The Puerto Party Peters Out!

The Five Week Travel Partnership Comes to an End.

Our month in Puerto Escondido has slipped by fast.  We have had a great time sharing the Puerto experience with Randy, Doreen, Russ, Viv, Rita, Mike and all the others we have met along the way.  We have laughed, relaxed, ventured, and have been thoroughly entertained.

My First Puerto Sunrise - 6:58 AM!

The last week had many highlights.  We did venture out of town for a day at Roca Blanca, had another night of great music at Mediterraneo, hosted a dinner party for friends and family, and joined in a condo party on our rooftop.

All Hands in for Dinner Party

Doreen's Delicious Appy.

Linda & Jim's Contribution

The trip to Roca Blanca started with a forty-minute drive northwest of P.E.  on a commuter bus.  It dropped us off on the highway and we walked two kilometres to the beach.  We set up residence for the day in Lulu's Beach Palapa.  Lulu is a retired Mexican school principal and now runs the beach hut with her husband.  Her husband is a former competitive sea free-diver and was out spear fishing for our lunch when we arrived.  

Mike Picked Up His Favourite Mescal on the Walk In.

Lulu's Husband Speared Our Lunch

The sea was particularly rough but seasoned veterans that we are we, we dove right in.  Deborah was caught be a large wave that tore her swimsuit and left her squirming on the sand like a beached fish.  As I watched the action with my back to the sea, I didn't sea a tsunami approach and hit me from behind.  My head and shoulders were immediately driven into the sand and I was left fighting to get to the surface but dragged down with my trunks filled with sand and wrapped around my ankles.  Suffice to say we gathered ourselves, took stock of our injuries, and were back in for more (albeit more cautious).

Our trip home was interesting to say the least.  Our taxi driver spoke little English but we gathered that there was a problem taking us all the way to P.E.  We surmised that he didn't have a license to drive into Puerto Escondido and that we would be handed off to someone else at some point of the journey.  We understood the words, "license", "police", and "handcuffs".  Regardless, we piled in and off we went.  Before arriving at the highway, he stopped at a store and spoke to a man in a police uniform.  In a minute he was back in the car with the policeman's wallet and proudly showed us the picture id taxi license for P.E. It turns out his cousin, the policeman, had a license and more importantly, had a thick black moustache just like our driver.  We would have laughed all the way home except his high speed cruising had us all clutching the door handles for fear of being thrown out.

On Stuart and Melanie's last day we ventured to the north border of the town to taste an authentic Mexican lunch at the Juquilena. Linda and Jim recommended the restaurant and it did not disappoint.  We were the only gringos is the restaurant.  The food tasted great and the size of the helpings surprised.

Tlayuda

Deborah and I have been very disciplined these last few weeks getting up each morning (between 8 and 10 am) and going for one hour walks throughout the town.

Blanca Grande - Our House

We also had a night out on our own palapa.  Deborah and Doreen thought it would be a good idea to lead an appetizer sunset party on out roof for all the guests in the nine units in our condo.  Everyone was in agreement.  We also invited Lupita, our live in landlord.  Lupita does not speak English and something about the concept was lost in translation.  Before we could stop her she had tables and chairs brought in.  She missed the concept of everyone bringing an appy and thought (and did) bring appies for all, as well as a case of champagne and hard liquor.  Just after digesting the sunset, the band arrived.  Suffice to say it was much more than an appy on the roof.  We partied on the roof until we couldn’t drink or eat anymore.

Lots of Food & Drink!

Janet, Cindy, Elizabeth & Steve

Rick & Janet

Frank, Doreen & Randy

Steve, Sarah, Carol, Frank & Mike

The weather in Puerto has become increasingly hotter and more humid.  Folks are beginning to make their exits for points further north.  Randy and Doreen are headed to Rincon de Guyabitos (north of Puerto Vallarta) for a week and we are headed to Phoenix to join Kathy and Mike for further adventures in the desert.

Bye Bye for Now!

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!