71 - "BIENVENIDO A CASA" -WELCOME HOME!
Waiting for my arrival at my villa in Villas Eureka in Club Santiago, was my housemaid and two of her colleagues. Broad smiles and outstretched arms welcomed me. After huge hugs and excited chatter (all in Spanish), my door was opened and my key put in my hand as they left shouting "Hasta luego" - "see you soon".
When I entered the villa I felt I had come home! Little welcome notes were posted everywhere, fresh flowers and plants on the dining room tables inside and on the patio outside; towels on the bed made to look like birds, kissing and a large heart; all expressing joy at my return.
Two of the boys who do odd jobs at Eureka, brought down the six containers I had stored in the locker above my guest room closet. It felt like Christmas as I opened each one! It's surprising how much you can forget you left only six months before! The pristine casa became littered with stuff looking for homes in cupboards and drawers - mostly in the kitchen.
The following day, the Rossmans, who rent a condo directly across the pool from me, invited me to share a ride to Comer to do our initial shopping. Canadian Retailers would do well to emulate this huge, beautifully displayed supermercado (supermarket). This was Comer’s last day of a sale on alcoholic products – buy 1000 pesos worth and get 300 pesos off. What a deal – especially when stocking up for the first time!! Before we started our serious shopping, we had cappuccinos served with bite-sized, freshly baked croissants and little sweet cakes (not gluten-free unfortunately) in Comer's on-site cafe. An hour later, and 5000 pesos lighter (me), Jose, picked us up to drive us and our many bags home.
Prices have definitely gone up. The rotisserie chicken I used to pay 75 pesos for only a few years ago is now 149 pesos (which includes hot sauce, half a dozen corn tortillas and a small bag of the mouth-watering small potatoes roasted in the fat dripping from the chickens rotating above the hot coals). Still a reasonable price but indicative of how food prices have increased. The smell of those chickens in the car was so tantalizing – a dinner, a lunch or two and soup coming up from that half chicken.
The following day I was zonked – all the excitement of the previous weekend, the travel, the unpacking, the big shopping wiped me out for the next two days. I live on my outdoor patio, and I barely got off the comfy sofa except for a quick dip or two in the pool, and to make a delicious margarita at Happy Hour with juicy Mexican limes. Note: I consider margaritas healthy because of the vitamin C from the limes. Am I delusional or is there some truth to that?
Two days later, the three of us decided to pop over to Walmart for odds and ends that we missed at Comer. Unfortunately, this shopping experience was not pleasant and we agreed that it’s the first and last time for a Walmart excursion. Empty shelves, unappetizing-looking meat, aisles blocked by rather surly employees and carts, general untidiness leaving you feel "icky". But, their limes were better than what I got at Comer.
Settling in really didn’t take long. Wednesday was my first social engagement. I met a dear friend for lunch at the Oasis Beach Club. It was like we’d only seen each other last week. She is moving into a condo she bought just up the street from me so we can see a lot more of each other instead of a half-hour taxi ride to do so.
Thursday I saw my dentista, Azucena. After cleaning my teeth, she treated me for lunch at Juanito’s – a local restaurant that has barely changed since John, an American, opened it in 1976 because he had an intense longing for an American burger. He's been a restauranture ever since. We shared a plate of ribs, french fries and salad and I took 2 ribs home. The dish cost 149 pesos ($10.30 Canadian). There are still bargains to be had when you know where to look!
Friday I walked up to La Vianda – a small supermarket that has reopened with new owners after a two-year hiatus. Run by two brothers, they have a good selection of items, including a wide range of beer, wine and liquor, and they will deliver, thankfully. All I need do is text them my shopping list - perfect! La Vianda and Goyo’s small general store right next door to me, and a local fishmonger, a butcher and a fruit and vegetable man will make trips to Comer necessary only when I need to restock my gluten-free products.
Yesterday I entertained a Canadian couple from British Columbia that I’ve known for many years now. They have become permanent residents of Mexico, but return to B.C. for three months in the summer. Over the past two weeks, Yvonne has had cataracts removed from each eye…by an eye surgeon in the nearby city of Colima. The surgeon has everything right on his premises including the operating room. The pre- and after- care were professional and caring, she said. The Mexican surgeon does 5 operations a day leaving lots of time with each patient. By comparison, the Canadian surgeon has what can best be described as a production line, 3 days a week, leaving little time for him to spend with his patients.
I’ve written before about the wonderful doctors we have here. Not only top-notch in their respective fields, but there’s no waiting to see them or long waiting lists to have any necessary procedures done. Another Canadian friend at Eureka told me this week that she needed surgery this summer but she was looking at a 6-to-8-month wait in Ontario. Instead, she called a surgeon here, flew down, had the procedure done, then returned to Canada. She and her husband are back in Manzanillo now for the winter and feeling great! These kinds of stories are not unusual anymore.
This morning I'm being picked up at 9:30 to go for breakfast at an inn that is one of the first in the Las Brisas area of Manzanillo, across from the Marine base. It has a long and interesting history that is the subject of a book now out of print and I'm looking forward to eating there for the first time.
This will be the third social event in the past five days - and not many of my friends are here yet. It's shaping up to be another busy winter!
Below is a picture of my lovely housemaid, Yami.
