 |
| Gold Cheeked Woodpecker (Female) |
 |
| Masked Tityra |
 |
| Orange fronted parakeet |
 | |||
| Orange fronted parakeets |
Saturday, February 12, 2011
More beautiful birds
It has been cooler here (23C) so we are doing more walking and biking than swimming this winter. Recently we hiked a dirt road heading up and over a hill to a small beach about 1 1/2 miles from our RV park. Along the way we spotted some birds we hadn't seen before.
The parakeets you could hear in the trees but you had to stand quietly and watch through the binoculars for a few minutes to detect them moving among the leaves of the tree.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Shrimp and Hummers
The camarone truck comes to our area twice a week and today we bought some little guys for din-din. They cooked up really nice on the barbie. MMMMMMM goood!
While Bev went off to Tonala this Rufous Hummingbird paid a visit to the feeder. I saw it just two days, then he moved on somewhere.
While Bev went off to Tonala this Rufous Hummingbird paid a visit to the feeder. I saw it just two days, then he moved on somewhere.
 | |
| Rufous Hummingbird |
 |
| 3 on the feeder, not identified |
 |
| Getting close, they really don't mind much. This is likely a Black-chinned Hummer. |
 |
| One on, and one in-coming |
January 29, 2011
Our daughter-in-law, Shannon, captured some beautiful photos of our beach area here in Lo De Marcos when they were here the first week of January so we've included her pictures in this post.
Below is a photo of the view of the harbor in Puerto Vallarta from a restaurant we dined at on the evening of January 10th before Warren, Shannon and Maxine boarded the plane to return to Toronto.
Bev went on a shopping excursion to Tonala from Jan 19th to Jan 21st. Tonala is an eastern suburb of Guadalajara which is the second largest city in Mexico. The population of Guadalajara and it's seven surrounding municipalities is approximately 5 million. The trip to Tonala took 5 hours (1 hour just to cross from the west side of Guadalajara to the east). A coach bus was chartered for the 42 women on the excursion. Total cost was $1100 pesos (about $92 Canadian) for the chartered bus, 2 nights hotel accommodation plus associated tips. Food was cheap (less than $1 to $3 for a lunch, $9 to $11 for dinner and a drink). A great time was had by all and new friendships formed as Bev only knew 1 other person on the bus when she boarded it! The following photos are of some historic buildings, statue and fountain surrounding the town square in Tonala. The first two photos include our friend Mavis who was travelling with Bev.
We have seen a few new species of birds this year in our campground. The most beautiful being the Painted Bunting, as seen under our car, looking for seeds.
Another bird is the Yellow Winged Cicaque. We had noticed their nests hanging from trees over the highway on the way to Puerto Vallarta and thought they were Oriole nests. Here is the link to view a photo of this bird and it's nest.
http://www.vivanatura.org/Cacicus%20melanicterus%20ExtraPhotos.html
The morning of Thursday, January 27th we came across the tracks of a large sea turtle who had come to shore to lay it's eggs on the beach. Unfortunately, we did not have the camera with us but the turtle must have been quite big as the tracks were 4 feet across from one flipper imprint to the other. Since then, we have seen additional tracks of other turtles, one about 5 feet across. The beach is a protected area in regards to sea turtle eggs.
Thursday afternoon we attended a music session by talented gringos and Mexicans who get together once a week to perform for the enjoyment of family and friends.
We seldom have much in the way of cloud cover so sunsets are generally not something to write home about. Friday night (Jan 28th) was an exception.
 |
| View looking north. |
 |
| View from the southern point, where we boogie-board. |
 |
| Looking out from the point, with morning shadows. |
Below is a photo of the view of the harbor in Puerto Vallarta from a restaurant we dined at on the evening of January 10th before Warren, Shannon and Maxine boarded the plane to return to Toronto.
 |
| Pirate ship cruise. |
Bev went on a shopping excursion to Tonala from Jan 19th to Jan 21st. Tonala is an eastern suburb of Guadalajara which is the second largest city in Mexico. The population of Guadalajara and it's seven surrounding municipalities is approximately 5 million. The trip to Tonala took 5 hours (1 hour just to cross from the west side of Guadalajara to the east). A coach bus was chartered for the 42 women on the excursion. Total cost was $1100 pesos (about $92 Canadian) for the chartered bus, 2 nights hotel accommodation plus associated tips. Food was cheap (less than $1 to $3 for a lunch, $9 to $11 for dinner and a drink). A great time was had by all and new friendships formed as Bev only knew 1 other person on the bus when she boarded it! The following photos are of some historic buildings, statue and fountain surrounding the town square in Tonala. The first two photos include our friend Mavis who was travelling with Bev.
We have seen a few new species of birds this year in our campground. The most beautiful being the Painted Bunting, as seen under our car, looking for seeds.
 |
| Internet sourced. |
Another bird is the Yellow Winged Cicaque. We had noticed their nests hanging from trees over the highway on the way to Puerto Vallarta and thought they were Oriole nests. Here is the link to view a photo of this bird and it's nest.
http://www.vivanatura.org/Cacicus%20melanicterus%20ExtraPhotos.html
The morning of Thursday, January 27th we came across the tracks of a large sea turtle who had come to shore to lay it's eggs on the beach. Unfortunately, we did not have the camera with us but the turtle must have been quite big as the tracks were 4 feet across from one flipper imprint to the other. Since then, we have seen additional tracks of other turtles, one about 5 feet across. The beach is a protected area in regards to sea turtle eggs.
Thursday afternoon we attended a music session by talented gringos and Mexicans who get together once a week to perform for the enjoyment of family and friends.
We seldom have much in the way of cloud cover so sunsets are generally not something to write home about. Friday night (Jan 28th) was an exception.
Friday, January 14, 2011
January 14, 2011
Happy New Year to all our friends and family! We have had a busy time since our last post on December 26th and friends and neighbours have been asking if we are still alive. Nope...just missing in action. We get into a lifestyle here that somehow doesn't leave time to update the blog regularly.
After Christmas, Bev joined the Thai Yoga classes held every morning at the El Caracol RV Park. A great way to start the day!
This coast area has been busy since Christmas with Mexican families vacationing here as the children did not return to school until January 12th. The beach was usually busy with many Mexicans enjoying the Christmas break at the ocean. It is always great to see them here as we like this location with all its Mexican flavours.
The 3 couples here at the Savage RV Park joined the gang at the El Caracol RV Park to dine on New Year's Eve and stayed to toast in the New Year with an evening. The owners and workers of the park joined in, as well as three younger couples staying in the rental rooms. A fun time was had by all. Right after midnight the oldsters headed for bed and the Mexicans stayed on. Yup, they like to party.
Over the next week we spotted humpback whales 3 times surfacing along the coast. The surf has become stronger so we've had a chance to boogie board most days. The high tide is once again shifting the sand and changing the beach area.
On January 3rd, our son Warren and his family flew down to join us for a week. We had a wonderful time with them and especially with our granddaughter Maxine who is now 11 months old.
Grandpa took her to see the caymen (like a crocodile) sunning himself in the ditch across the road, the horses grazing along the shoulder of a nearby street, and the beach dogs. She loves dogs and is trying hard to say the word "dog". We spent one day in Rincon de Guayabitos and another at the market in La Penita.
The surf was fairly good and Warren and Shannon got to learn how to boogie-board and had a lot of fun. I think they got some appreciation for why we stay here in Lo de Marcos, with the great long beach, not a lot of people, and a real flavour of Mexico. They got to eat tostadas and beer on the beach from a palapa restaurant, take long walks on the beach, see the birds in the lagoon, and enjoy the sunny weather.
The hummingbirds are very active now and we have bought an additional feeder from the Home Depot. Maxine got a real thrill seeing these little birds go zooming around. She would reach out to touch them and would talk to them, almost like asking them to come closer. The birds are very comfortable around people and you can stand right under the feeder while they feed, not more than 2 feet away.
Its only been a few days since Warren, Shannon, and Maxine flew home and we miss them a lot. It was pure joy to be around Maxine for a whole week. We got to appreciate her development and amazed by her sign language. That was something that didn't exist when we had kids and what a great way to communicate. She was a great entertainment and we look forward to seeing her again in April.
The next event for us is a bus trip for Bev to Guadalahara. A group of 42 women in the area are going on a chartered bus on Jan 19-21. Vic will stay home to keep an eye on the beach.
On Feb 4th, daughter Laura and husband Bill will fly into Puerto Vallarta, staying at a hotel in town. We will join them a couple of days and probably drive them here for a visit. If Laura wasn't so pregnant, I'm sure she would enjoy zip-lining in Sayulita. Maybe another time.
After Christmas, Bev joined the Thai Yoga classes held every morning at the El Caracol RV Park. A great way to start the day!
This coast area has been busy since Christmas with Mexican families vacationing here as the children did not return to school until January 12th. The beach was usually busy with many Mexicans enjoying the Christmas break at the ocean. It is always great to see them here as we like this location with all its Mexican flavours.
The 3 couples here at the Savage RV Park joined the gang at the El Caracol RV Park to dine on New Year's Eve and stayed to toast in the New Year with an evening. The owners and workers of the park joined in, as well as three younger couples staying in the rental rooms. A fun time was had by all. Right after midnight the oldsters headed for bed and the Mexicans stayed on. Yup, they like to party.
Over the next week we spotted humpback whales 3 times surfacing along the coast. The surf has become stronger so we've had a chance to boogie board most days. The high tide is once again shifting the sand and changing the beach area.
On January 3rd, our son Warren and his family flew down to join us for a week. We had a wonderful time with them and especially with our granddaughter Maxine who is now 11 months old.
 |
| Maxine enjoys a breakfast of cream cheese on toast. |
 |
| Sharing a tasty morsel with Mom. |
 |
| Maxine wears her hand embroidered Mexican dress. |
 |
| Maxine gets in close inspection of the camera. |
 |
| While Mom and Dad go for a walk, Maxine gets a car ride with the park owner's daughter. |
 | ||
| Always be alert when making right turns! |
The hummingbirds are very active now and we have bought an additional feeder from the Home Depot. Maxine got a real thrill seeing these little birds go zooming around. She would reach out to touch them and would talk to them, almost like asking them to come closer. The birds are very comfortable around people and you can stand right under the feeder while they feed, not more than 2 feet away.
 | ||
| Three on the feeder at once. |
 |
| We miss our little Miss Maxine. |
Its only been a few days since Warren, Shannon, and Maxine flew home and we miss them a lot. It was pure joy to be around Maxine for a whole week. We got to appreciate her development and amazed by her sign language. That was something that didn't exist when we had kids and what a great way to communicate. She was a great entertainment and we look forward to seeing her again in April.
The next event for us is a bus trip for Bev to Guadalahara. A group of 42 women in the area are going on a chartered bus on Jan 19-21. Vic will stay home to keep an eye on the beach.
On Feb 4th, daughter Laura and husband Bill will fly into Puerto Vallarta, staying at a hotel in town. We will join them a couple of days and probably drive them here for a visit. If Laura wasn't so pregnant, I'm sure she would enjoy zip-lining in Sayulita. Maybe another time.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Sunday December 26th
Bev says:
I arrived back in Lo De Marcos on December 21st. My mother seems to be recovering successfully. I am feeling low with a cold and irritating cough. I feel very much in the Christmas mood and will give it to Vic so he can enjoy his birthday. Hah!
On Christmas Eve, we spent the afternoon playing games with Mike & Mavis. Lots of fun and a few drinks. We went to dinner at our favourite local restaurant, Sugar & Spice and enjoyed a rib dinner. We walked around the village after dinner and found one of the streets blocked off for a local street party. We stopped to watch the children and their pinatas. They would string up Santa Claus on a rope and then take big swings with a big stick. The poor guy was getting the stuffing knocked out of him. When he finally got ruptured, his guts spilled down on the street and the kids rushed in like vultures and scooped up all the guts. OK, it wasn't guts. It was candy treats and the kids were really having a lot of fun.
We joined friends at El Caracol for a pot luck dinner on Christmas Day. A great spread of turkey breasts, ham, salads, potatoes, veggies, various kinds of pies, mincemeat tarts, etc. Our contribution was the mincemeat tarts and rice crispie squares, which a lot of people really enjoyed. There were about 25 people there and everyone enjoyed themselves.
The beach has been busier the last few days with Mexican families here to celebrate the holiday week. The surf seems to be picking up and Vic hopes to be able to boogie board.
Vic says:
The hummingbirds continue to amuse us. They are so interesting to watch, as they flit back and forth. One stopped at our hanging Christmas decoration and searched the red bows, thinking they were flowers, looking for the nectar. Amusing. One hovered within inches of Vic's face, almost like saying "What's with these strange flowers you have?"
I made a hummingbird feeder for Mavis using a plastic Coca Cola bottle, and a small plastic storage container. I cut up a Coca Cola can into four little flowers and glued them onto the container. Then I cut holes into the flowers. I filled the bottle with sugar water and it was ready to hang. That was yesterday and already today the hummingbirds were coming to the new feeder. I didn't invent it...just found the instructions on the Internet.
I arrived back in Lo De Marcos on December 21st. My mother seems to be recovering successfully. I am feeling low with a cold and irritating cough. I feel very much in the Christmas mood and will give it to Vic so he can enjoy his birthday. Hah!
On Christmas Eve, we spent the afternoon playing games with Mike & Mavis. Lots of fun and a few drinks. We went to dinner at our favourite local restaurant, Sugar & Spice and enjoyed a rib dinner. We walked around the village after dinner and found one of the streets blocked off for a local street party. We stopped to watch the children and their pinatas. They would string up Santa Claus on a rope and then take big swings with a big stick. The poor guy was getting the stuffing knocked out of him. When he finally got ruptured, his guts spilled down on the street and the kids rushed in like vultures and scooped up all the guts. OK, it wasn't guts. It was candy treats and the kids were really having a lot of fun.
We joined friends at El Caracol for a pot luck dinner on Christmas Day. A great spread of turkey breasts, ham, salads, potatoes, veggies, various kinds of pies, mincemeat tarts, etc. Our contribution was the mincemeat tarts and rice crispie squares, which a lot of people really enjoyed. There were about 25 people there and everyone enjoyed themselves.
The beach has been busier the last few days with Mexican families here to celebrate the holiday week. The surf seems to be picking up and Vic hopes to be able to boogie board.
Vic says:
The hummingbirds continue to amuse us. They are so interesting to watch, as they flit back and forth. One stopped at our hanging Christmas decoration and searched the red bows, thinking they were flowers, looking for the nectar. Amusing. One hovered within inches of Vic's face, almost like saying "What's with these strange flowers you have?"
I made a hummingbird feeder for Mavis using a plastic Coca Cola bottle, and a small plastic storage container. I cut up a Coca Cola can into four little flowers and glued them onto the container. Then I cut holes into the flowers. I filled the bottle with sugar water and it was ready to hang. That was yesterday and already today the hummingbirds were coming to the new feeder. I didn't invent it...just found the instructions on the Internet.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Setting in
We just got settled in and Bev had to catch a flight home on Saturday. Her mom is in hospital and not doing well so she just had to get back. Meanwhile, I'm here lonely but not forgotten. It is great to Skype with the family and see Maxine. She really gets a hoot out of seeing Grampa and the computer and bangs away on the keyboard just like Mommy and Daddy do. She is a quick learner.
Before Bev left, she did get the hummingbird feeder up, but didn't get to see any. Well, they have been around and are amusing to watch. I am having trouble identifying them but there is at least a black-chinned and a cinnamon. Not sure of the others. They may be immature or females with little coloration.
I can sit at the window with the screen slid back and shoot pictures of these little guys. They are getting more comfortable by the day and are now flying under the awning. I now call it the hummingbird highway, outside my door. They are very territorial and there are several tiffs throughout the day. You see these little dots zipping around so fast that you can't keep track of them.
Yesterday I walked way down the beach and I heard some squawking in the trees and went exploring. I saw these wonderful large blue birds with very long tails and a crest on the head. Big birds. No binoculars or camera so they are just a memory. It took a lot of searching to find the name but eventually I determined that they were White-throated Magpies.
Here is a picture of the White-throated Magpie
Later in the afternoon, the surf was up. The first time since we got here. I got some time in the waves on the boogie board but kept to the small stuff in-shore. I was helping Mike with his first time on the board. He did well and seems to enjoy it a lot. Soon I will go out to the bigger waves and longer rides.
Before Bev left, she did get the hummingbird feeder up, but didn't get to see any. Well, they have been around and are amusing to watch. I am having trouble identifying them but there is at least a black-chinned and a cinnamon. Not sure of the others. They may be immature or females with little coloration.
I can sit at the window with the screen slid back and shoot pictures of these little guys. They are getting more comfortable by the day and are now flying under the awning. I now call it the hummingbird highway, outside my door. They are very territorial and there are several tiffs throughout the day. You see these little dots zipping around so fast that you can't keep track of them.
Yesterday I walked way down the beach and I heard some squawking in the trees and went exploring. I saw these wonderful large blue birds with very long tails and a crest on the head. Big birds. No binoculars or camera so they are just a memory. It took a lot of searching to find the name but eventually I determined that they were White-throated Magpies.
Here is a picture of the White-throated Magpie
Later in the afternoon, the surf was up. The first time since we got here. I got some time in the waves on the boogie board but kept to the small stuff in-shore. I was helping Mike with his first time on the board. He did well and seems to enjoy it a lot. Soon I will go out to the bigger waves and longer rides.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Getting caught up
I know you must think we have been kidnapped and held ransom or dropped off the end of the earth. No such luck for you. I'll try to get you caught up.
Out last blog had us in southwest Tuscon on Nov. 25th. The next day, Friday, we headed a half hour south to Mountain View RV park, which put us fairly close to our jumping off point in Nogales AZ. We were greatly disappointed that the park didn't have WiFi so we were out of touch.
On Sunday, we moved to the Nogales WalMart to stay overnight. On the following morning, we met up with three other couples heading south. One couple was towing a fifth wheel trailer, one was driving a van, and the third was driving an SUV. We crossed into Mexico and got thru the formalities in about 40 minutes and were underway by 10:30 PM, delayed a while by the dogs needing "watering". The couple in the van were traveling with 4 Schnauzers! There were several stops along the way over the next three days that added up to several hours. We are just glad we don't have a dog. We traveled 264 miles and spent 365 pesos (about $35) on tolls and arrived in San Carlos at about 4:00 PM. We encountered several police patrols along the highway but were never stopped. They are very friendly to RVs and wave you right thru any checks.
Bummer the RV park didn' t have WiFi. Nice place otherwise.
The next day would be a long slog and we left 7 AM. At this point, we are in the state of Sonora. The landscape is nothing special and semi-arid. That all changed when we drove into the state of Sinaloa. The land turned much flatter and much greener. There is a lot of agriculture and the fields went on forever. Not sure what was growing but the license plates for this state has a tomato on it. Might be a clue! We encountered many many large greenhouses that seemed to be covered in a beige Sunbrella material.
We also passed a convoy of four police pickup trucks with with cops and big guns in the back, accompanied by two police cars. Some weeks, back a patrol at a road check point was attacked by the druggies and 8 cops were killed and 3 wounded. The situation is very volatile between the police and druggies here and the police look a little edgy.
We finally ended the day at a campground on the ocean just as the sun was setting (another 442 miles). There were no trailers in the park but one of our group had stayed here before and liked it. Different story this time. Again no WiFi. They were charging an arm and leg comparatively and the couple in the van were charged $50 for there stay in one of the rooms. We do NOT recommend Punta San Miguel RV Park. It was still pretty cool even on our second night heading south. The temperature dropped to 8C overnight. Brr.
We headed out the next morning at about 8:15 PM, allowing a comfortable driving time to Lo De Marcos. It was a tough drive going up into the mountains around Tepic and then through the winding roads from there to Compostela. From Compostela, it is all downhill to the coastal plain. This is the section where we boiled the brake fluid last year. With that in mind, I was very careful to use first gear in many sections and only use the brakes when absolutely needed. No problems this trip!
We arrived at Savage RV Park in Lo de Marcos at 4 PM, after driving 288 miles. The total toll charges amounted to staggering 2897 pesos (about $275). Ouch! The alternative is to drive through many small towns and villages with lots of speed bumps (topes) and vibradores (vibrating bumps), taking hours longer, and probably adding two days to the trip.
WiFi at last!
The weather is great, but about 3C cooler than last year and the water is cooler too.
Out last blog had us in southwest Tuscon on Nov. 25th. The next day, Friday, we headed a half hour south to Mountain View RV park, which put us fairly close to our jumping off point in Nogales AZ. We were greatly disappointed that the park didn't have WiFi so we were out of touch.
On Sunday, we moved to the Nogales WalMart to stay overnight. On the following morning, we met up with three other couples heading south. One couple was towing a fifth wheel trailer, one was driving a van, and the third was driving an SUV. We crossed into Mexico and got thru the formalities in about 40 minutes and were underway by 10:30 PM, delayed a while by the dogs needing "watering". The couple in the van were traveling with 4 Schnauzers! There were several stops along the way over the next three days that added up to several hours. We are just glad we don't have a dog. We traveled 264 miles and spent 365 pesos (about $35) on tolls and arrived in San Carlos at about 4:00 PM. We encountered several police patrols along the highway but were never stopped. They are very friendly to RVs and wave you right thru any checks.
Bummer the RV park didn' t have WiFi. Nice place otherwise.
The next day would be a long slog and we left 7 AM. At this point, we are in the state of Sonora. The landscape is nothing special and semi-arid. That all changed when we drove into the state of Sinaloa. The land turned much flatter and much greener. There is a lot of agriculture and the fields went on forever. Not sure what was growing but the license plates for this state has a tomato on it. Might be a clue! We encountered many many large greenhouses that seemed to be covered in a beige Sunbrella material.
We also passed a convoy of four police pickup trucks with with cops and big guns in the back, accompanied by two police cars. Some weeks, back a patrol at a road check point was attacked by the druggies and 8 cops were killed and 3 wounded. The situation is very volatile between the police and druggies here and the police look a little edgy.
We finally ended the day at a campground on the ocean just as the sun was setting (another 442 miles). There were no trailers in the park but one of our group had stayed here before and liked it. Different story this time. Again no WiFi. They were charging an arm and leg comparatively and the couple in the van were charged $50 for there stay in one of the rooms. We do NOT recommend Punta San Miguel RV Park. It was still pretty cool even on our second night heading south. The temperature dropped to 8C overnight. Brr.
We headed out the next morning at about 8:15 PM, allowing a comfortable driving time to Lo De Marcos. It was a tough drive going up into the mountains around Tepic and then through the winding roads from there to Compostela. From Compostela, it is all downhill to the coastal plain. This is the section where we boiled the brake fluid last year. With that in mind, I was very careful to use first gear in many sections and only use the brakes when absolutely needed. No problems this trip!
We arrived at Savage RV Park in Lo de Marcos at 4 PM, after driving 288 miles. The total toll charges amounted to staggering 2897 pesos (about $275). Ouch! The alternative is to drive through many small towns and villages with lots of speed bumps (topes) and vibradores (vibrating bumps), taking hours longer, and probably adding two days to the trip.
WiFi at last!
The weather is great, but about 3C cooler than last year and the water is cooler too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)