Have I mentioned that Mexico is kinda noisy? We repeat that bit of intelligence to each other every time the neighborhood is noisier than we were accustomed to NoB. ['NoB', not 'back home' because that raises another series of questions: Which 'back home'? Los Angeles, a particular part of greater Los Angeles, southern Indiana - or for Michael, Upper Michigan, Minneapolis/St Paul?]
Christmas Eve brought it all rushing back. It is a custom in Mexico to celebrate with fireworks. Not the fancy aerial displays (which are lovely but usually centered around the Jardin), but the aerial bombs. The big bombs are used for saints' days and that sort of event but frequently, in the neighborhoods, with smaller, hand thrown bombs. This includes saints' days, a family birthday, an historical celebration (we were glad to be out of the country during the actual dates of the Bicentennial), or even a party. Christmas Eve was not an exception, except our neighborhood took it to the next level.
Fireworks exploded pretty regularly from about midnight til after 2 AM. And it's not the fireworks, particularly, so much as the result of the fireworks on our dogs. They are all sensitive to loud noises in varying degrees, but one in particular nearly barks herself silly if the noise is insistent and nearby. The question is: How to stop them?
Nothing works. Speaking calmly to them; speaking sternly to them; yelling at them; holding them; petting them; telling them it will be alright; explaining the neighbors are Neanderthals; shutting them in their crates in a back bedroom; covering the crates; bribing them with food; nothing. Sleep is impossible - unless you've really been celebrating yourself, but then one of us eventually wakes up, anyway, and must deal with the barking. [We don't want to disturb the neighbors on the other side of the house, who are remarkably at quiet most times.]
Christmas Eve's celebration was particularly exuberant and the kids on our block eventually tossed a few of the fireworks up onto our second floor terrace, right outside our bedroom. Those were particularly lovely! Of course, the adults in the families were nowhere to be seen! We can only surmise that they were inside, partying in their own way.
I had already tried the tack of taking the dogs downstairs to watch television together in the more secluded living room and had eventually returned to the warm bedroom (dogs in tow). Watching television had had its normal effect and I, at least, was falling asleep. So it was Michael who was the one awake at that time and went out onto the terrace to have a few choice words for the little darlings who were preparing to toss even more fireworks onto the terrace. They didn't.
Christmas Day has been remarkably quiet in the ole neighborhood. No one has been out and about on the street. The music they play next door has been absent or subdued. We're once again looking at real estate ads for homes out in the campo.
Michael tells me that last night was pretty quiet (that magnum of 1999 vintage champagne at the gathering of ex-pats for Christmas dinner was very tasty) though the dogs were a bit sensitive to even more distant noises.
We're booking them into the doggie B-and-B out in the country for New Years Eve!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Holiday Greetings!
This year - due to a near-Christmas vacation in Cabo, the time lag for ordered cards to reach us, be signed, and be mailed back to the States, and some very last-minute planning, we're sending out our holiday cards via e-mail:
Otherwise, Christmas will arrive Saturday, apace. We're visiting one of our favorite restaurants for an early dinner Christmas Eve and to make reservations for their New Year's Eve Dinner. Christmas Day we're invited to our friends' home just a few blocks away for a potluck dinner with several other mutual friends; other friends will be dropping in later in the evening.
We've found lovely, small, locally-grown Brussels sprouts so we will be taking our Even-Our-Brother-in-Law-Likes-These recipe of shredded sprouts sauteed with prosciutto and garlic in butter, then baked with heavy cream and Parmesan -- what's not to like about that? And a couple of Magnums of 'J' Champagne (I know - correctly, sparkling wine) - 1999 & 2000, I think.
Hope all your holidays are what you want, too!
We've found lovely, small, locally-grown Brussels sprouts so we will be taking our Even-Our-Brother-in-Law-Likes-These recipe of shredded sprouts sauteed with prosciutto and garlic in butter, then baked with heavy cream and Parmesan -- what's not to like about that? And a couple of Magnums of 'J' Champagne (I know - correctly, sparkling wine) - 1999 & 2000, I think.
Hope all your holidays are what you want, too!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Cabo-itis
So we awoke this morning to a view of the mountains instead of palm trees, the bay, and today's visiting cruise ship. Only the dome on the San Antonio church pierced the layer of mist that blanketed San Miguel. Eventually we crawled from beneath the covers to discover that the bedroom was about the same temperature as outside: 37F! It's a wonder all the air wasn't frozen, not just a layer of mist.
The temperature was a dead giveaway - we had returned from a week in Cabo very late last night after traveling most of the day. We left the resort at 11:30 am by shuttle to the airport in nearby San Jose del Cabo for a flight to Mexico City, then taxi to the Estacion de Autobus Norte, then a 'luxury bus' ride (really comfy seats, but it was still a 4-hour trip) through Queretero and on to San Miguel. We got out of the taxi in front of our house at 11:30 pm.
It was the end of a week in a quiet resort (no telephones/TVs/etc unless you visited the Lounge for a news/sports fix; even WiFi was limited to the coffee bar). Designed to mimic a tropical Mexican village there were no big blocks of hotel rooms (like El Pinko next door). Only villas arranged in mostly circular three-storey buildings with thatched roofs facing the beach or arranged around the pools. On the edge of Cabo San Lucas, it was close enough to town to provide excellent walkable access to our favorite restaurants. Taxis are ridiculously expensive in Cabo: $6 for a short ride within town. We're spoiled, I guess, by the $2 taxi rides here in SMA. They got no tips from us!
It was a week of sloth - rising late; lounging under a palapa on the beach, waving a little flag for food & drink service; afternoon drinks at one of the swim-up pool bars; deciding upon which restaurant to favor with our presence for dinner each night. A tough life, but someone has to do it, right?
The worst part was the inconvienience of trekking to the coffeehouse to get a WiFi signal. Internet access is a new thing for the resort, but they should really think of expanding it throughout the buildings. It was a pain to keep up on my moderator duties for a SMA forum. I'm sure I could have done a better job if it was easier to access. And doing research for future travel required multiple trips back to the coffeehouse.
Of course, there was no drifting off to sleep to a television, either, but we could get used to that. Cabo (and Puerto Vallarte) were our only exposure to Mexico before we decided to retire to SMA and there's such a difference! We love SMA, but we'll be back in Cabo at the end of February with my brother and again in mid-May by ourselves. (And perhaps again in December if our villa hasn't sold.)
The other thing we missed was the company of our four dogs. There was actually space on the king-size bed to stretch out - imagine that! They returned home from their own little vacation at Wendy's B&B this morning and were napping on the bed with me this afternoon. It works so much better with the larger bed than the one we had in California (but the bedroom there wouldn't have held a king-size bed without wall-to-wall mattress).
So we're back home, trying to keep warm in our sweatsuits and slippers, and dreaming about our time in Cabo. When's our next trip?
At least it will feel more like Christmas here in SMA!
The temperature was a dead giveaway - we had returned from a week in Cabo very late last night after traveling most of the day. We left the resort at 11:30 am by shuttle to the airport in nearby San Jose del Cabo for a flight to Mexico City, then taxi to the Estacion de Autobus Norte, then a 'luxury bus' ride (really comfy seats, but it was still a 4-hour trip) through Queretero and on to San Miguel. We got out of the taxi in front of our house at 11:30 pm.
It was the end of a week in a quiet resort (no telephones/TVs/etc unless you visited the Lounge for a news/sports fix; even WiFi was limited to the coffee bar). Designed to mimic a tropical Mexican village there were no big blocks of hotel rooms (like El Pinko next door). Only villas arranged in mostly circular three-storey buildings with thatched roofs facing the beach or arranged around the pools. On the edge of Cabo San Lucas, it was close enough to town to provide excellent walkable access to our favorite restaurants. Taxis are ridiculously expensive in Cabo: $6 for a short ride within town. We're spoiled, I guess, by the $2 taxi rides here in SMA. They got no tips from us!
It was a week of sloth - rising late; lounging under a palapa on the beach, waving a little flag for food & drink service; afternoon drinks at one of the swim-up pool bars; deciding upon which restaurant to favor with our presence for dinner each night. A tough life, but someone has to do it, right?
The worst part was the inconvienience of trekking to the coffeehouse to get a WiFi signal. Internet access is a new thing for the resort, but they should really think of expanding it throughout the buildings. It was a pain to keep up on my moderator duties for a SMA forum. I'm sure I could have done a better job if it was easier to access. And doing research for future travel required multiple trips back to the coffeehouse.
Of course, there was no drifting off to sleep to a television, either, but we could get used to that. Cabo (and Puerto Vallarte) were our only exposure to Mexico before we decided to retire to SMA and there's such a difference! We love SMA, but we'll be back in Cabo at the end of February with my brother and again in mid-May by ourselves. (And perhaps again in December if our villa hasn't sold.)
The other thing we missed was the company of our four dogs. There was actually space on the king-size bed to stretch out - imagine that! They returned home from their own little vacation at Wendy's B&B this morning and were napping on the bed with me this afternoon. It works so much better with the larger bed than the one we had in California (but the bedroom there wouldn't have held a king-size bed without wall-to-wall mattress).
So we're back home, trying to keep warm in our sweatsuits and slippers, and dreaming about our time in Cabo. When's our next trip?
At least it will feel more like Christmas here in SMA!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Another Day in Paradise
So once again the weather is back to normal for this time of year: highs in the low 80s; lows in the middle 40s. Facebook brings news of family and friends with pictures of snow and reports of gusting winds. Brrrrr....
And yesterday was nothing special - stores were open, people went about their business as usual - unless you're an ex-pat and then it's Thanksgiving! Folks who post on the Civil List forum have been in a tizzy over which turkey to purchase (44p/kg frozen at Sorriano; 150p/kg 'fresh' and 'organic' at a specialty store and everything in-between); how frozen a 'fresh' turkey should be (even the USDA - which doesn't apply here in Mexico - allows 'fresh' to be maintained at 32F which can easily slide into the freezing zone, so 'where's the beef?' to mix metaphors); where to find cranberries - especially fresh ones for their favorite sauce for the turkey. One person's turkey arrived with only some of the giblets inside; this generated a whole series of postings about exchanging 'parts' if your turkey had any extra. The final poster reported that she was an old lady and looking for an extra bladder!
We opted to accept friends' invitation to join them at a small restaurant that was serving a traditional T-Day feast late in the afternoon. The restaurant owner had recently given up her location in Centro and had converted the lower level of her house and patio into a restaurant in Colonia Allende. ['Lower level' was still a storey-and-a-half above street level, which provided a lovely view over SMA, particularly as the sun set and lights came on.]
We had offered to drive our friends who live near us to the restaurant rather than take taxis, so we made a trial run to find the location in the morning. Good thing we did as it's the penultimate house at the top of a dead end street with no room for our van to make a turnaround. We had to back down the hill for 2 blocks until there was a road into which we could maneuver for a 3-point turn. As a result, we each took taxis to dinner. I wouldn't want to think about backing down the street while full of food and wine!
Our friends told us that they approached three different taxis before they found one that would take them to the restaurant. We were lucky and our first taxi agreed to deliver us there. He did charge a bit extra, but it was worth it to avoid the parking/turnaround problem.
The dinner itself was great: four appetizers [panela (a cheese) baked with herbs, marinated mushrooms, crudites with a dill dip, and a lovely green salad], several side dishes [wild rice & mushroom dressing, creamed spinach, mashed potatoes & gravy (good on the dressing and turkey, too), mashed sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts & carrots, and a tart cranberry sauce], and, of course, tender, moist turkey baked in a pizza oven [with everything else, we never reached the deep-fried turkey]. Dessert was pumpkin pie and a fruit (perhaps prune?) crisp, both served with mounds of lightly-sweetened whipped crema (we don't do whipping cream down here). A nice blend of traditional and Mexican-interpreted dishes.
And the best part was dinner with good friends and no preparation or clean-up! We think of our friend in California who probably did herself in cooking a terrific feast for her family who don't really care much about food.
The attendees yesterday were, as you might expect, all ex-pats who didn't want to miss their Thanksgiving Day feast. One ex-pat did bring a Mexican friend and politely introduced her to each table. Otherwise it included the usual assortment of folks. The ex-pat community here may be large, but one sees many of the same folks regularly. Don't know where the others hide. We recognized a few of them from the Farm and Dairy tour we took when our friend Diane was in town last week. And our friends knew more, of course. Our table was just chatter, chatter, chatter for the whole three hours.
Afterwards we walked down the hill to the main street and caught a cab to the Jardin for drinks at La Azotea where the weather was so pleasant the awning was retracted and the plexiglass barriers behind the bougainvillea plants along the edge of the terrace had been removed. Ah, San Miguel!
We then toddled off home to feed the dogs and sink into bed. They did not get turkey - and I hope they weren't anticipating last year's leftovers. Maybe that's why Miyake decided to bark most of the night until I enticed her downstairs to watch television together?
Ah, well - another day in paradise!
And yesterday was nothing special - stores were open, people went about their business as usual - unless you're an ex-pat and then it's Thanksgiving! Folks who post on the Civil List forum have been in a tizzy over which turkey to purchase (44p/kg frozen at Sorriano; 150p/kg 'fresh' and 'organic' at a specialty store and everything in-between); how frozen a 'fresh' turkey should be (even the USDA - which doesn't apply here in Mexico - allows 'fresh' to be maintained at 32F which can easily slide into the freezing zone, so 'where's the beef?' to mix metaphors); where to find cranberries - especially fresh ones for their favorite sauce for the turkey. One person's turkey arrived with only some of the giblets inside; this generated a whole series of postings about exchanging 'parts' if your turkey had any extra. The final poster reported that she was an old lady and looking for an extra bladder!
We opted to accept friends' invitation to join them at a small restaurant that was serving a traditional T-Day feast late in the afternoon. The restaurant owner had recently given up her location in Centro and had converted the lower level of her house and patio into a restaurant in Colonia Allende. ['Lower level' was still a storey-and-a-half above street level, which provided a lovely view over SMA, particularly as the sun set and lights came on.]
We had offered to drive our friends who live near us to the restaurant rather than take taxis, so we made a trial run to find the location in the morning. Good thing we did as it's the penultimate house at the top of a dead end street with no room for our van to make a turnaround. We had to back down the hill for 2 blocks until there was a road into which we could maneuver for a 3-point turn. As a result, we each took taxis to dinner. I wouldn't want to think about backing down the street while full of food and wine!
Our friends told us that they approached three different taxis before they found one that would take them to the restaurant. We were lucky and our first taxi agreed to deliver us there. He did charge a bit extra, but it was worth it to avoid the parking/turnaround problem.
The dinner itself was great: four appetizers [panela (a cheese) baked with herbs, marinated mushrooms, crudites with a dill dip, and a lovely green salad], several side dishes [wild rice & mushroom dressing, creamed spinach, mashed potatoes & gravy (good on the dressing and turkey, too), mashed sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts & carrots, and a tart cranberry sauce], and, of course, tender, moist turkey baked in a pizza oven [with everything else, we never reached the deep-fried turkey]. Dessert was pumpkin pie and a fruit (perhaps prune?) crisp, both served with mounds of lightly-sweetened whipped crema (we don't do whipping cream down here). A nice blend of traditional and Mexican-interpreted dishes.
And the best part was dinner with good friends and no preparation or clean-up! We think of our friend in California who probably did herself in cooking a terrific feast for her family who don't really care much about food.
The attendees yesterday were, as you might expect, all ex-pats who didn't want to miss their Thanksgiving Day feast. One ex-pat did bring a Mexican friend and politely introduced her to each table. Otherwise it included the usual assortment of folks. The ex-pat community here may be large, but one sees many of the same folks regularly. Don't know where the others hide. We recognized a few of them from the Farm and Dairy tour we took when our friend Diane was in town last week. And our friends knew more, of course. Our table was just chatter, chatter, chatter for the whole three hours.
Afterwards we walked down the hill to the main street and caught a cab to the Jardin for drinks at La Azotea where the weather was so pleasant the awning was retracted and the plexiglass barriers behind the bougainvillea plants along the edge of the terrace had been removed. Ah, San Miguel!
We then toddled off home to feed the dogs and sink into bed. They did not get turkey - and I hope they weren't anticipating last year's leftovers. Maybe that's why Miyake decided to bark most of the night until I enticed her downstairs to watch television together?
Ah, well - another day in paradise!
Friday, November 12, 2010
Restaurant Lotto
San Miguel has a lot of restaurants: some good, some bad, some so-so. You can find Asian fusion cuisine, Italian, Chicago-style pizza, French, Tex-Mex, New Orleans style, organic, burgers, chain pizza, authentic Mexican - you name it, there's probably a restaurant that has it. The restaurants themselves fall into several categories: elegant, comida-style, deli, hole-in-the-wall, family-run, hamburger stands, cafes, take-out, taco stands, tapas bars - I'm sure we have at least one of every kind you can think of here in SMA.
Of course with most of these restaurants catering to the gringo population, survival can be a struggle. The Civil List - a Yahoo group forum with nearly 5,000 'listeroos' - features announcements of new restaurants, menu changes, chef changes, and glowing reviews from patrons. One sometimes wonders about the well-meaning patrons of restaurants and other businesses who post their reviews, just as one wonders about such announcements which omit addresses and thus require someone to ask for the address and the first poster then writes back with the address (copying the original announcement/review, of course).
As a co-moderator, I read all the digests of the daily posts assiduously, looking for my specialty: the second 'for sale' ad placed by a particular poster within a current month. This imposed review makes one a bit cynical over time - but I digress.
So today we walked into a newly opened restaurant looking for lunch when we were immediately pounced upon by a woman who demanded whether we were there for 'the best bagels, ever.' As it turns out, she was not a principal in the restaurant, but an avid fan and customer hyped up on caffeine after two weeks of bed rest. We nearly ran.
We're glad we didn't, even though - as the only other customers at that point in time - we had to carry on a conversation about SMA, San Diego theater, chocolate, dogs, you-name-it until she finally went off to her gallery, commenting that SMA was like an out patient waiting room. [Oh, how true!] Once our luncheon arrived it was wonderfully delicious - and we had a nice conversation with another diner who was studying silversmithing.
I'm even considering posting on the Civil list about the place - it was both good and under patronized. Another listeroo posted before going; we can tie in an 'after' report for the fourth unsolicited review!
Of course with most of these restaurants catering to the gringo population, survival can be a struggle. The Civil List - a Yahoo group forum with nearly 5,000 'listeroos' - features announcements of new restaurants, menu changes, chef changes, and glowing reviews from patrons. One sometimes wonders about the well-meaning patrons of restaurants and other businesses who post their reviews, just as one wonders about such announcements which omit addresses and thus require someone to ask for the address and the first poster then writes back with the address (copying the original announcement/review, of course).
As a co-moderator, I read all the digests of the daily posts assiduously, looking for my specialty: the second 'for sale' ad placed by a particular poster within a current month. This imposed review makes one a bit cynical over time - but I digress.
So today we walked into a newly opened restaurant looking for lunch when we were immediately pounced upon by a woman who demanded whether we were there for 'the best bagels, ever.' As it turns out, she was not a principal in the restaurant, but an avid fan and customer hyped up on caffeine after two weeks of bed rest. We nearly ran.
We're glad we didn't, even though - as the only other customers at that point in time - we had to carry on a conversation about SMA, San Diego theater, chocolate, dogs, you-name-it until she finally went off to her gallery, commenting that SMA was like an out patient waiting room. [Oh, how true!] Once our luncheon arrived it was wonderfully delicious - and we had a nice conversation with another diner who was studying silversmithing.
I'm even considering posting on the Civil list about the place - it was both good and under patronized. Another listeroo posted before going; we can tie in an 'after' report for the fourth unsolicited review!
Monday, November 8, 2010
The Perfect Climate
As all good things eventually do, our perfect climate has changed: it's cold in San Miguel! When I was stationed in Bavaria it snowed in time for Hallowe'en, and that hasn't happened yet. Dia de Los Muertos was cool but comfy.
For the past few days it has been chilly. Our cement houses retain heat from the daytime and coolness from evening hours to even out the temperatures for us. Unfortunately, we've only had coolness as of late. Barely warming to the low 70s during the day, it has fallen into the low 30s at night. It's 2 am right now and the temperature is about 36 degrees with cooler temperatures promised before sunrise. It may be darkest before the dawn; it sure is cooler, too. [These temperatures are in Fahrenheit; it's even more exciting to see them in Centigrade!]
Highs in only the low seventies doesn't do it when it's so cold at night. When your homes have cement/tile walls, floors, and ceilings, they don't have a chance to warm up enough during the day to temper the evening hours. Our home office, which has both its ceiling and western wall exposed to the sun, usually requires the use of a ceiling fan. Today it required the use of a heater.
We wore our robes and jammies and whatever we thought would keep us warm around the house. [Why didn't I order those comfy slippers last week?] Once dressed (Pedro was coming to refit some electrical things around the house) it was time for layers. Going out for dinner required both layers and jackets to keep warm on our 1250-step walk to the restaurant. We had been told to expect cool weather in January/February; this caught us by surprise.
We did haul out the electric radiator (we don't have the gas version) and it followed us around from inhabited room to room. We are planning on picking up a second heater from a local store so that we can make at least two floors comfortable. The heaters are a bit too heavy to haul up and down the stairs with grace, and aren't particularly pricey. We don't need one for the first floor as we seldom use the first floor's living room.
Can't wait to see our bimonthly electricity bill. At least the electric, oil-filled radiators require only throwing a switch to have them functioning. We had enough fun relighting the pilot on the gas water heater after our recent vacation.
Our second line of defense is the low-voltage warming mattress pads on all the beds. They provide a subtle heat that gently warms you through. We finally turned them on this week. [The pads have been on the beds all the time; they are plush-topped and rather comfy year around.] Topped with a fluffy duvet, it's heaven. But one can't stay in bed all the time....
Fortunately the weather should take a turn for the warmer later this week (highs in the 80s and lows in only the 40s) when we have guests arriving from the US. Checking their local weather forecast, it seems it's to be rain and chill there today. At least it's still dry here and an 80/40 split should warm us up again.
Perhaps we'll be able to maintain our 'perfect climate' reputation after all.
For the past few days it has been chilly. Our cement houses retain heat from the daytime and coolness from evening hours to even out the temperatures for us. Unfortunately, we've only had coolness as of late. Barely warming to the low 70s during the day, it has fallen into the low 30s at night. It's 2 am right now and the temperature is about 36 degrees with cooler temperatures promised before sunrise. It may be darkest before the dawn; it sure is cooler, too. [These temperatures are in Fahrenheit; it's even more exciting to see them in Centigrade!]
Highs in only the low seventies doesn't do it when it's so cold at night. When your homes have cement/tile walls, floors, and ceilings, they don't have a chance to warm up enough during the day to temper the evening hours. Our home office, which has both its ceiling and western wall exposed to the sun, usually requires the use of a ceiling fan. Today it required the use of a heater.
We wore our robes and jammies and whatever we thought would keep us warm around the house. [Why didn't I order those comfy slippers last week?] Once dressed (Pedro was coming to refit some electrical things around the house) it was time for layers. Going out for dinner required both layers and jackets to keep warm on our 1250-step walk to the restaurant. We had been told to expect cool weather in January/February; this caught us by surprise.
We did haul out the electric radiator (we don't have the gas version) and it followed us around from inhabited room to room. We are planning on picking up a second heater from a local store so that we can make at least two floors comfortable. The heaters are a bit too heavy to haul up and down the stairs with grace, and aren't particularly pricey. We don't need one for the first floor as we seldom use the first floor's living room.
Can't wait to see our bimonthly electricity bill. At least the electric, oil-filled radiators require only throwing a switch to have them functioning. We had enough fun relighting the pilot on the gas water heater after our recent vacation.
Our second line of defense is the low-voltage warming mattress pads on all the beds. They provide a subtle heat that gently warms you through. We finally turned them on this week. [The pads have been on the beds all the time; they are plush-topped and rather comfy year around.] Topped with a fluffy duvet, it's heaven. But one can't stay in bed all the time....
Fortunately the weather should take a turn for the warmer later this week (highs in the 80s and lows in only the 40s) when we have guests arriving from the US. Checking their local weather forecast, it seems it's to be rain and chill there today. At least it's still dry here and an 80/40 split should warm us up again.
Perhaps we'll be able to maintain our 'perfect climate' reputation after all.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Dias de los Muertos
So here we are on Hallowe’en and the whole town’s focused on All Hallows Eve. Who’d a thunk?
Mexico has traditionally celebrated the two days of Dias de los Muertos rather than the American Hallowe’en with visits to their families’ gravesites, decorating them with flowers and pictures, and sharing a meal with them. It is one of the largest religious and cultural events celebrated nationwide in Mexico.
In the far past, the dates were not November 1st and 2nd, but with the coming of the Spanish and the Catholic church, the celebrations were moved to more ‘appropriate’ days in the church calendar. It takes two days of celebration: the first day is for infants; the second day is for adults.
Both yesterday and today even expats are visiting our local cemetery and spiffing up the graves of past expats of whom we have only heard tell. Since many expats have no family in Mexico, the responsibilities fall upon the current expats, and some gladly accept them.
Hallowe’en, however, is overtaking the traditional celebration as youngsters find running around with their friends getting candy is more fun than sitting in a cemetery with your family. We’ve been warned that if we go to the Jardin Monday night, to have plenty of hard candies (dulces) on hand to distribute to kids in costumes trick-or-treating.
We were supposed to join a group cleaning the headstones on Saturday morning at the currently used cemetery, but grocery shopping got in the way. We’ve recently gone to a nutritionist who is setting up a plan for living that will result in effective athletic activities and eating right. We began the plan today, so yesterday was shopping for the good stuff we’re to eat, as opposed to going out all the time, eating (and drinking) the wrong types of foods (witness our slow weight loss since moving SoB).
And, of course, last night was a pizza party at two friends’ house with wonderful homemade pizzas: traditional (the Works), roasted veggie, arrachera and chimichurri sauce, and Moroccan chicken with a ginger-honey glaze. All followed by homemade ice cream, including a Mexican chocolate with espresso and cinnamon.
What a way to start a new way of eating, right? There were several new folks we met and we ran into one of them this afternoon on our way back from the Jardin where we’d been checking out the big Dias de los Muertos altars being set up. We had shared a shuttle to the airport with another. It’s a small world here in SMA.
For those planning on visiting us over the holidays, don’t worry: we’re eating out every meal and having more than the one-drink-a-day that we’re allowed. Wouldn’t want to feel deprived, would we? High times all around!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
And Yet We Walk
Relatives and friends continue to mention that they would love to visit us here in SMA. And we would love to have them visit. There is a lot to see and do in this writers’, artists’, actors’ historical colony and we would love to show it off.
However, although one blogger refers to SMA as a Disneyland, it ain’t. Disney would never let the sidewalks and streets exist in the conditions we ‘enjoy’ here in SMA. They have people who design walkways, studying the possible layouts, colors, and textures needed to create a walkway that contributes to the ambiance of the location while still mindful of moving people along efficiently and safely.
The streets and cobblestone streets of SMA are much as they were hundreds of years ago when pedestrian safety was not at the top of the list.
Another fellow blogger* described them thus:
These sidewalks are very narrow, made of limestone slabs that are very old and, thus, polished and slippery from centuries of footsteps. They are pock-marked due to erosion. There are holes, broken slabs, meters sticking up at odd angles, steps up and down, light poles in the center. Every day each business is swept and mopped; then the mop water is poured on the sidewalk and swept, making them even more dangerous. In any given block there are hundreds–nay, thousands–of opportunities to inflict serious bodily harm upon oneself.
I’m not sure it would be appropriate for everyone who has expressed a wish to visit, but you don’t pick up the flavor of the place when you’re constantly being ferried about by taxi or car. It’s sort of a sterilized version of SMA.
And yet we walk. Today we took a bus into Centro (busses are another story) then walked across downtown and out on Ancho, turned up Cardo past St Paul’s and along the new Rosewood development, then turned right, walking up and along Aldama, following the crest of the hill for some distance until we came to the 5th of May and thence downhill to Ancha de San Antonio again. [We never found Parque Juarez, but the way, our announced goal.] From there we walked back into Centro – stopping at the little tin shop – until we reached Canal and caught another bus for the short ride to the base of our Colonia, then walked up the hill to home.
With a stop for a bite of lunch, it took about 2 hours and I had a touch of heat prostration or something – but I did pretty much keep up the pace. Altitude and a sedentary lifestyle has presented its challenges. We did decide that we needn’t go to the gym today!
So here I am, fully recovered, working on my blog before dinner. We’re planning on going to the Pocket Theater for the second showing of A Single Man (we seldom went to films in California so there are many to catch up), then off to La Azutea for our special pizza and a margarita or two.
Because of the condition of the streets and sidewalks, we’ll be taking a taxi home tonight.
*Our fellow blogger is at Dorita Loca Blogs San Miguel and generously shares her posts.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Oh, We Couldn't Be Happier.....
Wish I had something pithy to say - or even just something to say.
Our lastest angst involves our computers. When we returned to SMA from the cruise/WDW vacation, we plugged everything back in (power surges and drops, etc are a fact of life here so one disconnects everything in one's absence) and the computers ran swell until we noticed that there were some websites we could no longer reach: aeromexico, volaris (both SOB airlines), bancomer (our bank), CFE (the electricity company), and a few on the NOB side, too.
Troubleshooting the system found nothing. Our internet provider, Cybermatsa.com, said everything was fine on their end and that we should contact the individual websites to resolve the problems - like we could do that without internet access?
We finally called in our computer geek who set up our network for us. When there was nothing he could do to help over the telephone, he came out to the house and checked things out. Conclusion: Router problems.
Went to Office Depot this morning and bought a new router. Tried to install it but got stuck. Telephone call to our geek failed to help. Arranged for him to make a house call.
At the end of the house call (the new router wasn't cooperating; lots of flashing lights), he hooked the old one back up so we could at least be on the internet and reach some websites.
When he hooked everything back up the way is was originally: lo, and behold, everything worked! All the websites we couldn't reach before - both Mexican and foreign - were coming in loud and clear. So tomorrow we return the new router.
I'm sure there's a moral here somewhere, but I'm not sure what it would be. Just happy that the system is working again!
Now if Volaris would post those nicely-priced flights from DF to SJD soon (as that nice man promised they would), we'd be even happier.
As Glenda sang, "Oh, we couldn't be happier....No, we couldn't be happier...."
Our lastest angst involves our computers. When we returned to SMA from the cruise/WDW vacation, we plugged everything back in (power surges and drops, etc are a fact of life here so one disconnects everything in one's absence) and the computers ran swell until we noticed that there were some websites we could no longer reach: aeromexico, volaris (both SOB airlines), bancomer (our bank), CFE (the electricity company), and a few on the NOB side, too.
Troubleshooting the system found nothing. Our internet provider, Cybermatsa.com, said everything was fine on their end and that we should contact the individual websites to resolve the problems - like we could do that without internet access?
We finally called in our computer geek who set up our network for us. When there was nothing he could do to help over the telephone, he came out to the house and checked things out. Conclusion: Router problems.
Went to Office Depot this morning and bought a new router. Tried to install it but got stuck. Telephone call to our geek failed to help. Arranged for him to make a house call.
At the end of the house call (the new router wasn't cooperating; lots of flashing lights), he hooked the old one back up so we could at least be on the internet and reach some websites.
When he hooked everything back up the way is was originally: lo, and behold, everything worked! All the websites we couldn't reach before - both Mexican and foreign - were coming in loud and clear. So tomorrow we return the new router.
I'm sure there's a moral here somewhere, but I'm not sure what it would be. Just happy that the system is working again!
Now if Volaris would post those nicely-priced flights from DF to SJD soon (as that nice man promised they would), we'd be even happier.
As Glenda sang, "Oh, we couldn't be happier....No, we couldn't be happier...."
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Nippy weather we're having
I think we have to be having a taste of winter weather now that it's mid-October. The local temperature is 60F right now (10:45 am) and it got down to 42F overnight in town - 35F out in the campo. (It did warm up into the mid-70s yesterday and should again today.)
It's times like these that makes one pine for central heating! But, alas, most Mexican houses - including ours - has neither heating nor cooling. One usually doesn't need it: the construction of the homes retains the heat of the day to warm the house in the evening, and the coolness of the night is carried over to cool the house in the daytime. Most of the time we also enjoy a pleasant, mild climate here in SMA, but last night's temperature is causing us to dig out the heater for the bedroom.
Luckily, we have just found (duh!) that our duvet cover has ties sewn into the seams so that we are able to tie the corners of the duvet into place and prevent it from shifting. This made last night much more comfortable for both of us (I prefer to sleep with the terrace door open a bit for fresh air, but even the dogs moved from the bedroom into the office last night). Neither of us was too cold or too hot from the duvet migrating within the cover from one side of the bed to the other!
Our bedroom and the third-floor studio do have gas connections for heaters, but we may just go with the oil-filled electric radiator that we brought from Los Angeles, where we used it in the guest room when it was serving as a puppy nursery. A local store has them in stock if we need one more for the guest room/studio. Of course, we've placed furniture in both rooms without much regard for where gas heaters may need to be connected to the gas supply....
Late last January/early February SMA was unusually wet and cold. We're hoping that it doesn't repeat itself this coming year or we may need to upgrade to the gas versions!
We still love it here. At least it didn't get anywhere near the 119F of the San Fernando Valley last August nor is it snowing as it was when I arrived in Germany one October.
It's times like these that makes one pine for central heating! But, alas, most Mexican houses - including ours - has neither heating nor cooling. One usually doesn't need it: the construction of the homes retains the heat of the day to warm the house in the evening, and the coolness of the night is carried over to cool the house in the daytime. Most of the time we also enjoy a pleasant, mild climate here in SMA, but last night's temperature is causing us to dig out the heater for the bedroom.
Luckily, we have just found (duh!) that our duvet cover has ties sewn into the seams so that we are able to tie the corners of the duvet into place and prevent it from shifting. This made last night much more comfortable for both of us (I prefer to sleep with the terrace door open a bit for fresh air, but even the dogs moved from the bedroom into the office last night). Neither of us was too cold or too hot from the duvet migrating within the cover from one side of the bed to the other!
Our bedroom and the third-floor studio do have gas connections for heaters, but we may just go with the oil-filled electric radiator that we brought from Los Angeles, where we used it in the guest room when it was serving as a puppy nursery. A local store has them in stock if we need one more for the guest room/studio. Of course, we've placed furniture in both rooms without much regard for where gas heaters may need to be connected to the gas supply....
Late last January/early February SMA was unusually wet and cold. We're hoping that it doesn't repeat itself this coming year or we may need to upgrade to the gas versions!
We still love it here. At least it didn't get anywhere near the 119F of the San Fernando Valley last August nor is it snowing as it was when I arrived in Germany one October.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Walt Disney World at a relaxed paced
I was going to write yesterday, as promised, about WDW, but the sky was so cloudy (it looked like it should rain by afternoon) I decided to switch the subject to that old standby, the weather.
Then about mid-afternoon the sun came out and it was another beautiful day in San Miguel. So no post.
Instead, here's today's report on our 6 days at WDW following the 14-night TransAtlantic crossing.
Saturday
We rode to WDW via a private SUV which had been retained by two of the folks on the same cruise. A pleasant ride directly to our hotel, the Boardwalk Villas. Unfortunately, the bellhop put both of our sets of luggage on the same cart and when we needed to separate them [our villa was ready; our friends' villa was not], there were issues. Being the folks that we are, we sort of melted into the background, made our way to our villa, unpacked, and headed to the parks!
Food & Wine began the day before we arrived, so Epcot was packed. Still we made the circuit of the World Showcase and had a great time. Having Epcot within walking distance makes it a great temptation and we visited several times during our stay. After dinner at Chefs de France, where I spoke sharply to our waiter when he tried to upgrade the specific order I had placed in my high-school French, we again strolled around the World.
However, we were too pooped the first day off the ship and even left the park before IllumiNations! A first.
Sunday
Today was Mickey's Not So Scary Hallowe'en Party at the Magic Kingdom. Even though the whole park was to be open for the party, we managed to see most of it during the afternoon. We also managed to leave our Club 33 ball caps on the Thunder Mtn Mine Train ride, and it took a quick trip back to recover them - which we did, thanks to the helpful Cast Members.
The Party was crowded - about 10,000 folks even in a big park like Magic Kingdom is a lot. There was a special Villains show in front of Cinderella's Castle and the Hallowe'en fireworks [Hallo-Wishes] as well as a special MNSSHP parade (and lots of folks in rather imaginative costumes).
Disney had given free tickets to each of the participants in the Marathon earlier that day. Glad we did it; not sure we'd repeat it unless we were with folks who hadn't seen it. Dinner was a Thanksgiving meal (with all the refills you wanted) at the Liberty Tree Tavern. Surprisingly tasty (skipped the mac-and-cheese that was included on the menu for the kids). Missed meeting up with friends and table mates from the XAtlantic for the MNSSHP.
Oh, yeah - on Sunday morning we had breakfast at Kouzzina's with a friend from St Louis with whom we had sailed on Disney previously. She was at the World for a conference that began the next day and had emailed us about seeing Illuminations together on Saturday night. We were already at the party, so suggested breakfast Sunday instead. She was staying at either the Swan or Dolphin (both walking distance from the Boardwalk) so we caught up on everything happening in our families as well as enjoying a delicious breakfast.
Monday
Today we went to Epcot to visit with friends from Sunshine Rewards - a group that Michael was associated with and with whom we had sailed on a SR cruise. Before meeting up with them, we headed into the Future World section of Epcot and rode the boat ride in The Land and Spaceship Earth (love Judi Dench's narration).
Everyone goes to WDW at some time! We sat around with 6 SR friends in front of the French area and then moved to the British area, drinking Grey Goose slushes, martinis, and eventually ale from about noon to 4:00.
During this time Rick Howard, the owner of the travel agency we use for our Disney cruises, found us at Epcot on his way home to Vero Beach, so we had a quickie reunion in the midst of our SR reunion.
Dinner tonight was at Sanaa in the new Kidani Village at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Getting there on time was a bit tight, but we made it with a moment or two to spare. Of course, our table wasn't quite ready, so we headed into the bar where they did have Hendrick's gin (just no cucumber spears, for which the barkeep apologized).
The meal itself was fabuloso! A great wait person, super food, and a table next to a window onto the savannah so we could watch the animals (giraffes, antelopes, zebras) stroll around munching on the vegetation as we were munching on our dinner: our choice of 3 types of flat breads with our choice of toppings; three salads; Michael had chicken; I had two 'cooked-in-gravy' selections, with appropriate wines. Sorry - no room for desserts!
Getting around WDW resort-to-resort takes some doing. Transportation is set up for resort-to-park, so going from the Boardwalk to Animal Kingdom Lodge involved finding a park that was open late-ish on Sunday night - Hollywood Studios in this case, for which we took the boat from Boardwalk, then the bus to Kidani Village. We used Downtown Disney as our transfer point on the way home.
Tuesday
After walking over to the Hollywood Studios Park earlier in the day, riding the Hollywood Tower of Terror, and having a nosh at the Starring Rolls cafe, we decided to take the boat back to the Boardwalk.
The Flying Fish is hardly a cafe, and the service and food is impeccable. Imagine: me in a seafood restaurant - but the scallops in my appetizer were very, very fresh (courtesy of FedEx) and the rest of the meal was just as good. We even tried to finish a dessert between us, but it was tough!
We finally made it to IllumiNations tonight, another short walk to Epcot's World Showcase. A bit breezy and cool, but it brought me to tears as it always does. Even with those pesky folks trying to horn into our primo viewing space with their video camera. I hope Michael's jostlings made their tape annoying to watch!
Wednesday
Earlier we headed over to Animal Kingdom - one of our favorites. Like so many of our visits, we did not try to do everything commando-style. In fact, we only rode the Kilimanjaro Safari, had lunch at the Yak & Yeti restaurant (we may only eat the appetizers next time, they were soooo good), poked around a little (Michael found his T-Shirt: 'I rode Expedition Everest and screamed like a little girl!', then we headed home for a swim (Michael) and a nap (me).
Wednesday's dinner was at Shula's Steak House at the Dolphin Hotel. After a less-than-wonderful dinner at the Yacht Club Steak House on our last visit, we had heard that Shula's was the better of the two. And that $25-dollar coupon didn't hurt. They have no trouble charging for their food, but it was great - and the steak portions were huge. We should all be linebackers on Shula's Miami Dolphins!
We finally saw the scheduled fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom - Wishes - from the lounge at the top of Bay Lake Towers. [Don't ask how we got in without being registered guests.] And the margarita made with peppered tequila was great even if my throat continued to burn most of the night!
Thursday
Back to Epcot where we did Soarin' and Mission: Space, using the 'easy' ride - remember when the woman died after the extreme version? - and lunch at the new Villa Napoli restaurant in the Italian pavilion, would you believe? Real service, great food again, and wonderful sangria!
This was supposed to be dinner at the Brown Derby in the Hollywood Studios Park but turned out to be the Tequila Cave in the Mexico pavilion.
Friday
Today we tried breakfast at Kouzzina again. Same great food; not so wonderful service.
And then on to the airport. We had packed on Thursday when we needed to move from our 1-bedroom villa to a smaller studio - but at least they put us in a Boardwalk view for the same number of points as the garden view room we reserved - so getting ready to leave was a simple task.
At the airport we checked in for our non-stop flight to Mexico City and were on our way in a timely fashion with only about 30 - 35 people on the whole plane!
Then about mid-afternoon the sun came out and it was another beautiful day in San Miguel. So no post.
Instead, here's today's report on our 6 days at WDW following the 14-night TransAtlantic crossing.
Saturday
We rode to WDW via a private SUV which had been retained by two of the folks on the same cruise. A pleasant ride directly to our hotel, the Boardwalk Villas. Unfortunately, the bellhop put both of our sets of luggage on the same cart and when we needed to separate them [our villa was ready; our friends' villa was not], there were issues. Being the folks that we are, we sort of melted into the background, made our way to our villa, unpacked, and headed to the parks!
Food & Wine began the day before we arrived, so Epcot was packed. Still we made the circuit of the World Showcase and had a great time. Having Epcot within walking distance makes it a great temptation and we visited several times during our stay. After dinner at Chefs de France, where I spoke sharply to our waiter when he tried to upgrade the specific order I had placed in my high-school French, we again strolled around the World.
However, we were too pooped the first day off the ship and even left the park before IllumiNations! A first.
Sunday
Today was Mickey's Not So Scary Hallowe'en Party at the Magic Kingdom. Even though the whole park was to be open for the party, we managed to see most of it during the afternoon. We also managed to leave our Club 33 ball caps on the Thunder Mtn Mine Train ride, and it took a quick trip back to recover them - which we did, thanks to the helpful Cast Members.
The Party was crowded - about 10,000 folks even in a big park like Magic Kingdom is a lot. There was a special Villains show in front of Cinderella's Castle and the Hallowe'en fireworks [Hallo-Wishes] as well as a special MNSSHP parade (and lots of folks in rather imaginative costumes).
Disney had given free tickets to each of the participants in the Marathon earlier that day. Glad we did it; not sure we'd repeat it unless we were with folks who hadn't seen it. Dinner was a Thanksgiving meal (with all the refills you wanted) at the Liberty Tree Tavern. Surprisingly tasty (skipped the mac-and-cheese that was included on the menu for the kids). Missed meeting up with friends and table mates from the XAtlantic for the MNSSHP.
Oh, yeah - on Sunday morning we had breakfast at Kouzzina's with a friend from St Louis with whom we had sailed on Disney previously. She was at the World for a conference that began the next day and had emailed us about seeing Illuminations together on Saturday night. We were already at the party, so suggested breakfast Sunday instead. She was staying at either the Swan or Dolphin (both walking distance from the Boardwalk) so we caught up on everything happening in our families as well as enjoying a delicious breakfast.
Monday
Today we went to Epcot to visit with friends from Sunshine Rewards - a group that Michael was associated with and with whom we had sailed on a SR cruise. Before meeting up with them, we headed into the Future World section of Epcot and rode the boat ride in The Land and Spaceship Earth (love Judi Dench's narration).
Everyone goes to WDW at some time! We sat around with 6 SR friends in front of the French area and then moved to the British area, drinking Grey Goose slushes, martinis, and eventually ale from about noon to 4:00.
During this time Rick Howard, the owner of the travel agency we use for our Disney cruises, found us at Epcot on his way home to Vero Beach, so we had a quickie reunion in the midst of our SR reunion.
Dinner tonight was at Sanaa in the new Kidani Village at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Getting there on time was a bit tight, but we made it with a moment or two to spare. Of course, our table wasn't quite ready, so we headed into the bar where they did have Hendrick's gin (just no cucumber spears, for which the barkeep apologized).
The meal itself was fabuloso! A great wait person, super food, and a table next to a window onto the savannah so we could watch the animals (giraffes, antelopes, zebras) stroll around munching on the vegetation as we were munching on our dinner: our choice of 3 types of flat breads with our choice of toppings; three salads; Michael had chicken; I had two 'cooked-in-gravy' selections, with appropriate wines. Sorry - no room for desserts!
Getting around WDW resort-to-resort takes some doing. Transportation is set up for resort-to-park, so going from the Boardwalk to Animal Kingdom Lodge involved finding a park that was open late-ish on Sunday night - Hollywood Studios in this case, for which we took the boat from Boardwalk, then the bus to Kidani Village. We used Downtown Disney as our transfer point on the way home.
Tuesday
After walking over to the Hollywood Studios Park earlier in the day, riding the Hollywood Tower of Terror, and having a nosh at the Starring Rolls cafe, we decided to take the boat back to the Boardwalk.
The Flying Fish is hardly a cafe, and the service and food is impeccable. Imagine: me in a seafood restaurant - but the scallops in my appetizer were very, very fresh (courtesy of FedEx) and the rest of the meal was just as good. We even tried to finish a dessert between us, but it was tough!
We finally made it to IllumiNations tonight, another short walk to Epcot's World Showcase. A bit breezy and cool, but it brought me to tears as it always does. Even with those pesky folks trying to horn into our primo viewing space with their video camera. I hope Michael's jostlings made their tape annoying to watch!
Wednesday
Earlier we headed over to Animal Kingdom - one of our favorites. Like so many of our visits, we did not try to do everything commando-style. In fact, we only rode the Kilimanjaro Safari, had lunch at the Yak & Yeti restaurant (we may only eat the appetizers next time, they were soooo good), poked around a little (Michael found his T-Shirt: 'I rode Expedition Everest and screamed like a little girl!', then we headed home for a swim (Michael) and a nap (me).
Wednesday's dinner was at Shula's Steak House at the Dolphin Hotel. After a less-than-wonderful dinner at the Yacht Club Steak House on our last visit, we had heard that Shula's was the better of the two. And that $25-dollar coupon didn't hurt. They have no trouble charging for their food, but it was great - and the steak portions were huge. We should all be linebackers on Shula's Miami Dolphins!
We finally saw the scheduled fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom - Wishes - from the lounge at the top of Bay Lake Towers. [Don't ask how we got in without being registered guests.] And the margarita made with peppered tequila was great even if my throat continued to burn most of the night!
Thursday
Back to Epcot where we did Soarin' and Mission: Space, using the 'easy' ride - remember when the woman died after the extreme version? - and lunch at the new Villa Napoli restaurant in the Italian pavilion, would you believe? Real service, great food again, and wonderful sangria!
This was supposed to be dinner at the Brown Derby in the Hollywood Studios Park but turned out to be the Tequila Cave in the Mexico pavilion.
Friday
Today we tried breakfast at Kouzzina again. Same great food; not so wonderful service.
And then on to the airport. We had packed on Thursday when we needed to move from our 1-bedroom villa to a smaller studio - but at least they put us in a Boardwalk view for the same number of points as the garden view room we reserved - so getting ready to leave was a simple task.
At the airport we checked in for our non-stop flight to Mexico City and were on our way in a timely fashion with only about 30 - 35 people on the whole plane!
[Many thanks to Michael who helped me sort out our week's activities for this post.]
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Back to Normal
Well, as all good things do, the vacation came to an end. The trip from Orlando to Mexico City (DF) went smoothly. When Mexicana went BK, we found tickets on Aeromexico and were able to book a non-stop flight between Orlando and DF. It may have been an extra flight Aeromexico scheduled when Mexicana found themselves in trouble, but there were maybe 30 people, total, on the plane. Plenty of room to stretch out and that nice couple with the three young children in the row ahead of us decided to move their family to the rear of the plane!
Aeromexico is one of those carriers that believes in feeding you and has complimentary bar service in addition to sodas. Even between normal lunch and dinner hours there was a hot snack served. Tasty!
The AM flight got to DF earlier than the Mexicana flight would have (Mexicana stopped somewhere in Texas, as I recall), but we had a hotel booked near the airport and so we took the free shuttle to the Ramada and checked in. Although the hotel was near the airport, it was well insulated and we couldn't hear a single plane taking off or landing. Breakfast was included in the room rate, so after a pretty good buffet, we again took the free shuttle back to the airport and caught the Primera Plus bus (first class) to Queretero. From there we usually take a taxi to SMA, but decided to take an economy bus (50 pesos each) instead of the taxi (about 400 pesos plus tip). And my new INAPAM card earned me a 50% discount on my fare, so $75 pesos for both of us. Booking those new cruises while on board the Magic has made us more budget-conscious than before....
The second bus wasn't quite as posh as the first and we had to stow our own luggage, but they did have a movie to distract us and the bus station in SMA is at the foot of our hill, so a quick taxi ride from there delivered us home. We had arranged for our housekeeper to clean house that morning, so everything was fresh and neat.
On Sunday we collected the dogs, who had been bathed and brushed for pick up on Saturday. They had a good time until we arrived Sunday afternoon, so still need a second brush out. They also took care of the fresh-and-neat house!
We've unpacked, read the mail (a lot accumulates during a month's absence; we had to take a taxi home from the mail service office because of the number of packages - my bad), and made a grocery run.
Today there was a question/answer period at the Biblioteca by the customs office staff. The recent changes in visas has produced several burning questions about car ownership. For a while it sounded as if we needed to go back to Texas and sell the van, then buy a Mexican vehicle. This would be costly for us. Towards the end of the session - which was largely in Spanish - they pointed out that a certain type of visa (Inmigrante Rentista - ours) still qualifies the holder to retain their US-plated car. Whew!
We'll need to change vehicles when we become Immigrado in about 5 years, but by that time we should need a smaller car and our present van will be nearly 10 years old. We can budget for the changeover. And, with the IR visa, we will stop paying the annual fees once the 5 years is over and our status changes. If we were required to change to the old FM3 style visa to keep the car, the annual visa fee would be less but we would be required to pay it every year, forever.
So we're back to 'normal' whatever that is. Perhaps I'll write about our time in WDW tomorrow.
Aeromexico is one of those carriers that believes in feeding you and has complimentary bar service in addition to sodas. Even between normal lunch and dinner hours there was a hot snack served. Tasty!
The AM flight got to DF earlier than the Mexicana flight would have (Mexicana stopped somewhere in Texas, as I recall), but we had a hotel booked near the airport and so we took the free shuttle to the Ramada and checked in. Although the hotel was near the airport, it was well insulated and we couldn't hear a single plane taking off or landing. Breakfast was included in the room rate, so after a pretty good buffet, we again took the free shuttle back to the airport and caught the Primera Plus bus (first class) to Queretero. From there we usually take a taxi to SMA, but decided to take an economy bus (50 pesos each) instead of the taxi (about 400 pesos plus tip). And my new INAPAM card earned me a 50% discount on my fare, so $75 pesos for both of us. Booking those new cruises while on board the Magic has made us more budget-conscious than before....
The second bus wasn't quite as posh as the first and we had to stow our own luggage, but they did have a movie to distract us and the bus station in SMA is at the foot of our hill, so a quick taxi ride from there delivered us home. We had arranged for our housekeeper to clean house that morning, so everything was fresh and neat.
On Sunday we collected the dogs, who had been bathed and brushed for pick up on Saturday. They had a good time until we arrived Sunday afternoon, so still need a second brush out. They also took care of the fresh-and-neat house!
We've unpacked, read the mail (a lot accumulates during a month's absence; we had to take a taxi home from the mail service office because of the number of packages - my bad), and made a grocery run.
Today there was a question/answer period at the Biblioteca by the customs office staff. The recent changes in visas has produced several burning questions about car ownership. For a while it sounded as if we needed to go back to Texas and sell the van, then buy a Mexican vehicle. This would be costly for us. Towards the end of the session - which was largely in Spanish - they pointed out that a certain type of visa (Inmigrante Rentista - ours) still qualifies the holder to retain their US-plated car. Whew!
We'll need to change vehicles when we become Immigrado in about 5 years, but by that time we should need a smaller car and our present van will be nearly 10 years old. We can budget for the changeover. And, with the IR visa, we will stop paying the annual fees once the 5 years is over and our status changes. If we were required to change to the old FM3 style visa to keep the car, the annual visa fee would be less but we would be required to pay it every year, forever.
So we're back to 'normal' whatever that is. Perhaps I'll write about our time in WDW tomorrow.
Monday, October 4, 2010
EPCOT again
Today we are off to Epcot for a turn around the world with what we hope is a lesser crowd. It got really busy on Saturday - Day Two of the Food & Wine Festival. We are meeting up with a group - some of whom we cruised with a few Disney cruises ago - in Epcot.
Dinner tonight is at Sanaai at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, so we'll need to calculate travel time into our reservation. Perhaps some downtime after Epcot to re-group? Looks like the owner of the travel agency which we use for our Disney voyages was in town to run the 5K Wine & Dine Marathon on Sunday. May be able to connect with him if he's still in town, though he lives in Vero Beach, so he may have already toddled off home by now.
LATER
Yes, we did see Rick briefly before he headed home to VB. Sorry we couldn't manage lunch or a drink, but next time?
Although concerned about making our reservation time for dinner (using the Disney free transportation network can be chancy at times), we arrived 1 minute early. The bar had Hendricks and the food was wonderful! Perhaps we can make it back there for another dinner or lunch? As an added bonus, our table was right at a window and we had a great view of ostriches, some sort of antelope, giraffes, and zebras meandering around munching on things as we munched on things.
Dinner consisted of three breads and three toppings (mango chutney, tamarind & roasted red pepper hummus); a trio of appetizer tastings (including pulled duck in a red curry sauce, potato & pea samosas, and roasted cauliflower with tomato chutney); three salads (watermelon, lime & mint; carrot, mint & lime; and my favorite: roasted beets); then our entrees of slow-simmered in gravy short ribs and coconut-curried lamb (mine) and a African-roasted chicken breast on a bed of turnips and cherries (Michael). Having eaten too much, we skipped desserts. The seasonings throughout dinner were interesting and multi-layered. We hope to get back soon.
Dinner tonight is at Sanaai at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, so we'll need to calculate travel time into our reservation. Perhaps some downtime after Epcot to re-group? Looks like the owner of the travel agency which we use for our Disney voyages was in town to run the 5K Wine & Dine Marathon on Sunday. May be able to connect with him if he's still in town, though he lives in Vero Beach, so he may have already toddled off home by now.
LATER
Yes, we did see Rick briefly before he headed home to VB. Sorry we couldn't manage lunch or a drink, but next time?
Although concerned about making our reservation time for dinner (using the Disney free transportation network can be chancy at times), we arrived 1 minute early. The bar had Hendricks and the food was wonderful! Perhaps we can make it back there for another dinner or lunch? As an added bonus, our table was right at a window and we had a great view of ostriches, some sort of antelope, giraffes, and zebras meandering around munching on things as we munched on things.
Dinner consisted of three breads and three toppings (mango chutney, tamarind & roasted red pepper hummus); a trio of appetizer tastings (including pulled duck in a red curry sauce, potato & pea samosas, and roasted cauliflower with tomato chutney); three salads (watermelon, lime & mint; carrot, mint & lime; and my favorite: roasted beets); then our entrees of slow-simmered in gravy short ribs and coconut-curried lamb (mine) and a African-roasted chicken breast on a bed of turnips and cherries (Michael). Having eaten too much, we skipped desserts. The seasonings throughout dinner were interesting and multi-layered. We hope to get back soon.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
The Cruise is Over, It's Time to Call It WDW!!!
So the cruise ended. After a final day at Castaway Cay (Disney's private island) with some of the new enhancements open - in particular Pelican Plunge, a water slide out in the bay - we all made our way aboard and sailed overnight to Port Canaveral. After breakfast a private car was waiting for us and whisked us and two other cruisers directly to The Boardwalk Villas at WDW.
It was the first weekend of the Food and Wine Festival and we headed for Epcot World Marketplace. What a zoo! Note to self - Don't do this opening weekend again! We're off to the Magic Kingdom today for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party [MNSSHP] this evening, so will avoid Epcot until during the week, when we hope it will be a bit more manageable. Some of those people yesterday were a bit much for Disney. Obviously not 'real' Disney people.
Serendipity - Michael received a Facebook note from a friend from St. Louis made on an earlier Disney cruise who happened to be in WDW prior to a conference beginning this evening. Just joined each other for breakfast at Cat Cora's Kouzzina (nee Spoodles). It was delicious (particularly the sweet potato hash although the artichoke tepenade was good, too) and I think we were earlier than most - the restaurant became busier by the time we left. A great time catching up on everything that had been going on in our families and lives.
Still hoping to meet up with our friend from Long Island who also just happens to be in WDW this weekend.
In a bit, Michael and I will be heading out to Magic Kingdom, but as it will be a long night, we're resting up before we leave. Actually, I'm resting up; Michael is down at the pool. We planned dinner at the Magic Kingdom since we'll be there already: Liberty Tree Tavern is one of the few restaurants that provide sit-down meals. The Holiday Feast was actually pretty good, though I would have gladly traded the mac-and-cheese dish for some cranberry sauce. Guess they need to cater to a child's taste in food. The rest of the meal was surprisingly tasty.
Upon returning from MNSSHP we found an email sent in the afternoon about meeting up with friends from the TransAtlantic cruise, received - alas - after we had left for the Magic Kingdom. Sorry to have missed them!
It was the first weekend of the Food and Wine Festival and we headed for Epcot World Marketplace. What a zoo! Note to self - Don't do this opening weekend again! We're off to the Magic Kingdom today for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party [MNSSHP] this evening, so will avoid Epcot until during the week, when we hope it will be a bit more manageable. Some of those people yesterday were a bit much for Disney. Obviously not 'real' Disney people.
Serendipity - Michael received a Facebook note from a friend from St. Louis made on an earlier Disney cruise who happened to be in WDW prior to a conference beginning this evening. Just joined each other for breakfast at Cat Cora's Kouzzina (nee Spoodles). It was delicious (particularly the sweet potato hash although the artichoke tepenade was good, too) and I think we were earlier than most - the restaurant became busier by the time we left. A great time catching up on everything that had been going on in our families and lives.
Still hoping to meet up with our friend from Long Island who also just happens to be in WDW this weekend.
In a bit, Michael and I will be heading out to Magic Kingdom, but as it will be a long night, we're resting up before we leave. Actually, I'm resting up; Michael is down at the pool. We planned dinner at the Magic Kingdom since we'll be there already: Liberty Tree Tavern is one of the few restaurants that provide sit-down meals. The Holiday Feast was actually pretty good, though I would have gladly traded the mac-and-cheese dish for some cranberry sauce. Guess they need to cater to a child's taste in food. The rest of the meal was surprisingly tasty.
Upon returning from MNSSHP we found an email sent in the afternoon about meeting up with friends from the TransAtlantic cruise, received - alas - after we had left for the Magic Kingdom. Sorry to have missed them!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
You say Tortola, I say Tortuga...
So we've pulled out of Tortola and are making our way north to Castaway Cay. It will take our 8th sea day in which to make the trip, arriving a bit later in the morning at the island and leaving late afternoon in order to make Port Canaveral in good time Saturday morning.
Tortola is a smaller island than yesterday's St Maarten. The town is right there at the end of the pier, but many of the activities are on the other side of the island. As one cruiser asked: Why didn't the captain park the ship on that side?
We're now headed westerly south of the many islands before turning northwest towards the Bahamas. Instead of 18,000 feet of water we're in only 180 feet, though we are speeding along at 22 knots (our top speed is 24 knots). We'll be passing up the eastern side of the Bahamas so hope to avoid the storm presently crossing Florida and predicted to affect the states as far north of Vermont.
And blessed relief, the toilet just flushed! For the last half-hour it has just sat there. Calls to engineering resulted in replies that they were aware of the problem and were working on it. A recent call from Guest Services checking on the status of the problem brought a negative response from us. However, it seems to be working again. Whew!
On board ships, the sanitary system is run under a vacuum system. If for some reason there is no vacuum, the toilet doesn't flush. Last week there was a problem for a short time with a brief delay, but it righted itself. This time it took a bit more (two calls to Engineering before it was fixed. I'm guessing that the problem was area-wide and not just our cabin like the phone and shower problems earlier this week. We've never had problems on Disney ships, but it's making up for it on this voyage.
It will soon be time to visit the spa for my appointment for the Men Only Spa Treatments (hair cut/style, Frangipani scalp massage, and Spa mini-facial). Haven't had a hair cut in a month from a new shop down the street in SMA ($20mp = about $1.49). We'll see what Alex can do for a bit more (!). Michael is there now. Then tomorrow are our manicures. At least we'll be leaving DCL looking better!
Tortola is a smaller island than yesterday's St Maarten. The town is right there at the end of the pier, but many of the activities are on the other side of the island. As one cruiser asked: Why didn't the captain park the ship on that side?
We're now headed westerly south of the many islands before turning northwest towards the Bahamas. Instead of 18,000 feet of water we're in only 180 feet, though we are speeding along at 22 knots (our top speed is 24 knots). We'll be passing up the eastern side of the Bahamas so hope to avoid the storm presently crossing Florida and predicted to affect the states as far north of Vermont.
And blessed relief, the toilet just flushed! For the last half-hour it has just sat there. Calls to engineering resulted in replies that they were aware of the problem and were working on it. A recent call from Guest Services checking on the status of the problem brought a negative response from us. However, it seems to be working again. Whew!
On board ships, the sanitary system is run under a vacuum system. If for some reason there is no vacuum, the toilet doesn't flush. Last week there was a problem for a short time with a brief delay, but it righted itself. This time it took a bit more (two calls to Engineering before it was fixed. I'm guessing that the problem was area-wide and not just our cabin like the phone and shower problems earlier this week. We've never had problems on Disney ships, but it's making up for it on this voyage.
It will soon be time to visit the spa for my appointment for the Men Only Spa Treatments (hair cut/style, Frangipani scalp massage, and Spa mini-facial). Haven't had a hair cut in a month from a new shop down the street in SMA ($20mp = about $1.49). We'll see what Alex can do for a bit more (!). Michael is there now. Then tomorrow are our manicures. At least we'll be leaving DCL looking better!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Last Sea Day – Monday, September 27th
Or perhaps it should be titled Ick! The humidity of the Caribbean is Back! This is actually the last sea day of the Atlantic crossing, but we still have days in St Maarten, Tortola, the real last sea day, and Castaway Cay before docking at Port Canaveral on Saturday, October 2nd.
What can I say about the intervening days? It's only been a week since my last post and it's included both dinner and brunch at Palo (we're on the waiting list for an additional dinner; others have told us that they had no trouble booking additional nights; we'll see if they love us or not), dinners rotating through Lumiere's, Artist's Palate, and Parrot Cay in addition to breakfasts and lunches at Topsiders Grill, the food court on Deck 9, new shows featuring talent brought on board at Funchal (a hypnotist, a comedian, and a magician with a new set of talent boarding at St Maarten), and the daily Cookies & Cream drinks at the Cove Cafe in the adults only section of Deck 9. Mustn't forget the Martini, Mojito, and Margarita tastings, too.
We found that you can download Kindle books while in the middle of the Atlantic, so running out of reading material has been solved. We've learned to deal with the on-board laundry (luckily the do-it-yourself laundry was too busy to use...) and the short-comings of the formal wear rental company. Lots of down time spent reading and napping. The sun was hot, so time was spent in the shade outside the Cove Cafe (coffeehouse) or in the cabin. Although the larger suites were nice, our cabin works fine. And the balcony is shaded with a huge open-air porthole for watching the world slide by.
Tonight is another production number developed especially for this Mediterranean season, Walt Disney, The Dream Goes On. Over the next few nights we have Jodi Benson, the Crew Talent Show, the classic production Disney Dreams (with more special effects than you can shake a stick at) at which I will cry at the ending when Tinkerbell sprinkles her fairy dust over the entire theater (I start to tear up thinking about it), and Remember the Magic: A Final Farewell (don't know this one).
Then it will be time to say goodbye to all the friends we've made on board during our 14-day crossing of the Atlantic and cruising through the Caribbean.
Once we're back in Florida we've 6 days in WDW at the Boardwalk Villas with Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, Food and Wine in Epcot, and non-stop bus riding to the various parks for fun, adventure, and dinners at our fave restaurants.
Should be able to blog on a daily basis while there. Then a quick non-stop flight to Mexico City on AeroMexico (Mexicana being in bankruptcy; Note to Self – will our travel insurance cover the cost of the new tickets if Mexican doesn't refund our money?), a stay at a nearby hotel, and bus/taxi the next morning back to San Miguel – home, sweet home. Collect the dogs (hope they remember us) from their boarding kennel and we'll be back to normal. I suppose it's time to buckle down and drill the holes in the walls to hold the nails from which we'll hang the pictures.
What can I say about the intervening days? It's only been a week since my last post and it's included both dinner and brunch at Palo (we're on the waiting list for an additional dinner; others have told us that they had no trouble booking additional nights; we'll see if they love us or not), dinners rotating through Lumiere's, Artist's Palate, and Parrot Cay in addition to breakfasts and lunches at Topsiders Grill, the food court on Deck 9, new shows featuring talent brought on board at Funchal (a hypnotist, a comedian, and a magician with a new set of talent boarding at St Maarten), and the daily Cookies & Cream drinks at the Cove Cafe in the adults only section of Deck 9. Mustn't forget the Martini, Mojito, and Margarita tastings, too.
We found that you can download Kindle books while in the middle of the Atlantic, so running out of reading material has been solved. We've learned to deal with the on-board laundry (luckily the do-it-yourself laundry was too busy to use...) and the short-comings of the formal wear rental company. Lots of down time spent reading and napping. The sun was hot, so time was spent in the shade outside the Cove Cafe (coffeehouse) or in the cabin. Although the larger suites were nice, our cabin works fine. And the balcony is shaded with a huge open-air porthole for watching the world slide by.
Tonight is another production number developed especially for this Mediterranean season, Walt Disney, The Dream Goes On. Over the next few nights we have Jodi Benson, the Crew Talent Show, the classic production Disney Dreams (with more special effects than you can shake a stick at) at which I will cry at the ending when Tinkerbell sprinkles her fairy dust over the entire theater (I start to tear up thinking about it), and Remember the Magic: A Final Farewell (don't know this one).
Then it will be time to say goodbye to all the friends we've made on board during our 14-day crossing of the Atlantic and cruising through the Caribbean.
Once we're back in Florida we've 6 days in WDW at the Boardwalk Villas with Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, Food and Wine in Epcot, and non-stop bus riding to the various parks for fun, adventure, and dinners at our fave restaurants.
Should be able to blog on a daily basis while there. Then a quick non-stop flight to Mexico City on AeroMexico (Mexicana being in bankruptcy; Note to Self – will our travel insurance cover the cost of the new tickets if Mexican doesn't refund our money?), a stay at a nearby hotel, and bus/taxi the next morning back to San Miguel – home, sweet home. Collect the dogs (hope they remember us) from their boarding kennel and we'll be back to normal. I suppose it's time to buckle down and drill the holes in the walls to hold the nails from which we'll hang the pictures.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Life at Sea - Tuesday, September 21st
Awoke this morning to a quiet sea as we sailed towards Funchal in the Medeira Islands (Portuguese). And we are all alone as far as the eye can see. In past days there was always some bit of coastline on the horizon – primarily Spain, but also Morocco as we left Gibraltar.
Today is different. We're presently about 240 nm from Gibraltar and still 350 nm from Funchal in pretty deep water (about 14,000 feet) – enough to give us non-swimmers pause. Okay; we just don't think about it. Anything deeper than we are tall is all the same – too deep – which includes most swimming pools!
Leaving Barcelona we spent a day at sea, arriving in Gibraltar on Monday morning to a bit of overcast sky. It was windy, too, up on the rock so our excursion was canceled when the winds caused the gondolas to be shut down for safety. Although the tour was postponed until the afternoon, there was no guarantee that it would go forward at that point, so we bowed out and spent the day aboard ship. There was a brief downpour in the morning, but we were in our cabin at the time and didn't notice it until we went looking for lunch and thought they'd hosed off the decks.
Today will again be a quiet day as we work our way to the Medeira Islands for tomorrow's stop. Our excursion on Funchal has already been canceled due to the effects of Hurricane Earl. So we'll be having a long time aboard ship including the following sea days, until we reach St Maarten in the Caribbean.
Time to enjoy relaxing days, catching up on Disney movies (surprise), eating well, and enjoying the Disney stage shows in Walt's theater. Life is rough! It will be rougher if my Kindle runs out of new books to read. Hope to replenish its library tomorrow while in Funchal. Don't think there will be a connection out here on the open ocean with paying for it!
The only bad news today is that the tuxedo rental company had sent the wrong shirts to us: my shirts were not of the wing collar style; Michael's shirts were of the wing-collar style, but were the wrong size – unless his arms would suddenly shrink about 3 inches in length. A call to Guest Services who contacted Wardrobe and replacement shirts were found for delivery today. However Wardrobe called this morning to tell us that the shirts had regular collars, not wing collars, so we're back to wearing bowties with regular collars, which looks rather dorky. And all the cufflinks and matching studs (both from the rental company and those we brought from home) are useless. Guess we should have ponied up the money to pay for the extra baggage and brought our own formal wear along. Next time we'll know better!
Today is different. We're presently about 240 nm from Gibraltar and still 350 nm from Funchal in pretty deep water (about 14,000 feet) – enough to give us non-swimmers pause. Okay; we just don't think about it. Anything deeper than we are tall is all the same – too deep – which includes most swimming pools!
Leaving Barcelona we spent a day at sea, arriving in Gibraltar on Monday morning to a bit of overcast sky. It was windy, too, up on the rock so our excursion was canceled when the winds caused the gondolas to be shut down for safety. Although the tour was postponed until the afternoon, there was no guarantee that it would go forward at that point, so we bowed out and spent the day aboard ship. There was a brief downpour in the morning, but we were in our cabin at the time and didn't notice it until we went looking for lunch and thought they'd hosed off the decks.
Today will again be a quiet day as we work our way to the Medeira Islands for tomorrow's stop. Our excursion on Funchal has already been canceled due to the effects of Hurricane Earl. So we'll be having a long time aboard ship including the following sea days, until we reach St Maarten in the Caribbean.
Time to enjoy relaxing days, catching up on Disney movies (surprise), eating well, and enjoying the Disney stage shows in Walt's theater. Life is rough! It will be rougher if my Kindle runs out of new books to read. Hope to replenish its library tomorrow while in Funchal. Don't think there will be a connection out here on the open ocean with paying for it!
The only bad news today is that the tuxedo rental company had sent the wrong shirts to us: my shirts were not of the wing collar style; Michael's shirts were of the wing-collar style, but were the wrong size – unless his arms would suddenly shrink about 3 inches in length. A call to Guest Services who contacted Wardrobe and replacement shirts were found for delivery today. However Wardrobe called this morning to tell us that the shirts had regular collars, not wing collars, so we're back to wearing bowties with regular collars, which looks rather dorky. And all the cufflinks and matching studs (both from the rental company and those we brought from home) are useless. Guess we should have ponied up the money to pay for the extra baggage and brought our own formal wear along. Next time we'll know better!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Disney at Last!
After falling asleep last night to the continuing deluge we awoke to a cloudy, but dry, day.. Up early, packed, and ready to go. This is the day we'd been waiting for for nearly two years – the TransAtlantic cruise began today!
After a quick dash next door for coffee and a croissant we loaded our baggage into the bus and made our way to the port. A huge cry went up from the riders when we first spotted the Magic. Well, actually a huge cry went up when we thought we saw the Magic – and again when we did see the Magic.
A lot of bustling around to get our baggage checked-in with the ship, a lot of waiting for the previous passengers to disembark and the cabins to be tidied, a lot of time to process everyone on board for the cruise, and finally our boarding group number (2) was called and we were on our way up the gangway.
We normally cruise on the Wonder, but the Magic is very much like her so there were few surprises. A scrumptuous lunch in Parrot Cay and our cabins were ready. We've been spoiled cruising in concierge with our favorite cabin: a sideways Category 3. Not quite as deep as other cabins but 3 cabins wide, there's lots of space – and space is at a premium aboard a ship. Our Navigator's Cabin was much smaller (1/3 the size), but with a partially enclosed verandah that we might actually use instead of our w-i-d-e verandah upon which we seldom step. And enough room for all our things.
After a quick dash next door for coffee and a croissant we loaded our baggage into the bus and made our way to the port. A huge cry went up from the riders when we first spotted the Magic. Well, actually a huge cry went up when we thought we saw the Magic – and again when we did see the Magic.
A lot of bustling around to get our baggage checked-in with the ship, a lot of waiting for the previous passengers to disembark and the cabins to be tidied, a lot of time to process everyone on board for the cruise, and finally our boarding group number (2) was called and we were on our way up the gangway.
We normally cruise on the Wonder, but the Magic is very much like her so there were few surprises. A scrumptuous lunch in Parrot Cay and our cabins were ready. We've been spoiled cruising in concierge with our favorite cabin: a sideways Category 3. Not quite as deep as other cabins but 3 cabins wide, there's lots of space – and space is at a premium aboard a ship. Our Navigator's Cabin was much smaller (1/3 the size), but with a partially enclosed verandah that we might actually use instead of our w-i-d-e verandah upon which we seldom step. And enough room for all our things.
Montserrat for Beginners
We spent today visiting the monastery of Montserrat. We awoke to rain, so after a quick coffee and nosh at the cafe next door, we headed out to find an umbrella. Not many stores open that early in them morning in Spain. I'm used to Target which opens at 8 am. However, after getting rather wet (jackets and ball caps), we found ourselves at the Tourist Information office beneath the Plaça Catalunya, which opened at 9 and stocked umbrellas. They say Barcelona all over them, but they kept us dry.
Umbrellas in hand, we then made our way to the Julia Travel Agency where we exchanged our voucher for tickets and met our guide, Jordi, and boarded the bus to Montserrat. Jordi (the English version of his name is George) – and it's a soft 'j' like Zsa Zsa, not a hard 'j' as in 'jump' – kept us entertained with facts about the city, industry, countryside, history, and the monastery along the way..
We went as far as the little village at the foot of the mountain and then took the cog-wheel railway to the top while others continued on the bus. And it's not really the top. There is a funicular that will take you the rest of the way to the real top of the mountain. However, the clouds persisted and the top was enveloped in clouds so we stuck to the precincts.
Fascinating place. Originally built around 1000 AD, it was destroyed by Napolean's army and the present monastery was rebuilt around 1900, making very efficient use of the space on the shelf on the mountainside. There's even a small hotel. The boys sing gloriously and the new pipe organ is quite grand. The basilica itself is a bit ornate (check out the many, many chandeliers – each different) but not overpowering. We saw the Black Madonna from afar and did not stand in line to parade down the side aisle and up behind the apse to touch her for a blessing. Warning, if camera flashes disturb you, no one follows the 'No Camera' rule inside.
We finally returned to town after an hour's delay on the highway. Not that they'd use them on a highway, but around town there is a scheme of temporary-use bicycles. For 30 euros a year, one is given a card which will allow you to borrow a bicycle for 2 hours' use. You drop it off at a depot near your destination and someone else may use it for their trip. Users number nearly 200,000 and there are many dozen depots around the city.
Since it was late, we decided to walk the Ramblas as we had done last night. This time we walked all the way to the port, passing many outdoor cafes, flower vendors, hawkers of toys, and local folks who dressed as statues and cadged coins from those who took pictures with them. Some were quite good.
We eventually found a place for sangria and a bite of dinner and afterwards went searching for a better sangria. Eventually found the cafe where we'd lunched on Thursday who made their sangria with a darker red wine. Ordered a few tapas to munch with the sangria and listened to a couple of guys debated how to spend the rest of the night – and their complaints about the price of their wine.
About that time it began to rain again. After a tremendous flash of lightning and peal f thunder right overhead, a deluge began. As the cafe was closing up, we took our umbrellas and headed back to the hotel, hopping over flooded gutters and discovering that our umbrellas weren't entirely waterproof in heavy rain!
Safely back in our room, toweled off, we fell asleep. Rather, I fell asleep while Michael went off in search of other cruisers staying at the same hotel and congregating in the first floor lounge.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Greetings from Sunny Spain!
Well, it’s actually raining right now, but it’s 4 am so it doesn’t really count, right? Has it been sunny – check my forehead after riding around on the top of a double-decker bus all day without a hat!
We finally arrived at the hotel about 1 am after traveling since Tuesday morning, just a little bit cranky. The trip to Leon and flights from Mexico went well, however there was trouble from LAX onward.
We arrived at LAX five hours early for our 9 pm flight to London and on to Barcelona only to find out that it wasn’t departing until 11 pm. The agent at the BA ticket counter assured us that there would be time to make our connection in London so we settled down for a long wait – and it was long. Particularly when the flight didn’t take off until nearly 11:30.
Pleasant flight and all. Seating in World Traveler Plus is much roomier than World Traveler (not as good as their Business Class (Club) which has seats that flatten out to make beds…), but nice. However, arriving late at Heathrow Terminal 5 and taking transport to Terminal 3 could have worked except that we needed to go through security screening once again. Even with priority, we tore down the corridor to our departure gate only to be met with a group of fellow passengers from LAX being led back to booking agents by a B.A. employee. Even though they knew that their flight from L.A. with passengers booked on the flight to Barcelona were arriving late, the plane did not wait for us.
(I still blame the agent at LAX who didn’t change our flight to their 6:30 flight for which we were in plenty of time. And would have eliminated this whole problem.)
However, they booked us on their later flight to BCN so we eventually made it to the hotel by 1 am after taking an airport bus into town (only 10 euros for 2 instead of a taxi for 50 euros. Luckily, the city is alive at night and we were able to find a tourist info kiosk that was open and able to direct us towards the hotel.
This morning we were up (not early), chose to have breakfast sitting on the Rambla watching the world stroll past and eventually walked down towards the Plaça de Catalunya, found the office to exchange our pre-paid voucher for the ticket for the hop-on/hop-off bus and spend the day seeing the sights.
Although it was billed as hop-off/hop-on, lines at the more interesting sights were so long, we decided to stay on the bus and take pictures from afar. Between the blue tour in the morning and the red tour in the afternoon, we saw most of what BCN has to offer.
Eventually it was time to take a nap while Michael went to the 1st floor lounge (like England, on what we would call the second floor), where he met several of the folks staying here who would be on the TransAtlantic cruise!
Our evening stroll down the Ramblas (it goes all the way to the port, though we didn’t walk it the whole way) ended when we returned to the neighborhood of the hotel for a 10 pm dinner of tapas and sangria. Yummy!
At the start of our walk we did scout out the travel agency at which we need to exchange our voucher for tomorrow’s (now today’s) trip to the Montserrat Monastery in the hills outside town. Turns out it’s about a 5-minute walk from the hotel. The Praktik Rambla is an older hotel that’s been ‘boutiqued’ up and is very comfortable. The bathroom is to die for! Dark green subway tiles, a square waterfall shower head, spiffy flat, square basin, et cetera. Our room on the third floor (fourth floor in the US) is dead center and at the front of the hotel and has a small balcony overlooking the Ramblas. Quite happy with the location, too – only two blocks from the Plaça Contalunya, sort of the center of the interesting part of town.
Although today’s trip does not include a double-decker bus, instead using a coach and cog-wheel railway (you know how I am about alternate forms of transportation) to reach the mountain top, I’m wearing a hat!
Monday, September 13, 2010
A Vacation from a Vacation
Having recently retired, it was time to take a vacation.
Actually it was a vacation initially planned two years ago when the cruise first opened for bookings. Getting three weeks off at work was a gamble, but got it approved last year. However, having retired in the meanwhile, we've added a week at WDW following the cruise, so we'll now be gone a month. Kenneling costs for our four dogs preclude any additional time away from home.
One day to go and there's still things left on our to-do list, beginning with figuring our the status of our tuxedo order. We had recently acquired our own tuxedos/dinner jackets/etc for the cruise, but with the new charges for extra luggage, decided to rent formal wear that would be delivered to the ship.
Placed the order last weekend. Haven't received the promised email confirmation but noticed a charge on the account. Only for one tuxedo and it's not the full amount. Since we leave tomorrow and must pack our tuxes if need be (and buy additional luggage space), I'll be on the phone at 7 am NYC time to make inquiries. It's less expensive to take our own - even with the extra baggage charges, but schlepping around 5 suitcases will be a drag, so to speak. What did we do before wheeled cases?
There's also one last mail pick-up here in town, taking the dogs out to the kennel in the countryside, one last load of laundry to do (we got the washer/dryer up and mostly running), arrange a ride to the airport, book additional luggage with BA (it's cheaper in advance) if we're taking our own formalware, getting Euros to start us off in Barcelona, picking up our INAPAM card this afternoon (we need it for the return trip), and probably a few other things I haven't remembered. Oh yeah, packing for the trip.
I may need to eliminate some of the things I grabbed yesterday. We intend to use the laundry services on board the Magic and there's a washer/dryer in our villa at WDW. No need to pack an outfit for every day, is there?
Much of the time aboard ship is being planned by a group of Dissers, so we won't have a chance to get bored while bobbing our way across the Atlantic. In fact, we may need to time at WDW to recuperate. They have more activities planned than you can shake a stick at. Glad I loaded some new books on my Kindle if I need time away from all the hilarity.
I should explain that 'Dissers' are members of the Dis (pronounced 'Diz' as in Disney) internet forums. Many of them are veterans of the first transAtlantic voyage last year and most of them know each other. They have posted over 2500 message on the XAtlantic thread, beginning before the bookings were announced.
Planning has run amok! We have special shirts to wear for the first meet-and-greet aboard ship before it embarks Saturday. And the hilarity continues from there. There are special activities on board for group members, there are special shore excursions, the list goes on. Some are already in BCN. Some are sailing back-to-back Mediterranean/XAtlantic cruises.
We're all slightly nuts!!! (er, enthusiastic!) We have pre-ordered wine for dinner every night and there are several bars on board, so we'll get through this somehow with only minor liver damage.
We had our airline tickets before this retirement thing came up, so we are only in BCN 3 days before the cruise, in time for some light sightseeing: Gaudi's Segrada Familia chapel - still under construction and estimated to be finished in 2040 - and other 'Organic Modernista' buildings and gardens; Monserrat & its Black Madonna (with a cog railway ride!); Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso called Catalonia home (Catalonia has it's own language; I wonder what happened to my handy list of phrases in Catalonian?); and Santa Maria del Mar has one of the widest Gothic naves. We hope to squeeze in some time on a Segway, but that's fungible.
Guess I'd better get back to bed for a few more hours of shut-eye before the day begins. I'll try to post along the way, but the transAtlantic cruise time will probably be silent. There is internet aboard the ship, but it's muy $$, so there may be a gap until we hit WDW.
Actually it was a vacation initially planned two years ago when the cruise first opened for bookings. Getting three weeks off at work was a gamble, but got it approved last year. However, having retired in the meanwhile, we've added a week at WDW following the cruise, so we'll now be gone a month. Kenneling costs for our four dogs preclude any additional time away from home.
One day to go and there's still things left on our to-do list, beginning with figuring our the status of our tuxedo order. We had recently acquired our own tuxedos/dinner jackets/etc for the cruise, but with the new charges for extra luggage, decided to rent formal wear that would be delivered to the ship.
Placed the order last weekend. Haven't received the promised email confirmation but noticed a charge on the account. Only for one tuxedo and it's not the full amount. Since we leave tomorrow and must pack our tuxes if need be (and buy additional luggage space), I'll be on the phone at 7 am NYC time to make inquiries. It's less expensive to take our own - even with the extra baggage charges, but schlepping around 5 suitcases will be a drag, so to speak. What did we do before wheeled cases?
There's also one last mail pick-up here in town, taking the dogs out to the kennel in the countryside, one last load of laundry to do (we got the washer/dryer up and mostly running), arrange a ride to the airport, book additional luggage with BA (it's cheaper in advance) if we're taking our own formalware, getting Euros to start us off in Barcelona, picking up our INAPAM card this afternoon (we need it for the return trip), and probably a few other things I haven't remembered. Oh yeah, packing for the trip.
I may need to eliminate some of the things I grabbed yesterday. We intend to use the laundry services on board the Magic and there's a washer/dryer in our villa at WDW. No need to pack an outfit for every day, is there?
Much of the time aboard ship is being planned by a group of Dissers, so we won't have a chance to get bored while bobbing our way across the Atlantic. In fact, we may need to time at WDW to recuperate. They have more activities planned than you can shake a stick at. Glad I loaded some new books on my Kindle if I need time away from all the hilarity.
I should explain that 'Dissers' are members of the Dis (pronounced 'Diz' as in Disney) internet forums. Many of them are veterans of the first transAtlantic voyage last year and most of them know each other. They have posted over 2500 message on the XAtlantic thread, beginning before the bookings were announced.
Planning has run amok! We have special shirts to wear for the first meet-and-greet aboard ship before it embarks Saturday. And the hilarity continues from there. There are special activities on board for group members, there are special shore excursions, the list goes on. Some are already in BCN. Some are sailing back-to-back Mediterranean/XAtlantic cruises.
We're all slightly nuts!!! (er, enthusiastic!) We have pre-ordered wine for dinner every night and there are several bars on board, so we'll get through this somehow with only minor liver damage.
We had our airline tickets before this retirement thing came up, so we are only in BCN 3 days before the cruise, in time for some light sightseeing: Gaudi's Segrada Familia chapel - still under construction and estimated to be finished in 2040 - and other 'Organic Modernista' buildings and gardens; Monserrat & its Black Madonna (with a cog railway ride!); Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso called Catalonia home (Catalonia has it's own language; I wonder what happened to my handy list of phrases in Catalonian?); and Santa Maria del Mar has one of the widest Gothic naves. We hope to squeeze in some time on a Segway, but that's fungible.
Guess I'd better get back to bed for a few more hours of shut-eye before the day begins. I'll try to post along the way, but the transAtlantic cruise time will probably be silent. There is internet aboard the ship, but it's muy $$, so there may be a gap until we hit WDW.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Cool, Clear Water
After a busy day yesterday with our Pedro, his helper, and the washer/dryer guy we enjoyed a delightful evening at Tacos Don Felix. For years Tacos Don Felix was a sort-of impromptu restaurant under a large tent on weekends only in our colonia of San Rafael. Even then there were tablecloths and a chandelier.
Now the restaurant has been moved into his house and garden atop a hill in the same colonia with the same menu (or possibly enhanced). A charming menu featuring very tasty meals served by charming and skillful staff in a charming setting. And he remembered us from our first visit some months ago when we first arrived in San Miguel.
The entrees include the seven taco platter featuring seven tacos with seven different fillings including one with a huitlacoche filling made from the fungus which grows on immature ears of corn. Sounds a bit gross but in the sauce in which it is served it has a very rich, mushroomy flavor. Don't think about what's in it; just concentrate on the rich flavor.
The only distraction was a nearby table of the-ladies-who-lunch having dinner. So very stereotypical, they could have been drawn from a Stephen Sondheim musical.
Today Pedro et al have abandoned us for better offers. We still need to call in a washer technician to check out the sequence in each washing cycle, but we can do that next week. By attending the washer we can cancel the multiple rinses for which it has developed a fondness.
The dryer seems to be functioning normally, which means the technician managed to follow the pictures in the instructions for converting it from natural gas to LP which we have in SMA. And they figured out that the sensors needed to be reconnected so that the drum would turn. We had to tell them to connect the vent -- and show them how the metalicized exhaust hose expanded to reach from the machine to the vent in the wall. And for this they wanted $2600 mp! I think we were taken, particularly since we now need to bring in a repairman to check out the finer points of the washer.
Michael thinks that - if and when we move - we should leave the washer/dryer behind for the next tenant. Our landlord showed us the new home he was building next to his house. A bit small for us; otherwi se we might consider it.
Today we're getting clean water! Although the water pumped through the municipal system may start out pure, by the time it reaches a person's home it has had a chance to become contaminated. It's don't-drink-the-water time.
As a result, we use a fair amount of bottled water which is purchased in large garafons which are upended in a dispenser on the kitchen counter. Washing one's teeth occurs in the kitchen where it is safe to rinse one's mouth with the purified water. Showers are taken with one's mouth firmly closed, lest the water finds its way into your digestive system and acts up.
Most homes in Mexico have either a cistern and/or a large black plastic tinaco on the roof for holding water. The tinaco on the roof provides the water pressure for your home as well as stockpiles water if the municipal supply is interrupted. Our tinaco holds 750 liters or nearly 200 gallons. It was drained in anticipation of the person who would clean the sediment and whatever else is in there before refilling and adding the purification system.
Finding the correct valve that turned off the water to the house was an adventure itself, but suffice it to say we finally found the correct valve and let the excess water flow down the drain. The cleaner is here now emptying the rest of the water and any 'stuff' that had accumulated in the tinaco. I believe our landlord said that it had been cleaned 'recently,' but Michael (who is brave enough to climb up the ladder to our 4th floor roof) assures me that we're getting our money's worth hiring the cleaner.
Once it's ready to go, we'll turn the water back on and the cleaner will leave a plastic capsule in the tinaco that contains ceramic spheres which are treated with colloidal silver. The colloidal silver has antibacterial properties and makes our water supply safe and toxic-free for the whole house. 1 part silver to 10,000,000 parts water destroys all microbes without causing harm to man or other animals - more effectively than chlorine, I'm told. It's the same type of system used by NASA for water purification.
We've just now turned the water supply to the house back on and can hear the water refilling the roof reservoir. In about 3 hours the water should be purified and ready to go. We'll be able to wash our teeth in the bathroom instead of the kitchen near the garafon; the water the dogs drink from the toilets will not upset their stomachs; and we won't be constantly running to the local tienda for another garafon of pure water.
This is living!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Rain, Rain, Don't Leave Yet!
We all knew I'd get around to the weather again, right? While folks were saying that the rainy season was over, I was hoping it wasn't. I like rain - especially electrical storms. Grew up in the midwest where it rained all the time. There's a reason it's so green most of the year (except for the time it's white): rain.
I've even given thought to establishing a mini-weather station that hooks into the weather underground via the 'net. There are no 'official' weather reports from SMA, as we don't have an airport. And the weather here in the highlands can vary dramatically every few miles - witness the rain we can see in the mountains that doesn't reach us. There are two mini-weather stations already - one in a suburb and one out in the campo, but there's always room for one more central, eh?
So yesterday morning we woke up to a wet bedroom terrace. The precipitation had dwindled to a mere mist by the time we awoke, but it was water. Then yesterday there were lots of dark clouds in the sky with rain in the mountains against which we nestle, but nothing reached the city.
So this afternoon when the natural light in our office dimmed from the six small skylights, we joked that perhaps it was going to rain. A moment later it was raining. Goush, goush; thunder and lightning (there must have been lightning somewhere, I'm sure, to go with all the thunder); and all the skylights (including the ones in the two boveda ceilings and the one that provides light to the office bath and kitchen) pitter-patted with the rain.
It turns out that the epoxy patching job I had done on one of the skylights in the office held; no dripping. As the thunder continues to crash and roll we're snug in our house with the dogs gathered around (or perhaps they're looking for their dinners?).
Enjoy it while we can; the dry season will soon be upon us.
I've even given thought to establishing a mini-weather station that hooks into the weather underground via the 'net. There are no 'official' weather reports from SMA, as we don't have an airport. And the weather here in the highlands can vary dramatically every few miles - witness the rain we can see in the mountains that doesn't reach us. There are two mini-weather stations already - one in a suburb and one out in the campo, but there's always room for one more central, eh?
So yesterday morning we woke up to a wet bedroom terrace. The precipitation had dwindled to a mere mist by the time we awoke, but it was water. Then yesterday there were lots of dark clouds in the sky with rain in the mountains against which we nestle, but nothing reached the city.
So this afternoon when the natural light in our office dimmed from the six small skylights, we joked that perhaps it was going to rain. A moment later it was raining. Goush, goush; thunder and lightning (there must have been lightning somewhere, I'm sure, to go with all the thunder); and all the skylights (including the ones in the two boveda ceilings and the one that provides light to the office bath and kitchen) pitter-patted with the rain.
It turns out that the epoxy patching job I had done on one of the skylights in the office held; no dripping. As the thunder continues to crash and roll we're snug in our house with the dogs gathered around (or perhaps they're looking for their dinners?).
Enjoy it while we can; the dry season will soon be upon us.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Good news, at last!
Although we're still waiting for the visit from the moving company owner to discuss our satisfaction with the move (and compensation for the damage incurred), things are looking up.
Our man-of-all-trades visited today to go over our list of projects and discuss what we feel needs to be done around the house. Pedro has been involved with construction and reconstruction for many years, so he can make my ideas become reality within our Mexican milieu. He'll return on Wednesday to start on our list of about 20 projects.
[We had Pedro's referral from our friends who also live in San Rafael and have found his expertise invaluable. We began using him when we first rented the house and much work was done before we even left California several months later.]
I'm sure there will be more ideas as we go along and ideas continue to percolate to the top of my brain. As Michael says: Not too much; it's a rental house!
But these 20 projects are the most essential. After all, we are living here. I can think of lots of others that probably don't really need to be done.
Yes, some of them are not of the temporary sort. We won't be taking them with us when/if we eventually move. Instead they'll stay behind to enhance the house - unlike the traditional procedure of a renter taking everything they have added to a home with them when they move house.
Would you believe we don't have curtain rods in some of the rooms? In California (yes, I know I'm not in California - nor Kansas - any more) anything attached to the premises becomes part of the property.
I promise to leave behind the 35-foot mottled red wall that stretches along one side of the ground floor from the entry through the dining room. I promise to leave the coffee-with-cream color we painted the entire third floor. But I also promise to leave behind the new exhaust hood for the kitchen stove, the new curtain rods, and the preservative applied to the garage/entry/bedroom terrace doors, too.
I think it'll all even out.
Our man-of-all-trades visited today to go over our list of projects and discuss what we feel needs to be done around the house. Pedro has been involved with construction and reconstruction for many years, so he can make my ideas become reality within our Mexican milieu. He'll return on Wednesday to start on our list of about 20 projects.
[We had Pedro's referral from our friends who also live in San Rafael and have found his expertise invaluable. We began using him when we first rented the house and much work was done before we even left California several months later.]
I'm sure there will be more ideas as we go along and ideas continue to percolate to the top of my brain. As Michael says: Not too much; it's a rental house!
But these 20 projects are the most essential. After all, we are living here. I can think of lots of others that probably don't really need to be done.
Yes, some of them are not of the temporary sort. We won't be taking them with us when/if we eventually move. Instead they'll stay behind to enhance the house - unlike the traditional procedure of a renter taking everything they have added to a home with them when they move house.
Would you believe we don't have curtain rods in some of the rooms? In California (yes, I know I'm not in California - nor Kansas - any more) anything attached to the premises becomes part of the property.
I promise to leave behind the 35-foot mottled red wall that stretches along one side of the ground floor from the entry through the dining room. I promise to leave the coffee-with-cream color we painted the entire third floor. But I also promise to leave behind the new exhaust hood for the kitchen stove, the new curtain rods, and the preservative applied to the garage/entry/bedroom terrace doors, too.
I think it'll all even out.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Back at it!
During the break in postings we've visited Santa Fe, New Mexico for catch up with friends and family, a bit of organic gourmet tasting, our first Indian Marketry, and a splash of culture.
The trip began with the drive to Mexico City (DF) aeropuerto. Well, we were driven and made the trip in under the announced four hours. Thank heavens we did not need to drive in DF!
We were wearing our cowboy hats on the trip since we were headed to Santa Fe where we had them made a couple of years ago. Living in Los Angeles, we didn't have a great call to wear them, but going back to their source seemed a good time to pull them out of their boxes.
After we'd been dropped off at the airport and were heading towards the domestic flights area of Terminal 1, we realized that we no longer had hats! After a few fevered calls by cell phone to the provider of the driver service, it was determined that the driver had not left the airport, but was picking up new clients at the arrival gates of Terminal 2. A representative from the service picked up our hats and delivered them to us on the departures side of Terminal 1. Michael had to leave the secure area to retrieve them and go through security again, but we were no longer hatless.
The flight from DF to Tijuana was fairly uneventful. Taxied to the border (our driver reported that the number of tourists was down) and joined the line to pass through US Immigration. My sister found us and drove us back into town to spend the night with them. Pizza from one of our favorite chains sure tasted good. (We had walked past a pizza place in the DF airport and I had been craving it since.)
We're told by others that the pizza in SMA tastes a lot like cardboard. Even the pizza from the local Domino's outlet isn't up to their company standards. Of course, pizza isn't a food group here in Mexico. We were surprised when slices ordered at the pizza stand at the local Mega was served with packets of catsup on the side! (But then, locals had covered their Chicken Bakes from Costco with mayonnaise and catsup!!!)
There must be some decent pizza somewhere in town. The new Chicago-esque restaurant near La Lucienaga mall does a good version of Chicago-style pizza. Our dogs enjoyed the crusts we brought home, but they're not too picky about pizza crusts as long as there is a dab of sauce and some cheese on them!
Next morning it was off to the airport in San Diego for a nonstop flight to Albuquerque and drive to Santa Fe. Naturally, we ran into opera folk going to Santa Fe in the airport lounge.
Got settled in our hotel (which we later discovered actually housed some of the booths for Indian Market) - thanks Hotwire: we were upgraded to a suite - and ran off to partake in a restaurant walk through the a local cooking school.
We'd enjoyed both a restaurant walk and a luncheon in a vineyard in previous years. This tour was on the same par, visiting four restaurants that specialize in using local organic products after beginning with an orientation and starter course (salmon on a black bean and roasted corn salsa) at the school. We later revisited two of the restaurants for a dinner and a luncheon during the weekend, as well as a restaurant from a past tour for a second dinner on Sunday.
Saturday morning was the opening of Indian Market, and although we are not 'into' Indian goods, we had to walk through it. The market is an enormous gathering of artistic goods created by native Americans and covers the town square and 14 blocks, including the ballrooms and meeting rooms of our hotel. Knowing nothing of Indian art, we still enjoyed walking the booths and eventually went home with a few things in our suitcases. Some of the objects offered are high-end (it's not nick-named 'Indian Mark-Up' for nothing), but there were also accessible items.
Visited our hat shop near the cathedral. We don't always buy, but always stop in to visit and try on the latest creations. This year they had added Panama straw hats made in western styles to their line. Scott and everyone seemed to be doing well.
We also found a hatmaker from Colorado at Indian Market who made nice hats, but O'Ferrell's still has our business.
Saturday night was the opera (Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring) which was the ostensible purpose of our visit. Shuttle to the opera, dinner with our friends from Santa Fe, and then the performance. Couldn't find the memorial brick we had sponsored after last year.
Sunday was more Indian Market, a visit to our friends' home - where we talked plans for next year, and dinner at Rio Chalma on one of their patios. A little rainy but we were under cover. Dinner was great as usual.
Then the reverse of our earlier trip: drive back to ABQ for our flight to SAN, stop at the family home for a home-cooked meal of Moroccan short ribs over couscous with Paula, Tim, and Dad, and the short bus ride to TIJ airport for the red-eye flight to DF and another speedy ride to SMA through which we slept most of the way. Can't sleep on a plane to save myself.
Picked up the dogs from the kennel (boy, they're probably sorry to return home) and now it's back to reality and unpacking more of the boxes. Will it never end?
The trip began with the drive to Mexico City (DF) aeropuerto. Well, we were driven and made the trip in under the announced four hours. Thank heavens we did not need to drive in DF!
We were wearing our cowboy hats on the trip since we were headed to Santa Fe where we had them made a couple of years ago. Living in Los Angeles, we didn't have a great call to wear them, but going back to their source seemed a good time to pull them out of their boxes.
After we'd been dropped off at the airport and were heading towards the domestic flights area of Terminal 1, we realized that we no longer had hats! After a few fevered calls by cell phone to the provider of the driver service, it was determined that the driver had not left the airport, but was picking up new clients at the arrival gates of Terminal 2. A representative from the service picked up our hats and delivered them to us on the departures side of Terminal 1. Michael had to leave the secure area to retrieve them and go through security again, but we were no longer hatless.
The flight from DF to Tijuana was fairly uneventful. Taxied to the border (our driver reported that the number of tourists was down) and joined the line to pass through US Immigration. My sister found us and drove us back into town to spend the night with them. Pizza from one of our favorite chains sure tasted good. (We had walked past a pizza place in the DF airport and I had been craving it since.)
We're told by others that the pizza in SMA tastes a lot like cardboard. Even the pizza from the local Domino's outlet isn't up to their company standards. Of course, pizza isn't a food group here in Mexico. We were surprised when slices ordered at the pizza stand at the local Mega was served with packets of catsup on the side! (But then, locals had covered their Chicken Bakes from Costco with mayonnaise and catsup!!!)
There must be some decent pizza somewhere in town. The new Chicago-esque restaurant near La Lucienaga mall does a good version of Chicago-style pizza. Our dogs enjoyed the crusts we brought home, but they're not too picky about pizza crusts as long as there is a dab of sauce and some cheese on them!
Next morning it was off to the airport in San Diego for a nonstop flight to Albuquerque and drive to Santa Fe. Naturally, we ran into opera folk going to Santa Fe in the airport lounge.
Got settled in our hotel (which we later discovered actually housed some of the booths for Indian Market) - thanks Hotwire: we were upgraded to a suite - and ran off to partake in a restaurant walk through the a local cooking school.
We'd enjoyed both a restaurant walk and a luncheon in a vineyard in previous years. This tour was on the same par, visiting four restaurants that specialize in using local organic products after beginning with an orientation and starter course (salmon on a black bean and roasted corn salsa) at the school. We later revisited two of the restaurants for a dinner and a luncheon during the weekend, as well as a restaurant from a past tour for a second dinner on Sunday.
Saturday morning was the opening of Indian Market, and although we are not 'into' Indian goods, we had to walk through it. The market is an enormous gathering of artistic goods created by native Americans and covers the town square and 14 blocks, including the ballrooms and meeting rooms of our hotel. Knowing nothing of Indian art, we still enjoyed walking the booths and eventually went home with a few things in our suitcases. Some of the objects offered are high-end (it's not nick-named 'Indian Mark-Up' for nothing), but there were also accessible items.
Visited our hat shop near the cathedral. We don't always buy, but always stop in to visit and try on the latest creations. This year they had added Panama straw hats made in western styles to their line. Scott and everyone seemed to be doing well.
We also found a hatmaker from Colorado at Indian Market who made nice hats, but O'Ferrell's still has our business.
Saturday night was the opera (Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring) which was the ostensible purpose of our visit. Shuttle to the opera, dinner with our friends from Santa Fe, and then the performance. Couldn't find the memorial brick we had sponsored after last year.
Sunday was more Indian Market, a visit to our friends' home - where we talked plans for next year, and dinner at Rio Chalma on one of their patios. A little rainy but we were under cover. Dinner was great as usual.
Then the reverse of our earlier trip: drive back to ABQ for our flight to SAN, stop at the family home for a home-cooked meal of Moroccan short ribs over couscous with Paula, Tim, and Dad, and the short bus ride to TIJ airport for the red-eye flight to DF and another speedy ride to SMA through which we slept most of the way. Can't sleep on a plane to save myself.
Picked up the dogs from the kennel (boy, they're probably sorry to return home) and now it's back to reality and unpacking more of the boxes. Will it never end?
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