February 4th

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Back on the road after five wonderful days in Cuastecomate -- a little village on a bay just South of Barra de Navidad. Our friends from Edmonton, Jame & Sharon Thompson, built a beautiful house there a few years ago and lent it to us for the week. It is high on the hill overlooking the bay and the Pacific Ocean with an absolutely spectacular view. The house has four levels with seventy steps from the front gate to our bedroom on the top floor. When J&S finally retire and move here, they will be the fittest old fogies around.

When we arrived, we had an interesting experience with the lock for the gate. It was quite stiff and rusty from the sea air, and Tarjei (with superhuman strength), managed to snap the key off in the lock. Fortunately we were rescued by Michelle who lives in a house right on the beach. She is Quebecoise originally, trilingual, kind and vivacious. She took us under her ample wing and gave us her spare apartment to stay in. She and Tarjei brought a locksmith to come and fix it all the next morning. Tarjei (well-prepared boy scout) had a can of WD40 and he sprayed most of it into the two main locks, so we now have the slickest entry around.

We swam in the ocean (K) and walked on the beach (T) every morning. We took Spanish lessons every noon (we are now in possession of "Amiga Bonnie's" five sure-fire tricks to survival Spanish, plus charts on how to negotiate our way around the simple, imperfect, and conditional past for the eighteen common and irregular verbs). We ate shrimp and guacamole at numerous little restaurants on the beach. It was great.

Michelle the former Quebecoise (she left Montreal in the seventies, just when things were getting interesting) has a small business doing Tarot Card readings, rejuvenation facials, and magnetism. I (K) chose the facial. My first ever. I felt very pampered and relaxed, especially after all the sun and salt water on my skin.

On our last night, we went to see Amiga Bonnie, our Spanish instructor, singing at a club in Barra de Navidad. She had a great smoky voice and dynamite backup group -- all Canadian. They did mostly jazz but also blues (Heart of Saturday Night), rock (Hotel California), all gringo music for an audience all from gringolandia -- lots of fun. We bought a CD.

Now we will be working our way South to Acapulco and then Guatemala over the next few days. It is hot (25 degrees celsius at 10 AM) and sunny. It occurs to us that we have had zero precipitation -- no rain, no snow, no sleet or hail or any stuff falling from the sky (except the volcano dust which really doesn't count) since we left Truro at 1111-01-01-2011. That's 36 days and nights! Almost Biblical....

We are thinking of home and slightly missing the best XC skiing in years. Carpe Diem!
KF

This is being written from Lazaro Cardenas, in the state of Michoacan. The drive down along the coast has been a roller-coaster, up-down-and-around with lots and lots of "topes". Magnificent views of cliffs with Pacific ocean crashing in. Gut-wrenching at times. We are doing our best to not overeat, a difficulty given the heaps and mounds of great Mexican food. Tomorrow: Acapulco.
TT

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Photos

Casa Thompson
Looking in on the living cooking area

Cuastecomate
Looking out over the town and bay - couldn't get enough of it

Beer and beach
Something timeless about that alliteration

Katy at Michelle
Blueberry compresses for the eyes, honey and Spanish mud for the face

Tarjei and Katy enjoying Gringo Music
Note Katy's glowing rejuvenated skin

Uncountable kilometres of beach
Katy haggling about the price of conch shell with a savy Mexican