Chacala has warmed up again, after several weeks of cooler than usual nights. It's back to shorts and shirts in the evening after a period of long sleeved shirts and long pants. People are still enjoying campfires on the beach, in front of their motorhomes.
One of the young women who lives right near my camp, ánd who is the daughter in law of Esperanza, and two babies, also has a lovely little dog whose Spanish name I don't really understand. But the little guy, with white curly fur and very small, is still a puppy. He has been a little ball of weeds and seed pods and has been dirty since I moved here. But a few days ago I spent a couple of mornings cleaning him up. He would happily lay on my lap while I picked stickers and twigs and gum and god knows what out of his fur. I ended up trimming him a little because some of the crud was not removable by finger. Anyway. Esperanza suggested I wash him. So he took a shower with me, and I sácrificed my least favorite towel to drying him off and then brushed him out with a little hair brush I found. He looked cute as can be, curly and white and clean.
And a day later he disappeared. I asked every I could find if they has seen him, and two different Canadian couples told me a family has just driven off with him. After playing with him on the beach. I went around again this morning looking for him, but he is gone. I feel really sad and also guilty. If I had left he filthy dirty no one would have wanted to steal him. He was clearly an owned-dog, with a new collar. Oh well.
I am really appreciating wheelbarrows again. When I used to live on a farm, for many years, I used one all the time. And I am starting to use them again. I have been wheelbarrowing my 24 empty glass bottle / plastic Coke carriers up to Dona Lupe's restaurant, where she trades them in for me for a crate of full bottles. The Coke truck still doesn't come south on the beach road, but this works out okay.
I have been "decorating" my campsite with shells and rocks and stuff, plus some beads I brought with me from the US. I like how it looks, and probably the people who walk on the beach think I'm nuts. The chickens come around all the time, so I don't have to worry about bugs because they work pretty hard at digging things up. The dogs wander thru too, but never stay long. Except for Jose Enrique and Carmen's dog, Jose Carmelo, who often spends the morning under my table, resting his head on my feet. A nice dog. And if I needed my feet warmed, I'd hire him for the job.
This is Monday morning, and I had an errand to run in Las Varas, and didn't want to take a cold shower at Esparanza's. Her shower is warm from about noon on. So I went to Las Brisa's and had a steaming hot shower for 15 pesos. Definitely worth it. Then I rode into town with the school kids on the 7:30am collectivo ride, and took care of business and caught the La Penita collectivo back to the Crucero de Chacala (the turn off the highway to Chacala, where all the fruit stands are) and then caught another ride back home. It took an hour and fifteen minutes. A record for a Las Varas trip for me.
The town is really quiet early Monday mornings, and just a few people on the streets until later than usual. Today they are removing the metal framework for the roof on the newish restaurant across from the Deposito. I don{t know what was wrong with it, but they are removing it piece by piece.
Dona Lupe has been renting here downstairs room, where Luis, her son, used to live. It is a shared bath, private room with private entrance. $100 a month. A couple has been staying there the last couple of months, but they are leaving today.
The new town garbage truck is zipping around town most days. It was own in the trash contest. The garbage situation continues to improve. The driving little vehicles on the beach, and jet ski s has been happening, but there is talk of inforcing the ban on beach driving, and maybe banning jet skis. Alot of other towns are doing it. Maybe Chacala will too.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Cold nights in Chacala
Chacala has been pretty cold again in the very early morning. Maybe 60 degree F. I am considering buying another blanket, but the minute I do it will be too hot for a blanket at night. Oh well. The days are lovely and just right, low 80´s F and clear and nice. Good sunsets. Dark about 5:40pm, light about 6:15am. Esparanza´s boys were surfing right in front of my camp yesterday morning. The early morning waves were pretty big and looked very scary for surfing. Those boys, Javier and Chuy, are amazing out there on those little boards, with the sun just starting to shine across the water.
Since I have been here in Chacala, I have been thinking about personal boundaries and how different they are for different people. Different cultures. For example, at campgrounds in the US the camp sites are usually set about twenty or more feet apart, to give the semblance of privacy, but here the campsites have zero lot lines and it´s very cozy. Mostly it´s kind of fun to be so close, sometimes not. But I have noticed that given the chance, even the campers from Guadalajara, etc, like a little space, and try to leave an empty space between families. I think I am getting more relaxed about people being so close, even walking right through what I think of as my living room, but it's still kind of hard for me sometimes. I often wake up early in the morning to a little face staring at me thru the tent screen door. It´s Markito or Jasmine, aged two, just looking at me, not saying anything. They usually want to paint or cookies. And I actually kind of love waking up to their little faces. Another little boy, Gilberto, four, likes to come and stand right next to me when I am reading or sleeping in my hammock. He puts my hand of his head. He was a buzz cut and he seems to like me to rub in head.
I get so much more physical contact here than I ever did before coming here. (Except when I used to take care of kids, and my son). But now, here in Chacala, I get hugs, and one-armed hugs, and handshakes, and hugs from the back while sitting down, etc, all day long. I really like it alot. And people always offer welcoming smiles and words when we run into each other. I feel so lucky to be here. Plus I get to hold babies and little kids.
My landlady, Esparanza and her son Jorge, about 14, and I have been looking at my English language gardening books the past few nights. They are for tropical plants and succulents, many of which grow here, so we have a good time recognizing plants. Today I am in PV, and I got E. some gardening magazines in Español, which I hope she likes. I gave her a pair of my reading glasses a few days ago, which she really likes.
This morning I got up and had a very very cold shower and ate and walked out to the beach road and got a ride with Fernando (otherwise known as "moola", I think because he speaks some English and wants to be rich). He is the youngest son of the owners of Chico's, and he is very nice to me. His little girl, 16 month old Fernanda, is one of my favorite kids here. He took me right to the bank this morning, on his way to the Las Varas laundry to pick up clean tablecloths for the restaurant. Then, as I was walking across the highway, the combi to La Penita, the next town south stopped for me. And at La Penita, I immediately caught the big bus to PV. Not a minute of waiting anywhere. Not that I am in a hurry, but it´s sort of fun when not to have to wait. And I saved 25 pesos going this way.
There are some old hands returning to Chacala the last couple of weeks: Michel and Cheryl, and Emily, and Anna the singer, Cleve, and Eden, and probably other people I can´t think of right now. The motor home area is pretty full, mostly French Canadians for some reason. The beach campgrounds, including where I am are pretty much empty except for Sunday picnikers.
I have been reading some history books about Mexico, and am amazed about how much the US is the "new kid on the block" compared to the rest of the Americas. There are lots of towns here that were built in the mid 1500´s, when the US was nothing. And the weather in most of the US is so un-user-friendly. Too cold (or too hot) to survive without serious protection and a source of heat, for many months of the year. No wonder no one wanted to be in New England until all the other good spots on the hemisphere has been colonized.
Anyway.
Since I have been here in Chacala, I have been thinking about personal boundaries and how different they are for different people. Different cultures. For example, at campgrounds in the US the camp sites are usually set about twenty or more feet apart, to give the semblance of privacy, but here the campsites have zero lot lines and it´s very cozy. Mostly it´s kind of fun to be so close, sometimes not. But I have noticed that given the chance, even the campers from Guadalajara, etc, like a little space, and try to leave an empty space between families. I think I am getting more relaxed about people being so close, even walking right through what I think of as my living room, but it's still kind of hard for me sometimes. I often wake up early in the morning to a little face staring at me thru the tent screen door. It´s Markito or Jasmine, aged two, just looking at me, not saying anything. They usually want to paint or cookies. And I actually kind of love waking up to their little faces. Another little boy, Gilberto, four, likes to come and stand right next to me when I am reading or sleeping in my hammock. He puts my hand of his head. He was a buzz cut and he seems to like me to rub in head.
I get so much more physical contact here than I ever did before coming here. (Except when I used to take care of kids, and my son). But now, here in Chacala, I get hugs, and one-armed hugs, and handshakes, and hugs from the back while sitting down, etc, all day long. I really like it alot. And people always offer welcoming smiles and words when we run into each other. I feel so lucky to be here. Plus I get to hold babies and little kids.
My landlady, Esparanza and her son Jorge, about 14, and I have been looking at my English language gardening books the past few nights. They are for tropical plants and succulents, many of which grow here, so we have a good time recognizing plants. Today I am in PV, and I got E. some gardening magazines in Español, which I hope she likes. I gave her a pair of my reading glasses a few days ago, which she really likes.
This morning I got up and had a very very cold shower and ate and walked out to the beach road and got a ride with Fernando (otherwise known as "moola", I think because he speaks some English and wants to be rich). He is the youngest son of the owners of Chico's, and he is very nice to me. His little girl, 16 month old Fernanda, is one of my favorite kids here. He took me right to the bank this morning, on his way to the Las Varas laundry to pick up clean tablecloths for the restaurant. Then, as I was walking across the highway, the combi to La Penita, the next town south stopped for me. And at La Penita, I immediately caught the big bus to PV. Not a minute of waiting anywhere. Not that I am in a hurry, but it´s sort of fun when not to have to wait. And I saved 25 pesos going this way.
There are some old hands returning to Chacala the last couple of weeks: Michel and Cheryl, and Emily, and Anna the singer, Cleve, and Eden, and probably other people I can´t think of right now. The motor home area is pretty full, mostly French Canadians for some reason. The beach campgrounds, including where I am are pretty much empty except for Sunday picnikers.
I have been reading some history books about Mexico, and am amazed about how much the US is the "new kid on the block" compared to the rest of the Americas. There are lots of towns here that were built in the mid 1500´s, when the US was nothing. And the weather in most of the US is so un-user-friendly. Too cold (or too hot) to survive without serious protection and a source of heat, for many months of the year. No wonder no one wanted to be in New England until all the other good spots on the hemisphere has been colonized.
Anyway.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Chacala Update
The water pumping station at the main corner in town, across from Juan's tienda, has been painted white, with some signs, and a cement floor and driveway installed. I think it is a kind of town office, but I have been wrong before. It looks very nice. And a sign has been posted about the possible cost of installing a better water system has been posted. I don't know who or what is the driving force behind this, but I suspect Guillermo, of Casa Chacala hotel, the little hotel on the paved road, is involved. He is on the water board and I know he instituted the new effort at financial transparency, the monthly water expenses and income report, that everyone gets. I also heard that you can pay your water bill directly now, rather than waiting for the water lady to come around.
COCONUTS ARE FALLING ON MY BED
After the coconuts fell on my tent I asked again about someone cleaning up the two palms right over the palapa I am renting, but nothing happened again. But then a heavy, green, pointed coco fell thru the palapa and landed a foot from where Markito, the darling two year old grandson of my landlady was standing. I showed Esparanza and Marco, the dad, the split open coco and Markito's tiny and distinctive footprints a foot away, and the next minute Marco was in the tree clearing away the loose cocos. There were about two hundred. Markito and Carlos, aged eight, spent the next hour loading the cocos into a wheelbarrow and hauling them to the burn pile. Very precious. It's moments like that that I wish I had a video camera. But what woud I do with the video. Anyway, I feel much safer.
The Habitat people are gone now. Some of them worked in the area for three weeks, in El Capoma and Las Varas. Hard work and besides their travelling and living expenses the volunteers each make a sizable financial contribution to cover the cost of materials. I am really impressed by their dedication, particularly that of Dean and Dick and Joyce, but many others too.
I love the door-to-door services available at home here. Water jugs, fruit and vegetables, ice cream, bread and pasteries, coco balls , peanuts, delicious little tarts , and tamales, and orange juice, and tiny banana bread loafs are available every day, right here at home. And clothes washing. And that doesn't count the jewelry, hammock, etc vendors, who are very polite and not at all persistant.
GYPSY UPDATE: It turns out that apparently the gypsies, who visited town again that week, lived up to their reputation as thieves. I was very disappointed. It turns out when they arrived in town, they were told by the new, elected leader Juan (of Concha and Juan) that they couldn't do their movie shtick this year. They hung around the south end of the motor home parking area for a couple of days and then left. Apparently taking with them a bunch of restaurant chairs and tables, a video camera, a cooler full of beer, a water pump and some other stuff. They apparently were confronted as they left but not searched nor the police called. Apparently they were told never to return again. I personally take this as a sign of the people in Chacala's quickly developing sense of ownership andresponsibility. I think the kid's winning the $10,000 peso prize and trash truck is a sign of the times and pretty neat.
Anyway, I am just an observer and often I misunderstand or misinterpret what I am seeing, so who knows.
I was hanging around on the beach yesterday afternoon, and saw Dona Lupe and Euloia0 carrying the supplies for a mini pineapple restaurant they were setting up on the beach for the day. They work so hard with so little return. But they keep right on trying. Always thinking of new ways to make a little cash. Cooking desserts and tamales to carrying around to people on the beach, for exampe, is one idea they seem to have done okay with.
One of the people who is staying in Chacala for the winter got hit by a big wave breaking in very very close to shore. He was thrown down and broke his wrist hitting the sand. Those kind of mini-tsumani waves (they suck the water out of the beach right before the hit, and are very very quick) are very very unusual here. I have never seen one. But it pays to keep your eyes on the waves when you are in the water. Constantly. Most of the Mexican tourists who come here do not know now to swim and that's not a good situation, obviously. I have been thinking about offering swimming lessons over on the muelle beach next summer, when the water is really warm and local people swim. Some of the local young men who surf are really good swimmers, but many people aren't. I know I grew up on the beach in California, but I actually learned to swim in the pool. Much easier that way, I think.
One of my favorite sights around here is the fence posts that grow into trees.
Majahua, the local mini resort with spa and restaurant, is offering belly dance shows again the winter. They have also had a wonderful wonderful tenor or soprano sax player from Chile here for the past few weeks. He plays beautifully, and it is the most beautiful sound. Last night I loved sitting out in the jungle on the restaurant patio, surrounded by the moon and stars listening to the sax, and watching the dancing. One of those very special moments, especially the music.
COCONUTS ARE FALLING ON MY BED
After the coconuts fell on my tent I asked again about someone cleaning up the two palms right over the palapa I am renting, but nothing happened again. But then a heavy, green, pointed coco fell thru the palapa and landed a foot from where Markito, the darling two year old grandson of my landlady was standing. I showed Esparanza and Marco, the dad, the split open coco and Markito's tiny and distinctive footprints a foot away, and the next minute Marco was in the tree clearing away the loose cocos. There were about two hundred. Markito and Carlos, aged eight, spent the next hour loading the cocos into a wheelbarrow and hauling them to the burn pile. Very precious. It's moments like that that I wish I had a video camera. But what woud I do with the video. Anyway, I feel much safer.
The Habitat people are gone now. Some of them worked in the area for three weeks, in El Capoma and Las Varas. Hard work and besides their travelling and living expenses the volunteers each make a sizable financial contribution to cover the cost of materials. I am really impressed by their dedication, particularly that of Dean and Dick and Joyce, but many others too.
I love the door-to-door services available at home here. Water jugs, fruit and vegetables, ice cream, bread and pasteries, coco balls , peanuts, delicious little tarts , and tamales, and orange juice, and tiny banana bread loafs are available every day, right here at home. And clothes washing. And that doesn't count the jewelry, hammock, etc vendors, who are very polite and not at all persistant.
GYPSY UPDATE: It turns out that apparently the gypsies, who visited town again that week, lived up to their reputation as thieves. I was very disappointed. It turns out when they arrived in town, they were told by the new, elected leader Juan (of Concha and Juan) that they couldn't do their movie shtick this year. They hung around the south end of the motor home parking area for a couple of days and then left. Apparently taking with them a bunch of restaurant chairs and tables, a video camera, a cooler full of beer, a water pump and some other stuff. They apparently were confronted as they left but not searched nor the police called. Apparently they were told never to return again. I personally take this as a sign of the people in Chacala's quickly developing sense of ownership andresponsibility. I think the kid's winning the $10,000 peso prize and trash truck is a sign of the times and pretty neat.
Anyway, I am just an observer and often I misunderstand or misinterpret what I am seeing, so who knows.
I was hanging around on the beach yesterday afternoon, and saw Dona Lupe and Euloia0 carrying the supplies for a mini pineapple restaurant they were setting up on the beach for the day. They work so hard with so little return. But they keep right on trying. Always thinking of new ways to make a little cash. Cooking desserts and tamales to carrying around to people on the beach, for exampe, is one idea they seem to have done okay with.
One of the people who is staying in Chacala for the winter got hit by a big wave breaking in very very close to shore. He was thrown down and broke his wrist hitting the sand. Those kind of mini-tsumani waves (they suck the water out of the beach right before the hit, and are very very quick) are very very unusual here. I have never seen one. But it pays to keep your eyes on the waves when you are in the water. Constantly. Most of the Mexican tourists who come here do not know now to swim and that's not a good situation, obviously. I have been thinking about offering swimming lessons over on the muelle beach next summer, when the water is really warm and local people swim. Some of the local young men who surf are really good swimmers, but many people aren't. I know I grew up on the beach in California, but I actually learned to swim in the pool. Much easier that way, I think.
One of my favorite sights around here is the fence posts that grow into trees.
Majahua, the local mini resort with spa and restaurant, is offering belly dance shows again the winter. They have also had a wonderful wonderful tenor or soprano sax player from Chile here for the past few weeks. He plays beautifully, and it is the most beautiful sound. Last night I loved sitting out in the jungle on the restaurant patio, surrounded by the moon and stars listening to the sax, and watching the dancing. One of those very special moments, especially the music.
Friday, January 13, 2006
My Chacala Campsite
A coconut fell thru the roof of my tent, rain fly and tent. The coconuts here have a pointed end. Luckily. I wasn{t in the tent at the time. It fell on my bed. I can{t seem to figure out how to repair it so I took that tent, the little tent, down. And then moved the bigger, new tent, over so I can see the beach and water and palms and hills from my bed thru all three windows. This is a kind of a long tent, and you can hook up a little divider and have two rooms.
So one room is for my bed and the other for my stuff.
I am getting rid of some of the stuff I have collected, mostly by accident, and things are seeming clean and neat and tidy. I am happy with the new arrangement, partly because I have two tables outside now, one just for eating and the other for drawing and playing with the kids, and they are both in the shade all day. Before I had to move the one eating table back out of the sun about 1pm. And when the kinds came to draw I would have to move the food stuff. It is very nice.
This is the full moon. The waves are back to normal now, and very managable. The water is very clear and green and beautiful. It{s still a little chilly at night, but the days are warm and lovely.
The gypsies arrived last night, and are going to start showing movies at full volume, that is, you can hear the movie all over town, starting tomorrow night. They show the movies on a big tarp. ugh. oh well. I can"t hear to loud sounds too much with the sound of the ocean waves drowning everything out.
So one room is for my bed and the other for my stuff.
I am getting rid of some of the stuff I have collected, mostly by accident, and things are seeming clean and neat and tidy. I am happy with the new arrangement, partly because I have two tables outside now, one just for eating and the other for drawing and playing with the kids, and they are both in the shade all day. Before I had to move the one eating table back out of the sun about 1pm. And when the kinds came to draw I would have to move the food stuff. It is very nice.
This is the full moon. The waves are back to normal now, and very managable. The water is very clear and green and beautiful. It{s still a little chilly at night, but the days are warm and lovely.
The gypsies arrived last night, and are going to start showing movies at full volume, that is, you can hear the movie all over town, starting tomorrow night. They show the movies on a big tarp. ugh. oh well. I can"t hear to loud sounds too much with the sound of the ocean waves drowning everything out.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
A Nice Chacala Day
Today was a very nice day. After breakfast and fooling around picking up trash and finding seashells on the beach, I walked into town to do some errands. First was checking up on Blanca. Last night she was running a fever and had pain in her right side, and I was worrying that she had appendicitus, but when I came by she was up and around at Dona Lupe´s restaurant, with no fever. Her Dad, Euloia, asked if I wanted him to bring me another 24 bottle container of cokes. Ít´s too heavy for either of us to carry, so he brings them over in a wheelbarrow. I buy cokes from Dona Lupe now because the Coke truck doesn´t go down the beach road toward Mar de Jade. Too rough I think, or no stores probably.
Then I got plastic bags and toilet paper from the little store at Koko Bongo´s, and discovered Koko Bongo´s restaurant now has BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS , open everyday, all hours, and on the weekend. Same price as bibliotecha computers used to be. I don´t know if it´s true, but someone told me that the bibiliotecha fee a are donations now. But the bibliotecha isn´t open on the weekends, and is open erractically on weekdays, so I am very pleased.
Went up to Aurora s to check on the plants she is babysitting for me. Probably permanately.
Got I ride back to Chico´s restaurant, and hung out there for awhile, visiting and playing dominoes.
Went home and finished tidying up. Something seemed odd about my camp, and finally I realized all my dirty laundry had been washed and hung up around my place. I had given Esparanza, my landlady a towel and my 8 white teeshirts to wash when I left, but she had come over and found my other dirty shirts and shorts (which I was going to wash myself) and washed them. At first I kind of panicked because I thought she wanted me to pay for the washing (at 50 cents an item) , and I didn´t feel like I could afford it. But when I went over to see her she had a big smile on her face and said it was a gift. It made me very happy. Really happy. What a nice thing for her to do.
After tidying up all my stuff in the big tent, I drew all afternoon, with little Carlos and Markito for company. Every once in a while I could see a shell dropped by the receding tide,and would run down to get the shell. The boys helped me. They thought I was nuts I think, and they are afraid of the water. When it occured to me thatI had never seen any of these kids down on the beach, except for the surfing boys. I hoped that I wasn´t encouraging them to be on the beach in contradiction to the families rules about safety. But Esparanza said the little kids don´t go in the water until it´s warm, in Julio. and I have noticed that very few Chacala residents swim, except in very warm weather.
Anyway, right before sunset Esperanza came over and sat in the hammock and the boys were still drawing and we had a nice visit. Little Jasime came toddling over and played with the little pottery turtles I like and it was very nice and peaceful. I am the only camper in their camping area right now, and it´s quiet. Went swimming right at sunset and took a shower. The shower water is warmed by the sun and was perfect.
Walked into town again to get milk and bought bread rolls from the bread truck that comes around every night. At Juan´s tienda, another Juan, the painter guy who lives in Ana´s house up the hill, was playing the guitar, and teaching the two Koko bongo boys how to play. He was singing "Guantanamera", my mom s favorite song, and he was singing it beautifully. Made me sad and happy. I think she would have liked this life I am having here. I sat there holding Jesus, Juan and Mime s six month old son and listening to the music, sitting in a plastic chair in the street.
Walked down to Chico´s and helped close up and then watched part of the novela, soap opera, they like, and visited. Then I walked home along the beach, had a bowl of Cheerios and bananas and milk and read for awhile in my cozy tent and went to sleep. A very nice day.
Then I got plastic bags and toilet paper from the little store at Koko Bongo´s, and discovered Koko Bongo´s restaurant now has BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS , open everyday, all hours, and on the weekend. Same price as bibliotecha computers used to be. I don´t know if it´s true, but someone told me that the bibiliotecha fee a are donations now. But the bibliotecha isn´t open on the weekends, and is open erractically on weekdays, so I am very pleased.
Went up to Aurora s to check on the plants she is babysitting for me. Probably permanately.
Got I ride back to Chico´s restaurant, and hung out there for awhile, visiting and playing dominoes.
Went home and finished tidying up. Something seemed odd about my camp, and finally I realized all my dirty laundry had been washed and hung up around my place. I had given Esparanza, my landlady a towel and my 8 white teeshirts to wash when I left, but she had come over and found my other dirty shirts and shorts (which I was going to wash myself) and washed them. At first I kind of panicked because I thought she wanted me to pay for the washing (at 50 cents an item) , and I didn´t feel like I could afford it. But when I went over to see her she had a big smile on her face and said it was a gift. It made me very happy. Really happy. What a nice thing for her to do.
After tidying up all my stuff in the big tent, I drew all afternoon, with little Carlos and Markito for company. Every once in a while I could see a shell dropped by the receding tide,and would run down to get the shell. The boys helped me. They thought I was nuts I think, and they are afraid of the water. When it occured to me thatI had never seen any of these kids down on the beach, except for the surfing boys. I hoped that I wasn´t encouraging them to be on the beach in contradiction to the families rules about safety. But Esparanza said the little kids don´t go in the water until it´s warm, in Julio. and I have noticed that very few Chacala residents swim, except in very warm weather.
Anyway, right before sunset Esperanza came over and sat in the hammock and the boys were still drawing and we had a nice visit. Little Jasime came toddling over and played with the little pottery turtles I like and it was very nice and peaceful. I am the only camper in their camping area right now, and it´s quiet. Went swimming right at sunset and took a shower. The shower water is warmed by the sun and was perfect.
Walked into town again to get milk and bought bread rolls from the bread truck that comes around every night. At Juan´s tienda, another Juan, the painter guy who lives in Ana´s house up the hill, was playing the guitar, and teaching the two Koko bongo boys how to play. He was singing "Guantanamera", my mom s favorite song, and he was singing it beautifully. Made me sad and happy. I think she would have liked this life I am having here. I sat there holding Jesus, Juan and Mime s six month old son and listening to the music, sitting in a plastic chair in the street.
Walked down to Chico´s and helped close up and then watched part of the novela, soap opera, they like, and visited. Then I walked home along the beach, had a bowl of Cheerios and bananas and milk and read for awhile in my cozy tent and went to sleep. A very nice day.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Chacala Morning
The mornings on the Chacala beach are some of my favorites times in my whole life. I usually get up a few minutes before the sun starts shining out on the water, and the sunlight gradually creeps toward me, sitting at my table watching the ocean waves. Some of the waves are very big right now, and you can see right thru them just before they crash. The fish are easy to see thru the water as the wave peaks, especially at sunset, when the sun light comes right thru the waves.
I usually walk down on the beach first thing, and the only foot prints are mine. I carry a bag to pick up the plastic litter, which is the worst on Sunday evening and Monday morning, after families from Guadalajara spends their day on the Chacala beach. Yesterday a family spent the day under one of the palapas near mine. I noticed they were throwing trash all around, and was not surprised when they pulled out leaving several bags of crap all over. Esperanza and her son Ginko and I picked it up in just a few minutes. It was interesting to see how nothing seems to faze Esperanza. She is sort of a buddha, always watching, never seeming to judge. Of course, I really have no idea what is going on in her head. That's maybe a good thing.
Her family kind of swirls around her all day long. This area where I am camping has four family homes right near each other. The grandparent's home is kind of separate and I don't see them over here very often, but Esperanza and her husband, and six of their eight kids are all living here. Two kids are currently at university, and come home off and on, and two of the sons are married, with two kids each, and one wife with another child on the way. The two married sons live within 15 feet of the family house, and people are going in and out and back and forth all day long.
When I am cooking or reading in my hammock or drawing at my table, or fixing up my campsite I see lots of things I haven't noticed before. Like how intricate the fishing nets the men weave are. They tie the ropes between the trees around the place, and then weave the actual netting with what looks like plastic fishing line. And they cutting down coconuts, anda couple of the boys surf many evenings and some mornings. And Esparanza does laundry for various tourists, including me. She does my sheets and towels and white tee shirts for 50 cents US$ an item. I do everything else myself. It's too hard to wash sheets and towels in a bucket, and she gets my tee shirts whiter than white, which I like.
They clean the campsites, pickup trash, pump the water for the toilets and showers up into a water tank set up high enough to make some water pressure. They keep the toilets really clean, which I appreciate. Today, after I finish writing this in Las Varas, I am going to buy my own personal toilet seat. I can't wait. They don{t have very many toilet seats in the public facilities around Chacala. I don't know why that is.
They are six little kids currently in this family area, Carlos, six, Markito, about 2, Jasmine, about two, Paulina about 7 and her brother about 5 and the new baby, three week.
They play around and keep busy all day, doing this and that. But they never go near the water, the ocean. And they come over and visit me, which I love.
I usually walk down on the beach first thing, and the only foot prints are mine. I carry a bag to pick up the plastic litter, which is the worst on Sunday evening and Monday morning, after families from Guadalajara spends their day on the Chacala beach. Yesterday a family spent the day under one of the palapas near mine. I noticed they were throwing trash all around, and was not surprised when they pulled out leaving several bags of crap all over. Esperanza and her son Ginko and I picked it up in just a few minutes. It was interesting to see how nothing seems to faze Esperanza. She is sort of a buddha, always watching, never seeming to judge. Of course, I really have no idea what is going on in her head. That's maybe a good thing.
Her family kind of swirls around her all day long. This area where I am camping has four family homes right near each other. The grandparent's home is kind of separate and I don't see them over here very often, but Esperanza and her husband, and six of their eight kids are all living here. Two kids are currently at university, and come home off and on, and two of the sons are married, with two kids each, and one wife with another child on the way. The two married sons live within 15 feet of the family house, and people are going in and out and back and forth all day long.
When I am cooking or reading in my hammock or drawing at my table, or fixing up my campsite I see lots of things I haven't noticed before. Like how intricate the fishing nets the men weave are. They tie the ropes between the trees around the place, and then weave the actual netting with what looks like plastic fishing line. And they cutting down coconuts, anda couple of the boys surf many evenings and some mornings. And Esparanza does laundry for various tourists, including me. She does my sheets and towels and white tee shirts for 50 cents US$ an item. I do everything else myself. It's too hard to wash sheets and towels in a bucket, and she gets my tee shirts whiter than white, which I like.
They clean the campsites, pickup trash, pump the water for the toilets and showers up into a water tank set up high enough to make some water pressure. They keep the toilets really clean, which I appreciate. Today, after I finish writing this in Las Varas, I am going to buy my own personal toilet seat. I can't wait. They don{t have very many toilet seats in the public facilities around Chacala. I don't know why that is.
They are six little kids currently in this family area, Carlos, six, Markito, about 2, Jasmine, about two, Paulina about 7 and her brother about 5 and the new baby, three week.
They play around and keep busy all day, doing this and that. But they never go near the water, the ocean. And they come over and visit me, which I love.
Volunteers in Chacala
Chacala is having a beautiful, sunny day, and the ocean is a beautiful green today. Haven´t seen any whales from the shore lately, but everyone who goes out in the launchas seems to see them.
I have been getting some interesting emails from people saying they would like to ''volunteer" in Chacala. I have been thinking about that alot, and remembering what I was thinking about when I first started thinking about coming to live in Chacala. And trying to imagine how I could be of use here.
It's hard to get back into my mindset then, but I think I thought that because I was from a wealthy nation, and had the "advantages" of education, etc, that I was in the position to offer my expertise or experience, or knowledge to people in Chacala. And I don't think it occured to me that what I had to offer could possibly be damaging or disrespectful of the culture or families here.
Now I wonder if maybe people who come here with the idea of "helping" people who live here are often unaware that there is a strong culture and set of values here about which they, as gringos, have little knowledge of. That it would be hard to "help" here until you have learned about what is already happening here.
And that maybe the first step to "helping" here is to learn about the history, culture, language, values, and mores here. Like what is polite behavior in this society. Maybe try to make some friends, and observe what it going on. Or at least learn how to be polite here.
Well, for me it has turned out that I have been learning from Chacaleans since the day I arrived and the learning and lessons haven't stopped after two years.
For example, I have been learning Spanish, (although not very quickly), and how to garden here, and how families can spend time together and get along, and how kids are happier being surrounded by adults and siblings and cousins, grandparents and aunts and uncles , as opposed to going to daycare. And that there are lots of plants that can help relieve the symptoms of various illnesses and injuries. I have been learning to pay attention to the body language of other people, and to make eye contact, and to say "buenas dias" first, before speking, and to acknowledge everyone I run into around town. And I am seeing how polite people are in Mexico and Chacala, how talk to each other, greet each other, offer to help, etc etc. And how to make jokes, and what is an appropriate gift and how various holidays are celebrated. And how births and deaths and marriages are experienced. And how to deal with my picky eating habits and to try not not offend people because of them.
Sometimes I think coming to Chacala is giving me a chance to learn or re/learn all the social skills I didn't learn or understand before. It's pretty humbling to realize that alot of the "givens" I brought to Chacala are not "givens" for people here. And that it works better if I try to pay as much attention as I can to how people are reacting to me. I hope I am getting to be a more respectful and nicer person since I came here. Who knows. I hope so.
I am trying to figure out how to say what I am thinking, but it's hard. I have been watching how different people approach coming to Chacala, from the Habitats and Rotary groups, to gap/year type volunteers, and particularly, to people who seem to think they know what's best for people in Chacala
I think there are alot of visitors who seem to think that people here need to be just like them. I think generally gringos don't realize that very few people here want to be like gringos. That they are often seen as rude, selfish, pushy, not generous, and disrepectful, etc.
I think the main upside for Chacaleans from gringos coming to Chacala is when they bring and spend money in Chacala. And, unfortunately there are lots of people that come here with the idea that they will enjoy the beautiful setting, the beach, the sunshine, and spend has little money as possible.
If you are interested in arranging for whale and dophin watching tours, or boat rides to the surfing beach, La Caleta, go to boat rides for more information.
And, I can't help wonder about any project here that bypasses parents as valued and respected participants. Any activity that tends to reduce the strength of positive family bonds probably should be reconsidered. Or maybe revaluated in terms of the impact of a project on the family structure and the culture.
Blah, blah. I think I am tired of hearing visitors expound on Chacala and the people that live here. And here I am doing the same thing.
I have been getting some interesting emails from people saying they would like to ''volunteer" in Chacala. I have been thinking about that alot, and remembering what I was thinking about when I first started thinking about coming to live in Chacala. And trying to imagine how I could be of use here.
It's hard to get back into my mindset then, but I think I thought that because I was from a wealthy nation, and had the "advantages" of education, etc, that I was in the position to offer my expertise or experience, or knowledge to people in Chacala. And I don't think it occured to me that what I had to offer could possibly be damaging or disrespectful of the culture or families here.
Now I wonder if maybe people who come here with the idea of "helping" people who live here are often unaware that there is a strong culture and set of values here about which they, as gringos, have little knowledge of. That it would be hard to "help" here until you have learned about what is already happening here.
And that maybe the first step to "helping" here is to learn about the history, culture, language, values, and mores here. Like what is polite behavior in this society. Maybe try to make some friends, and observe what it going on. Or at least learn how to be polite here.
Well, for me it has turned out that I have been learning from Chacaleans since the day I arrived and the learning and lessons haven't stopped after two years.
For example, I have been learning Spanish, (although not very quickly), and how to garden here, and how families can spend time together and get along, and how kids are happier being surrounded by adults and siblings and cousins, grandparents and aunts and uncles , as opposed to going to daycare. And that there are lots of plants that can help relieve the symptoms of various illnesses and injuries. I have been learning to pay attention to the body language of other people, and to make eye contact, and to say "buenas dias" first, before speking, and to acknowledge everyone I run into around town. And I am seeing how polite people are in Mexico and Chacala, how talk to each other, greet each other, offer to help, etc etc. And how to make jokes, and what is an appropriate gift and how various holidays are celebrated. And how births and deaths and marriages are experienced. And how to deal with my picky eating habits and to try not not offend people because of them.
Sometimes I think coming to Chacala is giving me a chance to learn or re/learn all the social skills I didn't learn or understand before. It's pretty humbling to realize that alot of the "givens" I brought to Chacala are not "givens" for people here. And that it works better if I try to pay as much attention as I can to how people are reacting to me. I hope I am getting to be a more respectful and nicer person since I came here. Who knows. I hope so.
I am trying to figure out how to say what I am thinking, but it's hard. I have been watching how different people approach coming to Chacala, from the Habitats and Rotary groups, to gap/year type volunteers, and particularly, to people who seem to think they know what's best for people in Chacala
I think there are alot of visitors who seem to think that people here need to be just like them. I think generally gringos don't realize that very few people here want to be like gringos. That they are often seen as rude, selfish, pushy, not generous, and disrepectful, etc.
I think the main upside for Chacaleans from gringos coming to Chacala is when they bring and spend money in Chacala. And, unfortunately there are lots of people that come here with the idea that they will enjoy the beautiful setting, the beach, the sunshine, and spend has little money as possible.
If you are interested in arranging for whale and dophin watching tours, or boat rides to the surfing beach, La Caleta, go to boat rides for more information.
And, I can't help wonder about any project here that bypasses parents as valued and respected participants. Any activity that tends to reduce the strength of positive family bonds probably should be reconsidered. Or maybe revaluated in terms of the impact of a project on the family structure and the culture.
Blah, blah. I think I am tired of hearing visitors expound on Chacala and the people that live here. And here I am doing the same thing.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Chacala Visitors
Chacala has had a bunch of nice visitors the past few days, and a couple of really interesting ones. And the Alaska kids are arriving, today maybe, for a two-three week stay. They don't really inter-mingle in Chacala very much. Generally seem to be very closely supervised, and mostly sticking together in groups and "official" activities. Nice kids though.
A lovely couple camped next to me for a few days and we had a couple of very interesting conversations. They both spoke Spanish, English, German, and he also spoke Portuguese, having been raised by a German father and Portuguese/Brazilian mother in the eastern-most point in Brazil. He teaches Economics, especially Environmental Economics, at the big Catholic Science university in Guadalajara. She was also very interesting. And I really liked her. They met in Germany, but I didn't hear all the details of that. Another couple is staying at Concha's for a few days. They are living in San Luis Potosi while he consults about community relations issues at the local university there. The parents of the Scottish couple that have been spending the past week at Mar de Jade. They are really fun to visit with. I can see why they daughter is so much fun.
Of course, the best visitors are the whales, who are here daily right now. The weather has finally warmed up into the 70F at 6:30am, with a nice warm breeze blowing and huge!! waves very early this morning. Calmed down before I left my camp.
Several people have expressed interest in camping down here. I thought I would mention some details. Several families/restaurants offer camping and use of toilets/showers and sometimes electricity. For campers it starts at about 50pesos a night, about 4.50USD. Slightly less for long term campers, more with electricity. There isn't much juice and they kind of dole out who gets use of it (gets to plug in). I have a small electric fridge and a light bulb that I move around from tent to tent and to the kitchen table. It's a bring-your-own extension cord situtation. The camping end of the beach doesn't have town water and all the water is trucked in in black plastic tinachos in the back of pickups. The shower was is stored in the same type of tank. Where I am staying there are little booths with "doors" for the showers and toilets. There are four toilets, with no toilet seats. They are flushed by dipping a small bucket of water from a tank in the middle of the toilet and shower area and pouring the water into the toilet. Except under periods of extreme use, the toilets are clean and tidy, with plastic cans for toilet paper. I am not sure about the other camping toilet/shower facilities. You buy your drinking water from the water truck, in five gallon jugs for about a dollar.
Where I am camping there are five double (two camp sites) flat roofed palapas ( shelters with flat roofs covered with palm fronds and about 8 feet high). There is nothing provided. The palapas are set in a small palm grove so there is shade from the trees and the palapas. The first row of palapas is right at the edge of where the sandy beach starts. There is a low piles of rocks, a little barrier against the higher tides I think, all along the beach, with little paths into the camping area. I have a hammock between two palms, and two tents, one for sleeping, a bed with foam mattress, and four plastic tables, for my kitchen, eating table, and "office". and same chairs. I brought everything with me. During vacation periods and weekends, campers are kind of shoulder to shoulder but so far it's been very nice, every with close company. Sometimes my landlady has chairs and tables to rent, but at a daily rate only and it's kind of expensive.
The five-gallon jug water guy comes most days, and the fruit/vegetable, tortilla, bread/pastry and ice cream trucks come by everyday. The coke truck and gas trucks don't seem to come down to this end of the beach.
Anyway, that' s it for camping from my perspective.
Today is Three King's Day, the day for gifts in most of Mexico, and then school starts again on Monday. The little puesto booth that has plastic figures to paint is here again and there are always kids and women working away there. There is also a temprary booth with video games this year, 1 peso a game. Full of boys and young men of course.
A lovely couple camped next to me for a few days and we had a couple of very interesting conversations. They both spoke Spanish, English, German, and he also spoke Portuguese, having been raised by a German father and Portuguese/Brazilian mother in the eastern-most point in Brazil. He teaches Economics, especially Environmental Economics, at the big Catholic Science university in Guadalajara. She was also very interesting. And I really liked her. They met in Germany, but I didn't hear all the details of that. Another couple is staying at Concha's for a few days. They are living in San Luis Potosi while he consults about community relations issues at the local university there. The parents of the Scottish couple that have been spending the past week at Mar de Jade. They are really fun to visit with. I can see why they daughter is so much fun.
Of course, the best visitors are the whales, who are here daily right now. The weather has finally warmed up into the 70F at 6:30am, with a nice warm breeze blowing and huge!! waves very early this morning. Calmed down before I left my camp.
Several people have expressed interest in camping down here. I thought I would mention some details. Several families/restaurants offer camping and use of toilets/showers and sometimes electricity. For campers it starts at about 50pesos a night, about 4.50USD. Slightly less for long term campers, more with electricity. There isn't much juice and they kind of dole out who gets use of it (gets to plug in). I have a small electric fridge and a light bulb that I move around from tent to tent and to the kitchen table. It's a bring-your-own extension cord situtation. The camping end of the beach doesn't have town water and all the water is trucked in in black plastic tinachos in the back of pickups. The shower was is stored in the same type of tank. Where I am staying there are little booths with "doors" for the showers and toilets. There are four toilets, with no toilet seats. They are flushed by dipping a small bucket of water from a tank in the middle of the toilet and shower area and pouring the water into the toilet. Except under periods of extreme use, the toilets are clean and tidy, with plastic cans for toilet paper. I am not sure about the other camping toilet/shower facilities. You buy your drinking water from the water truck, in five gallon jugs for about a dollar.
Where I am camping there are five double (two camp sites) flat roofed palapas ( shelters with flat roofs covered with palm fronds and about 8 feet high). There is nothing provided. The palapas are set in a small palm grove so there is shade from the trees and the palapas. The first row of palapas is right at the edge of where the sandy beach starts. There is a low piles of rocks, a little barrier against the higher tides I think, all along the beach, with little paths into the camping area. I have a hammock between two palms, and two tents, one for sleeping, a bed with foam mattress, and four plastic tables, for my kitchen, eating table, and "office". and same chairs. I brought everything with me. During vacation periods and weekends, campers are kind of shoulder to shoulder but so far it's been very nice, every with close company. Sometimes my landlady has chairs and tables to rent, but at a daily rate only and it's kind of expensive.
The five-gallon jug water guy comes most days, and the fruit/vegetable, tortilla, bread/pastry and ice cream trucks come by everyday. The coke truck and gas trucks don't seem to come down to this end of the beach.
Anyway, that' s it for camping from my perspective.
Today is Three King's Day, the day for gifts in most of Mexico, and then school starts again on Monday. The little puesto booth that has plastic figures to paint is here again and there are always kids and women working away there. There is also a temprary booth with video games this year, 1 peso a game. Full of boys and young men of course.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Chacala and the Whales
This morning at dawn there were whales frolicking right inside of Chacala Bay. Tail banging and leaping in the air and everything. There are lots a whales around now, especially out a few miles. Very impressive.
The weather is still cool at night, about 65 and lovely during the day, mid 80's and clear.
There are Habitat volunteers here now, for three weeks total, working on a house in Las Varas. A really nice group. I think only a few are here for the whole three weeks.
Two different couples, Angela and Gil, and Vicki and Herbert, brought gifts for the Kinder in the last couple of weeks. Any school and crafts materials or picture books in Spanish are really nice for the kids. Money too. The Omaha/Shawnee Rotary groups (I think) are building a new classroom and the parents are talking about collecting money for the furnishings.
The Cafe at Casa Pacifica is really the hot spot for American/Canadian style breakfasts, 8-10am closed Sundays. Good place to meet people and arrange various excursions
I am the only camper in my "campground" now, and I love it. It's so nice sitting there looking at the water, etc. The only downside is that the palm trees surrounding my palapa are dropping their coconuts right thru the roof of the palapa. I have moved the table and chair.
The landlady, Esperanza, keeps saying in the afternoon or tomorrow when I ask about cutting the coconuts down. I am looking for a hardhat but there don't seem to be any around here. There are some hard headed people however, mostly in motor homes.
I'm wearing shorts and a cotton shirt and flip flops, for those of you in the snow and rain.
alatawah@gmail.com
The weather is still cool at night, about 65 and lovely during the day, mid 80's and clear.
There are Habitat volunteers here now, for three weeks total, working on a house in Las Varas. A really nice group. I think only a few are here for the whole three weeks.
Two different couples, Angela and Gil, and Vicki and Herbert, brought gifts for the Kinder in the last couple of weeks. Any school and crafts materials or picture books in Spanish are really nice for the kids. Money too. The Omaha/Shawnee Rotary groups (I think) are building a new classroom and the parents are talking about collecting money for the furnishings.
The Cafe at Casa Pacifica is really the hot spot for American/Canadian style breakfasts, 8-10am closed Sundays. Good place to meet people and arrange various excursions
I am the only camper in my "campground" now, and I love it. It's so nice sitting there looking at the water, etc. The only downside is that the palm trees surrounding my palapa are dropping their coconuts right thru the roof of the palapa. I have moved the table and chair.
The landlady, Esperanza, keeps saying in the afternoon or tomorrow when I ask about cutting the coconuts down. I am looking for a hardhat but there don't seem to be any around here. There are some hard headed people however, mostly in motor homes.
I'm wearing shorts and a cotton shirt and flip flops, for those of you in the snow and rain.
alatawah@gmail.com
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Families Camping in Chacala
This is New Year's Eve day in Chacala, and there have been lots of campers here since the day after Christmas. I was kind of dreading camping with so many people crammed in around my little camp. But it turns out to be very nice. The people that have been camping next to me are very friendly and I am enjoying their presence. In fact, all the people, maybe eight families in this area, are friendly and open and nice to be around.
One thing that is very different about families that are camping here in Chacala is how nice they are to each other. I have camped all over the US, and generally speaking there is alot of yelling (mother's to kids, kids to other kids, big kids to little kids, etc etc etc). Here in Chacala I don't remember ever hearing any yelling between anybody here on the beach. And I never here the sound of babies or children crying.(except when they fall down).
People seem to camp in family groups and everyone takes care of the kids. The kids are alway watched over and it never seems to get to the point where children are crying for any reason. And the kids run around playing all day, in and out of the ocean, and on the sand, without anyone overtly supervising them. Of course, the adults are always watching them, but there doesn't seem to be " Pablo, stop hitting your sister!", or "Lupe, be careful!!". The big kids love the little kids and seem to always be playing with them and helping them and including them in what they are doing. I think it is true in Chacala in general too. Big brothers and sisters take alot of responsibility for the little ones, siblings and cousins, etc, and seem to be happy about doing it.
Most afternoons the little kids that actually live on this part of the beach come over to draw and paint at my table. Ages 2 to 11 over so. And they all help each other and there is never any bickering or arguing or problems with sharing. It's really quite amazing. I keep thinking, they are just being polite in front of me, but it's been a month and they still treat each other with kindness and respect.
I just draw with them or do whatever I was doing. They even tidy up when they finish. A very nice experience for me.
It's been very cold the last few mornings. 65 degree F. Of course, in the US I would have considered it to be warm, and pleasant enough to sit outside to eat breakfast and read the paper. Sometimes I really miss reading the morning paper. Lately people have been bringing down the NY sunday Times for me, and I take a week to read it and do the crossword. I love it. I try to ignore the news part and read the travel and books sections mostly. And the magazine.
But I think my body must have gotten used to being warm all the time and I felt really cold when I got up this am. I washed my only long-sleeved shirt yesterday and it's still wet, so I couldn't wait to get out in the sun and warm up.
This is New Year's Eve, and Susana and Poncie are out partying, so I have their house (Casa Pacifica) and computer to myself for a few hours. I got a ride up here in the collectivo, and hardly had to walk at all. I did personal emails and now I am going down to Chico's for their friend and family type New Years Party. Last year it was the best New Years Eve I ever had, so I am looking forward to it.
This afternoon I had very nice time. Four of my favorite winter people came down to sit around at my palapa and talk , and to sunbathe on the beach. It was really nice for me. There are some very nice visitors here this year and I am really enjoying their company. Some of my favorites left today, and I know I will miss them.
My probably broken toe still hurts alot and walking up to Susana's and back is really annoying. But this morning a taxi came by just as I got onto the main beach road and I got a ride to Susana's. Hooray. Good taxi karma I guess.
The unending problems with maintence and maid services at Casa Azul finally reached a peak this week, and they are no longer taking reservation. The people who had reservations there are being offered other options.
The beach is much cleaner than last year, and so are the town streets. Even with the hoards of tourists from Guadalajara, etc. The day after Christmas there were 50 buses of tourists.
But by tomorrow they will basically be gone until Easter week.
If you read this blog regularly and would like me to know about you, please e mail me. It has been interesting to meet people who had been reading this, and it makes me curious about who else is reading it. My email is alatawah@gmail.com. I have had other email addresses listed here and I check them everyday too.
Remember, if you are thinking of coming to Chacala, you can check out Chacala budget rentals.
I don't charge the people who own the rentals or the renters when I find a match. I am doing the little website to help the landladies who have no way to advertise in English, or even to advertise, and to try to payback Chacala for offering me such a lovely place to live.
One thing that is very different about families that are camping here in Chacala is how nice they are to each other. I have camped all over the US, and generally speaking there is alot of yelling (mother's to kids, kids to other kids, big kids to little kids, etc etc etc). Here in Chacala I don't remember ever hearing any yelling between anybody here on the beach. And I never here the sound of babies or children crying.(except when they fall down).
People seem to camp in family groups and everyone takes care of the kids. The kids are alway watched over and it never seems to get to the point where children are crying for any reason. And the kids run around playing all day, in and out of the ocean, and on the sand, without anyone overtly supervising them. Of course, the adults are always watching them, but there doesn't seem to be " Pablo, stop hitting your sister!", or "Lupe, be careful!!". The big kids love the little kids and seem to always be playing with them and helping them and including them in what they are doing. I think it is true in Chacala in general too. Big brothers and sisters take alot of responsibility for the little ones, siblings and cousins, etc, and seem to be happy about doing it.
Most afternoons the little kids that actually live on this part of the beach come over to draw and paint at my table. Ages 2 to 11 over so. And they all help each other and there is never any bickering or arguing or problems with sharing. It's really quite amazing. I keep thinking, they are just being polite in front of me, but it's been a month and they still treat each other with kindness and respect.
I just draw with them or do whatever I was doing. They even tidy up when they finish. A very nice experience for me.
It's been very cold the last few mornings. 65 degree F. Of course, in the US I would have considered it to be warm, and pleasant enough to sit outside to eat breakfast and read the paper. Sometimes I really miss reading the morning paper. Lately people have been bringing down the NY sunday Times for me, and I take a week to read it and do the crossword. I love it. I try to ignore the news part and read the travel and books sections mostly. And the magazine.
But I think my body must have gotten used to being warm all the time and I felt really cold when I got up this am. I washed my only long-sleeved shirt yesterday and it's still wet, so I couldn't wait to get out in the sun and warm up.
This is New Year's Eve, and Susana and Poncie are out partying, so I have their house (Casa Pacifica) and computer to myself for a few hours. I got a ride up here in the collectivo, and hardly had to walk at all. I did personal emails and now I am going down to Chico's for their friend and family type New Years Party. Last year it was the best New Years Eve I ever had, so I am looking forward to it.
This afternoon I had very nice time. Four of my favorite winter people came down to sit around at my palapa and talk , and to sunbathe on the beach. It was really nice for me. There are some very nice visitors here this year and I am really enjoying their company. Some of my favorites left today, and I know I will miss them.
My probably broken toe still hurts alot and walking up to Susana's and back is really annoying. But this morning a taxi came by just as I got onto the main beach road and I got a ride to Susana's. Hooray. Good taxi karma I guess.
The unending problems with maintence and maid services at Casa Azul finally reached a peak this week, and they are no longer taking reservation. The people who had reservations there are being offered other options.
The beach is much cleaner than last year, and so are the town streets. Even with the hoards of tourists from Guadalajara, etc. The day after Christmas there were 50 buses of tourists.
But by tomorrow they will basically be gone until Easter week.
If you read this blog regularly and would like me to know about you, please e mail me. It has been interesting to meet people who had been reading this, and it makes me curious about who else is reading it. My email is alatawah@gmail.com. I have had other email addresses listed here and I check them everyday too.
Remember, if you are thinking of coming to Chacala, you can check out Chacala budget rentals.
I don't charge the people who own the rentals or the renters when I find a match. I am doing the little website to help the landladies who have no way to advertise in English, or even to advertise, and to try to payback Chacala for offering me such a lovely place to live.
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