BLUE WILLOW

Somewhere near Tucson

A  DAY IN TUCSON

Woke to a beautiful sunny but chilly morning.  Had breakfast with niece Jody (really Pete's cousin's daughter, but he has always called her his niece) and by the time we were finished IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL WARM DAY!!! Just lovely.  The sky is clear and the air if clean.  We will be in the Tucson area for a few days so we will be  looking at the possibilities.  At this time, there isn’t much color here as far as flowers that I can see but there are leaves on the trees. 
We took the  laundry to do our wash .  That’s a different experience or at least we haven’t done it in a lot of years.  Very hi-tech and user friendly.  Large machines that hold from 1 to 5 loads at a time.  Good deal for us $1.75 plus $1.25 for drying.   We see lots of families here together. Lots of kids having fun. Besides we got to see  a movie “Karate Kid 2” remake. 

Casa Grande Ruins

Left our rustic motel in Ajo this morning.  By the way, last night we have a wonderfully adequate chinese dinner.  It seemed that the whole town was having a date night at the restaurant.  Fun to see all the "locals".  It was cold in the morning but crisp.  We went through our 4th Border Patrol (check point)  stop.  They just look around and ask us what country we are citizens of and wave us on. Still, Pete says he wonders about stopping everyone on interstate highways like I-8. 
 
We were driving along and Elva was reading the map and saw "Casa Grande Ruins" so we decided to make a stop. Turning off Hwy 10 the desert suddenly becomes farm lands for miles and miles  -  cotton, alphalpha and rice, I think.  Casa Grande is near Coolidge and  Run by the national park service, the visitor center was great, lots of people there with their kids. Casa Grande is what Father Kino named the 4-story building when he first saw it in  1694. Excellent guided tour of that ruin built about 1,000 years ago, in a community of structures that were already over one thousand years old when it was built. The Casa Grande people were farmers and they built a very large system of canals from Gila River.  The irrigation system was built thousands of years ago. There was probably a number of catastrophies that caused the people to abandon the large communities.  One of which may have been the flooding and destruction of the irrigation system.  Many of the eroded adobe walls reminded us of Paquime, in northern Mexico, which is an even older archeological site, a place where a thousand years ago the main economic activity was the raising of scarlet macaws, and selling their feathers far and wide. 

We forgot to mention what we saw on  the golf course in  Yuma! About 25 of the strangest looking birds came and landed next to us. They were "Long-billed Curlews", whose beaks are so long and needle-shaped that it looks like they could not fly or even hold.their heads up. 
Basically they winter down here, near water, and Yuma has the river, and the golf course has plenty of ponds. Scores of coots also seem to call the golf course home. Next time we golf we'll try to remember the camera.

Checked in to motel in Tucson - ate lunch/dinner and went to get hair cuts.  We feel like we look better now.  
That's all for today.  

THE DESERT BEAUTY

GOLF  - We did get to play a golf game in Yuma.  VERY windy but a sunny day and we had a good time. 

Now we are traveling in areas that we are not as familiar with.  Both of us love the desert but are still learning about the plants and animals and the geology.  

We left from Yuma this morning and drove to Gila Bend.  Along the way in what seemed to me to be unfriendly desert we came to a section with that terrible cattle o d o r.  (You know what I mean.)  Thousands of animals standing in long rows and convincing me NOT to eat beef that has been raised standing on their own s...tuff.  How can I find out?  To be solved later.  

Drove on to Ajo, Arizona, a very small place which used to mine copper and now is mostly a place for artists and desert adventurers.  Also the last place to find a motel before Mexico.  You can get insurance here of course for your car.  We stopped at Cabeza Priata Nature Reserve just outside of Ajo and took a walk in the desert.  Left and drove a few miles into Ajo to see the restored Plaza.  Just like a lot of this part of Arizona it is struggling for businesses but this plaza is actually very beautiful and will be an attraction when it is fully restored.  

BIRD WATCHING BLIND IN DESERT

Driving on we stopped at  the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument which was a nice short walk and a drive through the desert.  We were a little late in the evening but the photos were great.  These parks are manned by the friendliest personnel.  Very knowledgeable.  I love the colors of the rugged mountains and the blue of the sky.  At this time the desert is not very colorful  and I am facinated by the survival techniques of the plants and animals. And the Pupfish, which live in 130 degree water only at one hot spring in the preserve area.

The motel we are staying in tonight is a lot of little cottages.  A little bit rustic.  Met some interesting women who drove dune buggies all the way across the dunes and desert  from Yuma to Ajo.  It was late so I didn't ask for a sample ride.  I do know that if my daughter-in-law were here she would have not missed the opportunity. 

We don't yet know where we will head for tomorrow so ....... more later. 

SOLVANG WINDMILL

ROAD TRIP
Our road trip has been very interesting so far.  Very relaxed as compared to other trips when we had to meet deadlines and be at certain places on time.  We traveled down highway 5 to Eugene.  Then crossed over to the coast and used 101.  There were at least 50 shades, hues of green.  It was amazingly beautiful.  Moss laden  trees in dark, dark green at first and then light airy moss swaying on the limbs in a silver green nearer the ocean. We stopped in Florence. We found a real pretty old town with lots of tourist of which we were two.  We had a wonderful seafood dinner and stayed in a lovely little motel.

The next morning we traveled to our friend Bonita’s home near Coos Bay, Oregon.  This is a home they built themselves and is spectacularly beautiful in a wonderful setting in the woods. From the there we drove down to Brookings and through the Redwoods of northern California to Eureka, CA.  A beautiful little city on Humboldt Bay.

Saw Suzanne in Santa Rosa.  A delightful visit,  but too short, as we left to go on
 to San Anselmo for two nights with our friend, Joan.  Her son and his family were away so you know the old story while the cat’s away the mice will play…. .  We gathered up Tom and Sarah from Larkspur and asked them over for a little visit and “party”. What a great New Year’s eve eve (the 30th).While we were in San Anselmo  we got to take a walk in a beautiful park in Ross.  We walked Shasta, the dog.  Shasta likes me.  Joan also took us shopping in Ross.  I must say that everything in the grocery store was three times what we pay at Safeway but then people in Ross have the money to pay the bill.

Stopped at Solvang, Ca.  A little “Danish” town.  Lights for Christmas many people of all kinds and languages.  Beautiful art galleries and shops.
While there we spent a couple of hours in the Mission Santa Ynes, very beautiful gardens, lovely and peaceful setting, with a long history. Our 12th California mission, all of them worth visiting. Nine more to go.

Leaving Solvang, we took a back road thru the mountains to Santa Barbara.  We drove down to the beach front where people were out running and walking along the esplanade “malecon” or boardwalk which was all quite beautiful on a very pretty sunny day.  Yes, I could live there. 


We took a back road from Santa Barbara to Ojai.  Most beautiful scenery.  The town of Ojai is small and artsy.  Liked the paintings I saw there best of anywhere so far.  We ate lunch in a little Italian place there and the food (salads) were great.  They took our whole money allottment!! Many beautiful people.

 From Ojai we took a road never before traveled by us to Santa Clarita. Instead of finding a motel as we planned we realized we had time to drive to Laguna Hills.  We were able to obtain our Mexican travel insurance at the very busy New Years Eve day AAA office. Then to visit Pete’s 95 year old stepmother Olive,   whom we love very much and with whom we had a very nice visit.  Went to Coco’s which Pete’s father always loved for dinner.  Really thought we would have a hard time finding a motel close by because it was New Years Eve but we were lucky and found one at the Courtyard by Marriott.  One of the best so far.. 
  
New Year’s day we drove to Beaumont and visited with Pete’s stepbrother Jim and his wife Connie. Beaumont is always and forever windy.  But the air is good.

Just a short trip to Indio where we stopped early in order for Pete to watch the Rose Bowl game.  Yea, Stanford. 

So far the traffic has been very light in  most places.  We took a toll road from Laguna Hills through the spectacular foothills towards Beaumont.  Well worth the $5 toll. 

Heading to Yuma, Arizona along the Salton Sea.  Mountains on both sides desert in the middle.  Very dry and flat, you can see forever. 
Pass Borrego Springs and into the Imperial Valley  where the desert is made to grow many green things .  Farms for miles.  The Imperial Valley provides veggies all year long in large quantities. Vegetables as far as the eye can see from mountains to mountains on and on into the distance.. Palms and sand too.

We have appreciated TomTom, our GPS, a lot.  Pete calls her Laurie for some reason.  Because she sounds like a “Laurie”, he says. We have always done very well with maps and really never got lost but this GPS just takes the stress out of finding specific places like motels and friends houses in obscure locations.  She tells us how fast we are going and what the speed limit is, as well as just which turns to take--and she gives plenty of warning, as well as literally drawing us a picture.  Great for those places where the speed limit changes thru towns.  She tells us what lane to be in, gets upset if we make a wrong turn (just kidding) and helps us get back on track.  Fortunately she doesn’t talk all the time and we can turn her off.  She also tells us on a read out what time we will arrive at our destination. 

Yuma has a LOT of trailer parks and RV parks.  There must be houses somewhere here because there is a nice golf course which we will play tomorrow. 

ROAD TRIP!

Pete and I are starting off on a long road trip.  Something we have looked forward to for a year.  We are planning to drive from Seattle to Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico and we will keep in touch with you and write reminders to ourselves by trying to blog regularly.  This should be an interesting trip for us and maybe you might like to learn about it too.  Since we are driving, we imposed on friends who have done it (Canadians, of course) for information.  They were very helpful.  Have to get Mexican car insurance, a Mexican entry permit and a posted monetary guarantee that you will bring the car back to US.  This last money is returned (they say) when you come back thru the border. 
We are not in a hurry so we will visit friends and family on the way.  In California and Arizona.  A couple from Arizona will cross over the border with us and we both have timeshares at Puerto Penasco in Mexico.  We plan to play golf and rest there for a week.  Our friends drive back home and we head off to Mazatlan on our adventure.  We have a week there and our friend from Guadalajara will fly over and join us for a day or two and drive back to his home in Guadalajara where we will stay for a day or two.  Then we drive to Ajijic and find a place to stay for a month or so. 

Sound like fun???  I'll let you know how it goes.  Adios amigos.

AROUND TOWN

Art Auction at Hotel Neuvo Pasada. We went to the Art Auction at the Neuvo Pasada. It was a dinner and auction with Efren being the auctioneer. Great fun and fine food. The proceeds went to a good cause - an Easter production by children of Ajijic. There were about 40 pieces. Great prices too.

The Leather Guy - I have been taking friends to this leather shop because he does a great job on special orders for purses etc and his prices are right. This trip my friends bought at least 3 bags from him - some with special features, also belts. Then I took a friend there to order a couple of small leather bags that hang around the neck - for passport and id etc. I have one. It took almost 2 weeks to get them made and we must have gone back 5 times after he said, "I forgot come back at 6pm" more than once. We did get them and they are great but what a runaround - was it because it was a different style? Was it because he didn't have the zippers? He didn't say. It couldn't have been the color of my friends skin or the fact that he was a male......do you think? Anyway, the price was right. I guess I might continue to recommend him. But I might forget also.

The Malecon - Ajijic has the most lovely malecon. Mornings are great for those people who get up early and insist upon exercising. Evenings are my time, especially when all of the families and children are there. Also the young lovers. As we were walking a few days ago, we stopped to watch two egrets doing a mating dance. They were so beautiful with their top knots all fluffed up. The same day we saw some yellow birds doing the same thing. It must be spring here in paradise.

The Lakeside Little Theater - So we thought we would eat dinner at the Hotel Casa Blanca. French food - very good. Then we walked to the square and caught a taxi to the Little Theater in San Antonio. The production was "The Foreigner". I must say that it was very well done and very funny. Many of the people involved in the theater are retired professionals or people who have had a bit of experience (Duh) and so the sets, production, direction and acting are excellent.

We thought we would be able to get a bus and indeed there was a bus stop but, we waited about 15 minutes and decided to walk home in the dark. Well, no sidewalks, cobble stones and very little light plus it was a long way (relatively). A bus went by, of course. We made it - no sprained ankles or scrapes.

The Rythum of the days

Experimenting with the fresh food

MAZAMITLA AND MORE

Look at the photo. Does that look like Mexican architecture? It looks very alpine - because it is alpine. Mazamitla is located in the mountains south of Chapala at an elevation of about 7200 feet which is about 2200 feet higher than Ajijic.

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We took a day trip from Ajijic, stopping by a wonderful little city by the name of Manzanilla de la Paz. That city was surprising all around. Bustling with activity. A beautiful square and church but ... the most interesting aspect to me was the people. Many were very light skinned and with light hair. The men were taller than I had seen in other villages with broad shoulders. It was striking and very noticeable. I only wish that I could have talked with some of them or that our guide had known more about these people. There are beautiful people all over Mexico and these were no exception.

We learned the names of two of the largest trees - Indian Laurel - and Zalate which can be confused with a Ficus but has some fig like fruits. They grow huge and get very old. Okay, Mazamitla - The guide drove the car way up the mountain. Most of the roads were good, some places a little bumpy. At one point we got out and walked among the evergreen trees. There are three different kinds of pine trees and the air there was fragent with pine.

Around the beautiful town square were buildings made of wood, two stories with balconies that gave them an alpine (think Leavenworth, WA) look. Very surprising. Interesting too, were all of the children who were either getting out of school or going to school, who were all bundled up! We were very warm and sitting in the shade. Obviously, these people are used to extreme heat in the summer and cold in the winter. One of the young girls in her school uniform of a short skirt and high socks and sweater was almost as tall as Pete. Again very attractive people and a town that is obviously prosperous.

We (some of us) slept on the ride back but we sure enjoyed our tour.