Well, things are starting heat up around here. There are a few motorhomes on the beach, a few boats out in the harbor, and more gringo faces in the retaurants, and on the beach. I have the impression there are more long-term (month or more) visitors in town this year. Local people are still hurrying to get thing done, and some of the contruction projects are still going full-blast. The flower blossoms are starting to fade. We have only had about 10 minutes of light rain for almost two months. Things are still green though. My landlord from where I housesat the last two summers is back in town, as are a few other old-timers here.
I am moving to the beach in a few days.
I wa invited to three birthday parties last week and had a great time at each of them. My favorite was for Alexis's 6th birthday. We had cake and coke at the beach, just a few of us, and it was very very sweet. I love it that I know some many kids here. Any watching grow them from right after birth until two years old is very neat.
I have the impression that little boys here generally have alot more contact with other males, dads, uncles, grandads, cousins, etc than most boys at home. You often see little little boys riding with their dads in trucks, or coming to work with them, or whatever. Unfortunately, you don't see the girls with their dads but I guess that's another story.
I am using a horrible keyboard at one of the computer places in Las Varas. I am here because I couldn't get change for a 50 peso bill anywhere else. I couldn't get any change from anywhere. I needed change so I could pay the surcharge on a package I got at the postoffice. They don't have change there. You have to have your own change.
The whales are here. Saw three yesterday and a couple the day before. Incredible.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Saturday, November 26, 2005
BOAT RIDES FROM CHACALA NAYARIT TO LAS CALETAS FOR SURFING
Cundo, Beto and other members of the Sociedad Cooperativa Puerto Chacala have a new website offering lancha (boat) rides to La Caleta surfing beach, whale and dophin watching during the winter. The address is http://chacalasurflacaleta.blogspot.com and if can be reached by clicking on >Chacala La Caleta boatrides
They also offer van transportation to and from the Puerto Vallarta airport and other tourist destinations, in safe, insured, nice vans with room for luggage and surfboards.
They also offer van transportation to and from the Puerto Vallarta airport and other tourist destinations, in safe, insured, nice vans with room for luggage and surfboards.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Aurora Still Has a Couple of Vancancies
If you are thinking of coming down this winter, Aurora has some openings left for both her kitchen units. One of her downstairs room has a new basic kitchen added to its covered patio. The door to that unit has been moved so that the bathroom has an inside entrance to the bedroom.
The other downstairs room now has a new patio roof and a new cement floor.
The upstairs unit with a covered patio and kitchen and excellent view is still my favorite, but the new kitchen patio downstairs is great.
This is my favorite rental place in Chacala. Close to the beach and stores, but very clean, quiet and private. Never any water, trash, or bug problems. No dogs or chickens. And the family is wonderful, friendly and helpful. And Beto takes visitors out in his boat for reasonable prices.
Just a plug for my favorite family.
Concha also has some openings. She also runs a nice place, clean and pleasant with a nice family.
You can make reservations by emailing Andee at anchacala@gmail.com or look at Chacala Budget Rentals for more information.
The other downstairs room now has a new patio roof and a new cement floor.
The upstairs unit with a covered patio and kitchen and excellent view is still my favorite, but the new kitchen patio downstairs is great.
This is my favorite rental place in Chacala. Close to the beach and stores, but very clean, quiet and private. Never any water, trash, or bug problems. No dogs or chickens. And the family is wonderful, friendly and helpful. And Beto takes visitors out in his boat for reasonable prices.
Just a plug for my favorite family.
Concha also has some openings. She also runs a nice place, clean and pleasant with a nice family.
You can make reservations by emailing Andee at anchacala@gmail.com or look at Chacala Budget Rentals for more information.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Chacala in November
Another lovely day in Chacala. Light about 5:55am and dark at about 5:45pm. Sunny and clear.
Six “yachties” in Chacala Bay this morning, and one motor home and a camper from the US. Some Mexican and non-Mexican tourists . Maybe six or eight gringos. Today a couple from Michegan (can’t remember how to spell it) returned to their two year old house here, planning to stay for five months or so. Another American also returned to her rental a few days ago. Another couple planning to stay for the winter at their home in the Chacala Marina arrived two or three weeks ago.
Most of the vacation-type rental reservations seem to start about the 12 or 13th of December. Watched the new cement patio floor go down at Aurora and Beto’s right-hand side downstairs rental. Looks great. Beto and Noe’s helper, Javier, worked all afternoon into the dark (in fact they are still working now, at 6:30) mixing cement by hand for Noe to spread.
Visited with Trini today and she showed me plans for the new Kinder addition, to be added to the current building. Trini said it looks like a couple of Rotary groups, one from Omaha, are planning to fund the construction and do some finishing work on the project when they arrive. I am not sure how definite the project is, but it sounds great.
The whole play area at the Kinder looks very nice. A huge improvement from a couple of years ago. The parents of the Kinder students are very involved this year in making improvements and doing maintenance.
It you are coming down, you might consider bringing some classroom materials for the Kinder, or a little cash. You can just drop things by the Kinder 9am-noon weekdays, while class is in session. It is right beyond the church, a small building covered with murals and a big playtoy, provided from Rotarians, in the school yard. The Kinder is separate from the Bibliotecha, so anything you bring for the Kinder should go directly there. I hope that makes sense.
Al the construction projects around town are progressing rapidly. I have the impression everyone has a Christmas deadline in mind.
I was told today that a “volunteer” is at Mar de jade working on the problematic sewage system. Anyway, I hope he succeeds in reducing the smell and run-off. Aparently they expect the construction to continue through the Christmas guest session, with guests in attendence. It's a little hard to picture how that will work out.
A writer for Lonely Planet was in town last month, and stayed at Casa Pacifica one night. I remember a few years ago a different Lonely Planet writer stayed at Mar de Jade, and the whole Chacala entry that year was about Mar de Jade. It was like the town itself hardly existed. I don’t think that will happen this year, because the guy was in town for several days and was looking around quite a bit.
There are also realtors floating around town. Rod (also from the US) and a realtor in Sayulita is opening an office (Ayala Realty?) here in Chacala. And this morning I talked with a gringo named Roger who initially told me he was a a local, whose realty office is also in Sayulita. He was meeting with an eijido official and Jesus, who owns an eijido lot between Casa Pacifica and the house where I house-sat this summer. Jesus has told me before he wants to sell his lot, so it will be interesting to see what happens next.
I was recently told that there are no regulations or laws and registrations required to sell real estate in Mexico. Attorneys/notarys do the actual land transfers and help to establish bank trusts for land near the ocean.
I guess it’s always interesting in life to see what’s going to happen next.
Feel free to look at this website about Chacala.
Six “yachties” in Chacala Bay this morning, and one motor home and a camper from the US. Some Mexican and non-Mexican tourists . Maybe six or eight gringos. Today a couple from Michegan (can’t remember how to spell it) returned to their two year old house here, planning to stay for five months or so. Another American also returned to her rental a few days ago. Another couple planning to stay for the winter at their home in the Chacala Marina arrived two or three weeks ago.
Most of the vacation-type rental reservations seem to start about the 12 or 13th of December. Watched the new cement patio floor go down at Aurora and Beto’s right-hand side downstairs rental. Looks great. Beto and Noe’s helper, Javier, worked all afternoon into the dark (in fact they are still working now, at 6:30) mixing cement by hand for Noe to spread.
Visited with Trini today and she showed me plans for the new Kinder addition, to be added to the current building. Trini said it looks like a couple of Rotary groups, one from Omaha, are planning to fund the construction and do some finishing work on the project when they arrive. I am not sure how definite the project is, but it sounds great.
The whole play area at the Kinder looks very nice. A huge improvement from a couple of years ago. The parents of the Kinder students are very involved this year in making improvements and doing maintenance.
It you are coming down, you might consider bringing some classroom materials for the Kinder, or a little cash. You can just drop things by the Kinder 9am-noon weekdays, while class is in session. It is right beyond the church, a small building covered with murals and a big playtoy, provided from Rotarians, in the school yard. The Kinder is separate from the Bibliotecha, so anything you bring for the Kinder should go directly there. I hope that makes sense.
Al the construction projects around town are progressing rapidly. I have the impression everyone has a Christmas deadline in mind.
I was told today that a “volunteer” is at Mar de jade working on the problematic sewage system. Anyway, I hope he succeeds in reducing the smell and run-off. Aparently they expect the construction to continue through the Christmas guest session, with guests in attendence. It's a little hard to picture how that will work out.
A writer for Lonely Planet was in town last month, and stayed at Casa Pacifica one night. I remember a few years ago a different Lonely Planet writer stayed at Mar de Jade, and the whole Chacala entry that year was about Mar de Jade. It was like the town itself hardly existed. I don’t think that will happen this year, because the guy was in town for several days and was looking around quite a bit.
There are also realtors floating around town. Rod (also from the US) and a realtor in Sayulita is opening an office (Ayala Realty?) here in Chacala. And this morning I talked with a gringo named Roger who initially told me he was a a local, whose realty office is also in Sayulita. He was meeting with an eijido official and Jesus, who owns an eijido lot between Casa Pacifica and the house where I house-sat this summer. Jesus has told me before he wants to sell his lot, so it will be interesting to see what happens next.
I was recently told that there are no regulations or laws and registrations required to sell real estate in Mexico. Attorneys/notarys do the actual land transfers and help to establish bank trusts for land near the ocean.
I guess it’s always interesting in life to see what’s going to happen next.
Feel free to look at this website about Chacala.
Water at Home in Chacala
Today was the day for water problems.
Saturday, the water guy (truck with five gallon plastic jugs of possibly drinkable water) didn’t show up, and also didn’t show up again today. Saw him downtown this morning and he promised to bring drinking water up in one hours (his timeline). But he didn’t show. I knew he wouldn’t because he delivers the lower road one day and the upper road the next day. He doesn’t like to mix up his routes. So no drinking or cooking water Saturday, Sunday and Monday except for quart bottles.
Meanwhile, this morning my landlord disconnected the electricity while I went back and forth on the collectivo to the lavendaria in Las Varas. There has been no water except for occasional toilet flushing since I moved back in, and no water for washing clothes.
It turned out that my landlord had disconnected the electricity at 7am .He apparently was expecting the new pump to come sometime today, so he disconnected the wire at 7am. When I discovered this at 11am the rest of my perishable food (from yesterday’ s power 17 hour power outage) was gone. Disconnecting the electricity is a matter of unwrapping a small piece of black electrical tape and untwisting a wire. The only reason I realized the electricity was off was he came looking for some bandaids to reattach the wires.
While we were waiting for the pump to arrive he decided to replace a burned-out light bulb on the dark end of the house. I got him a chair to stand on and a bulb and watched him. He managed to get the bulb out of the fixture but was unable to screw the new bulb in. I have never seen someone be unsuccessful at screwing in a light bulb. When he went to some tool (he said it’s name in Spanish) I quickly screwed the bulb in and turned the light on before he got back. So he didn’t get a chance to attack the fixture with some tool.
Then my landlord left, and a few minutes later a great guy, Guillermo, owner of Casa Chacala and the Water Board guy, showed up. He came with the pump, a pipe wrench, (which is a very unusual tool around here) and some Teflon tape. He did a nice neat job of attaching the pump to the pipes and cleaning up the snarly mess of electrical wires that attach the off/on switch to the water pump.
He turned on the pump and I ran upstairs to make sure that the priming worked and the pump was pumping water to the roof. It was pumping, and a leak in the copper tubing from the pump to the water storage tank on the roof was spraying water all over the place. The leak in the copper pipe was apparently caused by my landlord letting the pump run the small water storage open holding tank dry, at which point the long stretch of copper pipe starting shuddering and shaking and finally leaking.
Guillermo turned off the pump and said his friend at the under-construction hotel next door would fix the pipe. Twenty minutes later a guy turned up with a some gas and solder, etc and then a ladder and climbed up on the second story roof and fixed the leak.
Tried the pump and it worked and the water tank filled quickly.
Made another round trip collectivo trip into town to get my laundry
Got home, ate dinner with some friends, and came home. I could hear water running where I shouldn’t have heard any water running , and went and found my flashlight. The hose from the town water system to the ground-level water storage open tank was half split apart and water was running onto the ground. I went and got my landlord and lady, who had just walked up the hill with me, and we got the pipe fixed in the dark and got everything back together again.
And here I am typing. Interesting day. Lots of breakdowns and everything ended up working, as far as I know.
In between all the fixing I had two very fun trips into town on the collectives. Lots of laughing and joking. A nice dinner with some nice people. And I got all my clothes washed and all my stuff organized. Where ever I more to, I won’t have much space so I am clearing things out.
Saturday, the water guy (truck with five gallon plastic jugs of possibly drinkable water) didn’t show up, and also didn’t show up again today. Saw him downtown this morning and he promised to bring drinking water up in one hours (his timeline). But he didn’t show. I knew he wouldn’t because he delivers the lower road one day and the upper road the next day. He doesn’t like to mix up his routes. So no drinking or cooking water Saturday, Sunday and Monday except for quart bottles.
Meanwhile, this morning my landlord disconnected the electricity while I went back and forth on the collectivo to the lavendaria in Las Varas. There has been no water except for occasional toilet flushing since I moved back in, and no water for washing clothes.
It turned out that my landlord had disconnected the electricity at 7am .He apparently was expecting the new pump to come sometime today, so he disconnected the wire at 7am. When I discovered this at 11am the rest of my perishable food (from yesterday’ s power 17 hour power outage) was gone. Disconnecting the electricity is a matter of unwrapping a small piece of black electrical tape and untwisting a wire. The only reason I realized the electricity was off was he came looking for some bandaids to reattach the wires.
While we were waiting for the pump to arrive he decided to replace a burned-out light bulb on the dark end of the house. I got him a chair to stand on and a bulb and watched him. He managed to get the bulb out of the fixture but was unable to screw the new bulb in. I have never seen someone be unsuccessful at screwing in a light bulb. When he went to some tool (he said it’s name in Spanish) I quickly screwed the bulb in and turned the light on before he got back. So he didn’t get a chance to attack the fixture with some tool.
Then my landlord left, and a few minutes later a great guy, Guillermo, owner of Casa Chacala and the Water Board guy, showed up. He came with the pump, a pipe wrench, (which is a very unusual tool around here) and some Teflon tape. He did a nice neat job of attaching the pump to the pipes and cleaning up the snarly mess of electrical wires that attach the off/on switch to the water pump.
He turned on the pump and I ran upstairs to make sure that the priming worked and the pump was pumping water to the roof. It was pumping, and a leak in the copper tubing from the pump to the water storage tank on the roof was spraying water all over the place. The leak in the copper pipe was apparently caused by my landlord letting the pump run the small water storage open holding tank dry, at which point the long stretch of copper pipe starting shuddering and shaking and finally leaking.
Guillermo turned off the pump and said his friend at the under-construction hotel next door would fix the pipe. Twenty minutes later a guy turned up with a some gas and solder, etc and then a ladder and climbed up on the second story roof and fixed the leak.
Tried the pump and it worked and the water tank filled quickly.
Made another round trip collectivo trip into town to get my laundry
Got home, ate dinner with some friends, and came home. I could hear water running where I shouldn’t have heard any water running , and went and found my flashlight. The hose from the town water system to the ground-level water storage open tank was half split apart and water was running onto the ground. I went and got my landlord and lady, who had just walked up the hill with me, and we got the pipe fixed in the dark and got everything back together again.
And here I am typing. Interesting day. Lots of breakdowns and everything ended up working, as far as I know.
In between all the fixing I had two very fun trips into town on the collectives. Lots of laughing and joking. A nice dinner with some nice people. And I got all my clothes washed and all my stuff organized. Where ever I more to, I won’t have much space so I am clearing things out.
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Revolution Day Parade in Chacala
Yesterday I saw some kids at the school practicing some kind of parade manuevers. At lunchtime I asked Aurora what that was all about and she said the kids have a Revolution Day parade around town every November 20th.
This morning we awoke to find the electicity had been off since one in the am. At 8:30am we walked down to the beach road to watch the parade (me) and join the parade (Aurora). (It turned out the electricity was off from 1am until 6pm).
It turned out that the parade encompassed every age group. From the two years olds (Mariana and Antonio) walking with the ten Kinder kids, to nine adult students (some more than 50 years old) who are part of the adult learning classes taught by Sarai. Women (plus one man occasionally) are working toward their primary and secondary certifications. Some of the women were working on writing the alphabet at the start of the year. Most of them are in their late thirties and early forties and never went to school or only had two or three years of crummy schooling as children.
Many of the woman in Chacala are so incredible, working hard for themselves and their children. Looking into the future and figuring out how to move into the 21st century. There are some very strong and competent woman here, and they struggle hard against the poverty and lack of water (there is never any potable water here except by the 5 gallon jug delivered by truck) for washing, toilets, etc. And the impact of machismo, corruption, inadequate educational system, and etc etc etc. Anyway....
I was really moved when I saw the women were all wearing school uniforms (white blouses and navy skirts) just like the Chacala primary kid's uniforms. They were marching proud, and in step. They have every reason to be proud.
There are 74 marchers, including the adult students. No kids from Chacala going to secondaria or prepatoria were in the parade because they are marching with their schools in Las Varas and La Penita. And some of the Chacala kids who go to primary marched with Chacala here in town. It was a very impressive morning.
Still no electricity at 10am RATS!!!!. I just bought a hundred pesos worth of chicken breasts. They are now defrosting in my tiny little freeezer section. Big feast of chicken breasts tonight, I guess.
This morning we awoke to find the electicity had been off since one in the am. At 8:30am we walked down to the beach road to watch the parade (me) and join the parade (Aurora). (It turned out the electricity was off from 1am until 6pm).
It turned out that the parade encompassed every age group. From the two years olds (Mariana and Antonio) walking with the ten Kinder kids, to nine adult students (some more than 50 years old) who are part of the adult learning classes taught by Sarai. Women (plus one man occasionally) are working toward their primary and secondary certifications. Some of the women were working on writing the alphabet at the start of the year. Most of them are in their late thirties and early forties and never went to school or only had two or three years of crummy schooling as children.
Many of the woman in Chacala are so incredible, working hard for themselves and their children. Looking into the future and figuring out how to move into the 21st century. There are some very strong and competent woman here, and they struggle hard against the poverty and lack of water (there is never any potable water here except by the 5 gallon jug delivered by truck) for washing, toilets, etc. And the impact of machismo, corruption, inadequate educational system, and etc etc etc. Anyway....
I was really moved when I saw the women were all wearing school uniforms (white blouses and navy skirts) just like the Chacala primary kid's uniforms. They were marching proud, and in step. They have every reason to be proud.
There are 74 marchers, including the adult students. No kids from Chacala going to secondaria or prepatoria were in the parade because they are marching with their schools in Las Varas and La Penita. And some of the Chacala kids who go to primary marched with Chacala here in town. It was a very impressive morning.
Still no electricity at 10am RATS!!!!. I just bought a hundred pesos worth of chicken breasts. They are now defrosting in my tiny little freeezer section. Big feast of chicken breasts tonight, I guess.
Ordinary Chacala Day
Another lovely day in Chacala. Light about 5:55am and dark at about 5:45pm. Sunny and clear.
Six “yachties” in Chacala Bay this morning, and one motor home and a camper from the US. Some Mexican and non-Mexican tourists . Maybe six or eight gringos. Today a couple from Michegan (can’t remember how to spell it) returned to their two year old house here, planning to stay for five months or so. Another American also returned to her rental a few days ago. Another couple planning to stay for the winter at their home in the Chacala Marina arrived two or three weeks ago.
Most of the vacation-type rental reservations seem to start about the 12 or 13th of December. Watched the new cement patio floor go down at Aurora and Beto’s right-hand side downstairs rental. Looks great. Beto and Noe’s helper, Javier, worked all afternoon into the dark (in fact they are still working now, at 6:30) mixing cement by hand for Noe to spread.
Visited with Trini today and she showed me plans for the new Kinder addition, to be added to the current building. Trini said it looks like a couple of Rotary groups, one from Omaha, are planning to fund the construction and do some finishing work on the project when they arrive. I am not sure how definite the project is, but it sounds great.
The whole play area at the Kinder looks very nice. A huge improvement from a couple of years ago. The parents of the Kinder students are very involved this year in making improvements and doing maintenance.
It you are coming down, you might consider bringing some classroom materials for the Kinder, or a little cash. You can just drop things by the Kinder 9am-noon weekdays, while class is in session. It is right beyond the church, a small building covered with murals and a big playtoy, provided from Rotarians, in the school yard. The Kinder is separate from the Bibliotecha, so anything you bring for the Kinder should go directly there. I hope that makes sense.
Al the construction projects around town are progressing rapidly. I have the impression everyone has a Christmas deadline in mind.
I was told today that a “volunteer” is at Mar de jade working on the problematic sewage system. Anyway, I hope he succeeds in reducing the smell and runoff.
A writer for Lonely Planet was in town last month, and stayed at Casa Pacifica one night. I remember a few years ago a different Lonely Planet writer stayed at Mar de Jade, and the whole Chacala entry that year was about Mar de Jade. It was like the town itself hardly existed. I don’t think that will happen this year, because the guy was in town for several days and was looking around quite a bit.
There are also realtors floating around town. Rod (also from the US) and a realtor in Sayulita is opening an office here in Chacala. And this morning I talked with Roger, whose realty office is also in Sayulita. He was meeting with an eijido official and Jesus, who owns an eijido lot between Casa Pacifica and the house where I house-sat this summer. Jesus has told me before he wants to sell his lot, so it will be interesting to see what happens next.
I was recently told that there are no regulations or laws and registrations required to sell real estate in Mexico. Attorneys/notarys do the actual land transfers and help to establish bank trusts for land near the ocean.
I guess it’s always interesting in life to see what’s going to happen next.
Six “yachties” in Chacala Bay this morning, and one motor home and a camper from the US. Some Mexican and non-Mexican tourists . Maybe six or eight gringos. Today a couple from Michegan (can’t remember how to spell it) returned to their two year old house here, planning to stay for five months or so. Another American also returned to her rental a few days ago. Another couple planning to stay for the winter at their home in the Chacala Marina arrived two or three weeks ago.
Most of the vacation-type rental reservations seem to start about the 12 or 13th of December. Watched the new cement patio floor go down at Aurora and Beto’s right-hand side downstairs rental. Looks great. Beto and Noe’s helper, Javier, worked all afternoon into the dark (in fact they are still working now, at 6:30) mixing cement by hand for Noe to spread.
Visited with Trini today and she showed me plans for the new Kinder addition, to be added to the current building. Trini said it looks like a couple of Rotary groups, one from Omaha, are planning to fund the construction and do some finishing work on the project when they arrive. I am not sure how definite the project is, but it sounds great.
The whole play area at the Kinder looks very nice. A huge improvement from a couple of years ago. The parents of the Kinder students are very involved this year in making improvements and doing maintenance.
It you are coming down, you might consider bringing some classroom materials for the Kinder, or a little cash. You can just drop things by the Kinder 9am-noon weekdays, while class is in session. It is right beyond the church, a small building covered with murals and a big playtoy, provided from Rotarians, in the school yard. The Kinder is separate from the Bibliotecha, so anything you bring for the Kinder should go directly there. I hope that makes sense.
Al the construction projects around town are progressing rapidly. I have the impression everyone has a Christmas deadline in mind.
I was told today that a “volunteer” is at Mar de jade working on the problematic sewage system. Anyway, I hope he succeeds in reducing the smell and runoff.
A writer for Lonely Planet was in town last month, and stayed at Casa Pacifica one night. I remember a few years ago a different Lonely Planet writer stayed at Mar de Jade, and the whole Chacala entry that year was about Mar de Jade. It was like the town itself hardly existed. I don’t think that will happen this year, because the guy was in town for several days and was looking around quite a bit.
There are also realtors floating around town. Rod (also from the US) and a realtor in Sayulita is opening an office here in Chacala. And this morning I talked with Roger, whose realty office is also in Sayulita. He was meeting with an eijido official and Jesus, who owns an eijido lot between Casa Pacifica and the house where I house-sat this summer. Jesus has told me before he wants to sell his lot, so it will be interesting to see what happens next.
I was recently told that there are no regulations or laws and registrations required to sell real estate in Mexico. Attorneys/notarys do the actual land transfers and help to establish bank trusts for land near the ocean.
I guess it’s always interesting in life to see what’s going to happen next.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Chacala Tourist Season is Heating Up
I moved down to Dona Lupe’s today. This is my first night here, and I am computing off the battery, which I have only done before, when the town electricity was off. Most of my stuff out on the terrace. It feels good to be here. I forgot how nice the view is, and how nice it is to be close to Aurora and Beto's and the store and the beach. I am just here for three weeks. I think I will spend some time sorting through the stuff I have collected in the lasts 23+ months and get rid of stuff.
Changes around town.
The new hotel next to Dona Lupe’s looks nice, if a large three story+ building can look nice in a village the size of Chacala.
There have been meetings every day or evening for a bit, with government officials and other people here every day. A few days ago a team of six or seven people appeared to be measuring the distance of water lines (maybe). Unfortunately one of the men holding the end of the tape kept dropping the tape and they would (apparently randomly) just start measuring wherever. I think most of the meetings are politicians selling themselves but who knows. The agenda is supposed to be getting more water here.
The little tiny lot that was for sale last month has been bought ( I think by a local person) and it looks like someone is getting ready to build on it. It’s the third lot down from the schoolyard on the right as you are walking up the road toward the school. A bunch of tree/shrub stuff has been cut down and holes are being dug.
One of the workers said Juan had bought the lot. I personally know nine Juans in town, and I don’t know which one this is. The lot was for sale for $18,000USD to gringos, and I don’t know how much it went for. And Leo of Koko Bongos has a lot for sale, kind of behind the motel Kenna. I think it’s on a flood plain, but when I asked him he shook his head. The head shake could mean don’t ask, or not it’s not or it could have some other subtle meaning I didn’t get.
The man named Steven who camps on the beach in a red truck with a gold camper, is now developing his lot on eijido land between the Marina Chacala gate and Casa Pacifica. It’s a little confusing that he is building because the building permit people are actively stopping people from building on eijido land right now. I will never understand some of the stuff that goes on here. I have been told that the Las Varas eijido some of their land around Chacala last week. All signed and delivered I guess. I was told the land that was sold was part of the restricted ecological area around the volcano north of town. Sounds like another court case in the works.
There have been yachts in the bay for the last week or to. Three yesterday. There are about five or six adults at Mar de Jade, with three kids. I think three of the adults are medical volunteers. There may be more people over here. In the past the guests at Mar de Jade seem to have gotten the impression that they will get sick if they eat in Chacala restaurants. But this groups seems to be eating around town anyway, which is nice to see. Several people have mentioned that Mar de Jade is getting it’s sewer system fixed. Everyone hopes the smell will go away quickly.
I have been told that the ex-beach restaurant next to Las Brisas (that an American couple from San Diego bought last year) has been turned into a rental house. And the rental price is said to be $1000 a week. These are the people who brought jet skis to Chacala. . It will be interesting to see how their guests will enjoy their rental during the Christmas and Easter weeks.
The new bar at Chico’s looks great, as do the new (new this year) bathrooms, which are being kept very clean.
Polo and Berta’s new Taco stand across the street from Chico’s driveway is doing a great business with both locals and tourists . It’s a very clean and tidy operation. They are open Thursday thru Sunday for lunch thru dinner. Their very bright and vivacious daughter, America, is usually on hand to entertain the customers.
Whatever is happening at the restaurant remodel across from Juan’s tienda is happening very quickly. Can’t tell what's happening there, but whatever it is is happening very quickly.
The blonde guy seems to be charge of the restaurant remodel owns a lot right next to the Marina Chacala gate, to the left. It is now being filled with dirt and cement chunks. About six feet deep. I think it is an effort to avoid the flooding that occurs all summer when the water collected by the new paved road directs the runoff in that area. It will be interesting to see where the flooding happens if it can’t collect on that lot.
My opinion at the moment is that the some of the latest people to purchase property in Chacala aren’t thinking much about how their plans might impact Chacala’s infrastructure (water, sewage, electrical) or quality of life.
Juan’s wife Mimi is back at work at the corner tienda with their new baby, who is now four months old. Very handsome little boy. They have a little hammock for him to sleep in, but generally he is being held by someone. Today it was me for quite awhile. Saw Claudia and Pepe’s (from the hardware store) new daughter, Claudia Patrica for the first time today. She is three weeks old, and looks a lot like her big sister, three year old Maria Jose. That makes three new babies in town that I know of, including Estaban, son of the owners of Jorge’s deposito. Estaban has an older brother, about nine, named Jorge, and a little sister about a year and a half, named Fernanda. All these babies live with both their mom and dad. Which is very different than last year when almost all the 8 new babies were had single moms. Last year all the babies but one were boys, which must be really against the odds.
The beach and the roads are looking pretty clean these days. Some government agency has been busy all Fall fencing off the areas that are shown on the plot maps as “green” areas. Barbed wire fences. I have been told that some folks in town are trying to get the town control over some of these areas, in order to build a park or town square or something for the community. The more cynical people assume that some government official’s brother will end up owning the “green” areas. Maybe in this case, “green” means cash, not parks.
Aurora and Beta’s new patio on one of their rentals is looking very nice. Tomorrow Noe is going to pour a new floor there. The first building on the left as you come into town has two rentals being built on the second story. They are working really quickly. Casa Pacific new sunshade roof structure on the top of the house is looking very very nice. People will really like it I think. And the plants on the roof are looking just beautiful. Las Brisas will have a total of eight rental rooms when they finish construction. The worker’s are working late into the night. I am glad I’m not staying there during the construction.
There will be a special parade at 8:30am Sunday morning to celebrate one of the Revolution days. I watched the kids at the primary school practicing their marching moves under the very serious eye of a marching instructor on the playground this morning. Trini was leading a Spanish class with three Mar de Jade visitors in the downstairs bibliotecha room. And the non-marching kids were playing and running around. And the internet café was open for business. Busy place.
The weather continues to get more comfortable, especially in the evening. Mid to high eighties during the day. Not much humidity.
Changes around town.
The new hotel next to Dona Lupe’s looks nice, if a large three story+ building can look nice in a village the size of Chacala.
There have been meetings every day or evening for a bit, with government officials and other people here every day. A few days ago a team of six or seven people appeared to be measuring the distance of water lines (maybe). Unfortunately one of the men holding the end of the tape kept dropping the tape and they would (apparently randomly) just start measuring wherever. I think most of the meetings are politicians selling themselves but who knows. The agenda is supposed to be getting more water here.
The little tiny lot that was for sale last month has been bought ( I think by a local person) and it looks like someone is getting ready to build on it. It’s the third lot down from the schoolyard on the right as you are walking up the road toward the school. A bunch of tree/shrub stuff has been cut down and holes are being dug.
One of the workers said Juan had bought the lot. I personally know nine Juans in town, and I don’t know which one this is. The lot was for sale for $18,000USD to gringos, and I don’t know how much it went for. And Leo of Koko Bongos has a lot for sale, kind of behind the motel Kenna. I think it’s on a flood plain, but when I asked him he shook his head. The head shake could mean don’t ask, or not it’s not or it could have some other subtle meaning I didn’t get.
The man named Steven who camps on the beach in a red truck with a gold camper, is now developing his lot on eijido land between the Marina Chacala gate and Casa Pacifica. It’s a little confusing that he is building because the building permit people are actively stopping people from building on eijido land right now. I will never understand some of the stuff that goes on here. I have been told that the Las Varas eijido some of their land around Chacala last week. All signed and delivered I guess. I was told the land that was sold was part of the restricted ecological area around the volcano north of town. Sounds like another court case in the works.
There have been yachts in the bay for the last week or to. Three yesterday. There are about five or six adults at Mar de Jade, with three kids. I think three of the adults are medical volunteers. There may be more people over here. In the past the guests at Mar de Jade seem to have gotten the impression that they will get sick if they eat in Chacala restaurants. But this groups seems to be eating around town anyway, which is nice to see. Several people have mentioned that Mar de Jade is getting it’s sewer system fixed. Everyone hopes the smell will go away quickly.
I have been told that the ex-beach restaurant next to Las Brisas (that an American couple from San Diego bought last year) has been turned into a rental house. And the rental price is said to be $1000 a week. These are the people who brought jet skis to Chacala. . It will be interesting to see how their guests will enjoy their rental during the Christmas and Easter weeks.
The new bar at Chico’s looks great, as do the new (new this year) bathrooms, which are being kept very clean.
Polo and Berta’s new Taco stand across the street from Chico’s driveway is doing a great business with both locals and tourists . It’s a very clean and tidy operation. They are open Thursday thru Sunday for lunch thru dinner. Their very bright and vivacious daughter, America, is usually on hand to entertain the customers.
Whatever is happening at the restaurant remodel across from Juan’s tienda is happening very quickly. Can’t tell what's happening there, but whatever it is is happening very quickly.
The blonde guy seems to be charge of the restaurant remodel owns a lot right next to the Marina Chacala gate, to the left. It is now being filled with dirt and cement chunks. About six feet deep. I think it is an effort to avoid the flooding that occurs all summer when the water collected by the new paved road directs the runoff in that area. It will be interesting to see where the flooding happens if it can’t collect on that lot.
My opinion at the moment is that the some of the latest people to purchase property in Chacala aren’t thinking much about how their plans might impact Chacala’s infrastructure (water, sewage, electrical) or quality of life.
Juan’s wife Mimi is back at work at the corner tienda with their new baby, who is now four months old. Very handsome little boy. They have a little hammock for him to sleep in, but generally he is being held by someone. Today it was me for quite awhile. Saw Claudia and Pepe’s (from the hardware store) new daughter, Claudia Patrica for the first time today. She is three weeks old, and looks a lot like her big sister, three year old Maria Jose. That makes three new babies in town that I know of, including Estaban, son of the owners of Jorge’s deposito. Estaban has an older brother, about nine, named Jorge, and a little sister about a year and a half, named Fernanda. All these babies live with both their mom and dad. Which is very different than last year when almost all the 8 new babies were had single moms. Last year all the babies but one were boys, which must be really against the odds.
The beach and the roads are looking pretty clean these days. Some government agency has been busy all Fall fencing off the areas that are shown on the plot maps as “green” areas. Barbed wire fences. I have been told that some folks in town are trying to get the town control over some of these areas, in order to build a park or town square or something for the community. The more cynical people assume that some government official’s brother will end up owning the “green” areas. Maybe in this case, “green” means cash, not parks.
Aurora and Beta’s new patio on one of their rentals is looking very nice. Tomorrow Noe is going to pour a new floor there. The first building on the left as you come into town has two rentals being built on the second story. They are working really quickly. Casa Pacific new sunshade roof structure on the top of the house is looking very very nice. People will really like it I think. And the plants on the roof are looking just beautiful. Las Brisas will have a total of eight rental rooms when they finish construction. The worker’s are working late into the night. I am glad I’m not staying there during the construction.
There will be a special parade at 8:30am Sunday morning to celebrate one of the Revolution days. I watched the kids at the primary school practicing their marching moves under the very serious eye of a marching instructor on the playground this morning. Trini was leading a Spanish class with three Mar de Jade visitors in the downstairs bibliotecha room. And the non-marching kids were playing and running around. And the internet café was open for business. Busy place.
The weather continues to get more comfortable, especially in the evening. Mid to high eighties during the day. Not much humidity.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Almost Moved to Dona Lupe's
My landlord hasn't made it to Chacala yet, and I am almost totally moved out of his place. But I won't have a phone line at Dona Lupe's so I'm going still hanging aound here during the day, cleaning and computing. I just can't stand to cut my umbilical cord (the phone line to my laptop).
Some news.
The blonde guy who is working on the restaurant across from Juan's tienda (the little market at the only corner on the beach road) is really going gung-ho. The workers were digging a huge ditch along the road in front of it this afternooon. God knows what they were doing. Someone told me in Spanish but I didn't get it. There seems to be very little enthusiasm among the local people for the project, but the two or three gringo males around town seem to be hanging around there most of the time.
Leo, of Koko Bongos restaurant, wants to sell a lot behind Posada Kenna for 49,000USD. Its 14M by 30M and may or may not be on the flood plain back there. I think I have the location right.
The office/two unit rental, maybe with swimming pool, that's across the street from Concha's Techo is now painted bright yellow with nice wood trim. The cover to the septic tank is almost finished. The rentals each have two beds in them. Don't know who owns the place. Just know the builder and his crew. Juan did the painting and he did a great job.
There was a little water committee meeting at the newish restaurant last night. I think its a neat place to have a meeting because there all no walls, just a roof and anyone can stand and listen without making the commitment of opening a door, etc. This afternoon there was a bigger meeting, with a bunch of officials from Compostella, the "county" seat, and including some State people from tourism. But mostly it was about the water situation here (as in lack of water). Trini sort of drug me into the meeting . We sat in back and whispered about her new websites we are doing for her Spanish lessons and some other things. I could actually understand some of what the speakers said, but they talked so quietly it was hard to hear. I felt funny being in the meeting, but a number of people nodded and smiled so I guess it was okay to be there. Who knows.
Tourist activity around town is starting to heat up. Saw three different rental cars cruising town today, one with surfboards on the roof. Another one was some friendly Canadians heading to San Blas (God knows why, when they could be in Chacala. I guess they didn't see it that way).
Weather is nice. Hot, low 90's but not humid. And I am sitting at the computer under an electric light and not one bug has attacked me in two hours. That is a major change from three weeks ago. Full moon and great sunsets.
Some news.
The blonde guy who is working on the restaurant across from Juan's tienda (the little market at the only corner on the beach road) is really going gung-ho. The workers were digging a huge ditch along the road in front of it this afternooon. God knows what they were doing. Someone told me in Spanish but I didn't get it. There seems to be very little enthusiasm among the local people for the project, but the two or three gringo males around town seem to be hanging around there most of the time.
Leo, of Koko Bongos restaurant, wants to sell a lot behind Posada Kenna for 49,000USD. Its 14M by 30M and may or may not be on the flood plain back there. I think I have the location right.
The office/two unit rental, maybe with swimming pool, that's across the street from Concha's Techo is now painted bright yellow with nice wood trim. The cover to the septic tank is almost finished. The rentals each have two beds in them. Don't know who owns the place. Just know the builder and his crew. Juan did the painting and he did a great job.
There was a little water committee meeting at the newish restaurant last night. I think its a neat place to have a meeting because there all no walls, just a roof and anyone can stand and listen without making the commitment of opening a door, etc. This afternoon there was a bigger meeting, with a bunch of officials from Compostella, the "county" seat, and including some State people from tourism. But mostly it was about the water situation here (as in lack of water). Trini sort of drug me into the meeting . We sat in back and whispered about her new websites we are doing for her Spanish lessons and some other things. I could actually understand some of what the speakers said, but they talked so quietly it was hard to hear. I felt funny being in the meeting, but a number of people nodded and smiled so I guess it was okay to be there. Who knows.
Tourist activity around town is starting to heat up. Saw three different rental cars cruising town today, one with surfboards on the roof. Another one was some friendly Canadians heading to San Blas (God knows why, when they could be in Chacala. I guess they didn't see it that way).
Weather is nice. Hot, low 90's but not humid. And I am sitting at the computer under an electric light and not one bug has attacked me in two hours. That is a major change from three weeks ago. Full moon and great sunsets.
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Life in Chacala Keeps Changing on Me
Life in Chacala keeps changing on me, and that's a good thing. I think. I woke up this morning overwhelmed with sadness about it not working out with moving into X's Techo rental.
But within minutes things got better. I finished packing up most of my stuff, and checked my email. Then I did some errands around town. I dropped an empty Coke bottle off at Guia's house. She is one of about 25 local residents who sells cokes from her house. Talked to Juan's mom Lupe about when he and Pablo were coming over to finish moving me. She said she thought they were coming up when they finished with their morning fishing chores.
Went to the store, and on the way home told Concha that a two week rental reservation for her $15 a night room was probably bogus. The guy wanted to pay with an International money order. I don't know what that is, and didn't want to deal with it, and neither did Concha. So I asked for a deposit in dollars via PayPal, bank deposit, or Western Union, and that was the end of him. Talked with my new/old landlady, Dona Lupe about bringing my things down later, and she had already cleaned the room and patio.
At Aurora's we checked my plants, which she is babysitting for me, maybe forever.
And talked about rental dates coming up. She had helped me find a couple of other cleaners besides Chavela for Gordon's, since I am running so late on getting me out of there so the place can have a good cleaning. Then we will move everything upstairs and then clean the downstairs apartment. I was hoping to spread it out over three days, but that's not going to happen since I am on such a tight time schedule now.
A local friend came over and we started creating a blog for her. It was alot of fun but we didn't get to finish because Pablo came to help me move. Pablo and I did a load together and then Juan helped on the second load (with the refrigerator). Pablo is in his first year of Tourism training at the Techological Institute near Pueto Vallarta. We moved a total of three loads today and yesterday (one load was my plants going to Aurora's). I came to Chacala with three carry-on sized suitcases. I am more of a gatherer than I realized.
The guys refused to let me pay them. I went over to their house later to offer payment again, and they said it was between friends. They said it in Spanish and had to repeat it til I got it. It made me cry, for the second time in one day. And I hardly ever cry. I have been under so much tension dealing with trying to get moved out of Gordon's before he arrived and worrying about my next living space. I guess hearing them say that we were good friends just felt so nice. I really like interacting with that whole family.
When back home for lunch, and computer stuff. Did my last laundry at Gordon's house, and moved his plants around on the front and back patios. The town water was running to I got to water everything. It only ran for an hour, but that's pretty good. Headed off to clean my new place a bit more and then moved all my stuff inside from the patio. It felt nice to be there. The view is great.
Went down to pay my first week of rent, and to hang out at Lupe's restaurant for awhile. Went over to Chico's where we ate the cacahuates (peanuts in the shell) I had brought with me. Guillermo and Lupe treated me to a Squirt. The guy that makes strawberry turnovers and sells then from a wheelbarrow was at Chico's and I got a chance to pay him from last time, when I didn't have any change and neither did he
Went swimming with the kids. Terry, the American who lives in the nice yellow rental bungalows, brought some big inner tubes with handles on them from the US, and we had a great time. Watched to sun go down and walked home fast. There are only fifteen minutes til dark once the sun goes down.
But within minutes things got better. I finished packing up most of my stuff, and checked my email. Then I did some errands around town. I dropped an empty Coke bottle off at Guia's house. She is one of about 25 local residents who sells cokes from her house. Talked to Juan's mom Lupe about when he and Pablo were coming over to finish moving me. She said she thought they were coming up when they finished with their morning fishing chores.
Went to the store, and on the way home told Concha that a two week rental reservation for her $15 a night room was probably bogus. The guy wanted to pay with an International money order. I don't know what that is, and didn't want to deal with it, and neither did Concha. So I asked for a deposit in dollars via PayPal, bank deposit, or Western Union, and that was the end of him. Talked with my new/old landlady, Dona Lupe about bringing my things down later, and she had already cleaned the room and patio.
At Aurora's we checked my plants, which she is babysitting for me, maybe forever.
And talked about rental dates coming up. She had helped me find a couple of other cleaners besides Chavela for Gordon's, since I am running so late on getting me out of there so the place can have a good cleaning. Then we will move everything upstairs and then clean the downstairs apartment. I was hoping to spread it out over three days, but that's not going to happen since I am on such a tight time schedule now.
A local friend came over and we started creating a blog for her. It was alot of fun but we didn't get to finish because Pablo came to help me move. Pablo and I did a load together and then Juan helped on the second load (with the refrigerator). Pablo is in his first year of Tourism training at the Techological Institute near Pueto Vallarta. We moved a total of three loads today and yesterday (one load was my plants going to Aurora's). I came to Chacala with three carry-on sized suitcases. I am more of a gatherer than I realized.
The guys refused to let me pay them. I went over to their house later to offer payment again, and they said it was between friends. They said it in Spanish and had to repeat it til I got it. It made me cry, for the second time in one day. And I hardly ever cry. I have been under so much tension dealing with trying to get moved out of Gordon's before he arrived and worrying about my next living space. I guess hearing them say that we were good friends just felt so nice. I really like interacting with that whole family.
When back home for lunch, and computer stuff. Did my last laundry at Gordon's house, and moved his plants around on the front and back patios. The town water was running to I got to water everything. It only ran for an hour, but that's pretty good. Headed off to clean my new place a bit more and then moved all my stuff inside from the patio. It felt nice to be there. The view is great.
Went down to pay my first week of rent, and to hang out at Lupe's restaurant for awhile. Went over to Chico's where we ate the cacahuates (peanuts in the shell) I had brought with me. Guillermo and Lupe treated me to a Squirt. The guy that makes strawberry turnovers and sells then from a wheelbarrow was at Chico's and I got a chance to pay him from last time, when I didn't have any change and neither did he
Went swimming with the kids. Terry, the American who lives in the nice yellow rental bungalows, brought some big inner tubes with handles on them from the US, and we had a great time. Watched to sun go down and walked home fast. There are only fifteen minutes til dark once the sun goes down.
Friday, November 11, 2005
I Love My Life in Chacala
I love my life in Chacala, but not every second of it. Someone just commented to me in an email thatafter reading this blog, they couldn't tell if I liked living here or not.
I LOVE living here, and here are some of the reasons:
1. I can wear shorts and cotton short-sleeved shirts and rubber flip-flops everyday. Everyday except once or twice this year when the mosquitoes were bugging me while we were playing cards in the evening. Last winter there were three or four weeks where some of us played cards most evenings with English and Spanish speaking kids and adults. The rule was supposed to be that Spanish speakers spoke English and English speakers spoke Spanish, but it wasn't a hard and fast rule. Then we had hot chocolate and treats some nights. Very fun, but some nights were pretty buggy right after sunset. And I don't feel any particular pressure about clothes here, which is very nice for me. Some local people dress very well on occassion, but it doesn't seem to be a big deal. People wear all kinds of things.
2. It is easy to go five or six days without spending a cent. The only thing to spend money on around town is food and pop or drinks (for those that want drinks) when you are hanging out with people at one of the restaurants or on the steps at one of the stores. I only eat out maybe once every other week, and that is very cheap. Fish, etc for about 40p.
3. The local people are very comfortable to be around, and friendly and nice to me. I get lots of visitors and I like it alot. When I am walking somewhere around town (to the beach or someones house or the store or whatever) it always takes forever because everyone is so friendly and there are always things to talk about.
4. People help me with my horrible Spanish and only a few people let me know that I really should settle down and learn good Spanish instead of kind of faking it.
5. I am learning lots of new stuff about life, and also about plants. Gardening and plants are very different here and I am learning alot. I am learning about being patient and letting life happen around me without kidding myself that somehow I am in charge. In Chacala it doesn't matter to me very much that my memory is not very good.
6. I don't need or even want a car here.
There is good local transportation and lots of nice people who offer me rides. There are lots of adventures just waiting for me every day. If I did everything I was invited to do I would be busy every second. It's a nice feeling. Even though I like lots of private and quiet time, I like knowing there are lots of things to do.
7. I love the tropical climate and flowers and trees and butterflies and birds and fish and dolphins and whales. (I have to say, I hate some of the bugs/spiders, and don't think
I will ever get used to them.)
8. I never watch TV or listen to the radio and very rarely get mail. There is a phone at this house and I probably make and get about 3 calls a week. max. I love using the internet and helping local landladies find renters. Makes me feel good.
9. I have lots of time to draw and make things and read and lots of privacy to write. I almost never have any commitments or things I have to do. Except for birthday parties, dinners, christenings, fiestas, etc etc etc, and those are voluntary and not required.
10. I can swim any time from morning to night. I can walk home in my wet clothes and it doesn't seem to be an issue. I don't have to wear a swimming suit, just shorts and a shirt are fine. We go on boat rides to other beautiful beaches and lay around and eat and swim and look for sea shells and find fruit trees and whatever.
11. If I don't have cash or enough cash on me it's not a problem. Just bring it later. And for the last year or so I get good deals on stuff like flipflops and other tourist kind of stuff. Like a piece of fabric for my bathroom door. The store people say it's less for me because I am a Chacaleno now, which makes me feel really good. Even if it's just a salespitch.
12. But I do feel very comfortable here and never think about what other people expect. I just do what I feel like doing. Local people seem to just accept me and it feels very nice. the ones that don't ignore me so i don't know about it. Works for me.
13. There is cheap and deliciously ripe fruit all over the place.
14. I am seeing babies and little kids growing up right before my eyes. And I often know their parents, aunts/uncles, grandparents, siblings and cousins too. I get invited to birthday parties and get to hold babies and lots of little kids come up to me, and call out to me and know my name. I think in the US I was very lonesome for kids and a neighborhood where everyone is often outside and you run into people you know wherever you go.
15. I am too tired to go on. But I just wanted to make it clear that I love this life here. I think I am the happiest I have ever been. I wake up and do whatever I feel like doing. Everything is flexible and there is no pressure. Except to get moved out of this house and into another house, but that's only twice a year. I can live with that.
Email me at alatawah@gmail.com if you want to know more about Chacala. Or look at Chacala if you are curious about Chacala.
I LOVE living here, and here are some of the reasons:
1. I can wear shorts and cotton short-sleeved shirts and rubber flip-flops everyday. Everyday except once or twice this year when the mosquitoes were bugging me while we were playing cards in the evening. Last winter there were three or four weeks where some of us played cards most evenings with English and Spanish speaking kids and adults. The rule was supposed to be that Spanish speakers spoke English and English speakers spoke Spanish, but it wasn't a hard and fast rule. Then we had hot chocolate and treats some nights. Very fun, but some nights were pretty buggy right after sunset. And I don't feel any particular pressure about clothes here, which is very nice for me. Some local people dress very well on occassion, but it doesn't seem to be a big deal. People wear all kinds of things.
2. It is easy to go five or six days without spending a cent. The only thing to spend money on around town is food and pop or drinks (for those that want drinks) when you are hanging out with people at one of the restaurants or on the steps at one of the stores. I only eat out maybe once every other week, and that is very cheap. Fish, etc for about 40p.
3. The local people are very comfortable to be around, and friendly and nice to me. I get lots of visitors and I like it alot. When I am walking somewhere around town (to the beach or someones house or the store or whatever) it always takes forever because everyone is so friendly and there are always things to talk about.
4. People help me with my horrible Spanish and only a few people let me know that I really should settle down and learn good Spanish instead of kind of faking it.
5. I am learning lots of new stuff about life, and also about plants. Gardening and plants are very different here and I am learning alot. I am learning about being patient and letting life happen around me without kidding myself that somehow I am in charge. In Chacala it doesn't matter to me very much that my memory is not very good.
6. I don't need or even want a car here.
There is good local transportation and lots of nice people who offer me rides. There are lots of adventures just waiting for me every day. If I did everything I was invited to do I would be busy every second. It's a nice feeling. Even though I like lots of private and quiet time, I like knowing there are lots of things to do.
7. I love the tropical climate and flowers and trees and butterflies and birds and fish and dolphins and whales. (I have to say, I hate some of the bugs/spiders, and don't think
I will ever get used to them.)
8. I never watch TV or listen to the radio and very rarely get mail. There is a phone at this house and I probably make and get about 3 calls a week. max. I love using the internet and helping local landladies find renters. Makes me feel good.
9. I have lots of time to draw and make things and read and lots of privacy to write. I almost never have any commitments or things I have to do. Except for birthday parties, dinners, christenings, fiestas, etc etc etc, and those are voluntary and not required.
10. I can swim any time from morning to night. I can walk home in my wet clothes and it doesn't seem to be an issue. I don't have to wear a swimming suit, just shorts and a shirt are fine. We go on boat rides to other beautiful beaches and lay around and eat and swim and look for sea shells and find fruit trees and whatever.
11. If I don't have cash or enough cash on me it's not a problem. Just bring it later. And for the last year or so I get good deals on stuff like flipflops and other tourist kind of stuff. Like a piece of fabric for my bathroom door. The store people say it's less for me because I am a Chacaleno now, which makes me feel really good. Even if it's just a salespitch.
12. But I do feel very comfortable here and never think about what other people expect. I just do what I feel like doing. Local people seem to just accept me and it feels very nice. the ones that don't ignore me so i don't know about it. Works for me.
13. There is cheap and deliciously ripe fruit all over the place.
14. I am seeing babies and little kids growing up right before my eyes. And I often know their parents, aunts/uncles, grandparents, siblings and cousins too. I get invited to birthday parties and get to hold babies and lots of little kids come up to me, and call out to me and know my name. I think in the US I was very lonesome for kids and a neighborhood where everyone is often outside and you run into people you know wherever you go.
15. I am too tired to go on. But I just wanted to make it clear that I love this life here. I think I am the happiest I have ever been. I wake up and do whatever I feel like doing. Everything is flexible and there is no pressure. Except to get moved out of this house and into another house, but that's only twice a year. I can live with that.
Email me at alatawah@gmail.com if you want to know more about Chacala. Or look at Chacala if you are curious about Chacala.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Washing Clothes in Chacala/Las Varas
Yesterday was one of those days for me. A nice day when everthing seems to be in sync. Well, almost everything. My moving is still in limbo while the screens get installed, gas hooked up, etc etc.
I can't figure out how to wash sheets and towels by hand (like I do my other laundry) so every three weeks I take three weeks worth of sheets and towels in Las Varas to the lavenderia.
Yesterday I walked down the driveway to the road with my two laundry bags, and a neighbor drove by a moment later and took me right to lavanderia, which is called Lulu's Seco Facil, (or Easy Dry). Walked back to the middle of town, and as I was walking by the post office the mailman saw me walk by and came runnning out to tell me I had a little package. Very nice. Didn't expect anything so I wouldn't have stopped there.
Went to the fabric store where they sell oilcloth for table tops and got two pieces for my new place. Somehow it was half-price day and I got a meter of each pattern for 26 pesos total (about $2.20USD). A meter is about 40 inches. I was happy with the colors and happy with the price.
Got a large watermelon for 10 pesos (90 cents) and a pineapple for 10 pesos also. Walked around the corner and there was another neighbor's truck. So I visited with Mrya and her 1 year old Fernanda at the Myra's father's shoe store. Myra is married to Chico's youngest son, Moula (nicknamed that because he loves money and wants to be rich) and she works at Chico's several days a week. After we visited for a couple minutes my neighbor walked up and I got a ride home. Very nice.
Spent the day struggling with the final details of my moving to Laura Sura's, which is not going well. I finally reached the point of frustration where I again realized I have no control over what anyone else is doing and was able to kind of relax and take a deep breath instead of screaming with frustration. I wouldn't have really screamed, but I felt like it for a minute.
Anyway, went over to a nieghbor's and hung out and relaxed. Until I had been here for a year or so I never realized how much of the idle conversation around here is about sex. Some older women in particular seem to love making jokes about sex. Went home and kept packing up, not knowing where I would be moving to. Went down to Gora's and Concha's to ask them if they had openings for a couple of rental reservations for early December. They did.
Stood by the side of the road talking to Guillermo and Lupe (owners of the little white hotel, Casa Chacala, and very fun to talk with). I was hoping for a ride into LV to get my laundry, and was thinking the collectivo driver was asleep somewhere, when a pickup pulled up and the driver offered me a ride. He was the landscaping architect I had met on the bus last year and he remembered me and stopped. He gave me a ride right to the laundry and we had a nice visit. He was originally from DF and had a big lanscaping company with his brothers in Portland Oregon but came back to Mexico to start a similiar business down here. Spoke some English and wanted to practice. Fun ride.
When I got to the lavanderia my stuff was still in the dryer, but I had a book (getting better at expecting to wait) so I sat down to read. The owner, Lulu, went next door to her house and gave me an ice-cold coke. When she saw it was dark by the time she folded my stuff and packed it in plastic wrap, she started asking how I was getting home. I said I was trying to catch the collectivo and was going to run because the last run is about 5:30. I started off and a minute later she pulled up beside me in her truck and drove me 6 blocks to the collectivo stop. Just made it.
Mixed day with the moving stuff, but mostly pretty nice. When I got home I cooked some little pizza's on boleto's (little french rolls) in the oven. I won't have an oven when I move, so I am enjoying the one at this house every chance I get.
Also, almost forgot. The new place being built on the downhill side of the paved road now has two stories. The third story is going to be a terrace and swimming p;ool. I am having a hard time picturing it but I guess it's true. The water came out of the town line this morning (amazing that any water came at all) but it was chocolate brown colored so I am watering plants with it.
Don't forget, if you are thinking of coming to Chacala this winter, there is a new blog called
Chacala Budget Rentals.
I can't figure out how to wash sheets and towels by hand (like I do my other laundry) so every three weeks I take three weeks worth of sheets and towels in Las Varas to the lavenderia.
Yesterday I walked down the driveway to the road with my two laundry bags, and a neighbor drove by a moment later and took me right to lavanderia, which is called Lulu's Seco Facil, (or Easy Dry). Walked back to the middle of town, and as I was walking by the post office the mailman saw me walk by and came runnning out to tell me I had a little package. Very nice. Didn't expect anything so I wouldn't have stopped there.
Went to the fabric store where they sell oilcloth for table tops and got two pieces for my new place. Somehow it was half-price day and I got a meter of each pattern for 26 pesos total (about $2.20USD). A meter is about 40 inches. I was happy with the colors and happy with the price.
Got a large watermelon for 10 pesos (90 cents) and a pineapple for 10 pesos also. Walked around the corner and there was another neighbor's truck. So I visited with Mrya and her 1 year old Fernanda at the Myra's father's shoe store. Myra is married to Chico's youngest son, Moula (nicknamed that because he loves money and wants to be rich) and she works at Chico's several days a week. After we visited for a couple minutes my neighbor walked up and I got a ride home. Very nice.
Spent the day struggling with the final details of my moving to Laura Sura's, which is not going well. I finally reached the point of frustration where I again realized I have no control over what anyone else is doing and was able to kind of relax and take a deep breath instead of screaming with frustration. I wouldn't have really screamed, but I felt like it for a minute.
Anyway, went over to a nieghbor's and hung out and relaxed. Until I had been here for a year or so I never realized how much of the idle conversation around here is about sex. Some older women in particular seem to love making jokes about sex. Went home and kept packing up, not knowing where I would be moving to. Went down to Gora's and Concha's to ask them if they had openings for a couple of rental reservations for early December. They did.
Stood by the side of the road talking to Guillermo and Lupe (owners of the little white hotel, Casa Chacala, and very fun to talk with). I was hoping for a ride into LV to get my laundry, and was thinking the collectivo driver was asleep somewhere, when a pickup pulled up and the driver offered me a ride. He was the landscaping architect I had met on the bus last year and he remembered me and stopped. He gave me a ride right to the laundry and we had a nice visit. He was originally from DF and had a big lanscaping company with his brothers in Portland Oregon but came back to Mexico to start a similiar business down here. Spoke some English and wanted to practice. Fun ride.
When I got to the lavanderia my stuff was still in the dryer, but I had a book (getting better at expecting to wait) so I sat down to read. The owner, Lulu, went next door to her house and gave me an ice-cold coke. When she saw it was dark by the time she folded my stuff and packed it in plastic wrap, she started asking how I was getting home. I said I was trying to catch the collectivo and was going to run because the last run is about 5:30. I started off and a minute later she pulled up beside me in her truck and drove me 6 blocks to the collectivo stop. Just made it.
Mixed day with the moving stuff, but mostly pretty nice. When I got home I cooked some little pizza's on boleto's (little french rolls) in the oven. I won't have an oven when I move, so I am enjoying the one at this house every chance I get.
Also, almost forgot. The new place being built on the downhill side of the paved road now has two stories. The third story is going to be a terrace and swimming p;ool. I am having a hard time picturing it but I guess it's true. The water came out of the town line this morning (amazing that any water came at all) but it was chocolate brown colored so I am watering plants with it.
Don't forget, if you are thinking of coming to Chacala this winter, there is a new blog called
Chacala Budget Rentals.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Chacala Gossip Central
Not really gossip central, but I do have one new piece of "info".
The remodeling of the restaurant across from the Joker tienda, the one that has been empty for quite awhile, is moving ahead. My understanding is that it was bought by a friend of the people from San Diego who bought the restaurant just south of Las Brisas last year and turned into into a house for themselves. They visit occasionally and test drive their jet skis.
They had a caretaker for awhile, but not lately.
Anyway, the new owner (I think) of this restaurant across from the Joker market, who has a wife who is from Mexico, has been working with a crowd of people doing some remodeling. Someone told me they have left town as of today and will be back sometime. I briefly met the new owner and can't remember his name, but he was looking over his new lot. The one between Laura Sura's and the Marina Chacala version of the Berlin Wall. He said he was just having worker's keeping the weeds down, and won't be building for year or two. At least I think that's what he said. Twice people have mentioned that they think he is opening a "disco". I don't know what other people think of when they hear the word "disco" but I think of loud music late at night. Oh well.
It seems as though people from the US and Canada are heading back to Chacala early this year. I think six or seven people have emailed me they are expecting to be in Chacala mid to late November.
Work on the new big (15 unit) hotel on the paved road seems to be stalled at the moment.
Have seen only a few workers lately and not many changes. But maybe most of the work is on the inside now.
Weather is getting more comfortable. Night are cooler and day are not so humid. Lots of mosquitoes, etc at the hour around dusk, which is maybe 5-6pm now. Flowers are still in high bloom , but the green is kind of fading and the lack of rain is starting to show.
The remodeling of the restaurant across from the Joker tienda, the one that has been empty for quite awhile, is moving ahead. My understanding is that it was bought by a friend of the people from San Diego who bought the restaurant just south of Las Brisas last year and turned into into a house for themselves. They visit occasionally and test drive their jet skis.
They had a caretaker for awhile, but not lately.
Anyway, the new owner (I think) of this restaurant across from the Joker market, who has a wife who is from Mexico, has been working with a crowd of people doing some remodeling. Someone told me they have left town as of today and will be back sometime. I briefly met the new owner and can't remember his name, but he was looking over his new lot. The one between Laura Sura's and the Marina Chacala version of the Berlin Wall. He said he was just having worker's keeping the weeds down, and won't be building for year or two. At least I think that's what he said. Twice people have mentioned that they think he is opening a "disco". I don't know what other people think of when they hear the word "disco" but I think of loud music late at night. Oh well.
It seems as though people from the US and Canada are heading back to Chacala early this year. I think six or seven people have emailed me they are expecting to be in Chacala mid to late November.
Work on the new big (15 unit) hotel on the paved road seems to be stalled at the moment.
Have seen only a few workers lately and not many changes. But maybe most of the work is on the inside now.
Weather is getting more comfortable. Night are cooler and day are not so humid. Lots of mosquitoes, etc at the hour around dusk, which is maybe 5-6pm now. Flowers are still in high bloom , but the green is kind of fading and the lack of rain is starting to show.
Friday, November 04, 2005
Why Do They Do That in Chacala?
Questions? email to alataway@gmail.com
I have recently noticed some odd building customs around Chacala, or at least the peculiar techniques of some of the local construction workers.
For example, at least one local person is still installing two wire (as in not-grounded) electrical systems in new construction. The juice here is bad enough as it is. (Spikes in voltage, regular power outages, etc). I have also just learned from those that know about electrical system, that regular surge supressor units and the surge suppressors in most UPS (uninterrupted power supply) units do not work in un-grounded systems.
Another interesting tidbit, at least to me, is that those little orange adapters that go from two-to-three prongs do not add a ground to the electric outlet. All the adapters do is allow you to plug a three prong plug into a two-prong (not-grounded unit). Probably everyone but me and many of the people in Chacala already knew this.
Also, someone is installing toilets without bolts holding the base to the floor. The toilet in cemented in place. Repair will probably require demolition. Maybe this is common practice and I never noticed before. I hope not.
And it appears to be common to build clean water and sewer water tanks underground right next to each other. A 6 or 8 inch cement block wall is built between the tanks and plastered with cement. Three hebes (clean water storage tanks) that I know of here in Chacala have started leaking while I have lived here. To my mind, who knows which tank is leaking into which tank. Maybe I am worrying about nothing. Who knows.
In the interest of job security (I guess) there are several other interesting work styles in Chacala. I have noticed workers apparently deliberately leaving some cement in the cement mixer at the end of the day. Then in the morning they spend several hours chipping out the cement. A similar technique involves letting paint and grout dry on the new floor and then spending days removing the dried paint and grout.
There are other new and different construction techniques that seem strange too me. Leaving many spaces in the cement where the ceiling bricks met the steel beams. Nice little homes for giant cockroaches. Also, only cementing in one side of the streel door frame, so that there is plenty of room for whatever to move into the large crevices. Or better yet, leave lots of spaces between the cement block wall and the door frame, so that the walk-in bugs and spiders with have a place to walk-out too.
I finally appreciate the value of having crummy, muddy, bumpy, dirt roads filled with large holes and small ditches. These roads require drivers to slow down. The kids, dogs, puppies, chickens, chicks and ducks on the road are all safer. It's an excellent safetly precaution and I like it.
What's kind of weird is that it took me so long to recognize the value of the crappy roads around here. Plus it's cheaper for taxpayers, etc. I loved it last year when all the dirt, jillions of truck loads, that were removed from the site of the new hotel was dumped on the local dirt roads, which improved the flooded road situation, sort of.
To check out my new list of all the rentals I know of in Chacala click here.
I have recently noticed some odd building customs around Chacala, or at least the peculiar techniques of some of the local construction workers.
For example, at least one local person is still installing two wire (as in not-grounded) electrical systems in new construction. The juice here is bad enough as it is. (Spikes in voltage, regular power outages, etc). I have also just learned from those that know about electrical system, that regular surge supressor units and the surge suppressors in most UPS (uninterrupted power supply) units do not work in un-grounded systems.
Another interesting tidbit, at least to me, is that those little orange adapters that go from two-to-three prongs do not add a ground to the electric outlet. All the adapters do is allow you to plug a three prong plug into a two-prong (not-grounded unit). Probably everyone but me and many of the people in Chacala already knew this.
Also, someone is installing toilets without bolts holding the base to the floor. The toilet in cemented in place. Repair will probably require demolition. Maybe this is common practice and I never noticed before. I hope not.
And it appears to be common to build clean water and sewer water tanks underground right next to each other. A 6 or 8 inch cement block wall is built between the tanks and plastered with cement. Three hebes (clean water storage tanks) that I know of here in Chacala have started leaking while I have lived here. To my mind, who knows which tank is leaking into which tank. Maybe I am worrying about nothing. Who knows.
In the interest of job security (I guess) there are several other interesting work styles in Chacala. I have noticed workers apparently deliberately leaving some cement in the cement mixer at the end of the day. Then in the morning they spend several hours chipping out the cement. A similar technique involves letting paint and grout dry on the new floor and then spending days removing the dried paint and grout.
There are other new and different construction techniques that seem strange too me. Leaving many spaces in the cement where the ceiling bricks met the steel beams. Nice little homes for giant cockroaches. Also, only cementing in one side of the streel door frame, so that there is plenty of room for whatever to move into the large crevices. Or better yet, leave lots of spaces between the cement block wall and the door frame, so that the walk-in bugs and spiders with have a place to walk-out too.
I finally appreciate the value of having crummy, muddy, bumpy, dirt roads filled with large holes and small ditches. These roads require drivers to slow down. The kids, dogs, puppies, chickens, chicks and ducks on the road are all safer. It's an excellent safetly precaution and I like it.
What's kind of weird is that it took me so long to recognize the value of the crappy roads around here. Plus it's cheaper for taxpayers, etc. I loved it last year when all the dirt, jillions of truck loads, that were removed from the site of the new hotel was dumped on the local dirt roads, which improved the flooded road situation, sort of.
To check out my new list of all the rentals I know of in Chacala click here.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Plants and New Construction in Chacala
Questions? email to alatawah@gmail.com
Several people have mentioned to me lately that someone with relatives in here, and who has five different lots in Chacala, is starting to build rentals on the lots this year. One of the lots is the double lot next to Maria and Butcho's spread, near where the dirt road ends at the Marina gate.
There were workers bushwhacking on another lot, the first lot toward the ocean (next to Laura Sura's house) from the Marina Chacala gate. The head worker (or at least he was supervising from the shade while the machete guys were working away in the 90 degree full sun) told me a new building was going up on the lot right against the Marina wall. Didn't say if it was a rental or what.
Most of the other places under construction are looking different each day. Most of the work crews seem to be starting to work at 6am, now that daylight savings time has started.
The new room on the top floor of Casa Pacifica is really nice. Windows on three or four sides, great view. And the giant sunshade for the whole seating area up there is almost finished.
Plastering has started on the house back from the paved road, owned by some Canadians. It looks great. Nice arch to the front window, etc. The big place below the paved road now has about half of a second floor. The first place on the ocean side of the paved road now has two units on the second floor, each with a patio and a great view looking south. I was told that the new real estate office (for selling lots in Marina Chacala) is about to open in the new building across the road from Concha's Techo house.
Casa Chacala, the white hotel as you first come into town on the paved road, has a new wonderful shady patio with plants overlooking the swimming pool. And the pool water always looks clean. The whole hotel (six units with one or two double beds and small patio) always looks clean. And the owners are great and anxious to learn English. You can make reservations at Casa Chacala
The new Bar is up and going at Chico's as of today, I think. Margaritas, Pina Colada's etc etc . Beautiful new wooden cabinet for the bottles. And a nice cement walk-up bar counter, painted by Juan, who is currently doing a great job re-painting most of Casa Pacifica.
I made a list of the all rental rooms I know about in Chacala, not really counting Majahua and MardeJade, and came up with about 72 rooms. See the list by clicking here on Chacala. I tried to offer info about how to make reservations, but in some cases, I don't know.
As a matter of clarification, if you are interested in renting one of the units at Casa Azul, Susana, at www.casapacificachacala.com, is the only person authorized by the owner to accept reservations. There has been some confusion about on this issue, and some people have been misinformed, and had to find new places to stay, just as the rental reservation season is starting to heat up here in Chacala.
Totally different topic:
If you are having trouble little tiny ants in your kitchen, keep your food/organic garbage in a plastic bag in the fridge.
If you find a sprouted coconut shell on the beach,take it home, kept it damp, and grow a palm tree. Free.
If you want a new bouganvilla or yellow vine (don't know the name) or jasmine, or gardenia, or hibiscus, take a 6" cutting, remove almost all the leaves except the ones at the top, stick it in dirt up to its neck, keep it damp and in the shade for six or eight weeks and viola!!! a new plant. Or buy one for $2-6 USD at the vivero, (nursery),
If you want to visit Chacala go to
Chacala to see what's available.
Or if you have comments email me at anchacala@gmail.com
Several people have mentioned to me lately that someone with relatives in here, and who has five different lots in Chacala, is starting to build rentals on the lots this year. One of the lots is the double lot next to Maria and Butcho's spread, near where the dirt road ends at the Marina gate.
There were workers bushwhacking on another lot, the first lot toward the ocean (next to Laura Sura's house) from the Marina Chacala gate. The head worker (or at least he was supervising from the shade while the machete guys were working away in the 90 degree full sun) told me a new building was going up on the lot right against the Marina wall. Didn't say if it was a rental or what.
Most of the other places under construction are looking different each day. Most of the work crews seem to be starting to work at 6am, now that daylight savings time has started.
The new room on the top floor of Casa Pacifica is really nice. Windows on three or four sides, great view. And the giant sunshade for the whole seating area up there is almost finished.
Plastering has started on the house back from the paved road, owned by some Canadians. It looks great. Nice arch to the front window, etc. The big place below the paved road now has about half of a second floor. The first place on the ocean side of the paved road now has two units on the second floor, each with a patio and a great view looking south. I was told that the new real estate office (for selling lots in Marina Chacala) is about to open in the new building across the road from Concha's Techo house.
Casa Chacala, the white hotel as you first come into town on the paved road, has a new wonderful shady patio with plants overlooking the swimming pool. And the pool water always looks clean. The whole hotel (six units with one or two double beds and small patio) always looks clean. And the owners are great and anxious to learn English. You can make reservations at Casa Chacala
The new Bar is up and going at Chico's as of today, I think. Margaritas, Pina Colada's etc etc . Beautiful new wooden cabinet for the bottles. And a nice cement walk-up bar counter, painted by Juan, who is currently doing a great job re-painting most of Casa Pacifica.
I made a list of the all rental rooms I know about in Chacala, not really counting Majahua and MardeJade, and came up with about 72 rooms. See the list by clicking here on Chacala. I tried to offer info about how to make reservations, but in some cases, I don't know.
As a matter of clarification, if you are interested in renting one of the units at Casa Azul, Susana, at www.casapacificachacala.com, is the only person authorized by the owner to accept reservations. There has been some confusion about on this issue, and some people have been misinformed, and had to find new places to stay, just as the rental reservation season is starting to heat up here in Chacala.
Totally different topic:
If you are having trouble little tiny ants in your kitchen, keep your food/organic garbage in a plastic bag in the fridge.
If you find a sprouted coconut shell on the beach,take it home, kept it damp, and grow a palm tree. Free.
If you want a new bouganvilla or yellow vine (don't know the name) or jasmine, or gardenia, or hibiscus, take a 6" cutting, remove almost all the leaves except the ones at the top, stick it in dirt up to its neck, keep it damp and in the shade for six or eight weeks and viola!!! a new plant. Or buy one for $2-6 USD at the vivero, (nursery),
If you want to visit Chacala go to
Chacala to see what's available.
Or if you have comments email me at anchacala@gmail.com
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