Our Lady of Guadalupe

We have been fortunate enough to celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe day in Mexico several times.  This year's celebration took the cake.  We were asked to attend a celebration in La Manga, the little fishing village (ejido) west of San Carlos.  Thirteen years ago a cement statue of Guadalupe was found in the waters off Piedras Pintas Beach.  People from the village, hauled it out of the water and brought it to the church in the village, where it is today.  It is said to be a miracle, as surely it must be, as it had to be extremely heavy!

The story goes that  Mexican peasant, Juan Diego, was walking in an area of Mexico City, where he came across the image of the Virgin Mary, who asked to be called Guadalupe and who asked Juan Diego to speak to the Archbishop about erecting a church in her name on that site.  The Archbishop didn't believe Juan Diego.  He went back and saw the Virgin several more times.  He continued to tell the Archbishop who told him to ask her for a miraculous sign.  When last he returned to her, flowers appeared on the barren hill. He gathered them in his cloak and brought them to the Archbishop.  When he opened his cloak and displayed the flowers, the image of Guadalupe appeared on the fabric. Later, a Basilica was erected in Mexico City on the site where she appeared.

When we arrived at La Manga, the young girls of the village were singing canciones to Guadalupe and marching through the dirt streets to the church, where they brought a garland of flowers to lay upon the statue.  There were more songs and a short sermon by Father Jorge.

This is Monica and her older
daughter.  We first met her in
2013!

We then followed everyone down to the beach where they hopped into three pangas (Mexican small fishing boats).  We were asked to join them!

Today's haul by one of the villagers

Most of the girls were in the first boat and two carried the picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe

This is Elena, mother of Monica, the
kindergarten teacher.  We helped in the effort
to build on to her house so Monica and her baby
could stay here in La Manga with her.  The baby
had Sickle Cell and needed a special place to be.

Our pilot and his baby

Look at the cute outfit on that cutie pie

Villagers in the quiet boat

This is Brenda, mother of one of the children.  She was
absolutely hilarious and kept us laughing the whole time.
She wanted our boat to race the others.

Leaving La Manga behind.  I wanted to write a song entitled, "A Panga from La Manga".  There is no electricity or running water here.  The houses are very, very basic but the people seem very happy.  They have a great location, that's for sure!

Passing a shrimp boat in the harbor

Mom and baby in our boat

My friend, Cheryl
I was freezing so she let me have that hat to put on my
chest to keep warm.

When we got to Pidras Pintas Playa, we tied all three boats together.  Father Jorge read something from his IPhone and
we all sung songs to the Virgin (even those of us who didn't know the words.)

I never knew who the man in the back was, but he talked for some time.
I wondered if he was one of the men who had found the statue in these waters.

The girls were given garlands of flowers to throw into the water
for the Virgin Mary.

We thought we were going to get out at Piedras Pintas but it turned out that we headed back to La Manga.  Poor Bill!  We had asked him to pick us up at the beach.  He was there but we were not.

Who says there are no crabs in San Carlos!?!

And, how about one of many Sting Rays for dinner.  They
were filleting them on the spot!  Yikes-not for me!

48th Anniversary Trips and Celebrations

In December the weather in San Carlos began to get a little cooler, but it is always pleasant to be outside.  Days are in the seventies and nights in the 50s and 60s.  

Sunsets are even more brilliant than usual.

We can still entertain outside.  It's a narrow terrace but cozy.
Ron and Kathi and Cheryl and Bill

A gorgeous moon with eerie sky
I just love how it glistens in the water.

One of our local musicians, Mark Mulligan, gets a group together a few times a year to go to Alamos together.  Most ride the bus with him but, alas, dogs are not allowed, so we drove ourselves.  Actually, we like it that way because we get to stop and see things on our own time-WITH BOO!.  We arrived a few hours before the bus, unpacked in a hurry and found our favorite spot by the pool to read, have lunch and relax.

Dog friendly, of course!

I've posted pictures of this hotel before.  It is the Hacienda de los Santos.  The grounds are just beautiful and deserved some pictures taken again this year:

This weekend was a local holiday, La Purisma Concepcion, a celebration of the Virgin Mary.  As with many holidays in Mexico, it is celebrated with lots of pageantry, music, food, rides for the kids and much noise.

And this young lady was celebrating her 15th birthday!

Pony rides

Skeletons, always

Art works by the kids

Rides that look like our rejects from the 50s

Bells chiming continuously, about which we do not know

Atop the Colonial Hotel-one of our favorite venues

And they actually sell this gel for muscle aches and pains
made from peyote, marijuana and arnica!!!

The second night here there was a grand buffet outside and then Mark and Ramon Alcantar played a concert.  Ramon is Jayme's husband.  Jayme is the general manager and daughter of the owner.  She has become a pal over the years.

First, a tequila tasting in the bar
This was my favorite (Maestro) along with Don Julio 70

Ramon and Mark captivating the crowd

Jayme and Elsa dancing while their husbands played

Cold Moon rising as they played.  We danced
to Sabor a Mi.  

And Elsa dog sat with Boo while we danced!

Since we were already south of San Carlos, we decided to take a detour to El Fuerte, in the state of Sinaloa, which is the entrance to the Copper Canyon.  We didn't have the time for anything but an overnight, but wanted to check out the town.  It did not disappoint.  We stayed at the Posada del Hidalgo, a beautiful historic hotel on a hill overlooking the El Fuerte River.  It is nicknamed the Zorro Hotel because it is purported to be the home of Diego de la Vega, El Zorro, and has been around since the 1800s.  We took a private tour of the town and the hotel and the following day we visited the fort and the museum on the hill.

A fabulous rooftop restaurant in the hotel.

Too cold for swimming but great for relaxing

Loved the bar and bought a couple bottles of their famous
Zorro tequila

We saw about 3 or 4 brides while
we were here.  Apparently, they
come here to get their pictures
taken prior to their weddings,
which take place here or somewhere
else at a later date. Strange!

The formal dining area

This was Zorro's inside courtyard.

Would have loved to eat here but it was not looking like
the kind of place that would be dog friendly.

At the Jardin

Zorro entering

A close up-very dashing!

Boo and I got up early the next morning to walk downtown and then to the Malecon.  The fog made for some cool photos.

Jim loves this picture-I wonder why!

The fort-thus, El Fuerte

View of the river from the fort

The town

I love this pic.  Reminds me of Dodge and how
she would cross her paws like that.

Stopped by a very earnest guard, armed and ready
to catch someone.  Luckily, it was not our turn today.

And back to San Carlos where we were welcomed back with a very nice dinner prepared by Cindy, the hostess with the mostest:

Selena and Leslie
Would you believe that Leslie and her husband explored
Mexico and South America in the 60s on a motorcycle!
They have stories!

Cindy, so thankful for Jim's help

Margene

Pat and Jim, the Grillmaesters

A new book club

Leslie's birthday

And poor Boo got a terrible haircut.  Doesn't he
look mortified?!! He has no beard or mustache!

Art day at home with Boo

How lucky are we to live with this!

And this!

 That bougainvilla was already here.  It looked dead when we arrived-look at it now.  Jim and I planted 6 more bougainvillea downstairs which are all different colors.  3 days later we had the wind storm of the year and they were shredded.  I just hope they come back as well as this one did.

And these incredible aloe vera flowers!