SpringDay: Zihua

View of Zihua from the restaurant La Escorella

Correction:
After leaving Ixtapa we came to anchor in Zihuatanejo for a few days before leaving for Acapulco and I am very happy about it. Beautiful bay, charming town and very nice people again - I just can't find an oceanside town or village that exudes anything but kindness towards us. I thank God for his gift of language to me, I can appreciate so much more the life of wonderful people when I can speak their language. Rita, I know you know how this feels!!

Unfortunately I have not been feeling very well, I don't seem to be healing fast enough and now I have to nurse an infection in one incision. I have walked only a few blocks in search of a doctor here in Zihuatanejo, (I did not have my camera with me) the streets are lively and are colorful with shops and restaurants galore, I wished we could have spent at least a week.

My post surgery problems combined with insect bites on my legs, blotching my legs to the point where I suspect leprosy (!), absolutely sent me into a spiraling spontaneous depression. Skipper walked in the bedroom one day and found me in tears and completely discombobulated.

I finally agreed to go see a doctor here in Zihua for the bug bites, he gives me a prescription, but the emulsion is useless, I still itch and biting flies still like me. I remind myself how much I love where we live, the land of chemical sprays all over the Valley of orchards, with no insects to bother your days or nights, ahhh I love Yakima!

So I pay the $32 for the visit and head for the pharmacy. The pharmacist suggests I wrap my waist in a 12" wide bandage when sees me pressing on my belly. Why am I telling you this? Well because what happened next just.... just doesn't happen!

It's now lunchtime, and I am in pain from just sitting. Bill suggests that I put the bandage on right now and asks the waiter if there is a back room I could use. I turned my head and see the waiter talking to the restaurant owners, husband and wife, I see hands motioning [wrapping] I see fingers pointing at me, I figure I better stand up and walk up to them with bandage in hand. Hortencia is her name. Her expression is determined and serious, she motions me into the ladies room and tells me she will do it for me! Wham Bam, get in the lady's room and let's do this "type of attitude". Yes Mam! She unrolls the bandage and folds it just right without waisting any time thinking. The job required an extra pair of hands, she hollers for her daughter to come help. The wrap is nothing short of perfection, the tension is just right, I am not sure a nurse would have done a better job. The stabbing pain goes away immediately and I let out a sigh of relief. I smile big without the pain squint. I thank her profusely and she bows her head quickly keeping her eyes on my waist, without smiling, reflecting on her work, and I return to my table to finish eating. Before I leave I see that she is sitting down and eating I walk over to thank her again and to give her a gratuity, she promptly refuses shaking her head still not showing a smile, but I insist, I put the money in her hand and stare at her generous face and I thank her yet one more time, adding a "May God bless you for your kindness." Still no smile but a look, a look that said we had just found common territory.

Waiting room / exam room just behind me

My friend and I kept an eye on each other while I wait to see the doctor

His office and exam room combined. I was trying to read the business cards under the glass, one was a taco vendor

Findacrew.net has been our focus for the last week if not more. This website helps boat captains and crew alike to find a match for their respective needs. I contacted Rocío, a young woman from Chili 32 years old, her current location is Aspen Colorado. She said she would be available around Feb 26th but we need someone before then to help with the transit from Acapulco to Costa Rica. So now that we have a commitment from Neil and Elaine (Insignia) to come along on our journey through the Panama Canal, we decided we would share one couple for two weeks. We will welcome Mike and LouAnn from Utah. They will arrive this Wednesday in Acapulco. We flipped a coin and SpringDay has first choice in choosing which week we want them on board, we will have them on our boat for the first week and they will move onto Insignia for the second week, and as for the overnighters the couple will be split between the two boats to share night watches. This way each Skipper household will have privacy time for a week.

For me this was a very difficult task and yet another new experience, the idea of strangers living with us at our age was not appealing to me but I realized that there are wonderful people out there who would love to help with night watches, chores and cooking in exchange for the privilege of living on a nice boat, and seeing a part of the world for free. As Bill says, we have all the risks, a large sum invested in the boat, the insurance, the maintenance the moorage etc etc etc... Not a bad deal I guess. Ana Mae's crew is the perfect example with their perfect crew mates in Tomas and Susan from Switzerland. We do not run a cruise liner to cater to and serve guests, we want to enjoy our cruising, this is our retirement. You are right Bill!

While I was on bed rest, Don, Bill and Kay went shopping at Sam’s club;

it’s amazing what staring at a jar of pickled eels at Sam’s club can bring forth into the day. Dying to know what this particular food item was, since it looked like worms but couldn’t possibly be worms, Don turns his question to this well dressed couple and strikes a long conversation with the help of Bill.

Seeing that Celine and I kept talking, Don borrows the chef's hat and takes our order.

Overlooking the Bay

Meet Manuel and Celine. They own a restaurant/ hotel and/eco park across the bay from where the Nordhavns are anchored, up on the flank of a steep hill. “La Escollera” welcomes us for dinner that night. Manuel is a business man born and raised in Mexico and Celine is from a small village in Quebec, (near St-Jovite) we immediately exchange our french stories of how, what when and where our lives followed similar paths with very different scenarios, too long however to tell in a blog, but they make for beautiful love stories. She is sweet and kind, hospitable, very open and friendly; he is kind, quick witted, very smart and just as intense as Bill and Don, so it’s a match!

All eight of us enjoyed a great dinner and a spectacular view. Celine tells me about all the animals and insects she has in her "zoo", an idea Manuel had when visiting the insectarium in Montreal years ago, and she invites us to take a tour the next day. I assure her that I will be back tomorrow to have a tour.

Celine and I

Hawk in the wild keeping Arturo company

Arturo

You know by now my fascination for birds, so I skipped pictures of tarantulas, centipedes and boas and more and just posted my favorites.

A couple of them very appropriate for upcoming Valentine’s Day. Enjoy!

Slider turtle named Gertrude

Marco the Macaw

Male Caracara he loves to have his neck rubbed
Bill petting a caracara - What a magnificent bird

Kay was brave and rubbed his neck too

Peacock tail pigeons courting

The Inseparables
These are from Tanzania, they are not
native of Mexico

peacock tail pigeon

amazon finch

cuati mundi

Céline loves her animals and all creatures, she gave me a glimpse of my wish to have one day my own petty zoo right next to the house, though not this extensive.