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Majahua, Guerrero, Mexico
  • Ladyandtramp
jan. – apr. 2022

Majahua, Guerrero, Mexico

Een 91-daags avontuur van Ladyandtramp Meer informatie
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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp

    Leiningen Versus the Ants

    27 januari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    What a night we had last night.

    A memorable short story that both Chris and I read in High School was called “Leiningen Versus the Ants”. It tells the story of a man whose coffee plantation in Brazil is threatened by a large swarm of deadly ants. Instead of fleeing, he prepares elaborate defenses to fight the ants and save his plantation.” The main or obvious theme is Man vs Nature. During our travels, we have been in a few situations where we could relate to that story. Last night was one of those times.

    Yesterday, the handyman, Jaime, came to spray around the house for termites. This is a new house with lovely wooden beams. Daily, we have done a walkabout around and in the house to check for tunnels because it doesn’t take long for those pests to come in and eat anything wooden.

    Termite nests in the trees are everywhere in the jungly area around us. In fact, there is a nest close to the house but apparently if you disturb these nests you may end up with a bigger problem than you had before.

    So, getting back to Jaime spraying the area around the house. He must have done a good job as every little critter ran for their lives.

    The problem started at 11 pm. We had gone to bed and for some reason a dog across the street started to bark, and bark and bark. It just wouldn’t stop.

    Chris decided to get up so he turned on the light and saw that the bedside table and lamp was covered in ants. And then looking closer, he realized that the ants covered our bed and very tiny ants were even in our bed carrying eggs! A tsunami of ants.

    Looking around, we saw that ants of all sizes were all over two of the walls. A line of ants went to the ceiling but they were everywhere - on the curtain rod, in the curtains, on the window sills, Everywhere!

    We went into the bathroom. Everywhere!

    We went outside and once again there were ants on the floor in front of our room and on the walls.

    Chris ran to get a ladder to check the top of the wall in the bathroom and some ant spray to make a ‘wall’ of spray around the bed. I stripped the bed and shook the sheets out. I’ll leave it up to your imagination how we reacted and what it was like. Thank heavens they were only ants, and not spiders or scorpions.

    I guess when Jaime had sprayed, he had disturbed a nest of regular ants and they were evacuating their nest through our room.

    By 2:30 a.m., the dog had stopped barking and the ants were all gone, but the room was smelling badly of bug spray. We remade the bed and left the ladder in the shower.

    Sleep didn’t come easily but I guess that in our story of The Smiths Versus the Ants we won. For now.

    P.S. One good thing came out of it. Chris unexpectedly was able to learn of Morrie’s fate in the book he is reading, “Worksong” by Ivan Doig, at 2:30 in the morning.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    1The view
    1Sashimi. This appetizer could have been a meal!Achiote Red Snapper Dinner1A fuzzy selfieThe unexpected Huntsman Spider.1Praying Mantis1A spoon butterflyA lime green critter.

    Expect the Unexpected

    28 januari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Yesterday, we went to a highly recommended beach-side restaurant in Majahua called Un Pedacito de Ciel, a little piece of heaven. We had heard that their Red Snapper dish was delicious so that is what we ordered. The waitress also mentioned that a customer-favourite appetizer was the sashimi so we ordered that also, and two Coronas.

    The restaurant is close to the beach so it is breezy and it has a great view.

    Well, the food couldn’t have been better. It was presented beautifully and was delicious. The total bill for the two of us ended up being close to $50.

    It took a little while to get our bill but when the waitress gave it to us with an apology, she said that when you are in Mexico, you have to expect the unexpected. Now, how true is that! I wish I had known that expression earlier. It’s great!

    So … to prove that that statement is true, a funny thing happened this morning. In our kitchen, there is a burlap shopping bag with a few bags inside of it. I wanted to take a few beer cans to Andrea the baker, so I reached into the bag to get a plastic bag to put them into. I happened to look inside and I noticed the big boy that you will see in the photo below. Well, Chris, my hero, came to the rescue again. I did want a photo. Haha. He took the bag and tried to shake the critter out but he/she didn’t want to come out. And it looked like he was getting ready to jump. Chris finally got it out, took the photo and it ran away. Apparently, they can run fast!

    Expect the unexpected.

    A few minutes later, I saw a praying mantis on the handle of my pot, a moth/ butterfly on a spoon in my dish rack and another lime green moth/butterfly on the countertop. Chris scooped out a drowned chameleon from the pool and a bloated frog. And then we sat and watched a couple of large iguanas interact in the front yard.

     Yes, in Mexico, expect the unexpected.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    Carlos inspecting the Arboreal termite nest
    A termite tunnel going into a bathroom.Preparing to spray the bodegaDigging a trench around the base of the houseSpraying the bodegaBreaking up the nest and sprsying the groundNo evidence of the nestThe termite tunnels on the trees removed.

    Reckoning Day

    30 januari 2022, Mexico ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    The termites have been relentless (but so are the goats) and since our friend wants to come back to a house and not 4 concrete walls, he got a few estimates from exterminators. I thought that you’d like to hear how they do things here. Compare experiences for some of you…

    Carlos, the man who got the job, was highly recommended by other gringos in the area who had good experiences with him.

    He came to inspect the house with a mask on. We showed him the tracks inside and outside of the house and the tracks in the shed out back, but he found them all himself. He just knew where to look! Chris had cleaned most of the tunnels from the walls but of course you can still faintly see them.

    Carlos said that arboreal termites usually have two nests and they forage between the two nests. The house is between the two nests, and has lots of wood in the ceiling and beams. He said that the nests would have to go. Five people would come and would work for 6-7 hours. We would have to vacate for the day.

    So on Tuesday, they arrived, punctually, three women and two men. We stayed around for an hour to see what would be done. It is an interesting process.

    The boss got a ladder and started breaking up the nest in the tree with a claw hammer. The nest is really hard to break. Then each ‘room’ was injected with a poison which would kill the termites and hopefully the queen. The pieces of the nest that fell to the ground were also sprayed.

    A shallow trench was dug around the base of house and poison injected into it .

    All the interior and exterior wooden ceilings and roof would be coated with a preventative substance.

    A lady took the covers off of all of the electrical outlets and put a powder into every one. Termites travel via the electrical wires in a house and will eat the wires too.

    The wooden pillars got a similar treatment. Apparently moth beetles, woodworms, are eating those too. They leave a pile of sawdust around the wood that they eat so you can see where they are.

    Branches in the trees beside the house with tunnels were going to be cut and the trees sprayed.

    The bodega (shed/garage) needed to be sprayed and then holes drilled into the concrete floor and poison put in there also. The warranty for this work is for a year.

    The poison that they use will kill any termites or insects that are in or around or on the house. It was suggested that we go somewhere from 8 - 5 but apparently it is safe for us to sleep there at night. Hmmmn.

    So we left but it would have been interesting to see the rest of the process. Hopefully,, everything works out well, and those critters have taken their last stand.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    Surf shop
    Whales and surfersThe waves to the leftThe waves to the rightOur red car parking spotThe road to the beachSurfer's cabins

    Playa de la Saladita

    31 januari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    As the crow flies, the beach at Saladita is not that far from the Majahua beach but for us to go there by car, it was a 1/2 hour drive over the mountain, through the town of Lagunillas and its Monday fruit and vegetable market and then down a winding road through mango and palm orchards to the ocean.

    Ever since we started hearing about Troncones, we knew that the area was full of off-the-beaten-track surfing beaches for people of all abilities. People come here from all over to boogie board, to short board and long board. Not that I know very much about surfing and waves, but it is fun to watch surfers catch a ride.

    The two beaches in this area that are known for their long rides are La Saladita and The Ranch.

    We decided to drive to the nearest one, La Saladita, to see what it was like. What we found was a long, picturesque beach dotted with oceanfront cabanas and little shack-like restaurants. The ocean was full of young people doing their best to stay up on their longboards for as long as possible. Very entertaining!

    We found a good, shady spot to have a limonada and watch all the activity. We were also rewarded with a sighting of whales splashing around in the distance.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp

    Zihuatanejo’s Malecon

    1 februari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    We had planned on checking out the fishing village of Zihuatanejo at some time and today, with the exterminators coming, it seemed to be just the right time to do it.

    Now, we have been to the airport a few times and the Mega grocery store so this time we headed to the touristy area of the town, near the big market. We easily found a big parking lot close to the area we wanted to explore.

    The heart of Zihuatanejo is the Paseo del Pescador (Route of the Fishermen), also called the malecon. This palm-lined pedestrian walkway borders the Municipal Beach between the archaeological museum and the fishing pier. It is lined with restaurants offering seafood and many other dishes. As well, there is a variety of small shops selling rugs, crafts and souvenirs. Even though the water is fairly calm and the beach is sandy, there is a lot of boat traffic, so it isn’t the best beach for swimming.

    At the centre of this area, there is a beautiful basketball court that is also used for concerts or plays. Great spot for a puppet theatre!

    Apparently at night, this section of the malecon fills with people that come to eat seafood, socialize and listen to live music.

    We started our walk close to the Archaeological Museum, so went in for a little visit that cost us 60 cents. There were six rooms with various archaeological pieces obtained in the area: ceramics, weapons and utensils that have been influenced by the Olmec, Teotihuacan, Tarasca and Mexica cultures. We were given an English translation page to follow.

    On the malecon, there are several beautiful bronze statues. In the following blog, I will talk a little more about them.

    At the end of the malecon is a brand new dock that was built to accommodate cruise ships when covid is under control… we sat under a palapa and enjoyed a limonada while watching the activity on the water and on the malecon.

    Chris needed a haircut and a lady at the museum directed us to someone who she said was economical and good. She proved to be right! We both got haircuts from Sophie. Chris’ cost $3.50 and mine was $12.00. We will return.

    It was time to head home but we were able to get in a quick shopping stop in at Mega before leaving Zihua.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    The underwater Christ statue
    1

    The Zihuatanejo Bronze Statues

    1 februari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    For many years a series of beautiful, life-sized statues depicting the women of the different areas of the Mexican state of Guerrero (the state that we are staying in) with their typical regional dress, hair styles and accessories, was stationed in a park outside of the busiest traffic area of downtown Zihuatanejo. These statues located in a place where they were unseen and unappreciated by most of the public.

    In 2010, the municipality made a decision to wipe the dust and cobwebs off of these beautiful sculptures and put them in key areas around the downtown core of Zihuatanejo. They were placed along the walkways and walking streets, where local residents are able to see and enjoy them daily. Tourists and visitors would have the chance to learn more about the details of the Women of Guerrero and easily have their photos taken beside them.

    We cannot take credit for all the photos as it was a super bright day and not good for taking photos. I found some on the internet.

    These seven sculptures represent the seven geographical regions of the state of Guerrero:

    1. Zihuatanejo’s Costa Grande Woman stands right in the main plaza and basketball court in front of Playa Municipal, with her head held high and one foot propped on a rock. On her knee is a tub full of fish.

    2. The Woman of the Tierra Caliente sculpture is squatting elegantly in the shade of one of the giant old trees next to the basketball court in downtown Zihuatanejo. A rebozo (shawl) is wrapped around her shoulders and she is holding a large round pot.

    3. Zihuatanejo’s Woman of the Northern Region wears a beautifully embroidered skirt and blouse and is holding a carved masked representative of the crafts of the area. Her long hair is in a braid over her shoulder.

    4. The statue of the Woman of the Central Region of the state of Guerrero is on a pedestrian walkway. She stands holding a clay pot in one hand and she is lifting up her skirt with the other.

    5. The Woman of the Region Montaña is wearing a traditional Mexican Huipil and is seated on a carved wooden chest. Her hair is in a double braid.

    6. The Woman of the Costa Chica is, in fact, two statues - a strong and beautiful woman with features showing the African influences found along this section of the coast. She is dressed in an embroidered dress and holds a jug of water on her shoulder. Her daughter is smiling at her side.

    7. The Acapulco Woman is mermaid-like and represents the women of the Pacific coast. Her hair is loose and curly from the salt spray. She lounges against the rocks, wearing a bathing suit and a pareo tied around her waist.

    There were a few more statues that we saw. There were several bronze crocodiles near the river and a few statues of men - a fisherman and a man holding a large rifle.

    There is one more of Christ the King that we didn’t see. This one was created in 2007 and was dropped 8 meters into the bay where divers can view it. It weighs about 1.5 tons and is 4 meters tall. It’s heart is made of a collection of keys that people donated. I found a photo of the underwater statue and posted it here.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    1Bodega wall before. Termites making tunnels and fleeing.
    Bodega wall after. No evidence of termites.

    An Update on the Termites

    3 februari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    The day after the exterminators came, our housekeeper and the handyman came and we all helped to clean the dead bugs, that fell from the roof beams. A good mornings work and the place looks great again.

    But, the termites made their presence known again in the bodega. Jaime sprayed them, our friend called the exterminator and he immediately said he would come the next day. The termites were fleeing from their underground tunnels to die.

    He came the next day with a helper and spent 3 hours spraying and checking everything. Then he proceeded to clean all the visible tunnels and paint the remains of the tracks. You would never know that they were here,

    But he wasn’t finished, he sprayed around the house and the plants again for beetles, ants, scorpions, spiders and mosquitoes. The wood window sills were once again sprayed for woodworms and every tree around the house was checked for evidence of termites. Unbelievable service!

    He returned on Saturday for another check but we haven’t seen any bugs! Or evidence that termites were here. The woodworm beeltles in the wooden window sills, wooden doors, wooden statues are exiting their homes. You can tell because they leave a tell-tale pile of sawdust as they come out. Carlos spent a further 2 1/2 hours with his assistant injecting poison in the wood and covering the holes. Such a perfectionist!

    He is returning next Tuesday for 2 hours to check on things again and fine tune the job that he did with the woodworms! Then he will come every 3 months for a year. Does this amazing service exist in Canada?    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    2

    A Homemade Postcard from Majahua

    6 februari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Hi Everyone,

    Today is a Mexican holiday, Constitution Day.

    February 5th is the official date when the Mexican constitution was formed in 1917 after signing of a convention by Venustiano Carranza. Up until 2006, the day was celebrated in Mexico on the 5th of February itself. However, following the new labor law, the day is now celebrated on the first Monday of February, irrespective of the date. The day is celebrated to commemorate the formation of a new Mexican constitution.

    Workers are to be given the day off with pay. Those who work on this national holiday, will be paid for the day PLUS double time for hours worked.

    Banks and government offices will be closed.

    We are great. Being in the warmth of the sun and away from the constant news about covid and truck convoys works for us.

    Keep healthy and safe,
    C and C

    P.S. I had time and enjoyed making this little mixed media postcard, from Majahua. The beach huts are in my imagination though, as the beach here is just a lovely beach.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    Animals of the Pacific Coast
    The jungle vegetation during dry seasonFriendly jungle dogJungle horsesJungle bird hitching a ride on jungle cattleJungle cattleJungle goats on the runThe tail end of invading goatsJungle Chris taking out the garbageA toad the size of a small cabbage!

    Jungle Animals

    7 februari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We live in a jungle. So what’s the difference between a jungle and a forest?

    “A forest has many tall trees and can usually be traveled through by humans. The word 'jungle' is usually used to describe a tangled or overgrown mass of vegetation over a large area of land. A jungle usually has a tropical or humid climate and many plants on the ground between trees and larger plants.” The people who live here always bring their machetes with them if they are planning on taking shortcuts. They bushwhack their way through the vegetation.

    The jungle on the lot was partially cleared in the construction of the house. Palm trees, cacti and some tropical flowering plants have been planted around the house to provide shade and some colour. A lovely breeze from the ocean is able to come through the remaining trees.

    The native animals that live in the jungle include iguanas and other lizards, snakes, squirrels, raccoons and coyotes. We read that a few of the animals that live here are endangered as their habitat is threatened by development. i.e. turtles, eagles and iguanas. We have seen all of the above animals except for the raccoons.

    Everyone should know that the tropics are a place where insects abound as well as scorpions and spiders that are arachnids and in a different class from the ordinary collection of flying insects and ants. In the past 5 weeks, we have battled and won with termites, encountered a tsunami of ants, evicted spiders of every colour and size, watched walking sticks and praying mantises do their thing, removed wasp nests, checked our shoes and clothing for small scorpions and sprayed ourselves against mosquitoes. Haha. It reminds us of our time in the Amazon, living with nature. Love it.

    But there are also other jungle creatures here - the jungle goats, the jungle cattle, the jungle horses and of course the jungle dogs - that just appear when we least expect them to.

    Yesterday as I was reading my book beside the pool, a dreaded jungle goat herd snuck into the yard and came up to drink water from the pool. Where there is a will, there is a way. Chris told me to turn my head and look. There they were, not 10’ away, and I hadn’t even heard them. Well, maybe I didn’t hear them, but they certainly heard me, and scampered away with their tails in the air.

    Every day is a new day and living in this lovely house in the jungle has been fun.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    A typical local home
    Going up, and away from the main streetA clay bake oven.Tree house?Dogs don't move...Tiles ready to lay on the roof.Iguana crossingDrinks for workersThe car covered in red dust, after exploring Troncones' back streets

    The Dusty Back Streets of Troncones

    9 februari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    From what we gather, Troncones was founded in the 1970s as a farming community. In the late 1970s they became an ‘Ejido’. An Ejido is a form of community-owned land governed by a local committee. By the 1980s, people were hearing about an ‘off the beaten path’ surf spot north of Zihuatanejo and word started to spread. In the early 1990s a change in Mexico’s laws allowed the privatization of Ejido lands and the residents of Troncones began to divide up beach front lots, many of which they sold to outside parties, other Mexicans and foreigners.

    The new arrivals that had purchased the beach front land and built homes there, took an interest in the welfare of the community and helped with many improvements such as school renovations, a library, scholarship funding, a municipal water system, spay and neuter clinics for local pets and more. Everyone worked together to come up with common goals, even one that included respecting the natural environment.

    The year, as in much of Mexico’s southern Pacific area, can be divided into two parts, the “dry” season and the “wet” season. The dry season starts about November 1st and runs till May 1st. It doesn’t rain during this time, the days are warm (30C) and the nights are cool (15C). Perfect weather for two Canadians trying to escape -25C weather, snow and winds.

    We have been told that the wet season, usually has a higher humidity, slightly warmer temperatures and frequent showers, though the rain is usually at night or in the late afternoon and only lasts for an hour or two. During this time, the surrounding mountains turn a lush tropical green and wildflowers are abundant.

    But we are here during the dry season and even in 6 weeks time, the stream on the road that we had to cross to get to the house has dried up and the leaves on many trees have turned brown and fallen down. There are less flowers.

    On the main street in Troncones that is parallel to the beach, you can see lots of gringos walking or biking around. There are several low hotels or guest houses, restaurants, yoga studios, surf schools, tour operators and little shops. During our time here, we have pretty well stuck to the main road for anything that we needed.

    But today, we decided to drive around and take a few photos of the dusty back streets to see how the village people live and to see some of the building that is going on away from the main drag. You’ll notice the red volcanic dirt on the roads and big volcanic rocks on the properties.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    That is scary!
    We wondered where this came from.Homemade?Six inch eroded cliffsHmmmnA beach hut?Oysters?Looks like it will walk away!Wilson?A pelican meeting at the sandbarNo one but us.

    Seen on the Majahua Beach

    10 februari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    The Majahua beach is so lovely in the cool mornings. A few locals are fishing with either rods or nets. A few gringos are out walking and a few brave souls are kayaking or trying to surf. The occasional motorcycle passes by as people are heading to work. We may have seen 10 people during our 1 1/2 hour walk.Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp

    4.6 Earthquake

    12 februari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Date & time: Feb 12, 2022 03:39:29 UTC - 9 hours ago
    Local time at epicenter: Friday, Feb 11, 2022 at 9:39 pm (GMT -6)
    Magnitude: 4.6
    Depth: 26.0 km
    Epicenter latitude / longitude: 17.55°N / 101.78°W (North Pacific Ocean, Mexico)
    Antipode: 17.55°S / 78.22°E
    Nearest volcano: Paricutín (Michoacán-Guanajuato) (222 km / 138 mi)

    Mexico is one of the most seismically active regions in the world as it is located at the boundary of at least three tectonic plates.

    Chris and I have felt weak earthquakes several times while we have been in Mexico. The first time, I remember feeling one was when we were teaching in Zamora, Michoacan. It was at the end of September 1999 and a big earthquake had just occurred in Puerto Angel, Oaxaca. I was sitting at a computer, and even though the earthquake was 1,000 km away, I suddenly had a very strange sensation of being disoriented. No shaking, just a very whooshy type of feeling.

    Amy, our daughter, experienced two big earthquakes, one in Oaxaca when she was on a student exchange and one in Japan, when she was teaching there. People ran out of the buildings they were in and into the streets.

    The earthquake last night was moderate. At 9:40 p.m. there was a very loud noise like a very heavy truck rumbling along and then the shaking started and that lasted for about 5 seconds. Lights flickered but didn’t go off. It doesn’t sound like a long time but when you don’t know what’s going on, 5 seconds is long enough.

    Following that one, there was another one at 3 a.m. Dogs started barking and it woke us up but it was pretty mild.

    Following the first one, I checked the internet to see if anyone had had the same experience and I noticed an alert for this area at the top of my Google search page and what to do following an earthquake. One statement said to stay away from the ocean. We are far enough away but we did hear the waves roaring.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    The Caracara in the Mexican flag and shield.
    Banana trees and coconut palmsOne of many orchardsThe inaugaration of the cancha in 2014Traffic jam in Boca de LagunillasLaundry day. We have no idea how white clothes stay white.Strangler figs encircle the big trees.A Parota treeCrested Caracara. Bird on the Mexican shield.Until now, we have only stood on the other side of the river.Nono's 'original' sign?The tasty Valentine's meal we ended up with.

    Boca de Lagunillas on Valentine’s Day

    14 februari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    In Mexico, Valentine's Day is also celebrated on February 14 but is officially titled El Día del Amor y la Amistad (The Day of Love and Friendship). That means that if you want to celebrate like a Mexican, you shouldn't focus all your attention on your beloved, but rather on your friends and family too.

    We celebrated today by taking a little road trip while Sara, our house keeper, cleaned our house.

    Once again, we took the interesting dirt road over the mountain and to the market town of Lagunillas. On Mondays, they hold a tianguis, (a traditional open air market/bazaar), on the main road where people can buy fresh fruit and vegetables as well as useful dollar store items. Today, they were also selling lacy red underwear, flowers, chocolate and candy. It is Valentine’s Day. Chris bought me some ‘romantic’ candy. Haha.

    Our plan was to continue on to the tiny village of Boca de Lagunillas, that we have seen across the river on our birding walks. People who live in that town and work in Troncones either have to take a long way by road or they can quickly ford the river by walking through it, or driving through it in their trucks, motorcycles or they can wade through the river on their horses. By crossing the river, the drive to Troncones is considerably shorter than the drive over the mountain. Bridges have been built but during the rainy season, they always get washed away when the river doubles or triples in size.

    The market was halfway to Boca on the long road so we just found the turnoff and followed the winding paved road to the village. That whole area on the other side of the mountain is all agricultural land. We passed orchards full of mango trees, banana trees and coconut palms. Then there were fields with corn and plants we didn’t recognize, as well as cattle, horses, pigs and chickens.

    Boca de Lagunillas is very small village but has a great big new cancha (multipurpose court) with a roof. Canchas are used for basketball games or as a gathering place for town meetings or concerts or community parties. They people who,live here are lucky because they have a paved road. But still, they don’t have wifi, cellular service, a high school or a grocery store. We didn’t see a church but there probably was one. Maybe the cancha is used…

    We went through the town and continued on the paved road, which turned into a dirt road, that led us to the beach where a few Slovakian families were surfing.

    Returning to Boca, we paid attention to the landscape. There were several huge trees with very big canopies. These shade trees are called parota trees and the wood is used for making live edge furniture. In the too branches of one of these big trees, we spotted an awesome Crested Caracara bird. When you look at the flag of Mexico, you will see a large bird that looks like an eagle holding a snake. This bird really is a Caracara.

    We parked the car in the village and walked down to the river where we had earlier seen people fording it. A big surprise! In the past two weeks, a backhoe had gone down into the river and scraped the stones in the river to form a small dam and more importantly a road. Now this will only last until the rainy season and then it will be washed away but for now there is a road and some deeper water for washing or providing water for the animals. A young man explained things to us.

    Two young girls were walking home from school with their Valentine goodie bags and they were happy to talk to us too. It was fun talking to kids who weren’t afraid to talk to strangers.

    Our landlord had told us about the best place in the area to get a tasty hamburger or wings - Nonos. We had to go back to the market town and found it easily. Unfortunately, the restaurant wasn’t open as the owner was food shopping in Zihuatanejo. That means that we will have to go back there another day. No problems. Check out the restaurant’s sign in the photos. Haha.

    We hadn’t had a hamburger for the whole time that we were here so we went to Troncones to a place that we knew served burgers. Wow! They were so big that we could barely open our mouths wide enough to eat them! Not sure if they are as good as Nonos are supposed to be but they were delicious.

    We headed home to a clean house, a sunny afternoon and a dip in the pool.

    It was a loving day all around. A happy Valentines Day except for …. another visit from the persistent herd of goats!    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    Selfie on Chris' 72nd birthday
    Morning pool maintenanceTurtle sarongLittle girl and Chris with his birthday giftIndigosBakery at IndigosBread basketArugula, blue cheese and peer salad with Grapefruit juice and a Limonada.Our huge New York steak and home friesChocolate mousseAhhhhMeanwhile at home...

    Happy Birthday Chris!

    17 februari 2022, Mexico ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Because we usually travel during the winter months, and Chris’ birthday is in February, his birthday is a very simple affair. We don’t normally exchange gifts while travelling. What would he want in Mexico and what could I get him - a Speedo bathing suit, Mexican trinkets, tequila or mescal, a sombrero, a T-shirt, flowers? A good book would work …so we settle for a dinner out, in a recommended restaurant, and he can be a King for a Day. That works for us.

    So, how did his majesty spend his day in Troncones?

    At 7:15 a.m., the power went out, as it often does, but we were prepared with matches this time. We have a gas stove so we could light the burners to make coffee and a light breakfast.

    We read a bit and swam in the pool until we could use the internet again.

    By noon, the power came back on and we headed into Troncones. We had heard about a little shop that sold sarongs/pareo and we wanted to pick up a couple for our daughters. The store was tiny but the lady had a nice variety. We took photos and sent them to the girls to check out.

    While we were there, the lady told us that her grand daughter was celebrating her 6th birthday today. The little girl showed us her 3 piñatas (a burro, a mermaid and a girl) filled with candy that were going to be used at her birthday party. Since it was Chris’ birthday too, she shared a sucker with him and said Happy Birthday. What’s funny is that our car rental guy’s birthday is also on Feb 17, as well as our condo neighbours dad, and Chris twin sister Hilary. A popular day. May 17th must have been a busy day!

    We drove on to an Argentinian restaurant and bakery called Indigos for our early dinner. We had heard that it was a family restaurant with good service and they follow covid protocol. The tables were spaced out and hand sanitizer was available.

    Indigo’s Argentinian steak is what people go there for so that’s what we ordered. Actually we ordered a single meal that we asked if we could share and what a meal we got!

    The restaurant has a small onsite bakery so while we waited for our dinner we checked it out - sourdough and whole wheat breads as well as rolls, baguettes, cakes and squares. We bought some baguettes to try out at home.

    We ordered a grapefruit juice and limonada which came with a basket of an assortment of buns from the bakery and a dip. This was followed by a big arugula, blue cheese, pear and walnut salad that had a delicious dressing on it. Then came a New York steak, home fries and more sauces. We could not believe that we were sharing a meal that was meant for one person. We were stuffed! But even with all that food, we couldn’t resist their chocolate mousse dessert. It was a pleasant ending to a fantastic meal in little, dusty Troncones.

    As usual, the late afternoon was hot (33C) so when we came home, into the pool we went and followed that by a short siesta.

    Dinner was light. We found our favourite series at the moment about Jack Reacher, and watched it using the projector on the wall while being serenaded by crickets and geckos.

    All in all, a fine day for the birthday boy!    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    Two hours before my fall from grace

    My Fall from Grace

    17 februari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    I can’t believe it happened. I fell into the pool. Chris didn’t push me. But he saw me fall in. Omg.

    Now you have to understand that it was 9:30 at night and dark outside. The full moon was on its way but not here yet. It was also quite hot and Chris decided to go for a dip to cool off before going to bed.

    The pool area has lights but he didn’t bother turning them on. He just turned on the blue underwater lights in the pool and jumped in.

    It was hot but I figured that if I just went to the steps, I could cool off by sitting on the edge and putting my feet in the water. But with underwater lights on, I had trouble judging where the edge was and did a face plant or belly flop right into the pool. It was not graceful. I had all my clothes on as well as my slippers.

    Of course, Chris asked if I was okay as I surfaced sputtering water. I was. It then became a great source of amusement for him as he had a " front row seat." Ha ha. It’s not every day that one falls into a pool but it did cool me off.

    P.S. Thank heavens there wasn’t a camera to capture the moment.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    A Volkswagon flower garden in Troncones
    Down a street in PantlaPantla's churchA little oasisA shaded Community parkOrganized recyclingFresh meat!Carnival in townAn interesting road.Oh no! A goat on a wall!Came home to a clean carpet

    Pantla, Guerrero

    21 februari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    We have been reading about the huge snowstorm in Wellington County where all the roads have been closed and driving is dangerous. Neighbours sent photos of the snow drifts and the blowing wind. Here we have the opposite. It has been scorching! In fact, a heat advisory has been issued. Thank heavens our evening are cool. It starts to become hot by 9 a.m. and it get hotter and hotter as the day progresses.

    Because of the heat, a few creatures have come to visit us again - scorpions, spiders and crabs. This creepy crawly brigade although small, keeps us on our toes, literally. Haha.

    Since the goats have eaten most the flowers and greenery, they are now more interested in the water in the pool. All the creeks have dried up and who knows where they are finding water. We feel somewhat sorry for them now. We have seen the chicken coop that the herd is living in, when they are not roaming the jungle. Not the best place to hang out, especially in this heat. We are just worried that when we are not at the house, a baby goat may fall into the pool and drown. Not a pleasant thought. Maybe we can find and fill a tub of water for them to drink out of, away from the house? Oh, the goats…

    This morning, while the house keeper and handyman couple worked around the house, we decided to drive in our air-conditioned car, to a market town just north of Zihuatanejo, called Pantla. We needed to fill up the propane tank that services our stove and that’s where we had to get it done.

    Chris happened to see a guy watering a Volkswagen garden with a hose in Troncones, and asked him if he would fill up our window washer water container, which he did with a smile. Funny.

    We don’t know anything about Pantla and an internet search doesn’t provide us with much info either. About 4,000 people live there and it appears to be a market town. I’m saying this because some shops weren’t open yet when we drove through it. It is a dusty and very Mexican town with no gringos that we could see. But it did seem to be bustling with activity, including a Fed Ex truck. A few sleepy dogs on the street and the kids were in school. An interesting place, but hot!

    We drove back north and went to our favourite tianguis town, Lagunillas,, where the fruit and vegetable vendors were making some good sales. Limes are still very expensive but they are available. We filled our bag up with apples, grapefruits, tangerines, grapes, jicama, potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, a cabbage, carrots and other goodies. We wore our masks and kept our distance but in 33C it sure gets hot under the mask.

    We decided to go home by taking a shortcut and driving across the riverbed in Boca de Lagunillas. That was fun. The water has really gone down and it getting a little skunky. Too bad as it was a clear and clean river a month ago. It was a pleasant and cool drive home under the big palm trees.

    We wash all of our fruits and vegetables using purifying drops, Microdyn, added to a sinkful of water. Most of the veggies are dusty so this way they are cleaned and disinfected before going in the fridge.

    Sara and her husband, Jaime, did a great cleaning job, inside and out. They even cleaned the big woven carpet in the living area. I guess that they beat it, hosed it down and put it in the sun to dry. Whatever they did, it is clean now.

    Our landlord and his family went to the States today from Patzcuaro. They will be there until mid April and we will be long gone. It is too bad that because of covid we weren’t able to see them this year. They are a special couple and we would have enjoyed seeing their kids.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    The moving truck arrives
    UnpackingBodega furniturePutting the cabinets togetherA few things that had to be storedBeforeAfterBeforeAfter

    Furniture arrives from Patzcuaro

    24 februari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Our landlord had mentioned that he and his family were moving out of the house that they were renting for years in Patzcuaro, and putting most of the furniture in storage. Some furniture would be coming to Majahua though and he wondered if we could be here when it arrived to make sure it got put away. He would have been here but he and his family had to go to the States until the middle of April.

    The moving date was set for Saturday but of course this is Mexico and you have to expect the unexpected. We got an email saying it would be there later today (Thursday). We were fine with that. It takes about 4 hours to drive from Patz. to Troncones so we figured Hugo and Antonio would be here by lunchtime and yes, they were.

    The driveway is pretty rough and the truck was loaded high. I was a little worried that it could tip over as it wobbled up the driveway but they made it.

    It was a super hot day and those guys worked up a sweat. Most of the items were heavy. Chris helped by cleaning all the tools and equipment out of the bodega and sweeping it so that the new items had room. I supervised. We didn’t know where to put most of it but just stuffed it all in so it looks organized. Jeremy will have to make sense of things when he moves in. But we can still get in to do our laundry which is good.

    The guys left in an hour after a cold beer and we finished putting things away.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    Yoga session
    A beautiful Lineated WoodpeckerWatering bird of paradise plants that were nibbled on by the goatsSkimming the poolChicken vegetable rice soupCondo zoom meetingOur favourite books so far. Chris also read and liked The Power of OnePutting together Jeremy's tableBilly eyeing the poolJerry Seinfeld show. Usually we see two geckos running across the screen.Old school Bicycle with a old Speed River Bicycle water bottle

    A Typical Day

    26 februari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    As mentioned before, we aren’t moving around very much because of covid. I thought that I would just make a footprint of the some of the things that keep Chris, and me, busy during the day.

    We usually get up at around 6:30 a.m. while it is still dark and cool (24C) outside, and one of us puts on the coffee. Then a little time is spent checking emails and the news. A few of our friends are experiencing rough times with medical or family issues and we are trying to keep in touch with them as they go through life’s challenges. Also, lately, the news has not been good as Putin (Russia) has invaded Ukraine. The Russian people have protested this move and of course, many Russians were arrested and there will be consequences. It is frightening to see what is happening. Money and greed…

    We brought our Home Google machine which was a great idea. We can listen to the local Fergus radio station, ask it questions or listen to music that we like. Great for travelling as long as we have wifi.

    Chris then goes into exercise mode. We haven’t been walking daily on the beach as we were doing previously. It gets hot so quickly. A lady in Troncones gave Chris an unused yoga mat and he is able to get in about 20 minutes of Pilates/yoga stretches while watching a Utube video, and follows those by doing a quick skimming of the pool and then a refreshing dip.

    It is very hot in the full sun and the new plants planted by our landlord need water. Chris drops the hose into the pool to fill it up and then fills and carries pails of water to the plants that are the furthest away from the hose. Most of the plants can be watered with the hose.

    In the meantime, I usually prepare a warm egg and veggie tortilla with either bacon or chorizo for breakfast. There is a lot of good fruit here so that is added on the side - black berries, melon, grapefruit, tangerines, etc.

    We sweep the floor every day and check for unwanted little creatures. The house keeper washes the floors on Mondays and usually find new creatures. Her husband comes two or three times a week to vacuum the pool, water plants and do any other odd job.

    By early afternoon, we are ready for a little rest and reading our books. We have read some good ones - The Lincoln Highway, Work Song, Daughter of Fortune - but we may have to go to some online books soon.

    Lunch comes and goes. It happens whenever someone feels the urge to eat something. With the heat, we don’t really feel very hungry. I’m writing this at 2:45 pm and maybe we will have lunch soon.

    Chris has had almost daily condo meetings with the president of the Corp via the computer. There are lots of things happening at our condo, so it is great that they can talk this way. But our wifi has not been very reliable lately. Off and on, for the past 3 days.

    At some point in the afternoon, Chris does 100 laps in the pool! When he came, he struggled to do 20. It takes time but we have time…and he loves it!

    Any time during the day, goats will have to be shooed away, new birds identified, and odds and ends jobs to do. Once a week, we make a big pot of a chicken vegetable soup that I freeze in yogurt containers for quick lunches. Today we saw a beautiful Lineated Woodpecker that looks like a Pileated Woodpecker that we sometimes see in Ontario. Our photos don’t do it justice so I found a photo online an added it.

     I have tried to do some art but something usually takes me away from trying to do it. In the afternoons, the wind blows (which is great but…) all my papers have be anchored down with rocks or they’ll blow away. I often watch demonstrations of some cool art techniques on utube instead.

    On Mondays, we drive to Lagunillas to the fruit and vegetable market. On Thursdays, we go to the organic market in Troncones and also pick up a freshly BBQed chicken in town. Then, once a week, we head to the big Mega Soriana grocery store in Zihua.

    Chris was riding the bicycle to Troncones and back but the roads have become super dusty, bumpy and dry. Not good while riding a bicycle. He started to cough so he stopped doing that.

    Then when the urge hits us, we go to one of the many inexpensive beachside restaurants that are in Troncones or Majahua.

    Dinner is usually around 7 pm. when it starts to get cooler…

    It is 3:15 now. Chris started his swimming (this time buck-naked) in the pool and the whole herd of goats came out of the jungle to drink water out of the pool. He was surrounded! I wish that I had taken a photo but things happen a little too fast at times. The owner came too, to try to shoo them away, and so did his 4 big dogs who are learning to herd the goats. Those goats! The little ones are fine but the big billies have big horns and don’t stand down.

    After dinner, we clean up and watch a little TV, rather big screen T.V., with the projector and our portable speaker. A Jerry Seinfeld show will start us out, and then we find a series or movie to watch on Netflix or Prime. The wifi seems to work well at night…

    We bought some American playing cards in the market and found a little English book trading library in a local resort. A lot of the books have yellow pages though and are obviously weathered..

    Anyways, always something to do but there is no rush to do anything.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp

    Baby Sea Turtle Release

    26 februari 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Mexico has had a dark history of killing turtles for their meat. This practice is now illegal.

    Nowadays, it’s rare that the turtle eggs are left on the beach after the mother turtle lays them. Instead, volunteers dig them up and keep them safe in a turtle sanctuary.

    We went to a local restaurant at 5:30 pm to have a beer and learn a little more about sea turtle releases and watch the process. The turtles that are being released are leatherback sea turtles.

    A young man who was born in Troncones, Juan Carlos, decided that he wanted to help with the survival of sea turtles in the area so he initiated the turtle sanctuary in town.

    During the night during the summer months, turtles come to spawn along the beach, During turtle season in Mexico, adult turtles will only lay their eggs at night, usually from about 11 pm until dawn. This is done by the mother as a way to protect the eggs from predators. Juan Carlos and his team gather the eggs and then bury them again in a safe enclosed place in front of a small hotel.

    Two months later the turtles hatch and this is when tourists can help to put the babies into the ocean in front of Roberto’s Bistro. It doesn’t cost anything but a donation to help with the program are always welcome. Last year 15,000 turtles were helped into the water.

    There are many dangers for baby sea turtles, which makes seeing them hatch quite rare. Baby turtles can hatch during the day, although it is uncommon. It is much safer for the eggs to hatch in the safety of the nighttime when birds and other predators have gone to bed.

    Turtle Sanctuaries and hotels will usually free baby turtles around dusk, and will never release turtles if they can see birds or other predators hanging around.

    We enjoyed watching the whole process and went back the next night to watch again, and have a few tacos while we watched.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp

    The Maria Cookie

    1 maart 2022, Mexico ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Wherever we have travelled, we have always been able to find a simple, round, dunking cookie that goes well with coffee or tea, the Maria cookie. For us, it has been an old and familiar travelling friend..

    When I was a child, my mother would serve tea after school with a plate of these cookies if she didn’t have home-made cookies. They are round and usually had the name stamped into its top surface. The edges have a fancy design as well. Fun for taking tiny bites. It is made from wheat flour, sugar, palm oil or sunflower seed oil and is usually vanilla-flavored.

    I am not sure what they were called then but I did a little research and learned why they are called Maria’s.

    This cookie was invented in London to celebrate a royal marriage. The Marie biscuit was produced in 1874 by the London bakery Peek Freans in commemoration of Russia's Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna's marriage to Prince Alfredo, the Duke of Edinburgh.

    Although the wedding took place at the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg (Russia), these cookies were baptized with the name Marie Biscuit, in honor of the new member of the Royal Family, and to drink them with tea, that we all know is part of British culture.

    The English quickly adopted Maria cookies as their favorite, a treat that we have found anywhere we have travelled. In Uruguay, a cookie sandwich was made with 2 cookies and caramel in the middle. Then it is rolled in coconut. In Portugal, two cookies would have a cream between them. There seem to be several variations on the names depending where we have been. Here in a Mexico, these cookies are called Marias.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp

    600 Bicyclists!

    6 maart 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    We heard about a bicycle rally that was going to start and finish at the Troncones fairgrounds. 600 bicyclists were registered to be in this race. Many participants came from all over Mexico as well as local people from Zihua, Lazaro Cardenas and Troncones. The race was going to take them through Majahua so we walked to town to watch.

    The advertisement said that the race would start at 7:30 a.m. but being on Mexican time, we weren’t sure when they would be coming through town. Organizing 600 people would be a challenge, for sure, but amazingly, cyclists started to come through Majahua shortly before 9 a.m.

    We ordered a coffee at a restaurant in town that had a great view of the ocean and was next to the road and waited in the shade. We followed that up with a delicious breakfast.

    We met a family of about 10 people who had flown in from Tijuana to cheer on a father and his 14 year old son. They were in the 35 km race. The 50 km race was considerably more difficult and went in a different direction. Both races included going up and over a mountain in the heat.

    We wondered how the racers would negotiate a dirt road full of chickens, horses, sleepy dogs and kids but they took it all in stride.

    The family that we met made shakers out of plastic coke bottles filled with stones and as the cyclists passed they all got rousing support from all of us, cheering them on. It was fun.

    Chris wanted to enter with his Speed River Bicycle water bottle, but he wasn’t sure if he or his bike would make it!    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp

    The View from Zihua’s Hotel Irma

    7 maart 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Today is the day that our housekeeper and the pool guy come in the morning. While the cleaning was going on, it is always a good time for us to do a few errands. Our helpers can keep an eye out for the goats for us.

    Monday is also the day that the fruit and vegetable market in Lagunillas is on. We really enjoy the drive over the mountain and then shopping in that market for fresh fruits and vegetables. The town is close to the highway to Zihua so we figured that after the market we could easily go to the grocery store in Zihuatanejo. A plan for the day was coming together nicely. On the way back we could stop in at Troncones for anything else we need, like a bag ice and some ice cream.

    A long time ago, I had read a blog about an interesting hotel in Zihua called Hotel Irma that had a beautiful view of the Zihuatanejo Bays. We thought that it would be neat to try to find this hotel and see if the author was right.

    Shopping in the market and in Zihua is a familiar experience now so we did what we had to do in no time and went hunting for Hotel Irma using our handy Google Maps app.

    Hotel Irma sits on the side of a cliff overlooking Playa Madera so up a steep hill we drove. We parked and walked into the hotel and the blogger was right. What a great view! Wow!

    It was lunch time so we decided to eat lunch in the restaurant while watching the activity down below.

    In our photos, you can see the most heavily populated part of Zihuatanejo at the top left. This is where we went before, Playa Municipal, and saw the museum and the statues on the malecon. The curved beach stretching from the center to the lower right is Playa la Ropa. It is the largest of the four main beaches ( Municipal, Madera, Ropa, and Las Gatas) that lie around the edge of the small bay in front of Zihuatanejo.

    Each of the beaches is shaped like a half-moon with steep hills rising in back of it. There are rocky points at the tips of each beach, separating each one from the next one.

    Across the bay, we could see huge homes built into the mountainside. From the big dock, at the foot of that mountain, people can book all sorts of trips - fishing, whale watching, snorkelling, night time dinner cruises, catamaran rides or a trip out to the restaurants on Ixtapa Island.

    The night time view must be something else. Imagine having a two for one margarita at night in this hotel?

    It was lunch time, so we just sat in Hotel Irma’s restaurant and ate a hamburger and French fries while enjoying the gentle breezes and watching the activities on the bay.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    This is a tiny fruit fly sized woodworm beetle.
    Polyfilla in the holes.

    Woodworms

    11 maart 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    All the termites are gone. Yay! Carlos did a great job.

    And now, introducing, the wood eating woodworms …

    The first time Carlos came to deal with the termites, he noticed little piles of sawdust on the window sills and on the floor. Upon further inspection, he said that some of the wood that was used for the headers of the doors and windows was infected with the larva of woodworms. He could see the little round exit holes made by the woodworm beetles. When the larva mature (2-5 years), it turns into an insect with wings that lives for a short time but lays eggs in wood to start the cycle again. But while it is in the larva stage, it eats the wood it is in, forming tunnels throughout the furniture or beams. They are not a good insect to have around a house that has a lot of wood!

    As part of Carlos’ warranty, he also deals with woodworms so he started the process of eliminating them. First the wood is sprayed. After a short time, you may notice a dying beetle exiting a tiny round hole. Carlos pulled each one out with a small sharp took like. Then he covered the hole with polyfilla. With some of the holes, he injected a poison into the wood with a hypodermic needle. Depending on how bad the infestation is, different strategies have to be used, but he starts with the least disruptive, for us, strategy.

    After a couple or weeks, we started to notice the sawdust piles in various places again.

    Carlos came immediately and went to Plan B. This involved taking all the wooden furniture outside for 3 days and spraying it thoroughly. Then the window frames, inside and outside, were sealed in a heavy duty plastic. Carlos put pellets between the plastic and added water. A gas was created that infiltrated the holes and killed any larva or beetles that were in the wood. The rooms were locked and had to sit like that for three days. He did 2 rooms at a time so that we would have somewhere to safe to sleep. Stinky stuff.

    He came back three days later, took off the plastic and cleaned up. The furniture was put back into the bedrooms. Then he did the third bedroom. Same process. Our bedroom was not affected by the woodworms so we were okay. Three days later, he came again and opened up the room again. Looks like he got all of them now! What a process but our landlord should be happy with the results. Nothing eating the house from the inside out. The warrantee is for a year and Carlos said to call if ever any little sawdust piles are seen again. Great service!

    While Carlos was removing the plastic, he found a scorpion caught on the blue tape that held the plastic up. We all wondered how it got there and were happy that he hadn’t got stung!

    Have we ever learned a lot about insects on this trip! Thank heavens we are not bothered by little creepy crawlies. In our travels, there have always been strange and wonderful critters unique to the environment they live it.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp

    We Saw a Big Cat!

    11 maart 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Tonight, we saw a very big cat run across the road close to our house. At first we thought that it was a black lab but it has a very long black tail and definitely was a cat. We asked if anyone on the Troncones Lets Chat board had seen anything similar and someone mentioned a puma and another person said that we may have seen a jaguarundi! We felt very fortunate to have seen this amazing animal!

    Of course, we didn’t have time to get a photo but the photos have some Spanish information given to me re jaguarundis.    Meer informatie

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    Cane toad recued from the pool
    Poison glands on the side of the face.This is not our photo but it shows how it can rise up and run!Enjoying a toadless, frogless and lizardless pool.

    Cane Toads

    12 maart 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Yesterday and today, we rescued two giant cane toads from our pool. The photo makes the toad look like it is normal Ontario size but it was much much bigger. Karen’s toad houses would have to be three or four times the size of the ones she makes for the toads at our cottage.

    Historically, Cane toads, due to their voracious appetites, were used to get rid of pests in sugarcane plantations, giving rise to their common name. They are also called “giant toads" or “marine toads".

    They are very large and females are significantly longer than males. The ones we have seen and rescued from our pool were the size of small cabbages! Maybe 6” long and very fat and flabby. Some can weigh up to 1 kg! They have a life expectancy of 10- 15 years in the wild.

    The skin of the toad is dry and warty and the ones we have seen are a yellow-brown colour, with a pattern. I don’t have a problem scooping frogs out of the pool with my hands but there is no way that I want to grab one of this squishy toads. Our pool skimmer works just fine.

    I did read that if this toad feels threatened, it releases a milky substance that is toxic enough to burn the eyes or inflame the skin unless it is sensed off immediately.

    Once the toad was released, it raised itself and ran, and I mean ran. Not like our toads at home. It was fast! It didn’t really have fully webbed feet, they were more like long fingers. In the morning, we wake up to their deep croaks.

    By the way, this was the same type of toad that that we saw when we first arrived here, hiding under my face mask on an end table. Another night, there was one under the seat cushion. Imagine if we had sat on it!    Meer informatie

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