After this long weekend which celebrates Labor Day, Holy Cross Day and a National Holiday , La Manzanilla should return to a sleepy fishing village for the summer. There are perhaps 60 of us gringos who stay for these months. The weather this winter has been fabulous. Cool and sunny. Terrific for walking and sleeping-for doing anything. Casa Judita has been full and I have met some wonderful people who have stayed there.

Our restaurants in the village continue to flourish. Coco Loco had a flaming Hula Hoop Fire dance the other night on the beach. Their pizza oven is to die for. Actually there were many events all winter long in all the restaurants. Brunch at Valentina’s remains a favorite. Hopefully Mayas will be hopen for lunch this summer in Melaque. We even had Polo matches down the road near Careyes. Very international. Beautiful fields and horses. Tonight we will be with friends watching the Kentucky Derby on TV. All in little La Manzanilla. One would never know this by just driving in and out again. You must come and stay. Promise, you won’t regret it.

Further afield, there is a new Costco in PV and a Walmart in Manzanillo. We hear that an Office Depot has opened too and that a big hardware store will open as well.

Out here in Boca de Iguanas, the new Boutique Hotel continues selling their condos. There will be a new restaurant opening there too but probably not until the new winter season.

Here at the Hacienda we are having a new front porch put on. This will give us added protection from the sun this summer. Our poor chickens have had a challenging winter. There is a huge Boa getting onto their free range lot and taking out the little chics. Workers constructing a new home beside them saw it. Huge they said. Also in the night, something is going in and just killing one or two. The guess is a fox but we are not sure. We will be lifting carpets and moving furniture back soon as the rains are about to begin. We love this time of year. Friends come and go all summer. Many fly down and check on their homes. Never a dull moment.

I will write again once the rains start and give you an update. Have a great summer.

All of a sudden it is now Easter. As usual the beaches and village are chocablock. It has been a funny two months with lower temperatures than usual. The evenings require two if not three blankets on the bed and our pup Kulu is definitely under them.

Think I told you that Walmart has opened in Manzanillo. We hear that we are getting a Home Depot too which would be great. Costco is now open in Puerto Vallarta and a new Liverpool Store which is a high end department store.

Back in La Manzanilla, we have a new Vet, Doctor,Dentist and Bakery. Amazing.

The spay and neuter clinic, Cisco was a great success. Both Peter and I volunteered. Peter was in the operating room and I steralized the instruments. The clinic lasted four days and they operated on 150 animals. Very rewarding.

We have a new Hotel here in Boca. It is called the Boca de Iguanas Eco Hotel. It is not finished yet but already having lots of teething problems. There are a lot of buildings in a small area. Hope it works. They have been taking care of many turtle eggs and about weekly they let them go into the ocean when ready. Lovely to watch. Many Humpback whales this winter, always a treat to see.

The Casa continues to give me a lot of joy. I really enjoy meeting people who come to stay.

Back at the Hacienda, spring has definitely sprung with our chickens now raising many new chics. Really cute to watch. We also purchased 20 little ones as well. They continue to produce and we are now up to about 40 or more. We might be giving away many eggs in about six months. We also had our orange trees pruned making me the orange fairy of the village delivering bags to friends doorsteps. The kittens have certainly grown and doing very well. Kulu too.

Close to where we live, we have a very professional Polo field. Yesterday we went to watch the finals. We were most impressed with the fields, horses and riders. Argentina was playing Mexico city. Bently’s and other posh cars were the prizes. Food was served and Mariachi bands played. Also in our area wondering minstrels have been around. We are very unspoilt so far.

We are extending our porch at the front of the Hacienda, moving plants and getting more. We should really have the place painted this summer but the thought of all that effort makes me keep putting it on the back burner. I have excuses, two trips to Ottawa and one to Mexico City, Oaxaca and Puebla. Then our winter season starts again. It should be fun. We have three new neighbours and one is a chef.

So, come on down and check us out. Cheers for now.

Travelling on a new highway, our first destination was San Sebastian in the Sierra Madre mountains. Both this village and Talpa( that we were to go to also )have been difficult and expensive to get to because no highway excisted. One had to fly in before. San Sebastian was very small. It had been an old mining town and dates back to 1605. At 4,500 feet the air was clean and crisp and cold in the night. We stayed in a very basic hacienda type hotel called Hotel El Pabellon Mexicano. The owner was the local doctor and very charming. We sampled a few of the local drinks and had a tour. This had been part of the silver factory and secret tunnels were still in existance leading from the hotel to the church. He invited us to have a look but we declined - all I could vision were rats. Very charming village.

The following day we drove to Talpa de Allende which is surrounded by pine covered mountains. Three pilgrimages a year happen here to see the Virgin “Rosario of Talpa”. This is a small statue that is said to have healing powers . At over 4000 feet as well, the climate was perfect. We stayed in a fabulous B&B called Hacienda Jacaranda run by Bill and Guy. Guy is a trained chef and his breakfast was to die for. They were a little out of town but our hacienda style verandah afforded us lovely views of the town surrounded by pastures of horses, ponds and Millets fields. I could see new construction everywhere now that the road is completed. Say good-bye to peaceful Talpa. With its proximity to Guadalahara and new four lane highway just being completed I can see it being another Ajijic.

Next stop was Tlaquepaque for two nights. More gastronomical experiences here with lots of shopping for me. I was looking for unique items for my new Condo in Ottawa. I found a fabulous hanging Alabaster lamp that my strong son will carry in his luggage this Christmas back to Ottawa. Lots of other things too. Fortunately there were pre Day of the Dead celebrations in the main jardin. We were so lucky to listen to a Mariachi bands, dancers and singers plus fabulous fireworks at the end. Few tourists at this time of year. The jardin was packed solid with the locals all singing along and dancing. Lovely to see. We also took a taxi into Guadalahara and showed our friends the Cathedral etc. Lunch was at the fabulous Restaurant 88.

Onward to Ajijic where we love to stay in a terrific B&B. They spoil us so. Here in Ajijic one can find a couple of stores that cater to gringos where one can find items not available elsewhere. Things like hard flour, self raising flour, herbs and losts of other things. Of course they come at a price. Still, we only do it twice a year. We also checked out the real estate. I love looking at homes for sale. They certainly are tempting and for a lot less than La Manzanilla but too cold for us. Also in Ajijic they have an animal shelter. Here we picked up two three month old sisters. They have both had most of their shots and volunteers come in daily to sit with them making them used to humans and easier to introduce into a home. Come and meet Skabanga and Simba.

Back in La Manzanilla now, the weather has turned and believe it or not the heater for the pool has been turned on. The ocean is fabulous as well. The Day of the Dead was celebrated over the past few days too. Lots of flowers and music in the Jardin in the evening.

My rentals start this month too. The Casa furniture has all been varnished and every inch of the interior has been cleaned and checked - palapa too. The beach still remains a bit rocky in places. If nature does not clean it up soon we will bring in a bulldozer to push the stones back into the ocean. This seems to be a yearly practice.

Adios for now.

In La Manzanilla, the roads have been more or less flattened. The rain plays havoc with both the paved roads and our dirt road in the village. We have long given up on keeping the truck clean.The beach was a horrible mess. They have removed a lot of the flotsam and jetsam but a lot more work still needs to be done. Our usual rock piles are on the beach and then one spring tide around December will come in and take them away. Nature has all kinds of tricks.

We could use some more rain now to cool things down. It is very sticky and HOT.

I just read on our message board that PV will be getting a Costco and Home Depot. Imagine that, I can give Walmart a break. This can be a little mini break. We have a very reasonable hotel we stay at right on the marina with lots of restaurants to sample.

Next month we are off to San Sabastian, (17th Century Mining town) Mascota and Talpa in the heart of the Sierra Madres. This area has recently opened up more because of a new highway. Before, one had to fly in.

Two years now we have been out in our orange grove at the Hacienda in Boca. Our chickens have dwindled in number but still producing, the plants and trees are threatening to take over, down a cat and one dog. But, Peter, Judy, Kulu, Gypsy, a dozen chickens, Saul our helper, Chela the maid and one canary that does not even tweet could not be happier. The Casa remains the same and renters have all said they loved staying there on the beach and the Casa itself. I really enjoy meeting new people and managing it. I am almost totally booked for 2008. Imagine.

Now, a little news about the village to update you.

Yolanda has moved her restaurant across the street and is now on the beach. She opened last night but we had a huge storm and could not get away. We wish them luck. Palapa Joes is doing well under new managment. Martin has a new chef and newish menu. There will be a new Italian restaurant on the beach too. Lots of little places opening. Maya in Melaque has a new rental contract so they will be open again too.

Good news for cars, they have just scraped the streets taking out most pot holes. Now they need to do the paved road into town.

The Fiesta has just come to an end. For the past couple of weeks we have had rockets at dawn, brass bands, a carnival around the plaza, processoins, pongas taking the Virgin of Talpa out to sea, fireworks and tons of people. La Manzanilla has so many special events during the summer months it is a shame more people don’t stay around or come visit. Sure it is a bit hot and humid but on the beach there seems to be no problem.

Further afield, in Manzanillo, we are going to get a Walmart store. Now I know you don’t find this very exciting but for us it is. I used to live in London, England and shop at Harrods. Now my day is made when I can get to a Walmart. Life is certainly amusing. Also in Manzanillo we have a new movie theatre and Burger King–stop laughing!!!!

Cell Phones have arrived too in La Manzanilla. We finally got one because our country phone which is a line of site phone, just is not working. Now once I can figure out how to use it we should be all set.

At the Crucero (entrance to the village) they have planted many new Primavera trees and other shrubs. I really hope they take because it will make a very grand entrance just before you hit the potholes

Cisco’s Amigos Clinic will be on again this year. Vets come from the USA and Mexico city and help dogs and cats in need.

Property is still selling like hotcakes. We have a new Boutique Hotel at this end of the beach with running paths, villas, condos, hotel, etc etc. I think most of the beach property has been sold. I see so many people now that we don’t know. Over at Tamarindo they are building multi million dollar villas that only “club members of Yellowstone” can use.

The rains have started which we love. Hurricane season is next month. We have some weather junkies here who keep us up to date on our message board as to what is coming and what to expect. October the Gringos start returning and the rains stop and it cools off. We are so blessed.

Think that is about it. Hope you come and visit our lovely fishing village some day.

All this is happening in little La Manzanilla, a small fishing village. Amazing.