Nov 27, 2010

The fisherman and the pony!

He is more that just a fisherman, perhaps also a farmer.  We see his cart go up & down the beach a few times a day.  He often travels alone with just the pony following behind, trying to keep up with its mamma.  But most evenings at sunset you will find him and a helper, perhaps a son stopping in front of us on the beach.  It’s time to fish.

So they stop and untangle the net.

Then  the old man walks into the water with one end of the net.

He spends some time out there while the young one looks on.  The horse and colt nuzzle, the colt feeds….

The fisherman comes out of the water and drives off somehow having secured the net in the water.  The next morning, early, before 7:00, he returns, just him, no cart, no horses.  He seems to just appear.  Into the water he goes, collecting the fish, sharing his bounty with the birds.

After stashing his net nearby, he then strings all the fish and heads towards town, perhaps to sell his catch.  Did he even notice the cruise ship coming into port?   We have been privy to this scene several times.  How fortunate we are…..

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Nov 26, 2010

Thankful Caeli is alive!!

Was it a scorpion or a spider?

How many lives does that girl have?  Was it not enough that she gave us a good scare in Acapulco with kissing the poisonous frog?  Not really because then she decided to have a go around with a tarantula!  She was extremely lucky to survive that one!  Then again yesterday she put fear into our hearts.  Colin happened to notice that she was rubbing her face on the carpet.  When he looked closer he saw that her face was swollen.  In fact it was so swollen that her lips were almost 3 inches wide on either side of her clown like nose and felt like hard rubber.

She appeared so swollen that I thought her nose might burst!  Obviously she was in distress and she was getting worse.  First thing I did was shove a Claritin into her which was not easy with the huge lips.  This has worked in the past when one of the dogs has received an insect bite.  However Caeli’s situation seemed somewhat extreme.  We tried a Benedryl tablet which sort of melted on her tongue.  Finally I found some liquid Benedryl and gave her 5 ml orally with a syringe.

By the time I called the vet ( wonderful Dr. Susan Wales) in Canada, Caeli’s face seemed to have stopped getting larger  but was not receeding.  We gave her some Prednisone and about 90 minutes later I gave her .25g of Dexamethasone as she was starting to whimper and try to rub her face.  This stuff is 5 years old but finally we could see the swelling go down a bit. We also used ice compresses on her face.  Six and 1/2 hours later she was still visibly swollen.  Whatever bit her had some strong venom.

Prior to the crisis we were in the midst of preparing to attend a gala gala due here in the park.  Still not sure that we would attend, we finished our preperations and decided to go as we were just one RV over and would keep checking on the girls every 15 minutes.  Just as we were ready to leave another set of friends dropped by….too much all at once.  We sorted it all out and managed to have a good time at the party.

RV1 Gala complete with stuck pick up in the sand on extreme mid left. Photo by Gary.

Actually by then I needed to sit and have some vino!  It was a great party with lots of delicious foods to sample and even two wonderful desserts. The noseeums came out in full force at sunset and soon we were back home. Caeli was cuddled and loved all night.

Another crisis in paradise averted! This morning Caeli seems fine, just tired.

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Nov 25, 2010

Ejido dispute semi resolved!

First of all Happy Thanksgiving to all my US readers!

This guy roams the Isla as he wishes!

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From the Mazatlan News today:

MAZATLAN .- Finally Barron ejidatarios reached a settlement with the tourist development Estrella de Mar, on the basis of three agreements.

The first was to remove the camp of the ejidatarios in Estrella de Mar and the commitment to not show up again, although the ejidatarios return if negotiations become a “standstill.”
Star of the Sea provided a budget ceiling of 18 to 20 million pesos, yet to be defined, the ejidatarios accepted as a second agreement covering the property that the complex used.
As a third said Estrella de Mar only negotiate with land owners, leaving room for bodies or persons outside Barron.
Tentative date was set Jan. 14 for an upcoming meeting between both parties, due in the holiday season the Land Court stops working for about 15 days.
After the interim agreement, the farmers, blocked up the afternoon, after two days of preventing the passage of tourists and workers.
Before lifting the blockade, the farmers, had several clashes with tourists trying to pass even a couple was almost an accident.
Although ejidatarios repeatedly explained the reason for the blockade, the American tourist couple was traveling in a vehicle with South Carolina plates, do not listen to reason and attacked the farmers.
He argued the driver, before the attack, was that his dog was sick and needed to feed.
The action left no serious injuries, just scratches, bruises and tears of tens of children that were in place.

At night, when he arrived in the entourage that had been sent to the meeting in the Land Court, the farmers, agreed to sue the perpetrators.
Ernesto Pérez Virgin, legal representative of the ejidatarios, highlighted the triumph of dignity and said rural progress was satisfactory for the process.
Stated that the next step is to ask the Supervisory Board to convene an Assembly to appoint the new board of the ejido.
Starfish staff filed a complaint made by ejidatarios blocking Barron on the road between that site and the Isla de la Piedra, preventing access to tourists and workers on their way to the resort.

The agreement
Interim Agreement between ejidatarios and Star of the Sea Barron
Unblocked installed in front of the Sea Star
Estrella de Mar offers to pay between 18 and 20 million pesos in exchange for a property of the ejido.
Estrella de Mar only negotiate with the landowners.
On January 14 there will be a further meeting between both parties.

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...and so life returns to normal on Isla de la Piedra....this fellow just way laid back waiting for some business.....

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Nov 24, 2010

Trouble in paradise. Road blockade!

Yesterday morning our neighbors who were heading into Mazatlan via the road were turned around by a blockade created by the Ejido of Barron.  These people are in a dispute with the resort Estrella del Mar.  Something to do with uncompleted payment for land purchased to build the golf course, homes and condos. We became concerned as 3 large rigs were arriving mid afternoon.  There was nothing we could do.  Here is a Google translation of the Mazatlan newspaper article.

MAZATLÁN._ With machete in hand, Barron ejidatarios blocked the road between Estrella de Mar and Isla de la Piedra, preventing access to tourists and workers on their way to the resort.

Around 7:30 am, about 60 people crossed barbed fence in both senses of the road.

Taxis and vans with tourists going to play golf could not reach their destination.

But not only tourists were affected by the blockade, who also forbade the workers step was Starfish, allowing passage only to people who are headed to the Isla de la Piedra.

“We are very early, trying to go to Star of the Sea and do not let us pass, we are not to blame for what is happening to them, we just want to go to meet our obligations,” said one worker.

Among workers who were waiting to pass had masons, painters, domestic workers and office staff of Star of the Sea, but at 10:00 hours will be allowed access.

Jaime Castro, director of Star of the Sea, reported that between 60 and 80 were tourists who could not enter the complex, with losses of approximately between 8 and 10 thousand dollars, because most went to play golf.

“This is not so much the money that is left to enter by taking the road but that was affected tourism and the image of Mazatlan, because that tourists will never return to vacation at the port,” he said.

At 9:00 am two police cars arrived at the site of the State Police, asking for the leader of the movement.

The ejidatarios responded while everyone was the leader.

The state inspected the place and then left.

Ernesto Pérez Virgin ejidatarios adviser, said it will be this Wednesday at the Land Court, where the State Government will give them the commitment document claiming payment for his property used by Star of the Sea

The Sea Star executives said they have not accepted the ejido because negotiations are divided.

“We have reached five agreements and so far there has been no response, and is due to the ejido is divided by two groups,” said Castro.

He said a lawsuit was filed by taking the main road.

Leonel Gomez Llanos, legal counsel Estrella de Mar, said that is not true what they say protesters ejidatarios to ensure that they are offering only 6 million dollars for the property.

“We are offering 12 million dollars, more than giving an expert commercial appraisal done,” he said.

Ejidatarios remained in place last night and said they will not be withdrawn until a final settlement.

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Meanwhile our friends had arrived at the blockade and were not allowed to pass.  They called the RV park manager who in turned contacted the owner of the RV park who happened to be in the area.  He was able to drive over to the blockade and negotiate the passage of the rigs.  Traffic to the Isla itself is not suppose to be affected but it is.  Personally I think in part due to the lack of Spanish from those trying to pass through in explaining who they are and that they are living on the Isla for 5 months.

So finally our friends arrived.  We were so happy to see them.  Then they had to deal with the ‘gates’ of RV2.

Now what?

No comment from Larry!!!!

Buster & Angel just what to get on with the party!

Finally all three rigs were inside the gates and then the victory beers were opened.  Welcome back everyone!  Tomorrow is a new day in paradise!

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Nov 23, 2010

Special garden visits

I spend a good part of my day sitting in my garden reading, watching the ocean, the beach activity and enjoying visits by butterflies and hummingbirds.

I'm not positive but this could be a Fork-Tailed Emerald Hummingbird.

They also love to visit my hibiscus....

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