Friday 0ops! It isn't Friday any more

 I have been super lazy and reading a couple of super interesting books. One was Ten Beach Road by Wendy Wax. About three very different working together to restore a beautiful old house. Also we have been out and about a little. Other wise no excuse. I've had the pictures ready to go for days. 

So here is our new air fryer Hamilton Beach - does everything. So far I've used it for toast! Was going to roast sliced potatoes in it last night but sliced to many of them so had to cook them in a sheet pan in the oven. Yes, I did cook dinner last night. 

So way back last Thursday, I think it was we took Willie in for a car wash. Actually it is more like a detail as it takes forever - 40 minutes. But they do an excellent job inside and out for 70 pesos  about US$3.50. Also in the waiting area outside they pipe in great music.  

I think this was Friday morning, we picked up our friend from Canada, Mark, he got here Thursday and headed across town for breakfast at La Antigua. The ice truck delivering ice to the restaurants on the beach. The truck driver unloads the ice and leaves it on the sidewalk, restaurant people have to get it to the beach. 

Took a round about route to the restaurant to avoid big hole in the road - which we discovered later had already been patched. So some old, new murals. Weird ones. 

Reminds me of Covid. Speaking of which, protocols here are being really enforced. 

A set of garage doors. 

Here we are parked right across the street from the restaurant. Very narrow street. Have to pull in side mirror so other cars can pass. 

We finally found it. Though had to go around block so I could take a picture of it. The Pirates Museum. Right in downtown Centro. Have to make reservation to tour it I think. 

Just a nice looking building. 

New "smart" traffic lights. No left turn and stop is obvious.

This one I had to ask Bill about. I know it is a green light with still no left turn -  and Siga means "keep going"  Or I guess GO if you been stopped for the Alto.

A nice clear day for once. Not so much mist in the air as there has been. 

See the inscription on the wall Clavadista means diver  So high divers. Actually I've only seen one person ever dive from here and I think he was crazy. I even managed to get a video of it. Most of the high divers here in Mazatlan dive from a different area quite a ways from here. Click here to see the post about the crazy diver also turn up your sound

There is no room for error. 

A picture of the Malecon from a long ways away. 

Not a good picture but I see they added the Yellow Submarine behind the Beatles statues. 

Some pulmonias that I guess are used for tours. There are three of them painted (wrapped) like this. 

Have a few neat things to write about tomorrow and next day. But just wanted to let every one know we are fine, no problems. Except my write muse was on vacation. 

Just every day stuff

The other day our small air fryer quit working so we decided instead of an air fryer we would just buy a toaster as that was all we were using it for any way. Toasting bread and muffins. Went to WalMart and and got the only toaster they had. Works great. BUT - now that we don't have it we want an air fryer.

So back to Walmart and Sam's Club to look for one. WM didn't have any. Sam's did, but we thought the ones they had were probably too big for our space. Didn't get one. But to make up for not getting one we decided to go out to lunch. A lot of the tourists have gone home so traffic isn't too bad now. Still a lot of out of town cars here though until this coming weekend.  Anyway. Ended up in Centro at La Antigua - addicted to those crepes. It was around noon so thought "no parking and crowded." 

Driving down the one way street to the restaurant we saw debris in the road ahead. Looked like dirt. WOW - got closer and it was debris from a BIG HOLE in the street. No orange cones or markers of any kind. Glad it was day time. (I took this picture after we'd eaten, now there is yellow tape up closing off the street.) See the red car stopped - that is how far we got before realizing what was the problem. Well we are on a one way street - we only need to go one more block to get to parking for the restaurant. So what to do. Can't go forward. If we back up and turn left - on the one way street behind us, we will have to make another left turn on next street then go three blocks before we can go left to go another four blocks to get headed back the right way on another one way street to drive past the street we usually park on...etc, etc.....SO what to do. Well back up  turn right on wrong way street, go to next corner and turn left on another one way street going wrong way. Might add it is a VERY narrow street no room for car and bicycle on it. No other cars coming made it to corner to turn left on right way street to go one block to parking. Whew. Got a couple of strange looks as in DUMB GRINGOS! But made it okay. And in our defense - there were no signs telling us which way to go on the street. So managed to park right across from restaurant where we usually park after all.

Much to our surprise it was almost empty so we got to sit outside in the patio.

Only a few other tables had people at them. Enjoyed our crepes, I ate the whole thing. After eating Bill stopped to talk to the manager for a while so I took pictures. Love the work on this clock. 

The tiles on the ledge of a window.

Finally a decent picture of the fireplace. I think it is beautiful 

The lobby of the restaurant all kinds of stuff to look at. 

In the entry way of the restaurant. 

Back outside in the car. Traffic jam. (going correct way on all one way streets.) Every body blowing their horns. No one was going any where until the first truck finished unloading. 

You never know what you might see when driving around Centro. Getting her picture taken. 

Stopped to talk to her for a second. Lots of detail on the dress. 

Watch saga. Part is made, installed in watch and watch is running. Come back next week when he is sure it will keep running. Bill very excited...

Just thought this was funny. 

Look Out! Driving along when all of a sudden there is a pickup parked in the lane because the guy is cleaning the street. No warnings. Always be alert for the unexpected. 

So home again. This year we don't have a bread/fruit tree. In fact been doing very little feeding of the birds. Just some stale bread now and then. Though lately we've been buying extra rolls for them. Look who showed up to check it out. Haven't seen him this year until yesterday.

Looks like he doesn't like his picture taken. Guarding his piece of roll. 

We've moved all of our potted garden to the edge of the concrete. They just weren't getting enough sun next to the RV. All of them are growing like crazy now. 

When the big birds come every one else leaves. And they fight amongst themselves for crumbs. 

Coming home from Centro the other day the engine light came on so a call into our mechanic Pablo. Turned out to be just a loose wire. All fixed now. Nice to be able to call a mechanic and have him come over the next day. 

And then we went out to buy an Air Fryer! Back to Sam's Club and got a Hamilton Beech Toaster, baker, air fryer, rotisserie - more than we need. But did cook some french fries in it for dinner. But now have to figure out how to toast bread and muffins in it. 

Yesterday our friend Mark from Canada arrived - so we'll be busy for a month or so.

How we spent part of Christmas Day

A little catching up. On Christmas Day we had friends coming in on a cruise ship. They had booked a tour that was going to take them to the Tequila distillery. She told me the tour company and their itinerary, so I thought it would be fun to meet then there. So off we went. It is still so green here from all the rains during the summer.

Lots and lots of new fields of baby agave plants. They were really busy over the summer. All the old big plants were harvested and replaced with young ones. A plant has to be over five years before it can be harvested. Usually older than that. 

Entering the property where the distillery is.

According to the itinerary they would be picked up at the boat at 9:00 and go to the tequila place first. So we figured they would get there about 10:00. So that is when we got there. Except for one caretaker we were the only people there. A good time to take pictures without any one else in them. The 250 year old tree at the entrance. So glad the hurricanes didn't manage to topple it. Though it looks like it might have lost some branches and leaves, 

There is a big bougainvillea that has grown up into it.

Lots of flowering bushes this year. Guess they liked all the rain. 

Another worker showed up. It was about 10:15 I thought the tour bus should have been there by then. 

The old way of grinding the bulbs of the plants. Burros and a wheel. 

The ovens the plants are cooked in before grinding. 

Another interesting tree with a bougainvillea growing in it.

The processing and bottling building. Love the colors.

Some old machinery on display.

More new plants that need several years to grow.

This used to be another huge tree. It died so had to be cut down. Now the flowers have overtaken it. 

Just some butterflies and or moths that were enjoying the area. 

Looks like a mosaic. 

Nature is so amazing.

By now it was almost 11:00 and no tour bus, so much for my figuring out their agenda. But some ATVs showed up. About eight of them. I think this was an unscheduled stop.

Either the ATV was acting up or the person riding it couldn't handle it. The guide moved the person to another ATV with a driver and parked the one they were on. Then the tour left to continue their trip. Strange. 

By now the person who conducts tours of the distillery and offers tasting was here and so was the person who mans this booth. 

Finally gave up and headed home about 11:30  Tour driver changed itinerary - oh well.  Guess they got there about 20 minutes after we left. It is always a nice visit out there.