15 Tuesday Oct 2013
Posted in Travel
I am a caged animal, strapped into a hot, sweaty sling, with a healing wound on my shoulder. It’s too hot to sit outside when a girl can’t swim, and I’m too cheap to sit inside in the air-conditioning for long. So I pace back and forth. I bead, and read, and pace again. I’m eager to go somewhere and don’t feel like it either.
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13 Sunday Oct 2013
Posted in Accommodations, Travel
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The street that fronts our apartment at Los Tules is named Boulevard Francisco Medina Ascencio. It’s a long name for a long street. Walmart is on this street. So is Costco. You can buy a Ford or a Chevy on this street, or souvenirs at Señor Frog’s.
With all that industry, it’s no surprise that Ascencio is not only long, but wide — eight lanes wide. Eight lanes of rattly buses, death-wish motorcycles, and cars — lots of cars, all traveling at homicidal Mexican speed. We cross this road almost every day. Our nearest grocery is on the other side of Ascencio and crossing it is like playing the game of Frogger — for keeps.
11 Friday Oct 2013
Posted in Accommodations, Travel
Just arrived in her private room, Louise smiles with anticipation.
October 10, 2013, 6:30 AM
I awaken to our warm bedroom. The bedroom is upstairs and heat rises. We don’t use the air conditioner up there because it makes noise and we prefer to hear the surf at night through the open window. In the kitchen I fix one cup of coffee — for myself. There will be none for Louise as today is the day she is scheduled for surgery.
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07 Monday Oct 2013
Posted in Travel
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Well yes: you can Google Walmart and read about their oft-quoted unfair labor practices in the US, but in Mexico — where benefits aren’t expected and a living wage is a fraction of what’s required in the US — people love the place. It’s only about two miles up the road. Naturally, we had to pay it a visit.
03 Thursday Oct 2013
Posted in Sentiments
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Blue agave plants growing on the grounds at Los Tules
Those of us in the US tend to forget that, like our own, Mexico is a country of united states — 31 in all. The Mexican state that we’re living in is Jalisco. Among other things, Jalisco is where the blue agave plant (above) is grown, and the sweet syrup from the agave is used to make tequila.
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01 Tuesday Oct 2013
Posted in Accommodations, Travel
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Los Tules at sunset
:::pinch::: :::pinch:::
We’re pinching ourselves in disbelief. This can’t really be happening to us.
We have arrived at our home-for-six-months in Puerto Vallarta and we’re dumbfounded. Dumbfounded and a bit bruised from all the pinching. This place has to be seen to be believed. Continue reading
26 Thursday Sep 2013
Posted in Accommodations, Short, Travel
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We are sooo ready for Mexico! But not for the reasons you may think.
05 Thursday Sep 2013
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Years ago, a British friend, encountering me after one of life’s inevitable missteps, exclaimed, “Tom, you have landed butter-side up!” He meant that I seemed to have recovered well. I’ve been fond of the expression ever since.
The same can be said of the Puerto Vallarta crisis described in the previous post. Here’s the story:
03 Tuesday Sep 2013
Posted in Accommodations, Travel
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06 Wednesday Feb 2013
While Louise and I dance on the rim of sanity, impatiently contemplating our departure 52 days from now, a brief diversion…
The Expat Almanac 