A patio artist!

This list item may seem strange to some people but for me it has been a truly fun experience and certainly one I have never done before. In our mexican casa there is a glass door off the kitchen to a tiny walled courtyard that is scarcely big enough to turn around in. When we moved in it was gravelled with a few rough paving stones so I decided to make it beautiful. The first thing I did was hang a hummingbird feeder so I could watch las colibris feeding while I have breakfast.
The next step was to plant a tree and two bougainvilleas for shade and colour. This year I began the search for my "Patio artist" and I found him working in a local store that was having a reno done. His name was Frederico and he spoke no english but I managed to explain what I wanted and he helped me design this patio. The attention to detail is exceptional and it took him a week to finish.
I am thrilled with the result and he was glad of the work - a true "win-win" situation. Even the hummingbirds are pleased and I think the bougainvillea has grown taller with pride! Next job - how to furnish it! All suggestions welcome.
As a footnote to this blog, I have found that my ability to speak and understand spanish has improved greatly this year. It is not that I have taken classes or improved my grasp of the grammar but I have become more confident and discovered how much the experience of living in Mexico is enhanced by communication with the wonderful local people. So few people make the effort and they are missing so much. Hasta luego.

Tibor Canyon

Last Saturday a group of 12 hardy souls, including yours truly, set forth to conquer Tibor Canyon. This involved hiking up into the Sierra Giganta mountain range following one of the paths carved by the waters that collect during summer storms, moving massive boulders and carving caves and tunnels and natural rock pools.
There has been no rain in the Loreto area for two years but amazingly there was still some water left in some of the oases that we passed on the way. The climb was challenging and at times quite risky but there was always a friendly hand to pull you that extra few inches or guide you through a tight place.
In one spot there was a particularly steep face that needed to be scaled and several of us decided to take an alternate route that involved squeezing through an incredibly narrow gap between two huge boulders. This gap is usually not an option as it is normally under water, but for me with my fear of falling, it was a godsend! After watching several heads appear at the entrance as people squeezed through I decided to name that tunnel "the Birth Canal" and I think the name has stuck!
The hike also gave us an opportunity to admire the tenacity of nature as shown by trees growing in cracks and massive roots growing around the outside of huge boulders. Amazing!
After almost 2 hours up and another hour and a half down (often harder than the climb) we rewarded ourselves with a delicious lunch at a nearby restaurant and promised ourselves hot baths and massage therapy as soon as possible. Personally, I hurt for 3 days but it was worth every twinge!

Mexican moments

I have always maintained that time here in Loreto, Mexico does not pass, it just is. I have now been here for a month and it has simply flown by. People ask me "what do you do with yourself when you are there?" and I never have a simple answer, I just know that I am always busy and I am never bored. Several of my list items are Mexico based and I have now accomplished a few of them with plans in place for a few more. I have now played at least ten rounds of golf and I wish I could say it has led to a significant improvement in my game but in reality I think I will always be a hacker! I long ago decided, however, that I would never let the golf spoil a nice walk in the park, and the Loreto Bay golf course is spectacular. From the elevated 14th tee boxes you gaze across the Sea of Cortez to the islands of Carmen and Coronado and at times you can see dolphins jumping and, if you are really lucky, the spout of a distant Blue whale. Needless to say, I will continue to enjoy the golf and who knows, one day I will consider myself a golfer.

I am currently in the process of having my new patio installed. When it is complete I will post a photograph. I love these creative endeavours and am particularly proud of myself with this because I discovered the "artist" who is doing the work by talking to him in Spanish while he was working on something else. He has no English but we managed to come to an arrangement and he seems to be doing brilliantly.

When I made my list I left a few spaces for unanticipated opportunities for new, fun activities and there have been two things that I have now added. One was an evening stargazing with a group of fellow amateur astronomers. We found an area free of extraneous light and, on a moonless night, spent a couple of hours looking through telescopes and binoculars at the spectacular Mexican night sky. For the first time I saw the moons of Saturn, the Andromeda galaxy and the Orion cluster. This was a truly awe-inspiring event as well as being an incredibly funny evening stumbling around in the pitch black! Can't wait to do it again next month.
The other item is a hike to Tibor Canyon which we are doing tomorrow morning. I will write about it after the event and hopefully include some photos.

This week I tried to complete my goal of touching a Grey whale and went whalewatching in Magdalena Bay, an hour and a half drive from Loreto to the Pacific. We saw lots of whales, many with babies but sadly none came close enough to be touched. I guess I will just have to do it again - oh darn!
Whalewatching is something I could never tire of and living here so close to the breeding grounds for these magnificent animals is a true privilege and every day I am here I count my blessings.