Tag Archives: Laguna Bacalar

A Story Too Good Not To Tell Acapulco Part 7

17 Mar

Our beach vacation to Acapulco in 1973 was a step into a very different world from today. Heck, it was a different world from the rest of Mexico in 1973. The family we stumbled upon was operating a kitchen to feed a group of men who slept by day and fished by night. Maria, the chief cook was unfazed by a few more mouths to feed, hospitality at its best.

Our days began with breakfast which included fish in all its variations. The men were fishing in small boats by gas lantern and our meal had been caught the night before.

The child to the left retrieved water from God knows where with buckets balanced on poles across her shoulders.

The tortillas that were part of every meal were hand formed and cooked on a flat iron griddle called a comal. The comal was balanced on bricks over a hot wood fire. Maria delivered the tortillas to the table and we could barely retrieve them from the traditional woven basket in the center. Her hands were smooth leather and the piping hot corn disks tasted like no tortillas I had ever eaten then or since.

Staying in such a remote location we had to question where everything we consumed came from. There was no quick trip down the street to a little tortillaría or person who showed up on a scooter to deliver a kilo or two. Today, every restaurant in Bacalar has a delivery scooter on speed dial.

Tortillas are still a staple of Mexican diet.

One day a man showed up in camp leading a donkey with two burlap bags of corn cobs slung over its back. Maria and grandma shucked the corn and put the kernels to soak in a tub of water with lime powder. The process is called nixtamalization and causes the kernels to break down. Most tortillas in Mexico today are made from highly processed corn flour and taste like cardboard. The softened corn is then fed into a hand grinder and made into masa and the best tortillas in the world.

Non-GMO corn is quite tough.
The stock photo setup that is far more sophisticated than Maria had.

Few Mexicans today have ever tasted real tortillas. You can buy masa to press and grill your own, but the dough is made from highly processed corn flour.

A simple tortilla press can be found in most homes. Today you can buy ones that press and cook the tortillas right at the table, similar to a waffle iron.

The family we stayed with worked hard. But after the stunning Pacific sunset, a gas lantern provided the only light, and intense games of dominos ensued. One of my companions brought his guitar which was a big hit. Thinking back, all I can say is, “what an experience “.

DOS TORTAS

Amen.

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Palapas – Thatched Huts Of Mexico

19 Feb

When planning our escape from the United States in 2013, I spent hours researching house construction for tropical living. When all else fails, look to the indigenous population for a cooling, inexpensive, and sustainable construction. Palapas, i.e. thatched huts can be found in the fanciest hotels in Cancun or the simplest villages deep in the interior jungle. They are beautiful, functional, traditional and synonyms with the Mexican Caribbean and Pacific.

Acapulco
Rancho Encantado Bacalar

We have used palapas as overhangs to keep rain and sun out. Our dock is covered with a palapa to provide shade while viewing the laguna or reading in the hammock.

The front of our house.

Only this week did I have the opportunity to view up close and personal the construction of a palapa porch for our new guest room. They really are a work of art and their builder a true artisan.

Grass fronds delivered.
A porch to provide shade,
Original laundry room transformed.

There are many details that only the artist knows. The angles must be specific, the grasses woven correctly and the netting applied to keep the whole thing from flying away. Of course a tropical storm or hurricane can do the job, but we’ve been lucky.

Inside is a welcoming space.
Our dock.

DOS TORTAS

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Part Tres (3) Mexico 1973

3 Feb

In order to introduce a group of US students to Mexican culture, a three weeks intensive was set aside by the University of the Americas in Cholula, Puebla. I was one of those students.

Week 1) Prehispanic Mexico included trips to ancient pyramids, modern museums and studies of conquest by foreign invaders.

Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City
(replica of the pyramids of Ek Balam 100 BC)
Catholic Church built on top of one of the largest pyramids in the world. Cholula, Puebla
View from the top of the Cholula pyramid 1973 and 2017. The city population has exploded.

Week 2) Colonial Mexico which included visits to cathedrals, studies of French, Spanish and US revolutions and land grabs, and the decimation of native populations.

Mexico City 1973. The main cathedral built on the Zocalo (main square).

Week 3) Modern Mexico included government function, political factions and the election process.

The Center of Three Cultures. In 1964 while preparing for the Summer Olympics, student protesters were herded into a dead end street and shot at from the high rise apartments seen in the photo. One of my teachers was a survivor of this stain on Mexican history.

I was enchanted by the good, the bad and the ugly of Mexican history. I had lived in a neighboring country and knew none of what I was studying. By comparison the United States had no culture. At least in my mind. There was so much to absorb. Today I have come to appreciate Mexican pride, food, artists, music, devotion to family, dance, literature, language and spirituality. It is a lovely country to visit and live in.

DOS TORTAS

Tradicional Dance.

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I Could Have Gone Viral!

28 Jan

This week one of our workers came to the door to inform me that a man at the hotel next door was yelling at him over the fence. He failed to tell me that the man was naked. Puzzled at what the problem could be, I walked outside to investigate. Why didn’t I think to grab my phone and record the less than neighborly interaction? I could have gone viral! A YouTube sensation.

Lisa and I share a wall with a neighbor who owns a small hotel. We had to cut some bamboo to allow space for the overhang to the guest room we are building. The bamboo has provided a visual barrier between us and the numerous guests who pass in and out of the hotelito. The naked Canadian who is currently staying next door came up to the shared wall yelling at me, insisting that I had to put back up a visual barrier where we had cut the bamboo. He didn’t want to look into our property. I attempted to explain to him that he was welcome to add a barrier on his side, as we were not required to do so. The bamboo is ours to do what we like.

Carlos our worker and the bamboo we had to removed to create an overhang on the end of the casita.

This particular gentleman has spent weeks during past Canadian winters staying in Bacalar in exchange for working at the hotel. This is not my first experience of watching him run around naked next door. He begins his day smoking pot and drinking. By the time he spoke to me, nothing he was saying made sense. His ranting continued along with him waving his penis at me in protest. Such a photo op missed.

Here is where we cut bamboo and got an eyeful across the fence. We definitely will be replacing the bamboo with a fence.

Mr Naked then proceeded to place a small speaker on the roof between us and blast very loud, uh, nothing I’d call music in our direction. I left it alone, composed myself and went outside again to try and talk to him, He then came up to the wall, inches from me and grabbed the wire part of the fence and stated, “this (fence) belongs to Teresa (hotel owner)?” He repeated his question several times, perhaps letting his own stupidity sink in. Finally he looked me in the eye and apologized. I wasn’t expecting that! He took down the speaker and I watched his nalgas walk away.

Windows being installed. I’m already in love with the space.

The workers shook their heads in disbelief. On one thing we all agreed, it was a good thing Lisa wasn’t there. Having her grab a machete and jump the fence would not have ended well for anyone. Lol. Why didn’t I think to grab my phone. Sigh. We could have gone viral.

DOS TORTAS

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Part Dos (2) Mexico 1973

22 Jan

The University transport chugged along through the mountains from Mexico City to Puebla. We were high enough that my ears popped 2,240 meters (7,350 ft). I never had altitude sickness thank God, but some of the students did.

Arriving in Puebla, I shared a room in a boarding house with a fellow traveler, Lela from Colorado. She was blond where I was dark. We both had four siblings and were raised Catholic. We even unpacked the same perfume. As a Spanish major, her Spanish was much better than mine. We became fast friends. The room included meals which were an introduction to Mexican cuisine. I’d never eaten tortillas in my life. Their fragrance was nothing I’d ever experienced. I found it strange at first but later it meant Mexico and home to me.

The wonderful corn tortillas of central Mexico.

The university was closed for summer break. In order to receive credit for a full semester we had a three-week class called Introduction to Mexico. It was an amazing three weeks. Week ONE covered pre-Hispanic Mexico. We learned about the Aztec, Olmec and Mayan civilizations. We traveled in the little green bus to Teotihuacan outside of Mexico City. We dined on traditional mole (MO-lay, like guacamole) Poblano, a bitter spicy chocolate sauce poured over chicken or vegetable filled tortillas. The recipe has more than 20 ingredients and is kept secret, handed down for generations.

I LOVE mole, but Lisa not so much.
Gotta love the grunge look and long hair of the 70’s.
Teotihuacan, (Aztec) on top of the pyramid of the moon with the pyramid of the sun in the background.
Replicating the places I visited in 1973, 44 years later.
The Temple of the Feathered Serpent is the third largest pyramid at Teotihuacan, a pre-Columbian site in central Mexico. This structure is notable partly due to the discovery in the 1980s of more than a hundred possibly sacrificial victims found buried beneath the structure. Wikipedia
Olmec carved basalt boulders dating 900 BC near Vera Cruz.

Our Week TWO of Mexican Culture covered Colonial Mexico, Spanish influence, cathedrals, indigenous rights and revolutions. Stay tuned next week for more adventures part three.

DOS TORTAS

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Fractured Sternum Take Two

8 Jan

I’m so grateful that I got the X-ray and pain meds from my doctor. I guess two weeks with the inability to cough, laugh, sneeze, and turn over in bed, not to mention the screaming in pain, finally overcame my stubbornness. I suppose that the management of pain never crossed my mind as “something that can be done”.

Sometimes I’m just plain stupid.

It’s amazing how we use our upper body and arms for so many things, like standing from a seated position. I found myself scooting forward and using my legs to stand. All those squats came in handy. Do try it.

A full moon week.

There will be no bicep curls, bench presses or push ups for awhile. I can’t even carry a pitcher of water from the refrigerator to the counter. I am feeling better and this week we’ll begin cutting back on the meds. I hope it will clear my fuzzy brain a bit,

Sunday sunrise on Lake Bacalar.

Google says six to eight weeks. Today is three. I must admit to looking longingly at my gym clothes while selecting pajamas and sweatpants for daily attire. Sigh.

A little vid of our home and property.

I will continue to rest and stay drugged as needed. I am supremely grateful to my wife for taking such good care of me, and Dr. Oscar for the pain management. Life is good. So for another week, be well and don’t trip over any air mattresses.

DOS TORTAS

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Happy Happy 2023

1 Jan

As a child in the 60’s I remember reading the book 1984 by George Orwell. The year seemed far far away and I wondered what the future would hold. I certainly never imagined the year 2023!

Big brother is watching.

2022 was filled with getting physically and mentally fit. I consistently worked out at the gym three days a week and added a rebounder to my off days along with my usual swimming. Having a beautiful lake out my back door made it easy.

Laguna Bacalar
Many many health benefits to rebounding.

In retrospect I realize that my life is about keeping the hot breath of aging off my neck. I was doing pretty well, or so I thought and then two weeks ago I fell…again.

I tripped over the air mattress that was prepared for the guest we had coming. A perfect storm of being in a hurry, a dimly lit room and forgetting it was there sent me flying and landing on my chest on a concrete floor. The result was a fractured sternum.

I also have scoliosis..sigh.

Yes it was an accident, but there have been too many to not factor in my age. My doctor’s comment to Lisa, “well she IS 70 years old” takes me aback. Not that I don’t know how old I am.

So the next month will bring rest and healing. In February I go to Merida to paint haciendas, landscapes and local scenery. I will continue to keep my fragile bones as strong as I can. Let’s face it, none of us gets out of this alive. My blog seems to have gone from the adventures of travel to the adventures of aging, the good and the not so good.

Happy happy 2023. DOS TORTAS

From our house to yours the future looks bright.

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The Rare Jungle Siting – A Visitor

25 Dec

We have a guest! It’s been years since any family members or friends have come to see us in Mexico. It’s so fun having someone ooo and aah and run around taking pictures. We get to see everything through fresh eyes and appreciate the beauty of our home.

Stella is always the perfect welcoming committee.

Our friend Mary lived next door when our adult children were little. I have an absolutely favorite memory of her that I’d like to share. I had just adopted a cat named Isis. She was a young calico and absolutely loved kids. We were delighted with this new addition to our family. One day, not long after we got her, Isis got sick and the vet said she wasn’t likely going to make it. They quoted us an intervention that was more money than I had. With no guarantee or even likelihood of survival we decided against treatment.

Roof of the pirate fort, Bacalar.

I sat up with the kitty all night keeping her hydrated. In the early morning hours she died in my arms. I felt a charge of electricity pass through her like nothing I’d even felt. Her little spirit had left.

We had a viewing on the back porch and all the neighborhood children came to see the dead cat and ask questions about death. “Why is she stiff and yet her fur is still soft?” “What if she wakes up and is covered in dirt?”.

Our favorite taco place.

We had just had three big holes dug in the yard to plant shade trees, a perfect final resting place for Isis. As we gathered the next day to lay Isis to rest, it was pouring rain. My kids’ dad had to bail water out of the hole. It was almost a burial at sea!

Mr. Taco 🌮

As children gathered together under umbrellas, Mary pulled up and joined us with a fist full of little white daisies. Each child got a stem. At that point, I pretty much lost it. We each stood in the rain, dropped our flowers into the grave and said what we liked about Isis. It is clearly one of my favorite memories and the children were precious

My youngest in plaid.

Thank you Mary and thanks for coming to visit our home. Next time you must stay longer!

DOS TORTAS

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Saying Goodbye For The Last Time

17 Dec

We got a very unexpected message on Monday. Our dear friend Gabriel had died. He was 63. On Sunday,Gabriel had just placed second in the annual Laguna Bacalar kayak marathon when he complained of not feeling well. Two heart attacks later, the doctors could not revive him.

Mexico is our home for ten years and we still have much to learn. One thing that we have learned is that when someone tells you that you are family they mean it. That was certainly the case with Gabriel.

Mexico City 2017

We met about eight years ago when I was out kayaking and saw him and his wife Monica pull up to a dock in their motor boat. Lisa badly wanted to ski and this was my attempt to make friends with someone who had a boat. It is hard to describe but we’ve been family ever since.

From that day on we were included in so many activities, dinners, parties, and assorted family get togethers, including his daughter’s wedding. We know their children, grandchildren and extended family. When Lisa and I married in California in 2014, Monica and Gabriel put on a reception for us at a local restaurant. It was so much fun.

There were even two brides on the cake!

In Mexico, when someone dies, they are laid out at home. A vigil was held and as word got around on Monday, people showed up with food and flowers. Family flew in from all over the world.

His life jacket and paddle rested on the coffin.

Gabriel’s body was cremated and on Tuesday there was the most amazing funeral I’ve ever attended. Boats, kayakers and paddle boarders all gathered on the far side of the Laguna. The wind made it hard to hear but it was clear that Gabriel was beloved by many. His daily Insta sunrise photos will be missed.

Laid to rest in his beloved laguna.
With his beloved Monica. Maya, his chihuahua will miss him terribly.
Picking me up on our dock for a day of sailing.

It has been a hard week. I am still processing. We also celebrated Lisa’s birthday and remembered the death anniversary of my brother. Gabriel had a full and wonderful life. That’s what I want to remember.

DOS TORTAS

It is not important how long your life is but how you live it. Adiós Gabriel.

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Feminine Spirit Guadalupe

10 Dec

Tomorrow is the feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe. She is such an important Mexican icon, that she gets a bank holiday. For me, she is the feminine expression of God. I was raised Catholic and walked away from that dogma in high school. Somehow I have found a way back.

2018 with Lisa and Frida
This work of art has a predominant place in our house and in our hearts.

As I have aged, I have found my way to a less intellectual God and more to a heartfelt appreciation for creation. Guadalupe is my sister, friend and mother. Her presence adorns my house in every room.

A gift from my sister-in-law who died of Covid. We had this niche created for her when we built our house.

I am reminded of her holiday by the presence of pilgrims along the highway. They mostly ride bicycles adorned with her image and the red, white and green of the Mexican flag. They ride in clusters with matching shirts, often in sandals. Sometimes there is a support vehicle, sometimes not. I’m not sure of their destination, perhaps Tulum which is two hours by automobile.

Tulum

I wonder what the pilgrims’ stories are. Is their motivation a petition or gratitude for a prayer answered? The site of her original apparition is outside of Mexico City. We visited in 2017. Twenty million visit annually with nine million around December 12, her feast day.

Both the new basilica on the right and the older on the left. Mexico City in the background. Lisa and I are standing on the site of the original apparition.
Grotto in front of our house.

DOS TORTAS

This week my dear Aunt Irene died. She was 100 and devout Catholic. Guadalupe surely welcomed her with open arms.

Both my aunt and uncle lived to 100.

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