Sunday, September 25, 2016

Another 2016 blog from Dolce Vita

I will start my blog as I have many times before. Yes I am still here alive and well. I am here in California visiting family and friends. I have had my physical exams as I have had during all of my annual visits. The results are in. My health is as good as what Donald Trump has reported. In my case I am telling the truth. I still am not having to take any prescription or nonprescription drugs other than an occasional margarita. The doctor told me I could add to my dosage of those if I wish. I have always taken the advice of my doctors and followed them to the letter.

Enough said. I arrived back in the good old USA the second week of August from Mazatlan, Mexico where I am holding up during the hurricane season. I have 4 grandchildren, all boys, that I am teaching the ways of Captain Grandpa. I can't understand why my son and daughter are so against having them following my examples of good behavior. It must be a generational thing.

The weather in Mexico had been very hot and humid which I am able to survive having an air conditioner on the boat. Take three steps outside of the boat and you are as wet as you would be from diving into the water. Now that I am back in California i am freezing while my family complains that it is too hot.

Enough of the written dialog.It is time to move on to some photos to share with you. However before moving on I want to again encourage any and all to visit me in Mexico. It is always an open invitation to all. Let me know when and where you would like to visit and I will meet you there as longs as I have a months notice so I can move myself and the boat to the location of your choice. Boats are slow.

An editorial comment. I have each year visited many of you. I would very much enjoy a visit from you as a true friends do when possible.

On to the photos.

Last year a friend of mine, Maggie, from Australia and I visited Durango, Mexico and having enjoyed the town I wanted to again return for another visit. Another friend, Joanne, agreed to join me this year as we toured the town and both enjoyed the visit. Here Joanne is enjoying meeting someone sitting on a park bench. She did all of the talking.


Poncho Villa painting. A hero of the Mexican revolution. There is a large museum honoring him.


This is the front of the hotel where Maggie and I stayed last year. Another friend Lexi was also with us on our visit.


This is the hotel we stayed at this year.


This the Hostel I will be staying at during my next visit.
Joanne as always trying to make more new friends.



The lighting is not good in this photo. The name that you might see printed on this star is John Wayne. Many western cowboy movies were made in Durango. John wayne was one of many actor and actresses  making films there. You may recall photos of his statue that was in a blog that I posted last year.


This sign outside of this building caught my eye as those that know me would not be surprised that it did..Ban Bras is a place that i want to visit. However to my disappointment, it was closed so only my imagination can fill the void.



Two visiting friends



There is a new road between Mazatlan and Durango. This is one of the bridges. It is beautiful.


Do you want to see what happens when you have a bad leak in your boat? This boat was near my slip and sank during the evening.


I stayed with a friend for a week while my boat was being painted. She has a beautiful home on the beach. Just another great sunset.


My boat has not been kind to me the past few years with many problems for me to fix. Nothing serious but very annoying. I thought if I dressed her up with new varnish topside and below and a new painted deck she would back off. I will let you know next year. As we men know, once you make a lady mad, they NEVER forget. We shall see.




I joined a charitable group called Friends of Mexico that get donations to help build neighborhood schools and help deserving children with their expenses when they enter middle school. I took the president, Jean, out for dinner to see if I can get some points.


My Grandson Ray at Soccer practice




Here is my other Grandson Abe at a game. His team won 3 to Zero


Many of you have heard me say how much I love San Francisco. Her are some photos to remind you why.











That is all I have for now. I hope you enjoyed it and I wish you all well. Remember, be safe out there.



Sunday, May 22, 2016

Dolce Vita 2016



Now before I begin let me put to rest a couple of rumors running around out there. While I don't know this to be curtain I still suspect this to be true.


  1.  No I am not dead or at least at the time I posted this blog.
  2. No I have not given up sailing. I sailed down and back to Puerto Vallarta from Mazatlan and then after a couple of weeks I sailed over to the Sea of Cortez to play around my favorite islands and clear blue waters.
Now that I have cleared that up let me begin to bring everyone up to date.

I spent a number of months in Mazatlan from early summer until March the following year. Summer time was to hide from hurricanes since I have no desire to experience that event again. The fall and winter months were spent there to enjoy the pleasant weather before pushing off when the weather is more predicable.

I threw off the dock lines in March to sail down to Puerto Vallarta to visit friends there and to wait for the arrival of a very large cruise ship that carried my brother in-law and sister in-law. I showed them around a bit and then after our feet became sore we went to my boat in a near-by marina to kick back and enjoy a couple of cocktails after which we selected a nice restaurant to enjoy a mid-afternoon lunch. Then I sent Harry and Kris off to rejoin the ship before it sailed off without them. The three of us had a very enjoyable time. I will post a couple of photos I took while walking around the Malicon.

I stayed around PV for another couple of weeks before heading back north to Mazatlan where again I held up waiting for a friend to get his boat ready to sail off. He is a new sailor and a new boat owner with little experience with both. I offered to wait for him to get his boat ready and  I offered to sail aside him over to La Paz in case he had problems. All went well and be both arrives safely in La Paz where I was anxious to meet up with some more friend. Izi, the new sailor, had some problems on our way up the Sea of Cortez so I helped him return to La Paz for repairs. I decided to sail alone into the Sea giving Izi my route with hopes he could meet me along the way since it was going to be a week or so before he could set off again. All went well.

We are now back again in La Paz while Izi is again having problems with his boat. Me? I am just chilling her while I wait for my friend Tracy visiting from California. Looking forward to having someone from back home visiting me. Unfortunately it seems like everyone is caught up in their busy lifestyles to take time to meet me down here. Now I hope that note has put a big guilt trip on you and I am flooded with guests.

Let me share some photos now that you have a brief summary of what I have been doing.

Mazatlan has one of the largest shrimp fleets in the world. Here is an area nicknamed The Shrimp Ladies. As you can see in this and the next photo there are large barrels of shrimp of all sizes and shapes. The cost is around $6:00 a pound.



Here are some of the usual suspects standing around before picking up the shrimp.


The best part of selecting your shrimp is walking across the street where we hand over our catch to the waiters where they then take the same into the kitchen to cook them to your liking. The cost is 50 Pesos a kilo. A kilo is a bit over to pounds and 50 Pesos is at today's exchange rate $3.00. Now your challenge is to find anywhere in the U.S.,Canada or Europe that provides the shrimp and services for this price. Here we wait for our order of beer and shrimp.


Big-a-da boat that brought Harry and Kris.


Harry and Kris


Beautiful cathedral in PV.



Famous sculpture in PV.


Harry, Kris and Marian. Marian crewed with me from PV back to Mazatlan where I found it necessary to fire her. A long ugly story. Here we are all enjoying the moment.


I bought these three masks for my older Grandsons. The one year old will have to wait for his simular gift until he is older. These masks are made by hand one bead at a time.


A couple of friends as we sat down for dinner at a restaurant on the beach.



Now most of you have heard about a worm in a bottle of tequila. Has anyone seen or heard of a snake in a bottle of tequila? This was on a table next to us where they actually had a drink out of this jug. Needless to say it never reached our table by request.


Just another wonderful sunset.


A church in San Blas which is along the route between Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta.


Anyone out there looking for alligator shoes or belts?





Roy and I are about to set down to a great meal on the beach in San Blas. Roy sailed with me from Mazatlan to PV to give his wife a break. :)



A Taco stand in La Paz. The tacos were and are great.


Some notable anchorages.


A new restaurant at one of the anchorages.





Pyramid rock


From my viewpoint this looks like a Blue Whale jumping out of the water. See if you agree.


Don't bother me. I am sleeping.


I said don't bother me!


Unusual lava flows at one of the anchorages.






A popular anchorage.


And finally, I can't leave you without another sunset.


I am sorry it has been a while since last blog but I also have a busy lifestyle. Eat your heart out. :)

Until next time, Be safe out there.

Denny
s/v Dolce Vita