A change in the weather. The last couple of days the humidity has dropped. It feels so good to be able to go out and not be dripping wet in minutes. It is still getting pretty warm out but with the drop in humidity it is so bad. But really cooling down at night. In fact when we go to store today I might look for a light weight blanket for the bed.
Mechanic got back in the afternoon and the windows in the back seat of the Jeep now go up and down. I hope that is the last of the maintenance and repairs on the Jeep this year.
The second half of my pictures from El Quelite. I can never get enough of them. The restaurant took a big hit from the hurricane. This is the run off wash just outside the restaurant. It used to have play equipment and petting animals in it. Every thing is gone. The animals were taken out before the water got bad. They are doing a lot of work cleaning up and reinforcing things. A couple of the girls were down there raking and sweeping. Major construction going on also. Here are the roots of the big tree that used to cover the entire front outside part of the restaurant. About six feet of the trunk are still there too. Behind the horse.
At least there are new benches outside on the sidewalk looking over the wash. Four of them.
John, the house you guys built is still standing...looks like no damage to it.
Just some pictures of the colorful homes and big ferns. The water almost came up over the high curbs.
Walking back towards the restaurant.
The church has been painted. Looks great.
Just liked the flowers and light standard.
The back of the church.
Any one want to buy a rubber chicken. Couldn't resist.
One thing we love about El Quelite is all the plants and flowers that people have on their porches. See how high the homes are built above the street. The river has flooded several times.
More colors of El Quelite
The hotel and gift shop.
We actually didn't do much more than go in the restaurant and walk a little ways behind it. Next time we go we will spend more time there.
Yesterday we just waited on the mechanic and last minute went across the street to eat BBQ chicken for dinner.
Bright star/planet and a lighted boat way out there.
A nice ocean breeze felt good. And we could actually leave our door open and the AC off when we got home. No new rigs came in yesterday. There are only 55 cases of Covid in the whole state and the majority of them are quite a ways north of us.
Kind of cool here in Mazatlan this morning, think we will put the quilt back on the bed for tonight. I am loving it, Bill got cold overnight. Also doesn't feel quite as humid - yet. Again today we wait for the Jeep mechanic. He is going to try to fix the back seat windows so they go up and down. Right now they are up and cannot go down.
Yesterday I posted about the detour to get to El Quelite. Today I'll take you to visit the town. We LOVE it there as any one who has been following this blog knows. Even thought about buying a house there several years ago. Always take a picture of the arch ...
This bougainvillea is so beautiful. The picture does not do it justice. It is red, orange and yellow.
Another must take picture as we go though town. Colors, colors and more colors.
Following a truck selling what looks like bread. He was advertising it over a loud speaker but I wasn't paying attention to what he was saying. I just thought he was a produce truck until I looked at the picture. Just so happy to back here. Another beautiful bougainvillea by the road.
We are on the main street into town. After the hurricane it was completely covered in mud. The townspeople cleaned most of it with shovels, brooms and wheelbarrows. Help couldn't get to them until later. One of the restaurants in town.
We were surprised that there was parking right in front of where we wanted to go. We were there early - got there a little after 9 o'clock.
This restaurant of course is where we were going. It is an amazing place.
Across the street the towns sign. A little pedestrian street behind it. (Just read in paper this morning the people of the town are fighting to keep an OXXO out of there. Please NO OXXO) Lots of vendors setting up on the street early.
Was glad to see this is still there. Some damage from the water and wind. It says - God bless this home and this land.
Stopped to look at some of the vendor wares. This dress is amazing it is completely HAND embroidered! Front and back. Took months to finish. We did not ask the price. I'd be afraid to wear it, would frame it to show it off. Most embroidered blouses and dresses now are machine embroidered.
Heading towards the entrance to the restaurant. More vendors and horses to ride. Last winter the only way into the restaurant was through the front door through the old home. Now the big side doors are open and the house part of the restaurant is closed. Maybe due to hurricane damage. Imagine just a few months ago everything here was under water and mud.
Colors and more colors every where you look. You have to smile and feel good.
Inside the restaurant. The cashiers stand.
The waters and mud flooded this restaurant. See the tree in upper right side of picture. It is laying on its side with the huge branches cut off. The whole big tree that shaded the entire front outside seating of the restaurant came down in the hurricane. The horse and cowboy have been moved to a different area in the restaurant.
The roof is gone over the second floor area of the restaurant.
Dora, one of the waitresses we've known for many years. Called to our attention that the tree was gone so there would no longer be iguanas over the tables in the tree. Like the one that pooped on my head years ago. However this guy was on the roof. You can read about the iguana incident by clicking here. Scroll down to second visit to restaurant. Neither Bill nor I had noticed the huge tree was gone. How could we not notice that. The tree was one of the big features of the place.
We sat and ordered our breakfast, this is just what they bring you before you get your meal! We both had scrambled eggs and ham. And Mexican coffee.
Looking around the restaurant. Painting on the wall behind our table.
I was walking around, The lady serving Bill is Dora. The other lady is rather new. Dora told Bill about half the staff has been laid off and the rest of them work every other day. Due to Covid and the bridge being out and people not knowing about the detour. While we were there a couple of tour vans of people came in. So hopefully as word gets around and the snowbirds arrive business will pick up again.
Another look at the upper eating area without its roof. Repairs are being done as fast as they can.
I'm going to leave the rest of the pictures and day until tomorrow's blog. This one was getting pretty long. As always we enjoyed our day, but didn't too much except eat. Need to go soon again to visit some friends there.
Will try again to add a YouTube video of driving into town. There is no sound, it is from the dash cam. If you want to view it full screen click here.
This one was taken as we were leaving. Again no sound. Why no sound? Well when I had the audio on I said a few things that weren't PC - mostly about the traffic. So there for no sound any more. If you want to view it full screen click here
So now we sit and wait. The mechanic showed up right at 9:00 took the mechanism in the doors apart and left. It is now three o'clock and as I write this he came back. I'm beginning to wish I hadn't nagged about the windows in the back seats not working.
This morning when we got up it was such a beautiful morning we decided we needed to take a road trip. So where else but the beautiful little town of El Quelite just 31 miles north east of Mazatlan. We were curious about the road there as it is a detour. The bridge on the 15 free road was washed out by the hurricane. So here is Google Maps directions. We stay in the Las Jaibas Trailer park in northern Mazatlan. I wondered about the loop just off the toll road that goes west??
We got on the 15D heading north. At about KM 24 we saw the signs for El Quelite.
Several of them. And yes you will go past Marmol.
You can see the toll booth in the distance, if you reach it you went too far. Pretty well marked though.
Once on the turn off you quickly make a turn to the left!? That's okay. Just follow the road back over the toll road and on towards Marmol.
It is quite a ways, any way longer than I thought it would be, before you reach Marmol. It is through the arch.
To continue to El Quelite you will go to the right heading east .
Eventually going back over the 15D.
The scenery is very green and the road completely paved.
When you start seeing homes and farms slow down as you will soon find several topes when approaching the little town on the 15 libre. I can't remember its name. But here you turn left and continue to the turn off to El Quelite.
The bougainvillea are blooming like crazy and lots of farming going on.
Well I can't remember how to add a YouTube video so it looks okay. So here it is any way. I edited the video, removing all the just driving along the road so it is much shorter then the time it took to drive it. But it shows all the turns and topes. If you want to view it in full screen click here.
A few more topes beyond the arch when you enter the town.
We got there a little after nine o'clock and it wasn't busy at all. Will do pictures of the town tomorrow. Lots to go through.
Here are the roots of the big tree that used to cover the entire front outside part of the restaurant. About six feet of the trunk are still there too. Behind the horse. 
