Fauna

They are on T-shirts, pottery, and all manner of art work, but mostly they are crawling around the grounds of the Decameron Complex. They are harmless and in a perverted sort of way, quite beautiful. There is an Iguana viewing station by the tennis courts and every day the kitchen staff of one of the restaurants throws out leftover fruit for them to feed on. They show up by the dozens. The rest of the time they are hidden in the various trees around the property. The one above was directly over my head one day as I lay by the pool reading a book. Shortly after I took this photo, he crawled out to the end of a limb, chasing a female, when suddenly there was a rain of terror only inches from my lounge. Iguana poop is scary stuff. It splatters down out of the tree in what I can best describe as Seagull times ten. As I was gloating about the near miss, a bird did what the Iguana could not do. It plastered my knee with whitewash. I jumped into the pool, swam to the far end, and got out, not swimming again that day.

The feeding station.

The staff use air cannons to scare these prolific birds away from the outdoor restaurants as they fly right in and steal sugar packets and other delights right from the customers plates. They have a raucous call and remind me of our Blackbirds.

One of the delights of walking the beach is observing the grace and marvelous flying skills of the ungainly Pelicans. They usually fly in groups of three or more and almost always skim the tops of the breakers, riding the pressure ridge of the rising wave. They skim the water with inches to spare and when they spot a meal, they suddenly take a forward plunge into the water and come up with a fish that is sometimes obvious in the pouch beneath their long, rugged beak.  

The Egrets are not as common but are as interesting to watch. They go after the little Hermit Crabs that scurry across the sand as the tide recedes.

Not sure what these are called but they resemble a Snipe or a Sandpiper. Some have straight beaks and others are longer and curved. They scurry in and out of the surf, always knowing exactly how far the wave will wash up onto the sandy beach.

These Frigate Birds are the most graceful fliers you will ever see. I have watched them until they are out of sight and never once do they flap their wings. They are masters at reading the convection currents. When they do feed, they drop from the sky like a rocket and make a tremendous splash when they hit the water. They probably kill their prey on impact.

This young lad was offering rides on his burro. Or maybe you could just get your photo taken while sitting on it.

I spotted this strange thing in the sand on the beach one day. It appears to be a northern foot revelling in the warmth. It could be a female of the species due to the colouration of the appendage.

Horseback riding on the beach is now prohibited, and well it should be. The gauchos were not always diligent about picking up after their steeds. Here we see a lone pony having a break in a quiet spot behind the hotel. Tomorrow we will go to the beach.

Mexican Flora

We spent very little time in our room, but when we were there, this was the view from our patio, looking straight ahead.

And then looking a bit to our left.

Reflections on an evening when there was no sunset.

Bougainvillea and Banana leaves.

One of the many varieties of Palm trees.

Coconuts ready to fall on some one's head.

Three photos of Bougainvillea against different backdrops.

Tomorrow, Mexican Fauna.  

The Colours of Decameron

Why do we like it here so much? Surrounded by bright light and bright colour one cannot help but be happy and upbeat. It is so much the opposite of drab, which is the order of the day for winter back home. There are seven restaurants, six pools, six buildings, most of which consist of three wings of at least three floors each, and gardens everywhere. There are over 600 guest rooms and while we were there it was at capacity, the highest occupancy rate of any resort in Puerto Vallarta. Too many are discovering its charm and ambiance and there may be a day when the prices will go up and availability go down. Most people we talked to had been there multiple times.

I will let the photos do the talking.

Trip to the Sun

It takes some kind of motivation to arise at 4 am, and then having done so, to look as perky as these three. It was a long wait at the Abbotsford Airport on Jan. 11 as our 'big yellow bird' was being prepped for a jaunt south to Mexico.

We were treated to a most spectacular sunrise as we boarded the 2nd generation Boeing 737 operated by Canjet. That big wing with the yellow tip was my constant companion for the next five hours.

The flight is not pleasant for me, only because of the lack of legroom in these sardine tins. But we got lucky. We were one of the first in line when we checked in so after requesting an 'exit row seat', we actually got one and I had more than enough leg room for a change. Of course, that meant I was the 'go to guy' in case of an emergency exit, but I was up to it. These new 737's are quite nice, more spacious in width and height and brighter. If only they could get that leg room thing right.

At the half way point I got out of my hoody, unzipped the legs from my cargo pants, and changed from socks and shoes to sandals. Bring it on!

Finally, there was the Mexican coastline and soon Bandaras Bay came into view, at the top of the photo.

We soon started our descent and we saw close-up the little farm plots in the hills north of Puerto Vallarta.

And then the lush agricultural fields where they grow the wonderful food we would be eating for the next two weeks. Our destination was at the top of the photo, just beyond the plume of smoke.

Our pilot was great (any pilot who gets the bird on the ground in one piece is great in my books) and we soon discovered why he hit the brakes and reversed engines as hard as he did. (And I mean hard!) He wanted to take a short cut to the terminal so he did not use very much of the runway. But that's OK. It meant more Mexico time and sooner. As it was, the lineup to get through customs was about an hour long. After sitting for more than five hours, I welcomed standing for the wait.

Heaven Has Palm Trees

By the time you read this, we will be here. Back in a few weeks.

Blog Break

We're leavin'

On a jet plane

Don't know

When we'll be back again

Maybe Peter, Paul, and Mary did not know when they were coming back but we do. It will be in two weeks. Just like the photo shows, we are heading for the sun. No more cold dark early mornings. No more layering of clothes. No more rain, well, probably not.

There will be plenty of sun, and heat, and beaches, and pools, and food, and reading, and beach combing, and talking, and food, and beaches, and swimming, and beaches, and food, and food, and cold drinks and food. Did I mention food? Fabulous sunrises at 6 am and even more spectacular sunsets at 6 pm while we dine in the open air only steps from the beach. And all that cool stuff to shop for but not buy. T-shirts, jewellery, blankets, metal work, leather belts and fake Iguanas. This will be our sixth trip to Puerto Vallarta and each time I look forward to it more.

Now, if only I can endure the 5 hours in that jet plane.

Can you see me in the window of the plane? I'm the one with the big grin on my face!

Cops and Kids

We hear many reports coming out of the US regarding the loss of civil rights since 9/11. First responders have taken on a more aggressive and belligerent stance in the face of unrest or even minor lawlessness. We have all witnessed the change in attitude at the airports and borders and it is a bit frightening even for those of us who have nothing to hide.

Last Saturday there was a disturbing incident in Charlton Mass. that drives this point home. A young girl was traumatized when the police came knocking at the door looking for her and her dad's overdue library books. This is not a joke, meaning yes, it is true, and meaning that this is just the most ludicrous police action one could possibly imagine and is no laughing matter.

It is impossible to know where to begin in denouncing this incident.

 Looking into the situation regarding overdue library books, it is a problem everywhere. It can be chalked up to forgetfulness, sloppiness, or petty theft. There is a simple solution, or two. The library could charge a rental fee that could be refundable or carried over to the next lending of books. Or, there could be a charge to have a library card in the first place and every time a book is unrecoverable, the cost of it comes off the card fee. Once the fee is depleted, no more borrowing until the account is 'topped up' or the books are returned.  

It is time to get innovative instead of sending the police to harass youngsters.

It feels like we are only one step away from doing jail time for eating our salad with the wrong fork.   

Crisis

Crisis does not develop character, it displays it.

Boomer Trouble

Yes, I know Autumn was over and done with many moons ago, but this photo represents what I was reading about the other day. The red tree is a Baby Boomer (a.k.a. aging parent) living among a younger and more energetic generation. We have all heard about the plight of many young people and young couples these days who get themselves into debt problems, then lose a job, and consequently move back home to live with their parents. Apparently, we ain't seen nothin' yet.

This from Thursday's Wall Street Journal:

More aging Americans are doing something they never would have imagined: turning to family for financial aid. Some are even asking their children for a place to live.

The problem has been building as more Americans 55 and older have lost jobs or run through savings faster than expected.

Thirty-nine percent of adults with parents 65 and older reported giving parents financial aid in the past year, according to a September Pew Research Center survey. Some parents may have trouble acknowledging it: 10% of parents 65 and older reported receiving aid.

So let me get this straight. The 'Boomers' who are doing well are supporting their kids, and the kids who are doing well, are supporting their 'Boomer' parents. It would follow that not that many people, over all, are doing well.

The 'Boomers' were doing OK until the credit bubble of 2008 when they took a hit on their retirement nest eggs invested in the markets. Since then they are still way down. It will not get any better because their old age security can no longer be regarded as 'safe' because it is the government who backs the pensions, and we all know they are in such a deep borrowing hole that there is no turning back.

Just thought I would give you a 'heads up' so you can clear out your basement and start building that suite down there.

Yes, those are American figures, but what goes around, comes around.

Rome

After not being able to put it down, I just read the last page of this book. Conn Iggulden is the author who wrote the series on the history of the Khan dynasties. I have read the first three of those and found them riveting. As soon as the price on the fourth comes down a bit, and they do with time, I will load it onto my Kindle. In the meanwhile, I have started the Emperor series and if book one is any indication, I will enjoy reading about the life of Julius Caesar as much as I did the adventures of Genghis Khan.

The Gates of Rome follows the exploits of two young Roman lads who grow up rather quickly and by the time they are in their mid teens, they have almost lived an entire lifetime in terms of experiences and exploits. It is an insight to Roman Culture prior to and following the transition from B.C. to A.D. There is action and  adventure aplenty spiced with love, loyalty, friendship, and the ins and outs of Roman politics of the era. The depiction of the Roman soldier and his training, strength and dedication make it apparent why the Empire grew and thrived as it did. For a new young author, this was a great start to a successful career as a novelist.

I will soon start the second in the 4 part series and will get back to you for another review when I do.