Bits and Bobs from Week Three in P.E.

Hard to believe but week three in Puerto has already come to an end.  Along with the usual dinners, drinks, music, and beaches, we said good-bye to both Russ and Viv, and Stuart and Melanie.  This post is a combination of bits and bobs of the week’s happenings. 

We had a family dinner at sister Rita & Mike’s condo rooftop palapa.

Three of the Four Sibs at Dinner

Dinner at Rita and Mike's  Roof Top Palapa

We enjoyed a special night of music at the Rincon Cafeteria/Bar.  As happens in Puerto, we didn’t really know how the music was going to flow.  We enjoyed a fresh seafood dinner at the Turtle Bay Restaurant; thenwondered across the road to the Rincon at about 8 pm.  Alberto and Enrico (a couple a very talented professional guitar players on holiday from Italy) were just starting to play when we arrived.  Three and a half hours later (without a break) we had been witness to what could arguably be called the “best night of music in our Puerto Escondido experience” and we had front row seats.  At one point cousin Randy was asked to sit in on the drums and he was a key part of the action until yet another Italian arrived to take over in the final set. The highlight of the evening was when Alberto and Enrico engaged in a 20-minute set of duelling lead guitars.  This duel included each of them walking through the house and ending up on the floor.  Neither lost a note in moving down, laying on, and getting up from the floor.

Alberto, Randy and Enrico!

The Duel Started

20 Minutes Later - Tired But Still Going!

There were lots of beach times to relax and enjoy.

Russ and Viv at Carrizalillo

Melanie and Stuart Enjoy the Music at Manzanillo

Found a Puffer Fish on Zicatella

We also enjoyed another day at the market.

Outside of the Main Market - Local Produce

The Princess and Her Flowers

Favourite Tortilla Store - Made on the Spot

Synchronized Chicken Dance

The sun continues to set and is a focal point of the day.  As well, all of our party except one has been up early enough to enjoy sunrises over the mountains east of Puerto. The sun rises here at around 6:50 am and sets at 6:35 pm.  Despite the doable early rise our lone sunrise misser cannot seem to wake naturally before 8 am.

Sunrise From Our Roof - Too Early For Some

We have also joined the Bacocho Beach Club. 

Time Just Slips By With Little To Do but Relax

And of course a food shot.

Red Snapper At Jimmy's at Carrizalillo

We have also tried experimenting with some video posts.  Our weak Internet connection has made it quite challenging to find a method and format that will work in the blog format.  Hopefully a few of them will work.

Deborah shepparded Russell on his first Snorkeling adventure.  It turned in an attempt at synchronized snorkeling.    Click on the link.  Brother Russ' First Snorkelin

Deborah had a 3 X 4 meter tablecloth woven by a side street weaver using only a person-powered wooden loom.  Puerto Weavers Creating Deborah's Tablecloth

We saw a fish boat land itself at Playa Principal.  Fish Boat Landing at Playa Principal

Our Second Week (and a bit) in Puerto Escondido

It has been about a week and a half since our last post.  It isn’t that we have nothing to post about but the days go by fast despite the relatively slow pace of beach side life, and there simply hasn’t been much time (or inclination) to sit and write.

We have continued to enjoy our condo life.  We have neigbours from many different places but like many of the sun seekers in Puerto, most are from Canada.  We hear daily about the weather “back home” in eastern Canada and how the mercury dipped to minus 35 degrees the night before.  We do rub it in a bit reporting that the cherry blossoms are out in Vancouver but not so much that they hate us (to our faces at least).  Many nights we gather together on the roof, cocktails in hand, to watch the sun go down.

Outside of the daily joys of memorable sunsets, beaches and meals in many of Puerto’s outstanding restaurants, there have been other highlights in the last while.

We have enjoyed two walks to La Punta along the rock wall path and the beaches of Plaza Principal, Marinaro and Zincatela.  I had previously estimated this walk at being around 8 km in distance but Vivian’s new hand held device measured it as closer to 9 km.  It takes us about 2 hours and we follow it up with lunch in La Punta and a taxi ride home.

Start of Rock Walk

Bridge to Now Where

Start of Beach Walk

Beautiful Flowers Along The Way

Turtle Rider

Surfers in La Punta

Walk's End - Seeking Shade, Lunch & Bebidas

We celebrated Deborah’s Birthday on February 14 with a group dinner at Portis, on the beach in Zincatela.  Our group was increased by two with the arrival of Randy and Doreen’s son Stuart and his friend Melanie.  It was good to have a couple of twentysomethings included to bring our average age down to the 60-year mark.  The food was great and extremely filling.  We were surprised by the staff with a very large birthday cake and the singing of the Mexican Birthday song.  It is much longer and better sounding that the birthday song we are all familiar with.

Valentine's Day is Big in Mexico - These Two Girls Were Ready!

Our Birthday Group at Portis

Camerones (Shrimp) Pasta with Blue Cheeze

Fireworks Across the Bay for Deborah

Birthday Cake

We experienced a music concert for the ages (at least in Puerto terms) on the beach in Bococho.  It was an amazing night of great music with stars overhead and sand under our feet.  Puerto Escondido is a winter haven for musical professionals from around the world.  On many nights you can find these world-class musicians playing in the local bars and clubs.  On this night they all came together to put on a concert for the town’s orphanage.  The stage included: two lead guitarists from Milan and Venice, Italy, a keyboardist and mouth harpist from Toronto, a sax player from California, a base player from Argentina and a former American but current permanent P.E. resident drummer.  They had a wooden dance floor erected on the sand and the six hundred in attendance rocked from until midnight (quite late in oldie standards).

We Arrived Early to get Prime Spots by Dance Floor.

Ideal Setting

Russ & Viv

Doreen, Mike, Rita & Randy

Let the Music Begin!

Deborah has been busy taking numerous pictures of the food we are served and I have been busy consuming everything in site.  Unfortunately one of my few pair of shorts are already too small to wear.  Must get walking more and leaning over the food table less.

Fish Bowl Margarita Time at the Benzaa

Chilis en Nogada

Waiting For Fish Tacos at Tacos & Beers!

I'll finish by sharing that Deborah has found a weaver that will make us an extra large table cloth specific to her needs.  She is as happy as only Deborah can get about such things.

It will be Ready in a Week!

First Week in Puerto Escondido

Our first week in Puerto Escondido is complete.  My first reflective thoughts were that not much has happened in the last seven days and then I remembered … that is the way it is supposed to be. 

Sunset and Cocktails Are An Everyday Staple

Our Home For The Month

The Pool Is Refreshingly Cooler Than The Ocean.

All The Necessities Are Purchased

After the initial flurry of activity getting the condo stocked, the sorting of the usual Mexican rental details, meeting our new neighbours, we settled into the routines of small beach town Mexican life; morning coffee, breakfast in/breakfast out, maybe some exercises in terms of a walk or flopping around on the floor, deciding whether it is a pool (in) or beach (out) day, reading, visiting, deciding on the sunset bar (perhaps the most important), followed by the choice of dinner venues and whether music will follow or an early evening.  It all flows very smoothly.

Our mid week highlight was when brother Russ and sister-in-law Viv joined us for two weeks.  They had been here once before to an all inclusive resort week but had not been impressed.  I’m sure the second experience will be much better.

Three Sibs and a Viv

Russ' First Sunset Margarita

Family Reunion at the Sunset Bar

Nightly Gathering For the Sunset

We have enjoyed several walks but walking up to the Mercado is always a must on Wednesdays and Saturdays.  The market is permanent but swells with local suppliers twice a week.  We sampled local meats, breads and produce.  As usual the sights excite and a few of the aromas nauseate.

Constant Contrasts of Old and New

Back Home - Vegetables Washed in Bleach

We have had memorable meals at the Paris, Turtle Bay on the Rinconada and sushi at Samarai’s at Zicatela Beach.

We also had a “small world” experience.  Travelling partners Randy and Doreen met a couple last years in Puerto who they had originally met in Rincon de Guyabitos (a Mexican beach town 10 degrees latitude north).  This year Jim and Linda are staying across the street from us.  Smaller world, Jim and Linda also live in our hometown of Abbotsford and graduated from the high school I taught at but that isn’t the “smallest world part”.  Subsequent to re-meeting Jim and Linda, we were sitting in a street restaurant when Doreen recognized their sister-in-law Margo’s, sister and husband walking by, Judy and Tim.  Judy was originally from Abbotsford.  We invited them to join us for dinner that night.  Later in the day we met and invited Jim and Linda to join us as well.  When we got together, Judy and Linda recognized each other as having been close high school friends.  The dinner turned into a high school reunion.

Abbotsford Reunion at the Paris

It never rains in Puerto Escondido in January, February and March, except last Thursday.  We were all set for a night of music and dancing at the beach side Split Coconut when the skies opened to a torrential downpour that lasted over two hours.  The skies were alive with lighting, and the taxi drivers drove blindly through the streets that quickly turned into rivers complete with geysers of water lifting the pavement as the earth became incapable of drinking the excess water.

Yes ...... That's Rain at the Split Coconut!

We did manage a Rock Wall Walk by the Sea from home to Playa Principal (downtown).

Bougainvillea On Way To Rocks

Lovely ... but not our hotel.

Pointing to La Punta - 8 k Walk for Another Day

The Playa Princess

Randy Rock Climber

Made It!

So there it is.  Don’t know what next week will bring but I think it will likely go something like sun, swim, snorkel, eat, drink, listen to music, and repeat!

P.S. Deborah's Food Pics

Hot Peppers For Apies

Hard At Work

Fajitas For Lunch