Marcus Allen was onea my favorite football players. He wore #32.
Me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me. That's 'me', 32 times, and yes, warning you this is about me, Mehico, so, if I were you, I'd head to USA Today... local news.. or a nice, good book.
Today is my 32nd day here. I fly home in 3 days. Damnit, darnit. Just kidding, kinda sorta. That too is iffy, 'cause I never could find my Passport. "Aww don't worry, they never check.. have your Birth Certificate, Driver's License, you're good." I might just shake their hand in thanks if they turn me around and point me back to Mehico.
Impressions.
Tons of impressions made by folks walking the beach... Ain't real sure why, but, two tides a day here, so, them footprints, impressions - don't last long.
7th floor, overlooking the Sea of Cortez. The Sea is moody, beautiful, cold right now, waves'a rushing in this way, mebbe that'a way the next day. We've seen paddleboarders, swimmers, waders, hound dogs rushing in, out, massage tables, beachlayerouters, a scuba diver.. boats, all sizes, kinds.. all kinda hours, a favorite nighttime, earlytime activity "count the shrimp boat lights."seagulls, pelicans, lit bitty sparrows, herons, osprey, sea lions, whales, dolphins.
We've heard the waves crashing... medium sized.. and soft, hella serene.
Vendors sell their wares up and down the beach. If yain't interested, most, all it takes is "No, gracias." There are the influential salesmen among 'em, and, if provided enough laughs, deals, usually most Gringos fork into wallet. Jewelry, hats, blankets, cigars, much. Most, "almost free."
Restaurants, bars, occasional vendors as well. One guy, all he had to sell was his talent. With guitar, he sang Mehican ballads, right at your table, both very well and very loud. Pesos, sure, forked outta pocket. Little ones. Dayum cute little ones with small boxes of goods to vend. Kindhearted suckers like my buddy Tip, prolly paid seven times the asking price for a few small toys, gum and candy. "Was worth it seeing their smile" Tip would say.
Sadly, we see loose hound dogs often in the streets. They do have a marvelous Rescue here, but the numbers are overwhelming. We've seen folks walking hounds... walking a goat.. riding a horse...
Stop signs are everywhere. Yesterday, there was one exactly 6 inches behind a light pole. Many have graffiti on them. Roads are good, crappy, some, all sand. There's a lotta 'V' intersections where us old farts really gotta strain to look back and see if 'all clear'. 97% of the merchant signs are in Spanish.
Ain't uncommon to see a farmacia every 6th building, 64 four-wheelers here, 38 Razors on the next block. Entrepreneurship, me thinks, isn't overly costly here. Empty spot in the block. Some upright 6"x6"s, a palapa (dried palm leaves) roof.. presto, you've a bar, or, a taco stand, tamales, seafood, pina coladas. Competition to restaurant dollars here is keen, so, as one owner told me "Your food better be good or you won't stay in business long with over 2,000 places to choose from."
Beautiful, Spanish architecture. Right next door to a vacant, desert, sandy lot. Buildings started, the dreams, for whatever reason, put on hold. Commercial property mixed in with residential homes. Sure, a string of Cabo like highrises lines the main beach area. Named differently, they've got Sams, WalMart, Kroger, Dollar General, QT, all here. Super Ley, an inbetween size grocery store, has many items, aisles marked in English, thus, lazy gringo idiots like me shop here, prolly pay more, rather than get lost at Sams in the tile department. If nothing else, go just to see the octopus laid out on ice in the seafood department. Skeery, but real.
Rodeo Drive and Malecon are two touristy hotspots, one booth, store after another, all selling any, everything Mehican. Ain't been yet. Driven thru Malecon. Hawkers try to getya to pull into a parking place. Ya say "no" (nicely) a lot here.
There are bargains here. Lotta restaurants have $6-7 burger night.. $1.50 tacos.. $7 pizza night.. Happy Hours, 2 for 1 beers.. $20 Pedi's, $45 for an hour massage.. Breakfasts are wonderful here.. and the pastries.. The Bomb. For whatever reason, it ain't like Lamar's Donuts back home, they don't start work, making goodies at 3am like they do there.. pastries are more of an afternoon delight... so you'll get 'em fresh then.
The people. Yes, the people are 'tied' the tourist, oft times, American dollar here.. but too.. so are they at any joint you walk into back home. Hopefully not 'dissing' in general because back home the vast majority of experiences are wunnerful, but sometimes back home, ya do 'catch an attitude' with a worker. Won't, doesn't happen here. The people are nice. "Here to serve." Oft times bilingual. Come in once, leave, come back in eight days, they greet you with smile, and by name. They make it pretty darn easy to relax, enjoy.
A lot I don't understand. No Social Security. Ex Pats have no health insurance. Lotta rules about working here, owning a business, yada. I don't understand the fear, hatrid by some, toward, of our Southern friends. I don't get it. I've never been scared. There is (as much or) more crime in virtually any city in the US. Most Mexicans speak English, at least some English. More Mexicans speak English than US folks speak Mexican.
Back to 32. Easy to say, but I truly did feel guilt, remorse for those back home, especially in the six, eight day stretch where temps never got to 32. Other's might say "You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille" and I'd agree. Winter, least favorite.
A brief glimpse of US folks here: nice, just like Mehican folks, relaxed, ditto, worries lifted, most, no hurry to get home, many, here year round.
Google tells me "When it comes to the number 32, it encompasses a harmonious blend of creativity, self-expression, and spiritual growth. It encourages us to trust in our innate talents and pursue a path of artistic inspiration. The number 32 is a symbol of balance and harmony." I sure don't know about all that but what I can tell you is........
"I took my troubles down to Madam Ruth (Mehico).. you know that gyspy with the goldcapped tooth", well, no, I don't know her. But what I do know it, I took them (and I know, we ALL got 'em, ie, troubles).. but then I sat on the balcony. The Sea, me. Harmonious. Spiritual. Trust. Inspiration. Balance. Harmony. Hours. Hours at a time. A short glimpse here, an hour and a half take there, mebbe even allowing the waves to putya to sleep.
Sure, it can be that sitting any/everywhere. It don't hurt to have pink, orange, blue sunrises, sunsets. Quiet, calm, interspersed with hell to the yeah show me them breakers. Crash baby. Again, and again. Soooooooooooo dadgum peaceful. I see alla them 'want, wish, need' The Beach posts... Agree, but, I'm ok up here on the balcony away from the pesky, but nice feeling sand.
Go. Save. Get here. Four of you.. save roughly $32 (each) a week for 29 weeks and it gets you (all) a 2 bedroom condo, on the beach for two months here.
I hope I described it ok. It may not be for some, but, it's sure fit me well. If you ask anyone to describe it here, they'll say, "ya really can't."
Amor y paz, Victurd
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