Diary/Photo Journal

Week of October 12, 2003

Well, I am cheating with the dates somewhat seeing as our trip south started with our farewell bar-b-que on October 11, 2003.  We are leaving a group of wonderful friends and we will miss them greatly.  Something to look forward to however, is that most of them will be joining us in Brazil within the year.  I guess we could not get away for too long :-).

The dancing begins
with Eros, Katarina,
Marco and Sandra		 Gastao
and
Sandra		 Louise
and
Eros

 

Nathalie, Greg
Lori, Kevin,
Danny, Louise,
Gerson and Gabe		 Julio
and
Bella		 Gerson
being
bossy

We had the usual fantastic time at Gastao and Sandra's home and it was great to see everyone before we leave.  Thanks for all the hugs and kisses and more hugs.  We will be taking every one of them with us.

October 16, 2003 - we are off and running...see you in a week or so.

Finalmente, we are here!  It was a breeze going through the border and I think the border officials were a little surprised that we were so well prepared.  Gee, I wonder why!

We are sitting here in the bar at the Playa De Cortez, drinking ice-cold Pacifico and watching the World Series in Spanish.  It feels maravilloso to be here and actually realizing that which we have worked for over a year.  (oh, and shrimp and ceviche are on the table).

Our first stop (I will keep this in past tense seeing as tomorrow, it will fit) was Guaymas, Mexico.  Guaymas (Gwy-e-mas) is located on the Sea of Cortez (or as the gringos say, the Gulf of California) and is about four hours southish of Nogales. 

We found a wonderful hotel that also accommodates RV's and we have the place virtually to ourselves.  We took the opportunity to indulge in the swimming pool and the sunshine and the locals took the opportunity to indulge in us (30+ mosquito bites later and I was looking for a farmacia for some insect bite cream).  We rode our bikes into town and of course, Gerson found a nice hill for us to climb.  Alas!  I surprised him and figured out the gears and I made it up the hill, passing a Mexican counterpart that was walking his bike.  Hey, I will take the victories, however small.


 Views from the hotel pool
to the Sea of Cortez.
Gerson taking advantage
of the sun
A view from the pier to
the hotel		         My next wakeboard boat
It has a tower and everything

oh, oh, oh, oh, oh...I just bit into the ceviche, unbelievable!  I will be back in un momento.

Ok, back again, time to give my taste buds a respite.  WOW!  This is what I came for, the food!

Our first Mexican sunset.  Boring, isn't it?
We were not the only ones enjoying it,

I was a tad surprised, however, at the town itself.  It is one thing to think you can imagine the way the populace lives in Mexico, and it is quite another to smell it as you ride by.  For the most part, the town empties its sewers into the streets and the liquids soak into the dirt side streets.  It is not a dirty a town, just the side streets are to be avoided.  I would say it is a crude model of the U.S.'s own well and septic.  Let the soils filter the impurities and recycle the liquid into our water supply.  We may not want to look too closely at our own water and where it comes from and what it goes through before we drink it, now would we?

We found our farmacia and finished our several mile tour of the area only to immediately hit the pool.  After a few hours of lounging and completing a few nips and tucks on Cindy, here we sit, absolutely groggy in laziness and planning our departure for our next destination: El Fuerte (no, that is not "the fart", it means "the fort"), and then on to Copper Canyon.           

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