Restaurants

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Last Dinner at Miguel’s

I was shocked by how quickly the packing and cleaning came together when that was all I had to focus on! By 6:15, I only had a few things left that would best be done when I was finished with the house and ready to leave it. The truck was packed with everything but a few odds and ends and the only major cleaning left to do was a final pass of the floors with a mop.

I didn’t wash the walls, but otherwise did a deep clean of the entire house, including all the bars on the windows and moving furniture to get behind it. Since the house was spotless when I moved in and I’ve been pretty much keeping on top of the cleaning, there were no scary surprises except the tarantula habitat under the twin bed in the office and the gecko habitat in one of the end tables in the office as well. 🙂

Around 6:30, I put a beer in my purse (ain’t I classy?) and headed to Miguel’s for a final dinner on Isla. As the fates would have it, my nasty former yardmate was there, too. She was finishing up and did an excellent job of ignoring me, and I did the same. 🙂

I ordered my favourites, a shrimp burrito and a chorreada. The burrito is always consistent, the quality of the chorreada varies. I have yet to have one that was as good as the first one, but tonight’s was very good and not salty like one I had a while back that almost turned me off of them. I like the layer of browned cheese and tonight there were chopped tomatoes on top, which I loved. Sides were bare today, though, just sliced cucumbers. The total cost was 57 pesos, and I gave a tip. I won’t find 10-15USD meals cheap next month!

My neighbour to the rear of me was dining with his family and we caught up. I was surprised that his wife and children do not speak much Spanish.

I chatted with Miguel while waiting to pay and I got some insight into the rather laissez-faire laid back Mexican attitude as he said something to me a lot of people have been saying to me this week: “God willing.” I’ll be back in November. “God willing.” I’m driving home. “God willing.” I’ll see you again soon. “God willing.” I also believe in fate, to a point, so this point of view is not entirely strange to me, but I don’t take it to that extreme. God willing if I make an effort, and all that.

Coming home, I realised that I should probably hit the beach one last time. I used to be such an ocean girl, but not anymore. I’m not sad in the least about leaving the ocean for several months and look forward to the vistas of my endless Prairies.

I really do want to try to hit the road early, so I’m going to try to wind down and get to sleep early. I’ve decided for sure to do the libre to Culiacán, so I really can’t dawdle. But I have to 8PM to get to San Carlos in daylight, so even a 7AM departure, while tight, should make that possible. I’ll evaluate my ETA throughout the day and make other plans if it looks like I won’t get there.

Their best item is prominently on display!

Their best item is prominently on display!

The menu is written on every surface of the restaurant.

The menu is written on every surface of the restaurant.

Here's yet another one.

Here’s yet another one.

Basically, they can make you anything you want. :)

Basically, they can make you anything you want. 🙂

This is where the beef is cooked and then it's carried half way across the restaurant with tongs. Never fails to make me smile.

This is where the beef is cooked and then it’s carried half way across the restaurant with tongs. Never fails to make me smile.

ATVs are a very popular mode of transportation on Isla. People bring them over on the pangas!

ATVs are a very popular mode of transportation on Isla. People bring them over on the pangas!

Lots of pretty flowers in bloom this week.

Lots of pretty flowers in bloom this week.

Looking toward the interior part of Isla where I live.

Looking toward the interior part of Isla where I live.

I dined within view of a mango tree.

I dined within view of a mango tree.

Mexican condiments: salt, lime, hot sauce, and guacamole (a very thin avocado-based sauce).

Mexican condiments: salt, lime, hot sauce, and guacamole (a very thin avocado-based sauce).

So pretty and goes on everything.

So pretty and goes on everything.

Dinner!

Dinner!

I think these guys understand cameras. They were playing and as soon as I pulled out my Pentax, they posed for me. I was allowed to take two pictures, then they were off!

I think these guys understand cameras. They were playing and as soon as I pulled out my Pentax, they posed for me. I was allowed to take two pictures, then they were off!

Final Isla sunset.

Final Isla sunset.

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Pointless Dilemmas

WHEW. I got through all my work for this week! This last job was very grueling subject matter and I actually got nightmares about it and so didn’t sleep well last night. 🙁

I’m off till Mondayish and boy is the real work starting! It’s amazing how much stuff I have in this house that needs to get into my truck! There’s lot’s of cleaning to do, too, since I want to move all the furniture out of the way and get behind and under it. It’s going to be a very full afternoon, but I am set on leaving first thing tomorrow. I’m glad that I’ve started and that the laundry is all done.

As for my dilemma, I ended yesterday with perhaps half a gallon of drinking water and spent too much time wondering how long I could stretch it. I’m going to need water on the road and I have several one-gallon containers. Why buy one-gallon containers of water in the States for 80 cents when I can get five gallons here for that price?! So I put out my bottle and 10 pesos this morning and got a fresh bottle that I’ll pour into my smaller containers and add those to the mountain of stuff going into the truck.

I haven’t done a good job of keeping myself fed this week, so even though I’m going to Miguel’s tonight, I decided to get a hamburger and fries for lunch, too, to give me the strength to get through all the work I have to do on the house. I had a nice chat with the owner of the restaurant, Patty (Patricia), and she got a good part of my life story out of me somehow! I really need to learn how to say transcription in Spanish, but “I work for the police, government, and schools on my computer,” *pantomime typing*, “interviews” works very well. 🙂

I’m refusing to get maudlin about leaving Isla tomorrow. For one thing, I have no doubt I’ll be back. For another, I’m a nomad and the open road is calling my name very loudly!

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Long Lunch On the Beach

The last few days have been insane! Everyone is trying to squeeze one last job out of me. I got an unexpected project on Tuesday that I couldn’t pass up and that has meant very, very, very, very long work days. Any breaks are spent starting on laundry, packing, and cleaning.

I asked my friends L&N if they wanted to go to Miguel’s for dinner tomorrow night, but that didn’t work for them. They asked me to instead join them at El Velero for lunch today.

So I did and I wound up being there for almost three hours! I didn’t really have that much time to spend there, but it was nice to chat with friends and just take a break before the final push.

El Velero is really popular with the Canadians, but I don’t find it great and it’s rather expensive. But I’d heard all winter about their ‘Imperial’ shrimp. I decided to do a splurge (and at $140, what a splurge it is!) and try them out.

They are huge shrimp stuff with cheese and wrapped in bacon and very delicious! I managed to make two meals out of the dish (have supper waiting for me later!), so that amortized the cost somewhat. But it came with just a tiny scoop of rice and frozen veggies (what?!) so it really wasn’t that special. I’m glad I tried it and the shrimp were amazing, but it’s not something I’d have again. I had a mineral water limonada with it since I had to get back to work after. Yum!

I came in to find another small job waiting for me related to the Tuesday project, which explains why I haven’t been paid yet. So I’ll do that tonight and hopefully will get paid tomorrow. I’m a little tight in my April budget, so this project being something of a windfall, I’m allowing myself to access the funds next week rather than waiting till May. Normally, money made one month is only accessible the following month, even if paid the same month, but I’m going to have some overlapping April/May expenses, so this will be much appreciated bridging funds.

Contessa sent me a link to information about protests shutting down the Mex-15 cuota between Maz and Culiacán. So I think that is the universe possibly trying to save me several hundred pesos. It took me five hours to do Guamúchil to Maz city limits, so there is no way I’m doing that entire trip by libre, but I think I’ll do the libre to Culiacán, check traffic on my phone, and get on the cuota there if everything’s okay.

Back to work I go. And by that, I’m not sure yet if I mean typing or packing…

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Last Golden Zone Jaunt

I got up early today and typed like mad with the hope that by 2:00ish, I would be ahead enough in my current project to do one last jaunt to the Golden Zone to get coffee. I had such a debate with myself over the last few days over whether I needed to do that since I had plenty of coffee left to get me to the States. But then I remembered that I still haven’t found a grocery store coffee in the States that I like. Might as well treat myself to one last pound of the Veracruz!

Big ship in port today!

Big ship in port today!

By 2:30, I was ready to go. I made my way to the corner of Gutiérrez Najera and Juan Carrasco, certain that I could catch there the bus that goes to Soriana, Mega, and on into the Golden Zone. It’s cheaper and closer than the bus that I take on del Mar.

So gorgeous!

So gorgeous!

This truck is obviously loved.

This truck is obviously loved.

But after waiting a half hour and cycling through all the buses, I never once saw the one I needed. Granted, I wasn’t 100% sure what I was looking for, but I knew Mega would be written on it. So I’m a little flummoxed as to where to catch it. Next year, I’ll have to ride it in the opposite direction and find out. But now that I think of it, I didn’t even see it once while in the Golden Zone, so I’m thinking that perhaps it doesn’t run on Sundays.

Giving up on that bus, I walked the last few blocks to del Mar and caught the bus there, riding it up to the taco place I discovered last time I was in the Golden Zone. I didn’t get chips this time and I think I’ve finally figured out why I get them sometimes: they come when I order a limonada. This has happened at a couple of establishments, so I’m thinking it’s a customary thing for restaurants in the area. I really did not need chips and the giant plate of cucumbers provided a suitably crispy and bland surface on which to deposit heaps of salsa! I also got radishes this time and do NOT suggest having this spicy vegetable with a spicy salsa, but rather with the avocado salsa. Your tastebuds will thank me. 🙂

Since I didn’t have chips, I headed across the street and got an ice cream, going for cookies ‘n cream, and boy does Thrifty’s know how to make that flavour! Since a sugar cone was the same price as a bowl or regular cone, I indulged. 🙂

Next stop was the bank. I went by a bunch to hit the Santander just before Rico’s… but the ATM was down. So I would have to double back. Dang!

I got my coffee and didn’t even try to speak Spanish with them today. They were out of 1lb bags, so I they packaged my coffee into two 1/2lb bags and were rather apologetic about that. I’m happy because that means half the batch will stay fresher.

While waiting for the coffee to be ground, I read an article in El Debate, a newspaper, that many, many, many little grocers in the area are being shut down because they are cash only businesses and do not keep the proper records for tax purposes. I I wonder if that will affect businesses here on Isla. I only know two where I can get a receipt, and the City Deli is not one of them.

Coming out of Rico’s, a bus was just within sight, but I had to let it go since I needed the bank. I walked back down to the Banamex, the first in a series of banks in a row, since it has a low withdrawal rate (lower than Santander), I’ve never had problems with it, and I wasn’t hurting for small bills. Also, if this one gave me any trouble, I could just try the next bank and so on until I found one that worked!

The withdrawal was fine and I hope it will be my last one, but it was a very conservative amount, so we’ll see. I just don’t want  to do my last fill up of gas in San Carlos and find myself with more than 700 or 800 pesos in cash. I’d like to keep about 500 pesos for the fall for the trip from the border to San Carlos, but no more. I’m on a tight budget to get home and I need my money in USD right now, not pesos. I know I have plenty to get me to San Carlos and pay for the hotel. Once there, I’ll see if I have enough left for the last tank of fuel and tolls and if not, I’ll get another small withdrawal to cover that.

I didn’t have to wait long for the bus after and decided to ride it to the corner of Aquiles Serdan and Zaragoza, rather than get off at the Fishermen’s Monument since it would save me a few blocks.

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I saved myself quite a few steps tonight!

This being late Sunday afternoon, Zaragoza was eerily silent and I didn’t dawdle to get to the embarcadero!

What I discovered today is that pointless bus waiting not withstanding, I can get to the Golden Zone and back with lunch and lots of walking in about 2.5 hours!

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Counting Down

Tomorrow’s the day that I start saying, “My last –day.” I have one Friday night left before I head home, so the one-week countdown is on! I can’t believe the winter is basically over. And unlike a lot of other winters, I don’t have that feeling of dread that it just slipped through my fingers. It’s not just the fact that I know I’m coming back that makes departure something I’m looking forward to rather than dreading, but the fact that I lived so much in my months here.

I had a huge amount of work to do for today and set my finish time for 6:45 so I could go get hot dogs and not have to work again after. That meant pretty much working through the day with only short breaks.

Around 4:00, I went for a quick walk to check on the truck and found it on blocks with all four wheels off. I kicked myself for forgetting my camera, so I made a note to bring it with me when I went out for dinner.

Somehow, I managed to finish work a whole 15 minutes ahead of schedule! It’ll be more of the same till Wednesday, but being done for tonight was an amazing feeling, like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.

I took off, with the plan being to hit the truck for pictures first, but something told me to check the hot dog stand and it was closed. What?! I want a sit down dinner at Miguel’s my last night here, so that means no more hot dogs till next fall. I’m sure my body is happy about that. 🙂

Most Friday nights, I have exact change for the hot dog lady, but tonight I left with a 50. So, being famished and rather set on meal I didn’t cook myself, I decided to get a hamburger and fries instead.

That restaurant is just past the workshop, where there were signs of life.

She looks rather forlorn, doesn't she?

She looks rather forlorn, doesn’t she?

Hey, there's a wheel back on. Or maybe it was on when I came by at 4:00?

Hey, there’s a wheel back on. Or maybe it was on when I came by at 4:00?

At the restaurant, I placed a to-go order and said I would be back in about 10 minutes. No sense waiting around, might as well go for a walk!

The little place I discovered that knows how to make French fries!

The little place I discovered that knows how to make French fries!

I love how brightly coloured everything is in Mexico.

I love how brightly coloured everything is in Mexico.

I knew from the last time I ordered a burger that a quick loop by the panga and elementary school would be just about the right amount of time.

The elementary school.

The elementary school.

There was a school related shindig going on at the playground near the school, with lots of music and people enjoying elote (sweet corn on the cob with mayo and chile powder), ceviche, fried tacos, and more.

It was overcast and drizzly all day, but finally starting to clear up and the air felt so fresh and sweet. There were lots of people out and about. Everyone is so friendly and the folks I see most often know they can chat with me, so I got asked about where I was headed on the way out and what I was having for supper on the way in when I had my bag of food. There’s an intellectually challenged man who plays a guitar on a balcony right in front of the restaurant and he always grunts to get my attention as I walk past him, plays me a few notes, blows me a kiss, and then waves. I always applaud and wave back. It’s our little routine.

There are lovely trees in bloom this week:

What a pretty tree!

What a pretty tree!

I love those pink flowers.

I love those pink flowers.

My burger was being wrapped up as I arrived. My $10 in change was given as such, ten 1-peso coins!

The mechanic was at the shop when I walked by and he told me to come look at some parts he pulled. He was very apologetic in that he really needs to recommend a completely new brake job, rotors, pads, calipers, etc., so the price really is going to be $4,000. He had hoped to surprise me with a lower bill. I assured him that I’m fine with the price and to do what needs to be done. I reiterated that I’ve had major break work done on a Ford and can recognize that he’s not lying to me.

He says he should be done tomorrow (!) and that he’s expecting me late Sunday morning with the balance of the money. So I’ll head out super early Sunday, get a pastry and coffee at Panamá’s for a treat, and be back in time to get some, I mean, lots of work done.

He also gave me a heads up that there is a lot of rust in the undercarriage and that I should look into have it washed and undercoated soon as I get out off the coast. I’ll have to look into how much that will cost.

I got in and my supper was thankfully still hot.

Yum!

Yum!

For some reason, they omitted the cheese and jalapeños tonight! I added my own cheese and was shocked to discover that I rather missed the peppers! But don’t get me wrong, it was still an awesome sandwich and I have to confess I wasn’t too disappointed about the hot dogs. 🙂 I also finished off my bottle of sweet relish!