Happy New Year 2012

We've been skipping about Puerto Vajito and Cahuita Costa Rica for the past 4 or 5 days. Lots to see and do. Miles of walks on the beachs and back roads and hippie boutiques to roam through - bought a $5.00 dress.

In Puerto Vajito we stayed in a beach parking lot but it is a bit of a party town and was on the loud side. We enjoyed swimming altho I got a bit nervous once as the under-tow proved stronger then me. Luckily Sterling was playing in the nearby surf. Later that day I saw a Red Flag which meant no swimming but it seemed as though everyone else was. Oh well.

We especially loved the beach parking lot as there was lots of things to watch, soccer, picnics, coconut shucking, bus-stop action, waves, a beautiful tree providing shade to lots of local families who came and went. We stayed for 2 days and nights but moved on up the coast, heading north to a smaller town called Cohito. This town was recommended to us by Gary Moise, one of our first stops on this trip. Gary comes and spends winter here and we can see why - it's one of our favorite spots too.

We're staying in a Reggee Bar & Motel Courtyard. Electric, wi-fi, toilet, shower for just $3.00 per person. It's a lovely spot right across from the Playa Negro (black sand beach). The water is changing into beautiful aqua Caribbean colors today in the sunshine - the waves really pound the shore here. There is no tide in this area which is strange to me but it is apparently the reason the waves are so large and swimming is not recommended.

I'm distracted tonite with the Reggee Music and Fireworks - gotta go celebrate! Happy 2012!~

Random thoughts about Panama

Stayed in a great beach in Las Lalles Panama - meet a nice Italian fellow named Paulo - we enjoyed several hours of great conversation. Nice to speak with another adult other then my son. Paulo was fed up with Italy and had retired from being a Chemistry and Math teacher in Italy to his van in Panama where he had lived modestly for 4 years while he was looking for other opportunities.

Sterling has decided the women are the prettiest here so far. They are starting to look more Myan and less Mexican. Not sure I see a difference, but Panama is a very metropolitan mixed culture.

Still having no trouble finding a peace sign every day.

Panama is a thoroughly modern, cosmopolitan city but stark differences between the rich and poor. The slums in Panama city are the worst I've ever seen anywhere including the Bronx. Absolutely filthy and so sad but the people were dancing, eating, celebrating and even swimming in one photo. The wealth was extraordinary as well.

Panama does not have much of the Central American culture the other countries have that we've been through - it's been gobbled up by Gringo tourists.


We were stopped 5 times on the Pan American Highway in Panama alone. One guy stopped us and found out Sterling was driving without his license and so he tried to bribe us for $100, then dropped it to $40 when I couldn't speak Spanish. I asked for the Chief and he got his other guy who showed me one sentence on a cell phone - do you have any gifts? I just kept pounding my heart and telling him it was Christmas to have a heart. He let us go. Funny thing I thought about in hind-sight was these guys had no paper, no desk, no computer, no phone, just a building with a raised counter. I gladly said Feliz Navidad to these fellas and skipped out on my way. It was the third time we were stopped, bribed and let go because we couldn't speak Spanish. I just gave them one of my cards and they smiled and didn't know what to say expect bye. Funny system they have worked out.

Finally saw another RV and guess what it was - an older Toyota then mine.

Finally found a Dunkin Donuts in Panama City.

Fabulous architecture in Panama. Some of the most unusual buildings I've ever seen!

Did you know the USA sells their old school buses to Central America where they are re-painted in fabulous colors and designs and used for the city buses.

We notice lots of product knock offs . . . like Star Troops instead of Star Wars and AB instead of AE for American Eagle and even a rendition of a Black Barbie.

We went to Catholic Mass and found a standing room only crowd and since we didn't understand the Spanish and Latin we decided to leave after saying a prayer. We went to the Islamic Mosque next and found the men very friendly but probably shocked to see my blonde hair, blue eyes and nothing on my arms or legs. I forgot, but they were nice and polite just the same. Found the Mosque to be really beautiful, as was the Catholic Church just so different. There's a lot of tolerance in the world even though, like love and peace, we can always have more.

Fabulous day planned for tomorrow 12/26/2011 - Stay tuned.

December 20 - 22 Nicaragua into Costa Rica

December 20-22, 2011

Crossing into Costa Rica was more difficult then I had imagined. Everyone seemed to think it was the easy border, but we took close to 6 hours to leave one country and check into another. It is one entire process to check yourself out, then your vehicle out and then you go about 100 feet and you check yourself in to a new county and then your vehicle. Costa Rica was difficult in particular because it had NO signs. None whatsoever. It had rained and was muddy and slippery to boot. The truckers were at least 1 mile deep waiting to leave Nicaragua. Making matters worse is that we lost the NH Registration long ago at one of the border copy machines and are now working from a copy which throws them all for a loop.

However, once you arrive in most countries about 5-10 miles in your greeted by armed Police and or Military. Every country is the same. They check your papers once again. But, in Costa Rica, you get to the Police and they are literally lying back on their elbow relaxing while the second cop waves to you like you’ve just arrived home. Happy to see you and most welcome!
It is a totally different feeling from other Central American countries. There is no military here.

Costa Rica is HUMID! Other countries are hot, but the geography changed dramatically today. We’ve gone from arid desert in Mexico to rain-forest muggy here. CR is about the size of West Virginia and the roads are expellant, and the country is much cleaner then others. There are lots of gringos here and they are glad to take American currency but not so fast to give you your change in American USD.

We had a bit of a hard time finding the coastal route but once we did we found a great beach with very few people and some interesting drift-wood which the birds loved to play in. We walked for about 1 hour or so exploring the area. The vultures were feasting on a dead sea turtle and I saw my first macaws in the wild which are spectacular! Such a treat!

Egg and Chorizo wraps are our choice of the week. It’s about all we can keep fresh down here. Do you know they don’t refrigerate their eggs down here? And milk spoils pretty instantly. We try to only eat out one meal a day if need be. Again Costa Rica is a far richer country then others so the cost of food just went up pretty dramatically. A bag of Frito Scoops were about $5.00 so we passed but only because we had enjoyed a piece of Macadamia pie earlier in the day. It’s kind of like pecan pie but made with Macadamia nuts instead. Delicious!

We woke this morning to a hot sun and it was just 8am. We were on the road early and went to the Neofauna Butterfly Farm which took about 2-3 hours. It had all sorts of snakes which were gross and poisonous and some wicked cool frogs. The butterflies were interesting but hardly very many. They were sleeping I guess - they like to come out in the hot sun and it was over-cast. The farm was folky and we learned some pretty significant things about local reptiles etc. which I probably could have lived without, but it was our splurge of the day at $15.00 each.

There are an amazing amount of eco-tourism spots, but they tend to be pricey coming in at $40 to $90 per head but we’ll pick one soon as our Christmas present to ourselves, as if this trip wasn’t enough. It’s been such a huge learning curve for both of us~as well as a prenominal life memory.

We heard a few Christmas carols today. There is very little outward expressions of Christmas here which really makes you question the American Christmas traditions which are so over-blown. Traveling in a third world country really makes you focus on how little we need to survive and then to thrive.

We found another fabulous beach, better then yesterday and we parked for the night. We had the entire beach to ourselves as far as we could seen in either direction....and the sunset put on a magical show for us. It’s been a good day.

December 22, 2011 - We drove a few hours today as the roads have been crappy again. We’re staying in a Port town which is more small town then tourist town although there is a few cabanas here. We are staying in an exceptionally modest room tonite with ac, cold shower, tv in Spanish and Internet. Not bad for $30.

Tomorrow (12/23) head to Panama to spend the holiday. The water color has finally started to turn today, not so much dark sand constantly being dredged up - Looking forward to the Caribbean side.

Darlene is started getting things up on the website. She's been working on a selection of costume jewelry and Christmas Tree pins for starters. Check out her work....dragonfliesantiques.com

If you love the pictures you can follow us in more detail at zigzagexpress.com or ask to be a friend on facebook under Cathy Sykes

December 18 - Oasis Hostel in Granada & San Juan del sur Nicaragua

We spent to days in at the Oasis Hostel in Granada Nicaragua which is a very old city which has gone through many wars with bombs and fires. It is slowly being rebuilt and it is truly an oasis for young back-packers passing through to Costa Rica. The city was dirty and raw but there were also bright spots of color teaming with life.

The first night we stayed we arrived late in the afternoon and crashed fairly early but not until walking about and seeing the beautiful Architecture much of which dates to the 1500 and 1600‘s and is quite spectacular all in various states of disrepair which can attributed to different natural disasters, wars, politicians, poverty, laziness, etc. There is a very strong retail buzz which surrounds the plaza and the church which is congested and filthy.

The hostel buzzing with back-packers from all over the world. It has lovely little pool we both enjoyed. We always opt for a double room with a private bath which is usually around $25. It’s a good way to get a cold shower and air conditioning once or twice a week which is a whole lot cheaper then heating my old colonial wooden house in New Hampshire at $50 per day.

We enjoyed a huge fruit plate for $2.00 in the morning with free sweet shortbread and tea and set out for the markets. We came back to the pool, laid low in the afternoon and then the second night we decided to tag along with 7 others from the Hostel as they went out to see the active Volcano and the views, caves, etc. I was of course the oldest there which was a new experience for me. Don’t quite know how that happened but I kept up with all those 20 some-things.

We arrived at sunset and quickly made it to the top of the Volcano which was a first for all of us. This night the walls of the crater had crumbled in on the base and smothered any hot ashes we might have hoped to see and a repulsive sulphur smell poured out which was the last thing I had ever expected - didn’t really know too much about volcanos. . . .not sure I still do.

We looked over the city of Masaya and were told they had been practicing for Disaster Evacuation drills today because they expected the Volcano to blow and the last time it went off it wiped out an entire village and closed the airport for a very long time. They were experiencing up to 400 tremors a day. We luckily had already made our own plans to leave in the morning. Why tempt fate when there’s another beach town waiting to receive us?


www.dragonfliesantiques.com and www.zigzagexpress.com

After the sunset volcano tour our handsome, Latino, 27 year old guide brought us to the edge of the lake below as the lights were coming on in the city behind us. Very beautiful but then we went into these bat caves which were down a very steep set of stairs about 25 feet down. We were all instructed to turn off our flashlights and these giant bats all came rushing towards us - none of us getting hit of course because of their sonar, but man they were huge like the size of NH crows or blue jays. Very weird experience.

So then we went in this other cool cave which had a much higher roof but wicked thick roots we had to climb over. It was another strange reality based experience and all I could think about was of Indiana Jones should be there with us as we explored this awesome, deep chasm under ground. The stalactites were even spookier at night with flash-lights on them. He had us all turn out our lights again and it was black, just black - another un-nerving experience, but no bats this time.

Apparently when the National Park Service took it over they found bones of local Indians in there. There are also petroglyph which we couldn’t see but apparently could if we went in the day. It was spontaneous, a good work-out in the evening which wasn’t wicked hot and $50 well spent creating a memory with my son.

However, before we left, we met a man from the Misquito Coast of Nicaragua. Very interesting guy who just came up and welcomed us to his country and started practicing his English on us. He was a Village Leader who had come to Granada (Capital City) to have a gold tooth removed from his mouth so he could use the money for rice and bean seeds. The dentist wouldn’t do it because he said it would cause infection.

He talked to us at length about Daniel Ortega and all the awful things he did which got me thinking about my pre-conceptions of the situation. I graduated from high-school in 1976 in Framingham Massachusetts in the United States, so I know very little of the war in Nicaragua other then this was a bad place and there was no reason on earth to ever want to come here. Case closed! Boy was I ever wrong.

So we drove into San Juan del sur this afternoon which is close to the Costa Rican border which we hope to cross in the morning. It’s another surf town on a half moon bay which looked like it had crappy waves compared to the other places we had been, but Sterling assured me it was just the rental shops and that the waves were on the outside of the bay which made sense.

We enjoy walking around these towns although many are starting to blend into just another day. Enjoyed the hand made crafts the street kids were selling. Some were actually pretty awesome quality with interesting local polished stones. Since we splurged yesterday on the Maysaya Volcano National Park we decided to go easy on the pocket-book and just ordered a rum and pineapple drink and a water so we could watch the sunset and tap into internet. It’s so important to keep those fluids to us.

We just witnessed a wonderful, Christmas Fire-works display that would rival my hometown on any Fourth of July. The thing that made it so interesting was the explosions were different then those we see at home. I had never thought about the history of fireworks so I looked it up on Church Google which always sends me to wikipedia which is my other font of knowledge and found this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireworks.

We waited a bit and went out for a walk and found a semi-professional boxing exhibition and then went across the street to the coolest, most primitive carnival you’ve ever seen. I finally found some popcorn and went back to the Peace Mobil and fell asleep to a gentle breeze from the Pacific ocean and some beautiful tunes coming from the local park. Another day in paradise but we’re moving on in the morning - Costa Rica is calling us.

Random thoughts on Central America

Random Thoughts and Cultural Observations from Central America.

There are very few obese people here in Mexico and Central America which eliminates my thoughts about Coca-cola because that’s pretty much all the drink. Further south we go the fatter they get. We’re in Nicaragua now and I have started seeing bigger people again. Rural Mexico is just emaciated I guess - the people, the dogs, the cows, everyone.

Very few people don’t have tattoos down here. . . . except for foreign travelers.

I haven’t seen anyone with weird body piercing, except for one women from Sweden that had about 5 rhinestones in her belly button.

You don’t see many people smoking, other then in the hostels which are filled with foreigners. I still love two people speaking completely different languages try to find common ground in Spanish or English.

Men carry the infants around here when in public so they are carried to look out on the world not nestled like a women who holds a baby inward. They also like to sandwich small kids in between two adults on a motorcycle or bicycle.

We saw a funeral procession yesterday which was interesting. It consisted of about 125 people walking down the road to the cemetery led by a white Toyota pick-up truck which carried the flowers and the deceased in the bed. The one way we could tell it was a funeral procession was they were carrying large, black umbrellas with advertising for the funeral director.

I loved seeing a three generation power struggle all done without words. Grandma and baby wanted to play and the Mom wanted to get out the hammock for the two to nap. Grandma and the baby won with a triumphant giggle as they walked away. The Mother just hung up the hammock and went back to her kitchen duties in the taco stand.

We are in El Salvador - 12/9/2011 - and we’re finally seeing Christmas lights and activities, albeit very little. Now in Nicaragua on the 17th we are seeing more. Last night in the middle of a traffic rotary there was a well lite, green and blue Christmas Tree with a large manger and a bunch of people hanging around looking at the manger. A bit strange - guess we just don’t hang out in our rotary’s.

You see a lot of random fireworks explode in the sky. Many of them just make a loud bang but every once in a while they actually work. Apparently the closer to Christmas we get the louder the evenings become. They actually like fireworks for any occasion. Births, deaths, weddings, birthdays, any little thing that happens in a village is a good reason to be loud.

Finally saw another RV (from France no less) and also went Volcano climbing with someone else wearing Merrill’s.

There’s no hot water down here.

The have VERY gentle hand-shakes down here. Not sure why.

Grocery shopping is always fun. They bag their liquids like milk, cream, etc. There’s no such thing as a milk or oj container. I get to the counter knowing I’ve spent $75 + or more and they say $31 and I feel like I hit the jack-pot.

All of the food packages are much smaller. All of the vegetables are smaller. The food is not on steroids like in the United States and it’s reflected in the size of the people. Small Oreos = small people.

Toyota Dealerships down here don’t work on anything prior to the year 2000 because I think there are too many old Toyota’s down here they’d go crazy.

There is a major issue with trash everywhere. In El Salvador where the people are very proud and clean, they burn it on the sidewalks but most places they just wing it out the window. It’s disgusting!

Soda is everywhere! Especially Coke - altho the more south we go the more Pepsi we see but no where like the Coke products.

You see a lot of Cowboys here in Nicaragua usually hanging on the side of the road with their herds which can be anywhere from 1 -20 but usually right around a dozen cows. At first I thought it was unusual to see cow herds in the road but they graze on the very edges of the road so they just go any place they want. It’s kind of like Moose - it’s best to slow down.

Horse and buggy is the major means of transportation for most locals. There are cars, but they are interspersed with horse riders, carts led by donkey’s and lots of bicycles too.

December 12 or 13 - The Green Bottle Lady

December 12, 2011

Sterling just keeps saying, Can you believe we’re in Hondorus? Well it is kind of difficult to believe we’re here in our Toyota RV in a bus-stop parking lot on CA-1. We were both quite impressed with El Salvador. It was the cleanest and most friendly of the 5 countries we’ve been through. We did make it through the border into Hondorus almost by mistake.

We started our day fairly early in the morning although we were driving through El Salvador on CA-1 which is both the Central American Highway 1, but also known as the Pan-American Highway and is really awful in some sections with wicked bad pot-holes. Anyways, so we’re cruising along with a little green house catches my eye. I slam on the brakes and just run back to catch one picture but as I capture one shot, the owner comes to the door and waves her hand to me “entrada”.

Well, I don’t know much Spanish but my heart skipped a beat when she welcomed me into her home built of soda bottles she had painted green with white dots. AMAZING! As I stepped in I couldn’t believe the soda bottle tops decorating the floor in a floral motif or the hand made hammock. I loved it! This was the most primitive and pure folk art I’ve had the pleasure to see in situ.

So I looked out her side door and spyed a pile of corn-cobs the family was using for fuel. Her daughter and grand-daughter were in the kitchen and they invited me right in. It was about 9:30 am and already at least 80 degrees and 90 in the kitchen building made of tin cans with a good size fire burning in the corner.

The owner and artist was 78 year old women named Maria ????????? . It took her 3 years to build this house which doesn’t surprise me one bit. Such ecological thought, creativity and perseverance in her execution doesn’t come together in many folks but she definitely had it going on! Her daughter kneaded the batter and prepared it for the grill, using her hand to flip these flat bread tortias until done. I so wanted to grab one hot off the grill but I thought I might be pushing me luck.

We went on our way.

Several people in El Salvador have gone out of their way to talk to us in English. I feel like Meryl Streep in Out of America. The people point and stare, wave, flash peace signs and several people have just stopped us to tell us we would be safe, El Salvador welcomed us.

Last night I was invited to a Sweet 15 Party which nearly blew my mind. I was just hanging around outside this church when it came upon me. It was an amazing show of wealth, family, community, traditions, rituals. They thought we were from the press. I captured the church scene and then Edwardo, the truck driver cousin from South Carolina invited me to the Party of more then 200 people. Check out these photos - it’s hard from me to believe!

El Salvador and turning sweet 15

December 11, 2011

Well we found the nicest plaza yet in a small town, still in El Salvador. We took our time all day and had a pretty relaxed day because of it. We left El Tunco around 11:00 and drove until 6:00, only making one wrong turn, realizing it quite quickly and correcting the issue.

Saw another funeral in session today and explored through the largest cemetary we’ve seen yet. At the town we stopped in for the night there was an extraordinary Sweet 15 Party. We hit the jackpot for Central American rituals and traditions today.

We took hundreds of pictures and videos today to tell the story of what we’ve found here today.
People are so friendly and curious. Lots of people wave or stare and I flash as many Peace signs as I can. Some people return the gesture - some even dance - kids fight for the attention. They love when I take pictures of them.

We finally had some macaroni tonite. Sterling made it and I stood outside. Maybe there’s a some reason he doesn’t trust me just yet but I can’t imagine what it could be . :)

Torching Sterling!

Well our odometer turned 88,000 miles today. We started at 82,037, so we’re making time,although these mountain roads are very treacherous in that they are wicked curvey with lots of up and down hills. We’re in second gear much of the time. It’s a very rural road with speed humps every few miles where a small village pops up each with a few taco stands. Carne asada tacos are the best.

Sterling has done the vast majority of the driving. I spelled him one afternoon and hit a dog which just rolled under the rig, I mourned him for several hours even tho he got up and limped away. Someone was passing me and three dogs ran into the road in front of the two of us. Ce le vie!

We got LP gas, gasoline, and choose a small village to stay in for the night. Most communities of any size down here all have a Central Plaza near the church where everyone comes out to visit after dark. We park there because we feel safe.

Well tonite, Kevin and Dan left the rig immediately to go find a beer as they often do and check out the general area to make sure we are safe. Kind of reminds me of our dog Oscar who takes a pee on every corner to stake out our territory.

Anyways, I said I’d make spaghetti and went about my duties. Well I let the pot boil over and flames shot everywhere. Sterling had been sitting in the front seat and came to the side door to grab the fire extinguisher at the same exact time I grabbed the burning pan and went to throw it out the same door he was coming in. He ducked and I threw it over his head and sent the scalding hot water right down his head and neck.

His hair caught fire and luckily he remembered the stop, drop and roll routine. His hair kept flaming and some Mexican guys came out of their hammocks and houses and tried to help but there wasn’t much to do but give me back my pan.

Sterling pulled his T-shirt up over his head to put his hair fire out but it singed his arm and leg hair too. I really got him! So I went to find ice. The first well lighted house I came to had a freezer on the porch. Bingo I thought! I said “ICE” and he opened the deep freeze and there were a 1/2 dozen Popsicles in the bottom. I explained cubes and he said 2 or 3 for a big one. We struggled over if it was 2 or 3 cubes, or 2 or 3 pesos and I just said FINE!

That well lit house asked me to come park my “home” in his yard and he got me a large cube of ice. Sterling laid flat and I kept putting ice and cold water on him until Dan and Kevin showed up with drunk Paco who they met in the bar which probably was really a taco stand during the day. Paco invited them for a sandwich so Sterl and I feasted on red peppers, chips and guacamole which has become our meal of choice.

Paco was so excited 4 Gringos had come into his village for him to practice his English. They hadn’t had any tourists for 2 years and it showed. When Dan asked where to pee, Paco said any wall and asked them to please pee on his house. Go figure!

I’m sure Sterling will be seen as a shooting star for some years to come in this village. We really got everyone going and they all know we’re here. The local skinny dogs all got to feast on 1/2 cooked macaroni. Once Dan got back and was able to smooth the fellow over with his Spanish, I gave the ice owner 10 pesos and Dan and Kevin went to find a hole to climb into for the night.

The cat and the chicken is fighting and the old women just yelled at them but now the Rooster is crowing. Most every night as we fall asleep we hearing barking dogs but this time we added in a few Roosters who howled on and off all night.

I was kinda freaked out at this point and finally admitted to Dan I hoped he’d stay with us long enough to cross into Guatemala. Once you exit Mexico and enter into Central America you can use one Visa for the other 4 countries and Costa Rica doesn’t require one. Sounds easy.

We found Dan and Kevin had spent the night on top of the jail which was covered with glass but it was better then the night they spent on the beach with the crocodiles. Back in the Peace Mobil and on our way again thank heavens!

December 1-4 Southern Coast of Mexico

We spent several days at a beautiful RV park in Sayulita which suited all of us really fine. There were beautiful beaches which we all lazed around, except for Dan who rented a surf board for 24 hours and used it for as much of that time he could. We walked into the town which offered all the typical souvenirs, you’d expect and a fabulous Cake Lady that Kevin wanted to marry so he’d have endless cakes.

It was December 1st and we were rested, bathed and jumped back on the road. None of us said much of anything all day falling in and out of naps as we drove along. Kevin devoured a book.

Puerto Valeta was one of the first major cities we’ve seen in some time and we were greeted by a Mexican cop looking for some extra American money. Luckily we had all been warned about the scene we were caught in. Sterling was driving in the left lane and was pulled over. He should have kept going. but didn’t and had to leave $20 tip with the cop who so kindly told us not to do that again and reminded my son he should find his passport and license if he was to drive in Mexico. Ce le vie! That’s what I call swift justice! We later met a man in Acapulco who was from Germany and had paid 2 cops off for as little as $10 each.

Flowers are beautiful with pinks, purples and red being used for landscaping and near homesteads, while the countryside is lined with flowering trees in vivid green, yellow with violet colored morning glories which grow wild and are especially fond of wet, swampy areas.

The refrigerator door just fell off - it usually just opens every time we take a sharp right. The stove door fell off last night. The hot water heater never worked. We lost and replaced the gas tank cover. Our tires are going along quite well. The brakes often smell like burning something or other and have started making a jingling noise. We’ll need to get them fixed soon enough. We’ve almost ran out of gas again this morning. We found a tiny village where the guy was selling black market gasoline for $4.00 for 2 liters but then we were desperate. He threw in 3 cups of freshly brewed beef broth with onions and cilantro. We’ve gone in and out of vast miles where they won’t accept American credit cards and others, further south who gladly do.

We’ve been lured by signs that say Play Azula for quite some time, about a day and half. We only went 100 miles each of the last 2 days. Getting gas, groceries, money exchanged, and finding a spot for the RV have all become the chores for each day often sucking hours from each day. I learned long ago the mother who just went food shopping is the one who has the gang of boys around. Some things you can count on. The best part about the meals is the abundance of fruit for $1.00 or less so we buy it often but you need to because it’s so ephemeral in the heat.

We’re seeing lots of horses, pigs, chickens, goats, burrows just grazing especially alongside Route 200 which we have been following for miles along the Southern coast. There are also piles of coconuts and large groves of palm trees. We hardly ever see mountains anymore because we’re in the mountains.

It’s been my pleasure to feed these young men. I’m used to cooking for a family of 4 anyways.
I’m sure that over the past 25 years there have been plenty of people who have feed my boys on more then one occasion. Dan is great - I caught him having Doritto’s, spoonfuls of peanut butter and a beer for breakfast or a ham sandwich as an appetizer to whatever meal I’m making. Kevin is naturally thin, lanky and tall.

The southern shore of Mexico is not un-like driving along the shore of California, just more of the Pacific. We wind in and out of different topography, the flowers, palm trees and mountains paint a glorious landscape for us, constantly changing with every passing mile.

Sterling and I went to a Catholic Church in the town square of celebrating Mass for the beginning of advent. The center of most all Southern towns have a communal courtyard. We hung around this small fishing village one night on the street. The hitchhikers found a spot on the beach and enjoyed seeing an early morning fire. Vendors set up on Sunday morning with Mexican pottery you see available everywhere around here. Some vendors sold used clothes (jeans, shorts, etc.) and we moved on.

Other observations include: Twenty vultures eating a freshly dead black cow. Two goats fucking. I love seeing people tie their horses up while they go into a shop, or when they’re at the beach, or even just riding along the side of the road. Lots of older men use horses and wear jeans, a crisp white shirt, boots and a big white straw wide brimmed hats. After work today we saw someone walking home with a sewing machine and another walking home with his machete.

Coconuts are plentiful in big piles on the ground. Reminds me of Lobster Traps in Coastal Maine. Quite evident it’s a major source of their income.

The 3 young men have decided most Mexican women aren’t very pretty but when they are they are totally, over the top, beautiful. There are lots of young pregnant girls here. And also lots of umbrellas to keep the sun away.

Kevin spends much of this trip looking out the back window while Dan sits up front and helps navigate since I can’t read the signs and he can. He’s so helpful with keeping us on track. We'd probably still be in Northern Mexico if it wasn't for Dan. . . a blessing and a curse.

We started our day today, December 4th on the shores of Acapulco. Acapulco Bay is a semi-circle so as we drove in during the early evening it was pretty spectacular with the city lights coming on in all the terraced houses. It was kind of like driving into Times Square for the first time, but not quite so cheesy. I really expected to see the typical American hotels but not so we took any exit because it said Playa (beach) or Marina or something that meant good and sure enough we ended up on a Mexican tourist town with a beautiful terraced hotel where we went in for coffee and tea overlooking the bay with a cool breeze, internet. Perfect way to start the day.

We drive most of the days while it’s wicked hot so we can have the AC on in the Peace Mobile, but at night we find a small village or beach to camp out in. Last night was beautiful. We were parked in a police / town hall lot in the center plaza and watched local boys place Basketball, old men chatter, the women had a candle lighting ceremony celebrating Aids awareness. Dan and Kevin jumped in and played BB, Sterling and I played cribbage and enjoyed walking around and checking out the local church. A wonderful night to a beautiful day. Things are good in Mexico!