Diary/Photo Journal 

Week of October 19, 2003

We had to stay in El Fuerte another day to repair a familiar problem.  The same part that broke in North Carolina decided to break yet again and Ariel guided us to a welding shop in town.  Within an hour, we had the original part welded and further reinforced and we had a spare made, just in case the part decides to break again.

Watching the welder
access pit		 The little bugger part - Look between the bottom bolt/rubber bumper and the horizontal bar - that plate likes to break at the hole for the vertical rod.

We also did a few tightenings here and adjustments there to both Cindy and to some things around the Flores' estate.  Gerson was shadowed by two interested young men whom I do not believe have been exposed to some of the tools and repair methods Gerson used.  I just had fun watching Ariel and Martin trail after Gerson, stand like him when he paused, and crawl under Cindy when necessary.  The hardest part is that these kids want to learn but will they ever have the opportunity to be exposed to what we take for granted every day?

Card game: Ariel, Gerson,
Louise, Jorge and Manuel, Lupita,
Maria, friend (I could not pronounce
her name) and Martin		 Gerson's helpers

It was worth staying around for another day if not to enjoy the Flores' family and Maria's cooking.  We bought several pounds of pork ribs and Maria did the rest.  Dinner consisted of a hearty soup call "Pozoli" made of pork ribs, a different type of corn then I have ever tried (outstanding flavor), cilantro and other spices.  Along with fresh tortillas, we suffered through multiple helpings. 

Dinner soon evolved into a frenzied card game (with eight of us) much like bingo.  Of course, the cards were in Spanish, but I soon caught on to eventually come out ahead about 20 pesos (a whopping $2US).  

We did leave the next day after being fed yet again and saying adios many times.  Maria told us that there is a saying that if you drink the water, you will be back.  Of course, I was wondering is there was a double meaning but it may just be true, we might just go back.

For those of you that are interested, here is the layout of a good family in a small town that are living day-to-day to get by.  They live on about 1/2 acre with three brick buildings.  There is no plumbing in the homes but there is a central water outlet in which they attach hoses to for differing needs.  One hose is shared between the clothes/dish wash areas and the shower stall.  Another hose is for rinsing off nearer to the outlet.

They have an outhouse and a garbage area (that they burn whenever necessary).  They have two trucks becoming one with the soil that are no end of a climbing delight for the children, Manuel (2) and Diana (4 - Dee-anita is her nickname).  Maria's home consists of one large room that is divided into two bedrooms and another room partitioned off from the kitchen for the "master bedroom".  The kitchen has a table and a stove and the family room is where the family eats, watches TV and spends all their time together. 

The furnishings are the basic beds, dressers, shelves, couches, chairs, tables, etc.  The walls are bare but for pictures of every one of Maria's children's baby pictures and her grandchildren's baby pictures.  On the shelves, you will find pictures of significant days in her children's lives: their 15th birthday party (akin to a bar mitzvah or debutante party - very important to Latin Americans), births, etc.  And of course, you will find the well-placed cross as well as the welcoming good-luck horseshoe over the entry door.

One of the construction notes is that these homes are built of hand-shaped bricks and the ceilings/roofs are made of bricks as well.  Maria's home has stood for over 50 years with minor mortar repairs here and there. 


Dish/clothes wash area
View to back and outhouse
on left with pink curtain
View to back yard
View to back of house and
shower on far right
Unique ceiling made
of brick and mortar
Dianita and Manuel
were fascinated by
their faces showing
up on the computer

 



 		 I called him
"El Grumpy"
Maria's watchdog,
not unfriendly, but definitely grumpy

 		 The family Flores
Jorge, Ariel, Maria
Dianita, and Manuel		 View of
family in front
of home and
with Cindy

We would have loved to stay, but one more day could have easily been one more week and in no time, we would have moved in. 

Not for the squeamish
Why did the Tarantula cross the road?
And just a rather large, noisy bothersome beetle (about 3" body length)

We made it into Mazatlan and my first impression of this supposed resort was "blech".  The so-called gorgeous beaches are miles outside of town and what is around town are not what you and I would describe as gorgeous, or even pleasant (rather dirty with garbage and dog residue).  We found a nice little RV park and because Mazatlan is not what we prefer (too touristy), we decided to have our air conditioning serviced and do some laundry.  I will say one thing, we had a magnificent sunset and the water was like bath water. 


 Mazatlan sunset
sailboat enjoying
the view and a
look back to the
City
 
More views of
the sunset
and G taking
a welcome
sunset swim

As you may have noted, we are adjusting, tightening, fixing and just messing with Cindy quite often.  I would say that 1 in 3 days are spent tweaking Cindy or our belongings or just driving to the next destination.  Imagine the normal day-to-day things you do around your home and with your car, and then imagine that all in one package while you are on the road..  It all can be quite a chore, but worth it!

 

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