Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC

High Tea in Victoria

Our sunny new home.

The guest room is ready for all our friends & family!

Hoh Rainforest

There are fresh blackberries everywhere! 

Me Speak Boat One Day

Moving to a place where you don't know anyone is an unsettling experience.   It may seem obvious, but it's a feeling not easily imagined and uncomfortable despite anticipation.   It is surprising how much we rely on those around us for identity, and how comforting it is to understand a culture, even if it is simply a subculture of the same country.

I've had to remind myself multiple times in the last week that this unsettled feeling is not entirely new, and in fact, reminiscent of when we first moved to Colorado only six years ago.   I recall standing at a party in September, our first month there, completely at a loss for words (a rarity for me) while everyone around me eagerly regarded the upcoming ski season and reveled in fond memories of previous "epic" snow falls.  I later remarked to a friend how dull the conversation had been,  "I mean, does anyone talk about anything else besides skiing?!"  One year later, come September and the first hints of cool air, I found myself enthusiastically discussing the next ski season at a party and had to laugh at how quickly I had assimilated.

Here in Port Townsend, it isn't snow that delights the locals.  It's boats.  Like skiing in Colorado, this hobby and trade helps define the local culture and attracts people far and wide to the Wooden Boat Festival.  We arrived just in time to volunteer, which proved a great way to introduce ourselves to the area, people and furthermore push our comfort zones into once again unsettling situations (myself in particular).  I was placed as a volunteer in "retail" where all kinds of questions left me staring blankly at my inquisitors.

"Excuse me, could you please tell me where I might find some burgees?" - Lovely lady looking for burgees.

Me:  "I would be happy to, if you could first please tell me, what are burgees?"

And so on and so forth (for those who may not know, burgees are the little flags adorning sailboats, as the lady in the scenario above so kindly explained).  Some people had entire conversations with so many sailing terms that I could barely follow along.  The language is so literally foreign, it is much like standing in a foreign country only all the more disarming since it is actually English.  At one point, as I was carrying a beer to Griffin on the pier, a gentleman said in passing, "Argh, to be receivin' such a load from a lovely lass!"  I kid you not.  And he was not an anomaly.  I heard many "arghs" and "mateys" and other such words I have really only heard on Halloween, along with quite a few others I am sure I have never heard.

[By the way, if you haven't experienced a Sea Chantey, I highly recommend it.  They are the epitome of nostalgic boat songs and are hilarious - and almost always involve drinking.  You Tube it. ]

At the end of the festival a dinner was held for all the volunteers.  We bustled in with the crowds (including a pirate looking man chanting "We want beer!") and found our way to a couple of vacant seats at a table with some folks who warmly welcomed us.  By the end of the night we had invitations to stay at our new friend's houses, sail with them on their boats, and yes, join the yacht club.  I didn't even know yacht clubs really existed, much less that I would ever be invited to join one.  I don't even own loafers.   I truly would have guessed them a creation by Hollywood where elitists gathered and never invited the likes of Griffin and I.  But, our friends were very friendly and quite pleasant to chat with, and not in the least bit snooty.   In fact, many of them shared our sense of adventure and love of traveling, which I am finding is a theme with boat people.


At the risk of heavily romanticizing our move, I have to say that the people here are some of the kindest people I have ever met.  When we introduce ourselves as newcomers, we are immediately showered with tips regarding who serves up the best pizza, or which intersections are the most dangerous, and where best to buy groceries.  The setting, a victorian town surrounded by water on three sides, with roads lined in fennel, blackberries and rose hips, is beyond picturesque.  And the boats, well, they are beautiful works of art.  With a little luck, and a bookmark of wikipedia's "glossary of nautical terms", I think we'll fit in just fine.  And maybe one day, I'll even speak boat.

One of our last campsites (at least for this trip).

beautiful.

Safe across the border!

Just a quick update to say that we crossed the border safely yesterday without any problems.  I'll post some final pics soon!

Pitaya, the best cactus fruit I've ever tried.  No need to cook it, and they sell them de-spined.  Just peel and eat (1 peso)!

Downtown Guadalajara.  Street performers and "freestyle walkers" abound.  This kid was doing some pretty cool tricks, including this flip.

Pineapple plant in Jeremy's backyard (in Guadalajara)!

Smoking Volcano in Colima.

Back in Guadalajara

While in Nexpa we were lucky enough to run into a crew of med. students from Guadalajara (on break for Semana Santa), two of whom we spent a week with at Chalacatepec (Jeremy and Chris)!  They were kind enough to invite us to stay with them in Guadalajara and so we have fully accepted their offer and are currently staying with them.  We plan to spend the next couple of nights here before continuing north.

One of the last days at Ticla and nobody else in the water.

This young fella was snorkeling and catching octopus.

Rio Nexpa

Poco a Poco...

Little by little we are making our way north.  After a week in Nexpa we just arrived in Ticla today to a warm welcome from all our friends here.  A few changes since we were here last:  for one thing it is HOT.  Sticky, humid hot.  But this, of course, has been happening slowly everywhere.  I keep hoping the rainy season will begin before we leave, but it doesn´t look like I`ll have my wish.  Since the rains have yet to come, the river mouth at La Ticla has slowly closed up causing a giant lake where there use to be a nice fluid river.  Along with the giant lake are giant mosquitos.  They seem to patrol 24/7.  The plus side of this time of year:  Mangos!!  And lots of them.  There are piles of them on the sides of roads.  Everywhere we go the air seems to constantly have a sweet smell of ripened/overly ripe mangos. 

Other than mangos, heat, and mosquitos, our neighbor (the pig) has perished.  His funeral was really a celebration of life-- full of 30 people eating pork tacos to their hearts content.  Griffin was of course dissapointed that we missed this occasion.  A new little pig has taken his place.

It seems we have arrived in time for yet another celebration at the church- this time in honor of a different saint (I have yet to know which one) and I am told it is a much bigger party.  Even as I write this the church bells are sounding to a backdrop of fireworks... time to go!

Semana Santa- Happy Easter!

Our hunch about the fairly remote beach, ¨The Ranch¨ , proved to be right, and though families came out daily to enjoy the beach and one another´s compnay, they mostly lived close by and saw no reason to camp.  And so, in this manner we avoided the infamous all night Semana Santa parties, full of dueling tubas and crackly car speakers, mezcal and late night laughter, although merry and surely fun for the participants, difficult to sleep through.  Fortunately, we did not find ourselves alone either, for if we had we probably wouldn´t have stayed so long.  There was the quintessential retired American surfer, who travels and lives out of his van making art and surfing, and also 3 South Africans who found reprieve from the crowds, and, like I said we were glad to have them. 

The 3 fellows from South Africa were excited about getting to travel through Mexico (and on to Panama). Indeed it is far from the tip of Africa, and not once did they mention how lucky we were to live so close and with such ease of accessibility (we can drive!) to these beautiful Mexican paradises.  We agreed wholeheartedly (we are very thankful to have this opportunity), but in the back of my mind I smiled to think of all the warnings we recieved at the start.  Fortunately we have been blessed with beautiful places and amazingly kind people.  We have in fact seen only unlimited hospitality, open homes and open hearts.  Many have said we were welcome anytime and many have opened their homes (embodying ¨mi casa es su casa¨) and almost everyone has shared food (especially spicy, it almost seems a favorite joke to give the Gringo habañero, all well-humored and well received, of course).

Pardon if I sound sentimental as our time here winds down.  Touched by the tightness of families and such gracious hospitality I feel inclined to broadcast a giant thanks. I realize the border situation is dismal and often overshadows so many of the beautiful places that we have been blessed to visit.  We will of course use caution coming back across, and in all our travels for that matter.  In the meantime, we still have a few more weeks, which we will continue to use to wind north and say goodbye to many folks we`ve met along the way.

Next stop, Nexpa, Michoacan!

The Staple Green Salsa...

We pretty much make this everyday.  or almost everyday.  And while many here believe it is better hand squashed in a molcajete (mortar and pestle made from volcanic rock), it could just as easily be made in a blender (the modern day molcajete in mexico) or a food processor.

Fill a two-liter pot a third of the way full with water (not an exact science, just make sure there is water in the pot).  Throw in the following:

- a handful of tomatillos (approx. 8 med. sized)
- 1-2 jalapeños (depending on how hot you like it)
- 1 serrano
- one clove garlic
- one tomato

Boil until everything is soft and then blend the above ingredients (without the water, that was just to boil the salsa fixins) and salt to flavor!  Very easy.  And delicious.  Of course, cilantro and onion can also be added to taste but these are the bare basics and it is amazingly good.

Semana Santa and New Smiles

The amazing bag of love.   When our friend Jessica visited she and a bunch of our wonderfully thoughtful friends back home (Durango) packed this bag full of goodies.  However it was lost in flight and took forever to finally catch up with us.  It was not until Jessica had already returned that we were able to finally receive the bag in Lazaro Cardeñas (mind you she flew into a totally different location).  Needless to say it has been on some adventures that fortunately didn´t diminish its contents.  The only thing missing from it was a box of girl scout cookies!  Thanks again!!!

Huitlacoche, the mushroom that grows alongside corn, is considered a delicacy to some.  We found it pretty good sauteed in butter garlic and tossed into some quesadillas.  Otherwise it is fairly bland and slightly gritty.

One of our many nightly visitors.

Jose Guadalupe Posada- (1852–1913) a Mexican cartoonist illustrator whose engravings continue to influence art.

The Ice cream truck!  Complete with ice cream music.

Jalapeño shampoo.  Who would have thought?  Of course I had to get it.  And yes, it is bright green.

It has been awhile and I partially blame the time commitment required by taxes, but also our internet access has been limited.  Since we last posted, Griffin has a new smile (3 new crowns = $1300 USD) and we have continued to enjoy the long mellow surf at Saladita, plus the many characters that frequent this beach.  Complete with many ex-world champion surfers (a few who are in there 70s and still surfing great!), a well-known published author, and many other ex-pat Americans, this has been an interesting stop indeed.  

As we gear up for Semana Santa (one of the biggest holidays in Mexico, it consists of the two weeks surrounding the Easter holiday) and the crowds that it draws to the coast, we are planning on heading to a more remote beach further north (El Rancho).  From there we will begin a slow ascent back to the north.  As we travel I will be more diligent in updating the blog.

More to come later!

How did you not see that hole?

In the U.S. we have become so accustomed to litigation that we post warning signs about the slightest potencial dangers.  Griffin and I have often laughed at the warning stickers that accompany new products and have even posted them on our refrigerator for repeated laughs.  One that comes to mind was the circle with the slash over someone putting their baby in the newly purchased tupperware box and then putting the lid on.  How many potential wrong situations really have to be considered?

In Mexico there are no lawsuits over hot coffee-- and believe me, I have, with my proclivity to sip immediately from a fresh cup of coffee, burned my mouth a few times on a scalding cup placed before me-- no warning signs to mark rebar jutting out of the sidewalk on a very public walkway, and no warning system to forewarn swimmers of strong rip tides (it is a common occurence to rescue someone being swept out to sea at Saladita, I even had a hand in saving a father and two sons). No the responsibility lies with the individual to notice that the water in the cup is hot, that the rebar is shin height, and that the waves are forming a river leading out to sea.  And mexicans certainly get a kick out the things people have sued over in the US.

Indeed it has its setbacks as many a stubbed toe will tell you.  Walking here requires more attention.  And likely, when something does happen, as it did to one unsuspecting canadian girl, empathy will not be the first reaction, but rather surprise at someone´s lack of awareness.
 
¨How is it possible that you didn´t see that 3 foot wide, 3 foot deep hole?¨  And perhaps then a rock will be moved in front of it to guide unsuspecting foreigners, with less sharpened intuitions for walking around such potentially dangerous obstacles.  Fortunately, the Canadian gal was okay. 

On a saturday afternoon in 1943, the Paricutin Volcano, in the highlands of Michoacan, sprung up beginning with a small crack beneath a man´s feet (who amazingly lived to tell the tale).  Within 9 years it was a full sized volcano.  For the first couple of days after the earth began spewing lava, covering a church, the local folks thought the end of the world had come.  Then, on the following Monday, 3 scientists arrived from Guadalajara, and announced that it was the birth of a volcano.

The church surrounded by lava flow (and a Griffin in the bottom right corner).

Amazingly the altar of the church remained unsathed.  Next to it reads a sign that says, ´The Volcano Respected this Altar´.  People continue to use the altar.



Turns out the Molcajete is good for grinding coffee too!  Thanks for the coffee Rob!



Last day in Ticla we all piled into the truck and went to watch the local kids play soccer in a tournament. (Above: Erwin, Wendy & Navidad)



Frida Kahlo commemorated on a 500 dollar bill... take note United States!  I´d love to see a female artist on an American bill.  I think I´ll have to spec that one up for the Department of Treasury.

Mexican Rodeo!  Yes those are kids watching bull riding from the rails.

Back to the Beach...

Jessica just sent these pics from her visit here!  This is the lovely beach of Maruata.

Mole!!

Griffin preparing dinner.

 Let me first begin by saying how much the mexican people´s hearts and prayers have been going out to Japan.  Having experienced some tsunamis on the west coast, albeit none so big as this one, they seem to understand how devastating such a natural disaster can be.  Some have even said it makes them think twice about living so close to the ocean and that the next time they feel an earthquake they plan to head high.

While we were still in the highlands at the time, we heard about it´s affects here as soon as we returned.  Although minimal,  there was supposedly a sudden change of tides- it went from high tide to low tide and then back to high tide all in a matter of minutes.  Supposedly a large wave came through that swept further inland than any others (tracking up the river at Ticla) but no destruction, and some people were actually surfing at the time!  Needless to say they were momentarily concerned by the sudden change of tides but other than that it seemed to have had little impact.

After a pleasant jaunt in the highlands (pics to come soon- once again an uncooperative computer) we made our way back to the coast by means of a lovely mountainous highway.  We picked up our boards in Ticla and then started south down the coast to the state of Guerrero.  We are currently staying a week at the fantastic surf break (long and slow!) of Saladita.  While it was hard to say goodbye to the many friends in Ticla and the lovely community, I am glad to be at a little more forgiving surf. Griffin´s ribs are still healing so it might be a couple weeks yet before he is back in the water.

Pepe´s Oat Milk (or agua de avena)
 This recipe is fantastic either hot or chilled.  Pepe made it in the cool mornings before surfing and then again in the evenings as a warm dessert drink. I just love how simple and deliscious it is...

-  Half a Cup of Oats
-  4 Cups Water
-  Quarter Cup Sugar
-  Cinnamon (I use sticks and just throw the sticks in at the beginning with the oats, but powder will do.  I even sprinkle a little powdered cinnamon in each cup at the end for aesthetics).

This amounts to 2 servings.  Combine oats and water and bring to a boil for a couple of minutes.  Turn to simmer and stir occasionally for 15-20 minutes (like white rice but with the lid off).  It should thicken a bit but still be a bevarage with a few oat chunks.  Pepe served it in a cup with a spoon to get the few bites of oats.  It could also be blended.  He would also set sugar out so people could add more if they wanted it sweeter, but I like the subtle sweet taste.  Provecho!

P.S.  There is no internet at Saladita.  We have to drive a bit to use it so pardon if I fall behind on communication. Will do my best!

Morelia & Patzcuaro

Downtown Morelia at night.

I just love how dramatic the main cathedral is at night.

Mountain roadside stand with homemade canned goods.  Of course we walked away with pickled cactus.

Grrrr...

Natural hot springs in the mountains east of Morelia... strangely reminiscent of Colorado.



Mole enchiladas at the market.  Yum.

Morelia sunset.

This was surely a painstaking process.

During the ¨little bull¨ parade, fake bulls dressed in colorful decor are carried through the streets while different characters dance around them.  I gather that traditionally the men would dress as women in the brightly died, handmade dresses, but these days they seem more modern.  In other words, those are men posing with Griffin.  Children ran around selling cascarones*, or egg shells stuffed with confetti for cracking on people´s heads (good fun and also popular at Easter).

*In researching the significance of cascarones, I turned up this:
¨Their empty shell represents the empty tomb of our Lord Jesus. The colorful confetti inside represents the joyful celebration over Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Cascarones represent the good news of Easter: The Lord is risen!¨  One site even said that having a cascarone cracked over your head brings good luck and shows you are loved.

Lago Patzcuaro with traditional dugout canoes.

Morelia is the capital of Michoacan and an enchantingly old city, founded in 1541.  With it´s open air cafes and ancient baroque architecture, it´s easy to feel like you´re in a european city... until you examine the buildings closer and P´urhepecha and Matlazinca gods begin to jump out of carved doors and off of cathedrals.  The streets are full of rich mole and bright flower markets, hand painted pottery and hand embroidered clothing... it´s an art and food appreciator´s dream.

Patzcuaro, an even older city and at one time the rival for the capital of Michoacan, is said to have been founded before Spanish invasion sometime in the 1320s as a capital for the indigenous populations in the area at the time (P´urhepecha and Matlazinca).  The buildings are consistently painted red and white with the red-clay color lining the walkways.   Adobe brick buildings are common and next door to where we are staying they are making new bricks each day.  Patzcuaro has evidently been named one of the 100 Historic World Treasure Cities by the United Nations and is well known for it´s Day of the Dead celebrations.  In fact, the celebrated skeletons of the deceased are prevalent everywhere.  Brightly painted ¨Catrina´s¨ (skeleton women in elegant garb, often shaped after the popular artist Frida Kahlo) are so popular I wasn¨t even permited to photograph them, for fear someone might copy the artist´s creation.

Into the Highlands of Michoacan..

 

Hundreds? Thousands? of Monarch butterflies drinking from a creek.

Map of the Monarch butterfly migration.  Such amazing little creatures... I am in awe that they can endure an open sea journey.

Price of an x-ray in Mexico:  $30.  Cost to see a doctor: Ten Pesos (under one dollar!)

Photo of old Ciudad Hidalgo.

This church is in Ciudad Hidalgo... often these churches were constructed by indigenous people enslaved by spanish colonists.  This cross rests on a skull and cross bones and includes other indigenous symbols.  To read more about this church and cross, click here.

 

Yum!  Star fruit.

 Griffins broken rib, combined with the arrival of our dear friend Jessica, sent us into the high country for a bit of a rest... plus it corresponded with the best time to see the Monarch butterflies as they come out of hibernation and prepare for their journey north.  The butterflies were truely amazing.  At approximately 10,000 feet above sea level, they swarmed the branches of fir trees, making them arch beneath the weight.  There were so many you could hear them flapping their wings.  We enjoyed the company of one of our amigas, albeit breif, and are now preparing to explore more of the mountains of Michoacan to give Griffins rib time to heal.  Plus this area is the capital of avocados.  You couldnt keep us away.

A big thank you to all of our truly amazing friends in Durango for their thoughtful bag of goodies!  Unfortunately it was lost in flight (of course) but we spent some time tracking it down and it is supposed to be waiting for us in Lazaro Cardeñas when we head south down the coast.... we shall see!

Heres a video of Griffin surrounded by Moncarchs (there were so many there were literally flying into the camera):

 

( The Economist recently published this brief article on the monarchs and their threatened habitat. )