A Street where everyone knows your name

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This year, Gene and I decided to travel from Victoria to Zihuatanejo separately. Gene has a deadline to be in Mexico, although it is not correct, because last year his entry stamp into Mexico was stamped with the wrong date, October 31st, because the border official had not done the update. Gene together with Cori arrived with sufficient time to complete all the paperwork needed to update his FM3 and have our car legally in Mexico again. I wanted to see my friends in Calgary and to fly on the new Westjet flight directly from Calgary to Zihua. It proved to be a great weekend and a great flight, complete with mariachis, champagne and a Zihuatanejo welcoming committee at our small and modern airport just outside of town.

La Madera is the name of our neighbourhood and is a charming colonia to live in. This area had a hard time last year with the loss of tourism and I was anxious to see how the small hotels, restaurants and shops had faired. There are changes, but I see the same happy faces and the same sense of gratitude that I (one of many regulars) have returned safely to our winter homes. Calle Adelita is a street where everyone knows your name. Isabel with her juice stand, Lilia with her beauty salon, and Monica and Anibel all had warm hugs and a sincere "como estes"? for us.

Of course our other American/Canadian friends are also here and we have already spent many evenings catching up on their summers and their families. My travels on the Camino have proved popular, and we have hosted many friends on our terraza. Despite the heat, friends sharing good food and wine together happens here on a regular basis. The heat seems more intense this year. I can always tell when it is really warm here because it feels like even my elbows are perspiring. When you feel a tickle on your wrist and you realize it's sweat running from your elbows, you know you are in the tropics.

So, we are in the early days of our winter getaway. I find myself setting goals for the 5 months (I say 5 months knowing that a few things at home may change my ability to stay, but I'm trying to be positive). I want to learn Spanish, exercise more at both swimming and yoga, and continue to assist Monica with the cooking school. More about that later.

Oh, and I always have a few ideas on changing and improving the decor in both our new apartment and our first apartment which now accomodates friends and family. But I really didn't expect to have the opportunity to buy the ultimate in bathroom decor items....Vanessa is supporting a friend in the community and I couldn't say no when as always her kind and smiling face asked me to consider buying her friends handicrafts....Gene has since moved to the other bathroom.