Life going on

Activities.

We are doing a few things beside checking daily on the building progress. We had to leave Derek's on Monday as new higher-paying tenants were due on the plane (3 PM). After the extended research in Oaxaca, Puerto Angel, Escondido, and elsewhere, with and without Dan, we wound up taking a cabin near the beach towards the point in a small complex which had about 15 little wood cabins, about 12 feet square, packed close together, with shared (cold) showers and toilets. It was OK but at 375 a night, overpriced, even in this high season. So yesterday the search resumed a bit, and as I write today I am on the terrace outside our 2nd-floor room in a small Mexican-family Posada above the highway and a few blocks from downtown The road noise might be a bit loud, we'll see, but then it is new year's eve so it will be noisy everywhere.

We have our own bath, with two valves in the shower so there might be warm water, and five beds in two rooms. Since we need five nights, we can sleep on clean sheets every night if we like. Sophie is sleeping nearby as I write, no problems for Mr Enrique and his family/staff. Liz is out shopping and sweating.

Just after we left Dereks, two things happened -- they got a call that the new tennants would be a day late, and their drains stopped draining. He had to break through the terrace tile and concrete outside the lower apartment (where we were last year) to pump the tank but that didn't fix it. Yesterday the plumber came back and eventually found the clog which was from heavy sediment which had gathered in the drain from when their roof leaked and some runoff was diverted into the drains. The new people made it (from Canada) yesterday but they lose a day in paradise to the weather. Derek was relieved they were late or they wouldn't have had toilets or showers on arrival for their nice vacation.

Yesterday we went to Playa Coral for some snorkeling in the big waves in the afternoon. First we took a beach walk in the morning wich got a bit long for Sophie as we found out there were baby turtles down the way crawling to the waves. Later we went for a drive to and walk along the beach below Barra De Navidad, the little town just past the point, and found the narrow dirt road back toward Casa Den. That wore out Sophie some more. By the time we got her down the path to the snorkeling beach she had about reached her limit so she needed a carry or two up the hill back to the car.

Monday afternon, after moving, we went down to the very busy main part of Zicatela beach to watch the crowds, the sunsets, and the skydivers coming down. Every year they come to town for a week or two, taking people up ($400 US last year) for tandem jumps and for solo jumps after that. The plane is making repeated trips, delivering one set (a few to maybe 20) of jumpers up and diving back to the airport for the next set, about 23 minutes later. It looks like such a thrill. It's fun to just lie on your back on the sand and watch them sailing and flying in, some coming extremely fast at ground level, using the chute at the end to slow them down horizontally for a gentle running (or tripping) landing. In the Mexican way, people leave some beach space for them to land, but there is a volleyball net a few meters away that looks like a huge hazard to flying humans.

Last night we went out for pizza (La Hosteria) and then to the Rockaway for great live music. Too bad we go home so early. Since we lost our kitchen at Derek and Christine's and have to eat out now, we've had breakfasts at Dan's (nee Carmen) cafe (and internet WiFi). We had a lousy undercooked chicken dinner the other night at Cabo Blanco and burgers at Mangoes again too. And some tlayudas downtown for lunch yesterday, from which we have yet to get sick again, so far. Life is good.