This blog is more like a journal for those that know us and want to know what it is like being retired, living in Spokane and traveling here, there and everywhere life takes us.
I have started a new collection of these fun and creative shells from the beaches of Mazatlan. They are all individually painted. It wouldn't surprise me and soon we will see them in many of the art studios around Mazatlan. Life is always interesting here and you find the most eclectic people that know how to share their talents with all of us. Here is a sampling.
The recent shells added here are my Christmas Shells I've painted for the grandkids. They each already had a little hole in the top to add a bit of wire for an ornament. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoy painting them.
Today's blog is not for the faint of heart. If all remember the old TV show "Gilligan's Island", our trip to Guadalajara and close by points resembled this. It even included some of the characters. I won't identify them by name, but some will be recognized.
Today is the third day after our return and things have faded enough to where I can now laugh about them. I now place in one editorial opinion. If you have a personality type that requires everything to go your way and you suffer if it doesn't, please stay in your safe little cocoon and remain up north or if in Mexico in your imported Anglo community. Janice and I are ones that celebrate our host country and feel as guests it is not our job to change the way things are, but to learn from the way things are.
So now, all aboard the SS Minnow, aka Sunny Ventures tour. Thirty passengers, our tour guide, her friend, and one bus driver left Mazatlan for Tonala a little after on Wednesday December 1. There were supposed to be two bus drivers, but for some reason one didn't show up. Jose, our driver, felt up to the task and we took off. From the start, we knew that there might be some unpleasantness when during introductions, Mrs. Thurston Howell announced the bus stank and then started a lament on how Mexico was not a great place anymore because of the drug violence. There was no smell noticed by the rest of us so we all shrugged this off as we know that all personality types are found in 30 people anywhere. We were all enjoying our bus ride, meeting new friends, when all of a sudden about halfway between Tepic and Guadalajara our bus came to a halt on an uphill stretch. All electrical systems shut down. This included the electric doors. Jose could not figure out how to open the bus doors, so we were all encased in the bus when the sun was high and the air conditioning not working. Jose invited some of the men to try and open the front door while he climbed to the top of the bus through a door in the ceiling. I went to the back door and couldn't get this door open, so rested a couple of minutes and then tried again. Luckily, I found the little handle and after some grunting and twisting, the handle budged and the door sprang open. The fresh air pouring in was welcome as the windows were also locked. Jose then came down from the roof and was able to open the front door from the outside. He called his company several times and was assured help was on the way. Jose then started working on the electrical system and announced he had found the problem and would get the bus going in 10 minutes. 30 minutes later, this appeared to be unlikely. So a little later he announced that a mechanic was on the way and would be here in one half hour. Some of the passengers got restless and flagged down a passing bus that happened to be empty. I think I remember this bus from the 60's when I rode it on a local line before it was put out of service. The bus driver agreed to take everyone to Guadalajara for $100 pesos a person. Our guide made an executive decision and we all got on the bus. There was some trepidation as many had left medications, etc in their luggage that would be needed before the day was done or the next day at the latest. The new bus driver announced that he was not licensed to drive in Tonala where out hotel was located. When we got to Guadalajara, he decided he could possibly drop us in Tonala, but an additional 20-25 pesos a person ended up as a result. We arrived safely at our hotel about , our original ETA was . We went to a good restaurant that our guide had recommended and enjoyed a good meal and some liquid tranquilizers. When we returned to the hotel our bus was there with all our luggage. It turned out that another bus had been sent and arrived five minutes after we got on the other bus. When they found us gone, the mechanic that came with the other bus fixed our bus and sent it on the way to Tonala. Thus ended day one.
Day two was scheduled with one of two plans. People could either stay and shop the Mexico’s largest outdoor market in Tonala all day or they could ride our bus to Ajijic on LakeChapala for lunch and sightseeing. Janice and I chose to go to LakeChapala as we wished to see if this was a place we would want to stay over the hot summer months. We were also scheduled to finish the trip with a couple of hours at a spa with therapeutic mineral waters. This is where things started to go south. Two of the people that decided to come to Ajijic had failed to read the itinerary, so had missed the part about packing a swimsuit. We had only a short time to enjoy the waterfront in Chapala due to losing an hour or more for the two to find swimsuits at WalMart. There was a spirited discussion among some of the passengers of how this could have been handled in a way that didn't lose the majority their time to enjoy the very short time we had. In Ajijic the bus spent about 15-20 minutes driving up and down the main road trying to find where the restaurant was and then where we could be let off close to the restaurant. We ate lunch at a restaurant in Ajijic that was in a beautiful setting, but the food was very ordinary. We had 10 minutes after lunch to explore Ajijic before catching the bus, so this was a disappointment. Then we were driven to the mineral springs outside of Ajijic. Although it was known that we were going there, there had been no arrangements made ahead to get a group rate, so we paid $150 pesos a person the enter the springs. Although the springs were nice, they cost more than Fairmont Hot Springs in Canada where we had been a few months before. Rather expensive for Mexico. After a couple of hours at the springs, we got on the bus to return to Tonala as we had to be back for a 5:30 wine and cheese party for all on the tour. All went well until just outside of Guadalajara our bus pulled into a Pemex gas station. Our stomachs sank as we thought, here we go again. The driver got some water and poured it into the engine and soon we were on our way. It looked like we would just make it in time to set up the wine and cheese party. Alas, we had failed to take into account that Guadalajara is the second largest city in Mexico with a population of millions and we were returning in rush hour. We arrived closer to , but several of us helped our guide open wine bottles and slice cheese, so the party was held. All that had gone to Ajijic regretted not staying in Tonala with the others who reported their day was enjoyable.
Day three turned out to be the best day of the trip. Around the entire group took the bus to Tlaquepaque. This is a high end town with a beautiful shopping area and architecture. Even those of us that didn't like to shop enjoyed the art work and beautiful streets, many that were blocked to cars. Some of us enjoyed a drink or two while people watching. We then all met at a restaurant where the food was good and as a highlight we were able to enjoy the music of an all female Mariachi band. What was enjoyable was that they played many non-typical Mariachi songs and were all accomplished musicians. For those reading this up north, Mariachis vary in quality and often play a very limited repertoire of songs they think gringos like. After hearing these tunes a few times, you tend to shy away from Mariachis. When we got on the bus back to our hotel in Tonala all agreed this was the best part of the trip. A couple of the men agreed with me that they had been skeptical of this part, but had been pleasantly surprised. We then returned to the hotel without a hitch!! Many of us enjoyed walking to the cathedral square in Tonala and grazing off the food carts for our dinner. It was a great place. Loads of children were all over and had lined up across the square to receive free Coca Cola and balloons.
Day four started out fine. We all got on the bus to downtown Guadalajara. Many of us were dropped in a scenic area with a map and an agreed place to meet for lunch. We were told which spot on our map was the scenic hotel that had the restaurant where we would meet for lunch. Then about 10 of our number were transported to the Zoo which was an option for the day. They were to be bused back at to meet everyone for lunch. This turned out to not go well for the Zoo visitors as it turned out they had only two hours for what all agreed that four hours was needed to fully appreciate and see the zoo. Janice and I took a carriage ride around the historic sites and plazas. It was enjoyable. Our driver knew no English, but I was able to understand most of what he was pointing out. We then walked through the many beautiful plazas and viewed the beautiful buildings and several cathedrals that had awesome Gothic and Baroque spires. Around the lunch meeting time we arrived at the spot in the map that had been indicated where we should meet for lunch. Alas, there was only a 7-11 store there. We then met two of our fellow travelers who also had not found our lunch spot. They pointed out to us where there were artist drawing on the sidewalks close to us. They were doing reproductions on the sidewalks of many classical paintings. The art work was awesome. Our friends waited for us and then we all walked to a restaurant that our carriage driver had pointed out to us as having authentic Guadalajara food and was popular with the locals. He was right, the place was full and there were probably 15 people ahead of us. As all were in need of cerveza from walking for several hours our friend asked an employee of the restaurant if there was cerveza on the menu. Not only did they tell us, yes they had cold beer, they sent out someone with a large tray full of beer and gave free beer to all of us standing in the sun waiting to get in. After about a 20 minute wait we were seated. The food and service were great. We were probably the only gringos there. Our carriage driver had not steered us wrong. After a leisurely lunch we walked back to where we were to wait for the bus to take us back to Tonala. We met some of the people that had gone to the Zoo, they had a double disappointment. Not only had they too short a time at the Zoo, when they got back they had no idea where lunch was to be. Most found places and enjoyed the multi-leveled market near where our bus was to pick us up. All were assembled at the agreed on meeting time. Alas, no bus was there to pick us up. Rather than waiting for us the way many other tour buses there had done, our drivers took the bus somewhere and then took no account that again it was rush hour in a city of unknown millions of people. About we had a call that they were on their way and would be there soon. Around they finally arrived. Again, a wine and cheese gathering was scheduled, so at a little after when we arrived back at out hotel, some of us again helped open the wine and slice the cheese. Most agreed they were glad the next day would be the final one and were ready to be back home in Mazatlan.
Sunday, our final day started out positive. The markets were open and stretched for blocks in every direction. There was a great variety and the prices were low. Janice found many bargains of things for our home. We were careful to only get easily portable things as we knew the bus had limited cargo room for all of us. I found some Pomada de Peyote that had been recommended for my arthritic ankle. Today is the fourth day I have used it and my swelling has decreased significantly. I am unsure if I can bring it back to the US as Peyote is a controlled substance, but it really has provided relief. After our shopping and checking out of our hotel, several friends and us went to a nearby restaurant for a nice lunch. It turned out to be a Mexican breakfast buffet, but it turned out tasty and we had good company. When it was time for the bus to leave another problem arose. There were some that had purchased large items and instead of arranging shipping had jammed them in the bus, limiting room and filling the bathroom, the back exit of the bus, and the isles. As there were people on the bus that needed a bathroom available due to medical needs, this did not work and was a disaster waiting to happen in case of emergency. This was a tense time. Finally a truck was hired to follow with the large items. This cost $4500 pesos and I am unsure if our guide was able to be reimbursed for her outlay by those that had purchased larger items. There were several heated moments, but all calmed down and thankfully the drive back to Mazatlan was uneventful. We pulled into the Wal-Mart parking lot about in the evening and all were glad to be home.
Some final comments; This was the representatives’ maiden voyage for leading a tour alone. Under the circumstances, she kept it together for the most part. I would not have wanted to be in her place. The high points of this trip were getting to meet some wonderful people, see some new and interesting places and see the beautiful art work of the people of Mexico. The negatives were the bus problems, some miscommunications, and unexpected expenses. The great majority rolled with the flow and as I said at the start, there were a few that probably should return north where they will be safe and people will behave in a manner predictable to them. Also, Sunny Ventures should have a frank talk with the bus company, as they failed first to provide the two drivers promised the first day and the bus was in poor mechanical condition. Also, Sunny Ventures should reevaluate how it will handle some of the issues that came up and have a plan from the beginning so people know what is expected. I left out names on purpose, as they used to say in the old Dragnet program, "the names have been changed to protect the innocent".
