We left Bahia Navidad and all our friends there on a Monday not too long ago. I just cant keep up with this blog the way I'd like to... By now, I am so far behind it seems almost silly to go backwards and recount all our adventures... But here goes!!! We loved it Bahia Navidad but were ready for a change and a slowing of the pace. Buddy Boating is great fun but coordinating so many people can get complicated. Our wonderful friends on Vales Valeo had headed South for Ixtapa. We were all attempting to get to Zihuatanejo before the SuperBowl so that we could see the game there together and so that we could be there in time for the SailFest activities and for Max to catch his flight home to Seattle for two weeks to take his exams and see his Dad and friends there. We stopped for two nights in Las Hadas, Manzanillo. It was a lovely anchorage in front of a wilting but lovely resort. LOUD, though, again. Construction all day long and loud music into the early morning. For $200 Pesos, we could tie up to the dinghy dock and use the pool and facilities at the resort. Always lovely to swim in fresh water and the pool was quite pretty but the resort felt tired after the glorious Wyndham Isla Navidad. We were joined there by Unleashed and then Sand Dollar. We had a really fun pizza/Italian dinner at one of the restaurants by the marina there and the next day I provisioned at the nicest WalMart we've been to as we steeled ourselves and prepared for the 36 hour trip down to Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo. The trip was quite easy and although we (AGAIN) did not catch any fish, we were boarded by the Mexican Navy for a "routine inspection". It was a little uncomfortable having someone with a machine gun onboard but the shiny-shoed YOUNG officer who took down our information was charming, respectful and non-threatening. They also boarded Sand Dollar and Unleashed who were following behind us.
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| The Mexican Navy boarding Sand Dollar, after us |
We were so glad to get to the bay at Zihuatenajo! Such a lovely place. And the town was as charming and interesting as Barra Navidad. Some great shops and restaurants and an amazing "Central Market" replete with the skinned cow carcases and hanging meat, stands with tons of shoes, ones with piles of clothing, vegetable stands, cheap plastic kitchen items, pirated DVDs, and incredible "loncherias" for food. We had a great lunch sitting at one of the benches. The women all marvel at Sam's blond hair but thought she was a boy! That has never happened before. They all want to touch her hair. Suzy told me it is because they want to know that if they are staring it is not because they are giving her the "evil eye" and the touching of her head is to reassure her. Who knows! The SuperBowl was crazy. Many, many Americans and Canadians crowded the many bars and restaurants who were catering to that crowd. Our friends Vales Valeo, Sand Dollar, Unleashed, Neko all gathered to watch the game. We alternated between the beach where the kids played in the sand and the bar where they watched with the grown-ups. There was no marina and no dinghy dock but there were some guys who set up a little business "helping" the dinghies land and then watching them for $10 Pesos in and $10 Pesos out. It was actually really nice because we could go swimming or go for showers or load up the dinghy with heavy groceries and leave it there and it was safe. Alphonso, Jesus and Jose. Nice guys. The saddest part of our trip happened the next day. Vales Valeo needed to keep moving down the coast. I had become so attached to my new friend Suzy, her chipper husband, and their wonderful girls. Kaley (who befriended Sonia), Samey (who loves Anna) and I were in tears to have them depart. We won't see them for awhile as they are headed to Costa Rica, Galapagos, crossing the Pacific and farther and won't return to their Redondo Beach, California home until the summer of 2015. Such great friends. But then, the SailFest began! I will cover that in Part Two and publish this now...
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| Max and Samey underway |
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| My three Perfections on the iPad by the pool in Las Hadas |
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| My Baby |
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| LOVE these girls... Anna, Sonia, Kaley and Samey |
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| She wrote SAM by herself...! Cute... |
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| Two Peas in a Pod... Ben and Easton |
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