Sent: Sunday, January 10, 2010 7:12 PM
Subject: Melaque to Zihuatanejo
Hello again,
I know one of these just got sent but I wrote that one about a week before I was able to actually send it out so this one is of the stuff since then......
We finally got our clean laundry and left Tenacatita. Melaque was our next stop and we only stayed one night. Melaque is a favorite so it was tough to leave so soon. We think we may come back this way and spend more time. The first photo was taken in the bay there and you can see the trailer park in the background. We were in the second row. More Canadians here and this time we had our first negative encounter with folks from our neighbor to the north. Of course, they were from Quebec and had a French problem. Most of them are very nice but these two should not be traveling in foreign countries and spreading their nastiness around. Oh well....perhaps they will be forced to learn a lesson or two. One can only hope.
The Michocan coast was the road that we were warned and somewhat worried about. We heard that it was the worst and with hundreds of topes. Actually, it was fine. Kinda narrow but a good road with no chuckholes which are the worst! We just had to take our time and enjoy the scenery. Of course, poor Mike is watching the road every moment since he's got to stay in the lines so he doesn't see much. And I only got glimpses because there's always scrub brush along the road and no "scenic view points". Actually we saw one but didn't stop. The mountains come right down to the coast and the hiway is like US 1 on the California coast. This stretch has a bit of a reputation of being unsafe - banditos and the like - but I think most of it is rumors. It is heavily patroled by the various Mexican authorities. We were asked to open our camper a couple of times but they are always courteous and it's no big deal. Though, I must admit, the Federal Police all dressed in black with masks on and rather large machine guns look a bit like assassins and are a bit intimidating though very polite. They must be hot in all those clothes! I asked if I could take their picture but they said no, but then they said they were sorry that the answer was no. It would have been fun to show you all how scary they look!
We stayed several places along this lovely coast. I took way more photos the first day or so because it started to rain again. Which is really weird since everyone who has ever spent any time in this part of Mexico this time of year (including me) say that it never rains. Well, it does this year. We've had about six or seven days of pretty steady rain. Weird.
Anyway, the place where we're on the beach with the cows and baby donkey is called La Ticla. It was wonderful and the palapa we stayed in front of had the best fish tacos we've ever eaten. We may travel back to there as well on our way to Melaque! They had a cute little girl who was having her bottle in the hammock! Her big (though little) brother would come by and swing her if she started to fuss. And her little shoes were just too cute!
We were supposed to arrive in Zihuatanejo at the place we had reservations today but we actually got into town early and spent one night on the beach just north of here near Ixtapa. We were able to park on the beach right next to a crocodile habitat. Now these are not little cutsie alligators - these are big crocs! They don't seem to cause any problems such as eating small children, etc. but I don't want to walk around at night in their neighborhood. The sign was taken from the back door of our camper - I was inside. It's telling us to not throw our garbage into the habitat and to not feed the cocodrilos! Don't have to tell me twice!!! The iguana was way up in the tree, probably so he wouldn't be lunch for some hungry reptile larger than he.
We have been dealing for some time with a leaky wheel rim and had finally changed the tire and were running on the spare. When we woke up on the crocodile beach we found we had a second flat tire. Very flat - squashed like. We were hoping that maybe someone had just pulled a prank and let the air out. That would have been the best case scenario. Since we had pretty much trashed our compressor trying to keep the first failed wheel inflated, it was a rather long time until we could coax enough air into the tire to be able to drive to the Pemex and get enough air to make it here to Casa de Los Arcos in Zihuatanejo - and we were still two days early.
We had some tense moments but we finally found Los Arcos only to find that they were full. However, they sorta just put us in the middle of everyone until the guy in our spot moved out. Now we're settled and have found a place where we can order four new wheels for our truck. Never heard of anyone having to buy new wheels all round, have you? The one's that failed are after market aluminum fancy looking wheels that came with the truck when we bought her. And that is what we are going to buy to replace them. We're hoping that the one's we choose are stronger than these have turned out to be. With the size of tire we currently have and the load we're carrying we really have no choice but to go with the aluminum. We're told that the ones we have are welded and the weld is what is failing. Hopefully we can get some that are all one piece. The one's we have can't be fixed except temporarily......welding aluminum and having it last is almost impossible. Our first failed wheel has been welded three times now and it's trashed.
Anyway, the timing is good and we're able to get what we need delivered here so it's all okay. Could have been a way bigger problem than it is.
Los Arcos is beautiful. It's a bed and breakfast that was originally intended to just be a private residence but the owners decided to expend. They had lots of property and relatives with motor homes so made a little park out back with room for about six rigs. The pool area is simply beautiful and since Joyce is coming and staying in the house, we'll have the benefit of enjoying her accomodations as well. Lucky us. And the people are all really nice. We're right at home. I spent last evening with one of the owners (Dave, as Nancy was at a birthday party), his daughter and her husband and his grandson playing Mexican Train. Everyone took turns telling jokes so it was great fun. I only know one joke but it's a good one so I did okay in that department. And I think I came in second playing Mexican Train. It had been a while.
We have friends that live here and there is a couple here in the park that knows them as well (from crusing) so they introduced themselves to us when we first arrived and the six of us wound up going out to dinner that first night. We first went to Brent and Susan's condo and it is simply stunning. I have never seen such a view. I will take photos next time. Unbelievable! Susan says that she and Brent have to pinch themselves sometimes when they look out at the beautiful bay because they can't believe it either.
Joyce arrives tomorrow, it's stopped raining, we've done most of our projects and cleaning.......so on with the fun.
I'll keep ya posted!
Love,
Gayle (and Mike who is sleeping right now! It is night so it makes sense that he would be doing that. Think I'll go do the same.)
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