I am sitting here in Sayulita. The Bungalos Jacqueline have internet which is really nice. Their pool is freezing cold, so I haven't been in it at all. As a matter of fact I haven't been in the water much this trip at all. It hasn't been very alluring for some reason. It has been much colder than in October for sure. That is one reason. It is also part to do with my skin getting so dry. I hate how that feels. Mostly I love being by the ocean, hearing it's pounding surf. Sometimes when I put Eva down with her favorite toy - the little lamb with different white noises, I put on the sound of the ocean, because it is the one I love the best.
Today we had a bit of a rough day. It started bad with the shirt I wore. It is a really cute silk tank top. Problem is it is just a bit too low cut and my bra shows a little and I feel like I look llike I am falling out of it. And I was, all day. Made worse of course, any time I was holding Eva. Oh well, Mama's privledges I guess. We wanted to get out of Sayulita "early" so we ate breakfast again at Rollie's. We really like him and the food there is quite good. I am not sure how we missed it last time we were here since it it just steps from our front door. So, "early" was about noon. We took a detour out of town to look for our friendly Canadian chaps who had a restaurant we went to last year. It seems that it is either no longer here, it was washed away when the river flooded, or we were actually dreaming that we had dinner there last year. In any case, we couldn't find again. We also saw a little bit more of Sayulita on the other side of the river. It is very nice over there and probably much more quiet than this side... that is my guess any way. So, off we went to find another stretch of beautiful beach and palm trees. We hit San Francisco first. It is also known as San Pancho and is about 15 minutes north of Sayulita. It is much quieter, but also has a fair number of travelers, tourists, etc. I wanted to find the turtle hatchery and find out what time they release the turtles in the evening, which they do from August through Decemeber. This is the time the mama turtles lay their eggs. Apparently they are an aphrodesiac and sold at bars with a shot of tequila. Gross. So, we found a map and eventually made our way through town and up a little hill to a place where there are volunteers who man the hatchery. Jocelyn greeted us and was extremely friendly. She went into a small black shack filled with stryofoam coolers and brought out a little white box of baby sea turtles.. They are dark grey and black and very cute. Jocelyn took a lot of time telling us about sea turtles, their demise, and how "Frank" makes it his business to make sure they don't go extinct. At night mama turtles come and lay their eggs on the beach and the volunteers that work with Frank have to be out all night long collecting the eggs so the poachers don't get them. She told me that one night she was out and she watched a mama lay her eggs and finish up. According to Jocelyn, the mama goes into a sort of trance when they are laying eggs, so not much bothers them, they are going to lay their eggs come hell or high water, poachers or no. So Jocelyn waited for mama to move on from her nest and when Jocelyn went to get the eggs, of which one mama usually lays at least 100 at a time, there was only one! The poachers had been there before her and stolen the eggs right as she was laying them! So disgusting.
After I got my fill of turtles we decided to get in the car and drive to Chacala. I was hoping to show Ken the town we had stayed in the year before with Caroline and Curry before he arrived to join us. Somehow in the back of my head part of me was thinking, maybe we should just stay in San Pancho, enjoy the beach and then at 6pm see the turtles being released. I didn't listen to that intuitive sense.. I should have... The road is very pretty, lots of jungle, palm trees, and green everywhere. But there is the traffic to contend with: cars passing over double yellow lines and under crazy circumstances like oncoming traffic for example. Unfortunately we passed Chacala and the last town for miles. But I didn't see the sign, so before we knew it we were in the mountains and climbing. I didn't see anything recognizeable and I was fairly certain we had passed it. Ken didn't think so, but as we continued to climb and there were fewer and fewer places to turn around, he figured I was probably right. So having driven for an hour and a half or so, we headed back. Just as we got back on the road going south again, who should come up behind us but Policia. That had me a little nervous. I told Ken he might want to go the speed limit. He was certain it wasn't necessary. He was probably right. In a few minutes we had huge pile of cars behind us. But we did notice none of them were passing the policia. In that situation, in Mexico, you are a bit screwed. You don't want to break the law, but you also want to be sure that you don't want to piss anyone off. Luckily they eventually passed us, as did the rest of the cars piling up behind us. Still none of them passed the policia. I was much relieved when they were gone.
Sure enough, we had passed the turn off to Chacala and we saw it on the way back south. We kept going because it was getting late and I was still hoping to see some turtles released.
When we arrived back in San Pancho, we all (Eva, Ken, and I) had to pee, and were extremely hungry and tired. This is not a good combination for me under any circumstances. Especially not when I am traveling in a foreign place, don't know where to get decent and not too expensive food, don't know where there's a decent toilet, etc. We ended up having an ok, very expensive meal on the beach. A mistake I won't make again. After eating we went down closer to the water and let Eva play in the sand. She absolutely LOVED it. She really didn't want to leave. It seems she would have been content there the rest of the evening. But unfortunately Ken and I realized at that point we had been out for over 5 hours and by the time 6 came we might have a bit of a wait for the turtles... Mexican time and all... then we would be driving home on a road we don't know, in the dark with crazy Mexican drivers. We decided to head back to Sayulita. We can come back when Eva is older and can appreciate it and then we can stay in San Pancho and not have to worry about driving crazy roads with crazy drivers.
I think am ready to be home. It is amazing how much we rely on other people to help with Eva. I never realized it, not really, until this trip. We spend a lot of time with family and friends and it makes a huge difference in terms of having some down time. We have literally had only the time when she is asleep to ourselves. And then it is in the confines of our room or wherever we are staying. Here in Sayulita the room has a very nice outdoor space... if you aren't too worried about the bugs eating you alive. Why didn't I bring bug spray? I keep asking myself! I really appreciate my friends and family even more than ever now. I see how important it is to have people to share, even if it was just one evening or an hour during the day occasionally. It really does take a village.
Mexican Sunset
Monday, December 20, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Gringos and Fish Tacos
Our first night in Sayulita was a little rough for me... Eva was sleeping in the closet. I was on edge because if she squirms enough she could fall out. It would take a lot but it still made me nervous. Plus there was music blarring what seemed like all night long. They know how to get their party on here that is for sure! There was a band playing until at least 11pm and then there was loud piped in music for at least another hour. But eventually it quieted down and I was able to get to sleep. Ken didn't seem to have any problems sleeping. And we were snug as two bugs... in what they are calling a queen. I find it hard to believe it's not a full - it looks so tiny compared to the king we were sleeping on in Puerto Vallarta.
Well, I am pretty sure I wouldn't want to live in Sayulita. There are too many gringos here. And it isn't exactly that they are gringos, it's the kind of gringos... a bunch of hippie, dirty... I don't know. I am being super judgemental, but they own all the shops in town, sell bread on the beach, and are generally everywhere. I think being here in the off season might be a better barometer of what it is like here when it isn't overridden by tourists. Then I think about why this is a successful place for both Mexicans and gringos... because of the tourists and gringos who come here and spend their money. And if I was to live in Mexico I would want to own a business that was successful... and I am thinking most of my money would be made from gringos... so who am I to judge.
The towns to the north of here a much more low key than here. There are drawbacks though. For one thing, mostly the beaches aren't as nice. You can't swim in them easily because they aren't protected by a bay the way Sayulita is. And, there just isn't much going on. That can be good at 1am when the music in the zocalo is so loud you can't sleep! But maybe not as good if you want something to do by day... besides sitting around drinking beer on the beach?
Today we had breakfast at a place called Rollie's. It started out as a breakfast place and now they also have breakfast. I think he has been here for at least 10 years, maybe longer. They do a rocking business and Rollie himself is right in the mix. He sells fresh roasted coffee, organic of course. And he is quite a character. He has his own restaurant song that he sings with his son.. it's taped and played over the loud speaker, but it's really cute. He is extremely friendly and makes a point to make friends with everyone in the restaurant. He made friends with a little kid who had drawn a picture and then posted it ceremoniously on the wall with other creations from other kids. And we had an excellent breakfast! I had their version of eggs benedict with a sauce that was delicious... with chipotle and something else with a green hue. Ken had the breakfast burrito he had been craving since we got to Mexico... although the breakfast burrito is hardly Mexican. It was delicious. I had breakfast burrito envy. When we were all but rolling out of there, Rollie offered us pancakes on the house! And they were delicious. And they served butter just like Ken thinks it should be done... at least a cup of butter on the side, so you can use the whole thing or leave a little. Those pancakes were the size of a large plate... no joke!
Last night we had our requisite fish tacos. Actually Ken had fish fajitas - a huge plate of grilled fish, peppers, onions, beans, rice and tortillas in a delicious butter sauce. I had a marlin taco which was served sauteed in a tomato sauce and a Baja fish taco, fried with special sauce on top. Both were served with cabbage salad on top, yummy salsa, rice and black beans. We also had guacamole which was excellent. And not too crazy expensive. I think we spent about $20 total. Of course it would have been lots more if we had been drinking beers and margaritas! So, that seems like a lot for Mexico, but I have found that the prices here and in PV are just a little bit better than at home, but not much. The further you get from the tourist spots, the better the prices.
So, I don't want anyone to get the idea that it is cold here, because it really isn't... But last night I was freezing my ass off. And there were a couple of times in PV that I was cold too. Last night I finally got warm after a hot shower. I wasn't the only one walking around all wrapped up in my sweatshirt. I saw plenty of people in sweaters and scarves. It is definitely much cooler here in December than it is in October. Same with PV. I am guessing the farther south you go, the warmer it gets. I do remember being quite cold in San Miguel de Allende when I went in October. I had to always layer up. SMdA is in the mountains and has weather much more like in the states than the beach in Mexico.
I am not sure what we are having for dinner tonight. As usual I go from one meal thinking about what I am going to eat at the next meal... and where! That is the only way to ensure that I don't lose my mind with hunger. That is not a pretty sight for sure.
Tomorrow I think we are going to take a little tour of the coast north of here. We want to check things out and get some use of the car. I guess I will be able to use my Spanish a little bit more too. We may try to go to see the turtles. There is a sanctuary at Playa del San Francisco, aka San Pancho. They release baby turtles from August to December. I think they release them at night, so we may only be able to see where they hatch or something. I am not sure. And maybe we will drive a bit farther north to see some other beach towns too. It would be fun to go into the mountains, but the town that I know of is pretty far away.. It would have been a better trip from Puerto Vallarta.
Well, Eva just got up from her nap. So, my time is up...
Well, I am pretty sure I wouldn't want to live in Sayulita. There are too many gringos here. And it isn't exactly that they are gringos, it's the kind of gringos... a bunch of hippie, dirty... I don't know. I am being super judgemental, but they own all the shops in town, sell bread on the beach, and are generally everywhere. I think being here in the off season might be a better barometer of what it is like here when it isn't overridden by tourists. Then I think about why this is a successful place for both Mexicans and gringos... because of the tourists and gringos who come here and spend their money. And if I was to live in Mexico I would want to own a business that was successful... and I am thinking most of my money would be made from gringos... so who am I to judge.
The towns to the north of here a much more low key than here. There are drawbacks though. For one thing, mostly the beaches aren't as nice. You can't swim in them easily because they aren't protected by a bay the way Sayulita is. And, there just isn't much going on. That can be good at 1am when the music in the zocalo is so loud you can't sleep! But maybe not as good if you want something to do by day... besides sitting around drinking beer on the beach?
Today we had breakfast at a place called Rollie's. It started out as a breakfast place and now they also have breakfast. I think he has been here for at least 10 years, maybe longer. They do a rocking business and Rollie himself is right in the mix. He sells fresh roasted coffee, organic of course. And he is quite a character. He has his own restaurant song that he sings with his son.. it's taped and played over the loud speaker, but it's really cute. He is extremely friendly and makes a point to make friends with everyone in the restaurant. He made friends with a little kid who had drawn a picture and then posted it ceremoniously on the wall with other creations from other kids. And we had an excellent breakfast! I had their version of eggs benedict with a sauce that was delicious... with chipotle and something else with a green hue. Ken had the breakfast burrito he had been craving since we got to Mexico... although the breakfast burrito is hardly Mexican. It was delicious. I had breakfast burrito envy. When we were all but rolling out of there, Rollie offered us pancakes on the house! And they were delicious. And they served butter just like Ken thinks it should be done... at least a cup of butter on the side, so you can use the whole thing or leave a little. Those pancakes were the size of a large plate... no joke!
Last night we had our requisite fish tacos. Actually Ken had fish fajitas - a huge plate of grilled fish, peppers, onions, beans, rice and tortillas in a delicious butter sauce. I had a marlin taco which was served sauteed in a tomato sauce and a Baja fish taco, fried with special sauce on top. Both were served with cabbage salad on top, yummy salsa, rice and black beans. We also had guacamole which was excellent. And not too crazy expensive. I think we spent about $20 total. Of course it would have been lots more if we had been drinking beers and margaritas! So, that seems like a lot for Mexico, but I have found that the prices here and in PV are just a little bit better than at home, but not much. The further you get from the tourist spots, the better the prices.
So, I don't want anyone to get the idea that it is cold here, because it really isn't... But last night I was freezing my ass off. And there were a couple of times in PV that I was cold too. Last night I finally got warm after a hot shower. I wasn't the only one walking around all wrapped up in my sweatshirt. I saw plenty of people in sweaters and scarves. It is definitely much cooler here in December than it is in October. Same with PV. I am guessing the farther south you go, the warmer it gets. I do remember being quite cold in San Miguel de Allende when I went in October. I had to always layer up. SMdA is in the mountains and has weather much more like in the states than the beach in Mexico.
I am not sure what we are having for dinner tonight. As usual I go from one meal thinking about what I am going to eat at the next meal... and where! That is the only way to ensure that I don't lose my mind with hunger. That is not a pretty sight for sure.
Tomorrow I think we are going to take a little tour of the coast north of here. We want to check things out and get some use of the car. I guess I will be able to use my Spanish a little bit more too. We may try to go to see the turtles. There is a sanctuary at Playa del San Francisco, aka San Pancho. They release baby turtles from August to December. I think they release them at night, so we may only be able to see where they hatch or something. I am not sure. And maybe we will drive a bit farther north to see some other beach towns too. It would be fun to go into the mountains, but the town that I know of is pretty far away.. It would have been a better trip from Puerto Vallarta.
Well, Eva just got up from her nap. So, my time is up...
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Where in the World is Sayulita?
For those of you wondering where Sayulita is... it is just north of Puerto Vallarta on the west coast of Mexico. It is a tiny little town.
No Bath, 5 Gallon Water Heater
We are in Sayulita... living the dream. The dream doesn't include a bath for Ken. And we can't shower together or even one after another because the water heater is tiny. Another drawback is the fact that the pool is freezing cold. The only way Eva can go in there is if the sun is directly on the pool. So we will try again tomorrow. Other than that we love our place. It has an outdoor kitchen and living room and a cute queen bed. There is no crib, but the closet seems to be a good make-shift. I can give more details later. There are plenty of gringos here... urban campers, hippies, and rich white folks who can actually own a piece of paradise.
We are off for some fish tacos at Fish Tacos Sayulita.
Hasta luego amigos!
We are off for some fish tacos at Fish Tacos Sayulita.
Hasta luego amigos!
Y Soda Y Fish Tacos
I am still not feeling that great. I feel like I still have a bit of a cold. I think Eva is beginning to feel better since she isn't coughing as much. Although sometimes her breathing sounds like she just smoked a pack of cigarettes. I am trying not to worry about her. I think she had the same thing last time she was sick.
Ken, when on vacation, with tub, takes a tubby an average of one every few hours! It is a 5 foot tub, so it's pretty much the lap of luxury!
Yesterday Eva blew bubbles in the bath. She did it again tonight! Unfortunately she doesn't have the idea down yet that she shouldn't then try to gulp a breath of air while her face is still in the water! Practice. We are also showing her how to blow bubbles at every opportunity: bath, pool, bottle of water! I think she is going to be a natural. I'm not sure I said this before, but I am a llittle disappointed at how cold the pool water here is kept. It is at 81 which is definitely colder than recommended for a little baby. She can be in for a few minutes before she starts to shiver. Me too! I am sure it was heated better at the Sheraton! I don't think it will be any better at the place in Sayulita. As a matter of fact we are wondering what we are going to do with no warm pool, no hottub and no bathtub! Lots of our time here has been spent in one of those places during this trip, so going to a place with none of that will be interesting. We will have the beach and of course a shower... And lots of yummy fish tacos where we are going.
Ken and I decided that having a car is a necessity now that we have Eva. Being on vacation and not being able to get around easily is not easy. I think we have done well considering, but we would have been able to see more and do more if we had had a car from the beginning. Although there is something to be said for the amount of money we have saved by just staying around the resort and cooking our own food. If we had a car the entire time, we would have eaten out a lot more often.
Sayulita is our home for the next 4 days. We have internet at a corner cafe, a pool in our backyard, and Eva will be sleeping in the closet. Life couldn't be much better!
More later...Y soda...
Ken, when on vacation, with tub, takes a tubby an average of one every few hours! It is a 5 foot tub, so it's pretty much the lap of luxury!
Yesterday Eva blew bubbles in the bath. She did it again tonight! Unfortunately she doesn't have the idea down yet that she shouldn't then try to gulp a breath of air while her face is still in the water! Practice. We are also showing her how to blow bubbles at every opportunity: bath, pool, bottle of water! I think she is going to be a natural. I'm not sure I said this before, but I am a llittle disappointed at how cold the pool water here is kept. It is at 81 which is definitely colder than recommended for a little baby. She can be in for a few minutes before she starts to shiver. Me too! I am sure it was heated better at the Sheraton! I don't think it will be any better at the place in Sayulita. As a matter of fact we are wondering what we are going to do with no warm pool, no hottub and no bathtub! Lots of our time here has been spent in one of those places during this trip, so going to a place with none of that will be interesting. We will have the beach and of course a shower... And lots of yummy fish tacos where we are going.
Ken and I decided that having a car is a necessity now that we have Eva. Being on vacation and not being able to get around easily is not easy. I think we have done well considering, but we would have been able to see more and do more if we had had a car from the beginning. Although there is something to be said for the amount of money we have saved by just staying around the resort and cooking our own food. If we had a car the entire time, we would have eaten out a lot more often.
Sayulita is our home for the next 4 days. We have internet at a corner cafe, a pool in our backyard, and Eva will be sleeping in the closet. Life couldn't be much better!
More later...Y soda...
Friday, December 17, 2010
Eva Travels...
Eva's favorite toy seems to be the bag of wipes. It makes great noise, it is big enough to grab onto. And it is even good to suck. Perfect trifecta of options. We had to open up the bag of wipes, so it is not so perfect anymore. Now my mouth guard and case are the favorite. It is a perfect size for Eva to grab and put in her mouth. She is really beginning to utilize her hands in a more focused way. She focuses on every exact movement and when it isn''t working she seems to try to figure out a better way of doing it.
I have to admit, traveling with her is much more challenging than traveling alone. I am completely happy that we came down here, but it would have been really awesome to have someone or a couple of someones with us. It would be nice for Ken and me to go do something together without Eva. But at this point she can't really take care of herself. So, we take turns doing things alone or we do it as a family.
This afternoon we walked from our hotel to downtown. It is a good long walk. We stopped along the way at the Sheraton Bouganvillas Resort. It is very fancy, very nice and probably sets you back quite a bit. They had a beautiful Christmas tree in the lobby and a really nice gift shop that I cleverly decided not to go into. In spite of the staff with hard safari hats (just like the ones the dudes at Mayan Palace have - where they blocked us from going in last year), we were able to walk right in and check the place out. It seemed very quiet and not very crowded. We sat right at the water under a tree and fed Eva her bottle. It was beautiful, tranquil, and made me want to go back. Their rooms didn't have balconies. That could be a good thing, given Ken's anxiety about pitching Eva off a balcony.
We took a walk down the malecon, pulling the stroller so Eva's eyes wouldn't be in the sun. That is easier than walking backwards!
The one store I wanted to go to was closed. We tried to go on the way home, but it was still closed. So, I will try again tomorrow or Friday.
A stop at Starbucks to use the internet was frustrating. So many smokers outside! Yuck. I forget how many people still smoke. It is disgusting. And the internet was snail-slow. But Eva was in a good mood, especially after I changed her diaper! She is in a good mood most of the time. She gets really fussy when she is hungry and when she is tired. Go figure! Same as her mom and dad. The rest of the time she is a busy body. Into everything - moving around, touching everything, putting things in her mouth, talking, and generally being busy.
Tonight we ate at our favorite restaurant. It set us back about $65, which is not cheap for Mexico. And I think we won't get the seafood there again. We had a seafood platter with two lobsters (one big and one small), grilled fish, shrimp, twice baked potatoes, rice, veggies, and garlic bread. And everything was covered in garlic. I was underwhelmed and a little disappointed, since it has been my favorite place. Maybe it wasn't as good as I remember because I didn't have my margarita goggles on tonight?! Oh well. It was still a very nice dinner. And the best part of all was that Eva slept through the entire thing. When we arrived, we thought it would be a rough dining experience because she had been having a meltdown just before we arrived. Brilliantly, we fed her a bottle, she fell fast asleep and woke up just before we got the check. It couldn't have been more perfect.
They say, when in Mexico, do as the Mexicans. That is mostly a good idea, except for a few things, like taking your baby in a car without a carseat. But what do you do when you forget the carseat because you have walked into el centro? You either walk home, which wasn't an option at that point, or you do as the Mexicans... say a prayer to La Virgin de Guadalupe and hold your baby tight on your way home, praying all the way. We made it okay. And won't be making that mistake again. I needed a beer after that!!
Speaking of Mexico and babies, people here mostly don't have strollers. They carry their babies in their arms. These women have got to be strong. They also feed their babies all kinds of junk. And most of them are breast fed. An interesting juxtaposition.
We have two full days left here in PV and then we are off to Sayulita.
Tomorrow's task is to do the laundry and sit on the beach all day. Maybe we will have to think about what we are going to have to eat.. more quesadillas? A roasted chicken? No more lobster and definitely no more garlic!
I have to admit, traveling with her is much more challenging than traveling alone. I am completely happy that we came down here, but it would have been really awesome to have someone or a couple of someones with us. It would be nice for Ken and me to go do something together without Eva. But at this point she can't really take care of herself. So, we take turns doing things alone or we do it as a family.
This afternoon we walked from our hotel to downtown. It is a good long walk. We stopped along the way at the Sheraton Bouganvillas Resort. It is very fancy, very nice and probably sets you back quite a bit. They had a beautiful Christmas tree in the lobby and a really nice gift shop that I cleverly decided not to go into. In spite of the staff with hard safari hats (just like the ones the dudes at Mayan Palace have - where they blocked us from going in last year), we were able to walk right in and check the place out. It seemed very quiet and not very crowded. We sat right at the water under a tree and fed Eva her bottle. It was beautiful, tranquil, and made me want to go back. Their rooms didn't have balconies. That could be a good thing, given Ken's anxiety about pitching Eva off a balcony.
We took a walk down the malecon, pulling the stroller so Eva's eyes wouldn't be in the sun. That is easier than walking backwards!
The one store I wanted to go to was closed. We tried to go on the way home, but it was still closed. So, I will try again tomorrow or Friday.
A stop at Starbucks to use the internet was frustrating. So many smokers outside! Yuck. I forget how many people still smoke. It is disgusting. And the internet was snail-slow. But Eva was in a good mood, especially after I changed her diaper! She is in a good mood most of the time. She gets really fussy when she is hungry and when she is tired. Go figure! Same as her mom and dad. The rest of the time she is a busy body. Into everything - moving around, touching everything, putting things in her mouth, talking, and generally being busy.
Tonight we ate at our favorite restaurant. It set us back about $65, which is not cheap for Mexico. And I think we won't get the seafood there again. We had a seafood platter with two lobsters (one big and one small), grilled fish, shrimp, twice baked potatoes, rice, veggies, and garlic bread. And everything was covered in garlic. I was underwhelmed and a little disappointed, since it has been my favorite place. Maybe it wasn't as good as I remember because I didn't have my margarita goggles on tonight?! Oh well. It was still a very nice dinner. And the best part of all was that Eva slept through the entire thing. When we arrived, we thought it would be a rough dining experience because she had been having a meltdown just before we arrived. Brilliantly, we fed her a bottle, she fell fast asleep and woke up just before we got the check. It couldn't have been more perfect.
They say, when in Mexico, do as the Mexicans. That is mostly a good idea, except for a few things, like taking your baby in a car without a carseat. But what do you do when you forget the carseat because you have walked into el centro? You either walk home, which wasn't an option at that point, or you do as the Mexicans... say a prayer to La Virgin de Guadalupe and hold your baby tight on your way home, praying all the way. We made it okay. And won't be making that mistake again. I needed a beer after that!!
Speaking of Mexico and babies, people here mostly don't have strollers. They carry their babies in their arms. These women have got to be strong. They also feed their babies all kinds of junk. And most of them are breast fed. An interesting juxtaposition.
We have two full days left here in PV and then we are off to Sayulita.
Tomorrow's task is to do the laundry and sit on the beach all day. Maybe we will have to think about what we are going to have to eat.. more quesadillas? A roasted chicken? No more lobster and definitely no more garlic!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Have Baby Will Travel
Everyone thought we were crazy to bring Eva down here. I was pretty certain it would be awesome. So far I am right! We are having a blast. Eva is doing really well and seems to love it here. It is unfortunate that she had a cold when we left for Puerto Vallarta, but she is doing well in spite of that. She has a lingering cough that we are monitoring closely. It doesn't seem to be holding her back any.
Eva did amazing on the flight. In spite of getting over a cold, Eva didn't seem to have any issues with assent or descent. She winced a little, but the binkie and her bottle got her through just fine. The rest of the flight she was almost perfect, only crying when she was really tired and needing to fall asleep. THat is normally when she gets fussy anyway. She had lots of fun flirting with the men sitting behind us.
We have been in PV for almost three days now. It has been an ajustment, but nothing too difficult considering we are living on tthe beach in a resort.. there isn't much roughing it..
Having a baby is the perfect way to avoid time share babble. We were almost roped into the initial talk but escaped because we needed to get Eva situated, fed, etc. Then we just avoided the lobby altogether for the evening. One waiter asked us if we had the discount card and we told him we didn't.. He said "good for you." And then he and I said at the same time, "shhhhh."
It's a total racket. I am happy to avoid.. There was a guy in line to check in when I was checking in to switch llines and he was talking to two older women and stated to them that he would never buy a timeshare, not when you can go online and get a place for much cheaper and more easily. Another woman we talked to has been coming here for 15 years, has 5 left and just recently surrendered their timeshare. I read about doing that on the website regarding selling a timeshare. I guess they aren't coming back and she was telling us about her terminal cancer. God, poor thing.. She seemed nice, but going through a lot and really wanting to talk about it..
The day we arrived it was about 6pm by the time we got settled and came down to eat. After dinner at the bar restaurant (Ken had a good burger and I had sopes with different stuff on tthem) we headed over to the pool.. Eva had a little dip and really enjoyed it.. Then we took her into the hottub to warm her up.. She liked that even better!
After a swim we walked over to the grocery store and bought a few items for our morning breakfast and lunch. It was probably 11pm by the time we finally got to bed. And up again early with Eva..She doesn't know what it is to sleep in! So, | got up with her, got her a bottle and let Ken get a little more rest. The rest of the day was filled with figuring out where we were moving and when. We ended up with a ground floor one bedroom, having rented a two bedroom two bath place. The one we rented was up a flight of stairs and somewhat cave-like. I thought we might have to wait until Monday to get a one bedroom, but when she heard me complain about the stairs she suggested the first floor unit. Normally I am not a fan, but with a stroller and a father who is worried about dropping his child off the balcony, it seemed like a perfect idea. I actually like being on the first floor except you can't go out the sliding glass door and lock it behind you.
So, we took it. We were able to stay in our studio until the new place was ready. Then we moved everything ourselves. Avoiding more and more tips.
We tried the wading pool. I thought it would be best and warmest, but it is acutally the coldest of all the pools so that mission was rapidly aborted. Eva was shivering within the first minute or so. Bummer because I was really looking forward to swimming with her. Maybe tomorrow in the sun it will be a little better. After a warming bath, we were off to Pepe's Tacos! We have been waiting for this reunion for over a year. Delicious tacos with savory meats, sauteed with onions, peppers, mushrooms and plenty of cheese! To die for! So good you almost have to eat every last bite. But we didn't... we saved some for lunch today. In order to feel less guilty for eating so many yummy tacos, we walked all the way home! I think it's about a mile and a half at the most.. Ken thinks it's longer. Maybe we can measure it when we get the rental car? Anyway, it was a great walk except for crossing the streets.
Early in the morning on Saturday we left for downtown and some breakfast at Casa de los Hotcakes (Pancakes). We walked out to get a taxi thinking it would be a little cheaper. Interesting... there are zones for taxi pricing. from here to downtown is 40 pesos if you leave from outside the hotel, 50 if they hail one for you. When we got out there we hailed one and he said 40 so we were breaking down the stroller and a taxi who works at Fiesta Americana, next to Villa del Palmar, drove up and caused problems for our driver. So he was about to leave until he heard the guy charging us 80 pesos! Then he called his boss who had already been called by the other guy's boss... We went with the first one, Alberto who was very nice and spoke English very well. I gave him 60 becaause he was so nice and didn't leave us with the "raton."
At Casa de los Hotcakes we met a woman with a 4 month old baby who lives in a town near Sayulita. She was a math teacher until her son was born. She had a good medical benefits package and had nothing bad to say about living here in Mexico. Her partner looked significantly older than her... a hippie of sorts maybe. Anyway, she wasn't worried in the least about raising her child here. She was currently staaying at home with her son, Desmond.. It was an illuminating conversation. She told us that she made a good living teaching at an American school.. Very interesting.. Breakfast was delicious and not too expensive. Although prices are certainly more than they used to be!
Next we headed to the beach and fed Eva. When she was finished we headed over to the malecon by crossing the River Cuale. At the beginning of the malecon, in the zocolo there was a throng of people lined up to get into the cathedral. It was December 12, dia de la senora guadalupe. All the little kids were dressed in traditional costumes and some family members too. Once we got some photos of that we decided to get out of the crowds and stroll the malecon. At the end of the walk we headed for a cool patio at Hotel Rosarita's on the beach. There we had drinks and fed Eva. She got loads of attention. We also got to see two whales off in the distance jumping out of the water and flopping around with their fins in the air... what a sight!
Leaving downtown we decided to go grocery shopping at the market downtown and then take a cab from there. It was packed with people but we made the best of it and it had everything we needed. What a scene. It is definitely the store the locals use. Also cheaper than the one up by the hotel.. But it worked, other than the thing of chilies falling out of their container into the trunk of the taxi we took back to the hotel. Luckily we had bought paper towels and were able to clean it up. Finally we had the bulk of our groceeries bought and put away. For dinner we had a roasted chicken, potatoes, tortillas and lots of yummy salsa. I did a number on my tongue with a jalepeno peepper! Ouch!
Eva has been spending lots of time on the floor rolling around. She seems very close to crawling. She has also been in teh pool a few times and seems to really enjoy that as well. We spent most of the morning until about 1pm on the beach under a palapa. I took her to the edge of the water which she seemed to like and was talking up a storm. She also enjoys all the baths we have given her over the last few days. She is generally very happy although when she is tired she mellts doown and has a good cry. Nothing a little food and sleep can't fix.
Putting her to be has gotten a little easier. When we first got here she didn't want to sleep unless she was in our arms. That has gotten a little better, but it still isn't like at home where she will go down and play on her own a little before she finally drops off to sleep. If she is really tired, it is generally easier. Tonight she went down in the crib with no problem at all. Speaaking of the crib... it is really old school. The rails are quite tall. It is on old casters or wheels that are super rickety and it pops open and closed and is locked in place with some semi fancy hinges. It seems like it is going to break every time I lean on it. I try not to lean on it and pray every time I put her in it that she won't move around too much, causing it to collapse on itself. I guess we are going to get a playpen at Walmart for her to sleep in when we get to Sayulita. That will be much better...
Our plan for today is to finish up at the Starbucks, where internet is free... not $20 per day as it is in the resort! They can gouge the unsuspecting folks who don't ever want to leave the hotel or who can write off the expense. Anyway, I think we are going back downtown for an early dinner and sunset. We have hardly been downtown at all this trip, so I am really looking forward to it.
I can't believe it's already Tuesday! It feels like we just got here. Or that we have been here for a very long time... We have a full week left. Much more fun in the sun. And none of us have sunburns yet. That is saying something. Very careful with the sunblock. Especially with Eva.
She is calling my name. And I have been hogging the computer. Ken's turn.
Eva did amazing on the flight. In spite of getting over a cold, Eva didn't seem to have any issues with assent or descent. She winced a little, but the binkie and her bottle got her through just fine. The rest of the flight she was almost perfect, only crying when she was really tired and needing to fall asleep. THat is normally when she gets fussy anyway. She had lots of fun flirting with the men sitting behind us.
We have been in PV for almost three days now. It has been an ajustment, but nothing too difficult considering we are living on tthe beach in a resort.. there isn't much roughing it..
Having a baby is the perfect way to avoid time share babble. We were almost roped into the initial talk but escaped because we needed to get Eva situated, fed, etc. Then we just avoided the lobby altogether for the evening. One waiter asked us if we had the discount card and we told him we didn't.. He said "good for you." And then he and I said at the same time, "shhhhh."
It's a total racket. I am happy to avoid.. There was a guy in line to check in when I was checking in to switch llines and he was talking to two older women and stated to them that he would never buy a timeshare, not when you can go online and get a place for much cheaper and more easily. Another woman we talked to has been coming here for 15 years, has 5 left and just recently surrendered their timeshare. I read about doing that on the website regarding selling a timeshare. I guess they aren't coming back and she was telling us about her terminal cancer. God, poor thing.. She seemed nice, but going through a lot and really wanting to talk about it..
The day we arrived it was about 6pm by the time we got settled and came down to eat. After dinner at the bar restaurant (Ken had a good burger and I had sopes with different stuff on tthem) we headed over to the pool.. Eva had a little dip and really enjoyed it.. Then we took her into the hottub to warm her up.. She liked that even better!
After a swim we walked over to the grocery store and bought a few items for our morning breakfast and lunch. It was probably 11pm by the time we finally got to bed. And up again early with Eva..She doesn't know what it is to sleep in! So, | got up with her, got her a bottle and let Ken get a little more rest. The rest of the day was filled with figuring out where we were moving and when. We ended up with a ground floor one bedroom, having rented a two bedroom two bath place. The one we rented was up a flight of stairs and somewhat cave-like. I thought we might have to wait until Monday to get a one bedroom, but when she heard me complain about the stairs she suggested the first floor unit. Normally I am not a fan, but with a stroller and a father who is worried about dropping his child off the balcony, it seemed like a perfect idea. I actually like being on the first floor except you can't go out the sliding glass door and lock it behind you.
So, we took it. We were able to stay in our studio until the new place was ready. Then we moved everything ourselves. Avoiding more and more tips.
We tried the wading pool. I thought it would be best and warmest, but it is acutally the coldest of all the pools so that mission was rapidly aborted. Eva was shivering within the first minute or so. Bummer because I was really looking forward to swimming with her. Maybe tomorrow in the sun it will be a little better. After a warming bath, we were off to Pepe's Tacos! We have been waiting for this reunion for over a year. Delicious tacos with savory meats, sauteed with onions, peppers, mushrooms and plenty of cheese! To die for! So good you almost have to eat every last bite. But we didn't... we saved some for lunch today. In order to feel less guilty for eating so many yummy tacos, we walked all the way home! I think it's about a mile and a half at the most.. Ken thinks it's longer. Maybe we can measure it when we get the rental car? Anyway, it was a great walk except for crossing the streets.
Early in the morning on Saturday we left for downtown and some breakfast at Casa de los Hotcakes (Pancakes). We walked out to get a taxi thinking it would be a little cheaper. Interesting... there are zones for taxi pricing. from here to downtown is 40 pesos if you leave from outside the hotel, 50 if they hail one for you. When we got out there we hailed one and he said 40 so we were breaking down the stroller and a taxi who works at Fiesta Americana, next to Villa del Palmar, drove up and caused problems for our driver. So he was about to leave until he heard the guy charging us 80 pesos! Then he called his boss who had already been called by the other guy's boss... We went with the first one, Alberto who was very nice and spoke English very well. I gave him 60 becaause he was so nice and didn't leave us with the "raton."
At Casa de los Hotcakes we met a woman with a 4 month old baby who lives in a town near Sayulita. She was a math teacher until her son was born. She had a good medical benefits package and had nothing bad to say about living here in Mexico. Her partner looked significantly older than her... a hippie of sorts maybe. Anyway, she wasn't worried in the least about raising her child here. She was currently staaying at home with her son, Desmond.. It was an illuminating conversation. She told us that she made a good living teaching at an American school.. Very interesting.. Breakfast was delicious and not too expensive. Although prices are certainly more than they used to be!
Next we headed to the beach and fed Eva. When she was finished we headed over to the malecon by crossing the River Cuale. At the beginning of the malecon, in the zocolo there was a throng of people lined up to get into the cathedral. It was December 12, dia de la senora guadalupe. All the little kids were dressed in traditional costumes and some family members too. Once we got some photos of that we decided to get out of the crowds and stroll the malecon. At the end of the walk we headed for a cool patio at Hotel Rosarita's on the beach. There we had drinks and fed Eva. She got loads of attention. We also got to see two whales off in the distance jumping out of the water and flopping around with their fins in the air... what a sight!
Leaving downtown we decided to go grocery shopping at the market downtown and then take a cab from there. It was packed with people but we made the best of it and it had everything we needed. What a scene. It is definitely the store the locals use. Also cheaper than the one up by the hotel.. But it worked, other than the thing of chilies falling out of their container into the trunk of the taxi we took back to the hotel. Luckily we had bought paper towels and were able to clean it up. Finally we had the bulk of our groceeries bought and put away. For dinner we had a roasted chicken, potatoes, tortillas and lots of yummy salsa. I did a number on my tongue with a jalepeno peepper! Ouch!
Eva has been spending lots of time on the floor rolling around. She seems very close to crawling. She has also been in teh pool a few times and seems to really enjoy that as well. We spent most of the morning until about 1pm on the beach under a palapa. I took her to the edge of the water which she seemed to like and was talking up a storm. She also enjoys all the baths we have given her over the last few days. She is generally very happy although when she is tired she mellts doown and has a good cry. Nothing a little food and sleep can't fix.
Putting her to be has gotten a little easier. When we first got here she didn't want to sleep unless she was in our arms. That has gotten a little better, but it still isn't like at home where she will go down and play on her own a little before she finally drops off to sleep. If she is really tired, it is generally easier. Tonight she went down in the crib with no problem at all. Speaaking of the crib... it is really old school. The rails are quite tall. It is on old casters or wheels that are super rickety and it pops open and closed and is locked in place with some semi fancy hinges. It seems like it is going to break every time I lean on it. I try not to lean on it and pray every time I put her in it that she won't move around too much, causing it to collapse on itself. I guess we are going to get a playpen at Walmart for her to sleep in when we get to Sayulita. That will be much better...
Our plan for today is to finish up at the Starbucks, where internet is free... not $20 per day as it is in the resort! They can gouge the unsuspecting folks who don't ever want to leave the hotel or who can write off the expense. Anyway, I think we are going back downtown for an early dinner and sunset. We have hardly been downtown at all this trip, so I am really looking forward to it.
I can't believe it's already Tuesday! It feels like we just got here. Or that we have been here for a very long time... We have a full week left. Much more fun in the sun. And none of us have sunburns yet. That is saying something. Very careful with the sunblock. Especially with Eva.
She is calling my name. And I have been hogging the computer. Ken's turn.
Monday, July 05, 2010
My Mother
Well, lots has been going on. I am as huge as I can possibly get now. I am worried that this baby will never want to come out and I will somehow be like this forever. I have had quite a few meltdowns. Really, any time she wants to come out would be good with me. We are ready.
So, last night my mother... who I have to say I love more than anyone in the world... well, not more than Ken, just different...
said to us last night that she wasn't sure about being called "Grandma." I have heard this story from friends, but never thought my own mother would be one to push aside what I would consider a true badge of honor. Mark piped in immediately and stated, "Well Grandpa is taken." So, I asked if she was feeling too young to be a grandmother, she denied that as a reason. She really didn't have a reason. So we threw some ideas out at her all of which she rejected. Nana, Nanna, Abuela, Abuelita, etc. I said "Julie" thinking for sure she would reject that as well, considering how we have both identified "Mom" as an important name. I did have cousins who grew up calling their parents by their first names, which I always considered pretty weird. No offense to them of course. So, when she said, that seems like it might be the best option, I was truly floored. I basically told her that I was not going to have my daughter calling her Julie. That is just not going to happen. It's a little too "Berkeley" for even me.
Ken was on line this morning looking up nick names for grandparents. Bubbie, Mimi, DiDi, Bubbles, Lola, Lita, Deda. Or how about Big Momma?
Maybe she would like JuJu?
I have a feeling it is going to end up being Grandma. Maybe our daughter will have to be the one to break her in or something?
So, last night my mother... who I have to say I love more than anyone in the world... well, not more than Ken, just different...
said to us last night that she wasn't sure about being called "Grandma." I have heard this story from friends, but never thought my own mother would be one to push aside what I would consider a true badge of honor. Mark piped in immediately and stated, "Well Grandpa is taken." So, I asked if she was feeling too young to be a grandmother, she denied that as a reason. She really didn't have a reason. So we threw some ideas out at her all of which she rejected. Nana, Nanna, Abuela, Abuelita, etc. I said "Julie" thinking for sure she would reject that as well, considering how we have both identified "Mom" as an important name. I did have cousins who grew up calling their parents by their first names, which I always considered pretty weird. No offense to them of course. So, when she said, that seems like it might be the best option, I was truly floored. I basically told her that I was not going to have my daughter calling her Julie. That is just not going to happen. It's a little too "Berkeley" for even me.
Ken was on line this morning looking up nick names for grandparents. Bubbie, Mimi, DiDi, Bubbles, Lola, Lita, Deda. Or how about Big Momma?
Maybe she would like JuJu?
I have a feeling it is going to end up being Grandma. Maybe our daughter will have to be the one to break her in or something?
Monday, May 03, 2010
Baby Brain
It is all about the baby now. I have total insomnia. My hands are killing me from the carpal tunnel syndrome I have had since the beginning. The morning sickness is gone. Thank god. I get nauseous when I lay on my back for too long. I get horrible heart burn. My lungs feel like they are the size of tiny balloons. I can barely get up the stairs without being winded. I am loving Fruit Loops for breakfast, and I even had them for dinner last night. I can barely eat a meal without feeling over-stuffed. I am congested most of the time. We started our birthing class tonight. Seems like a good group meeting for the next 6 weeks...Lots to learn for sure.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Muchas Gracias!
I have been overwhelmed with the wonderful responses from all of my friends and family!
Thank you all so much for your warm wishes and support. I know I wouldn't be who I am without all of you. This baby is one lucky girl to be born with so much love surrounding her. A little mushy I know. I am feeling sentimental!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you all so much for your warm wishes and support. I know I wouldn't be who I am without all of you. This baby is one lucky girl to be born with so much love surrounding her. A little mushy I know. I am feeling sentimental!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Genetics
So, yesterday Ken and I went to a genetics counseling session. We had to attend in order to be eligible for the amniocentesis at 15 weeks. I had been told previously by a friend who also had a child at an "advanced maternal age" that there is a test they can do called the nucleo translucency test in which the doctor uses a very high resolution ultrasound to take an image of the baby and measures a small space on the back of the baby's neck. They can predict the statistical likelihood of the fetus having Down Syndrome or trisomy 18 (a fetus with an extra gene #18). Because I am 42 and of "advanced maternal age" I have a 1 in 40 chance of having a baby with Downs. This test can give you more accurate stats given more personal, direct data. During our conversation with Audrey, the genetic counselor, she stated that we would have to do that test before Sunday because you have to do it before 14 weeks and 2 days. The window of opportunity is quickly diminishing. Fortunately for us, there was a doctor who had a bit of free time and was able to squeeze us in at the last minute to do the procedure.
I got weighed, blood pressure and heart rate taken. 140/67 and heart rate 65. Not bad.
Then we went into the ultrasound room. This was one on the belly, unlike the first one which was done at 10 weeks through the vagina. It is much more comfortable on the belly that is for certain. The baby looked like it was sleeping face down with much less movement than when we saw it at 10 weeks. The doctor tapped and prodded my belly a little bit to get it to turn over, but then it almost immediately turned back over again, giving us a great view of it's rump. After the doctor took basic measurements of the entire body, crown to rump, and then the spot on the back of the neck, he was able to give us an up close look at the various body parts: legs, arms and hands, head, heart beat, spine, hips, etc. It was completely amazing. I asked him "Do you see any parts?" He said, "What parts?" My response was, "Boy parts or girl parts!" with an implied "Of course!" He said, "I see girl parts. She is very healthy." He also said that she is a big baby! She is actually 8.25 cm, about the size of a lemon. Those were things I loved hearing: Healthy and forming well, big, a little wild girl (like her mommy!).
I could honestly do that every day. Now I kind of get why Tom Cruise bought one for his wife Katy and himself to look whenever they wanted! I would totally do that every day. It is fascinating. And it makes the experience much more real. At first you can't really tell; then you can tell because you are eating everything in sight, feeling like puking most of the time and maybe even starting to show, and when you see the ultrasound it makes it feel real. Eventually, fairly soon I hope I will begin to feel her in there! They say at around 5 months. That will be about 6 more weeks. And I will get to have another ultrasound in February and maybe by then I will begin to feel her!
After the ultrasound was finished..
Needless to say at my advanced maternal age I am totally ecstatic! As are Ken and my parents! Yes, I was "trying. " It took two short months. I was pleasantly shocked and certainly relieved. I had thoughts that maybe it would take 6 months to a year. I feel very fortunate. So far so good!
In the meantime, there is work to be done and Ken needs some TLC. Thankfully I am out of the stage where I feel rotten and super duper amazingly tired all the time. I actually have some energy to take care of someone besides myself.
I got weighed, blood pressure and heart rate taken. 140/67 and heart rate 65. Not bad.
Then we went into the ultrasound room. This was one on the belly, unlike the first one which was done at 10 weeks through the vagina. It is much more comfortable on the belly that is for certain. The baby looked like it was sleeping face down with much less movement than when we saw it at 10 weeks. The doctor tapped and prodded my belly a little bit to get it to turn over, but then it almost immediately turned back over again, giving us a great view of it's rump. After the doctor took basic measurements of the entire body, crown to rump, and then the spot on the back of the neck, he was able to give us an up close look at the various body parts: legs, arms and hands, head, heart beat, spine, hips, etc. It was completely amazing. I asked him "Do you see any parts?" He said, "What parts?" My response was, "Boy parts or girl parts!" with an implied "Of course!" He said, "I see girl parts. She is very healthy." He also said that she is a big baby! She is actually 8.25 cm, about the size of a lemon. Those were things I loved hearing: Healthy and forming well, big, a little wild girl (like her mommy!).
I could honestly do that every day. Now I kind of get why Tom Cruise bought one for his wife Katy and himself to look whenever they wanted! I would totally do that every day. It is fascinating. And it makes the experience much more real. At first you can't really tell; then you can tell because you are eating everything in sight, feeling like puking most of the time and maybe even starting to show, and when you see the ultrasound it makes it feel real. Eventually, fairly soon I hope I will begin to feel her in there! They say at around 5 months. That will be about 6 more weeks. And I will get to have another ultrasound in February and maybe by then I will begin to feel her!
After the ultrasound was finished..
Needless to say at my advanced maternal age I am totally ecstatic! As are Ken and my parents! Yes, I was "trying. " It took two short months. I was pleasantly shocked and certainly relieved. I had thoughts that maybe it would take 6 months to a year. I feel very fortunate. So far so good!
In the meantime, there is work to be done and Ken needs some TLC. Thankfully I am out of the stage where I feel rotten and super duper amazingly tired all the time. I actually have some energy to take care of someone besides myself.
Zits, Farts, Itches, & Other Fun
So, really... this is what you have to look forward to when you are pregnant. I really haven't had acne in years. Now, one whole side of my face is covered with zits. They don't go away quickly as they are relatively deep pockets of puss on the face. Lovely. And very appealing, right? I guess it could be worse, I could have them on my chest and back as well. I should feel fortunate.
Farts: these are the worst smelling gas bombs you can ever imagine. I really feel sorry for Ken who has to sleep next to me on a nightly basis. I try to keep matches next to the bed for those occasions when I have inadvertently "smoked" him out. Do women ever really talk about this problem? Is there anything that can be done to thwart this issue? Sometimes it is concerning they smell so bad. It's sometimes like something really did die up there and it is trying to get out. Ken will often suggest that I try taking a poop to assist with the problem. And not to be gross, but that sometimes works. And wow! I wonder how all that fits up there. Where did it all come from? I am eating for two, but shitting too?! Wow. That is no joke.
Since I have been pregnant, I am about 10 times more itchy than I was before. And I was already itchy before that, so you can imagine how itchy that might be. It is nearly impossible to ever feel completely free of the itch. Before the pregnancy I think there was some anxiety related itchiness. When I got home from Mexico (where I was virtually itch free) I found out I was pregnant and immediately started having the normal side effects including zits, bad gas, nausea, and extremely dry skin. It has gotten a little bit better, the air is a little less dry than it has been over the last couple of months, and I have gotten really good at making sure I am moisturizing well and often.
Did I mention mood swings? I have stabilized some but I really was going through it (and therefore putting Ken through it) during the first 9 weeks. I can cry at the drop of a hat. I try not to watch movies that will get me going. I even cried at the end of the Hangover! Really.
Farts: these are the worst smelling gas bombs you can ever imagine. I really feel sorry for Ken who has to sleep next to me on a nightly basis. I try to keep matches next to the bed for those occasions when I have inadvertently "smoked" him out. Do women ever really talk about this problem? Is there anything that can be done to thwart this issue? Sometimes it is concerning they smell so bad. It's sometimes like something really did die up there and it is trying to get out. Ken will often suggest that I try taking a poop to assist with the problem. And not to be gross, but that sometimes works. And wow! I wonder how all that fits up there. Where did it all come from? I am eating for two, but shitting too?! Wow. That is no joke.
Since I have been pregnant, I am about 10 times more itchy than I was before. And I was already itchy before that, so you can imagine how itchy that might be. It is nearly impossible to ever feel completely free of the itch. Before the pregnancy I think there was some anxiety related itchiness. When I got home from Mexico (where I was virtually itch free) I found out I was pregnant and immediately started having the normal side effects including zits, bad gas, nausea, and extremely dry skin. It has gotten a little bit better, the air is a little less dry than it has been over the last couple of months, and I have gotten really good at making sure I am moisturizing well and often.
Did I mention mood swings? I have stabilized some but I really was going through it (and therefore putting Ken through it) during the first 9 weeks. I can cry at the drop of a hat. I try not to watch movies that will get me going. I even cried at the end of the Hangover! Really.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Exercsise And Pregnancy
So, I have been encouraged to try not to gain more than 30 pounds. I think that is a noble goal. I have no idea how I can possibly pull that off without dieting. It maybe possible and I guess I will have to see how it goes over the next trimester. Given the fact that if I eat too much I feel like absolute garbage, I have been doing a pretty good job of not overindulging very often. It is a very tricky balance sometimes to eat enough to satisfy and satiate my hunger, but not so much that I want to go puke. So rather than monitor every bite I take, I am more likely to try to get more exercise. A friend of mine and I are going to start walking once a week together. I have also been eager to help move, organize, and re-organize the house since Ken moved in. I also put up the Christmas tree and took it down, not to mention vacuuming at least 3 times in the last week. Every little bit of random exercise adds up. I think getting enough sleep is also important and needs to happen RIGHT NOW!!
A New Odyssey Altogether
So, the big news for the last 13 weeks is that I am pregnant! I can't even really believe it myself.
Tonight has been rough with "morning" sickness. I call it all the fucking time sickness. It has actually gotten much better, but for some reason this evening I haven't been feeling so good. Usually these days it is the morning that is the worst. And brushing my teeth is agony. I can't even think about it without wanting to throw up. People have suggested that I change toothpaste... I have, three times! It doesn't make a bit of difference. It is the gag reflex that gets me. The prenatal vitamins are also pretty bad. I have to take them at night because in the morning I am sure to puke from them. Just opening the bottle makes me wretch.
There are some major benefits to being pregnant... for the first time since I can remember I am happy to eat almost anything without being too "diet" conscious. I don't want to gain a ton of weight, but I also am not about to starve myself. If I don't eat at fairly regular intervals I start feeling really crappy and light headed. So I feel justified in eating, but eating well. I have been trying not to eat too much junk. I am eating things from as "close to the ground" as possible. It is hard to eat salads in the dead of winter though. Cravings are real. I have cravings for very odd things like sushi. Well, maybe that isn't that odd. It's just that I am not allowed to eat sushi, so of course I want it. Recently I have been craving a burger and fries... about as far from the ground as you can get. I have not acted on it of course.
So, about 3 weeks ago Ken (baby daddy) and I went to the ultrasound. My first thought when I saw the fetus doing backflips was, "that is a freakin' boy for sure!" It has a screwdriver in its pocket just like his daddy!
Tonight has been rough with "morning" sickness. I call it all the fucking time sickness. It has actually gotten much better, but for some reason this evening I haven't been feeling so good. Usually these days it is the morning that is the worst. And brushing my teeth is agony. I can't even think about it without wanting to throw up. People have suggested that I change toothpaste... I have, three times! It doesn't make a bit of difference. It is the gag reflex that gets me. The prenatal vitamins are also pretty bad. I have to take them at night because in the morning I am sure to puke from them. Just opening the bottle makes me wretch.
There are some major benefits to being pregnant... for the first time since I can remember I am happy to eat almost anything without being too "diet" conscious. I don't want to gain a ton of weight, but I also am not about to starve myself. If I don't eat at fairly regular intervals I start feeling really crappy and light headed. So I feel justified in eating, but eating well. I have been trying not to eat too much junk. I am eating things from as "close to the ground" as possible. It is hard to eat salads in the dead of winter though. Cravings are real. I have cravings for very odd things like sushi. Well, maybe that isn't that odd. It's just that I am not allowed to eat sushi, so of course I want it. Recently I have been craving a burger and fries... about as far from the ground as you can get. I have not acted on it of course.
So, about 3 weeks ago Ken (baby daddy) and I went to the ultrasound. My first thought when I saw the fetus doing backflips was, "that is a freakin' boy for sure!" It has a screwdriver in its pocket just like his daddy!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Driving In Mexico
I am home from Mexico now and really missing it! There are always surprises and learning experiences on every trip I take and this one was no different. Foreign countries have so much to offer and there is never a dull moment. This was as true in Moscow as it was in Puerto Vallarta, although I think the later is a much more relaxing vacation in spite of some of the stress we went through there.
I would no sooner drive in Moscow than I would in Mexico City. Way too crazy. I thought driving in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara and the towns in between would be more manageable. For the most part that was the case, but it was still quite stressful and I am fairly certain I would never rent a car in Mexico again.
I drove from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara, which took about 6 hours. It was interesting to me (in the way that watching a train wreck might be interesting) that the Mexican drivers don’t give a rat’s ass about the rules of the road. Double yellow line? Doesn’t that mean cross at any time into oncoming traffic whether or not you can see around the next bend in the road? Of course that is what it means down there. You may remember our experience last year in the collectivo (small bus) driving through the mountains… Caroline and I were sure we were going to die. The driver was pretty sure that if he crossed himself continually and kissed the crucifix hanging from his rearview mirror every 15 minutes he would probably be spared the gruesome death of a head-on collision with a mac truck. Fortunately we didn’t die.
I guess I wasn’t really thinking about that in terms of driving ourselves around this year. Unfortunately I am not so faithful nor am I quite dexterous enough to do all that praying, crossing, while driving and paying attention to possible head-on-coming traffic. Luckily we made it through to tell the tale. There were some moments when I was really worried, but truthfully they were mostly when my friend Cory was driving. I just have to be honest in my experience men drive like they are on a racetrack. It is a competition with everyone on the road. Only in this competition we had everything to lose. Imagine driving behind a giant 16 wheeler loaded down with rebar. There was a gang of vehicles behind us. At one point there was one car between us and the truck and a car from behind us tried to pass and couldn’t make it, sneaking in just behind the truck. Cory was cursing the entire time. First he was cursing about the guy trying to pass, “you are such a fucking idiot, you are going to get yourself killed…” etc. The next thing out of his mouth was, “Jesus, you dumb ass! You could have made it just then. Go, go, go.” Eventually we were behind the truck and Cory made his move. But not until after he was about to go and I had to yell, “No, don’t do it! Please, no!” I think Cory was annoyed. But I didn’t really care. Shortly after that he made his move. I squeezed my eyes closed and said a prayer. When in Mexico do as the Mexicans, right? Well, more or less.
We lived. Thank GOD!!
And that is only a small part of the learning regarding driving in Mexico….
When Caroline and I picked up the car at USave Car Rental, we were quite concerned about how jacked up the outside of car looked. It was keyed, scratched, dented, and dinged all the way around the outside. I took a bunch of photos on my cell phone. The man renting us the car lifted the felt covering the spare, showing us the spare and tools. That was meant to “prove” we had “seen” it. Have you ever even looked at the spare when renting a car in the United States?
Another interesting thing was that we were told there wasn’t an automatic economy car available for us. They agreed to give us an upgrade. Once we were ready to go, we were told that they would call us to exchange the car for an economy in a couple of days. In no uncertain terms, Caroline said, “Absolutely not. We will not be available for any exchange as we will be out of the area.”
Returning the car a week later was less than a smooth transition. The clerk was a different guy than the one who had rented it to us. He went out to look at the car. He walked all the way around it and checked every dent. Then he opened the trunk and looked at the spare. For some reason Ken said, “He is going to tell us there is a hole in the spare.” I wasn’t really paying attention, so I wasn’t understanding why he was saying that.
When the man returned, he called me to the counter and asked me how the trip went. I stated it was great, and that there no problems at all. A big smile on my face. We did have an excellent time and we thankfully had no issues with the car at all. He said, “Well there seems to be a problem with the spare tire.” We went out and looked at it and sure enough there was a giant split in the tire. The tire had obviously been in the wheel well for ages. It was dusty, red paint rubbed on it from the car, and it was obviously the spare and not a tire we had ruined and replaced with the spare.
He said he would speak to his supervisor. His argument was that it was obviously us because I had signed a paper stating that I had looked at the spare before I took off with the car. I explained that they had basically not even shown us the spare, lifting the felt and dropping it down again before we could really even look at it.
Furthermore, we would have called if something had happened to us. And furthermore, how could they have rented us a car with a screwed up spare?! We were livid. I was determined not to pay for it. It was really the principal of it all.
They did not care one bit. It was a busted tire and someone was going to have to pay for it one way or another. I honestly think he knew we didn’t do it but someone was going to have to pay for it. His manager felt the same way. She was really bitchy. She wouldn’t give us a copy of the contract. Eventually she gave me a photocopy of the original and gave me the yellow copy I had been carrying around. Interestingly the two looked very different, the original having check marks regarding what I was agreeing to having seen, whereas the yellow copy didn’t have those marks.
In any case, after at least 20 minutes of arguing with them the manager handed me the credit card receipt I had signed a week earlier at the airport, with a total that was 800 pesos more than what I had agreed to originally. I realized it was useless to try to continue arguing in my broken Spanish mixed with angry English. We left with a promised to refute the charges. I recently received my American Express bill. There were at least 800 more pesos added to the receipt she originally gave me. I will be refuting it as well as writing a nasty letter to National Car Rental who runs USave Car Rental.
The good lesson from this whole experience is pretty much: “Don’t bother renting a car in Mexico.” You might as well just take the bus. Buses in Mexico are reliable, cheap, and you can actually relax and read a book on the way to your destination. Sounds good to me.
I would no sooner drive in Moscow than I would in Mexico City. Way too crazy. I thought driving in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara and the towns in between would be more manageable. For the most part that was the case, but it was still quite stressful and I am fairly certain I would never rent a car in Mexico again.
I drove from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara, which took about 6 hours. It was interesting to me (in the way that watching a train wreck might be interesting) that the Mexican drivers don’t give a rat’s ass about the rules of the road. Double yellow line? Doesn’t that mean cross at any time into oncoming traffic whether or not you can see around the next bend in the road? Of course that is what it means down there. You may remember our experience last year in the collectivo (small bus) driving through the mountains… Caroline and I were sure we were going to die. The driver was pretty sure that if he crossed himself continually and kissed the crucifix hanging from his rearview mirror every 15 minutes he would probably be spared the gruesome death of a head-on collision with a mac truck. Fortunately we didn’t die.
I guess I wasn’t really thinking about that in terms of driving ourselves around this year. Unfortunately I am not so faithful nor am I quite dexterous enough to do all that praying, crossing, while driving and paying attention to possible head-on-coming traffic. Luckily we made it through to tell the tale. There were some moments when I was really worried, but truthfully they were mostly when my friend Cory was driving. I just have to be honest in my experience men drive like they are on a racetrack. It is a competition with everyone on the road. Only in this competition we had everything to lose. Imagine driving behind a giant 16 wheeler loaded down with rebar. There was a gang of vehicles behind us. At one point there was one car between us and the truck and a car from behind us tried to pass and couldn’t make it, sneaking in just behind the truck. Cory was cursing the entire time. First he was cursing about the guy trying to pass, “you are such a fucking idiot, you are going to get yourself killed…” etc. The next thing out of his mouth was, “Jesus, you dumb ass! You could have made it just then. Go, go, go.” Eventually we were behind the truck and Cory made his move. But not until after he was about to go and I had to yell, “No, don’t do it! Please, no!” I think Cory was annoyed. But I didn’t really care. Shortly after that he made his move. I squeezed my eyes closed and said a prayer. When in Mexico do as the Mexicans, right? Well, more or less.
We lived. Thank GOD!!
And that is only a small part of the learning regarding driving in Mexico….
When Caroline and I picked up the car at USave Car Rental, we were quite concerned about how jacked up the outside of car looked. It was keyed, scratched, dented, and dinged all the way around the outside. I took a bunch of photos on my cell phone. The man renting us the car lifted the felt covering the spare, showing us the spare and tools. That was meant to “prove” we had “seen” it. Have you ever even looked at the spare when renting a car in the United States?
Another interesting thing was that we were told there wasn’t an automatic economy car available for us. They agreed to give us an upgrade. Once we were ready to go, we were told that they would call us to exchange the car for an economy in a couple of days. In no uncertain terms, Caroline said, “Absolutely not. We will not be available for any exchange as we will be out of the area.”
Returning the car a week later was less than a smooth transition. The clerk was a different guy than the one who had rented it to us. He went out to look at the car. He walked all the way around it and checked every dent. Then he opened the trunk and looked at the spare. For some reason Ken said, “He is going to tell us there is a hole in the spare.” I wasn’t really paying attention, so I wasn’t understanding why he was saying that.
When the man returned, he called me to the counter and asked me how the trip went. I stated it was great, and that there no problems at all. A big smile on my face. We did have an excellent time and we thankfully had no issues with the car at all. He said, “Well there seems to be a problem with the spare tire.” We went out and looked at it and sure enough there was a giant split in the tire. The tire had obviously been in the wheel well for ages. It was dusty, red paint rubbed on it from the car, and it was obviously the spare and not a tire we had ruined and replaced with the spare.
He said he would speak to his supervisor. His argument was that it was obviously us because I had signed a paper stating that I had looked at the spare before I took off with the car. I explained that they had basically not even shown us the spare, lifting the felt and dropping it down again before we could really even look at it.
Furthermore, we would have called if something had happened to us. And furthermore, how could they have rented us a car with a screwed up spare?! We were livid. I was determined not to pay for it. It was really the principal of it all.
They did not care one bit. It was a busted tire and someone was going to have to pay for it one way or another. I honestly think he knew we didn’t do it but someone was going to have to pay for it. His manager felt the same way. She was really bitchy. She wouldn’t give us a copy of the contract. Eventually she gave me a photocopy of the original and gave me the yellow copy I had been carrying around. Interestingly the two looked very different, the original having check marks regarding what I was agreeing to having seen, whereas the yellow copy didn’t have those marks.
In any case, after at least 20 minutes of arguing with them the manager handed me the credit card receipt I had signed a week earlier at the airport, with a total that was 800 pesos more than what I had agreed to originally. I realized it was useless to try to continue arguing in my broken Spanish mixed with angry English. We left with a promised to refute the charges. I recently received my American Express bill. There were at least 800 more pesos added to the receipt she originally gave me. I will be refuting it as well as writing a nasty letter to National Car Rental who runs USave Car Rental.
The good lesson from this whole experience is pretty much: “Don’t bother renting a car in Mexico.” You might as well just take the bus. Buses in Mexico are reliable, cheap, and you can actually relax and read a book on the way to your destination. Sounds good to me.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The Beach
We are at the beach. It is calling now. In the middle of nowhere. Chacala. Will be back with good blogs tomorrow or Saturday.
Bien dia en la playa.
Bien dia en la playa.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
October 27, 2009 - 42 Years
Well, I am now officially 42 years old. I can´t believe it.
It was a fabulous birthday and I couldn´t have been in a better place to celebrate. Caroline and Cory really made it special for the entire day they made it all about me. Unfortunately my sweetie Ken wasn´t here with me. Next year we will definitely be together! As it is he will be joining us on Friday. That is only 2.5 days away. I guess I can live with that. It really hit me that I missed him when we first arrived in Guadalajara and I realized that he wouldn´t get to see and experience this amazing city with us. On the other hand, I am certain he and I will come back here at some point and I can show him around...
In any case, yesterday was amazing. I started out the day with coffee, pan dulce (Mexican sweet bread) and delicious yogurt with fruit, all in the comfort of our own home.
We headed out with full tummies for a day of exploring two little towns on the outskirts of the city... Tonala and Tlaquepaque. These two towns are known for handicrafts and excellent shopping. They also happen to be full of beautiful people. Their plazas and walking streets are very inviting. It actually made me want to stay there and skip the city. In any case, we all did very well with some early Christmas shopping and even shopping for a few birthdays coming up. We tried to find a glass blowing factory but didn´t find it due to very hard to read street signs. All the street names are on small tiles on the side of the buildings on the street corners. It is very difficult to spot them in a moving vehicle. If I had it to do over we would have taken a cab to the towns instead. Driving here is difficult at best. On the way back into the city we were stuck in a crazy traffic jam. At the heart of it was a car stuck to the side of a truck´s wheel well. I was just very gratefull that it wasn´t me. It seems that often there two lanes of cars for one physical lane which can create obvious problems!
When we returned to the hotel we were all starving. We cleaned up a little, put sweaters on... did I mention it is cold here, especially at night? ... and made a bee-line to our favorite La Chata. It was amazing again. And this time I had a margarita too! It seems that drinking really doesn´t agree with me. I was ready for bed an hour later. I guess a belly full of booze and good food will do that to a person.
After dinner we got on a horse drawn carriage and had a tour of Guadalajara. The horse, Vicente, was a caramel brown and of slight stature. He was carrying us in a white carriage with red trim and a glass window in the back with an etched image of Jesus. It was beautiful. I was reminded of my ride with my friend Tricia through New Orleans a couple years ago. The guide we had in New Orleans was like an encyclopedia of information on the city. Our ride last night wasn´t quite as exceptional for a few reasons: my Spanish isn´t so good that I would understand everything our driver had to say, and the traffic around us was so loud it was often very hard to hear. I was really impressed with Vicente and his seeming lack of fear. When we were finshed with the ride we all got pictures with Vicente and our driver. Funny I don´t remember his name. I got a little too close to Vicente´s face when he had his eye blinders on and he gave me a little head butt. I deserved it. He was much more gentle without his bridle and eye shades and even gave us a big smile with all of his teeth showing! I think he was really happy to have that thing off!
After a long day of celebrating my 42nd year I was really ready for some deep sleep. Apparently I slept through drag racing outside the hotel and throughout the streets of Guadalajara! That´s me, the deep sleeper. I guess it was screetching, sirens, whooshing down the street... but no crashes??
Now we are getting ready to leave this beautiful city and make our way back to the beach. We have in mind a few very small towns north of Puerto Vallarta.
I will be back with more adventures when I have access to another computer.
Mas tarde amigos.
It was a fabulous birthday and I couldn´t have been in a better place to celebrate. Caroline and Cory really made it special for the entire day they made it all about me. Unfortunately my sweetie Ken wasn´t here with me. Next year we will definitely be together! As it is he will be joining us on Friday. That is only 2.5 days away. I guess I can live with that. It really hit me that I missed him when we first arrived in Guadalajara and I realized that he wouldn´t get to see and experience this amazing city with us. On the other hand, I am certain he and I will come back here at some point and I can show him around...
In any case, yesterday was amazing. I started out the day with coffee, pan dulce (Mexican sweet bread) and delicious yogurt with fruit, all in the comfort of our own home.
We headed out with full tummies for a day of exploring two little towns on the outskirts of the city... Tonala and Tlaquepaque. These two towns are known for handicrafts and excellent shopping. They also happen to be full of beautiful people. Their plazas and walking streets are very inviting. It actually made me want to stay there and skip the city. In any case, we all did very well with some early Christmas shopping and even shopping for a few birthdays coming up. We tried to find a glass blowing factory but didn´t find it due to very hard to read street signs. All the street names are on small tiles on the side of the buildings on the street corners. It is very difficult to spot them in a moving vehicle. If I had it to do over we would have taken a cab to the towns instead. Driving here is difficult at best. On the way back into the city we were stuck in a crazy traffic jam. At the heart of it was a car stuck to the side of a truck´s wheel well. I was just very gratefull that it wasn´t me. It seems that often there two lanes of cars for one physical lane which can create obvious problems!
When we returned to the hotel we were all starving. We cleaned up a little, put sweaters on... did I mention it is cold here, especially at night? ... and made a bee-line to our favorite La Chata. It was amazing again. And this time I had a margarita too! It seems that drinking really doesn´t agree with me. I was ready for bed an hour later. I guess a belly full of booze and good food will do that to a person.
After dinner we got on a horse drawn carriage and had a tour of Guadalajara. The horse, Vicente, was a caramel brown and of slight stature. He was carrying us in a white carriage with red trim and a glass window in the back with an etched image of Jesus. It was beautiful. I was reminded of my ride with my friend Tricia through New Orleans a couple years ago. The guide we had in New Orleans was like an encyclopedia of information on the city. Our ride last night wasn´t quite as exceptional for a few reasons: my Spanish isn´t so good that I would understand everything our driver had to say, and the traffic around us was so loud it was often very hard to hear. I was really impressed with Vicente and his seeming lack of fear. When we were finshed with the ride we all got pictures with Vicente and our driver. Funny I don´t remember his name. I got a little too close to Vicente´s face when he had his eye blinders on and he gave me a little head butt. I deserved it. He was much more gentle without his bridle and eye shades and even gave us a big smile with all of his teeth showing! I think he was really happy to have that thing off!
After a long day of celebrating my 42nd year I was really ready for some deep sleep. Apparently I slept through drag racing outside the hotel and throughout the streets of Guadalajara! That´s me, the deep sleeper. I guess it was screetching, sirens, whooshing down the street... but no crashes??
Now we are getting ready to leave this beautiful city and make our way back to the beach. We have in mind a few very small towns north of Puerto Vallarta.
I will be back with more adventures when I have access to another computer.
Mas tarde amigos.
Monday, October 26, 2009
My Annual Pilgrimage to Mexico
Livin* the dream in my favorite place on earth!
I arrived in Puerto Vallarta with my best friend Caroline yesterday afternoon after a hectic few days.
It is always good to lose your cash card the day before you are about to travel. People don{t really use traveler{s checks any more, and it would have been too late for that anyway. So, after a meltdown I tried to collect myself and worry about all the other craziness I needed to focus on. At least I didn{t forget to refill my prescriptions before my trip like last year!
Caroline and I arrived at Puerto Vallarta*s shiny new airport. The first thing you get to after immigration and customs (a green or red light determines whether or not they go through your luggage) is a room full of people trying to sell you trips, time shares and the like. It is swarming with young, good looking men and women who are determined to sell you whatever they have to offer. It is quite disconcerting.
We were approached again at the car rental place. He said we could get $150 off the rental car if we just went to a sales talk at some timeshare. No thanks.
Guess what I forgot?! My driver*s license. Duh. We worked it out, but still I could be really screwed if I get pulled over while driving. We have insurance up the ying yang, so I am not too worried. And money speaks all languages down here. Or so I have heard.
After a few beers and some delcious antojitos at the hotel restaurant and a dip in the pool, we headed out to gather our friend, Cory, who flew down from Canada. He had been traveling for over 12 hours and was really happy to see us.
Caroline was reading a newspaper on the way back to the hotel and found an interesting advertizement for a weightloss technique... give yourself salmonela and/or ecoli. Under the direction of a doctor you can shit your brains out, feel like complete crap and when you have lost enough weight the doctor will give you some medication to get rid of the parasites. That is if you don*t die first. Good times.
We had a wonderful dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in Puerto Vallarta. I think this is the 5th time I have been to Puerto Vallarta. I love it. Anyway, dinner was delicious, although Caroline and I didn*t eat much since we had already pigged out earlier. I will definitely be going back with Ken when he gets down here.
Walking back up the malecon (boardwalk) to the hotel was beautiful. It wasn*t too hot, and there was a nice breeze. And a ton of people everywhere. I am guessing they were all watching the soccer game earlier because when we arrived it was so empty I was a bit worried. Not to worry though, there were plenty of people roaming the streets, watching street clowns, artists, food vendors and crafts people do their things. We didn*t see many foreigners but plenty of Mexican*s. Puerto Vallarta is a common vacation destination for Mexicans from Guadalajara and Mexico City, among other places I am sure.
When we finally arrived back at the hotel we lounged by the pool for a while and then I made my way to the room so I would be ready for our big journey to Guadalajara in the morning. It felt great to shower and fall into a clean bed. Caroline and Cory apparently fell asleep by the pool. They didn*t get back to the room for at least a couple of hours. I am very happy I wasn*t drinking because I know I would have had a killer hangover this morning!
The drive to Guadalajara was uneventful... just the way I like it. We stopped in a tiny town for lunch and had very simple burritos and quesadillas. My burrito had refried beans and a mushroom concoction, no meat. It was pretty tasty.
We were probably on the road about 6 hours total. The toll road was about 2 hours. Thank god for the toll road. The free ones take forever.
Driving in Guadalajara is no joke. Not as bad as I imagine driving in Mexico City would be, but a bit scary none the less. Try finding a street sign with a truck or a bus bearing down on you. Fun. We actually found the hotel relatively easily as I had really studied the map at lunch. I was even able to park the car on the street in front of the hotel. Never mind that it was over a shit hole - literally. There are some really nasty smells in this city. The grate over the shit hole would not have kept me and my flip flops from falling through. Nice.
Our room is more like a condo. We have two bedrooms with two double beds each, a living/dining room area, a kitchen and two full bathrooms. No bathtubs though. Bathtubs are hard to find in Mexico. Sorry Ken.
After settling in a little we headed out for dinner at La Chata de Guadalajara. One of the best Mexican meals I have ever had. It is a bright, cheery place with yellow walls, yellow tablecloths, and lots of Mexican pottery and old photos of Guadalajara on the walls. There was an army of waiters ensuring we had everything we could possibly want and then some. It was a perfect eating experience. I had pozole of course!
We are wrapping up the evening with a concert (a Cuban salsa band) in one of the many plazas, a walk through the plaza where masons are chipping away at big blocks of stone, and an hour at the internet cafe. This is a perfect way to end an evening.
More later. Mas tarde.
I arrived in Puerto Vallarta with my best friend Caroline yesterday afternoon after a hectic few days.
It is always good to lose your cash card the day before you are about to travel. People don{t really use traveler{s checks any more, and it would have been too late for that anyway. So, after a meltdown I tried to collect myself and worry about all the other craziness I needed to focus on. At least I didn{t forget to refill my prescriptions before my trip like last year!
Caroline and I arrived at Puerto Vallarta*s shiny new airport. The first thing you get to after immigration and customs (a green or red light determines whether or not they go through your luggage) is a room full of people trying to sell you trips, time shares and the like. It is swarming with young, good looking men and women who are determined to sell you whatever they have to offer. It is quite disconcerting.
We were approached again at the car rental place. He said we could get $150 off the rental car if we just went to a sales talk at some timeshare. No thanks.
Guess what I forgot?! My driver*s license. Duh. We worked it out, but still I could be really screwed if I get pulled over while driving. We have insurance up the ying yang, so I am not too worried. And money speaks all languages down here. Or so I have heard.
After a few beers and some delcious antojitos at the hotel restaurant and a dip in the pool, we headed out to gather our friend, Cory, who flew down from Canada. He had been traveling for over 12 hours and was really happy to see us.
Caroline was reading a newspaper on the way back to the hotel and found an interesting advertizement for a weightloss technique... give yourself salmonela and/or ecoli. Under the direction of a doctor you can shit your brains out, feel like complete crap and when you have lost enough weight the doctor will give you some medication to get rid of the parasites. That is if you don*t die first. Good times.
We had a wonderful dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in Puerto Vallarta. I think this is the 5th time I have been to Puerto Vallarta. I love it. Anyway, dinner was delicious, although Caroline and I didn*t eat much since we had already pigged out earlier. I will definitely be going back with Ken when he gets down here.
Walking back up the malecon (boardwalk) to the hotel was beautiful. It wasn*t too hot, and there was a nice breeze. And a ton of people everywhere. I am guessing they were all watching the soccer game earlier because when we arrived it was so empty I was a bit worried. Not to worry though, there were plenty of people roaming the streets, watching street clowns, artists, food vendors and crafts people do their things. We didn*t see many foreigners but plenty of Mexican*s. Puerto Vallarta is a common vacation destination for Mexicans from Guadalajara and Mexico City, among other places I am sure.
When we finally arrived back at the hotel we lounged by the pool for a while and then I made my way to the room so I would be ready for our big journey to Guadalajara in the morning. It felt great to shower and fall into a clean bed. Caroline and Cory apparently fell asleep by the pool. They didn*t get back to the room for at least a couple of hours. I am very happy I wasn*t drinking because I know I would have had a killer hangover this morning!
The drive to Guadalajara was uneventful... just the way I like it. We stopped in a tiny town for lunch and had very simple burritos and quesadillas. My burrito had refried beans and a mushroom concoction, no meat. It was pretty tasty.
We were probably on the road about 6 hours total. The toll road was about 2 hours. Thank god for the toll road. The free ones take forever.
Driving in Guadalajara is no joke. Not as bad as I imagine driving in Mexico City would be, but a bit scary none the less. Try finding a street sign with a truck or a bus bearing down on you. Fun. We actually found the hotel relatively easily as I had really studied the map at lunch. I was even able to park the car on the street in front of the hotel. Never mind that it was over a shit hole - literally. There are some really nasty smells in this city. The grate over the shit hole would not have kept me and my flip flops from falling through. Nice.
Our room is more like a condo. We have two bedrooms with two double beds each, a living/dining room area, a kitchen and two full bathrooms. No bathtubs though. Bathtubs are hard to find in Mexico. Sorry Ken.
After settling in a little we headed out for dinner at La Chata de Guadalajara. One of the best Mexican meals I have ever had. It is a bright, cheery place with yellow walls, yellow tablecloths, and lots of Mexican pottery and old photos of Guadalajara on the walls. There was an army of waiters ensuring we had everything we could possibly want and then some. It was a perfect eating experience. I had pozole of course!
We are wrapping up the evening with a concert (a Cuban salsa band) in one of the many plazas, a walk through the plaza where masons are chipping away at big blocks of stone, and an hour at the internet cafe. This is a perfect way to end an evening.
More later. Mas tarde.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Running
So, seeing as I couldn't sleep last night... I woke up at 2:15am and couldn't get back to sleep, try as I might... I got up at 3:15am. After folding laundry and tidying up, I decided I would go for a run. By the time I walked out the door it was about 4am. I ran straight from my house to Lake Merritt. This is a 6 mile run round trip. I am not fond of being outside alone in the dark in Oakland, but I was determined to not let that stop me. It took me about 11 minutes to do the first 1.5 miles. It is all down hill. As I arrived at the lake it was really dark. The lights strung around Lake Merritt are turned off at a certain time apparently. Not sure why I would have thought they would leave them on all night? That would be pretty wasteful. There was one lone light, a search light, like on a light house that moved in the same way. I found that a bit ironic - a light house on a small lake. A beacon. By then I had seen a few random people. One guy starting his shift at Safeway, another walking around the lake. Obviously nothing was open. It was dark. There was a bite of cold in the air. It felt good, refreshing. As I started clockwise around Lake Merritt at "the columns," I was a little concerned about how dark everything was. The sun really doesn't start to come up until at least 5am. There are a few spots on the far side of the lake that are REALLY dark and people could easily be lurking without being seen. But I wanted this run. I wanted to be brave. I had my music pumping. Loud. And then I saw it... one of many rats that crossed my path as I made my way around. Ew. Yuck. At one point, one actually came very close to running right over my foot! I am not really squeemish, but that was a bit much! There were so many rats out there I couldn't believe it. Running into their little dens to get away from the giant coming their way. I came around and was in the last stretch before going back up Grand Avenue, there was a cop car parked on the lawn, under a tree. As soon as I got a few feet from it, a bright search light flashed over me. If I hadn't been so much in my own world I would have waved! It did startle me and for a moment I thought they might come after me. I think the hours of the lake are sun up to 10pm or something. But they didn't. And I was back on my own, in the dark.
I made it home in 1 hour 11 minutes. That is a respectable time: 11:50 per mile. My ears were ringing. I guess I had my music up louder than I had thought.
Now I have to tell my running partner that I already went running today. I hope she doesn't get too upset. Now I am super tired. That is the problem with getting up long before the crack of dawn. You feel like crap most of the rest of the day. So far so good, but I expect I will crash at around 3pm or so.
So, I feel like I will be ready for the SF 1/2 Marathon we have been training for on 7/26/09. I am a bit anxious about how warm it is going to be, given it has been in the 80s the last couple of days! I hate running in the heat and would rather run in the rain any day. We will see.
I made it home in 1 hour 11 minutes. That is a respectable time: 11:50 per mile. My ears were ringing. I guess I had my music up louder than I had thought.
Now I have to tell my running partner that I already went running today. I hope she doesn't get too upset. Now I am super tired. That is the problem with getting up long before the crack of dawn. You feel like crap most of the rest of the day. So far so good, but I expect I will crash at around 3pm or so.
So, I feel like I will be ready for the SF 1/2 Marathon we have been training for on 7/26/09. I am a bit anxious about how warm it is going to be, given it has been in the 80s the last couple of days! I hate running in the heat and would rather run in the rain any day. We will see.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Photos Finally
You have all been bugging me to upload my photos... Finally I did it! There is a short waiting period before they can be uploaded to the blog. You can access them using the link to Picasa.
I will probably also upload them to Facebook.
It was a great trip. I am really glad I went. And now I am looking forward to getting to Mexico again! In the meantime I am training for my next 1/2 marathon (San Francisco) and planning a bunch of camping trips.
Have a great summer!
I will probably also upload them to Facebook.
It was a great trip. I am really glad I went. And now I am looking forward to getting to Mexico again! In the meantime I am training for my next 1/2 marathon (San Francisco) and planning a bunch of camping trips.
Have a great summer!
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