Welcome to the World of Tyrone, Kendra, Plastic Man, Chino, High Times, and Clean Gas

We have easily picked up on the beat and fallen into the rhythm of Placencia. We get up early, drink coffee made in our room, get dressed, go for a long beach walk, come back and make/eat breakfast on the balcony, go to the market with our returnable Belikin bottles from the day before to buy another day's supply of Belikin, go to the beach while the beer chills in the frig, take a shower, lounge and read and blog and post, eat a light lunch, go for a walk around town, have afternoon cocktails by the water, take another shower, get dressed for dinner/drinks, have dinner, sit by the beach some more, come up to the room and sit on the balcony, then go to bed. 

Entrance to the hotel

View from our balcony

We have met Tyrone the wood carver, Kendra the hotel desk clerk, Plastic Man that makes beautiful bracelets from old plastic found on the beach, High Times will supply anything you want from boat tours to whatever. We have been on the look out for Chino who was recommended to us by Tyrone, and we have heard about Clean Gas but we have not met either as of yet. 
The harbor is beautiful and we have seen the sailboats anchored there, although I haven't taken pictures. The docks are immaculate and the anchorage is super tranquil. We have done our fair share of people watching and browsing the local Belizean art and colorful Guatemalan textiles. We like it here!
Placencia Village - 

These huge palms are everywhere...beautiful

Colorful Guatemalan textiles

Our room is up there

 

The Midnight Bus to Belize

Traveling the Hummingbird Highway via James Bus Line

After being in Merida for a couple of weeks, we had taken several beach days to Progreso, gotten some errands behind us, painted on the wall, pondered on the mirador, and talked about taking a trip.
We decided to go even farther south. Somewhere we hadn't been before. We'd go to Placencia in southern Belize. It has a nice ring to it. Bought two ADO bus tickets in Merida for the run from Merida to Belize City. The bus runs 4 times per week down to Belize City, leaving at 11pm. I know that isn't midnight but it just sounds better to say "the midnight bus"...and it's close enough. We bought the tickets on a Monday and the next bus leaving was on Wednesday night. Booked it!
On Wednesday, Terry and I both stayed up reading, doing yoga (me), and packing. Since we generally go to sleep early it was a chore for us to stay up past 10, but we wanted to be able to sleep on the 8 or so hour bus ride. Otherwise, it is a long trip! And, we had more bus tripping to get to our final destination.
There were only 5 other people on the bus which included 4 Belizeans going home, an Asian guy, and us. Oh, and the riding bus driver that hopped off the bus just outside Merida to get in the baggage compartment for a snooze to Belize. I told Terry later I swear I heard him knocking on the bus trying to say he was ready to get out of there, but we never stopped for that.  The only other time we stopped was when the bus driver stopped, got off the bus and asked somebody for directions. That was somewhere outside of Orange Walk after we'd crossed the border. And we almost stopped when the bus driver passed up a turn and had to put the bus in reverse to make the turn to the right. I've learned and I always wear warm, comfortable clothes since the buses are like refrigerators. And this run is nice because everybody can take up as much room as they need to stretch out and get comfy. Terry can always sleep like a baby. For me, it usually takes a while but I slept more on this trip than most. We've taken this bus to Belize City twice before. Oh, and we did stop two other times. Once to exit Mexico and the other time to enter Belize, when I had to give up my banana. I'm pretty sure the Customs lady ate it after I left! Each time we have crossed the border the exit procedures are different. We have finally given up on trying to get them to stamp our tourist card with 'doble entrada' so we don't have to pay fees over and over, but it only worked for us on the first trip to Belize. No such luck since! This time we asked for a receipt, thinking that would get us something. But all it did was get us a walk over to another building where they put in our passport numbers and pulled up our information and printed the receipt. We still beat the much fuller Cancun bus out of Mexico which meant going through Customs in Belize went quick. And we were out of there.
The sun started rising somewhere between Corozal and Belize City and by the time we got to BC, things were hopping and the town was awake. 
We didn't really know which bus we were going to take out of Belize City to get to Placencia, nor what time we would leave out of Belize City, but we knew none of our options would be as luxurious as ADO. From what we gathered, the James Bus Line and Richie's Bus Service are much the same. Both lines cover the southern areas of Belize. They are all older model Bluebird school buses, but just painted different colors, and none have A/C and both carry lots of people on them. We wanted to take Richie's since I wanted to tell Kate and Richy that we rode on Richie's but as luck would have it - we literally got off the ADO bus in Belize City and there was one other bus inside the terminal with people boarding. When we asked the conductor he said the bus was going through Independence/Mango Creek with a final destination of Punta Gorda. I think that might be in Guatemala but since we weren't going there I can't even be sure of that. This bus would get us close enough to Placencia to take a water taxi over the bay to Placencia town, which is on the far end of this little split of land that is like a finger off the Caribbean coast of Belize....a peninsula (duh!) So, Bingo! We both hopped on. Terry and I took the last two seats, sitting at opposite ends of the bus, and within a couple of minutes we rolled out of there for what would be a 4 hour bus trip to Independence/Mango Creek. The Belizean female I sat with was reluctant to let me in to my window seat. The conductor came back to the back and told her to move her stuff. When I crawled in I realized why the seat had remained vacant. I was sitting on the rear wheel hump seat which meant my knees were up in my face. I only had to ride like that for the hour or so trip down to our first stop - Balmopan. My butt cheeks were aching! I kept thinking to myself: Thank goodness Terry took the first seat. It wasn't as cramped and he wasn't having to eat his knees. I told him later I was daydreaming that he went up to the bus driver and asked to be let off the bus and hollered at me to follow. I was concerned he was feeling claustrophobic on this rather warm and very cramped bus. Funny thing was, when we got to Balmopan and quite a few people exited the bus, we both jumped up before the new passengers got on to change seats. Little did I know but he had been seated on the front wheel hump seat and eating his knees too!!! But, we were on our way to beautiful Placencia so both of us were willing to make a few sacrifices to get there. And I don't think either of us was prepared for what was next. Upon leaving Balmopan headed towards our next stop at Dangriga, we took the most scenic part of the trip on the Hummingbird Highway. It was lush, green mountains covered with green palm trees and other tropical vegetation followed by valleys of rows and rows of citrus trees. We saw an organic ginger farm, banana farms, and national park land. It was truly beautiful and can almost make me forget the 18-wheeler we saw lying on its side where it failed to slow down enough to make the bend while coming down off a mountain. It was waiting for emergency help to arrive but had plenty of people trying to help. I did notice afterward, people on the bus seemed to grip the back-seat rails a little tighter. These non-first class buses stop for anybody to enter/exit anywhere....as in top of a mountain, side of a mountain, rounding a mountain and anywhere in between. We made it to Dangriga, about 2 hours from Balmopan, where we had enough time to take a potty break. We have learned when to drink fluids and when not to drink fluids when it comes to bus riding. This wasn't a morning for hydrating! We wouldn't even get a cup of coffee. I'm just glad the bathroom attendant let me in the bathroom even though she refused my Mexican 10 peso coin. Then, I learned later she took Terry's 10 peso coin! 
 The last leg of our journey took us to Independence. The bus station was on the edge of town and when we asked the attendant, he told us it was about 3 miles to the Mango Creek water taxi. We gave in immediately and hailed a taxi and, sure enough, not only was it a good 3 miles but it was down a dirt road which we never would have turned down if we had walked. As luck would have it, again, we arrived just in time to get on the next water taxi at 11am. We had gained an hour upon entering Belize. The water taxi goes down the Mango River through very thick mangroves but the river is probably 200 or so yards wide. It was a pleasant and short trip. Even though we were travel weary, we were exited to step foot on the ground in Placencia town and walk the short distance to the city center and find a place to have a Belikin and a rum punch and let the rest of the adventure unfold. 

Terry at DeTatch

View in front of us

The Lying Shelf

This is a photo of a wooden shelf that is lying. It lies about why it isn't installed on the wall and it is lying because it is just sitting in the corner on the floor - unhung. We found it a year ago at Julio's Down by the Schoolyard. We call it that because Julio owns the antique shop and it is across the street from the schoolyard. That was when Terry learned to play "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" on his guitar.
This shelf keeps telling me it will hang itself mañana. You and I both know what that means. I have picked out the perfect spot for it. I hoped to have it hung up above the stove and the tiled archway. I was going to use it to hold spices and other things that seem to accumulate on the countertop for no particular reason. 
The shelf acts as if it is getting heavier and can't lift itself into an upright position. I agree, it is solid wood with wrought iron decorative hangars that are old and heavy. But, a big strong, good-looking shelf shouldn't have trouble lifting itself into place. 
At first the shelf said it was just too tired to be hung. Since then the shelf has gotten a lot of rest and muchas siestas. In fact, the shelf is in the middle of a siesta right now. 
The shelf has told me it is too hot and it will get hung later in the day. It doesn't really cool off until late in the day. That would be after sun downers on the mirador. That is not a good time for a shelf to hang itself. I don't really want a crooked shelf.
Upon our arrival to Mérida, the shelf said it was waiting on the electric drill to charge. It used this excuse on day 2 and again on day 3. I am quite sure it doesn't take 72 hours for a drill to charge. 
So, this shelf is really the lying, lying shelf. I can't wait to hear the excuse it gives me mañana.
 

Gaspar and the Heineken Cooler

Yesterday afternoon we went to the neighborhood Cerve Frio. Gaspar is the man's name that sells beer there. Gaspar is Mayan and he is very small in stature. He stands on a box so he can see his customers over the counter. Lupita was also there. What Gaspar lacks in size he makes up for in the size of his heart. He was glad to see us. Likewise. His corner store is very small. He sells beer and snacks. But he sells a lot of beer and snacks. We usually buy a 12-pak...cans. He mostly sells liter bottles of beer and takes back the bottles for refunds once a customer buys the first one and pays the deposit. 
He used to laugh at Terry's Spanish but now that Terry has gotten so much better at it, he no longer laughs at his Spanish but just laughs because he's glad to see us. 
He had a brand new upright beer cooler behind his counter. It's very large like the size of a jumbo refrigerator. It is made to look like a Heineken beer bottle. I don't recall seeing many people in our neighborhood drinking Heineken. They are all Sol drinkers.  The jumbo beer cooler makes Gaspar look even smaller behind his counter.
We came home and sat up on the mirador with the Sol and some Anejo and had a war on the wasps that have built nests while we were away. There were more of them dead than us when the lights went out. 
 

No Words of Wisdom Here

Terry worked like a banshee to get the new tin roof on the barn out at La Ermita (the "other" hideaway). He worked, alone, and fought the rain for several weeks but he got it done. Then Craig, Kim and Harbor came for Easter and the guys built a loft for Jack and Harbor in the barn. No guhs allowed! This past weekend Hugh came out and brought his guitar. All I can say is wow! He can really play. He isn't a strummer, but plays it like it was a keyboard. While listening you forget it is a guitar. We had a most excellent visit with Hugh, Kim and Harbor and then said "Adios". 
We were up early on Tuesday and took a rental car to HOU. Folks, they are coming along beautifully on the new Southwest Airlines International terminal. We flew from Houston to SAT and into CUN. The SAT to CUN is a new route for Southwest and there were only 31 passengers on board. We each got a nice thick SW inscribed beach towel. Well, it wasn't that thick really but I used it to cover up with in that cold bus air later in the day. Took the ride to the bus station and then caught a bus for the 4 hour ride into Merida. We sprang for a GL bus so we had more leg room, 2 restrooms instead of one unisex one, earphones and reclining seats. Oh, and a "private" waiting area at the bus station. We actually thought it was well worth the difference in the price! Then, we walked the six blocks or so to the house. It isn't that bad because we travel lightly. We didn't arrive at the front door until after 9, but we were met with a super clean house. We always have to walk around, look, smell and get re-acquainted. Thanks to Y. and A. for managing the house while we are away. I don't know what we would do without them. Then, it was up to the mirador to celebrate with a nice Anejo and lime. Three each, actually. 

View from the Mirador

Don't forget to check prices and routes at Southwest.com before booking your next international flight. We sure are excited about their new routes. 

Yesterday was a wind down day. We went to the supermarket and stocked up. Last night we cooked mixto with some of the fresh carrots we have grown to yearn for when we are gone. I never knew carrots could be so good. I spotted the nopales and they are already cleaned and spikes removed so when I came home I started to search for recipes. While visiting and eating at Baldemar's, somebody in his family had made an ensalada with nopales and gooey cheese. I want to make it! 

Cactus Salad

This morning it was yoga...promised myself I would keep it up while I am down here. Then we got dressed and took a walk all the way over to  Paseo de Montejo to pay our fideicomiso at the bank. We pay it annually. It is rather strange because you go to the back of the bank, into the parking garage, and have to ring a bell and tell them why you need to be let in. They release the door latch and you go upstairs. There are several offices and lots of papers...lots! But, they put in a few numbers and our name into the desktop and print off the record. Then, we take the paper and go downstairs and enter the bank and actually pay at the teller window where the paper is stamped as 'paid'. 
We stopped off at the art store and bought some canvas, paint and new brushes. I couldn't find a brush one anywhere in the house. Now I am waiting for some inspiration to kick in.
We have already lounged in the hamacas several times, took siestas, and eaten well. We took our SW towels and went up to the mirador for a snooze. Tomorrow, we are thinking about going to the beach. 
If you happen to be reading this and wish you were kicked back down here in an hamaca enjoying cheap Anejo and lounging on the mirador, you may want to reconsider if you don't like hot weather. Right now it's 102 degrees...and I am not talking that "feels like" temperature stuff. We aren't running the mini-split, but we do have all the windows open and the ceiling fans going...it is rather pleasant with a nice breeze at the moment. But, such is the life in the Yucatan! 

Can I please have a kinder, gentler world?

At first I was thinking this post wasn't going to have anything to do with Mexico, but it does. I always say while in Mexico it is like I have stepped back in time 40 or so years ago. Forty or so years ago we had a kinder, gentler society in the U.S. When in Mexico today, I still feel and see mutual respect and kindness. In the U.S. - not so much. Not so much at all in larger cities.

I just read a friend's Facebook post about a United flight that was diverted when two passengers got into a fight over the use of a knee defender (full story here) 
The pilot had to make an emergency landing to get the two people off the plane. I can't imagine the anger these two people must have been holding inside to let this small incident escalate to the magnitude it did. I visualize them this morning with red, sheepish faces over the embarrassment they undoubtedly must be experiencing. On second thought, maybe not. They may be relishing in how they got their way and "showed" the other passenger. Why are we in such a state of "I win/you lose"? Why are people becoming just plain mean? Are we at a point of no return? 

My theory on it all can be summed up like this - 
First, we all have access to enormous amounts of information. During my entire life, the media has reported predominately on the negative. But with more information, we read more negativity. We read and seethe over every incident. I'm pretty sure Obama isn't the first president that likes to play golf. And I remember presidents in the past spending at the ranch or at Camp David. But, I have to agree, if I read one more report on Obama and his golfing habits, I'm going to get a Knee Defender and break some knee caps. We get bombarded with too much negative information!  
Second, our world is becoming smaller. You can say what you want about diversity and embracing diversity. I say diversity schmersity. People are no different than animals in the animal kingdom. We gravitate towards those that look like us, talk like us, smell like us, and have ideologies that match our own. Experiencing diversity used to be a choice whereas today in the U.S. we have little choice. When you try to mix unlike groups, they separate like oil and water. You cannot change an ideology. All you can do is eradicate it by death or avoid it.
Third, I believe in the "divide and conquer" theory. As long as we are spending great amounts of time and energy on hating, we have less time to spend on forming relationships and bonding. We don't embrace our neighbors if we are busy arguing with them. We are much easier to control when we are fussing over Knee Defenders. The plane landed, the authorities were called in and they whisked the two unruly passengers away. 

So, in my daily world I fight back by having conversations with my HEB cashier, joke with my plumber about how he can now take the rest of the day off after I pay him, and I think about the Muslim man in the Sugar Land Whole Foods Market and wonder if his belly button is an "outie" or an "inny". I pray and yearn for my world to be filled with more love, mutual respect and kinder, gentler times. I hope you'll join me in trying to make it happen.

Damn, I am missing Mexico! There just isn't the same tension and meanness. 

Lots of Memories on Memorial Day

Over the Memorial Day weekend, we celebrated our 27th anniversary. And had to laugh when, before we sat down to our special dinner, we opened anniversary cards from each other. After 27 years together, I guess you start thinking alike. We had each painstakingly picked out and bought the exact same card! 

Happy Anniversary to the Love of My Life 

We also took the boat to Matagorda Bay and fished for about 10 minutes then did about 3 hours of boat riding in the ICW,  down the Colorado River, and down the "new to us" diversion channel. We just explored. We ended our trip with shrimp baskets at our new favorite eating dive.

I have been thinking of little granddaughter Maggie out in California as she celebrates her 8th birthday today. Happy Birthday My Sweet Maggie Girl! More memories...

We pay homage to all the military and their families, and remember and reminisce about Dad. His death on Memorial Day last year (5/27) will always mean on each Memorial Day we will have a special hero to remember in addition to our military heroes. But that brings me to another remembrance. 

We often get reminded of  life in Mérida...only different.

Right here two blocks from downtown El Campo we sometimes hear the sound of horse hooves coming down the street. And yes, the street is paved. You know I have compared Dad with his horse named Maude and his buggy-riding in Anderson, Texas to the horse and buggies that come in front of the house on Calle 64-A, Mérida. But when we look at the rider here in El Campo, we get confused. The rider isn't a white cowboy nor a Mexican cabellero. He is black. We couldn't help but joke about it this morning and decided if Dad was going to be re-incarnated it would be just like him to decide he wanted to come back as a Black cowboy. 

Yesterday, we were hanging around the house here in El Campo just relaxing. Terry was out in the garage with the door open, and I was sitting on the swing in the back yard. By many people's standards, we live in a less desirable part of town. There is not security gate leading down winding streets with cul de sacs. There is no name on a well-landscaped brick entryway leading into a subdivision. We live in the part of town that was filled with effluent homeowners of yesteryear. It was the snazzy part of town back in the 1930's. Right now, our house is by far the nicest of all the houses you can see from our front yard. It is the only house you can see that has been totally renovated. But, all of the houses on our block are receiving a facelift over time so we think of ourselves as "trendsetters". Our area of town is not considered so snazzy today. It is a mixed neighborhood of white, black and brown-skinned people. We are all respectful of each other, and smile and wave to each other on occasion. We visit when we catch each other outside but we don't visit inside each other's houses. We just go about living harmoniously. 

From the garage and the swing, respectively, Terry and I both heard a little air horn. It was a sound quite familiar to us IF we were in Mérida. It made me wake up from my pensive mood as I reminded myself I was in El Campo, Tx. Terry came out of the garage when he heard the horn as well. We looked up to see a Mexican gentleman coming down the street on his school bus yellow cargo bicycle. His bicycle was overflowing with sacks. I am guessing all the sacks were filled with homemade breads. That's what his horn sound was telling me. He was cruising the streets of El Campo just like he would be cruising down Calle 64-A or an infinite number of streets in anywhere, Mexico selling his wares and trying to make a few extra pesos...or dollars...I have a feeling he would take either. 

Last week we were sitting on the front porch in the retro-glider, when an old unmarked van came down one of the side streets, honked the horn, and stopped. Several neighborhood Mexicans walked over to the van and then walked away carrying white sacks. We were curious. As the van made its way to our street, we could see inside the window between the cab and the back end. The van was filled with crates full of fresh vegetables. Similar to the vendadores in Mérida, this vendedora was peddling her fresh produce to the Mexicans here in El Campo. 

By US standards, it is considered by many to be "unsafe" and "not right" to buy bread from a neighbor's non-commercial kitchen. We aren't supposed to be using pesos as our currency. And where did those fruits and vegetables come from? 

I give us a few more instances of hearing those horns honking and we will be whipping out those pesos we have for our next trip south, and we will be buying some fresh bread or vegetables from the vendedores right here in El Campo. And if somebody comes by selling fresh, cage-free eggs I'm definitely in!