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Majahua, Guerrero, Mexico
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Majahua, Guerrero, Mexico

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    1 stycznia 2022
  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp

    Writing this Blog

    1 stycznia 2022, Kanada ⋅ ☁️ 1 °C

    Welcome to our 2022 travel blog. No photos yet, but there will be, soon enough.

    During the next few months, Chris and I will try to post entries and photos on this NEWish blog site as we travel to Majahua in the Pacific Mexico area. This is our fourth year using Find Penguins as our travel writing template for blogs. We can write, post photos, show our location and at the end of our trip, we can order a hard-covered book of our blogs. Also we can work on the blog offline - a big bonus when we are in places with limited or no wifi. Every year that we have travelled, we have had our blogs made into a hard-covered book that are dedicated to our family. Yes, it is a commitment to keep up the blogs, but once we get into a routine, it isn’t so bad. The books are great keepsakes.

    We have realized that writing a blog is a good way to provide ourselves with a record of our travels, a place to store some of our favourite photos, to give family and friends some information of where we are and what we are doing, and maybe to inspire a few 60+ year olds who want to try long term traveling with only a carry-on bag, a day pack, (and maybe a ukulele or puppets) while trying to keep to a budget. We do try to travel economically - shopping for and cooking most of our own food and staying in small local hotels/guesthouses that have been recommended to us by other travellers. In all of our adventures, we have always come home ahead of the game, in the financial area. It's a fact. It has been cheaper for us to travel than it is to stay home over the winter! And what wonderful places we have visited!

    Finding Penguins has some good little features. It has been designed as a place to record ‘Footprints’ or special moments. So we can write a little or a lot and each blog has room for 6 - 10 photos that can be viewed in a slide show. If you click on one photo, it enlarges and you can scroll through the others. Last year, we did not take a camera. We used our phone’s camera and at times the iPad’s camera and the photos turned out fine.

    You can choose to LISTEN TO OUR BLOGS! Highlight and copy the text, then paste it into the left page of Google Translator at this address ...

    http://translate.google.ca/?hl=en&tab=wT#.,

    When you do this, it will automatically appear in the right page (I.e., English to English translation). Then, just click on the little speaker icon at the bottom of the right pane and you'll hear it.

     We always love receiving short comments and we especially like the questions that some of you have asked about the countries we are in. If you click the "post a comment" button at the bottom of our entries, you can easily send a short message. Remember that the blog is available for anyone (in the world) to read, so be mindful of what you say. Over 30,000 people have read our past blogs. You can still send us an email at chronny80@gmail.com, if you want to.

    By the way, if you don't want to receive these pages, please ignore the notices from Ladyandtramp or take yourself off the list. We won't be offended!

    Have a wonderful winter and keep in touch. Your little comments keep us connected with home. We love getting them.

    Connie and Chris
    a.k.a. Ladyandtramp 2022     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    Our luggageLooking out of our window as the plane was being de-iced. Not a great view!Snow and ice storm.The entrance to TronconesThe road starts to change from paved to dirt close to here.The first view of the house from the road.

    Toronto Airport

    2 stycznia 2022, Kanada ⋅ ☁️ -5 °C

    Yay! The start of the year and the start of a new trip. Omicron is raging in Canada and we are anxious to get out of here.

    In 1999, when we were teaching English in Mexico, we met a lot of wonderful young people. We have kept in touch with a few of the teachers and one special person we met, was an adventurous man from Texas, Jeremy. Well, Jeremy became a lawyer, got married to a beautiful lady, Linley, had 2 boys and the family moved to Patzcuaro, Mexico. Last year, they decided to build a house in a tiny beach town that they loved, north of Zihuatanejo, called Majahua. They asked if we wanted to rent it from them during the winter and we jumped on the offer. We don’t want to spend another winter in a condo in Ontario!

    So here we are, starting a new year, by sitting in the Toronto airport waiting to board a plane to Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo. The last time we were in Mexico was 705 days ago.

    Our friend, Donna, stayed overnight at our Fergus condo and at 3 a.m. we all caught a Red Car to the airport. We are all flying on Air Canada but are going to Mexico and she is going to Victoria, B.C. The weather at 3 in the morning was supposed to be blustery and cold but our drive was an easy one and we got to the airport in no time.

    I had completed all the airport info online and because we had boarding passes and carryons, we went through security in a matter of minutes.

    Very few people were in the airport. We bought a coffee and ate our egg salad sandwiches while we waited. Right on schedule, we boarded the clean plane. The two of us has 3 seats. Everything was done efficiently and in a pleasant manner. We were impressed.

    Shortly after we boarded it started to snow and blow. The blizzard had arrived! The flight was delayed by about 1/2 hour as the plane had to be de-iced and the runways cleared. We could barely see out of our window.

    By 11:45, we were flying over Dallas.

    By 1:30 p.m., we landed in Ixtapa. It was lovely to see the Mexican blue sky again. Going through immigration was a breeze as we had done all the paperwork online before we left. It is a tiny airport so we were in and out in no time.

    Jonny Cash’s car rental was a 3 minute walk away. He is a young Mexican who rents older cars with full insurance and unlimited miles for a good price. He was waiting for us and in minutes we now had a Nissan Versa with manual transmission. Jonny had been highly recommended by several gringos who come here on a regular basis. He is very professional and honest. The cars may be dinged up a bit but they run well and have good tires.

    So, onto the next job of the day, getting our groceries. About 10 km north on Hwy 200 there is a good Mega Soriana one stop store for groceries and other things. It’s like a Mexican Zehrs.

    We stocked up with basics, not knowing what Troncones, the town closest to us, has to offer. Then off to our home for the next three months.

    Troncones is a cute little tourist town right on the Pacific Ocean. The government plans on making it a bigger destination for sun lovers. Too bad. Right now it is a typical old fashioned Mexican town with a few tourists, who love to surf, roaming the streets.

    After Troncones, the road changes from being paved to a dirt road with potholes. The village of Majahua is very tiny and full of dogs and chickens. We had to stop to allow a chicken family to cross the road. At one point, we had to drive the car through a small river. Jeremy’s house is just a bit north of that. He has a long driveway, 150 yards, to the house that you can kind of see from the road, through the jungly trees.

    We had arrived and it was only 4 p.m.     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    The kitchenLooking to the back and our rental car.The front of the houseThe dining room tableThe back area. Two more bedrooms here.New landscaping, palms, bird of paradise, cacti, bougainvilla, etc.

    The House

    3 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Well, we were pleasantly surprised! We had seen some photos as the house was being constructed but we really had no idea what it looked like.

    From the road, we could somewhat see the house through the jungly trees on the property. We turned down the 120m winding driveway and saw a beautiful, white house with a large swimming pool.

    I wish that I knew real estate lingo in order to describe this house properly. In a nutshell, it is a one floor house with an open living area with a modern kitchen and living room. A veranda runs the full length of the front of the house and it has a dining table in it as well as two sitting areas with rocking chairs in front of two large bedrooms. There are overhead fans everywhere, even though there is a lovely breeze that keeps the house cool.

    At the back of the house are two more bedrooms. All the bedrooms have king-sized beds or two twin beds. Each of the bedrooms has its own bathroom. The doors and windows in these rooms have screens.

    In front of what i am calling the veranda/porch lies the large, 18’ x 32’ pool. It is lovely. Shallow at one end with wide stairs going into the water and 7’ deep at the other end. It is a salt water pool, no chlorine. Refreshing.

    A lot of work has been done lately to start the landscaping of the house - palm trees, bougainvillea and other tropical plants that I don’t know the name of. A lot of the brush has been cleared so that it is private, yet open around the house.

    While we self isolate for a few days after the flight, we are enjoying the blue skies, the warm weather, the pool and listening to some good music on the Google Home machine we wisely brought with us. It is a covid free life at this point and we are very grateful for the opportunity to stay here!     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp

    We Packed Too Much!

    4 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Remember the photo Chris took of our luggage? Two small backpacks and two day packs with all of our clothing in it.

    Well, we packed way too much! Haha. The winter clothes that we travelled in were packed away immediately after we arrived. Who needs a jacket, long pants, a warm fleece and long sleeved shirts here? In 30C+ weather!

    Since we arrived, I have been in and out of one tshirt and a pair of shorts as well as my bathing suit, coverup dress and sun hat. That’s it! When will I wear the other 4 tshirts, longer shorts, capris and a skirt?

    And now, after I don’t know how many years, I am thinking of buying a bikini!!! A bikini, can you imagine? Almost 70, and I am thinking of getting a bikini! Easy to take on and off and would dry quickly. There’s no one here to see me except Chris and a couple of iguanas. We are hidden in the jungle.

    The first photo is of the clothes I haven’t worn yet. The second photo is what I have been living in, minus the hat, flip flops and sunglasses     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp

    Troncones and Majahua

    5 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    These two villages are so tiny that there isn’t much information about them on Google.

    Wikipedia says this…

    “Troncones (large tree trunks) is a relatively undeveloped, uncrowded beach village located about 20 miles (32 km) north west of Zihuatanejo on the coast of the state of Guerrero. It has a population of about 593 people (2005 census).[2] Hammocks and palm trees are in most yards, chickens roam the streets and loud nightlife is limited to very few weekly events, making for quiet nights. Some local hotels and restaurants offer special events such as Movie Nights and Dance Parties, mostly during the Oct-May high season. On Sundays, El Burro Boracho has shows of Mexican folkdance.

    Troncones has not been well-known until only recently. It was “discovered” by a North American sports fisherman who bought land here and convinced some of his compatriots to do the same. These property owners set up private homes or small hotels and guesthouses. Over the last 20 years, the population has grown as the local ejido benefits from increased tourism income, while maintaining a small-town aesthetic, in stark contrast to the high-rise hotels of nearby Ixtapa. On the 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) of beach, exist these houses, a few restaurants, a couple of grocery stores, and a growing number of eco-hostels, campgrounds, and surf schools. Even in the high season in the winter and spring it is possible to walk along the beach and not run into anyone.

    The major surfing area is called Troncones Point, a steady left break, where Troncones Beach meets Manzanillo Bay just to the north. Waves tend to be smaller in the winter, as the Point needs a southern swell to break well, and it is recommended for confident surfers because it is a rock bottom with some coral. There are many breaks and few surfers, especially in the low season of June - October when the swell is from the south and the breaks at Troncones Point and El Rancho can hit 25 feet (7.6 m). Breaks in Troncones tend to be gentler in the "shoulder seasons" of spring and fall, and some spots are better suited to long boarders.

    Near the beach are two sea caves in Troncones and Majahua as well as a waterfall called Cascadas Artesianas. Sportsfishing trips to the open ocean are available as well.”

    Majahua ( named after a type of flowering Hibiscus tree) is a really small village. I’m not sure if anything is written about it. There are a few houses, a couple of restaurants, a school, 2 small stores and a lady who bakes break. Chickens, dogs and cats fill the road… A vegetable/fruit truck comes a few times a week. What else? There is a nice beach with rolling waves. It seems to be shallow for a long ways out. In time, we will learn more about the interesting people who live there.

    Photos to follow…     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp

    Three Kings’ Day

    6 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Every January 6, Three Kings Day is celebrated in Mexico. The children wake up very early in the morning and run to open the gifts that the ‘Three Kings of the East’ have left near the family’s Nativity scene. The day is spent playing games and spending time with extended family.

    A traditional bread called a Rosca de Reyes is served on this day. It is a large, sweet dough bread in the shape of a big donut or an oval and decorated with dried fruits. It is supposed to represent the crown that the kings wear. The fruit on it are supposed to look like the gems on the crowns.

    Hidden in the loaf is special surprise - a tiny, plastic baby Jesus. The lucky, or unlucky, person who gets this figure will have to make or buy tamales for all the guests who ate a piece of the loaf, later in the year on February 2, Candlemas Day.

    We knew about this tradition from past years, so I went hunting for a Rosca. The problem we had, was that the loaves that we found were huge, enough for 20 people. Eventually I did find a little one but there were no babies in it and we ate it all before I could get a photo.

    So luckily, I don’t have to make tamales for February 2!

    The photo isn’t one of ours but shows what the loaf looks like.

    P.S. I wrote this blog too soon. There was one piece of cake left. Chris ate it and got the baby. Not sure about his Mexican culinary skills for making tamales!     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp

    All about Food

    6 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    When we first arrive in any new place, we usually spend about $100 at the beginning and buy food basics, the stuff you may take on a short camping trip. I.e. milk, eggs, butter, sandwich meat, roast chicken, toilet paper, etc. We didn’t know what we could get in small Troncones, so on our way north, we stopped in Zihuatanejo at the Mega Soriana. It looks like it has everything that we may crave in the future.

    It is always so much fun to shop in a food store in other countries. Food is displayed differently and there is just a nice feel to it. Sometimes, we have to guess what things are as things are packaged differently and there are different fruits, vegetables and meats.

    Today, we went back to Zihua (1/2 hour away) to do a more through shopping. Troncones stores offer fruit, vegetables, coffee, juices and lots of seafood. But we wanted to fill the freezer with a variety of meat including sandwich meats and bacon. Mega also has several kinds of cheese and even pickles.

    I also got some bug spray, pens, notebooks and flip flops.

    It was a quick in and out with our temperatures taken at the door and everyone wearing masks and using sanitizer. We may go there once every couple of weeks.

    The little fruit and vegetable store in Troncones is called Zamora. Beside fresh fruit it also has good local Ixtapa coffee. We stopped there to get some. Several stores in town have loud parrots in cages. One set of parrots cry like babies!

    On the way back home through Troncones, we noticed that the Thursday organic market was in progress. So, we stopped in to check it out. We bought 2 amazing samosas for lunch and a jar of mango chutney. So tasty.

    Our morning shopping spree was successful but when we got home, we spotted a termite trail on the back of Jeremy’s new house. Oh oh.     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    The start of the trail to the beach.
    The hedge all around Casa de la Princesa. The dogs got through the fence/hedge here.A gate1Stones that spell LOVENicely maintained walkwayA termite's nestYou can see the ocean in the distnaceGetting closerThe jungleAnd here we are! Our first view.

    A Walk to the Beach

    7 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Today is Friday. We arrived 5 days ago and really haven’t left our house except to go food shopping and checking out Troncones and Majahua (not much to check out). We felt that we should self isolate for a few days while we get the lay of the land.

    We learned that garbage is collected on Mondays and Fridays here so we walked down the driveway and left our little bit of garbage across the street. People here don’t have the huge amount of packaging that we have at home so there was only a small bag of it even after grocery shopping. We love that you don’t have to buy huge quantities of anything.

    Well, once we deposited the garbage, we saw the trail that Jeremy had mentioned that we would take to get to the beach. It is wide and well taken care of. After walking around a gate, a little pack of dogs on La Princesa del Mar BnB property either heard or saw us and sounded the alarm. We thought that they were behind a fence, but no. The five or was it six dogs found a way through the fence (?) and surrounded us. Big and small, and a mix of breeds. Haha. All bark and no bite. The lady, who is our closest neighbour came out and introduced herself as Reina (queen). She said that if we needed anything, to let her or her husband know.

    We have met several people who live here now and we are pleasantly surprised that we understand them clearly. And, we are recalling our Spanish and no difficulty communicating with them. Mind you, I feel that they are speaking a little slower and enunciating well. They are thrilled to find out that we speak Spanish.

    The walk to the beach was short and when the jungle opened up we were rewarded with a lovely view - a big bay with golden-coloured sand and only 1 person on it for as far as we could see. Immediately in front of the trail, there are some large rocks on the shore but beyond that the beach is sandy with big waves. Pelicans were diving into the water and a type of sandpiper running along the edge of the waves. Very peaceful.

    We walked a little bit but the sun was intense and we hadn’t really planned on going so we weren’t prepared with a proper hat or sunscreen. We returned home and went for a cooling swim.     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    62

    The Mahajua Beach

    8 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    The beach, which is about a five minute walk from the house is lovely . The sand is golden and sparkles. Very few people use it and it is full of sea-life. Sea turtles lay their eggs there and in the distance whales swim by. The pelicans dive continuously and little sandpipers skitter across the beach dueling with the approaching waves for their food.

    At one end of the beach, surfers come from all over to try out its challenging waves. We have heard of two good surfing spots, La Saladita and The Ranch, but we haven’t seen them yet.

    At the other end of the beach, there are gentle waves and people can walk in quite a ways as it is shallow. It is a great beach for walking along but at this time, we are not sure if it is a good swimming beach. There are hardly any people on it and no one seems to be swimming.     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    The farmers's fields
    A beer and cevichr store?Very tall palm trees. It reminded us of Colombia1The truck fording the river.An organized kayak tripThe beautiful river to the oceanLooking up to see a cacique bird.The road is really a track.

    Walk to Boca de Lagunillas

    9 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Three weeks ago, I sprained my back. The doctor suggested that I see a physiotherapist who kindly saw me on an almost daily basis for the 2 weeks before travelling. She used a variety of methods to relax the muscle including dry needling and she gave me a belt to wear when walking. At the end of the two weeks, I was feeling that I could handle the flight and it all went well. Today, we went for a 6 km walk and it wasn’t too bad! Thank you Hilary for your care. It worked!

    We decided to follow the dirt road that we live on, to the end. It turned out to be a pleasant and Interesting walk in the country. At first, we saw hotels, El Munro was one. The little houses with dogs, chickens and pigs. Mango orchards and areas with tall coconut palm trees . Most of our walk was in the shade.

    Then we were surprised when we came to a large and beautiful river. Across the river was a village, Boca de Lagunillas. The birds here were plentiful! We happened to see a couple of hanging cacique nests and the beautiful bird himself. At a later time, I will do a bird blog with our friend Pat’s help. We may need our real camera to take those photos.

    Walking along the river, we heard a big splash and then saw a truck fording the river to cross to the other side. The water came up to its floorboards! On the other side of the river are kayaks that belong to a eco travel company in Troncones. Birding trips down the river with a guide can be arranged.

    Walking a little further upriver, we encountered an elderly man who was digging something in the river. We said, hi, and he was happy to talk to us when he realized we spoke and understood Spanish.

    He told us that there had been a concrete bridge at one time (we saw the remains of it) but floods during rainy season had destroyed it. Now, to cross the river, vehicles had to drive through it to the other side. He showed us a place that we could cross that was much shallower. The other options are to take a horse across or a little boat.

    Walking home, we saw several little houses with kids, dogs, chickens and pigs playing outside. Motorcycles seemed to be the main mode of transportation here.. We even saw a tiny ‘corner store’ with cold drinks and a few necessities.

    We will definitely do this walk again, early in the morning. It was lovely and mostly in the shade.     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    The one in the bedroom was a smaller verson of this one that we saw later.
    A little perspective.

    Sara and the Iguana

    10 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    There are big, medium and small iguanas here. The smaller ones move too fast to take a photo of them. The medium ones are pretty fast too but the big ones are slow and lazy.

    Today, was our first day with Sara, our housekeeper, even though, Chris and I are pretty tidy people. We really appreciate the help we get in Mexico. Things are done differently here and it is great to give hard working and dependable people work. Sara is that type of person. She knows how to clean thoroughly and she does it with a smile.

    Our house has 2 bedrooms at the front and 2 bedrooms at the back. Sara was cleaning one of the back bedrooms when she was surprised by a medium sized iguana. He quickly hid and the two of us armed with brooms tried to shoo him outside. But he kept running and hiding, under the beds and behind a bedside table. When Sara moved a table, the iguana got caught and his tail broke off! The tail was about 15” long and it started to wiggle like crazy for at least 15 minutes. Ugh.

    Who knew where the lizard went. I called for Chris to come and help so he grabbed another broom while the tailless lizard scurried around frantically and we shouted, “There he is. There!”, in Spanish, English and sign language. At one point, Sara jumped up on the bed when it ran towards her. Chris followed! Haha. What a sight we were!

    Finally he was swept out and went scurrying away.. And the wiggling wormlike tail? Sara bravely picked it up and threw it as far as she could, into the bush. Apparently, shedding a tail is a lizard’s defence mechanism that enables them to escape the clutches of a predator. The tail will grow back.

    I didn’t get a photo of our encounter, but we certainly would have looked funny!

    A little later in the day, I got a photo of a bigger iguana seen while we were eating lunch in Troncones. Still not the biggest one we have seen.     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    We'll need to take a carrot with us the next time we go.
    Crossing the road.The town is just a bit bigger than this...The empty schoolDogs playing on a construction site sand pile.A pretty lavender house with a colourful and dusty garden.Little restaurantsMajahua beach. We live close to that white house in the distance.Dinner?A trail to the beach

    The Little Village of Majahua

    11 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Majahua can hardly be called a village. What’s smaller? A hamlet? It is tiny.

    We went for the 1.5 km walk from our house to the village to see if the lady who bakes bread, had fresh bread this morning. She didn’t but we were able to take some photos of the walk and the village itself.

    The road to town is a dirt road. At one point, we have to cross a small stream that runs across the road. A friendly burro lives on the other side of the stream and it may be nice to bring a carrot for him the next time we do this walk.

    Entering the village, one is greeted by lots of chickens and dogs. They all mind their own business and seem pretty friendly. You can tell that the dogs are mostly related. Haha.

    On one side of the road, there are little lanes that run to the ocean. Fishing boats with nets are parked there and there are a few little restaurants close by. Seabirds sit on the rocks waiting for their next meal. Houses are open to the sea breezes and as we passed them, we waved and said, hola. People here, in general, don’t speak English.

    We passed a two or three roomed school and a nursery school, both empty of kids. Kids can go online, if they have the money to afford to do this. I doubt if any elementary kids go online here.

    We think that there are 2 little variety stores but we have only see one that is open. The lady keeps it very clean and it has all the basics, including specialties like Magnum ice cream! Btw, they are much cheaper here.

    At the curve in the road, there is a condo development. We really don’t know anything about it but maybe later on we will visit it.

    At the end of the village, the dirt road changes to a paved road which goes to Troncones.

    We turned around and walked back to the house. When we got home, we realized that all of our power was out. Our handyman, Jaime, came to turn off the pool pump and we unplugged various appliances. Apparently, a line came down across the road in the area that we were just in. It was fixed by 5 p.m.     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp

    A Pinata for a Crocodile?

    13 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Today is Thursday, the organic market day in Troncones. We loved the samosas that we bought there last week so we thought that we could get more this week, but they were all sold out. We got their tasty lentil soup instead.

    We discovered a tiny stand where a lady was selling paleo blueberry granola. She gave us a sample and it was delicious! Walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut without sugar, coconut oil, agave, salt, and dehydrated blueberries. We bought some as we can also get natural yogurt at a nearby fruit and vegetable store called Zamora. Breakfast treats.

    We had heard that there was a bridge at the edge of town over a river where crocodiles lived. We drove to the bridge and saw a crocodile sign so got out and checked out the river below. We could only see one big guy, sunning on the bank.

    A truck pulled up behind us and two Mexican men came out of it with a big bag, calling, “Papillon, Papillon”. Apparently they were called the Big One. Funny name for a huge crocodile!
    Anyways, they said that they had a piñata for Papillon. Okay… one man pulled out a big filleted mahi-mahi fish out of the bag, tied a rope around the existing tail and dangled the skeleton over the bridge. They jiggled the fish like a piñata while continuing to call Papillon. The monster never came but a smaller croc appeared and checked it out without snapping at it.

    Crocodiles like living in this river because of all the overhanging branches that lizards like to sun on. When lizards get too big and heavy, they often fall or the branches break and down they go into the river. An easy meal for a hungry croc!

    We figured that we would come back to Troncones another day to see if we can spot the Big One. Maybe we could dangle a carrot piñata for him?     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    Travelling light
    Hearing aids first aid kit - rice in a cup

    Pat and Gail Arrive

    15 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Yesterday, was spent some time preparing for Pat and Gail, our long-time travelling friends, to arrive. We met them 22 years ago in Zamora, Michoacan where we were all teaching English. Since then, we have tried to meet once a year, always in different places - several different places in Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Peru, Bolivia, Guatemala, Colombia, Namibia and Botswana. And also in Canada and U.S.A.

    Last year, due to covid and ‘no travelling’ restrictions, we did not travel. We spent the winter in our Fergus condo. Pat and Gail were able to spend the winter in warm Arizona. But we weren’t able to meet up.

    Recently, they bought a new truck, El Burro, and a trailer, La Quinta, and decided to explore Baja California in a safe and away-from-people manner. They left Bellingham on December 1, 2021 and now, 6 weeks later, they were in windy La Ventana in south Baja. They decided to store their trailer and spend a couple of weeks with us in Majahua before flying onward to Puerto Vallarta and the little village of Chacala. They planned on spending the month of February in Chacala, the last place that we had seen them two years ago. Then back to their trailer to drive home to Bellingham.

    They caught a plane in La Paz at 6:30 a.m., flew to Mexico City and then arrived in Zihuatanejo at 3:30 p.m. right on schedule.

    We drove to Zihua in the afternoon and stopped at the Mega store to buy some food before picking them up. We also stopped at Jonny Cash’s car rental place to pay for the month of February. Jonny is a great guy and wants to upgrade our car for the same price. Not that we are having any issues with the one we have now. They will bring it to us in Troncones next week. Good service.

    They look exactly the same as always and were thrilled with the warmer weather here.

    As soon as we got to the house, they put their bathing suits on and jumped into the pool. But … Pat forgot that he had his new hearing aids in! Adjusting to hearing aids is a big challenge in so many ways, as Chris has discovered. Out came the rice and in went the aids. Thankfully, they survived their short dip in the pool. I am sure that several of you can relate to this incident. Lol.     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    Looking for whales.
    FishermanKids on a motorcycle carrying fishing rodsBrown Pelicans and Snowy EgretsA husky guards the cabanaVolcanic rocksDiving for lobstersA refreshing green smoothie

    Morning Walk on the Beach to La Barra

    16 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Morning are wonderful here. The perfect time for a walk on the almost empty-of-people beach.

    We woke up and had our coffee on the porch while watching the almost full moon make its slow descent. Mornings are cool as the sun has to come up over a mountain. We were able to head down the trail for our first walk together to the beach at around 7:20 a.m. , and it was lovely!

    Watching the pelicans diving into the water and the little sanderlings scurrying away from the incoming waves was a treat. In the distance, we could see grey whales flipping and splashing and having a great time. Every time they surfaced, someone would yell out, “There they are!” And we’d check them using our binoculars. Of course, we couldn’t take photos of them.

    We walked to a spot, a sandbar, where people were surfing in the ocean on one side and birds were congregating in a fresh water pond on the other side of this sand bar or La Barra. We had taken our binoculars so could see all the wonderful wildlife in the pond. We just took a moment and enjoyed what we were seeing as the sun started to come up.

    We walked back to a resort called Majahua Palms and enjoyed a big green smoothie. We had lots to talk about and enjoyed the beautiful views from this resort.

    It was definitely a good start to our day in Majahua.     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    Jerry Seinfeld on the Big Screen

    Music and a Movie Night

    17 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    Our days are full, yet relaxed. A routine has been started.

    We get up, have a coffee, a 6 km walk down to the beach and back, have a swim to cool off, make a big breakfast, read, swim, have lunch, a siesta and more swimming and reading, prepare dinner, practice a little ukulele music, eat, drink and tonight we watched a movie, Being the Ricardos.

    Jeremy told us that there was a projector but we had to get a HDMI cable and adapter to hook up our computer to it. There is a Radio Shack beside the Mega Soriano so Chris stopped in and was able to buy those two items. It worked! In the living room, there is a big empty wall that we can project onto so that is what we did.

    Someone had recommended the movie about Dezi Arnez and Lucille Ball so that is that is we watched. It was great! We had brought a bluetooth speaker with us and that enhanced the sound. All that we were missing was the popcorn.

    The geckos, a few moths and a dragonfly loved dancing on the screen.

    Btw, we are reading some great books - Chris just finished Power of One by Bryce Courtenay and I read Daughter of Fortune by Isabelle Allende.     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    We live close to the beach, in front of the moutain.
    Carrying cans to the lady who sells bread.The bake oven and bakery.A popular bar/restaurant in MajahuaMy favourite Majahua houseFishing boats on the shoreWe walked 1 km on the beach to the villageA statue at the point dedicated to a lady from Quebec.

    A Walk on the Beach to Majahua

    18 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    This morning, Monday, we all decided to do our own thing. Pat went boogie boarding near La Barra. Chris took Jeremy’s bicycle to Troncones and did an 18 km. ride.

    Gail and I decided that we would walk the 1 km to Majahua on the beach and she would would take some photos for me. I took a bag of empty cans to Andrea, the local baker, who can get money for them.

    Andrea bakes her bread in a wood-fired clay outdoor oven. She heats up the oven the night before and at 3 in the morning she starts the bread making process. Between 7 and 8 a.m., she is ready to sell her buns, not loaves of bread. It is very rustic. She hurt her back recently so when we went she hadn’t made any.

    As you have seen in another footprint, Majahua is a tiny village. I think that there may more chickens and dogs there than people. Fishermen go out early every morning and the little restaurants on the beach serve up seafood at lunch and dinner time.

    Except for the animals, a few houses, the bakery, the 2 little stores, the school, the nursery school and the restaurants, there isn’t much more to see. It is tiny and dusty with friendly people ekeing out a living.     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    Wood stork
    Streak backed orioleNorthern JacanaWood storksGreen Kingfisher

    Birding Walk with Pat and Gail

    19 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    For the past two mornings, Pat has gone to a good spot that he found to go boogie boarding. We had heard the news about the volcano erupting in Tonga and the anticipated tsunami waves headed towards the west coast of North America, including this area. Well, the waves never reached tsunami height but they were a bit bigger, a good size for Pat.

    Today, Tuesday, we took a break from our new routine, and decided to go for a early morning walk to check out the birds in the area. Armed with our cameras and binoculars, we headed on the road to the river and we were not disappointed.

    Jeremy’s son loves looking for birds, insects and animals and had been gifted a Mexican bird book. It was here and we have been using it daily to identify the birds that we see. I also got a compact pamphlet that shows common birds of the area. Great resources.

    Our walk took us through the jungle, farmland, palm tree groves and beside a river so we saw a variety of birds. The highlights of our sightings included a wood stork, several caciques and their hanging nests and a tiny green Kingfisher. The photos below are ones that Gail took with her camera.

    We came home for breakfast and I sadly realized that I had lost my new sunglasses, an Xmas present from Chris. We weren’t disappointed by the birds but I was very disappointed about my sunglasses. While I made breakfast, Chris took one of the bikes that Jeremy has here and retraced our 8 km walk. He miraculously found them on the edge of the river close to where we had seen the kingfisher. He was my hero and I was a happy camper!     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp

    Last Day Together

    19 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Pat and Gail have been here for 4 days and we have only eaten out once - a breakfast at the Majahua Palms resort. It was time for us to try some of the fresh seafood that people on the Troncones Chat Facebook page always rave about!

    We decided to have a late lunch rather than a dinner. It gets dark early here and if we had a dinner we would have to walk home in the pitch dark. There aren’t any street lights. Not our idea of fun.

    We walked to Majahua. Chris and I took the high road, which is the dusty, rocky main road and Pat and Gail took the low road, which is the walk on the beach. We arrived about the same time and picked one of the little beachside restaurants to eat in. We were the only customers.

    Chris had mahi-mahi fish tacos, Gail had Majahua shrimp, Pat had Mahi-mahi-mahi in an avocado sauce and I had garlic shrimp. Was it ever a good meal with great service! We will have to do this more often!

    We walked home on the beach and saw a dead yellow-bellied sea snake on the beach. Apparently, they are venomous but not aggressive and very pretty. Their tail is flat and used as a rudder for swimming.

    When we got home, Gail called her daughter and found out that she was in the hospital. This was not expected. Due to covid restrictions and hospital protocol, Gail was not able to find out exactly why she was there but both Pat and Gail felt that they should go home. It was pretty stressful.

    Flights were arranged. They found out that rapid covid tests could be done at the airport (Americans don’t need the same covid tests as Canadians) and they packed up to go.     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    Our last breakfast together

    Back to the Airport

    20 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    It was recommended that travellers get to the airport 3 hours before boarding. That would give them plenty time for the covid tests and results. Pat and Gail’s flight was departing at 2 p.m. , so we wanted to be there by 11.

    We had a big breakfast before we left, as we knew that it would be a long day for everyone - scrambled eggs with chorizo, tomatoes and onions, avocado slices, toast, and melon and papaya on the side.

    The weekly market in Troncones opened at 9, so we we had time to stop in and look around. We picked up some more granola and bought four tasty samosas for lunch.

    We dropped Pat and Gail at the airport but didn’t want to go too far away until their covid results came in. What if they tested positive? The big grocery store, Mega Soriana, is 9 km away so we went there to get a few things. Then we found a small paper store that sold acrylic paints and I got a few colours for my artwork. We got the call that all was good and headed back to Majahua.     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    Note the greenery in their mouthsA few went this wayA few went that wayEntrance to EmiliosFushing boats in frontbof the restaurant2Our meal!The mighty tipsy-enducing margarita

    Goats and then Coconut Shrimp at Emilios

    22 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    We kept hearing about a new restaurant in Majahua called Emilios. People raved about their coconut shrimp and we were ready to try them out.

    But first…A herd of 15+ goats had invaded the yard and were headed for the newly planted bougainvillea plants! Chris, the hero in most of my stories, rushed out to shoo them away. He used his most ferocious ‘shoo-the-Canada- Geese’ voice that he uses at the cottage. The goats scampered away from the flowers but occasionally grabbed at the green weeds, which was okay.

    Most of the goats stuck together in their herd but two of them ran in the other direction. So while Chris went to get them, the others went to the back of the yard and pooped all over. Once again, I was laughing at the herding technique Chris was using. A good dog would have done better, I think, but whatever technique he used, he got the goats to run through the broken fence that they had come through and back into the jungle.

    The photos that I took weren’t great as I was taking them using my iPad on the run, this way and that. Goats move quickly when threatened.

    After that episode, it was time to find Emilios. That was easy. In Majahua, there is a clear sign advertising the restaurant. We were the only people there so we had a wonderful experience.

    Chickens, yes those Majahua chickens again, were running around the sand floor of the restaurant pecking at any bugs that were there. A young teenager showed us his new fishing boat and motor. He was fishing on the beach using a long fishing rod. People were swimming and the waitress rested in a hammock while she waited for our food to be done.

    Chris had the best Margarita that he has ever had. Small but mighty! I enjoyed a refreshing Limonada while we waited.

    The meal was excellent. We had six giant coconut shrimp, French fries, rice and a salad. I think that our meal with the drinks and tips cost us $40. We intend to go back, sometime during our stay.

    From chasing goats to eating coconut shrimp with chickens. What a good day!     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    A good stretch of the road
    Views as we crossed the mountain and were out of the jungleBus stop$1 store3Fruit and vegetables. Few people wearing masks...Tepache standBananas and Tepache drinkWater gardenWell worn?An alley wayFlower and plant standI'm listening

    Lagunillas Tianguis (Market)

    24 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Lagunillas, the place of little lakes. A couple of weeks ago, the baker in town told us that she was originally from the town of Lagunillas that is located on the main road heading north. She also told us that there was a weekly market, a tianguis, with fruit and vegetable,s as well as odds and ends that people might need, i.e. shoe laces, tea towels, little toys, underwear. Kind of like a Mexican travelling $1 store.

    So when our cleaning lady, Sara, came at 9 a.m., we drove to Lagunillas. The quickest way there, we were told, was to take an unpaved and windy backroad over the mountain. We knew that there was a large cave off of that road that used to be used by the indigenous people as a ceremonial site. People can visit it but it is recommended that you get a guide as there are no lights in the cave and it is quite large.

    The road is in fairly good conditionalthough somewhat dusty, with potholes and big rocks on it.it was recommendedto drive slowly, which Chris did. After driving 6 km (1/2 hour), we got to the main road, took a left and went over the river into town.

    It wasn’t a big market but they had all the fresh fruit and vegetables that Mexicans use on a daily basis, chiles, avocados, cilantro, tomatoes, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, cantaloupes, watermelons, apples, pineapples, bananas, and so on.

    There was a little stand where a lady was selling a pineapple drink called Tepache. It is an old indigenous, fermented beverage made from the peel and the rind of pineapples, and is sweetened either with brown sugar, seasoned with powdered cinnamon, and served cold.

    Though tepache is fermented for several days, the drink does not contain a lot of alcohol. Some people add beer to this drink. The lady added chilli powder, pineapple bits, lime juice and orange slices to fancy it up for us. We have never had that drink before so we bought one to try it out. It was good. We just hope that the water and ice was purified and the fruit clean!

    We had time to walk through the village. It was interesting to walk through this sleepy village.. We passed several cages of handsome roosters probably used for cock fights.

    In general, we enjoyed being there and will probably go back to the market.

    Our drive home on that road was just as interesting. All in all, it was a pleasant morning and we returned with fresh cilantro, apples, celery and two new tea towels.     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp
    The bag Sara gave us
    Four bags of foodThe meal unwrapped

    $12 (Cdn) Chicken Dinner

    25 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Yesterday, our housekeeper asked us if we had a favourite Mexican food. I told her that we always loved buying the roast chicken that we have seen cooking on the streets, either on a wood bbq or on a rotating grill. Because we are staying in a coastal town, the main foods that we see here are seafoods.

    Sara told us that there is a good place in Zihua to buy chicken and she could pick it up for us when she goes.

    Well, we were pleasantly surprised when Sara and her husband dropped by in the early evening with a bag full of roast chicken and condiments. How nice was that!

    The photos show what was in the bag - a whole chicken cooked and cut up, rice, cole slaw and a special salsa for the chicken.     Czytaj więcej

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  • LadyandtrampMajahua, Guerrero, MexicoLadyandtramp

    A Few Food Facts and the Price of Limes

    26 stycznia 2022, Meksyk ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    On most packaged foods, there are obvious labels created by the Secretary of Health notifying the shopper of food that has excessive sodium, sugar, salt, calories, saturated fats, or food colouring (not recommended for children). This is the first year that we have seen these labels and I think they are a good idea.

    As I have mentioned before, most of the meat, cheese or packaged foods that we buy cannot be bought in Troncones. We would have to go to a bigger grocery store in Zihua. But fruits, vegetables and seafood are readily available in little shops, close by, and are fresher and cheaper. Also, two or three times a week, a truck loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables arrives in town and you can buy these things from the driver who has a scale and weighs the items that you pick.

    Shopping in a grocery store is not inexpensive but it does offer a bigger variety of food and some familiar items. It looks like the price of foods have gone up here due to covid issues, just like in Ontario.

    Just for interest, I jotted down and converted the cost of some basic food items.

    30 Eggs - $4.20
    Hellman’s Mayo (960 gr) - $3.50
    Oscar Meyer Jumbo hot dogs - $8.00
    Alpura Natural unsweetened yogurt (900 gr) - $2.00
    Obela Hummus- $4.50
    Sliced ham - $10.00/kg
    Whole milk - $1.40 l
    White Wine Barefoot - $11.50
    9 rolls of Toilet Paper - $7.25
    Gouda slices (400gr) -$4.50
    Genoa salami (100 gr) -$5.00

    I just read this article about limes in a Mexican online paper.

    “Lime prices in particular have seen dizzying increases. This past week, they cost an average of 70 pesos nationally. Last January they cost 18 pesos. GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO

    Avocado, lime and chile see big spikes in prices
    Inflation, austerity and climate disasters are just a few factors pushing up prices

    Published on Friday, January 14, 2022

    In the midst of record inflation, prices are on the rise. One tragic victim of the increases is guacamole: avocado, lime and chile, three key ingredients of the beloved green dip, have become significantly more expensive.

    In Mexico City, chile prices ranged from 40 pesos (US $1.97) for a kilo of jalapeños to 125 pesos (US $6.15) per kilo for green chile de árbol, according to Mexico’s consumer protection agency Profeco. Avocados cost 67 pesos (US $3.30) per kilo on average, and a kilo of Colima limes cost an average of 62 pesos (US $3.05).

    Lime prices in particular have seen dizzying increases in the past several weeks, hitting 80 pesos (US $3.94) per kilo in many areas of the country. In the second week of January, limes cost an average of 70 pesos (US $3.44) per kilo nationally. During the same period in 2021, the same quantity cost 18 pesos (US $0.88).

    Grupo Consultor de Mercados Agrícolas (GCMA), an agricultural consulting group, blamed the price increase on low production. In some areas, limes are out of season, they said. In other places, like Michoacán, the fruit is in season but production is abnormally low this year due to a variety of problems, including unusual climate events and hurricane-damaged fruit.

    Lime prices have also taken a hit due to the removal of a government subsidy and a lack of natural disaster relief, the group said.

    In the case of avocados, prices could increase further as demand rises in early February, prior to the Super Bowl.

    The price spikes come in the midst of high inflation in Mexico and around the world. Nationally, annual inflation hit 7.37% in November, its highest level in more than 20 years. In December, the Bank of México forecast a 7.1% end-of-year inflation rate.”     Czytaj więcej

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