A potpourri of random thoughts & memories to wrap it all up...
We're pretty well unpacked, the minimal number of souvenirs makes it easy to get things put away. Amused to report that we did not finish either of one pound of butter OR 12 oz. of olive oil during our stay -- love those roasted vegetables! (Of course, we did consume at LEAST our fair share of cheeses...)
A sight not reported but repeated daily on our ocean-walk days: a skein of seabirds, ranging from 5 to perhaps 12, skimming the breakers in a line, flying up and down the coast. We never saw them catch anything, but assumed they were on the lookout for any fish unlucky enough to catch the top of a wave. On the other hand, they were so adept at rolling with the wave motion, we wondered if they were just having fun!
At a point, we had a surplus of avocados and opted to make guacamole. I went down to the gift shop to pick up corn chips. Believe it or no -- not a corn chip to be had, all the shelf had was potato chips and a mix of corn puffs of various shapes and sizes (a few Frito-like objects tossed in for variety).
Later, I bought postcards there as well, only to discover that there were no stamps for sale either there OR at the front desk ... to get stamps, I'd have to take the shuttle to another building entirely. Seriously?? I'll mail them from home!
And last but not least, the fun of decoding the footsteps and pawprints left in the sand by those preceding us on our walks. Sometimes we were able to connect them with fellow walkers, most times we just enjoyed making up our own tales about their probable owners.
Happy to report that the BIG snow stayed south of Chicago, though there are flakes in the air today just to be certain we know where we are. We will think warm, beachy thoughts!
Monday, March 25, 2013
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Friday, March 22 ... home again
Spent the morning cleaning up and completing our packing. We had three plastic "grocery bags" of miscellaneous for our wonderful
driver ... the remnants of the BBQ dinner plus various pantry staples
and a few kitchen odds and ends we had purchased to make our culinary
life a little easier. It was truly a random assortment (3 heads of
garlic, a couple tablespoons of cumin, a 1-cup Pyrex measuring
pitcher...on and on) but he had promised to pass things along to needier
families if they were not useful for his own. A good deal all the way
around.
We were surprised by the utter lack of competition to check out, on a designated check-out day. This left us with an hour or so on our hands, which we passed in the pleasantly breezy hotel lobby.
We arrived at the airport in plenty of time ... turned out we were going to board the only United flight that DAY! As we were checking in, we were offered the opportunity to upgrade our Houston-to-O'Hare flight to first-class for a very reasonable upcharge. Thinking it over for just a minute, we said "AHA! Free food and wine, and comfortable seating!" and we signed right up.
Have a few extra pesos burning a hole in our pocket, we rummaged around a souvenir stand and purchased a few items. Then we ambled on toward the security screening, the woman who'd sold us the items following to attest that they were safe. So, what gets us busted? TINNED FISH that Linda bought to bring home for Tom ... it was packed in olive oil and therefore "a liquid." Visions of flaming mussels and herring hung foggily in our dazed minds.
After a brief debate, Linda hiked back down to the check-in desk to see if she could put the offending bivalve-bombs in her CHECKED luggage. Indeed she could ... the lady who had checked us in donned her safety vest and retrieved Linda's suitcase from the processing point, and the deal was done. Then we went looking for a water fountain to fill our water bottles, only to learn that there's no potable water at the airport. We threw a few more pesos at a big bottle of chilled, safe water.
We had packed some chunked up sweet peppers, a few string cheese packets, and some mixed nuts to see us through lunchtime, knowing there was only beverage service on the tiny plane to Houston. An uneventful flight until we actually arrived at the terminal -- the gate to which we were assigned was all cluttered up with baggage carts and other vehicles and material belonging to the monster Lufthansa plane at the neighboring gate. They were in no hurry to move it out, it seemed, so we were moved to another gate somewhere on down the line.
Now to get through immigration and customs. A long snaky line, but it did move consistently. As we made the last turn, we were asked by a few folks who felt they were about to miss their plane if they could hop in front of us. We didn't have all THAT much loose time ourselves -- still had to retrieve luggage, get through Customs, re-check luggage, and get re-screened -- but it was just a few folks and we let it go. They got a personal escort from someone on the Federal team, who outdid himself keeping them as calm as possible. A bravura performance!
Our candy didn't mark us as needing personal Customs inspection this year, so we got our bags re-checked and ourselves through screening again. Then to realize that United has been trying to tell us that our plane is delayed! This worked out in our favor to some extent, as we would have been well-tested to get out to the gate in time to catch the original schedule.
Further developments ... an American Airlines flight was cancelled and United sopped up most of THOSE folks as well. Never had a casual decision for personal comfort looked SO GOOD, as we contemplated those comfy upgraded seats. When the plane finally did arrive, get cleaned, and open for boarding, it was 100% full and everyone was tired and ready to get on up to Chicago. The "first class" turned out to be business-class, but still very lovely compared to a full flight in coach.
We were served an elegant antipasto plate plus a small tossed salad and a fruit cup, and with the complimentary glass of Chablis, we were somewhat restored. The flight wasn't long enough to catch an entire movie, so we watched the little airplane icon move along the map toward Chicago.
We were soon landing at O'Hare with temperatures hovering around 30; we had left temperatures near 90 just a few hours before. As luck would have it, the shuttle bus back to the hotel where the van was parked pulled out just as we arrived at the connection point. We called the venue, to be told the next one would be on schedule ... in a full half-hour. Fortunately there was inside seating, so we faced the wall clock and started counting. But WAIT!! Our message must have gotten through, for very shortly the van appeared again to pick up the four of us who were waiting. A slightly generous tip to the driver/baggage handler resulted in a pleasant accommodation: Linda stayed in the lobby with the luggage, and I was able to get a lift over to the parking ramp.
Having parked the van at night in a snowstorm, I was a bit uncertain about its exact location. Taking the elevator to the top tier, however, proved prescient as I learned the path to the exit while finding the vehicle. Happily the temperatures had been warm enough that there was neither snow nor ice to clear, and the engine started immediately. PHEW!
We were both pretty punchy by this point, but we did manage to thread our way out of the tangle of roads near the airport and find the way home. A quick swap of baggage and parking spots, and to bed in the wee hours of the morning. Good to be home, even if there IS a snowstorm forecast for Sunday night (seriously!).
We were surprised by the utter lack of competition to check out, on a designated check-out day. This left us with an hour or so on our hands, which we passed in the pleasantly breezy hotel lobby.
We arrived at the airport in plenty of time ... turned out we were going to board the only United flight that DAY! As we were checking in, we were offered the opportunity to upgrade our Houston-to-O'Hare flight to first-class for a very reasonable upcharge. Thinking it over for just a minute, we said "AHA! Free food and wine, and comfortable seating!" and we signed right up.
Have a few extra pesos burning a hole in our pocket, we rummaged around a souvenir stand and purchased a few items. Then we ambled on toward the security screening, the woman who'd sold us the items following to attest that they were safe. So, what gets us busted? TINNED FISH that Linda bought to bring home for Tom ... it was packed in olive oil and therefore "a liquid." Visions of flaming mussels and herring hung foggily in our dazed minds.
After a brief debate, Linda hiked back down to the check-in desk to see if she could put the offending bivalve-bombs in her CHECKED luggage. Indeed she could ... the lady who had checked us in donned her safety vest and retrieved Linda's suitcase from the processing point, and the deal was done. Then we went looking for a water fountain to fill our water bottles, only to learn that there's no potable water at the airport. We threw a few more pesos at a big bottle of chilled, safe water.
We had packed some chunked up sweet peppers, a few string cheese packets, and some mixed nuts to see us through lunchtime, knowing there was only beverage service on the tiny plane to Houston. An uneventful flight until we actually arrived at the terminal -- the gate to which we were assigned was all cluttered up with baggage carts and other vehicles and material belonging to the monster Lufthansa plane at the neighboring gate. They were in no hurry to move it out, it seemed, so we were moved to another gate somewhere on down the line.
Now to get through immigration and customs. A long snaky line, but it did move consistently. As we made the last turn, we were asked by a few folks who felt they were about to miss their plane if they could hop in front of us. We didn't have all THAT much loose time ourselves -- still had to retrieve luggage, get through Customs, re-check luggage, and get re-screened -- but it was just a few folks and we let it go. They got a personal escort from someone on the Federal team, who outdid himself keeping them as calm as possible. A bravura performance!
Our candy didn't mark us as needing personal Customs inspection this year, so we got our bags re-checked and ourselves through screening again. Then to realize that United has been trying to tell us that our plane is delayed! This worked out in our favor to some extent, as we would have been well-tested to get out to the gate in time to catch the original schedule.
Further developments ... an American Airlines flight was cancelled and United sopped up most of THOSE folks as well. Never had a casual decision for personal comfort looked SO GOOD, as we contemplated those comfy upgraded seats. When the plane finally did arrive, get cleaned, and open for boarding, it was 100% full and everyone was tired and ready to get on up to Chicago. The "first class" turned out to be business-class, but still very lovely compared to a full flight in coach.
We were served an elegant antipasto plate plus a small tossed salad and a fruit cup, and with the complimentary glass of Chablis, we were somewhat restored. The flight wasn't long enough to catch an entire movie, so we watched the little airplane icon move along the map toward Chicago.
We were soon landing at O'Hare with temperatures hovering around 30; we had left temperatures near 90 just a few hours before. As luck would have it, the shuttle bus back to the hotel where the van was parked pulled out just as we arrived at the connection point. We called the venue, to be told the next one would be on schedule ... in a full half-hour. Fortunately there was inside seating, so we faced the wall clock and started counting. But WAIT!! Our message must have gotten through, for very shortly the van appeared again to pick up the four of us who were waiting. A slightly generous tip to the driver/baggage handler resulted in a pleasant accommodation: Linda stayed in the lobby with the luggage, and I was able to get a lift over to the parking ramp.
Having parked the van at night in a snowstorm, I was a bit uncertain about its exact location. Taking the elevator to the top tier, however, proved prescient as I learned the path to the exit while finding the vehicle. Happily the temperatures had been warm enough that there was neither snow nor ice to clear, and the engine started immediately. PHEW!
We were both pretty punchy by this point, but we did manage to thread our way out of the tangle of roads near the airport and find the way home. A quick swap of baggage and parking spots, and to bed in the wee hours of the morning. Good to be home, even if there IS a snowstorm forecast for Sunday night (seriously!).
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Thursday, 3/21 ... The *** Women And The Sea?
We planned to walk up the beach again this morning, and were somewhat startled to find ourselves joined by another pair of ladies with a similar plan. We all got to the market and headed past the calm little "infinity" pool ...
These waves were cresting higher than the palm-frond roofs of the vendor stalls in the distance (at least from our vantage point). You can see a tube closing up to the right of the first palm.
As the water was so much higher, we had a much more pleasant walk overall, though there were actual pools from place to place. We were often struck by the beautiful patterns left by the receding surf, no two alike at all:
And we smiled at a bird bath courtesy of Mother Nature, well up onto the beach:
Big, booming rollers cresting out a ways:
creating a bluff of their own in the shoreline:
Another set of intriguing patterns:
and a river flowing back into the sea:
All in all, it took us a good hour to trek down the beach and also take
it all in. We collapsed in our now-favorite shady chairs and watched
first one, then up to three intrepid surfers enjoying the best day
they'd had in a good while. Here's a bit of the sense of scale:
We were charmed by this foal learning how to work the beach:
As we had before, we showered the sand off our our feet and sat for a bit on a higher tier of shady chairs until everything dried off. Have to say, we drew it all out a bit knowing it was our farewell tour.
Heading back to the room, we began moving into pack-and-go mode ... checking the current status of our bill (no surprises ultimately, though a couple things to figure out); making arrangements for printing out our boarding passes and being grateful our selected seats were still assigned; checking on our stash of pesos and how best to utilize the remainder. Tucked into the remaining romaine, radish slices, and sweet peppers along with quesadillas for lunch, and took some afternoon time "off" (Linda mostly reading, Carolyn mostly stitching that teeny-tiny spyglass).
Linda got mostly packed and moved into dinner prep; Carolyn got mostly packed and helped to finish up. Somehow we are going home with a LOT more luggage space ... we can only confess to bringing a few loaves of bread for breakfast ... where did all that airspace COME from??
Dinner was the end of the skirt steak in tomatillo sauce and a heap of angelhair with the end of the zucchini and crema. We are down to the bitter end, with just a few items to pass along to our friendly driver in the morning, though some are amusing. We purchased a box grater, 1-cup Pyrex measuring pitcher, and a cheapo nonstick skillet ... no point in leaving them here, so he can use them or donate them to a needier family.
We are amused to find very few purchases this trip; guess our resolutions to decrease our holdings may be taking root! But always there are a few items perfecto for the gift shelf, and we have a wide variety of pleasant memories ... from completing tasks hard to do at home, to lovely tours, to those walks up the shoreline. Buenes noches, amigos, we'll write again from the frozen north.
down to the shore, to be stopped in our tracks by TOWERING and
THUNDERING surf. Looks like we were closer to a high tide today, and
whatever the winds were, they produced quite a show.
These waves were cresting higher than the palm-frond roofs of the vendor stalls in the distance (at least from our vantage point). You can see a tube closing up to the right of the first palm.
As the water was so much higher, we had a much more pleasant walk overall, though there were actual pools from place to place. We were often struck by the beautiful patterns left by the receding surf, no two alike at all:
And we smiled at a bird bath courtesy of Mother Nature, well up onto the beach:
Big, booming rollers cresting out a ways:
creating a bluff of their own in the shoreline:
Another set of intriguing patterns:
and a river flowing back into the sea:
As we had before, we showered the sand off our our feet and sat for a bit on a higher tier of shady chairs until everything dried off. Have to say, we drew it all out a bit knowing it was our farewell tour.
Heading back to the room, we began moving into pack-and-go mode ... checking the current status of our bill (no surprises ultimately, though a couple things to figure out); making arrangements for printing out our boarding passes and being grateful our selected seats were still assigned; checking on our stash of pesos and how best to utilize the remainder. Tucked into the remaining romaine, radish slices, and sweet peppers along with quesadillas for lunch, and took some afternoon time "off" (Linda mostly reading, Carolyn mostly stitching that teeny-tiny spyglass).
Linda got mostly packed and moved into dinner prep; Carolyn got mostly packed and helped to finish up. Somehow we are going home with a LOT more luggage space ... we can only confess to bringing a few loaves of bread for breakfast ... where did all that airspace COME from??
Dinner was the end of the skirt steak in tomatillo sauce and a heap of angelhair with the end of the zucchini and crema. We are down to the bitter end, with just a few items to pass along to our friendly driver in the morning, though some are amusing. We purchased a box grater, 1-cup Pyrex measuring pitcher, and a cheapo nonstick skillet ... no point in leaving them here, so he can use them or donate them to a needier family.
We are amused to find very few purchases this trip; guess our resolutions to decrease our holdings may be taking root! But always there are a few items perfecto for the gift shelf, and we have a wide variety of pleasant memories ... from completing tasks hard to do at home, to lovely tours, to those walks up the shoreline. Buenes noches, amigos, we'll write again from the frozen north.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Wednesday, 3/20
Woke up a bit out of synch ... when the power went down, of course the clock on the microwave went to zero. We asked the evening turndown crew how to re-set it (Linda had worked for some good while on that problem) and they didn't know either ... everyone got to the place where the time had been entered and was showing, but couldn't finalize the data. After far too much experimentation, it turned out that hitting "start" did the trick. BUT ... by then the time was an hour off, which we didn't notice until this morning. Now that the day was properly anchored, we could get on with breakfast!
All the walking in loose sand yesterday left us with tired toes, so it was off to the pool after our toast. It was utterly deserted; a few souls in the restaurant, but no one getting wet. It was enjoyable to have the lagoon to ourselves, and we did some extra lap work as a result. Pleasant temperatures and a light breeze; when we settled into beach chairs to dry off it was just a perfect morning.
We had seen a group in hotel uniforms touring the grounds a few days back, and suspected it was a new training class. That seemed even more likely as the morning cleaning person arrived in duplicate ... not our usual friendly fellow all alone. And clean, these ladies DID ... we were beginning to wonder if they'd ever leave! Seriously, friends, when you find that the TOASTER has been cleaned you know you have been the beneficiary of an excess of enthusiasm.
Once we were alone again, we made up a good tossed salad and shredded the country ribs, thinking ahead to glazing them for dinner this evening. Linda whipped up a few bean/cheese/chorizo quesadillas and we had a nice mid-day feast. We've had to toss a few items, but overall will come very close to using exactly what we bought. No small feat!
I had a bit of a scare with my needlework piece ... I had completed the frame for the next detail (an old-fashioned nautical spyglass) ... counted everything four ways and KNEW it was done correctly. Move on to the blown-up chart for the stitches ... and it has TWICE the number of squares. WHAT?!! Well, after a little cool-down, it turns out that this detail is stitched over just ONE thread of the backing fabric (meaning I have four TIMES as many stitches to take as I had imagined). Oh well, at least the original work is solid. Progress is being made on the spyglass, now that breathing has returned to normal levels.
Meanwhile, we eventually tucked into BBQ country ribs and "sweet potatoes" ... the potatoes looked pretty likely when we bought them (dark red skin, pointy ends), but once they were peeled they were quite white except they oxidized almost instantly when exposed to air. Nonetheless, they took the second BBQ-inflected sauce quite nicely and we were happy with the results overall. Just four meals to go, and the 'frig is looking pretty empty. It's a good thing!!
We confirmed arrangements with the driver who took us on the two tours, so we have (for better or for worse!) a ride to the airport Friday late morning. Then an early afternoon flight to Houston, and a late arrival into frigid O'Hare. We won't dwell on that just now ... just enjoy another couple days of sunshine and surf, our way!
All the walking in loose sand yesterday left us with tired toes, so it was off to the pool after our toast. It was utterly deserted; a few souls in the restaurant, but no one getting wet. It was enjoyable to have the lagoon to ourselves, and we did some extra lap work as a result. Pleasant temperatures and a light breeze; when we settled into beach chairs to dry off it was just a perfect morning.
We had seen a group in hotel uniforms touring the grounds a few days back, and suspected it was a new training class. That seemed even more likely as the morning cleaning person arrived in duplicate ... not our usual friendly fellow all alone. And clean, these ladies DID ... we were beginning to wonder if they'd ever leave! Seriously, friends, when you find that the TOASTER has been cleaned you know you have been the beneficiary of an excess of enthusiasm.
Once we were alone again, we made up a good tossed salad and shredded the country ribs, thinking ahead to glazing them for dinner this evening. Linda whipped up a few bean/cheese/chorizo quesadillas and we had a nice mid-day feast. We've had to toss a few items, but overall will come very close to using exactly what we bought. No small feat!
I had a bit of a scare with my needlework piece ... I had completed the frame for the next detail (an old-fashioned nautical spyglass) ... counted everything four ways and KNEW it was done correctly. Move on to the blown-up chart for the stitches ... and it has TWICE the number of squares. WHAT?!! Well, after a little cool-down, it turns out that this detail is stitched over just ONE thread of the backing fabric (meaning I have four TIMES as many stitches to take as I had imagined). Oh well, at least the original work is solid. Progress is being made on the spyglass, now that breathing has returned to normal levels.
Meanwhile, we eventually tucked into BBQ country ribs and "sweet potatoes" ... the potatoes looked pretty likely when we bought them (dark red skin, pointy ends), but once they were peeled they were quite white except they oxidized almost instantly when exposed to air. Nonetheless, they took the second BBQ-inflected sauce quite nicely and we were happy with the results overall. Just four meals to go, and the 'frig is looking pretty empty. It's a good thing!!
We confirmed arrangements with the driver who took us on the two tours, so we have (for better or for worse!) a ride to the airport Friday late morning. Then an early afternoon flight to Houston, and a late arrival into frigid O'Hare. We won't dwell on that just now ... just enjoy another couple days of sunshine and surf, our way!
Tuesday, 3/19
A stroll-down-the-beach day. We were again warned that the little store was not yet opened, but had the good luck to draw the same shuttle driver. He needed no explanation THIS day, and sent us off to the shoreline with the salutation, "WONDER Women!!" If only...
But another beautiful day on the sand, many fewer people around and no pets. We kept company with the ocean birds and the surf, and spent a greater percentage of our walk on dry sand this time due to more vendor stalls being in place already.
We had noticed "breathing holes" in the sand earlier, but this morning Linda actually saw some critter moving down into the sand. While we couldn't catch enough of a view to identify it, but the sand spray it left behind was ample testimony to its strong motivation to disappear from view.
No matter, we got to the south end of our property and fell happily into two well-shaded chairs. By that time (and place) there was more activity on the beach, notably a father-and-young-son enjoying a shoreline horseback ride. The child was snuggled in front of Dad on the saddle, and seemed pretty cool to the idea in the beginning. But by the time the horse was led past our view for the third and then fourth time, clearly he was enjoying things.
We spent some time exploring the amenities on this end of the property, then bussed back to the room to shower and return to productive pastimes ... needlework, reading, another EuroRails (Carolyn won this time with a big delivery to Madrid). Dinner turned out to be vegetarian ... an assortment of whatever was in the 'frig, and right tasty. No sooner had we sat down to it, though, the power went out! There was still light in the sky, and it seemed that the entire neighborhood had gone dark.
Before we could complete our contingency planning, the ceiling light in the dining room came back on. In a few minutes, the stovetop and its hood fan plus the other lights kicked in. We concluded that there was a reliable two-stage recovery plan in place for our venue, though the neighbors on the beach appeared to in for a difficult night...several buildings didn't even have their roof lights on to warn air traffic. While looking things over, we realized there was a lovely sunset & cloud formation out there:
Don't worry, that "melting" building in the right-center of the first photo is NOT, in fact, about to fall over. Though it continues to worry us JUST A LITTLE :)
Whatever hit the grid didn't hit the news, so we just snuggled into a good sleep.
But another beautiful day on the sand, many fewer people around and no pets. We kept company with the ocean birds and the surf, and spent a greater percentage of our walk on dry sand this time due to more vendor stalls being in place already.
We had noticed "breathing holes" in the sand earlier, but this morning Linda actually saw some critter moving down into the sand. While we couldn't catch enough of a view to identify it, but the sand spray it left behind was ample testimony to its strong motivation to disappear from view.
No matter, we got to the south end of our property and fell happily into two well-shaded chairs. By that time (and place) there was more activity on the beach, notably a father-and-young-son enjoying a shoreline horseback ride. The child was snuggled in front of Dad on the saddle, and seemed pretty cool to the idea in the beginning. But by the time the horse was led past our view for the third and then fourth time, clearly he was enjoying things.
We spent some time exploring the amenities on this end of the property, then bussed back to the room to shower and return to productive pastimes ... needlework, reading, another EuroRails (Carolyn won this time with a big delivery to Madrid). Dinner turned out to be vegetarian ... an assortment of whatever was in the 'frig, and right tasty. No sooner had we sat down to it, though, the power went out! There was still light in the sky, and it seemed that the entire neighborhood had gone dark.
Before we could complete our contingency planning, the ceiling light in the dining room came back on. In a few minutes, the stovetop and its hood fan plus the other lights kicked in. We concluded that there was a reliable two-stage recovery plan in place for our venue, though the neighbors on the beach appeared to in for a difficult night...several buildings didn't even have their roof lights on to warn air traffic. While looking things over, we realized there was a lovely sunset & cloud formation out there:
Don't worry, that "melting" building in the right-center of the first photo is NOT, in fact, about to fall over. Though it continues to worry us JUST A LITTLE :)
Whatever hit the grid didn't hit the news, so we just snuggled into a good sleep.
Monday 3/18
Another pool day, sharing the lagoon with a bunch of boys practicing their football-passing skills. Plenty of room to go around, and a pleasant morning. Several laps around were followed by some reading and drying off ... and a return to a welcome shower back in the room.
Today was Laundry Day #2, and a good thing it was. Linda went down to "recharge" the card that activates the machines and get a capsule of detergent, only to discover that it was loaded with quite a few more pesos than we had understood. AND we had to surrender the original receipt in order to get the excess credited back to the room. Another triumph for tossing all small pieces of paper in a pile until they can be sorted out at home! More progress on reading through magazines (Carolyn) and Kindle literature (Linda). Even the Trib is getting its share of attention this week.
Keeping it simple, we lunched on a couple different zucchini presentations and some quesadillas, there are some recipes that are definitely worth re-creating at home.
In the afternoon, we set up European Rails, an intriguing board game we've been introduced to through Gabe's roommate. Though we play for fun, a little competition does sneak in and Linda had the stack-o-cash to be declared the winner in the end.
We're working down the stash of food in the 'frig now, and had decided to finish up the pork chops in tomatillo sauce and a couple of sides. Easy prep and a fine dinner; meanwhile, the country ribs got rubbed with half the BBQ paste and tucked into the coolth to soak it all up overnight. Wrapping up with the nice view from our living room ... the tall buildings are actually on the shore. The pool is the one we swim in, but as you can imagine, we get to the shore by taking the hotel shuttle bus down that way :)
Today was Laundry Day #2, and a good thing it was. Linda went down to "recharge" the card that activates the machines and get a capsule of detergent, only to discover that it was loaded with quite a few more pesos than we had understood. AND we had to surrender the original receipt in order to get the excess credited back to the room. Another triumph for tossing all small pieces of paper in a pile until they can be sorted out at home! More progress on reading through magazines (Carolyn) and Kindle literature (Linda). Even the Trib is getting its share of attention this week.
Keeping it simple, we lunched on a couple different zucchini presentations and some quesadillas, there are some recipes that are definitely worth re-creating at home.
In the afternoon, we set up European Rails, an intriguing board game we've been introduced to through Gabe's roommate. Though we play for fun, a little competition does sneak in and Linda had the stack-o-cash to be declared the winner in the end.
We're working down the stash of food in the 'frig now, and had decided to finish up the pork chops in tomatillo sauce and a couple of sides. Easy prep and a fine dinner; meanwhile, the country ribs got rubbed with half the BBQ paste and tucked into the coolth to soak it all up overnight. Wrapping up with the nice view from our living room ... the tall buildings are actually on the shore. The pool is the one we swim in, but as you can imagine, we get to the shore by taking the hotel shuttle bus down that way :)
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Sunday, 3/17
Not too much attention paid to St. Pat here in Mexico, which is OK by us. We were, of course, deluged with commercial email from home offering 17% off, but we were able to delete...delete...delete.
Our exercise plan was different this morning as it's forecast to be the coolest day of the week. We took the two shuttle buses up to the little store, though the second driver was very concerned because he knew the store wasn't OPEN at that hour. Eventually we communicated to him our intention to walk down the beach, back to the crossover point for the two routes. He enthusiastically endorsed our plan, and we set off southward with the sun still somewhat behind the mountains.
The beach is wide and beautifully pristine. Though there were footprints and pawprints (and the occasional avian footprints as well), there was almost NO litter ... until we got close to our hotel's area. SIGH. We had a fair amount of company but it wasn't crowded; people jogging together or with their dog, others walking. Occasionally a dune buggy. The informal beach vendors mostly had not set up yet, so we didn't need to fend them off ... a blessing. The surf rolled in, the sky was high-overcast, the temperatures mild. Beautiful.
When we got back to the southerly end of our grounds, we pulled up a couple of chairs in the shade and just watched the water for a while. By then, there was a surfer out hunting for waves and a group of horseback riders working their way along the tideline; pleasant viewing.
Eventually, we felt it time to work our way back to the room. More menu-and-execution planning, and a salad and some of the green rice for lunch. The next task was making the various sauces required for the remaining planned dishes, Linda took the lead. We rapidly agreed to nix the griddling of the dried peppers, though, as first she and then Carolyn started choking up on the chile fumes. We will soldier on without the layer of smoky flavor!
With the room well-aired, and sauces in the entire spectrum of chile-red, we turned to the skirt steak that was to be the star of dinner this evening. And indeed it was, tender and well-flavored. With zucchini in red sauce and a red rice flanking it, we tucked into some seriously good eating ... and so to bed.
Our exercise plan was different this morning as it's forecast to be the coolest day of the week. We took the two shuttle buses up to the little store, though the second driver was very concerned because he knew the store wasn't OPEN at that hour. Eventually we communicated to him our intention to walk down the beach, back to the crossover point for the two routes. He enthusiastically endorsed our plan, and we set off southward with the sun still somewhat behind the mountains.
The beach is wide and beautifully pristine. Though there were footprints and pawprints (and the occasional avian footprints as well), there was almost NO litter ... until we got close to our hotel's area. SIGH. We had a fair amount of company but it wasn't crowded; people jogging together or with their dog, others walking. Occasionally a dune buggy. The informal beach vendors mostly had not set up yet, so we didn't need to fend them off ... a blessing. The surf rolled in, the sky was high-overcast, the temperatures mild. Beautiful.
When we got back to the southerly end of our grounds, we pulled up a couple of chairs in the shade and just watched the water for a while. By then, there was a surfer out hunting for waves and a group of horseback riders working their way along the tideline; pleasant viewing.
Eventually, we felt it time to work our way back to the room. More menu-and-execution planning, and a salad and some of the green rice for lunch. The next task was making the various sauces required for the remaining planned dishes, Linda took the lead. We rapidly agreed to nix the griddling of the dried peppers, though, as first she and then Carolyn started choking up on the chile fumes. We will soldier on without the layer of smoky flavor!
With the room well-aired, and sauces in the entire spectrum of chile-red, we turned to the skirt steak that was to be the star of dinner this evening. And indeed it was, tender and well-flavored. With zucchini in red sauce and a red rice flanking it, we tucked into some seriously good eating ... and so to bed.
Saturday, 3/16
After two tour days in a row, we were a little wrung out. Besides, we had all this cooking to do! We got down to the pool again, but ran a little late and needed to work around a gaggle of teenaged fellows practicing their football passing skills. Soon there were enough parents and kids in the water to make us consider it a morning ... and with a stiff north breeze, we went right back up to the room.
We had fun things planned for dinner: thick pork chops with potatoes in a tomatillo-chile sauce, green rice (from poblanos), and a zucchini dish featuring fried vermicelli cooked in a red sauce. As we are working in a kitchen with two burners and two pots, we made the rice early; then we decided simply to save it as the magnitude of the other two dishes became clearer. With no oven (though we do have a microwave), one of our challenges has been roasting tomatoes and tomatillos ... we use a dry fry pan, and it seems to be working out all right, though we're probably missing a bit of the smoky-flavor layer. We got the various sauces made up, worked through the progression of what fit in which pot, and put a mighty fine dinner on the table if we do say so ourselves.
Meanwhile, naturally, we have been keeping up with email, the reading we brought along, and other diversions ... as Calvin & Hobbes remark, the days are just PACKED!
We had fun things planned for dinner: thick pork chops with potatoes in a tomatillo-chile sauce, green rice (from poblanos), and a zucchini dish featuring fried vermicelli cooked in a red sauce. As we are working in a kitchen with two burners and two pots, we made the rice early; then we decided simply to save it as the magnitude of the other two dishes became clearer. With no oven (though we do have a microwave), one of our challenges has been roasting tomatoes and tomatillos ... we use a dry fry pan, and it seems to be working out all right, though we're probably missing a bit of the smoky-flavor layer. We got the various sauces made up, worked through the progression of what fit in which pot, and put a mighty fine dinner on the table if we do say so ourselves.
Meanwhile, naturally, we have been keeping up with email, the reading we brought along, and other diversions ... as Calvin & Hobbes remark, the days are just PACKED!
Friday, 3/15 - City Tour
Well, finally we get down to the pool! We have a 4PM date with our driver for a city tour & to see the cliff divers, so we know we need to get our exercise in. The main pool (more of a lagoon, really; all 4' or less depth) opens at 8A; the kids' water park goes live at 9A, and the "lazy river" inner-tube experience powers on at 10A. We were in the water (after a light breakfast) by 8:30 and were able to make a few circuits of the lagoon before it started to fill up with younger folks.
We did run into a Canadian guest who inquired whether we'd been awakened by the storm in the week hours. We had slept right through it! Apparently there were torrents of rain, high winds and lightning ... we were grateful that it waited until we were snug in our bed.
After our "real" swim, we grabbed inner tubes and wafted around the grounds on the Lazy River ... it's good, goofy fun and highly recommended if you have the opportunity.
By then, the sun was high and it was time to get inside and complete the shopping list for the remainder of the week. We finished up the remainder of our leftovers for lunch so we could start fresh; our plan was to stop and get groceries after our planned evening tour. After some negotiation on what would and wouldn't fit into a reasonable menu plan, the list was finalized and it was time to get downstairs.
Our hotel is well south down the coastline from both downtown and "old" Acapulco. As with Puerto Vallarta, the area is built on steep cliffs rising sharply from the beaches. The road into town was twisty, narrow lanes well-populated with creative drivers. But we were able to enjoy a vista of the town as the afternoon sun was lowering.
As we arrived in the "downtown" area, traffic basically ground to a halt. Between construction (new sewers!), taxis, buses, scooters, bikes...if it had wheels, it was on the road. We were able to check out a specialty-foods shop, which provided some souvenirs and also ground cloves -- couldn't find THEM at Walmart! Patience, patience ... eventually we passed the beach bars, malls, and discos and got into the neighborhoods. We were able to see the the Zocalo (main square) and the outside of the home here where Diego Rivera & Freda Kahlo lived here, with an extensive mosaic mural designed by Diego and set right into the concrete wall protecting the home. We stopped by the history museum, but it had closed a little early and we could only see the outside -- though the view from the ramparts was beautiful!
The Flamingo Hotel was another stop, with a beautiful view of the coast. It was a favored hangout of Johnny Weismuller, John Wayne, and other movie idols of the era. Earlier, we'd seen a home purchased by Sylvester Stallone after one of the Rambo movies was shot here. While it was fun and educational to see these historical sites, the neighborhoods we drove through were in many cases not inviting. On "the strip" walking is almost the only option; up in the hills, driving seemed a MUCH safer choice.
On toward the cliff divers. Our driver knew of a place we could purchase seats for a much lower rate than the "official" viewing area, and indeed we had a commanding vista. It was AGAIN raining a bit, and we were grateful for the thatched roof over this area.
The divers, all lithe young men, were introduced to the music of "Eye of the Tiger." They climbed down a cliff from the "official" viewing area and swam across an active inlet to the sheer vertical cliff opposite. They scampered up the rocks unaided, and spent some time on a flat area with a shrine. As they gathered their focus, they would take their place on the sheer wall (sometimes a single diver, sometimes 2 or 3) ... signal their readiness to dive ... and plunge into the roiling water below. Some performed somersaults, jackknives, and other tricks; the final diver leapt from the top of the wall (Position A!). All in all, a real demonstration of both skill and courage.
We were escorted back to our driver by a young man who earlier had re-directed us to the correct seating area. We'd been concerned if he was really on our side, but all was well. And we were off to get our groceries for the remainder of the week. Our list was pretty well-organized so we didn't have to search for many items; we got back to the hotel and everything was packed into large gray containers and ferried upstairs.
In Mexico, it's wise to disinfect all produce, and we stayed up quite a while accomplishing that task with the variety of vegetable and fruits we'd purchased. There were far too many to dry in the little dish rack, so we laid out a couple of bath towels on the glass-topped table and arranged everything there. It was quite a spread!! However ... we didn't get to bed the same day we'd gotten up :(
We did run into a Canadian guest who inquired whether we'd been awakened by the storm in the week hours. We had slept right through it! Apparently there were torrents of rain, high winds and lightning ... we were grateful that it waited until we were snug in our bed.
After our "real" swim, we grabbed inner tubes and wafted around the grounds on the Lazy River ... it's good, goofy fun and highly recommended if you have the opportunity.
By then, the sun was high and it was time to get inside and complete the shopping list for the remainder of the week. We finished up the remainder of our leftovers for lunch so we could start fresh; our plan was to stop and get groceries after our planned evening tour. After some negotiation on what would and wouldn't fit into a reasonable menu plan, the list was finalized and it was time to get downstairs.
As we arrived in the "downtown" area, traffic basically ground to a halt. Between construction (new sewers!), taxis, buses, scooters, bikes...if it had wheels, it was on the road. We were able to check out a specialty-foods shop, which provided some souvenirs and also ground cloves -- couldn't find THEM at Walmart! Patience, patience ... eventually we passed the beach bars, malls, and discos and got into the neighborhoods. We were able to see the the Zocalo (main square) and the outside of the home here where Diego Rivera & Freda Kahlo lived here, with an extensive mosaic mural designed by Diego and set right into the concrete wall protecting the home. We stopped by the history museum, but it had closed a little early and we could only see the outside -- though the view from the ramparts was beautiful!
The Flamingo Hotel was another stop, with a beautiful view of the coast. It was a favored hangout of Johnny Weismuller, John Wayne, and other movie idols of the era. Earlier, we'd seen a home purchased by Sylvester Stallone after one of the Rambo movies was shot here. While it was fun and educational to see these historical sites, the neighborhoods we drove through were in many cases not inviting. On "the strip" walking is almost the only option; up in the hills, driving seemed a MUCH safer choice.
On toward the cliff divers. Our driver knew of a place we could purchase seats for a much lower rate than the "official" viewing area, and indeed we had a commanding vista. It was AGAIN raining a bit, and we were grateful for the thatched roof over this area.
The divers, all lithe young men, were introduced to the music of "Eye of the Tiger." They climbed down a cliff from the "official" viewing area and swam across an active inlet to the sheer vertical cliff opposite. They scampered up the rocks unaided, and spent some time on a flat area with a shrine. As they gathered their focus, they would take their place on the sheer wall (sometimes a single diver, sometimes 2 or 3) ... signal their readiness to dive ... and plunge into the roiling water below. Some performed somersaults, jackknives, and other tricks; the final diver leapt from the top of the wall (Position A!). All in all, a real demonstration of both skill and courage.
We were escorted back to our driver by a young man who earlier had re-directed us to the correct seating area. We'd been concerned if he was really on our side, but all was well. And we were off to get our groceries for the remainder of the week. Our list was pretty well-organized so we didn't have to search for many items; we got back to the hotel and everything was packed into large gray containers and ferried upstairs.
In Mexico, it's wise to disinfect all produce, and we stayed up quite a while accomplishing that task with the variety of vegetable and fruits we'd purchased. There were far too many to dry in the little dish rack, so we laid out a couple of bath towels on the glass-topped table and arranged everything there. It was quite a spread!! However ... we didn't get to bed the same day we'd gotten up :(
Thursday, 3/14 - Taxco, City of Silver
Got downstairs for an early start to a long day. We set off on a toll road (advertised to be much safer than more-local roads) which took us to Chilpancingo, the capital city of Guerrero, in about an hour. There's a huge statue of Vicente Guerrero Saldaña (1783–1831) who took part in the independence movement, was Mexico's second President, and who hailed from the area. The state ultimately adopted his name as its own -- nice!
We stopped there for breakfast; enchiladas verde and an egg dish rich with chorizo. We were about a third of the way to Taxco, so we didn't linger.
Shortly, the road became very local and narrowed to two lanes. We were driving through the Sierra Madre on very mountainous terrain; at one point, police were directing traffic alternately on ONE lane as a downhill-bound truck had overturned right into the mountainside. Ears popping and water bottles occasionally leaking due to the altitude changes, we drove on until the road got too narrow to even have two yellow lines between the lanes. Yikes!!
Then we arrived in Taxco. It's a charming place, built when streets needed only to accommodate an oxcart or two. There are patterns laid into the cobblestones to help keep traffic and pedestrians separate, but when bicycles and scooters are added to the mix ... well, it's interesting.
Taxco is noted for its elegant and creative silver work, and the first shop we stopped at seemed to be the cream of the crop. The owner supplies Nieman-Marcus and Tiffany, and has exclusive arrangements with a number of local artisans. The offerings ranged from the predictable necklace chains up through silver-decorated porcelain and Statement Pieces worthy of Freda Kahloe. Freda, by the way, lived in the town for a good while with Diego Rivera, and several shops showed beautiful replicas of pieces that she's shown wearing in old photographs.
An interesting side note on this shop ... the first floor was primarily devoted to items handcrafted by men. The mezzanine was devoted entirely to women artists who, we were told, never duplicate an item. It would have been easy to say "one of each!" but we restrained ourselves to JUST A LITTLE damage there. At another shop, we saw a replica of a silver mine ... tours are unavailable for two reasons. Generally, no one can tour because the miners have been on strike for some five years now. For us personally, no tour would have been available in ANY case as it's "bad luck to have women in the mine." Growf! At a third shop, there was an astonishingly-detailed version of a crucifix, showing the arms and the long hair hanging down. Each hair is a fine silver wire individually placed. The piece was intended as a gift to Pope John Paul II during his visit, but sadly was not completed in time to be presented.
We then were introduced to our driver's cousin, who's a Taxco native and took us on a walking tour of the town. It's built right on the hillside, so lots of up-and-down terrain. We saw the house where Freda & Diego lived here, and a beautiful church right in the center of town. It had some sad features -- a separate door and chapel for the native Indians to enter for worship; large portraits of important Church leaders -- those with long noses were the ones involved in the evil Inquisition.
On a happier note, in several places, an image of a poinsettia is embedded in the stonework comprising the roadway, as that flower is native to this area. All the gazillions of poinsettias grown for holiday season originated here long ago!
It was time for a late lunch, a little off the main square in an upstairs room of one of the local hotels. Enchiladas verde turned out to be enchiladas rote, but tasted fine; thin-cut marinated pork chops were flanked with nicely done carrots and a mold of rice pilaf.
Now to decide how to round out our time there ... we elected to drive up to the 50-foot-or-higher statue of a crucifix which overlooks the town from a high bluff. We had seen it from below, but the road up to it was ... shall we say, a trip?? One actual lane, but 2-way traffic. Schoolkids all over the place as it was mid-afternoon. Scooters, old-style VW Bugs, and regular cars vied for precedence. (We were in a full-sized SUV ... things got a little TIGHT from time to time!).
At a point, we saw a brick-lined road rise sharply to our right, but our driver passed it and we breathed a sigh of relief. WRONG-O! He pulls a 180 to access the road from the other side so the car doesn't fall OVER, and up we go. At the end of this trek, there are several flights of stone stairs down to the statue and a small plaza with a panoramic (and slightly vertiginous) view of the town. It was fun to be able to retrace our steps somewhat, as the church was a commanding presence.
Knowing we had another 3-hour drive back to the hotel, we opted to end our Taxco experience there. Going home, we again passed Zumpango del Ria, home of Dr. Rodolfo Neri Vela who flew on the Space Shuttle crew of STS-61B Atlantis (November 26 to December 3, 1985). The town is renaming itself Zumpango del Neri in his honor!
And it's nice to see, if roadside advertising is required, at least a creative presentation:
As we retraced our steps, we rehearsed these historical points and also various land forms we had passed. There were long stretches of road beside a wide, dry arroyo which often floods the road in the rainy season. Then, in an exceptionally rare event this time of year ... it actually started RAINING! Our driver was disbelieving, but ultimately did put on the windshield wipers.
Back home, we were ready for the sack, though we DID need to stretch our legs again after all that riding. A long, but interesting and informative day!
We stopped there for breakfast; enchiladas verde and an egg dish rich with chorizo. We were about a third of the way to Taxco, so we didn't linger.
Shortly, the road became very local and narrowed to two lanes. We were driving through the Sierra Madre on very mountainous terrain; at one point, police were directing traffic alternately on ONE lane as a downhill-bound truck had overturned right into the mountainside. Ears popping and water bottles occasionally leaking due to the altitude changes, we drove on until the road got too narrow to even have two yellow lines between the lanes. Yikes!!
An interesting side note on this shop ... the first floor was primarily devoted to items handcrafted by men. The mezzanine was devoted entirely to women artists who, we were told, never duplicate an item. It would have been easy to say "one of each!" but we restrained ourselves to JUST A LITTLE damage there. At another shop, we saw a replica of a silver mine ... tours are unavailable for two reasons. Generally, no one can tour because the miners have been on strike for some five years now. For us personally, no tour would have been available in ANY case as it's "bad luck to have women in the mine." Growf! At a third shop, there was an astonishingly-detailed version of a crucifix, showing the arms and the long hair hanging down. Each hair is a fine silver wire individually placed. The piece was intended as a gift to Pope John Paul II during his visit, but sadly was not completed in time to be presented.
We then were introduced to our driver's cousin, who's a Taxco native and took us on a walking tour of the town. It's built right on the hillside, so lots of up-and-down terrain. We saw the house where Freda & Diego lived here, and a beautiful church right in the center of town. It had some sad features -- a separate door and chapel for the native Indians to enter for worship; large portraits of important Church leaders -- those with long noses were the ones involved in the evil Inquisition.
It was time for a late lunch, a little off the main square in an upstairs room of one of the local hotels. Enchiladas verde turned out to be enchiladas rote, but tasted fine; thin-cut marinated pork chops were flanked with nicely done carrots and a mold of rice pilaf.
Now to decide how to round out our time there ... we elected to drive up to the 50-foot-or-higher statue of a crucifix which overlooks the town from a high bluff. We had seen it from below, but the road up to it was ... shall we say, a trip?? One actual lane, but 2-way traffic. Schoolkids all over the place as it was mid-afternoon. Scooters, old-style VW Bugs, and regular cars vied for precedence. (We were in a full-sized SUV ... things got a little TIGHT from time to time!).
At a point, we saw a brick-lined road rise sharply to our right, but our driver passed it and we breathed a sigh of relief. WRONG-O! He pulls a 180 to access the road from the other side so the car doesn't fall OVER, and up we go. At the end of this trek, there are several flights of stone stairs down to the statue and a small plaza with a panoramic (and slightly vertiginous) view of the town. It was fun to be able to retrace our steps somewhat, as the church was a commanding presence.
Knowing we had another 3-hour drive back to the hotel, we opted to end our Taxco experience there. Going home, we again passed Zumpango del Ria, home of Dr. Rodolfo Neri Vela who flew on the Space Shuttle crew of STS-61B Atlantis (November 26 to December 3, 1985). The town is renaming itself Zumpango del Neri in his honor!
And it's nice to see, if roadside advertising is required, at least a creative presentation:
As we retraced our steps, we rehearsed these historical points and also various land forms we had passed. There were long stretches of road beside a wide, dry arroyo which often floods the road in the rainy season. Then, in an exceptionally rare event this time of year ... it actually started RAINING! Our driver was disbelieving, but ultimately did put on the windshield wipers.
Back home, we were ready for the sack, though we DID need to stretch our legs again after all that riding. A long, but interesting and informative day!
Tuesday, Wednesday 3/12-13
Some of the big projects from slug-days slopped over, and we had new recipes to try. Spent a lovely mid-day in the spacious and airy lobby working on PC or Kindle. Trading off the projects helped get everything to completion. Did our first laundry!
We explored taking a group tour to Taxco on Wednesday, but a teachers' convention had booked all the spaces. We were referred to a driver who'd take just the two of us, so we made arrangements to meet him at 7AM Thursday morning for the day trip.
Back up in the room, we were becoming amused at the variance in amenities supplied day by day. When we checked in, there were no kitchen towels so we had purchased one when we got groceries. On Day 2, two kitchen towels appeared. On Day 3, we were graced with four placemats. The bath-and-hand-towel inventory waxed and waned, and some days the turn-down service came after one or the other of us had crashed. But nothing serious, just a chuckle.
Linda took two hotel shuttles to investigate the small "grocery store" on the far end of the grounds. As we expected, it was more souvenirs and sunscreen than actual food, and the selection of produce was sharply limited. Still, it's there in case of emergency...and it DID supply chicken bouillon cubes, which we couldn't find at Walmart. Go figure.
Dinner now moved to "Smoky Shredded Chicken" over rice with salad & quesadillas. The variety of peppers and heat makes each dish distinctive.
For breakfast we alternated the whole-grain bread from Carolyn's freezer with nut-studded banana bread from Linda's. Good way to start the days!
We explored taking a group tour to Taxco on Wednesday, but a teachers' convention had booked all the spaces. We were referred to a driver who'd take just the two of us, so we made arrangements to meet him at 7AM Thursday morning for the day trip.
Back up in the room, we were becoming amused at the variance in amenities supplied day by day. When we checked in, there were no kitchen towels so we had purchased one when we got groceries. On Day 2, two kitchen towels appeared. On Day 3, we were graced with four placemats. The bath-and-hand-towel inventory waxed and waned, and some days the turn-down service came after one or the other of us had crashed. But nothing serious, just a chuckle.
Linda took two hotel shuttles to investigate the small "grocery store" on the far end of the grounds. As we expected, it was more souvenirs and sunscreen than actual food, and the selection of produce was sharply limited. Still, it's there in case of emergency...and it DID supply chicken bouillon cubes, which we couldn't find at Walmart. Go figure.
For breakfast we alternated the whole-grain bread from Carolyn's freezer with nut-studded banana bread from Linda's. Good way to start the days!
Saturday-Sunday-Monday ... SLUGS!
Saturday we enjoyed a nice breakfast buffet, and truly thought we might not need another meal for the duration. But common sense prevailed, and we sorted through Rick Bayless's Mexico, One Plate at a Time for interesting recipes ... after all, the ingredients would be easy to find!
Having settled on a selection of six meals, we decided to shop for three. This turned out to be a wise choice, as the portions were plentiful and there's a lot of detail work in the preparation (dicing, pepper preparation, sauces...). The results, though, were well worth the effort.
We first enjoyed a "Mexican Rice Supper" ... the "Spanish rice" from our childhood, made fabulous with the addition of a hand-made salsa and some chorizo. We also made up a pound or so of dried beans, which accompanied many meals.
During the days, Carolyn concentrated on completing the central motif on a counted-cross-stitch piece she's been working on, off-and-on, for several years now. When she needed a break from that activity, the 2,200 digitized family photos were in need of identification. After the first run-through, though, each one STILL needed to be reviewed AGAIN to be sure everyone in the photo had been identified. A LOT of detail work (with which Linda assisted), and a Great Leap Forward for our work on the family tree.
Linda caught up on reading herself, managed a BIG stack of emails, and helped ensure that meals were complete and on time. All in all, a very quiet few days, but a lot of pleasure in these big accomplishments!
Having settled on a selection of six meals, we decided to shop for three. This turned out to be a wise choice, as the portions were plentiful and there's a lot of detail work in the preparation (dicing, pepper preparation, sauces...). The results, though, were well worth the effort.
During the days, Carolyn concentrated on completing the central motif on a counted-cross-stitch piece she's been working on, off-and-on, for several years now. When she needed a break from that activity, the 2,200 digitized family photos were in need of identification. After the first run-through, though, each one STILL needed to be reviewed AGAIN to be sure everyone in the photo had been identified. A LOT of detail work (with which Linda assisted), and a Great Leap Forward for our work on the family tree.
Linda caught up on reading herself, managed a BIG stack of emails, and helped ensure that meals were complete and on time. All in all, a very quiet few days, but a lot of pleasure in these big accomplishments!
Friday 3/8 ... the fun begins
Well, we made our "usual" reservation for a nice March sojourn in Mexico with our friend Claudette. Unfortunately, her plans took a dramatic detour with unexpected surgery, and she was not cleared to travel with us. Boohoo!!
But lacking an airline-acceptable reason for Linda and me to get our airfare refunded, we soldiered on. We'd found an offer for a night at a hotel just minutes from O'Hare, plus two weeks free parking ... the package was cheaper than taking cabs or limos! We arrived there around 8PM and placed a wakeup call for 3:30 AM ... to catch the 4:30 shuttle to the airport, for our 6:30 AM flight. A pretty ugly way to start a pleasure trip, but we made our deadlines and got checked in for an on-time flight to Houston.
A bit of a layover there, we munched Linda's sandwiches and bought a couple bags of chips to make ourselves legitimate in the food court. Visiting the ladies' room, there was an amusing scene as several women were waiting for companions who were yet inside. Newcomers assumed there was a big line ... there was a lot of good-natured explaining going on.
At Houston, the change of plane included a dramatic size downgrade -- to a 3-across plane. Naturally our carry-ons were gate-checked, and we were a little anxious about the flight as there were several families on board. Notably, parents with three kids from maybe K - 3rd grade. However, they were a delightful model of how things CAN be! The kids, as would be expected, tended to veer into boredom or frustration from time to time. But both dad and mom effectively and positively re-oriented them to good behavior right away. It was awesome (not to mention pleasant!).
We had spoken with the hotel to arrange transportation from the airport. They said they'd have a driver there with our name on a placard, and confirmed the flight arrival time. I stressed that we'd have to get through immigration and customs, but they seemed to brush that off. This seemed odd, as last year in Puerto Vallarta we were in a crowd of hundreds of mostly hunky-and-tanned beach bums, and it took quite a while to clear.
WELL. Guess we could have taken a clue from the plane size ... the entire line was about 4 folks at any given moment. We got picked for bag inspection, where our stash of Spice House blends drew some attention, and Linda had her two fresh apples confiscated. Light duty, overall!
Having been up since very early, we decided NOT to go grocery shopping but rather treat ourselves to the Italian-themed buffet in the main restaurant. Lots of good food (including a fine osso buco!) and a talented mariachi trio ... just the right thing to wrap up a long day.
But lacking an airline-acceptable reason for Linda and me to get our airfare refunded, we soldiered on. We'd found an offer for a night at a hotel just minutes from O'Hare, plus two weeks free parking ... the package was cheaper than taking cabs or limos! We arrived there around 8PM and placed a wakeup call for 3:30 AM ... to catch the 4:30 shuttle to the airport, for our 6:30 AM flight. A pretty ugly way to start a pleasure trip, but we made our deadlines and got checked in for an on-time flight to Houston.
A bit of a layover there, we munched Linda's sandwiches and bought a couple bags of chips to make ourselves legitimate in the food court. Visiting the ladies' room, there was an amusing scene as several women were waiting for companions who were yet inside. Newcomers assumed there was a big line ... there was a lot of good-natured explaining going on.
At Houston, the change of plane included a dramatic size downgrade -- to a 3-across plane. Naturally our carry-ons were gate-checked, and we were a little anxious about the flight as there were several families on board. Notably, parents with three kids from maybe K - 3rd grade. However, they were a delightful model of how things CAN be! The kids, as would be expected, tended to veer into boredom or frustration from time to time. But both dad and mom effectively and positively re-oriented them to good behavior right away. It was awesome (not to mention pleasant!).
We had spoken with the hotel to arrange transportation from the airport. They said they'd have a driver there with our name on a placard, and confirmed the flight arrival time. I stressed that we'd have to get through immigration and customs, but they seemed to brush that off. This seemed odd, as last year in Puerto Vallarta we were in a crowd of hundreds of mostly hunky-and-tanned beach bums, and it took quite a while to clear.
WELL. Guess we could have taken a clue from the plane size ... the entire line was about 4 folks at any given moment. We got picked for bag inspection, where our stash of Spice House blends drew some attention, and Linda had her two fresh apples confiscated. Light duty, overall!
Having been up since very early, we decided NOT to go grocery shopping but rather treat ourselves to the Italian-themed buffet in the main restaurant. Lots of good food (including a fine osso buco!) and a talented mariachi trio ... just the right thing to wrap up a long day.
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