The Last Post....

Rather appropriate for a world wide day of remembering...  Yes, I'm moving on.   More a matter of realizing that after changing emails, changing devices (smartphone) changing Google accounts..that in order to coordinate everything and recognize my new life I've moved to a new blog. 

My life in Mexico is more than moments...over the past 6 winters, this has become my Mexican life.   Therefore if you like how or what I've written, please follow my new blog at

www.mymexicanizedlife.blogspot.com

Hasta luego y que tenga un buen dia! 

Just like the Mexican farm labourers, we're packed to head north

It's the day I've been alternately dreading and anticipating...the day we pack Cori with great trepidation into his crate (well, we don't really do that until he has to be put in it), and we fly north via Los Angeles, California on Alaska Airlines landing late at night in Vancouver.   We've had to resort to this flight as no other carriers will transport our dear Cori unless he can be in the cabin, and his long legs, made for running after birds, balls and all furry things (including a not so furry Iguana who escaped by the length of his tail); keep him from fitting under the seat.   Could he become a "support animal"..hmmm...each year we think of it and wonder if it's possible...supporting our need to feel needed and loved!

We've tried to pack in as many of our favorite experiences so we can savour the full range of sensory memories as long as possible.  I don't think I would've been able to describe to anyone what living in 6 months of perfect weather, warmth, outdoor life, water and sunshine is like.  And to have avoided that dreadful Canadian winter is a gift for sure.   But the gift has reached it's expiry date,  we must head home. Taxes are waiting to be filed,  gardens awaiting our caring revisions are calling and most importantly I need to see our family and friends.  Before we become nothing but distant memories in their minds and their busy lives move on at a pace that we will never catch up with.




Stopping in Vancouver allows us to have a ritual "IHOP" breakfast with Kristen.  Eric cannot meet us this year, but we are hoping that he and his new friend "Elena" from distant Siberia will soon make a visit to Victoria.   And we've already arranged our first visit to Sideroad Natural Farm to see our daughter Amy and Patrick's growing menagerie and hopefully we can indeed become "Mexican farm labourers" for at least a little while.   By the end of May we are ever so hopeful that even Ontario will seem like spring/summer to us; with our thin blood and tender skin we cringe when we read temperatures in the single degree Celsius range are awaiting us in a few hours! 

This week has focused on goodbyes...adios to the people who we've come to love in our neighborhood.   We think they indeed will miss us as much as we miss their everpresent smiles and friendship here in a land where we are visitors who have become friends.

We are hoping that the next time we touch down in our winter home that we find it just like it is now...and that the new government will get serious about the changes that are indeed needed.  I want to see that more than just another surface cosmetic clean up happens.  We've been reading that the government wants to give Zihua a facelift to retain it's standing as a top tourist destination on the Costa Grande...but that would be like performing plastic surgery on a patient with a bowel obstruction.  We need a functioning sewage system, water pipes that deliver water to all the homes, we need schools that function rather than being on strike 2/5 days weekly.  We need lighting for safety and more homes for the numerous poor who arrive here hoping to find work and a future. 

And for the new year,...I have a new project in mind.



  Doraliz has 14 cavities and that makes me think that if this state is serious about health promotion, and they keep saying that they are, that the children here need dental programs aimed at prevention, and education before they end up like Doraliz with a painful mouth that needs fillings before any orthodontics can happen.   Shouldn't companies that make a fortune off the poor here, like CocaCola or Frito-lay have to provide dental screenings and partner with oral hygiene companies to offer toothpaste, brushes and floss to the poor?  I think they should...so let's see where this could go with the group of savvy gringos that are here each winter.   Now is not the time,...the streets are empty, the season is over and off we go...north to become farm labourers, and if not a farm, well at least on our garden!   Greenlands Rd. Victoria here we come! 

Lilly and her little Maria Jose say adios

Gene enjoys a final pedicure with Maria at Lillianas beauty salon
Our final dinner out at Mari's restaurant, Las Adelitas.  This was her dream and she made it happen...I will miss their fond calling out to Cori and me as we make our daily rounds of the neighbourhood

 

And we missed saying adios to our dear friends Anibel and Monica who are away...their property is changing and we hope all will be well when we return.

And finally, the woman who has worked together with me for 6 months on Dawn and my little oilcloth project; Lety.  Lety dropped by for a visit with her Mom and sisters the other night.  She and I have become friends "sol sisters" and leaving is bittersweet...we hope we can continue and make beautiful oilcloth products next season.  I have learned a lot about the life of Mexican women.  We are indeed fortunate. 

 

Making Sense (cents) of Six Months in Paradise

When I think of the people we've come to know as "regulars", whether they be owners or renters; people who we see each winter during the 6 months we spend here, I've realized that this group is anything but homogenous.   Last year I somewhat jokingly wrote that perhaps we were all just trying to relive our youth in this Mexican beach playground, listening to 70's tunes and happily sipping cervezas in the sunset.   But as I've gotten to know people better, I realize that their reasons for coming here are as diverse and as changeable as everything else in life is.   So, with a license to take liberty with my friends lives....here's a brief rundown on the "who's who" of Zihuatanejo. 

Some of our first friends here are a couple from Ocean City Maryland.   Mike and Dee met over a shared love of deepsea fishing.  And the ocean and the fish are what keeps them here.  As well, they have continued to feed their entrepeneurial spirit here by owning and operating 3 rental properties and 2 boats.  They house and support a Mexican family who have benefitted greatly by their generous investment in our community.  They now spend 8 months each year here, returning to what others would consider an oceanside paradise in the US to reconnect with their large and loving family.

There are a number of people who we know who come for the music scene.  In the "season" and year round, there are a number of very talented musicians who make Zihua home and perform in regularly scheduled and ever changing venues.  The performers range from talented locals like Juanito Zihua to ex-pats as diverse as Jimi Mamou and Isahrai Azahria.  Seasonal performers with incredible talents like a group from Mexico City called "Dos Adanes y Una Eva" (interestingly this is the Spanish translation of Marilyn Monroe's classic "Some like it Hot" ) add to the richness of our music life here.  There are regulars who follow this music scene like religion, nightly appearing in a different venue that is showcasing some of these musicians talents.    Obscure streetside bars with names like "The Flophouse Bar" or "Barracrudas" compete with more upscale venues like Coconuts, the Inn at Manzanillo Bay or Present Moment who each hope to boost their clientele by featuring musicians performances on a weekly basis. 

There is also a diverse but growing group of North Americans who spend their time here volunteering and working hard to address the various un-met needs of the Mexican families who live here in poverty.  Some have made this their full time home and have immersed themselves in several of the charitable events that occur here during the season.  I think of Carol and Doug, a wealthy retired couple from Canada. Carol is now the chairperson of many organizations who work to benefit the schoolchildren here in Zihuatanejo.   Networking with her Rotary friends in Canada and the US, she has been able to hugely increase the profits of regular fundraisers such as Sailfest.   Others do their work in a more personal way.   Margaret, a retired Navy personnel from Victoria, quietly attends each large fundraiser and photographs the events and people and with her photography skills, the much needed internet marketing of these events is ever so improved.

Our friends Shelagh and Ross are examples of Canadians who return here each winter and spend much of their time with the Mexicans who have become not only their friends, but are "family". Shelagh, a retired teacher, and Ross, a lawyer dedicate 6 weeks of their annual winter trip to teaching English to poor students from the Nino's Adelante program.   They have funded schooling for many students over the 25+ years they have come and all now call them friends.  Ross and Shelagh's Zihua social calendar is so full, I shake my head wondering how they can go from one obligation of a quincineara, to a christening, to a family dinner and back to a wedding without a rest all day long.  But their immersion in the culture of Mexico is what makes them "tick"...it's what brings them and many others back here to use their life honed Canadian skills to do good work here in a town that needs them. 

I've become part of the regular "yoga scene" here and as such, know that many regulars are here for their "health".   It is true, that in this perfect climate with no stressors such as work, gardens or family issues, it is the ideal time to focus on getting well.   Mike, a semi-retired single man in his 50's from Vancouver, is the perfect example of what a winter in Zihua (and one without Zihua) can do.  Mike has become a keen yoga practitioner and has made the decision to quit drinking alcohol.  When he arrived here in November, he immediately became a beach jogger, yoga practitioner and healthy eater, consuming one freshly made meal/day using fresh local ingredients.  He lost 30 lbs.   But then a family crisis with an aging Dad brought him back to Victoria..., and almost 4 months in the grey, dark rainy cold has regressed his fitness to where he started.  He is back now, trying his best to regain the health he felt here.    I've become friends with a world renowned Alzheimer's physician from San Francisco.  Dr. Mike Weiner, spends a month here each winter and he makes no bones about his time here being totally dedicated to non stop exercise.   Each day he walks, swims, and rests his way to health.   Some would say it is an obsession...but what better obsession to people in their 70's need?   On a recent evening enjoying sunset drinks with our friends from Vancouver, Anker and Elizabeth; Anker, a remarkable Danish engineer in his 80's, who is the holder of several patents and still works regularly on a highlevel project involving the switch from diesel to LNG, summed it all up..."I come here in the winter for my body's health and I go home to Vancouver in the summers for my brain's health". 

So do these wise and varied people make it any easier for me to know why I come here?   All I know is we don't do the same things now, 5 years after spending our first full winter here.  We no longer feel compelled to be downtown each night, nor go swimming or snorkelling on days when the water isn't clear.  We dont' need to try each new restaurant that opens.  Instead, we do "life" here.  Yesterday we took Doraliz for her "panorex" dental xrays which her dentist needs to determine if she needs major orthodontics.   Working in cooperation with Nino's Adelante's director, Jose, we are assisting her family to get her the treatment she needs to avoid a lifetime of dental disaster.   Did I ever think I would sit in an x-ray lab in Zihuatanejo during the winter...no...but am I glad I am now part of Doraliz's life...absolutely.  

I am part of our neighborhood.  Yesterday, I enjoyed a leisurely coffee chat with my good friend Monica, who owns Patio Mexica cafe and Cooking School.   Monica is one of the multitude of business owners who has had to learn how to cope with a 6 month source of income and 12 months of living expenses.   Budgetting for the future isn't part of a Mexicans' lifeskills.  But in this tourist dependent community, where the biggest spenders, non-nationals, generally are as scarce as hen's teeth between May- November, it is increasingly necessary.   Monica tells me of women she and I know who have had to resort to sorting through the vegetable disgards at the market for produce for free during this "off season"...it's a heartwrenching tale.   By some lucky stroke of fate, I was born and worked my life in Canada where now not only my employer but the government too pays me for being retired and older.    I hesitate to say "old" cause I don't feel old...but I do feel grateful for a life that has a guaranteed source of income 12 months of the year.   And one where I can spend 6 months in paradise.   12 days from today we will be packed up and enroute to our other home...I'm ready.  Cori has lost all but one of his favorite things- balls...its time to head back! 

Keeping up Traditions on my 100th post

Guilt has reigned supreme in the past couple of weeks as I have neglected writing in favor of spending time with our good friends Lynn and Barry.   But based on our recommendations, they have taken a 3 day trip inland to two of our favorite places,Patzcuaro and Uruapan.   Gene and I find ourselves home alone and this gives me time to catch up on what the past couple of weeks have been like.  

On this my 100th blog entry since deciding to chronicle life in Mexico from my perspective, I am aware of the impact traditions have had on me.   Perhaps it is our current immersion in Downton Abbey, something that I would have never imagined myself doing here in the tropics, but it is the epitome of tradition as we observe life in the aristocracy of England in the 1920's.  

Gone is my need to be out every night in the town, and I cherish these quiet evening spent in our comfy living room watching a show about a lifestyle so remote from this place we call our winter home.   

So when I think of traditions,  I knew I couldn't pass up my annual visit to the Uruapan Michoacan Domingo de Ramos Artisan's Fair.  This annual pilgrimmage by myself and a group of women friends has become a pre-departure tradition for me.  I no longer go with a list of items needing purchase, but instead I go with the desire to re-connect with that feeling I had when I first saw this massive display of women's arts and a celebration of indigenous cultures in the modern world.   Sadly, this year, my good friend Iris couldn't make the journey - we are all waiting for more news from Iris who went back to her California home with health problems.    I want Iris to be strong and well and be my friend here for many more years of travel together.   So we connect daily hoping for good news.  

This year my travel buddies were Canadian friends Shelagh, a lover of Mexican people and Buffy, who was afforded the chance to travel with me and leave her husband in the care of his adult daughters visiting for Spring Break.   Driving up to Uruapan, through Tierra Caliente with outside temperatures soaring to 42C,  we were thankful our car with it's newly refurbished airconditioner didn't let us down.   We stayed at the lovely small hotel Mi Solar immediately adjacent to the zocalo, ground zero for Michoacan artists' displays for the next 2 weeks.  But by attending the fair on it's starting weekend, we were able to enjoy 3 special features, the Juried craft fair, the demonstration food fair featuring tradtional Purhepecha cooking and the parade.  After the let down of our local Carnavale parade, I was reluctant to inflate expectations of my friends who have never witnessed this event before.  But I shouldn't have feared, this parade has yet to disappoint me.  Each puebla has a distinct clothing and art and every artisan walks the route proudly showing off their clothing and art forms to their full advantage.   It is a photographers greatest opportunity and although without my own camera, I tried my best to capture some of the special images of the day.  

The weekend was magic and renewed my hope of someday having another house to decorate as the large decorative items spoke to me...but I am going home with inspiration for renewal of our backyard water feature with clay fish and shells from a tiny village on the coast of Michoacan.   

And coming home to Zihuatanejo I am now in the final weeks of sewing projects for Sol Sisters, Dawn and my Mexican oilcloth products made by Lety.    We have completed all the bags, make up bags and travel pouches for the year.   She has made me aprons and bags for my daughter Amy's new farm market in Ontario.  5 barbeque covers are packed in my take home luggage for friends in Victoria and all that's left is our latest item;  dragonboat paddle covers.  Yes, Gorgeous Gals dragonboat team is about to receive oilcloth paddle covers thanks to the guidance of our coach Corey Teramura who has provided me with measurements and designs that just might work.  So Lety who has never seen a dragonboat, nor held a paddle is about to embark on production of at least 20 beautiful and I hope durable and practical paddle bags.  In her words, Ojala!!  








And this weekend is Easter (the pinnacle of Semana Santa), the change over to Hora Verano (Mexican Daylight Savings Time) and 3 weeks till our departure date.   We miss our home in Canada, our friends and family but we are determined to see and do everything we want to experience before we head back to our other life.   Another tradition I wouldn't change for anything.  

 

Party town...when the party is over

It's hard not to feel a little let-down today.  Like the day after every big event, Xmas, birthday, wedding etc......the party is over! 

We've just enjoyed another "week in paradise" attending as many events as possible of the annual Zihuatanejo International Guitarfest.  By everyone's account, this was indeed the best ever.   It's the 10th, and it was time to move up into the big world of concerts, overcome past problems of sound, lighting and venue suitability and I would have to say that this week showed how well it can be done.  How does a small Mexican tourist and fishing town, plagued by problems related to the US travel advisory, worldwide economic collapse and drug cartel violence stage an international festival of this calibre?  Well, in my mind, it boils down to a few good women who knew it could be done better.    The women who organized this event are a mix of local Mexican business women who wanted to embrace the slogan from last year's festival...."es tuyo" or " it's yours"....this festival truly is the town's opportunity to highlight Mexican's love affair with music and guitars.  They were on the committee lead by a few young American women who are savvy with e-marketing, music and networking.   The goal of the festival used to be to support a small Casa de la Cultura (Arts workshop) here, but in reality, the biggest benefit to the festival is to tourism...which is the lifeblood of this community.  When tourists come, everyone is happy!   

The musicians are an eclectic mix of classically trained perfectionists, playing intricate pieces on highly specialized instruments to the down and dirty sounds of aging folk guitarists who play a single chord while belting out their soulful melodies.  And for the most part it works, cause just like in everything,...there's no accounting for taste and the range of tourists attending is as diverse as the music.    But the highlight of every festival is the finale where no matter what style the guitarist prefers, they all blend into jam sessions that have the audience cheering for "uno mas"..and those of us who can, dancing like there's no tomorrow..

 But the "tomorrow" has arrived.  Our friends Lynn and Barry, my longtime nurses' training amiga and her husband, are staying in Zihuatanejo for 6 weeks, at our rental apartment and experiencing Barry's first two months of retirement Mexican style.   We want to give them their personal space, but as always, we like being "tourguides".   So lucky for us, they've enjoyed our regular run to Saladita, a second shopping spree to Petatlan and the new archeological site at La Chole.  Lucky for us, but not so lucky for my camera.   3 digital cameras in as many years have bitten the dust here.  This one actually did bite the dust along the road edge as we squeezed our 3 generous bottoms into the back seat of our already tightly fitting car with Cori in between...and somehow the camera missed entering the vehicle, and may well have been driven over on our way to the museum at Soledad de Maciel.   I'm sad, but can only say...it's one more sign along the way that it's time to head home...time to face whatever reality living is going to throw our way this year.  

We've got 5 more weeks to experience our Mexican life in the tropics.  Between now and when we return to Canada, there's Zihuatanejo's version of Carnavale...a visual spectacle that includes an awesome costume parade and the annual Feria de Artesanias in Uruapan  Michoacan.   And last but not least, how can I forget Semana Santa, the two week period that is a combination of Easter and Spring break that draws crowds to Zihuatanejo.   I've been dealt a blow, with the loss of a functioning camera, but Gene has promised to help me to keep my photographic interest alive. So on our nightly walk down Calle Adelita, when he spied the "shaving brush tree" still showing off it's lavishly exotic nighttime flowers that are the magnets for the bats in the area...he made me proud with this little visual extravaganza. 

 
Party on.... till the cows come home..or in this case, till we head home with Cori...the best travelled dog in Mexico! 

The road home...taking a chance with luck

Valle de Bravo isn't really that far from Zihuatanejo by Canadian standards...it's a good drive on nice highways by most people's reckoning, so when we came to the day of our departure, we had studied carefully the 3 options for our route home.  The GPS selected route would have us retracing our arrival route and heading back on toll highways via Morelia once again past our familiar highway in Michoacan and back to Zihuatanejo.   Raul, our condominium director and many others had suggested we should try to find our way over to the big freeway, the Autopista del Sol, that connects Mexico City with the Guerrero Coast at Acapulco.   We had driven that route last year from Cuernavaca and knew that the bypass of Acapulco and then the long winding way up Hwy. 200 is not fun.  So that left us with the shortest, most direct and the one route we have always wanted to drive....the highway through Ciudad Altamirano.   This notorious drive is considered by many to be the most beautiful highway around but at the same time it has had the notoriety of being very dangerous and full of robbers and drug cartel activity.   So we did our "due diligence" - we asked everyone we could what they thought and it came out 50/50 as to would you do it or not.  So consulting Punto a Punto, and finding that this route  was in fact 200 kms. shorter than the others, although with similar driving time involved, and no tolls, we made a game time decision.   I was awake most of the night wondering whether we would be safe driving from  Valle de Bravo to Ciudad Altamirano and down through the state of Guerrero from inland to our chosen destination of Troncones. 

Saying goodbye to Valle, I realized that I had not seen the whole city.  On my final morning dog walk, I discovered perhaps the best, most attractive neighborhood of all, signs about yoga classes and fun shops all tightly closed in the early morning hours.   I will have to return, now that I know my way around.   The owners of our hotel, themselves owners of 10 dogs, bid us a warm farewell and left me feeling that Valle is indeed a lovely destination for a return visit.   Cori had been a challenge but in the end, his cunning ways won the hearts of everyone we encountered who called him "preciosa"....

Our drive began slowly as Sunday morning of Dia del Bandera was bringing crowds into El centro of Valle.   Eventually winding our way through the pine tree lined high mountain roads away from town, we began to see the beauty of the countryside.  Each small town had signs showing the route to Ciudad Altamirano and in fact we soon saw that the Ruta 2010 had elected this highway as a tourist route...this must be safe right??  

Leaving Mexico state the highways in Guerrero began to improve and as we neared Ciudad Altamirano, which I had imagined as a ghost town in a desolate mountainous area, I was surprised to see large scale farms, with lush crops and expensive houses and equipment.   The city was bustling.  We enjoyed a federal police escort onto Coyuca de Catalan and began to imagine that like the "sacred cows" of India we were indeed being rewarded for our Canadian pioneering spirit of taking this highway.    Soon the cars became few and far between and we began the long climb up into the final mountain range.  The road became more challenging with tight curves and areas where rock slides had partially extended onto the lanes, but luckily the traffic was very light, so it was easy to move from one side of the road to the other as the need arose.   Our most frequent encounters were the herds of goats that were grazing unattended on the high mountain grasses. 


We began to congratulate ourselves that in fact, this route was our new favorite for inland travel as we continued the long winding route downward to Hwy. 200.   We somehow managed to pass what should have been Mesas de Bravo and the waterfalls that are protected from development...but gazing ahead on the highway we knew we were soon to meet up with the main coastal highway...and then it happened.  

Rounding a curve, with a vehicle ahead of us, we saw 6-8 armed young men on one side of the road carrying semi-automatic weapons and a woman and man with the same guns on the other side of the road. The woman was screaming something and the men sheepishly waved us through...and then we were bye and was it a dream?  Why was I not more terrified...hadn't we just driven through a group of heavily armed bandidos...what had just happened?  Were they going to rob us, was she shouting to do it, and they wanted to avoid dealing with gringos....  we will never know.   It made me angry that once again my perception of Mexico the beautiful was shattered...so today as we drove into Zihuatanejo and made our stop at the Commercial Mexicana, Gene was glad to go over and tell the Marine's about our experience.  They seemed to care and asked enough information that they made  gene feel they will do somethng about the gang of guntoting youth that we had seen.  

We are glad to be home...to get back into our routine, see friends, eat home cooking and swim and do yoga and bike ride.  We are grateful that luck was on our side on our annual adventure in Mexico.   And Cori's little smile on his first beach walk at Troncones says it all....life is indeed good along the seashore!

One more chance to see the Monarch's - and Cori makes friends on the "ranch"

Leaving Queretaro, after a final night at our Oaxacan restaurant where I was convinced to try the local drink of agua frutas with Mezcal, winding our way over the high agricultural plateau, we once again found ourselves crisscrossing the small highways that wind through this part of Mexico.  The names evoke the indigenous heritage of the people who once were the sole occupants if this dry, windswept land.  Today the small lakes all feed well irrigated crops in this farming area. 

Returning to Michoacan, our destination to view the butterflies, was a highly recommended (Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor) ranch outside of the third largest city in Michoacan, Zitacuaro.  Winding down from the high plateau, we found ourselves in a tropical greenhouse as we headed into Zitacuaro, a sprawling hillside town that straddles the hills and valleys for several miles.  The town is a complex jungle of one way, winding, unfinished and busy streets and walkways full of people all out and about.  Luckily with GPS leading the way, we found Rancho San Cayetano, a charming, European style oasis on the southwest side of Zitacuaro, so close, yet worlds apart from the hustle and bustle of the city.

 If I could've designed a resort for our pampered pooch, this would be it.  13 hectares of grass and fields all manicured with soft green grass to play ball, a pool to lounge beside and friendly (well eventually) doggie friends who even slept outside our door wanting to protect their new "amigo".  The accomodation and food were superb, and the other guests were a cornucopia of world travellers all arriving in this remote area for the same reason...a trip to see the Monarch butterflies at Cerro Pelon. 

After breakfast the next morning, I casually mentioned to a charming elderly man, that I had recently read Barbara Kingsolver's latest novel, Flight Behavior.  He informed me that as a world renowned scientist studying the current state of the monarch butterfly, he was her consultant on the science of the phenomenon.  He has returned to this area 16 times and this year is the least prolific for the beautiful insects.  For a variety of reasons...weather in the US, destruction of milkweed and the deforestation of the Oyamel pine in Mexico....I felt like this justified my reasons for being here...I need to see them while I can and while this animal is still on planet Earth. 

We had prearranged joining a tour so packed up our car and followed along with Rogelio, a local guide who lives in the village of Macheros/ El Capulin, tiny pueblos at the foot of the sanctuary.   And Rogelio convinced me and everyone else but 2 hardy men from Atlanta Georgia that the very best way to reach the butterflies was on a sturdy little mountain horse (Pony).  I was reluctant, but agreed - not wanting to stumble by the wayside at 10,000 feet of elevation.   And gracias a Dios...I did!   We slogged uphill for 4 kms. over dusty, rolling rock and debris and finally arrived in the designated treed area where butterlies live....and die, and eat and fly... The sun was out, the air was warm and it was magical.  



Well almost...poor Gene found the horseback riding very difficult and had to be assisted by all the strong young men till he could walk again.   Coming down was a bit of a challenge.  My young horse kept altering off the main trail and had to be pulled back by my guide.  It looks really steep when you are sitting on a horse and watching the downward cliffside trail...so although I said I would close my eyes...I never did as I had to watch where my feet in the stirrups were at all times to avoid the narrow side trees and rocks.  

Back on terrafirma, we said our gracias y adios to all and headed through the mountains to our final vacation destination, Valle de Bravo.  This Pueblo Magico is a real surprise.  Sitting on the steeply wooded hillside shore of Lake Avandaro ( a man made lake that supplies water to Mexico City), it's charm is real.  The town is a bustling Mexican pueblo 7 days/week and on weekends, fills to the brim with wealthy adventure seekers from Mexico City.   Private casas line the steep streets and the farther we went from El centro, the higher the real estate values appeared.  The adjacent pueblo of Avandaro reeks of moneyed residents with tennis courts, private pools and upscale shops catering to sports enthusiasts and many signs in English.  

We had experienced a real challenge finding doggie friendly digs here for the 3 nights we had hoped to stay.  It took a personal recommendation from a Zihuatanejo friend to secure lodging, and even with that, our reception at Hotel Tonancalli was chilly to say the least.   After a lengthy interchange and eventual arrival of the other clerk, they agreed we could in fact stay.  They had already received a deposit in cash in advance, and there was no other hotel available so we feel lucky, but a bit disconcerted that we may have been part of a Mexican plot to secure more money or be cheated in some way....one will never know for sure, but the woman desk clerk, in a cunningly cute way, did mention we should be paying her a propina for allowing our dog (Cori) in and if it wasn't for her,  we wouldn't be here..... we will never know.   So for now  we are exploring this our final stop.  Gene has saddle sores that are keeping him close to home and a bit exposed,....and we have 2 days before we need to sit for 6 hours on the long and winding mountain road through Ciudad Altamirano back home.  




Cori, the best travelled dog in Mexico enjoyed our ChuChu tourist train trip through town today....or at least I think he did...he's looking a bit ragged after 2 weeks on the road and we all need a trip to the beauty parlor soon!  Home is sounding good!

Queretaro City and a place called "Home"

I've never really known much about Queretaro, but when we were planning our trip I wanted to include one large Colonial City and I was delighted to read that Queretaro's Centro Historico had been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It was all I needed to feel certain that this city which lies between San Miguel de Allende and the butterflies would be our stop for the need to experience big city life.

And then when it came to find doggie friendly digs, I was even more delighted when Shelley, the Canadian born owner of Home B&B quickly responded with an affirmative that she would indeed accept us and Cori for our 3 chosen nights.  I did a quick review of Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor and felt ever so smug to have secured this highly ranked place for our stay.  

So on arrival, we usually find it's necessary to park our car and walk the narrow streets to ensure our GPS has once again taken us to the "right" location.  Shelley had described her building as orange with blue tiles, which is a color combination I love in Mexico.  As we gazed hopefully at the heritage facades with their lively talavera tile numbers, I was picturing the attractive building that we would call "Home" for our 3 days.  Such was not the first impression.  In a city where everything is old, how did we manage to get the only mid-century modern (read 1950's low budget) row housing complex that is part parking lot, part homes for at least 10 families?   Shelley was indeed there to greet us, and her welcoming style and friendly housemaid did lots to overcome our shock and horror at the eclectic mix of Mexican thrift store and aging Canadian furniture that comprises "Home" B&B.   And not only is there "Home", we learned from Shelley over her breakfast table that she also operates "Home again", Home 3,4, and 5 and a few other apartments in the Historic Centro that Shelley can arrange should a prospective guest prefer a non "group living" experience.   This is one smart woman.  She's successfully managed the art of on line marketing, great customer experience and service and all done with a minimum of frills.  She employs several locals who assist her to clean, cook, shop and maintain the buildings.  Her customers who soon become friends are quick to  overcome the shortfalls of what we've come to expect in accommodation.  There aren't enough outlets to charge our devices, the shower is in fact the entire bathroom, where a central floor drain allows the shower to drain away, ooops, better move your toilet paper and towel before you get started.  The bedrooms are so small that together with our dog, his bed, our suitcases and cooler with essential wines etc. we are now occupying 2 bedrooms.  Gene has chosen a second floor single bed with a sadly sagging mattress, in favor of a better bathroom with an outlet so he can use his magic waterpik.  His walls are decorated with the Roy Rogers/Dale Evans theme - vintage cowboy -- just perfect for a guy named after Gene Autry.   It's like "home" alright....home in the '50's that is!!    But Mama never cooked like this....and I do mean cook.




Shelley manages to prepare all the breakfasts and the food is plentiful and excellent and sets you up for a day on the streets of Queretaro. 







But meanwhile, Quereataro has worked it's charms on us.  We love strolling the andadors (Pedestrian only streets) marvelling at the squares, the fountains, the churches and the Spanish Baroque buildings that have been so lovingly maintained.  Music abounds, people are everywhere and although touting itself as "doggie friendly" Cori has yet to find a place to run free...including even the large Jardin Alameda- what should be the perfect doggie friendly park is indeed off limits to all "mascotas".   Restaurants are fun...we found 2 fabulous eateries in our neighborhood.  Maria y su bici and Biznarga are both eclectic, local eateries with live music and great menus.   

 

We've spent 3 days wandering the maze of streets and admiring the colonial facades, occassionally getting glimpses into the verdant courtyards replete with tiles, ironwork, and that gracious sense of space that these old buildings have.   Remodelling/finishing a house here is the stuff dreams are made of.  Is it time to uproot our Canadian roots and head for the inlands of Mexico?   Could we keep a vacation home in Zihuatanejo.  I see living here as being entirely possible.   Could this be my next life?

Finding some magic in the area of Pueblos magicos

After three days in the desert sun, and not so sun,  it's time to move on.   We can now say that we've seen 4 more of the pueblo magicos of Mexico, driven to 2 more states that we've never been before, and been to the geographic center of the country of Mexico.  And we've adjusted to a bit of a disappointment and continued to make the most of our magic mystery trip.

Getting here to Queretaro was no easy journey.  We've always prided ourselves in taking the back roads and enjoying the sights along the way...but I think on Valentines' Day, the day we travelled here we both reached our limit of topes, bad food and sharing my front seat with Cori.  There is no easy route from Morelia to Tequisquiapan, so we wound our way through towns with names that evoke Mexico's indigenous roots.  One looked particulary familiar, and we realize that we've been through Acambaro Michoacan before enroute to the Monarch butterflies in Angangeuo 2 years ago.  This country is too big to pass through the same obscur place twice, but we have. 

Arriving in Queretaro state was a long climb up in to the high desert plateaus.  We managed to climb to 2700 meters in the cool, crisp air enroute through dry, cactus lined hills along the way.   I had booked our hotel once again on my always reliable Booking.com website which has served us well throughout Europe, the US and Canada...but I guess it's no surprise to more experienced travellers than me that you cannot always count on such good luck.   After winding our way through the narrow one way streets of El Centro,in Tequisquiapan, we arrived to an unwelcoming, fetid smelling hotel and were told that our car wouldn't be safe on the streets and they couldn't offer us parking...so we left..and were soon greeted by two pleasant young men on bicicycles offering to take us to a hotel that would take our pet....immediately my thoughts went to Chiapas and our arrival and imminent robbery...was this to be our fate again? 

But luck was with us, and the two men proceeded to take us to the charming Suites Paraiso where we were fortunate to find a clean, large spacious suite available for 1/2 the price of the other hotel.  So once located we went to see why this is such a special location, and quickly came to an initial impression that it is not our kind of place.  This town has been "artificially" created in what was once a natural location of hot springs that are no longer in abundance.   They allude to the "fountain of youth" found here, but just like the out of service "Pozo" or deep tub in our bungalow...there is no more fountain of youth..but instead steady streams of middle class Mexicans arriving for their weekend getaways.  It reminds me of the weekend crowds from Calgary heading to Canmore and Banff on the weekend, with no less than the similar array of tourist shops, cafes and guides ready to take your money. 

The town was largely empty when we arrived on  Thursday.  With the arrival of the weekend, the streets are now full of both vendors from the nearby Pueblos and tourists or vacation home owners from Mexico City and Queretaro.  And we've used the 3 days to drive to the other 3 pueblo magicos that are within 30 km. radius of this, the largest location.   I think that we chose correctly, as we have had a very comfortable hotel for Cori yet again, and have had the advantage of being in the center of the other 3 towns we wanted to see nearby.

We adored the small town of Huichipan in Hidalgo after a winding mountain road through open rock quarries.   We shivered in both awe and cold in Pena de Bernal, a mystical location with a monolith that is ranked 3rd in size in the world and atrracts people to it's magical powers.   I loved the streets of this high mountain town, but am indeed missing the warmth of Zihuatanejo.   Our final pueblo took us past the Freixnet Vineyard/Winery where we fully intended to stop for wine tastings, but it is indeed a popular activity on Saturday afternoons, and the gates had been closed due to the large number of people waiting inside for their tastings/tours.   Cadareyta didn't even inspire us to leave the car as it lacked anything of the charm for which the term pueblo magico is reserved.   But it's hard to find the charm in places where grey dust is circling with cold breezes.  These are primarily mining towns and the people who live here share the facial characteristics of all people who reside at high altitudes.  The women vendors in the square could easily be confused for working in the markets of the Andes.   Today I found some little treasures in the wool looms of Bernal and the very unappealing market of artisans wares that is located on the outskirsts of Tequisquiapan, along the windswept freeway held the treausre I've been searching for my dear neighbour in Zihuatanejo.  

Tomorrow we leave, we've celebrated Valentine's Day one day late with a fabulous Italian meal with live music yesterday.  Now we are ready to move on and hopefully see more of a colonial city splendors.  Oh, and I'd like to warm up a little too before we head back to the chill of the butterflies in Ziticuaro.  

p.s. I've forgotten to mention that we were possibly the only guests staying at our hotel in Morelia, but enjoyed the best of service including breakfasts delivered to our terrace.  Here, we are two of perhaps one half dozen non-Mexican tourists in this area.  The others are European and we feel very responsible telling everyone we deal with "Somos Canadienses"...we are Canadian (almost)