Sunday Morning in Chacala

I woke up at 7am this morning, late for me. The sound of the waves usually seem to wake me up at daylight. But I puttered around and cooked breakfast, a bacon sandwich and some grapefuit and watermelon. The ocean was a beautiful green this morning.

As I walked up to Casa Pacifica a little later, quite a few people seem to have hangover-headaches this morning. The big fiesta/grand opening yesterday for the new hotel offered lots and lots of free cerveza and tequilla, and food, and the loudest music I have ever heard in Chacala. There was a ten-man band with an incredibly loud speaker system. I went for a few minutes around 5pm, and there were alot of people there. Almost no local people. And a large table of local Americans and American/Canadian vistors. I loved watching the dancing, especially Guillermo and his wife Lupita, owners of Casa Chacala, who were dancing up a storm.

Espraranza's campground had a full complement of kid campers this weekend. A group of sixty kids and some adults from a pentathalon (not spelled right) sports club in Guadalajara. They walked over to Las Cuevas yesterday. A nice group.

I was surprised how territorial and invaded I felt when I came back to my camp after dark and found it surrounded on two sides by tents, and herds of roaming kids. The first night was kind of annoying. My laundry was knocked onto the ground by someone, and my water jug spilled over. And kids fell into my tent twice that night. But it calmed down by 10pm, and in the daylight the kids were more careful about where they were walking.

The moon is still pretty full and the nights are beautiful. It's still a little cold at night, but tourists are still wandering around in shorts and tee shirts at night, so I think I have just gotten accustomed to being warm all the time.

Susana and Poncie are hosting a Christmas Day potluck at their Cafe at Casa Pacifica and Las Brisas is having a Christmas Eve dinner at the restaurant. Everyone is expecting a big influx of Mexican tourists in the next few days. The puestos (little shack-like stores on the beach road) have been opening up the last few days. The big EBACH (scholarship program run by an American for Chacala kids) Christmas party for Chacala kids is on Wednesday, I think. The EBACH kids do a great job.

Koko Bongo's store is carrying more and more grocery items. It's a nice clean store and I like supporting a Chacalaen-owned store.

The ocean water feels chilly for a minute, then it's fine. I haven't seen any whales this week, but I know they'll be along again soon. The days are warm and sunny and lovely. As soon as I finish this I am back to my camp to loll around and relax. I am buying a hammock next week, and I can't wait.