La Manga, the Desert and a Full Moon Morning

For the last several weeks, life has been filled with trop rock bands, birding trips, parties, beach excursions, dining out with friends, yoga, spanish and computer classes and all manner of things that speak of retirement in a beach community.  I have been too engaged to take many pictures, but I have a few to share.  Win and Cinda brought down our new camera with them, so we have been experimenting.  (If we have anything shipped here, we have to pay duty on it crossing the border from Tucson, thus we asked them to bring it down.  A few Christmas presents from family cost us about $40!)

One of the most fun events was a trip out to the La Manga kindergarten to give the kids supplies that the Johnsons brought down to Mexico with them.  We had tried to get a translator to go with us but, when that proved too complicated, we went by ourselves and tried as best we could to communicate.  Jim, being the most fluent of us, did most of the talking and picture taking while the rest of us helped the kids with coloring or songs or games.

A FEW OF THE DELIGHTFUL LA MANGA KINDERGARTEN KIDS

Cinda has a great way to help kids calm down when they
are frustrated or angry.  You count off the words, "Peace
begins with me" on your fingers.  This is us trying to teach
them this.

For some things, words aren't necessary.

Come on, Win, you can do it!

Playing a tag game-I was having a great time!

The biggest kid of all!

Afterwards, we had lunch (molcajete, a crab, shrimp and avocado tostada and grilled garlic shrimp) at the restaurant out there and then explored the other fishing villages, and the desert.

Being homeless in Mexico is not at all bad!

What a place to hang out!

Main St.

How'd you like to hang your hat here?

Or here....

This would be your street address.

There was a lovely ranch nearby and these cows were guarding
the road.

And look who we found looking at us.

Ocotillo in bloom-not a true cactus, I'm told.  But it is one
of the first of the desert plants to bloom, especially after a rain.

 On the way home, we stopped at the fishing camp at the Esterito at the Bahia and snapped a few photos of the wonderful pelicans that hang out there.  We each bought a fresh snapper.  The birds got the entrails.

Cinda braves the fresh filleting on the spot.

That red on their beak is indicating he is a breeding male.

We closed out a very full day with the opening of Friday Nights with the Just4Fun Band at Palapa Griega.

So, we have many pictures of incredible sunsets on the blog.  How about a few of sunrises?

From our deck

Can you believe these colors?

Jim captured the full moon setting.