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The Super Bowl and a Sports Bar

1/29/2015

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Charlie's Place, La Cruz
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Melinda behind the bar at Charlie's Place
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Ribeye taco at Tacos on the Street
I found a place to watch the Super Bowl this weekend in La Cruz,. It is called Charlie's Place on Calle Cameron. The palapa bar/restaurant has three 32-inch flat screen TVs. Their food specialty is wood fired brick stone oven pizzas.  Various music venues are featured several times a week.  There will be well over 100 people there so I'll have to go early to claim my seat.  Go Seahawks!

The place was opened four years ago by a Seattle native, Charlie Wilker. He also worked at the French Laundry in Napa and the Lark Restaurant in Seattle. Charlie's was formerly known as the La Pajarita and Mango's Grill under different owners.   Charlie's mother, Melinda, helps run the place.

I also found out that there is no bakery in town of any culinary significance but I ran into this Mike person who is a baker and supplies various eateries with New York cheesecake, apple pie, and other sweets.  He said he makes everything in his home kitchen … no need to use commercial kitchens here.

Tonight, the ‘taco man’ went to Tacos on the Street restaurant at the corner of Calle Coral and Huachinango.  It is interesting to note that all the street names in town are named after sea life.  All the tables on the street were taken so I had to eat inside, a bit steamy and muggy compared to the calle seating  All they serve here are corn or flour rib eye tacos with extras (see pic).  And they only serve flan for dessert which I had to try.  All were tasty.  Good thing I had a cerveza to put out the fire from the roasted chillies served on the 'extras’ plate which comes with the taco.

In case you are wondering, the town’s name comes from a cross (La Cruz) that is made of Huanacaxtle wood.  The giant cross is located at the town's entrance. The wood is very sturdy and long lasting akin to teak.  The area had an abundance of the wood 40 years ago, but no more.  Most of the wood doors and furnishings in the house where I am staying are made from this wood.  About 1,600 residents live here comprising of local Mexicans, Canadians, Americans, a few Europeans, and an interesting assortment of eclectic characters. 

While walking about the village, I meandered by the Emiliano Zapata elementary school.  The entire school compound, including the soccer field, was walled off with a chain link fence. The classes were held outside and all the kids were neatly dressed, all wearing uniforms. It seems kids are better behaved and more respectful in Mexico.

More on the town later.
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Emiliano Zapata elementary school
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Puddle Jump or Bust, Arrived in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle

1/27/2015

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The casa
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Entrance to the marina chanel
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La Ballena Blanca fish taco
I arrived at the dusty side street, Calle Albatros at the casa which was to be my studio pad for a month. It is a villa with three studio units for rent.  The unit was reasonably clean, basic kitchen appliances, cleaning products, broom/pan/toilet brush, soft bed with fitted sheets/mattress pad, AC, fans, 32-inch flat screen TV, a crystal clear swimming pool, and two terrier mutts named Tyson and Mohammed.  Alas, the Internet does not work in the studio since it is too far from the wireless router.  Marielza (Mari), the proprietor, said she will order an amplifier to boost the signal.  Meanwhile, I work in the outdoor covered patio of the main house which has great view of ocean and the boat entrance channel which leads to the La Cruz marina … a ringside seat for watching boats arriving at and leaving from the marina.

Last night I walked around the dusty cobblestone streets of La Cruz and found a great outdoor taco joint called the La Ballena Blanca  (The White Whale).  Two fish tacos and a Pacifico for $5.00 … muy delicioso.  Will definitely eat there again as I have become a “taco man."  Also passed by Ana Banana’s, a place for breakfasts, burgers, desserts and such where a kids’ birthday party was in full swing ... kids singing and piñata breaking.  I did a short video clip of that.

Later at night, I found my way home with a bit of difficulty as I forgot to bring my flashlight and the side streets have no lighting after dark.   I only stepped into one pothole on the way home without breaking my neck.  I tried to do some Internet work on the patio but the long-legged mosquitoes that prowl here for human blood after dark chased me inside.

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Mexico Publications in English

1/8/2015

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Baja Region

The Baja Citizen
Baja Insider
Baja Traveler
Gringo Gazette

Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo


Imagine Mexico


La Cruz de Huanacaxtle

Inside La Cruz

Lost Cabos


Cabo Living
Los Cabos

Mazatlan

Mazatlan Today
M!

Mexico

Escape Artist: Mexico
Mexperience

Puerto Vallarta

Banderas News
Banderas Bay Events

Vallarta Tribune
Vallarta Today
PV Angels

Sayulita

Sayulita Life
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What a Sailing Accident Report Looks Like

1/8/2015

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The accident occurred in the Bay of Biscay on 8 October 1997.

An experienced skipper and two novice crew agreed to deliver a Beneteau Oceanis 390 yacht. Ocean Madam, from Malta to Plymouth, United Kingdom. Before sailing, the crew were informed the voyage would last four to six weeks. The yacht sailed from Malta on 22 September 1997 and headed towards Gibraltar where it arrived on 2 October. This leg included one refueling stop in a Spanish port.

After 36 hours in Gibraltar Ocean Madam resumed her voyage with the intention of making a non-stop passage to Plymouth. In the event the plan was changed and a diversion was made to La Coruna to refuel on 7 October. During the short stopover the skipper became aware that force 7-8 winds were forecast for the Bay of Biscay. Confident in his ability to handle adverse weather conditions he chose to sail and once underway, began to pick up the BBC shipping forecasts which were predicting force 9 winds. Within 24 hours Ocean Madam was encountering high winds and correspondingly rough seas with breaking waves.

On the evening of 8 October, Ocean Madam was knocked down twice by breaking waves. She recovered after the first knock-down but inverted after the second. While in this position one of the crew became detached from the yacht despite being securely clipped on by his safety harness. Faced with a dismasted and partially flooded craft in a high sea state
and in the dark, the two survivors were severely handicapped by the circumstances in what they could do. They were without power and were confronted with a flailing liferaft but could hear the cries of the man overboard. Controlling the inflated liferaft became their first priority and both men climbed into it to secure it. Before they were able to do so,
another sea struck them and broke the painter. The liferaft was swept away and any chance of rescuing their colleague had gone.

Alerted by the transmissions of the EPIRB a French search and rescue operation was successful, and after spending eight hours in the damaged liferaft, the two survivors were rescued by a French naval helicopter.  The capsize was caused by breaking waves. Prior to the second knock-down the crew member who lost his life was wearing a lifejacket and a safety harness which was properly clipped on. Although it will never be determined exactly what happened, it is probable he
unclipped himself whilst underwater but was unable to return to the boat once it had righted. He was never found and is presumed drowned.

The report makes four recommendations:

  1. Remind offshore yachtsmen to ensure washboards are in place whenever bad weather is forecast or encountered, and that they are properly secured to prevent them being lost in the event of a knock-down;

  2. Inform all small craft owners and skippers to register their EPIRBs with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and ensure that any changes are kept up to date;

  3. Remind all holders of commercially endorsed certificates of competence such as Yachtmaster Offshore and Ocean of their responsibility to ensure that vessels on long charter or delivery trips have sufficiently qualified and experienced people on board to undertake the proposed long voyage;

  4. Alert yachtsmen to the fundamentals of yacht stability so that owners and skippers are better informed to make judgements regarding the suitability of their craft for given weather and sea conditions.

The full report can be downloaded below:



beneteau390_capsize.pdf
File Size: 1478 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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