Spanish Class Field Trip

John and I joined Carolina, our Spanish teacher, and classmates for a field trip to the Empalme Tianguis (flea market).  It was quite the cultural experience!  John and I found all kinds of goodies to buy - a small metal patio table (la mesa), a hoover vacuum cleaner (la aspiradora), a hand saw (la sierra mano). We drank hibiscus tea with ice (agua de jamaica). It was great fun and great way to practice asking for things in Spanish, for talking numbers and pesos in Spanish, and for having fun generally.  Here's a little film of our experience.

Bodies Found in the San Carlos Desert

A few weeks ago in the evening, while I walked my doggies in the desert just north of Loma del Mar's gate, my neighbor Marge popped over to warn John. 

“Tell Levonne it's best not to wonder around in the desert. Twelve bodies were found at the old airport!” Marge went on to explain to him that her neighbor had just popped over and informed her about the report on that evening's news.

View of the desert surrounding Loma del Mar community in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico

Upon my return home after the lovely outing along a dirt path among creosote bushes and Ocotillo, John's first words were about the twelve bodies discovered in the desert and Marge's warning not to go out there.

Daily over the previous two months that we'd been in San Carlos, we'd reflected on our feeling of safety in our small part of Sonora, Mexico.

“You mean right out there where I was walking?”

“That's what Marge said.”

“Who were the murdered people? What happened?”

“I don't know. She didn't have much information.”

Stunned I walked inside. My head spinning with images of bloody bodies scattered throughout the desert. I imagined a drug-gang shootout the preceding night. We had heard sounds coming from the desert but sloughed it off as kids with firecrackers.

As I sat in bewilderment, I imagined other possibilities for the deaths. Could the twelve bodies have been migrants traveling on foot toward the U.S. who had perished from thirst? Quickly I ruled that the migrants surely would not perish so near a town in their own country from thirst.

It occurred to me to check the U.S.State Department website for warnings about travel in Mexico. Surely they would know of this if it was on the news already. Nothing there. No report of a recent rash of murders in Sonora. I did however learn about “prohibited travel destinations” due to violence. 

Sonora state – Level 3: Reconsider Travel

Reconsider travel due to crime. Sonora is a key location utilized by the international drug trade and human trafficking networks. However, northern Sonora experiences much lower levels of crime than cities closer to Sinaloa and other parts of Mexico.

Okay. So roads to our destination and San Carlos were good although for other parts of the state of Sonora, the warning was Level 3: Reconsider Travel.

I went on to google current news stories on "murders in San Carlos." No reports of twelve bodies in San Carlos area. After nothing but dead ends on the internet, I decided to get on with dinner prep and to make the rest of the day as regular an evening as possible. But I must tell you that “my realilty” began to take a major turn.

What had we gotten ourselves into? I began to wonder how we could live in the middle of such violence. Had I been too cocky with talk about he violence of Mexico not being dissimilar to violence in the U.S.? I wondered if we should leave Mexico immediately. We had already invested so much time and energy and resources in getting our winter abode set up.

That same evening as we got news of the twelve bodies, we were sure that that night's "firecracker pops and bangs" were indeed bullets. Another shootout in the desert?

The next day, as soon as the Loma del Mar office opened, I went in and asked the Mexican National employees what was up. Surely they'd be concerned too.

“There's a rumor going around that twelve bodies were found out there in the desert.” I pointed toward where I had walked the previous day.

The manager replied, “Yes. Bodies were found.”

“Oh my God!”

“Don't worry yourself with all that. Cartel just kill one another. They aren't interested in you and me.”

My eyes widened. “Really?”

“Just put it out of your mind.”

“But. Aren't you concerned?”

“Not really.”

I could hardly believe my ears. And I was sure she must be lying. How could anyone ignore twelve dead bodies.

“Aren't people concerned?”

“Yes, People are concerned. They want to know whose bones they are.”

“Bones?”

“Families want to determine if the bones belong to a missing family member.”

“You mean they found bones?”

“Yes. An investigation will happen to determine identities.”

All of a sudden my mind made yet another major shift. I cautioned myself. Always check your news sources. Always ask questions. Don't accept the first thing you hear about what someone heard on the news. After asking what the manager's source of information was and being given a web address for Sonora news, I returned home and got back on the computer.

The address took me directly to the story about the twelve sets of bones. The speculation in the news report was that the remains belonged to twelve fishermen that went missing in 2015.

In the days to follow, I learned more about the airport that had been shut down many years earlier because it had begun being used by drug cartel. I was relieved that the locals, or whomever made that decision, did so. 

Fast forward. A few weeks later, I still love San Carlos. I am amazed by all the beauty, the people, the abundance of great activities. I love the place at Loma del Mar that is now our winter home. But I am also reminded that no matter how safe a place comes to feel, one best continue to exercise common-sense caution, while simultaneously maintaining a positive attitude. For where I put my focus, is what will be my life.

Our winter home at Loma Del Mar, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico.

“Envision the future you desire. Create the life of your dreams. See it, feel it, believe it.” Jack Canfield

Wealth or Triple Trailer Trash?

As of January 1, 2018, six weeks after arriving in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico, John and I are officially TTT (Triple Trailer Trash). Yes, we now own three RVs. One (the Jazz) is permanently affixed with a sun room on our property at Surfside RV resort in Parksville, British Columbia, Canada.

The second trailer, (The Wanderer), we use to travel about North America. And the recent addition to our fleet, our third RV (Wanderer II), is our new winter home. This second Wanderer is a 28-foot travel trailer that is set up on our property at Loma del Mar Recreation Park (www.lomadelmarsancarlos.com) in San Carlos, Mexico, alongside a small casita.

Charlie and I walking at Loma del Mar,
Sonora, Mexico.  The community
where we now have our winter home.

Yes, over the holidays, John and I gave ourselves the gift of a permanent snowbird destination. We now have a summer home in Canada and a winter home in Mexico.

Our living space inside Wanderer II.

How did we come to this decision? We fell in love with San Carlos; its desert geography on the northeastern edge of the Sea of Cortez, its small friendly tourist atmosphere (similar to Parksville's), the warm winter climate, and the excitement of being in a new country with a different language. Creating a way of life in Mexico feels good.

Being part of an established snowbird park offers us an immediate community. People travel to Loma del Mar from all over North America. Utah, Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, Quebec, California, Wyoming to name a few places out of dozens.

The diversity in retirement ages at Loma del Mar ranges from people in their fifties to many in their eighties and nineties. The older folks are great inspirations! Active and adventuresome.

Now that we have a home base here, John and I have thrown ourselves into our Spanish lessons with increased gusto. We are committed to learning about this place and the people beyond the surface.

We spent the last ten days of 2017 making our little Mexican hacienda our own. John went through all the electrical, plumbing and gas systems and repaired problems. I cleaned and organized the interiors of Wanderer II and our little casita (that I'll use as my art studio). We tended to plants and spruced up and furnished the outdoor living space.

The studio (on left) and Wanderer II (on right) shot from the patio.

Wanderer II  on left and studio casita on right.

Charlie is enjoying the new place.  Inside the casita
that I'll use as my art studio.

I guess we're officially retired now, which translates to "ready to fully live". We're looking forward to at least a decade of snowbirding pending good health and barring unforeseen circumstances. For now, we have three months before we head back to our northern home in Parksville. Just set the studio up today and plan to get back to painting tomorrow. Funny...it strangely feels all just right!  Ahh! Deep breath.

New Year's Day hike in Nacapule Canyon minutes from
our new winter residence.

The pool and hot tub area at Loma del Mar.

If you have questions or comments, I welcome them. Just leave your message below and I'll answer. Thank's for reading along.

Real Time San Carlos

Hola! ¿Cómo estás?

The many ways to say “Hello. How are you?” in Spanish are all jumbled up in my head.

¿Cómo está usted?

¿Cómo estás?

¿Cómo estás hoy?

Buenas dias.

Buenos tardes.

Hola.

It seems simple enough. They are just a few basic words.

But departing from automatic speak when I greet someone ain't an easy feat. I must stop my usual response, think about what I want to say in Spanish, remember the person's name that I want to say “good day” to, think about whether its morning (dias) or afternoon (tardes), and get my Spanish phrases in mind before I speak. Then after successfully (or not) saying what I want to say, time to listen to and translate their response. Then the same thing all over again. Figure out what I want to say next. I don't have to tell you that it can be exhausting.

Beautiful decorations on homes next door to RV park.

House decoration at Tecalai next door 

John and I just finished our fourth Spanish lesson in two weeks. It's fun and frustrating. Fun because its a time to play language(s) games with the instructor, Carolina, and with the other students. Frustrating because I want to already say and understand so much more with the Mexican people I encounter each day in San Carlos.

Luckily you don't have to know the language in a foreign county to enjoy its sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures. And we experience plenty of all those each day.

Almost daily since arriving in this seaside town three weeks ago, I've walked from our campsite at Totonaka RV Park to the small development next door for a stroll with my dogs, Gingee and Charlie. The lusciously painted houses with their artsy doors and windows, the clean cobblestone streets, the brightly colored bougainvillea bushes, and the attractive clubhouse and pool area have fueled much fantasizing by me and John of having our own little winter getaway place there.

We're sorting through whether we want to return in winters to come.

The small homes at Tecalai are full of charm and character.

Each day, we find one more item that we thought was not to be found here in San Carlos. Yesterday it was our first trip to the farmacia (pharmacy) where we saw they have familiar cosmetics and toiletries, and medicines for everything we might need. We also discovered the little specialty grocer (Santa Rosa Mercado) where the shelves were stocked with items that make us gringos happy – a loaf of freshly baked sourdough bread, Quaker old fashioned oats, almond milk and more. Not only that, the owner goes to Tucson, Arizona regularly and will bring back items for you if they don't already have them in the store. That's service!

John exploring the artistry at Sagitario Arts and Crafts.

I have reached the point in our stay where I am ready to settle into some creative work with my painting, writing and videography. The challenge is that it's hard for me to focus in our little RV with John and the dogs continuously coming and going. So I began a search for artist studio space, at a reasonable rate. A space close enough to walk to would be great. I'm on the hunt! We will be here for another three months give or a take a week or two, so definitely worth the effort to find. 

Buenas noches and holiday wishes to everyone as you gear up for the month of celebrations.

Yummy Plant-based Dinner

Red Lentil Maranara Over Polenta and Spiraled Zucchini.
A completely plantbased vegan meal. 

I had several requests for this recipe after posting the picture on Facebook.  So here it is!

Red Lentil Maranara (for a 100% plant-based meal)

created by Chef John  (Inspired by The Happy Pear)

Makes approximately 3 quarts (or litres)

2 Tbs vegetable or olive oil

1 medium onion (diced)

4 cloves garlic (fine chopped)

1 green bell pepper (diced)

1 red bell pepper (diced)

2 – 12 oz. cans whole tomatoes and juice (chopped)

1 cup chopped kale

1 cup red lentils

1 cup vegetable broth

1 cup chopped mushrooms

3 Tbs tamari sauce (or soy sauce)

2 Tbs pure maple syrup

2 Tbs Italian seasoning

2 Tbs oregano

1 tsp paprika

salt to taste

(optional) 1/3 cup red wine

1. Brown onion, garlic in large sauce pan or Instant Pot.
2. Add chopped peppers to saute.
3. Add remainder of ingredients to pot, stir and adjust liquid to allow sauce to simmer.
4. Add more vegetable stock as needed during cooking.
5. Simmer until lentils are soft (we cooked for hours)
6. Serve over pasta, rice, polenta, potatoes or whatever the hell you want.
7. Serve with a chapped salad and citrus-based dressing.

Citrus-based Dressing

created by Chef Levonne

Juice of several small limes.

1 Tbs of olive oil

1 Tbs of vegan mayonnaise

pinch of chili powder

pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients well and pour over chopped jicama, fresh tomato, avocada salad up to 20 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Getting to Know You. Getting to Know All About You.

Boom dockers camp out near San Francisco Beach (for free if you don't know the meaning of boondock).

Our first week in San Carlos was filled with exploration and getting ourselves set up for maximum comfort. I was excited by all the newness, overwhelmed by securing matters of food, clothing, and shelter while dealing with language differences, but mostly soothed by the warm, sunny weather.

Within three days of our arrival, we shopped at the local grocery store, bought fresh fruits and vegetables from Freddy the veggie vendor right at Totonaka RV park where we camp, signed up for regular fresh drinking water delivery to our trailer, walked around Marina San Carlos and five-mile San Francisco beach (where several RVers boon-docked in their rigs), and met up with Mary Ann, our neighbor from Surfside (on Vancouver Island) at her Tecalai (a housing development) home next door. I also checked out Athleticlub San Carlos for yoga classes and Galeria Bellas Artes San Carlos for local art and artists.

What struck me most in those first three days was:

• the beauty of the area with its pointy, rocky hills and mountains, some of which sweep down to the ocean's shoreline,

John and the dogs take a walk at Algodones Beach.

A taco at home costs less than a dollar. Fresh tortilla made
 with vegetable oil, avocado, salsa, tomato, cilantro,
lettuce, pintos (cooked in slow cooker at home), and
a squeeze of lime served with Chilean wine
 ($7 U.S. per bottle). 

• the bountifulness of fruits and vegetables at amazingly low prices,

• the friendliness of the Mexican people,

• the abundance of things to do – walking, hiking, bicycling, kayaking, boating, making art, sightseeing, photography, learning Spanish, going out to eat, shopping, and relaxing by the pool or at our trailer,

• the beauty of the homes which can, by the way, be bought for relatively low prices, and

• the wealthy resorts marred by decaying, half constructed casualties of the 2008 Great Recession.

This beautiful little two-bedroom home with a "margarita deck on the roof"
 at Tecalai Development next door for less than U.S. $150,000.

Freddy stops by Totonaka RV on Tuesdays at 4:30 with a great
assortment of fresh fruits and veggies for sale. Easy shopping!

A pretty good beginning to our winter season!

San Carlos, Here We Are!

John, and I rolled into San Carlos (Sonora, Mexico) last Sunday evening. Our fifteen-year old GMC truck had towed the twenty-two-foot fifth-wheel trailer reliably for over nine hours from the border crossing at Nogales, Arizona. By the time we arrived at Totonaka RV, we were exhausted and exhilarated!

At one point along our drive, after hours of detours due to road construction work, I said "Maybe we should turn back." I meant it. My rationale was that I'd rather backtrack on the crappy highway we knew than continue to creep the remaining hours over humps and bumps, along shoulderless roads with slow traffic to a place we didn't know. We'd never been to San Carlos before. John kept driving southward.

My culture shock was apparent to me. The contrast between wealth and poverty in the towns along the way made my eyes bulge and my breathing tense. Mansions and modern-looking businesses in the midst of minimally kempt and roughly put-together homes. Huge piles of dirt or gravel on the edges of roadways, even in the middle of towns. Of course the dried grasses, saguaro cactus, and parched earth of the Sonora desert added to a sense of desperation.  Our time in Mexico decades earlier had not had the same culture-shock effect. But I was younger and more flexible back then! Years had made me more comfortable with the known.

All the warnings from Canadian and American family and friends, upon learning we wished to snowbird in Mexico, came rushing back to me. "Be careful." All indications were that North Americans perceived Mexico as a dangerous place. It didn't matter about all the mass shootings of innocents in the U.S. The Mexican intra-drug-world murders and kidnappings seemed much scarier to them.

Long ago I learned to register a warning of any type, then to try to understand it in its context. Mainstream news media have a way of making the little seem large in our minds, especially if a story triggers fear. Decades earlier, when we traveled in Mexico, we learned that many of the people we encountered believed America to be a most violence-loving society. What could we be without all those good old news reports?

I had my own concerns weighing heavily on my mind. Would John and I be able to maintain the plant-based, whole foods shift we'd made from meat and dairy consumption months earlier? Everyone with experience eating out in Mexico said "good luck" when I wondered if we'd find enough food free of animal parts to sustain us.

And of course there was the water issue. How sick could we get from consuming bad bacteria-laden water?

Would we be able to keep our dogs safe? How much unsavory debris would we have to make sure Charlie and Gingee avoided? How bad would the flea and tick problems be? Would they be stolen and sold?

After the friendly and gracious greetings from the Totonaka staff and other campers, we settled into our sweet little RV site. We safely fed and walked the dogs, made dinner with and took showers in clean water. As night approached, I found myself glad that we had not turned around and aborted our Mexico travels. The second half of Hwy 15 had not been as bad as the first half. And Totonaka, though a little rough around the edges, was pleasant and just happened to be filled with other British-Columbian license-plated RVs.

That first night, I slept peacefully even though in the middle of the night, Mexican music blanketed the park like a thick fog. Normally, I hated being awakened by noise at night. But there was genuinely something soothing about the thump thump thump of the music. When I'd had enough listening to it, I drifted back into a deep sleep.

A rough video of a rough drive from 

Nogales, Arizona to

San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico.