Not again...... AAAMMMMAAAAIIIIAAAA?

Hello Everyone,

We have finally arrived in Zihuatanejo.  It seems like we have been sailing now for awhile.  The boat is just now feeling like our true home.  You know the feeling you have when you move into a new house and it just seems strange for awhile.  Well I had that turning point yesterday where I realized it didn’t feel strange anymore now it just seems normal.  This morning having my coffee on the front of the boat watching all the fishing pangas going by and the little row boats with the fisherman throwing their nets right in front of me, I realized I am going to miss this environment and it will be hard for us to re-acclimate back into our old routines.  Today was the first day I thought... how long could we cruise on the funds that we currently have????  

We had a great time exploring Manzanillo.  Alina really wanted to ride the local bus into town so we jumped on the bus.  It was really hot and crowded with a lot of interesting people.  From the kids on the bus, to the man with the chicken, to another man dressed in jeans material all the way to a jeans jacket in the middle of the day.  I can't believe he wasn't dying of heat stroke.  Once in town it was another visit the the mercado, a haircut for Tristan, some chinese food, this is very hard to find down here and the kids are always super excited when we find it.   Walking through the towns always amaze me and there is always so much to see.  You never know the shops you will find and what they sell inside.  It is always interesting because they often sell what ever they can.  An example is a motorcycle shop that also sold caskets... maybe this is a hint???

Sometimes I wonder what to put in the blog.  We often think, what can we share that would be interesting... often I just revert back to my ramblings of our daily lives because I just don’t know what else to put and we are using this blog more as a diary of our travels.  Our daily lives consist of homeschooling, cleaning, swimming, laundry, reading, cooking and walking.  They are all basic activities that have become routine and uneventful except for the occasional moments that come up.  Those are the little moments that I would like to remember.  For example, when we were diving the wreck and the kids were learning to scuba with Chris, I was snorkeling with the little ones.  I pick my head up to look for Amaia and she has gone back to where we anchored the dinghy.  I swam over to her and she is playing with this tiny little yellow fish.  It is the cutest thing.  She is swimming in circles trying to catch it.  It isn’t afraid and seems to be playing with her.  Amaia gets out of the water into the dinghy and this little fish is now clinging to me.  It doesn’t matter where I go or how fast I swim this little fish stays with me for at least 45 mins swimming everywhere with me.  It was the funniest thing.  When I would swim freestyle as fast as I could it would swim up right in front of my mask about an inch a way so all I could look at was the back fins of this little fish... The little girls were getting cold so we decided to swim back to the big boat that was about 100 yards away and the little fish swam with us all the way.  I then got out and it attached itself to Mykaela and was swimming with her.  We had the best time playing with this little guy for over an hour.

We then motored down the coast to a little island off of Ixtapa called Isla Grande.  It is a little tourist island that has some palapas but it doesn't have electricity or running water.  They bring all the supplies and water in by pangas.  One of the cool things on this island is all the deer and rabbits that are there.  The kids had a good time going on a rabbit hunt.  The water was crystal clear and a few times we saw a spotted baby eel swimming among us.  Obviously we all ran out of the water... even though it harmless... it is just unsettling having it swim around your legs.  We were there for a couple of days and then we had to get gas in the Ixtapa Marina and then off to Zihautaneho.

Yesterday we went to a meeting on the beach for the Sailfest http://www.zihuasailfest.com/ activities that we will be partaking in this week to help raise money for the local kids education... Of course during the meeting I look up and Amaia is gone... she has decided to go explore by herself.  We have lost her so many times on this trip that now everyone says... “Not again,  MMMAAIIIIAAA!”  She is never worried because she always knows where she is and is usually sitting with a local family playing with their dog or talking with their kids... at least sharing facial expressions and funny faces.  Anyway, I was gently scolding (reminding her) that she isn’t to wander off on her own and she needs to ask or let us know where she is going to go when a local lady came up and drapped her arms around my shoulder and grabbed my hand.... I wasn’t sure why she was hugging me but she let me know she was watching from afar and was giggling because it was reminding her of her mother, who is coming in a week, and all the times she was talked to in the same ways.  Head down, eyes down in the yes mom I have heard this before body language.  Anyway it is another example of how friendly and approachable and warm people are that we have come across.  The family was watching this woman pretty much mall me with hugs and was wondering what in the world is going on.  I do have to admit just last night that we lost site of Amaia about 5 times.  Of course one of them was during the fire hula hooping show.  She was right in front of me one minute and then I look down and she is gone the next.  Where do we find her?  She has migrated to the family performing and she is helping them by handing them their hula hoops and lighters when they need them.  I couldn’t help but smile and watch her integrate herself into the backstage of the show... I often wonder what she will be like when she gets older :@)

After this we explored town to get our bearings and then went to dinner with the family from Pelagic.  Mike had been here 7 years ago and new of a fantastic Taco stand in town.  Let me just say that the tacos for 7 pesos apiece were worth much more.  Dinner was delicious and I think between the two families we ordered 60 tacos.  The meat was carved right in front of you and dropped onto your tortillas. Then of course it is some ice cream and then to the beach front where all the locals gathered to play basketball, perform with fire ringed hula hoops, sell hand made items and to just let the kids run around and play and be kids.... As we are sitting on the beach, stars are out, full moon shining through the palm trees, watching the kids play king of the hill on a huge sand pile... just realizing how peaceful and at ease it is living down here and can see why the cruisers migrate to these wonderful communities.

Hugs to all and have a great superbowl weekend!

Heath