Good Weather, Good Food, Good Times...in Mexico!

Unlike the negative press that Mexico is receiving NOB we are still enjoying our stay here in the Yucatan. This week has been busy with visiting, volunteering and eating ( and of course a few cervazas ).

This has been another great week of weather and we have spent a few days around the pool especially in the mornings as well as walks on the beach. We came across a group of fishermen hauling their net from the shore though they didn't get a very big catch.

I can take a lot of these days!

Starting to haul the net...notice the guy far out in the water...

Bringing the net closer to shore...

Is that all the fish we have????

We walk almost every day and always see something new. Here are a few street pictures from our walks...

A faded facade...

The cemetery...the Mexicans bury their dead in shallow graves and remove them after a few years and rebury them in a smaller space.

I was walking early one Sunday morning and came across the butcher set up on the sidewalk selling his meat.. There was a lineup...

Midweek we invited our friend Brin down for a Jiggs dinner, Mexican style. Don brought the salt beef from home as well as a bag of peas for pease pudding.Unfortunately customs took his peas but his luck held out and they gave him back his salt meat.

Given we didn't have NL savoury for stuffing I used local cilantro which is used a lot here and then I added fresh limes. It gave the chicken an interesting but delicious flavor. We substituted garbonzo beans for peas and boiled them in the pudding bag,again a good result and a fabulous home made meal.

The makings of a Mexican stuffing....

Ummm...this is going to be tasty!

We also ate out a couple of times when we had Todo Frito ( Totally Fried )...

Fried fish, shrimp, onion rings and chips...

And this soup was very good as well....

Papaya garlic soup...

And what about these wings???

One day this week we visited the local schools to see what they were like as well as fiqure out how we might offer our services for teaching English. The schools here are quite primitive with not a lot of facilities. In one school the janitor kept asking us for garbage bags and a wheelbarrow as he needs them for his work and there is no budget for these items.

One of the school buildings...there are a number of these samll concrete buildings located around the grounds.There are small classrooms in some, a computer lab in another and the toilets in the other.

A typical classroom...

The children all wear uniforms to school and present themselves very well in snow white shirts and skirts or pants. There are children who cannot go to school as their parents cannot afford uniforms and supplies. The expats here do a lot of fundraising to help these families.

The elementary children in their uniforms

The children here go to school in shifts with the first shift starting around 7:30am and the older students not finishing until 6pm. It seems this is done as space is limited as well as not having a lot of teaching staff.

A small group of us got together and after seeing both schools decided to do an English Activity Camp on Saturdays at the Comunity Center so children and their parents from all the schools could attend. We are starting next week and I am really looking forward to seeing how it will go.

We also helped out with ball at the local ball field. A guy from Canada brought down some balls, bats and gloves and they are starting a baseball league with the local children. This was the first time and there was a huge turnout and it was so mcuh fun. Don and I know nothing about the game so we helped where we could. The children were a joy to work with and are already looking forward to next week.

This is how you hold the bat....

Ok, I get it....

And here's the proof...

Austin, Don and Brooke in the outfield...

Another day we went to a fashion show in Chuburna, a very small town west of here with a large number of Canadians. It was held at one of their homes in a beautiful back garden and again a great way to spend the afternoon and meet some new people. This fundraiser was held in support of the school's computer program and they raised 10000 pesos! The gently used clothes were all for sale and with the prices they were asking most of it sold rather quickly. I bought a red parrot dress that will always remind me of my time here as it is the type of dress worn by many Yucatan women...a bargain at 5 dollars!

The setting for the fashion show...

The real women models...

The entertainment...the principal's daugher did a wonderful dance routine...

We have been here now almost two months and as the days move by we are looking at the calendar with growing concern that our days are numbered in this little town! Four more weeks and still so much left to do!!!

The red parrot dress and yes I am happier than I look!!!

Another Busy Week in Progreso...

It seems as if the weeks just fly by and it is Sunday again and time to capture some of the happenings in a new blog post. This week started out very sunny as it was on Monday which was cruise ship day in Progreso. This is a day when there are crowds of tourists and locals especially vendors on the malecon. We have never been down town when the ship comes in so decided to go to the Organic Market on the bus and then walk back.

Everyone was out enjoying the day

Sweets anyone?? These vendors sell marshmallow treats, nuts, merangues and all manner of goodies.

Want to take a picture of my pet iguana?? For a price of course...

A woman named Lina is starting a small Whole Foods market in her courtyard on Monday mornings so she doesn't have a lot for sale but I think it will grow with demand. We bought some organic carrots for supper as well as chiplote chutney that has a kick to it. She also sells farmed rabbit and organic lamb which we hope to try another day. With Don's stomach back to normal he is starting, just barely though to fiqure he can eat out and try something new.

While we on the malecon we stopped into Eladio's which is a beach bar that serves the best botanas. Botanas?? Well here in Mexico in many bars they serve these as free appetizers and the more you drink the more they serve you. Eladio's botanas were great especially the squid in ink and the octopus cerviche. Both were really fresh and tasty. The trick here is to drink a lot and when you leave you are full without buying food!

Botanos and beer...

Squid in ink...

We also had our first introduction to the Mexican health care system as Don had to make a trip to the doctor because his gout is acting up...too many cervazas!! We went to the private hospital to see the doctor which costs 24 CAD and then his pills cost around 2 CAD. Both prices seemed very reasonable to us and the wait was not too long. Apparently we would have been treated for free at the public hospital but the line winds out around the door. Two tier health system??

Don at the entrance to the hospital...

The weather turned midweek as the 20th norte of the season blew in with a vengence and it rained nonstop for two days and the temperature dropped to the low teens. As the wind howled if we didn't know we were in Mexico we would be convinced that a huge nor'easter was blowing through. That day I had a hair appointment again my first since I have been here. When we went up town there was water everywhere over the streets and Isabelle, the hair dresser said that schools are cancelled on these days, their version of a snow day only it is too wet to go outside!!

Isabelle's shop...

We were the only ones at the hairdresser as all her customers stayed home so she cut Don's hair as well as mine. She did an excellent job for very liile money compared to home. I also had a manicure and pedicure that cost me 11 CAD for both. The young woman Abby did a good job and her hand cream was AVON. Also the hairdresser does not give you a shampoo and she washes your hair in cold water from a bucket. But this is Mexico!

Abby doing my manicure...

 We went out on Friday night for fresh fish at a local restaurant owned by an American woman, Natasha, who is married to a Mexican guy  Lupe. They have a small restaurant where they live in the apartment above and on Friday they serve fish that Lupe caught that day. He is also the cook and the fish, mare, was so delicious that we are planning on going back again next week. The place was full of Canadians and Americans so many that we had to wait for a table but the wait was so worth it! I think for me the fish here has been the highlight of my restaurant meals.

Don and I at Pantelone's...

Lupe's mare...deliciouso!!

We also went for a meeting with the group that is hoping to do some work in the schools. The group is small but motivated and tomorrow we are going to visit the schools and get an idea of how we might fit in their schedule. There is a difference of opinion about whether we should set up in the school during class hours and work with a captive audience or set up after school and work with the ones who stay for the class. I guess we will work it out this week and start the week after. Should have some pictures to share next week.

Finally today we went to Merida with our friend, Brin. We met her at the marketplace here in Progreso for breakfast and she ordered for us. We had 3 different kinds of tortillas, one called sopas and the rest I can't remember. There was a chicken (pollo) one, a ground beef one and a spicy poc (pork) one. We had this local drink called horchata which is made out of rice and tastes like white pepto bismal!

The mercardo food court,that's Don in the orange...

Our breafast...

We took the bus into town, stopped in a grocery store and then into Centro where we explored around for awhile.As usual Merida has a festival on the go and this month it is Festival del la Cuidad celebrating the 469th year of the founding of Merida.This festival focuses on the arts and there are many events planned for the month of January. While we there today there was dance troupe from Columbia performing for the crowds. That is one of the things I really like about Merida the number of cultural and arts events that are held every week that are free of charge for everyone. I wish some of our towns and cities could be the same.

One of the dancers, they could really swirl those dresses!

The crowds were enjoying the entertainment.



One of the Cathedral's spires lit up at night...

 We went to the mercardo but being Sunday a lot of the stalls were closed so Don and I will go back another time as it is huge and looks to be interesting. Stopped at a few places for a beer ( it was hot there today), then took it some of the street entertainment and had pizza for supper. All in all a good ending to the week.

The peppers lady...

Lining up for tortillas which are sold for no more than 13 pesos a Kg which is the rate set by the gov't.

Brin and Don in the chicken aisle...

I love the little old ladies wearing their embroidered white dresses.

One of the places we stopped and we were the only non Mexicans there. The band sounded good and people were dancing, drinking and having a good time on a Sunday afternoon.

A Busy Visit...so sad it's over

Well we are back from Cancun and Anne Marie, Mike and Cooper are settling in back in Halifax to snowy weather while we are still enjoying very hot days! As I write this I am sitting here on the front patio and it feels like a sauna as the wind has died down and the water is calm. Our company were quite lucky with weather as they saw only sun, sun and more sun.

The rocking chair here on the patio is one of my favourite places to watch the world go by

We spent our days by the pool as we did last week and generally did very little only relax, drink and eat. Cooper was on a pretty strict diet as we monitored what he ate in fear that his small stomach would not withstand a bug of any kind. Proud to report that no one got any stomach aches only Don who is still taking medication, though things have improved on that front as well.

See all I get to eat are oranges and cheese. I know I look happy but where are the tacos?

And what about a beverage asked Cooper? All I got was filtered water in my sippy cup!

We did a couple of trips into Merida, one to Costco as they wanted to see what it was like compared to Canada. We also liked the lunches as it tastes like home.Cooper,being a Costco fan as well thought in all looked familiar but the books were in Spanish!

Mom wiping down the shopping cart just like she does at home...

Ok, I can't read this book let's check out the merchandise...

Now that's food I understand but will it be kind to my stomach?

We also went into Centro on Sunday and stayed for the night at the Luz where we stayed when we first arrived.. This allowed us to be on Cooper time but also gave Anne Marie and Mike an opportunity to go out for dinner by themselves. They went to La Chaya for traditional Yucatan food which they enjoyed very much. We went before while they got Cooper ready for bed but there was a long lineup so we went to the little hole in the wall we usually go to and I had my favourite which is cochinata pibil...pulled pork served with pickled onions.

The hammock in our hotel room, we stuck to the bed...

Some of the streetscape in Merida. I always wonder what is behind all these walls?

Since it was Sunday there were a lot of food stalls set up as well as stands selling handicrafts. We were too late for the street entertainment this time around but we spent the next day exploring some shops and looking at some of the neighbourhoods.

Now I like street food,what about some fried plantains?

Seems Anne Marie likes them as well, they are great with ketchup...

There were lots of dolls dressed in traditional clothes...

As well as hats of every colour...

What about a colorful sombrero?

On Weds when the cruise ship was in they set up a craft market in Progreso as well so we strolled up to see if Anne Marie could find a mask for her collection and after some bargaining she settled on one to take home. We then went to our local bar for a drink and of course Cooper was still the star.

Cooper sizing up the pinata...

Lots of woodworking...

Pina coladas,the margueritas were better!

Cooper and one of the bar guys.This fellow is always showing us pictures of his son.

This week as well had a special day celebrated by the Mexicans as Los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day). They celebrate this day on January 6 by having a family party with the centrepiece being a cake called Rosca De Reyes.This cake is served after the meal and inside is a small fiqure of baby Jesus and whoever gets the piece containing the fiqure has to make the tamales for the party on February 2. This party is held to celebrate the last of the Christmas festivities, 40 days after the birth of Jesus. Mexicans seem to have lots of excuses to eat and drink!

Two of the three kings we saw in the store...they look scary to me!

The Rosca de Reyes...the cake of the 3 Kings.They were for sale everywhere.

On Thursday we took the Platinum bus into Cancun so we had to fiqure a way to get to the bus station at 6am with all the luggage. So off  Don and I trotted the night before to the taxi stand in the main square to find a cab that would pick us up at 5:30am. Much to our surprise and with our limited Spanish we made ourselves known, got the guy to drive us back to the house so he knew where it was and he said he would be back by 5:30am.We told him we had lots of luggage and that he needed ropes but I guess our Spanish is not that good as he did arrive at 5am with no ropes so we put some luggage in the trunk and held on to the rest for dear life all the way to Merida.

I finally have my own remote control but I don't know how to use it!

Cooper also enjoyed the first class comfort...

The bus as before was a fabulous ride and we were in Cancun and checked into our hotel by noon so we had all that day and the next and then the morning of Sat to enjoy the great resort. It was only half full so the service was great, the saltwater pool was fabulous and the meals delicious. Thanks Mike for this treat, a mini holiday in the middle of a longer one!

Enjoying the warm saltwater pool...

Wow, hot tubbing with Mom...this is the life!

Now this is what I call a shrimp cocktail...too many to eat!

Fresh grouper with achiote sauce...

And to finish key lime and tequila pie...

And finally a picture of Cooper with his Pops and Nana...we so enjoyed his visit, and you too Mike and Anne Marie.