in the Colonia. I loved that they had added a front porch area complete with palapa.

Quite by accident we found this hexagon building. I don't think it is a home but perhaps a church or a gathering place. I think it was the design of the yellow bottles above the blue that made me think that. Rather than a cement roof this place had a thatched palapa cover. The front was a large door made of wooden pieces latched shut with a huge padlock. The property surrounding this one is large area enclosed with a fence.

I have no idea how many more are to be built here on the Isla under the Government Program but empty bottles with lids are the primary building tool.  Everyone here on Stone Island are doing their part.  I even saw one of the beach vendors who lives in Mazatlan carefully deposit an empty bottle the other idea.  She who had nothing to give did what she could!

So whether you are inMazatlan or on the Isla or have the means to bring in a bag of empties next time you come this way, please do your part.

Tags: ecology, Mexico, Stone Island

Day 5 without my sweetie whom I have not heard from?????

Mom & Dad responded to my pleas in yesterdays’ post and left me a voice message and all is as well as can be expected. Thanks for the call.

The girls are a bit better…not much but sleeping thru the night, which means I am also.

I took a few minutes of me time yesterday to go out with Avy on his ATV.

I had wanted to see the 'bottle homes' being built here on the Isla in the Colonia area. Ex did not come with us....

Here are Avy, Judy and Ex enjoying what they like best.

I will fill you in on the bottle homes tomorrow….getting ready to head off to book club, the last of the season here at Tres Amigos.

Saw this beautiful specimen of a banana tree while out and about.

I have no idea where the time goes, it just disappears everyday......as does the sun!

Mother Nature at her best.

Our second group of RVers have crossed successfully into Nogales.  No problems or issues on the road other than than normal stops and inspections.  Everyone in the first group have reported ( except Gary !! ) on getting their vehicle refund, one couple saw it on their credit card within 24 hours.  Now I am trying to find out if anyone paid cash as we did and how that has been handled.

Just another perfect day on the Isla…only 29C so far today with a warm breeze.

Tags: ecology, Family, Stone Island, sunsets, The girls, Tres Amigos RV Park

I still miss my sweetie!!

The girls are perhaps 10% better and I did get to sleep most of the night.  Just had to get up the once.  Amazing how sleep changes your entire outlook on life.  The sun and heat also….just a perfect day today;  30C at 2:00 PM on the Isla.

So many are asking how my Mom is, I don’t really know.  No news is suppose to mean good news.  In case of emergency one of my siblings is suppose to email me.  Mom & Dad now have a computer ( thanks to me) but only know how to read my blog.  Hopefully one day soon they will learn to email.  Dad usually calls my home in Kelowna and then I can get the voice message online here in Mexico.  However I have not had a message for a while and we can’t really Skype or Magic Jack with the current computer issues.  So Dad could you please call and give me a report?  Gracias.

Along with the fog yesterday we got some boats in the bay.

...another unusual foggy sunset!

Wandering around Culiacan yesterday Colin got this shot of a street band outside a cafe.

Here on the Isla we smile and wave at the policemen and even joke with them sometimes. Yesterday Colin waved at a police truck, no smile, no wave back.....oops!!

The concert in Culiacan last evening was by Ana Vidovic from Croatia.

24 of the performers and festival organizers went out for dinner afterwards. No wonder Colin is getting less than 5 hours sleep at night.

Tags: Culiacan, Mexico, music, Stone Island, sunsets

I miss my sweetie.

There was some fog late yesterday afternoon, giving things a damp feel.

It did make for a different sunset.

Colin is having a marvellous time in Culiacan and of course getting less than 5 hours of sleep per night.  Last night he met Iona Gandrabur, born in Romania.  Born blind she started piano at age five and switched to classical guitar at twelve.  She immigrated to Canada at sixteen, has four music degrees and speaks six languages.

Colin sent me this photo, not sure if this is a class or a performance.

Here he is kibitzing with Iona and her guide dog. He also mentioned that another great artist has given us an open invitation to come stay with him in Costa Rica whenever and for however long! I think we have an invitation to Cuba and Brazil from last year. Who knows, that may become a part of our future......

I am really happy for Colin to have this marvellous experience but I am having very little me time.  Yes Larry I did have the vino but then was up all night with the oldest Carmeh, vomiting & diarrhea.  Caeli who was doing better started again with the diarrhea.  Thankfully no blood showing for either.  So today has been a day of chicken, rice and antibiotics.  It is so hard cutting them back on food when they spend the entire day looking at me with their big brown eyes just begging for one more piece of food.

This has been our day on the Isla......very foggy. I am doing fine so don't worry about me. Actually going to try and give the girls a wee walk just now.

Tags: Culiacan, Stone Island, sunsets, The girls, vino

Colin got to Culiacan about 5PM yesterday safely and soundly and all is well.  Big bonus for us is that he brought our laptop and he is able to pick up wifi and email me easily rather than just once per day as in the past.

This morning, about 7:30AM, the four RV’s headed North.  They will be in Los Mochis tonight, San Carlos Tuesday night and Wednesday they will be meeting up with friends Marilyn and Larry, whom 3 of the 4 couples know.  Best part of it all is that the Amazing Vanstones will be waiting with open arms and a prepared dinner!!!!  Lucky ducks!!

Adios Marjorie & Bob! Gord & Pat just keep following those yellow kayaks and you will be just fine.

I was facing the sun in this shot which is my excuse for poor photography. Do you see that 5th wheel overtaking the Class A. That belongs to Barb & Don ( from Ontario ) who are bidding a fond adieu after 5 years here at Tres Amigos. Roger & Susie in the motorhome are just hooking up and will bring up the rear!!! They as well as the other couples will be returning. I had tears in my eyes saying goodbye to Barb & Don, who knows when and where we shall meet again!

Caeli is doing better, I am having a fight now to get her meds into her, liquids, yuck.  I am better with pills.  If only Colin were here to help.  After breakfast, we went for a walk where she finally did her normal business!

A bit foggy on the beach today but nice and warm!

Did some laundry by hand, finally ate, put some wine in the fridge, tidied up and now the blog post!!  Not much free time or so it seems.  I am off to a massage this afternoon and then intend to do absolutely nothing for the rest of the day.  Not even a second dog walk!  It is me time!!!

I have been meaning to post about the first set of Rvers who left on Feb. 27.  This group followed much the same route at those who left today with the exception of staying at Santa Ana rather than San Carlos.  Hermosillo is still under road construction and as I reported in November, take the road marked Trafico Pesado to miss most of the mess.  One couple went thru Nogales but we have had no report of how that went.  The others crossed at Lukeville with no problems at all and in record fast time.

At the KM 27 just before Lukeville, Immigration scanned & cancelled FM’s in minutes.  Then the vehicle stickers were photographed and removed with a heat wand device, the info put into the computer and the folks told that their refunds would appear on their credit cards in a few days.

At the border going into the US, they were dog sniffed, passports checked and all told to have a good day as they were waived through.

Now that the RV’s on heading home slowly I will keep updating anything I hear regarding the long road North!

Tags: friends, Mexico, The girls, Tres Amigos RV Park, US/Mexico border, Wine