November 26, 2008

This is the day before the most unusual Thanksgiving that I have ever had. I am not sure that I have ever had one without a turkey and family. I guess Andy is family and these friends are like family, but no turkey? It is a challenge for me, and as Shirley said today, it isn’t about the turkey, but about being Thankful. I am that and can celebrate it tomorrow without the bird. It doesn’t seem right though. I hope everyone at home will send a note to tell me about the Thanksgiving days at home. Our Thanksgiving day will be here in a new place we have found, Celestino RV Resort, on a remote beach 75 kilometers North of Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico.
There are a few towns around us and a little one to the South named Dimas is the home of one of the best restaurants in this state, even competing with Mazatlan’s unique restaurants. We just came home from driving there for dinner of fish cabobs, steamed oysters, neatly prepared Mexican dishes, and flan for dessert. Shirley really wanted oysters after we saw so many on the beach today and know how fresh they must be. No one spoke English at the restaurant and we were the only Gingos there. It was a bit of a drive in the dark to get there. The roads are so different than at home, that I am glad someone else is driving. John, who is doing the driving, tells us that he is only the driver and has to know nothing. Yet, he always gets us there. Some of the approaches to the toll road are almost invisible especially in the dark, and they are not paved. The campground is new and was a challenge for us to find on dirty, dusty roads, but a gem when we got here. It is right on the beach, quiet, and well run. It is near a Shrimp farm, turtle release location, and many picturesque villages to explore; besides the major joy is hiking on the beach and kicking your feet in the water all along the way. The owners are nice and the few people staying here are so helpful telling us all of the places to see and directions. We are going to stay another day.

This morning we drove our rigs out of the campground at Las Glorias about 730 am and drove the entire day through beautiful agricultural and farming land. There were acres and acres of corn planted, at all different stages of growth. There were fruit trees and pepper farms, some cattle with long horns and some large areas to be planted that resembled dirt covered cookie sheets with edges. We wondered if they could be flooding areas to grow rice. We enjoyed the green country and the water sources that made it that way. There were so many toll stations on the toll road that we think we may have spent $160 Pesos every 70 miles and kept digging into our Peso supply. We need to use Pesos for tolls, fuel, camping, and food. The three of our buses stopped for fuel, paying tolls, and traffic and that is about all, fixing lunch as we drove. We were passed on through the agricultural and military inspection stations with just a wave and never had to stop. The Mexican people all waved at us with big smiles. I imagine we are a spectacle (our huge buses pulling cars and piled with kayaks, four wheelers and looking like a party going somewhere to happen. It was enough driving for our drivers at about 1pm when we arrived in this campground and wound our way into the new hookups. There are only back-ins for us as we are so long. Even then, our noses will stick into the road. The women all get into the cars while the guys unhitch the buses and we drive the cars off to park until the bus drivers have the buses in place. These spaces have concrete slabs, gravel to park on, and tropical landscaping between each of our spots. It didn’t take long to get into a relax and exercise mode…….taking naps and long walks on the beach. It’s warm and breezy.