My Christmas gift to us ....

BEFORE


Here are the before and after photos of the project on the rooftop. The cover will be invaluable this summer for protection from the intense sun and rain. It is now a pleasure to work upstairs even at midday. It has been a good Christmas day and we are happy. Karim and Andrea have been visiting for several days and we are all enjoying playing games on facebook and just being together in general.



AFTER









The dinner last night at Ivone's mothers house was a fine get together with lots of laughs, good company and excellent food.
(L to R) Me, Ivone, Ruth, Andrea, Adi, Atenas, Malu, Agustin, Karim and Christopher.

Celebrating one year in Zihuatanejo

Wow. It hardly seems possible but I have completed my first year here in Zihuatanejo. I don't count the month of April when I went back to Oregon because my heart and my mind were here with my love Ivone. Now as we are making headway on projects around the house I feel even more at home than I ever have before. We are making more plans even before these are finished and it is a joy for us both. The cover over the roof will be finished soon and the garden is coming along just fine. We will be making another trip to Mexico City in mid-December and I hope for some more good photo ops.

Another visit to Mexico City

Sunday Oct 31 - a visit to the Diego Rivera Museum "Anahuacalli". It was designed by Diego Rivera and houses thousands of artifacts. http://www.museoanahuacalli.org.mx/

Tuesday Nov 2 - a visit to Toluca for the Feria del Alfeñique celebrating the dia de muertos

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfe%C3%B1ique_fair

and later the botanical garden.

More photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimwalls9/

All in all, it was a wonderful trip.

Our Song ...

Many months ago, when Ivone and I were first getting acquainted, she shared a song with me that was perfect for us and our meeting one another. The song is called Coincidir and our favorite version is by Guadalupe Pineda.  (the translation is difficult because the words don't always carry the meaning).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukydzrd9OmY   
This is our song.

Soy vecina de este mundo por un rato
Y hoy coindice que también tú estas aquí
Coincidencias tan extrañas de la vida
Tantos siglos, tantos mundos, tanto espacio… y coincidir

Si navego con la mente el universo
O si quiero a mis ancestros retornar
Agobiada me detengo y no imagino
Tantos siglos, tantos mundos, tanto espacio… y coincidir

Si en la noche me entretengo en las estrellas
Y capturo la que empieza a florecer
La sostengo entre las manos más que al alma
Tantos siglos, tantos mundos, tanto espacio… y coincidir

Si la vida se sostiene por instantes
Y un instante es el momentos de existir
Si tu vida es otro instante.. no comprendo
Tantos siglos, tantos mundos, tanto espacio… y coincidir

Soy vecina de este mundo por un rato
Y hoy coindice que también tú estas aquí
Coincidencias tan extrañas de la vida
Tantos siglos, tantos mundos, tanto espacio… y coincidir

Si tu vida es otro instante.. no comprendo
Tantos siglos, tantos mundos, tanto espacio… y coincidir

Tantos siglos, tantos mundos, tanto espacio… y coincidir
y coincidir....y coincidir....y coincidir....y coincidir....

Translation:

I am a resident of this world for a while
And today also coindice you are here
Strange coincidences of life
Centuries, many worlds, so much space ... and match

If I navigate to the mind the universe
Or if I return my ancestors
Overwhelmed, I stop and I can not imagine
Centuries, many worlds, so much space ... and match

If I entertain at night the stars
And caught the blossom begins to
I hold hands more than the soul
Centuries, many worlds, so much space ... and match

If life is sustained by moments
And a moment is the moment to exist
If your life is another moment .. I do not understand
Centuries, many worlds, so much space ... and match

I am a resident of this world for a while
And today also coindice you are here
Strange coincidences of life
Centuries, many worlds, so much space ... and match

If your life is another moment .. I do not understand
Centuries, many worlds, so much space ... and match

Centuries, many worlds, so much space ... and match
and match and match .... .... .... and match and match ....

Projects

I have projects, ideas and plans. Ivone is pleased with my plans and ideas and I will move forward as time and money will allow. Below are the three project photos and one concept photo. I'm sure that all of this will change as time goes by but it is good to have something constructive to keep me busy.

The pool at Cachacuaz needs a cover to protect it from debris and sun. Still working on ideas.

The upstairs of the apartment needs to have the huge satellite dish removed and a cover over that area. Partly for sun protection of the living area and partly to have an open air area for the evenings.

The third project, and my personal favorite, is the garden area. It just needs to be cleaned up and planters built for the first stage. Here is the actual and a concept photo.

A visit to Mexico City

Last Sunday Ivone and I took the bus from Zihuatanejo to Mexico City to visit her daughter Andrea and just enjoy some sight-seeing. We have had several wonderful days of cool weather so that walking around the city is a pleasure. The subway system is fast and the cars come about every 5 minutes or so. The fare is "cheap" by our standards. A ticket costs about 25 cents and allows you to ride any or all of the 8 different lines that cover the city. If the subway doesn't get you where you want to go then a taxi is your best bet and the price is very reasonable (average is about $3.00).

Ivone and I have been enjoying time alone together as we wander through the city to enjoy museums, stores, local snacks and just the sights and sounds of the big city. Our favorite place so far has been the Frida Kahlo Museum. We also enjoyed the tour through and on top of the Metropolitan Cathedral. We have agreed that one week here is not enough to see everything so I'm sure we will be returning.

Vegan? Me?

When I left Oregon in 2010 in order to spend the winter in Mexico I was suffering from fairly regular bouts with mild indigestion. My hope was that after a while in Mexico, eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, that the problem would be a thing of the past. But after three months I still found the problem haunting me. About the same time I had met Ivone and she told me that she was vegetarian and over the next two months she introduced me to some very tasty dishes. When I returned to Oregon for a month I went back to eating meats and the indigestion started again.

On my return to Zihuatanejo I told Ivone that I was willing to try the vegan lifestyle. It has only been six weeks but I have not had a single episode of indigestion. Ivone is a marvelous cook and yesterday she made a vegan lasagna that was fantastic (with chayote squash, carrots and mushrooms). Today it was cheese stuffed Swiss chard in a savoy tomato sauce (yummmmmmm).

A friend here asked "Doesn't it bother you when you pass by someplace where you can smell the meat cooking?" And I told him that it was interesting that I can enjoy the smell but not fell the need to eat it. I don't have any cravings for meat, fish or poultry. Time will tell if this continues to work for me and I will be blogging more about the change. Vegan? Me? Yup!!!.

Rain - wonderful rain ...

Last year I came to Zihuatanejo to spend the winter away from the rain in the Great North-wet. It was wonderful to be without rain for five whole months (November through March). In April I went back to Oregon and faced the cold, wet, windy weather for a month before returning to Zihuatanejo. All through the month of May the weather just kept getting hotter and there were days when I didn't want to wipe the sweat from my face because it felt like it was melting. I was told that the rain would start on the first day of June and it did. It was a nice gentle rainfall in the early morning hours (3 am) and only lasted for an hour. This happened a few more times and it was always refreshing. The last few days have been a bit different. It has been raining monsoon style and today has been the heaviest I have seen since I was in Malaysia a few years ago. But it is wonderful rain. After many days of sweltering heat it is refreshing. It is washing the streets clean and flowers are in bloom everywhere. Everyone is saying "Enjoy it while you can, the heat will be back soon" and I am sure they are absolutely right.

It took me 40 years to get tired of the weather in Oregon. I hope it takes me that long to get tired of the weather here in beautiful Zihuatanejo.

Las Mañanitas

What a wonderful birthday. Ivone surprised me with a party at her mother's house and it was just perfect. She made a very healthy carrot cake with pineapple topping - yummmmmy. The tradition here is to have the celebrant take a bite out of the cake before it is cut up. I did that and it was fun. Before the festivities began they all sang Las Mañanitas for me.

Las mañanitas is a traditional Mexican song that is sung on birthdays and other special occasions. It is usually sung as an early morning serenade to wake a loved one. At birthday parties it is sung before the cake is cut. There are many versions and variations to the lyrics. Here is one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCVj5izha3s&feature=related

Estas son las mañanitas que cantaba el rey David

Hoy por ser día de tu santo te las cantamos aquí.

Despierta mi bien despierta

Mira que ya amaneció

Ya los pajaritos cantan

La luna ya se metió.

¡Qué linda está la mañana en que vengo a saludarte

Venimos todos con gusto y placer a felicitarte!

El día en que tú naciste, nacieron todas las flores

Ya viene amaneciendo ya la luz del dia nos dió.

Levantarte de la mañana, mira que ya amaneció.

Y En la pila del bautismo cantaron los ruiseñores.

Ya viene amaneciendo ya la luz del dia nos dió.

Levantarte de la mañana, mira que ya amaneció.

Changes ...

I left Zihuatanejo, Mexico on the first week of April and returned from Oregon the first week of May. During the entire month in Oregon my head and chest were congested, my nose ran constantly and I had a nasty cough that just wouldn't let me alone. I felt tired, rundown and confused. After being back in Zihuatanejo for less than a week my head, chest and mind are clear and the cough is gone. I feel the summer heat coming on strong and I believe that it is good for me.

I had a nice visit with Ivone's family on Mother's Day and I believe that they have accepted me as being part of their future. Ivone tells me that she is still pinching herself daily because she feels like this is a dream. I pinch myself now and then too. We laugh a lot, we talk a lot and it is so good to be back here walking on the beach together. Even though our communication skills are still a bit limited we are making great progress on both fronts (English and Spanish).

It is also good to see some of the American and Canadian folks who are year round residents. They will be a great help as I run the gauntlet of Mexican bureaucracy heading toward my "resident visa".

Not much else is new except perhaps a higher sense of happiness, contentment and fulfillment.

A love story ...

This is a true story many years in the making. It all began in 1994 with my first visit to Zihuatanejo, Mexico. The moment I set foot on the walkway along the municipal beach I felt the magic and I knew that something special was waiting for me. I spent three days walking the beach and getting to know the central area of town. I met some very nice people and the food was fantastic but I left feeling like I had missed something.

I returned two years later and for 5 days I walked the beaches and learned more about the town but again I left feeling the same, almost empty, but still hopeful.

I had to wait until 2005 for my next visit and still felt the magic all around me. This visit was for more than a week and I continued to walk the beaches with my mind and my heart open to possibilities but once again, I left with a feeling that I had missed something very real, very important and very beautiful.

I have walked many tropical beaches in theses last 15 years; Malaysia, the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic, Key West and I enjoyed those walks thoroughly. The only thing that was missing was someone to share it with. That empty feeling stayed with me even though I was happy to be enjoying these experiences.

I returned to Zihuatanejo the first week of November, 2010 and spent the first two months getting reacquainted with the town I love so much but still alone in spite of all the new friends I had made. Then, on the first week of January, on one of my walks through the city, I stumbled on a little juice bar that had only been open for two weeks and met the woman who has become the love of my life. Ivone is a wonderful, beautiful, intelligent and very poetic woman whose friendship has proven to be the exactly what I have been missing. She was born in Zihuatanejo and when she was very young the family lived right where I first felt the magic of Zihuatanejo, and I mean "exactly" the same spot.

We have spent the last three months getting to know one another and finding that we share the same values, the same appreciation for the arts and so much more.

I have had to return to the States in order to take care of my personal affairs but my heart is in Zihuatanejo with Ivone and I plan to return as soon as I am able. I am a happy person by nature but my joy is now complete. I have waited to post this until I had the opportunity to tell family and friends in person. Some I have missed and to those I apologize. But now, I want the world to know of my joy. I want the world to celebrate with me in love and happiness. I introduce you to my love, my light and my future; Ivone

Bernie

I want to talk about Bernie.

 Bernie Nofziger is from Lebanon, Oregon. I met him here in Zihuatanejo two months ago and I am proud to call him my friend. Bernie has been coming to Zihuatanejo for a long time but this is the first time our paths have crossed. Bernie was widowed after 51 years of marriage and has been single for the last ten. If your math is good you will realize that Bernie is in his early 80's. His business card has the image of Mr Magoo and the resemblance is uncanny. The card reads "I spent most of my money on women and booze. The rest I just wasted. Now, I am on a low fixed income. Need Help !"

Bernie walks all over Zihuatanejo and even to Ixtapa. He dances the night away and there is never a shortage of beautiful women waiting to dance with him. He loves life, he has fun, he has many friends and he has a pool of energy that puts most of us young guys to shame. Did I mention that he is in his 80's???? I have told him several times "Bernie, I want to be just like you." and he says "Okay, but don't be as ugly as me" and his laugh is as honest as the day is long. GO BERNIE !!! We all love ya !!!

O M G !!!

I hope I don't offend anyone .... (actually, I really don't care if I offend anyone) but this was one night that was so much fun for me. I have met so many people here who are enjoying the wonderful richness of Zihuatanejo and tonight, while enjoying the music at Le Playa Bar I met several people who were "in the spirit" and into the music. I even danced the Cha, cha, cha on the sidewalk with a lovely lady.

The babbling Brooke from Boston was the highlight of the evening. THANK YOU for your smile, your laugh and your light.

Erik was in great form and the music flowed like the waters of the canal into Zihuatanejo Bay (I'm not sure if that is a compliment or not.)

Life is good here in Zihuatanejo.

In case you hadn't noticed, I love mangoes. Ripe, sweet, succulent mangoes. Juice dripping down my wrists, like liquid gold with a scent of blossoms that fills my senses and delights my pallet. Mummmmmmmmmmmmm. Thank you Ivone.

Surprises...

I have had a couple of very nice days (not that all the others are anything else). However, last night I was taking my usual evening stroll along the beach front on the bay and found, quite by accident, a group that was performing Aztec ritual dances. It was quite interesting and even though they were not professional I enjoyed it completely.

I have posted a video at: http://vimeo.com/19501336

This morning I started my usual walk with a cup of coffee but didn't feel like eating so I waited until lunch time to visit one of my favorite spots called Las Braseros. I like all the staff there and I especially enjoy flirting with the waitresses. They seem to enjoy my visits because when I haven't been there in a while they always ask where I have been and why I have taken so long to return. It is always nice to be recognised and welcomed back.

My lunch was Pollo de la Mexicana. I love the slow roasted chicken in this reciepe and a glass of Horchata goes well with it.

A night for bats ...

On the plaza at Playa Principal there are two Pochote trees which blossom at night. This is the time that the bats come out to feed on the nectar of the Pochote Blossoms. Here are just a couple of the images I captured tonight ( some are inverted for your viewing pleasure). The yellow that you see on the bats is the pollen from the Pochote Blossoms.

Click on any image to inlarge.