We're happy to report that Cabo is still there - and improved. As a result of the hurricane, the resort is being restored and some extra touches are happening, too!
Unfortunately, the huge french-door refrigerator is not popular with my brother and wife - they both can't look in the fridge at the same time. Nor is the extended palapa roof over the terrace, nor the reworked pool and hot tub up there on the third floor. We thought they were all super (especially the fridge which replaced a standard unit which was a bit on the small size). But there you go! Different strokes for different folks.
We did find a new (to us) restaurant - La Dolce: an Italian place that serves - among other things - a pizza topped with Gorganzola cheese, walnuts, porcini, and Parmesan cheese. Yummy! It was packed with people who give Americans a bad name, but the food was really good!
Next year we'll be back for weeks 2 and 3 with my brother and sister-in-law. Hope Paula and Tim can make it, too. They had returned to Northern California when the scheduling plans were settled. Now we'll see if it gets switched around before then...there's a whole year for changes to take place.
A bit earlier than usual, but we'll need some time at home before we go off on our February cruise to Ocho Rios and the southern Caribbean on a Carnival ship - gasp! Yes, we're trying out other cruise lines besides Disney, but we're finding (from the photos on their websites) that Disney wins cabins hands down! The most basic Disney cabin is equal to those on other lines that are at the top of each range. But when other lines go places that Disney doesn't go, what choice have you? And after 20 Disney cruises, there's not a lot left except the eastern Mediterranean! One day...maybe!
In the meanwhile, we're planning the Carnival cruise to Ocho Rios in 2017 [who are we kidding; it's already planned, excursions chosen, and paid-in-full in another month, et cetera]; Disney cruises #19 & 20 (the Eastbound Panama Canal + Universal City (yeah! Harry Potter-land at last) and then the Eastern Caribbean with Facebook friends + Disney's Food and Wine festival in EPCOT. Both are in 2016; okay, we went a little crazy there for a while. Then it's Hawai'i in 2017on Carnival again from British Columbia to the islands where we disembark after visiting them on the ship and hope to spend some time at Disney's resort, Aulani (if we're lucky; otherwise a nearby resort). Then there's a Princess land-and-sea cruise to Alaska in 2019 - a bit more expensive than usual, so we need the additional time to save up our pennies....
Do we do nothing but travel and cruise - only if we're lucky!
In other news, we returned home to find that the van's right front tire was flatter than a poorly made biscuit. Figuring that we'd better replace at least 2 tires, it became all 4 tires when we looked more closely at the back set. After six years of use, including our move to Mexico, a round trip to Kentucky, and 6 years of travel on cobblestones, they were a bit worse for wear. And tire prices were quite reasonable, we thought; having some funds left over after Cabo was a good thing! So we now have a new set of Bridgestones. And if we can keep Fiyero from peeing on the tires, perhaps another 6 years? The van is 10 years old this year; we hope to keep it going longer (we don't drive a lot)!
And we got our twice-yearly emission test done, too. The testing place was right next to the tire store so it seemed a natural. to simply drive out of one spot and into the next.
Off to Puerto Vallarta this weekend for our friend's Victor's wedding. Just an extended weekend, but there's the wedding, some beach time and then back to the drudgery of living in San Miguel!
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Cabo, Cabo San Lucas, Where all we do is sit on our....
Yes, we're off to Cabo San Lucas for two weeks where we will be sitting on our tukases a lot! [Did you figure out the rhyme?] Mostly on the beach under a palapa, being plied with drinks. My brother, Chuck, and his wife, Jane, will be leaving for a week-long trip home (an international flight) tomorrow at 1:30 pm in Terminal Two; we arrive (on a domestic flight) at 4:30 pm in Terminal One, so we miss each other. Then after the weekend my sister and her husband arrive. Then Chuck and Jane return the next Thursday. Then Paula and Tim leave. And lastly, Michael and I leave on the next Thursday. Where's that chart I prepared?
So eventually we'll all be together - for a few days at least - for our 'Boyer kids' reunion. The best part is that we still like each other.
The reason for all this is that during the time that Chuck and Jane are at Club Cascadas, my birthday happens. We're usually there over the birthday event and celebrate with a dinner out. There was still a dinner out on my actual birthday this year - and at our favorite restaurant - but we were here in San Miguel de Allende, eating at La Sirena Gorda (The Fat Mermaid, home of really great ginger margaritas). I hear those present in Cabo had a great time! [We did too!]
Next year we've got a cruise in the middle of February that goes to Firefly (Noel Coward's home in Jamaica), so we'll be back on schedule for the last week in January. Better get my dibs in for our room now!
So eventually we'll all be together - for a few days at least - for our 'Boyer kids' reunion. The best part is that we still like each other.
The reason for all this is that during the time that Chuck and Jane are at Club Cascadas, my birthday happens. We're usually there over the birthday event and celebrate with a dinner out. There was still a dinner out on my actual birthday this year - and at our favorite restaurant - but we were here in San Miguel de Allende, eating at La Sirena Gorda (The Fat Mermaid, home of really great ginger margaritas). I hear those present in Cabo had a great time! [We did too!]
Next year we've got a cruise in the middle of February that goes to Firefly (Noel Coward's home in Jamaica), so we'll be back on schedule for the last week in January. Better get my dibs in for our room now!
Monday, January 11, 2016
Have a magical day...now, get out!
Having just returned from a week at Walt Disney World the week before Christmas, I thought I'd jot a few things down.
It was a glorious week. Michael had arranged a one-bedroom unit in The Paddock - a section of Sarasota Springs Resort - that was near the area we were in last year (The Springs). Our 'home' faced a lake with a walkway across the lake. Our balcony (which went unused, alas) faced the lake with fountains in it. If we had been on the other side of the building, we would have had a view of the Reedy Creek Fire Department, one of whose EMTs, Jason, had saved my life several years ago while at WDW in the Old Key West Resort by attending to my miserable back and putting us in touch with a doctor who would come out to the resort and prescribe 'wondrous' meds! I did manage to take a photo of the RCFD for old times sake....
But so much for fond memories.
I had intended this report to cover our day-by-day activities, but - ya know - time has passed and it's all a blur!
I do remember visiting Disney Springs a few times (we used the boats several times; nothing like alternative modes of transportation) including twice at Raglan Road. Both times we showed up early and they courteously accommodated us. Great fun!
Disney Springs is quite large at present - and it continues to grow! One needs the endurance of a track horse to make it from end-to-end. We did it twice; that was enough! I was drooping by the end of the circuit. The pizza place at the old end (Wolfgang Puck's) was good, though a bit guess-and-by-golly as to how it worked. We decided to skip The Earl of Sandwich on the first night based on the waiting line.
The Boathouse was great, as it had been before. A little bit on the pricey side, but really good! We love this place.
We also met up with faceBook friends at Old Key West's Olivia's for dinner and a how-do-you-do. Great fun and good food.
After a week, we were a bit spent and happily took our flight home - then the 4-hour drive home.
It was a glorious week. Michael had arranged a one-bedroom unit in The Paddock - a section of Sarasota Springs Resort - that was near the area we were in last year (The Springs). Our 'home' faced a lake with a walkway across the lake. Our balcony (which went unused, alas) faced the lake with fountains in it. If we had been on the other side of the building, we would have had a view of the Reedy Creek Fire Department, one of whose EMTs, Jason, had saved my life several years ago while at WDW in the Old Key West Resort by attending to my miserable back and putting us in touch with a doctor who would come out to the resort and prescribe 'wondrous' meds! I did manage to take a photo of the RCFD for old times sake....
But so much for fond memories.
I had intended this report to cover our day-by-day activities, but - ya know - time has passed and it's all a blur!
I do remember visiting Disney Springs a few times (we used the boats several times; nothing like alternative modes of transportation) including twice at Raglan Road. Both times we showed up early and they courteously accommodated us. Great fun!
Disney Springs is quite large at present - and it continues to grow! One needs the endurance of a track horse to make it from end-to-end. We did it twice; that was enough! I was drooping by the end of the circuit. The pizza place at the old end (Wolfgang Puck's) was good, though a bit guess-and-by-golly as to how it worked. We decided to skip The Earl of Sandwich on the first night based on the waiting line.
The Boathouse was great, as it had been before. A little bit on the pricey side, but really good! We love this place.
We also met up with faceBook friends at Old Key West's Olivia's for dinner and a how-do-you-do. Great fun and good food.
After a week, we were a bit spent and happily took our flight home - then the 4-hour drive home.
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Warning Pffffft!!!
Well, the Category 5 Hurricane Patricia missed us, big time. It came ashore at a sparsely populated area rather farther south of Puerto Vallarta, so our friend who had recently moved there only got rain and a lot of wind overnight. [Whew!] His mother and some other relatives were visiting at the time. Glad they're all safe.
Here in San Miguel - after the storm passed through several sets of mountains, diluting its strength - we only received a gentle, night-long rain followed in the morning with a warm breeze. I was rather disappointed that everything occurred while we were asleep!
There were times in my youth when electrical storms would arrive in southern Indiana and my mother would discover me kneeling on my bed, propped up on my elbows, looking out the open window, watching the lightning! Yes, I got a lecture each time - but it's so easy to say 'Yes; I understand' and then do it the next time anyway! And somehow she knew just where to find me whenever there was a storm...but it was magical! Now if only our dogs didn't freak out over thunder and lightning....
I understand that the storm made its way across Mexico and is now tearing up Texas with flash floods as it moves into Louisiana and points east. I'd feel sorry for the Texans if there were any reasons to do so. [Sorry, friends there live there. You knew what Texas was like and you still moved there!]
In a side note, the pain-in-the-ass person in San Miguel, who complained bitterly about the moderators on our SMA Civil List who refused to let him post the US Embassy warning on the List because it warned US citizens to avoid the west coast of Mexico (many, many hours away from San Miguel - it's a two-day trip when we go to the beach) because it wasn't San-Miguel-related (one of the guidelines for using the Civil List), has been removed from the Civil List when he was agitating to remove the moderators from their 'cushy jobs'. ( Most members don't appreciate their faults being pointed out to them; it's a volunteer position; you spend a lot of time teaching people who are too lazy to find out on their own how to do things on Yahoo groups; did I say it was a volunteer position; there are only three moderators for over 9100 members...you get the picture.) A former employee of the New York City Board of Education, he still has that 'I know better than thou' attitude.
Hope he'll be happy on his own Facebook page! We note that he hasn't revealed that he has been bounced from the List...probably too crushing to his ego. [evil laughter]
Here in San Miguel - after the storm passed through several sets of mountains, diluting its strength - we only received a gentle, night-long rain followed in the morning with a warm breeze. I was rather disappointed that everything occurred while we were asleep!
There were times in my youth when electrical storms would arrive in southern Indiana and my mother would discover me kneeling on my bed, propped up on my elbows, looking out the open window, watching the lightning! Yes, I got a lecture each time - but it's so easy to say 'Yes; I understand' and then do it the next time anyway! And somehow she knew just where to find me whenever there was a storm...but it was magical! Now if only our dogs didn't freak out over thunder and lightning....
I understand that the storm made its way across Mexico and is now tearing up Texas with flash floods as it moves into Louisiana and points east. I'd feel sorry for the Texans if there were any reasons to do so. [Sorry, friends there live there. You knew what Texas was like and you still moved there!]
In a side note, the pain-in-the-ass person in San Miguel, who complained bitterly about the moderators on our SMA Civil List who refused to let him post the US Embassy warning on the List because it warned US citizens to avoid the west coast of Mexico (many, many hours away from San Miguel - it's a two-day trip when we go to the beach) because it wasn't San-Miguel-related (one of the guidelines for using the Civil List), has been removed from the Civil List when he was agitating to remove the moderators from their 'cushy jobs'. ( Most members don't appreciate their faults being pointed out to them; it's a volunteer position; you spend a lot of time teaching people who are too lazy to find out on their own how to do things on Yahoo groups; did I say it was a volunteer position; there are only three moderators for over 9100 members...you get the picture.) A former employee of the New York City Board of Education, he still has that 'I know better than thou' attitude.
Hope he'll be happy on his own Facebook page! We note that he hasn't revealed that he has been bounced from the List...probably too crushing to his ego. [evil laughter]
Friday, October 23, 2015
Embassy Warning!!!
Well, we received the warning from the American Embassy in Mexico City this morning, courtesy of the SMA Civil List. Good thing, too, as our individual notification has yet to appear. We signed up for the individual notifications when we registered with the State Department as living in Mexico.
Luckily, Hurricane Patricia is headed into the western coast of Mexico - not anywhere near us. From the Associated Press:
In the meanwhile, the BBC is predicting rain for Mexico City and some points north of there. We're expecting some of that rain, although the BBC only shows Mexico City on their map of Mexico, so we are usually relegated to 'by guess and by golly' as far as our forecasts are concerned.
Luckily, Hurricane Patricia is headed into the western coast of Mexico - not anywhere near us. From the Associated Press:
MANZANILLO, Mexico (AP) — Hurricane Patricia headed toward southwestern Mexico Friday as a monster Category 5 storm, the strongest ever in the Western Hemisphere that forecasters said could make a "potentially catastrophic landfall" later in the day.
Residents of a stretch of Mexico's Pacific Coast dotted with resorts and fishing villages on Thursday boarded up homes and bought supplies ahead of Patricia's arrival.
With maximum sustained winds near 200 mph (325 kph), Patricia is the strongest storm ever recorded in the eastern Pacific or in the Atlantic, said Dave Roberts, a hurricane specialist at the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
...A friend of our moved to Puerto Vallarta last year; we hope he's safe and sound.
In Mexico, officials declared a state of emergency in dozens of municipalities in Colima, Nayarit and Jalisco states that contain the bustling port of Manzanillo and the posh resort of Puerto Vallarta.
In the meanwhile, the BBC is predicting rain for Mexico City and some points north of there. We're expecting some of that rain, although the BBC only shows Mexico City on their map of Mexico, so we are usually relegated to 'by guess and by golly' as far as our forecasts are concerned.
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Day of the Dead
In just a little over three weeks it will be Day of the Dead here in San Miguel. We don't usually partake in the festivities (the Jardin will be awash in bodies both local and from other Mexican cities) and neither of us really enjoy crowds any longer.
My sister, her husband, and two friends will be joining us during the time of the festivities, so we may go to the effort to provide the makings for an altar this year.
Unlike the US, where Hallowe'en is the big draw on October 31st, Mexico celebrates November 1st (Day of Remembrance for children who have died in the last year) and November 2nd (Day of Remembrance for adults who have passed on recently). There will be public altars and many homes will have their own particular altar. On the 3rd, the altars will be transported to the local cemetaries and set up on the graves of those being remembered.
What's involved in an alter? Wild marigolds, canes of the sugar plant, small sugar skulls for the children replaced with large sugar skulls for the adults. Toys and candies for the children replaced with food and mézcal for the adults. Not sure what you put out for teetotalers...water? Sodas are uncapped for the spirits' ease in drinking.
Not that trick and treating hasn't begun to catch on, but at least most of the traditional festivities are tied to actual people who have passed on and it's not just a time to dress up and attempt to scare people - oh, and collect goodies!
My sister, her husband, and two friends will be joining us during the time of the festivities, so we may go to the effort to provide the makings for an altar this year.
Unlike the US, where Hallowe'en is the big draw on October 31st, Mexico celebrates November 1st (Day of Remembrance for children who have died in the last year) and November 2nd (Day of Remembrance for adults who have passed on recently). There will be public altars and many homes will have their own particular altar. On the 3rd, the altars will be transported to the local cemetaries and set up on the graves of those being remembered.
What's involved in an alter? Wild marigolds, canes of the sugar plant, small sugar skulls for the children replaced with large sugar skulls for the adults. Toys and candies for the children replaced with food and mézcal for the adults. Not sure what you put out for teetotalers...water? Sodas are uncapped for the spirits' ease in drinking.
Not that trick and treating hasn't begun to catch on, but at least most of the traditional festivities are tied to actual people who have passed on and it's not just a time to dress up and attempt to scare people - oh, and collect goodies!
Friday, September 18, 2015
A Natural Remedy that seems to work!
I have held off writing about the weather. Of course, that's often what's happening down here....
We've just made our way through the El Grito (the alleged speech made in Dolores (but repeated here and many other places through out Mexico), encouraging the locals to join the fight for freedom from foreign powers.
And then there is always Independence day (the next day) when we celebrate the winning of the War of Independence 11 years later. [It's a really big country; it take a while to reach everyone.]
But today was a little different. A few moments ago (about 5:40 pm Central) there was a loud clap of thunder. And not just a 'clap' but a rolling clap of thunder; ea 'peal' I guess.
We'd recently been made aware of a 'natural' remedy for nervous dogs - i.e., Miyake - and, based on the recommendation of a friend, Michael found that our groomer carried the product: Kalman.
A few days ago we had some warning of an upcoming storm and he gave her a drop under her tongue. And while she was a little excited during the storm, she wasn't doing her shaking/vibrating thing for hours.
Today the peal of thunder was the first indication that a storm was here. And although she had started shaking at the first sound of thunder, she is now (a few minutes later) lying down under Michael's computer (her usual spot) and not shaking! Panting a little but relatively calmer than usual.
Now, I'm not a great believer in 'natural' remedies but this seems to actually work!
And do we have any hint that a storm may occur? Yes, but the map that the BBC uses only notes Mexico City and Acapulco. We sort of guess where those indicators of rain are on the map and take it as an indication that there may be rain in the forecast. Not exactly rocket science, but a guess that is better than any local forecasts. [I.E, we have no local forecasts as we have no airport here, and thus, no weather station.] The nearest is the airport in Leon, which is about an hour-and-a-half away from us. The BBC's maps of Mexico and Central America is about as true as we get. At least it's updated throughout the day!
So the thunder peals have retreated into the distance and it's now 'gently' raining. And Miyake is in much better shape than her usual experience. While still panting, she is lying down and not sitting up, hugging the back wall of the room.
Have we thought of a thunder shirt for her? Yes, but they are about $40 and the little vial of Kalman costs only $7.50. And should last a year or so at a drop a storm!
Plus we'd have to wrestle her into the thunder shirt. And if it didn't work, we'd be back to the Kalman, again. If anyone out there is using the thunder shirt, I wish them well. We'll stick with the Kalman in the meanwhile.
We've just made our way through the El Grito (the alleged speech made in Dolores (but repeated here and many other places through out Mexico), encouraging the locals to join the fight for freedom from foreign powers.
And then there is always Independence day (the next day) when we celebrate the winning of the War of Independence 11 years later. [It's a really big country; it take a while to reach everyone.]
But today was a little different. A few moments ago (about 5:40 pm Central) there was a loud clap of thunder. And not just a 'clap' but a rolling clap of thunder; ea 'peal' I guess.
We'd recently been made aware of a 'natural' remedy for nervous dogs - i.e., Miyake - and, based on the recommendation of a friend, Michael found that our groomer carried the product: Kalman.
A few days ago we had some warning of an upcoming storm and he gave her a drop under her tongue. And while she was a little excited during the storm, she wasn't doing her shaking/vibrating thing for hours.
Today the peal of thunder was the first indication that a storm was here. And although she had started shaking at the first sound of thunder, she is now (a few minutes later) lying down under Michael's computer (her usual spot) and not shaking! Panting a little but relatively calmer than usual.
Now, I'm not a great believer in 'natural' remedies but this seems to actually work!
And do we have any hint that a storm may occur? Yes, but the map that the BBC uses only notes Mexico City and Acapulco. We sort of guess where those indicators of rain are on the map and take it as an indication that there may be rain in the forecast. Not exactly rocket science, but a guess that is better than any local forecasts. [I.E, we have no local forecasts as we have no airport here, and thus, no weather station.] The nearest is the airport in Leon, which is about an hour-and-a-half away from us. The BBC's maps of Mexico and Central America is about as true as we get. At least it's updated throughout the day!
So the thunder peals have retreated into the distance and it's now 'gently' raining. And Miyake is in much better shape than her usual experience. While still panting, she is lying down and not sitting up, hugging the back wall of the room.
Have we thought of a thunder shirt for her? Yes, but they are about $40 and the little vial of Kalman costs only $7.50. And should last a year or so at a drop a storm!
Plus we'd have to wrestle her into the thunder shirt. And if it didn't work, we'd be back to the Kalman, again. If anyone out there is using the thunder shirt, I wish them well. We'll stick with the Kalman in the meanwhile.
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