Market & J.E.E.P

It continues to be a busy time here at the park.  Families arriving, others leaving but the park remains full.  We have cancelled aquacises and bingo until after January 8 when the kids go back to school.  The pool and community centre are way too busy.  In the past the kids here returned to school earlier.

At JEEP today we cleaned the cat and dog kennels, helped give some kittens shots, brushed 5 horses and a burro, and generally gave the animals lots of attention.

Feeding time 

Lots of building improvements happening

New patio for visitors to JEEP

A friend's niece came along

We walked into town after JEEP to shop because  it is too busy to drive.   I sat along a store front on a ledge waiting for a friend to go to the bank.  There were a few other people doing the same thing.  A lady selling giant fire sparklers with a baby slung in front of her, a few old fellows, another woman waiting for someone.  As I watched the people, cars, buses, delivery trucks, motorcycles, ATV's, chihuahuas, street vendors, bicycles, etc stream by, I thought, what the hell, I'm sitting on a street in Mexico.  Thousands of miles from my spot on our couch in Manitoba.

My friend returned and I waved to a cab "un taxi, por favor".  The cab stopped mid traffic and we piled in while another cabbie quickly came to our aid to load our groceries.  No one beeped their horn or yelled, then off we all went.

We went to the market a few days ago and I took a few photos there.

Chicks anyone? Also some regular colour ducklings.

more fish

Pandemonium

The morning was spent birding and in Spanish lessons.

Mexican Chachalaca

Tonight we went into Rincon for supper.  We had to take a round about way out of the restaurant parking lot as the tour buses had us cornered and there was only one direction left to us.  These behemoths are salted throughout Rincon and La Peñita tonight.  How they maneuver through these towns with the bicycles, pedestrians,  firecrackers blasting away in the road, ATV's, motorcycles weaving around traffic, other buses and everyone else cutting in and out everywhere, I don't know, no se.  From the front they dwarf everything in a blur of blazing headlights.  From the back there are so many lights flashing in so many colors, some whirling, some in bars or circles flashing.   It looks like a UFO is trying to back up and get the hell off the planet.  I counted nearly 40 buses moving or parked or trying to park or turn.  In the centre of Rincon one of these giants was trying to make a tight turn and blocking traffic while Mexicans ran around in the dark trying to give advice.  We went by in the other direction thankfully and for all I know he is still there.  But I think he probably got through as they are amazing drivers and everyone else is extremely helpful and patient.

Today an already full park filled up over the brim.  It is a slalom to our parking place around the parked cars, tents sticking out in the road, vendors selling pies, buns, flan, donuts etc parked in the middle of the main park crossroads half in one of the lanes in front of the office (the better to sell things-location, location).
Then there are the children, dogs and miscellaneous adults wandering or darting to and fro.  People tell us this is nothing compared to Semana Santa (Easter) when you don't dare try to drive to town.

We park and walk to our RV, get a beverage and close the rear curtain on the patio.  It is dark and fairly quiet back here just a few lights from the stragglers packing up their umbrellas on the beach.  It is all very interesting but we will also be glad when they all return safely to their homes.

Christmas dinner

We had a great time at the Christmas dinner by the pool in the park.  The dinner was a traditional turkey dinner with all the fixings.

Reindeer esta crudo?  (hungover)

The pineapple decoration is headed for a margarita on New Year's.

Santa was relaxing after a heavy day of travel. 

Cerveza can decorations

Our table

Maybe we could put some twinkle lights in these for New Years

Karina

We'd like to think he's sleeping.

Lots of musica, dancing and conversation

Buenas noches.

Christmas eve

We were invited out to Avanti's for breakfast in La Penita.  It was the first time we had ventured into town for breakfast.  It was very good,  The eggs benedict was as good as any I have had elsewhere.  Otherwise a pretty quiet day, a little visiting with friends and watching the increased action on the beach.  The park is very full of Canadians as well as Mexican families.

Our tomato plant has been growing steadily and has about 9 little tomatoes on it now.  The big iguana crawled up our hibiscus plant and damaged a stem so I had to tape it up.  The big galumpher.

Donkey, dogs, horses & cats

Cam drove me up the steep trek to J.E.E.P. this morning.  I cleaned the cat kennel and gave the three kennel cats their new beds.  They were happily rolling on them.  There are about 20 dogs at JEEP right now and about 20 loose cats.  JEEP volunteers were letting the donkey and eight month old foal loose in the big yard to give them exercise and also to get them used to the dogs and the dogs used to them.  There were a few dogs that thought it might be a good idea to bark at them but that idea was quickly squashed by the humans.  When these animals go out into the regular world they will be trained to get along with each other.

The donkey was brought into JEEP a while ago because he wasn't being cared for and his hooves were long and grown under.  It is doing much better now and slow work on the hooves over time has nearly got them back in shape.

This is Junior.

Junior and his mother Sedona now belong to a young woman who has adopted them.  They are still kept at JEEP.  Junior had to check out everything going on.  Sniffing the cat beds I was carrying, ready to whirl and speed away should they leap at him.  After a good sniff and a bit of a rub with one he decided they weren't so bad after all.

Sleepy in the sun.  Life is better.

One of the ladies who volunteers here rides into the mountains.  She said that this is the first year that she has ridden through the area and not seen any animals who were mistreated.  Perhaps things are getting better. 

Special places and people

This morning we sat enjoying the view on our patio.  The Plain-capped Starthroat Hummingbird showed up at our feeder.  Two whales arrived in the bay and 3 dolphins appeared in the late afternoon and frolicked close to our patio.  We celebrated 2 friends birthdays.  We went to Spanish.   Then to Vista Guayabitos restaurant to celebrate.

At Vista Guayabitos

  

Filet stuffed with seafood 

Chicken stuffed with spinach, cream cheese, and seafood

We got back and went to friends for another birthday refreshment then home to cook arrachera for supper while watching the dolphins. 

Sometimes we forget how privileged we are to be here sharing this special place with people we care about.   New friends and family and friends visiting from home.  We miss those we are far away from but will soon be home again to spend time with them in that special place.   

Busy day

We went into town in the early morning and checked out the fish market.  We did a fair amount of shopping as it was market day so we took a cab home (30 pesos).

Santa made it to town

Hmm, whats in the cooler?

Headed for Canada next 

Emergency Medical Service visited the park today. Probably beach vehicle.

Decorations set up at a campsite in the park

Lunch with friends at La Pineda restaurant in Rincon

Tamarind Shrimp

Camarones  Diablo

Shrimp quesadillas and Garlic Shrimp

Yes, the food, margaritas, cervezas all for about the price of burgers and cokes at McDonalds.  Plus free Marlin taquito appetizers.  The restaurant is right on the water so lots to see.

These fellows were throwing a net.

Nice view of Rincon and the mountains.

Finished the day with an evening of Bingo in the park.   A friend and I both won a game (again).  That makes 3 wins out of 4 nights for me and 4 out of 4 for her.  They'll be running us out of there soon.