Big Sail Boat, Marching and Christopher’s Market

We should try to rent this one.

This time of year, the cruisers are out in force moving down south or stopping and making Barra their winter port. We had a visit from another large vessel, this time a sailboat named "Eos". The boat is the largest private sailboat in the world. (Measured from bow to stern. If measured by deck length, it would be second largest.) We watched it motor out of the bay. Hope they are as happy as we are!

Sunday evening Huitzil, a local gentleman, brought Jill and Barry some sea turtle babies to release. Huitzil finds the egg nests, collects the eggs and takes them home where they hatch. Then he releases them when it is dark. It is a lot of work, but he feels that many more survive that way.  I would agree. The traffic on the beach and the fact that animals like to eat the eggs all add to the lower survival rate. Hatching and releasing allows the babies to have a greater chance of survival. We had to go to dinner before dark, so we let Jill and Barry have the fun of setting this nest free!

Cuff and Link getting ready for the big swim.

On Saturday, January 21, millions of people gathered across the world to march to protect women's rights and other causes including immigration reform, health care reform, protection of the natural environment, LGBTQ rights, racial justice, freedom of religion, and workers' rights. The rallies were aimed at Donald Trump, the recently inaugurated President of the United States, and especially at his statements and positions regarded as anti-women/anti-minority. Women in Melaque held a march which drew over 200 participants. Linda attended and showed her support. I rode my bike and took a few pictures.

Pink everywhere!

Yesterday, Daren and Marcy joined us for a bus ride into Manzanillo to visit the Oaxacan Market that sets up at the Soriana Department store during January. We purchased tickets on the Primera Plus bus and rode in comfort to just across the street from the event. Once again Linda did a great job leading us through the complex Spanish-speaking Mexican world. 

While on the bus, we stopped in Santiago to let two gringos off. As they were getting ready to leave, they informed us that our information was all wrong. They said that the Premier Plus bus would only go to its bus stop and let people off. They said we had paid for a ticket to Old Town Manzanillo and therefore, we would have to go there, depart, and then take a local bus back to the Oaxacan market.

Oxacan Market

Linda had researched this trip and was told by several people who'd just done the trip that if we purchased the ticket to Old Town, we could get off the bus somewhere across from the market and walk to it. She explained that to the gringos and the man looked at her and laughed, then in a condescending voice said "Good luck with that!" and he exited the bus.

Knowing she had not misinterpreted the information about this bus ride, Linda then talked to the bus driver, a fellow employee, and a young Mexican woman who was attempting to do the same thing as we were.  They said that we could get off the bus at the Soriana with no problems. They said they would stop and signal us when we arrived. Which they did.

Just the right fit!

If we had listened to the gringos, we would have added and hour to our trip. As it was, Linda saved us a huge amount of time and effort.

The market was just opening when we arrived so we had the run of the place. It was fun to look around, but we were a bit disappointed.  The selection owasafts were not anything like in year's past. It only took us an hour to look it over. We purchased nothing.

Next we shopped in the Soriana for a bit and bought a couple things.

Linda led Marcy to the Flexi shoe store. Daren and I sat in the air conditioned comfort, on a big red couch, as the ladies tried on evey shoe in the store. Linda had success, but Marcy came away empty handed. It wasn't that she didn't give it a hell of a try though.

By then we were hungry and needed to get some food. We walked back down the street to a place called El Fogon where we had a great meal.

Linda led us home and we collapsed in the comfort of our casas. It was another fun day.