December 7, 2008 Sunday, Domingo
We didn’t do much Saturday, as Larry is really feeling worse. He did go for his morning bike ride but went back to bed when he got back. He did almost the same thing today.
We did make it to the Saturday market where Larry found a pair of sunglasses and I found a safety pin that he wanted. The glasses were 50 pesos; pin was less than 1 peso.
Yesterday I bought about 14 of the small red bananas for 5 pesos, I gave 4 to John Paul, Larry thought we still had too many but as of this evening we have only one left.
The only thing I have done today is go to the store for juice and tea.
I would like to make some soup but don’t have a large pot to make it in. Looked at one yesterday but they wanted 195 pesos for it. Larry has no idea of what things like that cost at home; he asked if we could wait on getting one.
It’s very quite here today, no gas trucks, no water trucks, and no motorcycles selling tortillas. I know its Sunday, but I don’t remember that stopping them before.
Friday John Paul bought a new bicycle, it’s a one speed, has finders, a basket and a bracket on the back that will hold a box for hauling things. I don’t know what happened to the bike he had last year. He paid 1600 pesos for the bike. The name on the bike is Schwinn.
We won’t be going to the plaza tonight with Larry feeling the way he does.
$33.50 + $17.00 = $40.50 + $60.00 (rent) = $100.50 for the day, now that’s pesos, it would be less than $10.00 with the current exchange rate.

December 5, 2008 Friday, Viernes
I am feeling much better this morning. But I am not going for my morning walk. Larry went for his morning bike ride, then went right back to bed.
At 1pm I woke him up and asked if we were going to the café for lunch. He really didn’t want to get up but did and off we went to the café.
We both had Pollo En Creama Poblana, chicken in a cream soup like sauce. Once again it came with salad, rice and beans.
We went straight back to the bungalow and Larry went right back to bed. I did take a short nap too.
Larry did get up in the late afternoon.
We decided that we felt good enough to go to the plaza, Larry rode his bike but I walked. I can almost beat him down there when I walk but tonight I stopped to talk with Ellen and Nigero (our Landlord).
I had a pleasant surprise when I got to the plaza. The vendors that sell the strawberries with cream were there and they had strawberries. I get a small cup full with cream on top for 10 pesos.
I am feeling a lot better and had strawberries what a great way to end the day.

December 4, 2008 Thursday, Jueves
Oh, to have a headache in the morning in San Blas. The bell ring, the gas man says ah gas loud, the tortilla seller toots his horn, the water truck rings a bell and it goes on all morning.
Early this morning around 5am the church bells rang and three bottle rockets that make a loud boom noise went off. This happened three times. Normally the bells go off at 6:30, 7:00 and 7:30, calling people to church, both morning and evening.
I was going to go with Ellen to meet her Dentist but was really not feeling good. I had Larry put the hammock up so I could lay in it out side. There is less noise out back, I slept real good there and felt a little better when I got up.
For lunch I had the Pollo En Birria, with beans and noodles. Larry ate Puerco En Mole c/Nopales. This was steak in a Mole sauce (thick, sweet sauce) with cactus.
I started feeling worse, so as soon as I finished lunch rode my bike home. I have developed a harsh cough. Larry says I sound like a bull sea lion.
We went to the plaza, mostly to find a store with cough drops. Jan took me to a farmacia (drug store), were I got a cough syrup that will help to break up the congestion. Cost was 15 pesos, the bottle said 100 pesos, don’t know why the difference.
I asked Jan why the bottle rockets with the church bells. This will be going on until the 12th, for the Festival of the Virgin of Guadalupe. There will be a procession every night; each section of the town has its night. They dress in Indian costumes because the Virgin appeared to an Indian. They march from their part of town, holding candles and singing, to the church.
On our way back to the bungalow we stopped at Martha’s store to see if she had any cough drops as I was going through a real hacking phase. No drops but she gave me some tea and told us were the doctor was.
Then our landlord showed up with some drops. Hope everything helps.

December 3, 2008 Wednesday, Miércoles
We are having our laundry done today the plan is for Larry to take it down the laundry first thing this morning the on our way back from lunch we should be able to pick it up. The laundry opens at 8:00am, before when we dropped our things off early we could pick it up at 2:00pm. We will see how it goes this year.
Around 12:30pm John Paul showed up. He said his wife Milne will be here Monday along with his son Fred his wife and friends of theirs. They will be here for a month and a half. I told him it is good that he is here makes our street feel whole.
At the economical I had Chile Relleno, it was hotter (picante) than the last one I had there. Larry had Fajitas ď Res, what we call pepper steak at home. He said I was very good.
I thought we were going to stop at the laundry on the way back home to see if it was done but he rode right by. He went around 4pm and got the laundry. They had told him it would be ready at 3. Laundry was 40 pesos.
I can now say thank you Larry for your cold, early this evening I started coming down with it.
December 2, 2008 Tuesday Martes
Larry went riding his bike first thing this morning, he saw Britney and learned were she is staying.
He didn’t last long at home and went for another ride. When he got back two nurses were giving a man that was sitting on our front porch a flu shot. After much discussion we decided to get one too. I guess one of the requirements was you had to be at least 60.

The shots were free.

We went to the economical for lunch. We both had a steak cooked like what we would call a chicken fried steak. They didn’t have the menu wrote down on the blackboard. The meals are 32 pesos’ if you eat there and 35 if you take out. They don’t seem to be having as many customers this year as we remember from last year.
When we left the café we rode to the beach. The waves were very calm. Larry was able to walk out quite a ways before it was deep enough for him to swim. It was afternoon and the bugs were not biting. I wish I had my swimsuit on. He also said it was bathwater warm.
I walked down to the market to find some juice but it was after 2 pm so most of the stores were closed. I had to walk to Anna’s before I found something opened.
I wore my pedometer today. I walked 6063 steps which is 2.29 miles. Three years ago my doctor told me I should be walking at least a mile. He wanted me to do it in the mornings but I couldn’t at that time as I had to be to work at 6:30am. It should be easier to get that mile in down here.
We went to the plaza but didn’t stay long as Larry was really tired.
Right after I went to bed at 8:00pm a party started just down the block. They sang songs and played music until midnight.

December 1, 2008 Monday, Lunes
I could hear the bands playing again this morning, same time but farther away.
We had real hot water this morning so I got to take a good hot shower. Yesterday we were without water most o the day.
I went to the Social Club to internet around 10. I walked through the plaza, there seemed to be more people than normal. The fountain was running again.
This picture was taken in the evening of the fountain.
I walked down to the bank to check on the exchange rate, it was 12.90.
By the bank, on the street some chairs had been set out under a tent gazebo, not sure what was going on there.
I walked on to Kane’s Mini Super Market. This time I found salt in a shaker, small one was 250g for 5 pesos’. I also found the peanuts I discovered last year. They are called CACAHUATE ESTILO JAPONES de la Rosa; they are a mild hot peanut with a hard shell covering. 1 bag at 900g was 25 pesos. I also got 2 bottles of pina juice for 15. I spent 45 pesos but down the street I found 50 pesos on the sidewalk, no one was around to see who it belonged to so I took it.
I stopped at the market and got some limes for 5 pesos. So my morning out only cost me the 10 pesos I spent at the Social Club for the coke, while using the WI-FI.
For lunch I finished the chicken I bought Saturday. Larry heated up some of the potatoes, added some cheese and an egg. He had gone to Martha’s store and bought an egg, hard to believe you can buy one or two eggs instead of a carton.
The eggs are not refrigerated, if you buy more than you will use it is best to store them not in the refrigerator, they will last for three months that way, so I have been told. I have never had them that long to say for sure if that is true.

November 30, 2008 Sunday
We were awaked this morning with a band playing around 5:00am. They played for a good 2 hours. I think they were practicing for a party for someone tonight.
We rode our bikes to the beach; Larry did get in the water but not swimming. He said that the water was very nice. We were down there early as the bugs were biting me. I think the best time to go is in the afternoon.
They are working on the street to the beach so it is blocked off for an auto which is nice for bikes. I think they will be done with the street work in two weeks but I could be wrong. They are laying new cobble stone.
We noticed that McDonalds was having spaghetti, with your choice of meat or seafood sauce. I had the meat sauce and Larry had the seafood. We also got a pitcher of lemonade. Total cost for the meal was 192 pesos, which I think is around $19.20 US but Larry said with the exchange rate as it is right now its more like $14.00+US. It was a good meal.
We walked down to the Plaza at 6:00pm, not much going on. We sat there watching people for half an hour then walked back to the bungalow.
I can hear bottle rockets going off and a band playing some blocks away from here, someone is having a party.
The fountain was not flowing tonight.

November 29, 2008 Saturday
We went to the Saturday Market at 9:30 am. I found some sandals for Larry, for 40 pesos. He also bought a papaya for 9 pesos, I bought a kilo of star fruit (too much) for 10 pesos, and a coffee cup for 6 pesos. So we spent less than 100 pesos at the market today.
I went to the social club to finish uploading the Norton program first thin this morning, after the market. Then to Kains super mini market for juice. I buy a coke for 10 pesos while using the WI-FI at the social club. The juice was 7.50 pesos for a liter, I bought three.
Larry was sleeping when I got back from the social club. I woke him up at 1pm thinking he would want to go to the economical for lunch but he had eaten half of his papaya and was not hungry.
I bought half a chicken and a bag of potatoes for 40 pesos. Larry and I had lunch with the chicken and I will be able to have another meal off the chicken and the potatoes will be good for at least two more. If we get eggs I will make hash browns.
We went to the plaza again tonight, they have painted all the benches, and they were black now they are green. The fountain is flowing with much cleaner water.
We have noticed that it has cooled down; we put a light blanket on the bed, and turned off the ceiling fan.