La Puesta del Sol...

Amo la poesia de la playa, que termina con la puesta del sol...

Julio Angel Pacheco Pacheco...A Fisherman

Who needs photos when you can have videos! What I didn't tell you in my last blog post about Julio, was that I wanted to interview him. After my walk, however, I couldn't find him, so went about my day. I came back, swam in the pool, walked to get a lovely lunch of rice and beans for next to nothing...and as it happens when traveling, there was a moment of serendipity....

As I was walking back from lunch, I hear a man yell out, "Hola!", from behind me. It was Julio! I didn't recognize him because he wasn't in his work uniform anymore, but dressed in shorts and a t-shirt and baseball cap. We talked for a bit and I told him I had wanted to interview him, but couldn't find him. Now was my chance...so I put on my Spanish cap, which doesn't always fit, so excuse the mistakes....

Introducing, Julio Angel Pacheco Pacheco, a fisherman, in his own words...published with his permission...Gracias, Julio! Y muchas buena suerte!! - Rose

Even tiny ants...

love flowers...As I was headed back to my hotel room, from the beach,  I looked down at the ground. There were two little ants carrying flowers on their backs. Perhaps to decorate their tables at home...? Or give to their sweethearts...?


Photo forthcoming

Fishing for a living...

First of all, let me say that a blog post really should have a photo, but I'm having issues with transferring photos from my iPhone. The photos will have to wait...

This morning on my walk on the beach I met Julio, a fisherman, who makes his living off of what he can catch in the sea. He sells at the market but also works to feed himself and his family.

I spoke with another fisherman a little later on my walk and I asked him if he liked his work. He said he did. I asked if it was easy or difficult. He said it can be both. I wondered if it were dangerous...and he said that at times it can be. If the waves are really high they can crash you against the rocks and some fishermen have died...

These aren't the usual fishermen we see in the states, with fishing poles. They use nets and cast them out while standing waste deep in the warm water. There are several men, ranging in age from teenager to middle age, all working together.  Once their net is full of little sardine type fish, they run it up to the bucket they have waiting on the beach. I noticed they keep it under a makeshift shelter of  dried out palm fronds. I think this is to keep the seagulls away from their catch. I've watched these fishermen every day. To me, it looks like they are having fun and really have great passion for their work. If I am right, I think they are very lucky.

A picture IS worth a thousand words...I can't wait to upload my photo of Julio, who makes his living from the sea...

Hola, buenos dias...

Puerto Escondido, Mexico is a small beach town, a 45 minute plane ride from Oaxaca City.  In the area where I am staying, in order to get to a small business district with shops and cafes, you must walk in the street, as there really aren't many sidewalks. There are a few, but they stop and you are forced to walk on the road. It is always a pleasant walk from my hotel, anyway. It's not just the beautiful flowers, or the sun beating down on me, or the view of the ocean, but the locals that always give a smile and say, "Hola, buenos dias". I love this. It reminds me that people seek connection all over the world. In comparison, many times I have walked a Seattle street and said "hello" only to have the person say nothing and leave me with my own crazy thoughts of, "Is it something I said?!" Maybe it is the gray, the rain, or people preoccupied with their thoughts about their next meal or funding their kids education....who knows? All I know is that I find the exchange of a greeting on the street to be one of life's little pleasures...

Travelers Help Each Other...

You know your Spanish is coming along just fine, when a fellow traveler from Finland shares a cab with you and asks you to translate for him. I just hope the cab driver understood my translation!

All in a Day's Work...

 

I had been looking for a new bedspread for months, but I could never find the right one, so I went without. However, I just found the perfect, cotton, pink and yellow, (yes, I said pink and yellow) colcha (bedspread). And, I met the family that made it! It takes one day of work to weave via loom, a bedspread. I was astonished that it only took one day. Just look at the demanding physical work required...Imagine doing this from 8:30am - 6pm six days a week...#amazing...

 

 

All in a day's work...