Just a quick update here - we are in Port Aransas, TX - on the Gulf of Mexico. We arrived yesterday, and we'll be staying until Tuesday or thereabouts. My sister Pam and her husband Don will be here on Saturday to spend the weekend, and when they go home we'll probably head for San Antonio. We're in a beach campsite that has electricity and water - most of the time.
I've set 20 kms (12 miles) a day as my cycling goal, and I'm determined to use my time here well. The streets here are great for cycling - lots of quiet neighbourhoods, and no hills. Bliss. I bought a computer for the bike to keep myself honest.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
This is a quick visit, before Lupytha closes the office. I just want to report that we will be leaving Kino Bay tomorrow (for real, this time), heading for the American border at Agua Prieta. I think Douglas, AZ is on the other side. We´ll be spending the night either in Arizona or in New Mexico tomorrow night.
I also want to brag that I cycled 24 miles yesterday.
I also want to brag that I cycled 24 miles yesterday.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
It's probably just as well that I didn't manage to get a laptop before we came out on this trip. Yesterday I heard a rumour that we had wi-fi in the park, and I mentioned it to Ted - so he brought his laptop over this afternoon. He's gone on his way, and Robin and I have been listening to BBC news, I've been catching up at the Den, and here I am in the Turtle log. I did have my bike ride to Kino Viejo this morning, so I've had my exercise for the day, but I'm wondering how much exercise I would be getting if I had this easy access to a computer every day.
Robin didn't feel like cycling all the way to town this morning, so I went on my own. I ran across Ted and Suzie along the way and stopped to talk for a couple of minutes. They were heading over to the estuary to do some kayaking. When I got to town, I rode straight to Super Del Mar in search of coconut milk for the prawn curry that the guys want to put together tomorrow night. It's odd. You can get something called "Crema de Coco", which is a very thick, sweetened coconut concoction (I've found that I can make a lovely drink out of pineapple juice and soda water, with just a little Crema de Coco stirred in.) but a can of coconut milk just isn't to be had.. Nowhere, nohow. Well, we found a can at John and Desiree's house for the last curry, which can they had presumably brought in from the U.S., but that well is dry now, so we have to get creative. I tried three stores, then dropped by the park, where the Sunday public market (flea market, mostly) was in progress. Having browsed for a few minutes, I cycled around a few of the back streets, dodging excited dogs, then made my way back to the highway and cycled back to Kino Nuevo. Along the way, I stopped at a street vendor's stand and bought a whole coconut. It cost a fortune (25 pesos - about $2.50), but I reasoned that I can use the milk for the curry and shred the meat to make a creation with the shark filets we now have in the freezer. I think maybe if I get some lime leaves and line a pan with them, then put the shredded coconut on top, lay the shark on that, and cover it with some lime slices, I may come up with something lovely. Time will tell. Anyway, the young lady who sold me the coconut kindly hacked off the wood so that there's only a skin over the milk - so I was able to carry it home in my pannier without spilling. It's now in the fridge, awaiting its transformation. The coconuts are sold as a beach drink. You put a straw in and drink the mik, then somehow get to the meat, which you apparently eat with the local (very good) bottled hot sauce. I haven't tried it myself, but I gather it's popular. Mind you, so are tacos de cabeza (brain tacos) another local specialty. Have I mentioned them before?
So. When I got home I stopped at the office and chatted with Lupytha, then walked my bike into the park, where I saw Robin sitting alone on a patio that was not ours. I wondered for a moment whether he had made some new friends, but then I saw that the rig in front of which he sat was ours. What the?
It turned out that shortly after I left, Robin was in the rig, making his brunch, when there came a loud crunch and some debris flew in the back window. Somebody in a big truck, pulling a long 5th wheel, had cut the corner and taken the roof off our palapa. He knocked Robin's bike over, breaking the bell, but otherwise our personal property was undamaged. On Lupytha's instructions, Robin looked around and found a new site that suited him, and moved there. When I got home, workers were demolishing what was left of our old home. (Lupytha hadn't said a word to me. I picture her sitting on her stool behind the counter, giggling, anticipating my surprise.) It's weird. Our view is different, our patio is bigger, and we have a little storage shed. We're farther from the showers, but closer to the office. I imagine I'll get used to it eventually. Right now, it's just weird.
Robin didn't feel like cycling all the way to town this morning, so I went on my own. I ran across Ted and Suzie along the way and stopped to talk for a couple of minutes. They were heading over to the estuary to do some kayaking. When I got to town, I rode straight to Super Del Mar in search of coconut milk for the prawn curry that the guys want to put together tomorrow night. It's odd. You can get something called "Crema de Coco", which is a very thick, sweetened coconut concoction (I've found that I can make a lovely drink out of pineapple juice and soda water, with just a little Crema de Coco stirred in.) but a can of coconut milk just isn't to be had.. Nowhere, nohow. Well, we found a can at John and Desiree's house for the last curry, which can they had presumably brought in from the U.S., but that well is dry now, so we have to get creative. I tried three stores, then dropped by the park, where the Sunday public market (flea market, mostly) was in progress. Having browsed for a few minutes, I cycled around a few of the back streets, dodging excited dogs, then made my way back to the highway and cycled back to Kino Nuevo. Along the way, I stopped at a street vendor's stand and bought a whole coconut. It cost a fortune (25 pesos - about $2.50), but I reasoned that I can use the milk for the curry and shred the meat to make a creation with the shark filets we now have in the freezer. I think maybe if I get some lime leaves and line a pan with them, then put the shredded coconut on top, lay the shark on that, and cover it with some lime slices, I may come up with something lovely. Time will tell. Anyway, the young lady who sold me the coconut kindly hacked off the wood so that there's only a skin over the milk - so I was able to carry it home in my pannier without spilling. It's now in the fridge, awaiting its transformation. The coconuts are sold as a beach drink. You put a straw in and drink the mik, then somehow get to the meat, which you apparently eat with the local (very good) bottled hot sauce. I haven't tried it myself, but I gather it's popular. Mind you, so are tacos de cabeza (brain tacos) another local specialty. Have I mentioned them before?
So. When I got home I stopped at the office and chatted with Lupytha, then walked my bike into the park, where I saw Robin sitting alone on a patio that was not ours. I wondered for a moment whether he had made some new friends, but then I saw that the rig in front of which he sat was ours. What the?
It turned out that shortly after I left, Robin was in the rig, making his brunch, when there came a loud crunch and some debris flew in the back window. Somebody in a big truck, pulling a long 5th wheel, had cut the corner and taken the roof off our palapa. He knocked Robin's bike over, breaking the bell, but otherwise our personal property was undamaged. On Lupytha's instructions, Robin looked around and found a new site that suited him, and moved there. When I got home, workers were demolishing what was left of our old home. (Lupytha hadn't said a word to me. I picture her sitting on her stool behind the counter, giggling, anticipating my surprise.) It's weird. Our view is different, our patio is bigger, and we have a little storage shed. We're farther from the showers, but closer to the office. I imagine I'll get used to it eventually. Right now, it's just weird.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)